Natural Resources
Name one natural resource people need to live.
Examples include clean water, air, soil, plants, animals, or energy resources.
Name one way water can become polluted.
Examples include pesticides, fertilizers, or chemicals entering water.
Name one nonrenewable energy source.
Examples include coal, oil, natural gas, or nuclear power.
What does pollution prevention aim to do?
To keep pollution from entering the environment.
Name one way an individual can help protect the environment.
Examples include conserving resources, reducing waste, or preventing pollution.
What is one reason natural resources need careful management?
Resources are limited, unevenly distributed, and important to people and other living things.
How can polluted water harm living things?
Pollution can harm organisms and affect the clean water they need to live.
What is one example of a renewable energy source?
Examples include water, wind, or sunlight.
What can land-use restrictions help prevent?
Environmental hazards and future damage from land use.
Name one level of government that helps manage natural resources.
Local, state, or federal government.
What does sustainable development seek to balance?
Long-term use of land and resources, community benefit, and minimizing environmental damage.
Name one pollutant that can enter water from farms or gardens.
Examples include pesticides or fertilizers.
Give one possible environmental disadvantage of using fossil fuels.
Fossil fuel use can release pollution that harms air quality and living things.
Why is preventing pollution often better than cleaning it up later?
Prevention and waste management are less costly than cleanup.
How can regulations help protect air or water?
Regulations can set requirements that limit pollution and protect environmental quality.
Why might a natural resource be suitable for one use but not another?
Natural resources have different properties that make them useful for different purposes.
How can particles or heat released into the air affect human health?
Air pollution and released heat can disrupt natural systems and affect human health.
What is one reason renewable resources need to be managed carefully?
Renewable resources must be managed so they can continue to produce over time.
How can planned land use reduce environmental hazards?
Careful planning and enforced restrictions can help avoid risky or damaging land uses.
What is one way people can influence public policy decisions about the environment?
People can participate in voluntary efforts or share their views with decision-makers.
Explain why natural resources may be limited or unevenly distributed.
Resources exist in limited amounts, and their locations and availability differ across the planet.
Describe how water pollutants can affect both fresh water and human health.
Pollutants can contaminate limited fresh water, harm living things, and contribute to bacterial, viral, or parasitic diseases.
Explain why choosing an energy source can involve trade-offs.
Each energy source has benefits and drawbacks that may affect the environment, health, and economy.
How can new technology reduce the environmental damage caused by resource extraction?
Technology can help extract resources while reducing pollution, waste, and harm to ecosystems.
How should communities consider resource use when developing environmental policies?
Communities should weigh resource needs, health and safety, environmental impacts, and long-term benefits and costs