HUMANS AND THE
ENVIRONMENT
OUTLINE
Natural Resources and Classes of Natural
their Uses Resources
Effects of human
activities on the
How to make good use
environment and how
of Natural Resources
to disseminate
information
SUCCESS INDICATORS
identify Earth’s Renewable and Non-renewable
I can:
Resources
identify the main natural Resources in Ghana
and their Uses
discuss challenges with society and the
environment that arise from the use of
natural resources.
What are Natural Resources?
• A material found in nature • They are the basis of life on
that has usefulness and Earth
economic value
• The materials we use from • Examples include wind
nature to make the things energy, water, plants,
we need are called natural animals, and fossil fuels
resources.
Classes of Natural Resources
• Natural Resources fall under 2 main Categories
• Renewable
• Non-Renewable
Renewable Resources
Renewable resources are those
that can be replaced or never run
out.
Renewable Resources
• Examples include solar energy,
wind power, geothermal energy,
hydroelectric energy (water),
and biomass (material made
from plants and animals).
SOLAR ENERGY
• Solar Energy: Since earth
formed, the
• sun has produced energy in the
form of
• heat and light. It is considered
unlimited
• (the sun isn’t going anywhere!)
WIND POWER
• Wind Power: Wind is moving air
• created as the sun heats the
earth’s
• surface. As long as the sun is
• shining, the wind remains an
• infinite, renewable resource.
HYDROELECTRIC ENERGY
• Flowing water creates energy
that can be captured and turned
into electricity
• which is called Hydroelectric
power. Water is constantly
renewed by the water
• cycle which makes this a
renewable resource.
GEOTHERMAL
• When we use heat from the earth to
generate energy it is called
Geothermal
• Energy. (geo mean earth and thermal
means heat)
• The earth is constantly being
• warmed up by its core so when we
• use geothermal energy, we don’t
• use up resources like we do when
• we burn gas. This makes it a
• renewable resource.
BIOMASS
• Biomass is any material made by plants
and animals that we can convert into
energy.
• It is considered renewable because we
can always grow more plants and trees.
Animal waste such as
cow manure is often
used for fertilizer.
When you burn wood in your home,• Crops like corn or sugar cane can be
it releases energy which converted into a biofuel called ethanol
heats your home which can be used instead of gasoline in
many cars.
Advantages and Disadvantages of
Renewable Energy Sources
Advantages Disadvantages
Sustainable Difficult to produce
large quantities
Requires little The reliability of supply is
maintenance often dependent on
weather
Produces little waste
Non-Renewable Resources
• Non-renewable
resources are those that
cannot be replaced at the
same rate it is being
used. Most Non-
renewable energy
sources are fossil fuels:
coal, natural gas, and
oil.it takes a long time to
be replaced.
Natural Resources in Ghana
Activity
1. You will be given a region of the Country
2. Research about one natural resource found in that region.
3. Categorize the natural resource into renewable or nonrenewable
Resources.
4. Make a connection between the natural resource and the physical
environment
Complete this Table in 5 Mins
Resource Source Renewable or Non- Use
Renewable
1
2
3
4
5
Resource Products Class
Trees Paper, furniture, fuel, Cotton Clothing Renewable
Gold Jewelry, dental material Non-Renewable
Diamond Jewelry, mechanical equipment Non-Renewable
Bauxite Aluminum products (cans, car parts) Non-Renewable
Manganese Steel, cast iron Non-Renewable
Oil Plastic, fuel Natural gas Fuel Non Renewable
Salt Glass, polyester, plastics and leather for
cleaning gas and oil wells. manufacture of
paper, tyres, brass, bleach. etc
Products Class
Cocoa used for infectious intestinal diseases and diarrhoea, asthma, Renewable
bronchitis, seed coat is used for liver, bladder, and kidney
ailments; diabetes; as a tonic
Coffee prevent Parkinson's disease, gallstones, type 2 diabetes, Renewable
gastrointestinal cancer, lung cancer, and breast cancer.
Cotton Textile products like underwear, socks and t-shirts, also used Renewable
in making fishnets, coffee filters, tents, book binding.
