Earth's Natural Resources Paperback - 2013

Earth's Natural Resources provides a thorough overview of the subject and details how natural resources relate to individuals and our society. It discusses how the Earth's natural resources form and change over time, how they are extracted for human use, and how we can continue to sustainably use them with our ever-growing global population. The text begins with the basics of energy-giving resources such as oil, natural gas, and coal, as well as alternative energy sources and nuclear power. It goes on to cover the earth's abundant and scarce metals, followed by elements used in agriculture, water and its distribution, quality, and usage. The final section highlights soil composition, minerals, and degradation. In each section, the author discusses the science of the element under consideration, as well as any environmental and sustainability concerns that have arisen as humans have harvested the resources with increasing effectiveness. Preview Content Today! Download chapters 1 and 4 under the Sample Materials tab. Provides a thorough overview of our natural resources and how society affects these resources Includes discussion of where natural resources occur, how they are concentrated, how they are extracted, and the extent of their supply and usage Contains content on the latest alternative energy resources Offers end-of-chapter material including, chapter summaries, key term listings, problems, and references Instructor resources include PowerPoint Image Bank, PowerPoint Lecture Outlines, and answers to the end-of-chapter problems Appropriate for use in the Earth Resources course taught within the departments of geology, environmental science, and natural resources. (c) 2014 434 pages