Examples include solar energy, air, wind, water, trees, grain, cows, and medicines from plants. However, even a renewable resource can be depleted , or used to a point where it can no longer be economically used in an area. Cut all the trees down in Virginia today, and the resource is considered depleted until they grow back. About the only resources we cannot deplete are solar energy and its derivatives, wind and precipitation. Global warming, air and water pollution, habitat destruction, massive economic disruptions, military conflict, and urban sprawl are all hidden costs to society that result directly from our fossil fuel habits.
Nuclear plants create tons of deadly radioactive waste, a danger for thousands of years to come.
Both entail the risk of catastrophic failure that can endanger lives and property. As you read, focus on what regions of the world have the resources, which don't have the resources, which use the most resources, which WILL be using the resources, and how the use of the different energy resources affects the economies, people and environments of those regions. They are basic building blocks that we use to construct roads and buildings, airplanes and TVs, cars and computers, and power our machines. Energy sources are actually a subset of minerals, but we will look at them independently. This section deals exclusively with metals and other non-metal minerals excluding fuels .