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Resources, sustainability and manufactured products

Using resources • Earth's resources and potable water

Key concepts

What you'll likely be quizzed about

  • Natural products come from living systems or geological deposits.
  • Examples include timber from forests, natural rubber from rubber trees, and crude oil from fossil deposits.
  • Natural formation occurs slowly; timber and rubber regenerate over years, while fossil fuels form over millions of years.
  • Excessive extraction can lead to depletion or ecosystem damage, such as deforestation caused by high demand for timber, which reduces biodiversity and harms soil stability.

Flashcards

Test your knowledge with interactive flashcards

What is an example of a synthetic version of a natural product?

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Synthetic rubber, produced from petrochemicals, often replaces natural rubber from rubber trees.

Key notes

Important points to keep in mind

Natural products derive from ecosystems or geological processes and form slowly.

Agricultural practices supplement wild supplies when natural availability is insufficient.

Synthetic products ensure consistent supply but tend to increase energy use and emissions.

Finite resources are depleted faster than they can be replenished, leading to long-term scarcity.

Renewable resources require sustainable management and can be limited by environmental factors.

Recycling mitigates the need for new extraction and preserves finite materials.

High consumption leads to greater extraction, environmental damage, and resource depletion.

Substituting materials and improving designs relieve pressure on finite resources and enhance sustainability.

Sustainability assessments must consider formation rates, extraction rates, and environmental impacts.

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