Resources and recycling

The Earth holds only a certain amount of each resource. The faster we take it out, the sooner it runs out.

• Natural resources are materials from the Earth that we use to make things. Metal ores, crude oil and limestone are examples.
• Many are non-renewable. Ores and crude oil took millions of years to form, so they are not replaced as we use them. Wood is renewable, because new trees can be grown.
• Recycling means processing a used material so that it can be used again. Less has to be taken from the Earth, so the resource lasts longer.
• More benefits: recycling a metal needs less energy than extracting it from ore. Mines and quarries damage less land, and less waste goes to landfill.