Resource Management and Conservation
Imagine you leave every light on in your house all night, every night. The electric bill goes up, a power plant burns more fuel, and more smoke goes into the air. Is there a smarter way to get the same comfort while using less? Managing resources is about answering that question, for a family, a school, a city and the whole planet. We will come back to this at the end.
Renewable and nonrenewable resources
A natural resource is something from nature that people use, such as sunlight, water, soil, wood or fuel.
Some resources are refilled quickly. Others took millions of years to form and cannot be replaced in a human lifetime.
Why does the difference matter? A wind farm in Texas can keep making electricity as long as the wind blows. A coal mine can only be mined until the coal is gone.
Classify each resource as renewable or nonrenewable: solar energy, coal, wind, natural gas, fresh water in a river that is refilled by rain. Choose any two and give a…
Classify each resource as renewable or nonrenewable: solar energy, coal, wind, natural gas, fresh water in a river that is refilled by rain. Choose any two and give a short reason for your classification.
Conservation, efficiency and technology
Resource management means planning how to use resources so they last and cause less harm. Three tools help.
| Tool | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation | Using less, or using resources carefully | Turning off lights, taking shorter showers |
| Increased efficiency | Getting the same job done with less resource | An LED bulb instead of an old bulb |
| Technology | New tools that save, clean or replace resources | Solar panels, smart thermostats, drip irrigation |
Conservation changes what you do. Efficiency changes the device so it wastes less. Both save resources, and technology often makes efficiency possible.
Measuring energy use
Electric energy on a bill is measured in watt-hours (Wh) or kilowatt-hours (kWh). To find it:
$$\text{energy (Wh)} = \text{power (W)} \times \text{time (h)}$$Also, $1\ \text{kWh} = 1{,}000\ \text{Wh}$. A utility bill might charge about $\$0.15$ per kWh.
Define the word conservation in your own words. Then give two examples of ways a family can practice conservation at home.
Define the word conservation in your own words. Then give two examples of ways a family can practice conservation at home.
A family replaces an old light bulb that uses 60 watts with an LED bulb that gives the same light and uses 10 watts. Each bulb is on for 5 hours a day. a) How many…
A family replaces an old light bulb that uses 60 watts with an LED bulb that gives the same light and uses 10 watts. Each bulb is on for 5 hours a day. a) How many watt-hours does each bulb use in one day? b) How many watt-hours does the family save per day? c) Explain how this is an example of increased efficiency, not just conservation.
Managing water and soil
Energy is not the only resource to manage. Air, water and soil matter just as much.
Water. Fresh water is limited, especially in dry places like Phoenix, Arizona, and the Southwest. Ways to manage it:
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Fix leaking faucets, since a steady drip wastes many liters a day.
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Water lawns and fields early in the morning or at night, when less water evaporates.
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Use drip irrigation, which delivers water to plant roots instead of spraying it in the air.
Soil. Soil takes hundreds of years to form, so it acts almost like a nonrenewable resource. Bare soil can be blown away by wind or washed away by rain, a problem called erosion. Farmers protect it by:
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planting cover crops so roots hold the soil,
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terracing hillsides into steps so water runs slowly,
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planting rows of trees as windbreaks.
Healthy soil grows more food. That helps reduce malnutrition, which means not having enough nutritious food.
Air. Burning coal, gasoline and wood puts smoke and gases into the air. Cleaner energy, efficient vehicles and clean-burning stoves reduce air pollution.
Olivia's school in Phoenix, Arizona, wants to reduce water use. The school considers three actions: fixing leaking faucets, watering the soccer field at night, and…
Olivia's school in Phoenix, Arizona, wants to reduce water use. The school considers three actions: fixing leaking faucets, watering the soccer field at night, and installing drip irrigation for the garden. For each action, explain how it helps manage water resources. Then explain why wasting water is a concern in a desert region like the Southwest.
Poor farming can leave soil bare, and wind and rain carry it away. Describe two methods farmers can use to protect soil, such as planting cover crops or terracing…
Poor farming can leave soil bare, and wind and rain carry it away. Describe two methods farmers can use to protect soil, such as planting cover crops or terracing hillsides. Then explain how healthy soil connects to reducing malnutrition (not having enough nutritious food) around the world.
Energy poverty and weighing costs and benefits
Energy poverty means people do not have enough access to affordable, reliable energy for lighting, cooking, heating and powering a refrigerator or a phone charger. Without it, children may study by dim light, and families may cook over smoky fires that harm their lungs. Cutting trees for fuel also damages forests.
Good resource management can help. But every solution has pros and cons, and we must compare them. This is called cost-benefit analysis.
| Choice | Benefits | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Wind turbines | No smoke, renewable | Cost to build, only works when it is windy |
| Solar panel and battery | Clean light, no fuel to buy | Upfront cost, battery wears out |
| Efficient stove | Uses less wood, less smoke | Still burns fuel, needs repair parts |
| Home insulation | Lower heating bills | Cost to install now |
Also compare the short term (cost today) with the long term (savings and cleaner air for years).
Energy poverty means that people do not have enough access to affordable, reliable energy for needs such as lighting, cooking and heating. Name two things in a household…
Energy poverty means that people do not have enough access to affordable, reliable energy for needs such as lighting, cooking and heating. Name two things in a household that are harder to do when there is no reliable electricity.
A city in the Midwest gets most of its electricity from burning coal. The city council is considering two plans. Plan 1: build wind turbines on nearby farmland. Plan 2:…
A city in the Midwest gets most of its electricity from burning coal. The city council is considering two plans. Plan 1: build wind turbines on nearby farmland. Plan 2: give homeowners help to add insulation and buy efficient appliances. Compare the two plans in terms of air pollution, use of nonrenewable resources and cost to families. Then explain how technology helps in each plan. Which plan, or combination, would you recommend, and why?
In many rural areas of the world, families cook by burning wood or dung indoors. This causes smoke that harms health, and cutting trees harms forests. A charity offers…
In many rural areas of the world, families cook by burning wood or dung indoors. This causes smoke that harms health, and cutting trees harms forests. A charity offers either (a) a solar panel and battery for lighting or (b) an efficient stove that uses less fuel. Analyze how each choice could reduce energy poverty, air pollution and damage to resources. Identify one limitation of each choice and explain how good resource management could address it.
Summary
Back to the start: leaving lights on wastes energy, but conservation (turn them off), efficiency (LED bulbs) and technology (smart controls, solar) let you get the same comfort with less harm.