Renewable resources: what are and examples

Renewable resources: what are and examples

By Dr. Kyle Muller

The planet has a lot of natural resources and human beings have been taking advantage of them thousands of years, but the question is, can we always do it without worrying about their exhaustion? This depends on the type of natural resource we are talking about, that is why natural resources are classified into; Renewable resources, non -renewable resources and inexhaustible resources. This classification is based on the possibility that the appeal has to regenerate. In this ecology article, it will be exhibited What are renewable resources and examplesin addition to explaining the differences between these renewable and non -renewable resources.

What are renewable resources

Are Natural resources those who They are naturally regenerated at a greater rate than their consumptiontherefore, we would be talking about resources that we could supply continuously without harming future generations for leaving them without their availability.

To learn more about this type of natural resources and others, we advise you this other post about natural resources: definition and types.

Examples of renewable resources

There are many renewable resources that we have within our reach, although sometimes it is not so easy to take advantage of them for the great cost of their facilities. These are Examples of renewable resources that are known:

Sun

We can get Heat and electricity with the Solar radiation And this is possible through solar panels that transform the sun’s rays, either by photovoltaic plates to obtain energy or photothermic plates to generate heat. This type of energy is clean and renewable. The problem is, although it has only a great initial economic investment and then it does not need more investment, only maintenance over a long time, not everyone can afford it.

To have more information about The sun as a renewable or inexhaustible natural resourcewe offer you these other articles:

  • Is the sun a resource or renewable energy or not?
  • What is solar energy and what is it for.
  • Advantages and disadvantages of solar energy.

Wind

Like with the sun, we can get energy through the wind with some mills called wind turbines. We are also talking about clean and renewable energy, because The wind is not exhausted Although there are seasons with more or less volume. However, wind turbine facilities having to place in mountainous areas can generate erosion. In addition, wind turbines emit a lot of noise, thus producing noise pollution in the places where they are located.

Here you can learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of wind energy.

Water

Water is a renewable resource Very important and vital for living beings. In fact, there are countries with water shortage where its inhabitants die due to lack of this. This resource, in addition to being used for direct consumption, is also used for the food industry, for recreational use, to generate energy from hydroelectric plants, for personal hygiene, etc. For example, water is a renewable natural resource that is used to obtain the Mareomotor energywhich uses the tides of the oceans and seas, or the UNDIMOTRIZ ENERGYwhich uses the movement of the waves themselves. Here you can see more information about mareomotor energy: what is and how works and the endimotric energy: what it is, how it works, types, examples, advantages and disadvantages.

We advise you to read this other article on why water is a renewable but limited resource.

Animals

These provide food to human being and other carnivorous or omnivorous animals and, in general, can be considered a renewable food source. Other uses uses of this type of renewable resource are that they are used for textile industry such as, for example, in obtaining leather, today some animals are still used for work in the field and other leisure uses, such as shows, circuses, zoos, etc.

This resource is also overexploited, especially for the food industrylarge hectares of soil are needed to raise the amount of animals demanded by the population. As a consequence, forests for intensive livestock are being deforested. The general use of animals as renewable resource For years it causes various controversies.

Floors

Plants, in addition to serving as food for a variety of animals, are also food for humans. In addition to Use of plants in the food industrythey have a very relevant use in the Pharmaceutical industry. Surely you have also heard of alternative energies, one of them is the generation of Biomass energywhich is nothing other than using forest and agricultural resources to obtain energy. Other products that we can get from plants are Wood and paper.

The problem with this resource that despite being renewable, is an overexploitation of it that causes a soil desertification. For example, in Argentina the soil is impoverished by the overexploitation it suffers with soybeans.

Geothermia

Geothermal is a renewable resourcesince it is about internal heat heatthat is, it originates in the nucleus of the planet. To learn more about geothermia, you can consult this other post about geothermal energy: definition, advantages and disadvantages.

Renewable resources: What are and examples - examples of renewable resources

Differences between renewable and non -renewable resources

In addition to renewable resources, we find those that are not renewable. Non -renewable resources are found in a limited waysince they need long periods of time to regenerate and we consume them much faster than this time they need to recover. Some examples are minerals, oil, natural gas and coal.

There are great Differences between renewable and non -renewable resources:

  • On the one hand, renewable resources, as we have already mentioned, regenerate rapidly and can be found in large quantities and, on the other hand, non -renewable resources are regenerated very slowly, being limited.
  • Obtaining renewable resources to generate energy is a great cost compared to obtaining non -renewable resources. In addition, with non -renewable resources, greater amounts of energy are obtained and well known as obtaining it. However, obtaining energy with some non -renewable resources is still something that is halfway or large locations are needed to obtain it.
  • You may be wondering what type of resource is more beneficial for the environment, these are renewable resources due to their renewal capacity, although it is true that sometimes the infrastructure necessary to obtain them deteriorate the environment where they are found, as with the hydroelectric plants or with the wind turbines of the wind farms.
  • Another difference is that renewable resources, in general, can be found throughout the planet, which does not happen with non -renewable resources. This situation creates wars conflicts between countries, in addition to creating enormous inequality. For example, the Middle East wars are the result of conflicts for resources such as oil and natural gas. This is a slightly paradoxical result, since countries as greater non -renewable resources in the end are poorer than those with less non -renewable resources.

At present, we are consuming resources at an uncontrolled pace, we are overexploiting the planet and the consequences are already being seen. We must do a Responsible consumption If we want to survive as a species, since our survival depends on these resources, whether renewable or non -renewable. In this link you will find more information about the overexploitation of natural resources: causes and consequences.

Finally, in case you want to deepen this topic, we recommend you take a look at this other article on renewable and non -renewable energies: examples and summary and this ecology video see about the differences between renewable and non -renewable resources, as well as examples of each type.

If you want to read more articles similar to Renewable resources: what are and exampleswe recommend that you enter our category of renewable energy.

Kyle Muller
About the author
Dr. Kyle Muller
Dr. Kyle Mueller is a Research Analyst at the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department in Houston, Texas. He earned his Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Texas State University in 2019, where his dissertation was supervised by Dr. Scott Bowman. Dr. Mueller's research focuses on juvenile justice policies and evidence-based interventions aimed at reducing recidivism among youth offenders. His work has been instrumental in shaping data-driven strategies within the juvenile justice system, emphasizing rehabilitation and community engagement.
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