Rubber medical devices, surgical gloves, aircraft and car tires, Renewable
pacifiers, clothes, toys, etc
Silver Jewellery and silver tableware, dental alloys, mirrors Non-Rene
Fish Fish as Food, Medicinal, Source of Oil, Fish Glue, Renewable
Fertilizer/Emulsion, Source of Animal Feed,
Iron Used to make alloy steels. These are used to make bridges, Non-Rene
Ore electricity pylons, bicycle chains, cutting tools etc
Effect of Human Activities on the Environment
How does human activity affect the environment?
Impact of Human Activities
• In the quest for natural • Destruction of Water Bodies
resources, human activities have
had negative impacts such as
• Deforestation
• Soil erosion and degradation
• Poor Air Quality
• Pollution
Using resources and causing
pollution minerals
buildings, farms,
quarries and dumps
use more
raw materials fossil fuels
use use
more land more people more energy
produce more waste
pesticides and and pollution sewage, fertilizer and
herbicides toxic waste
CO2, SO2, CO and smoke
Air pollution
Human activity produces two main types of air pollutant:
noxious gases – These include carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides
(NOx).
particulates – These are tiny particles suspended in air (e.g. smoke),
which are usually produced by the combustion of fossil fuels.
Air pollution has been a major problem since the Industrial Revolution of the
late 18th Century due to the fact that factories (industry) burn fossil fuels and
release many noxious (poisonous) gases into the air.
It has been made worse by humans’ reliance on burning fossil
fuels for energy (ie. fuel for vehicles, heating homes, etc.)
Carbon dioxide levels
Carbon dioxide is one of the most important greenhouse gases
because atmospheric concentrations have risen dramatically over the
past century. Why do you think this is?
Burning fossil fuels, deforestation and flooding land for the
construction of hydroelectric dams have all contributed to
rising levels of carbon dioxide.
How many examples of burning fossil fuels can
you think of? Are there any alternatives?
Trend in Atmospheric Levels of Carbon Dioxide
Year
What is the carbon sink?
Before the industrial revolution, carbon dioxide levels were usually kept in
check by the carbon sink – forests and oceans that capture and store carbon.
forests – All green plants absorb carbon dioxide as part
of photosynthesis.
oceans – Carbon dioxide dissolves in sea water, depending
on the temperature and pressure. Tiny marine animals
called phytoplankton extract carbon from the carbon
dioxide to make their skeletons and shells.
The carbon sink
Water pollution
Galamsey Activities destroy water bodies and pollutes the water.
Sewage, Mining Chemicals, industrial waste, oil, pesticides
and fertilizers all pollute water.
Fertilizers and sewage can easily be washed into rivers, streams and
lakes. The nutrients, phosphates and nitrates in these substances
cause eutrophication.
Eutrophication is the accumulation of nutrients in water, which causes
excessive algal growth. This leads to a reduction in oxygen levels and the
death of aquatic life.
Eutrophication Video
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGqZsSuG7ao
Effect of Human Activities on
the Land
• With increased population comes increased land usage for
building homes, businesses, and growing crops and herds.
• This leaves less land available for wildlife habitats, resulting
in decreased biodiversity.
• Trees are also cut down for different purposes without
replacing them.
• This leaves the land bare and disrupts rainfall patterns,
contributing to climate change.
• Mining activities destroy arable lands, leaving trenches and
pits that serve as death traps.
Land Pollution
Land and soil can be polluted by two main types of substance:
solid waste – such as plastic, metal,
paper and other man-made substances
chemicals – such as herbicides and pesticides,
crude oil and waste from industrial processes.
Land pollution often leads to water pollution, as
chemicals are washed into rivers and lakes.
What are the options?
What methods are there for disposing of waste materials?
Landfill is the cheapest solution, but sites quickly become full and the waste
contaminates the surrounding air, soil and water.
Incinerating waste reduces volume, but often produces toxic chemicals.
Recycling materials allows them to be useful again, and reduces the need to use
more raw materials.
Composting uses natural biological processes to decompose organic materials,
but cannot be used to dispose of non-biodegradable waste.
Ways to Conserve Natural Resources
• 1. Use of alternative sources of 6. Treatment of industrial wastes and
power such as solar and wind sewages before releasing into water
energy bodies.
• 2. Plant trees to prevent soil 7. Enactment of laws and regulations
erosion on mining.
8. Establish special schemes to
• 3. Practicing of judicious ways to
preserve endangered plant and
conserve water in our homes. animal species
• 4. Use pipelines to transport oil 9. Avoid illegal Mining
• 5. Growing of vegetation in 10. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
catchment areas materials
