Anything that is found in nature that can be used by living things is a natural resource. This includes water, forests, fossil fuels, minerals, plants, animals and even air.
To better understand natural resourcesā¦
LETāS BREAK IT DOWN!
People need natural resources.
Living things depend on natural resources to survive. People need water to drink, air to breath and wood or metal to build a shelter. We also need to power our cars and heat our homes.
Water is a natural resource.
Every living thing needs water to survive. Water can be found in oceans, rivers, lakes, underground and frozen in glaciers. Only a small amount of water on Earth is freshwater.
Wood is a natural resource.
Wood is a natural material made from trees. We use wood to make pencils and paper. It can also be used to build a house and when it burns it makes heat.
Fossil fuels are a natural resource.
Coal, oil and natural gas are all fossil fuels. They form deep in the Earth from dead plants and animals. It takes millions of years for them to form.
We need to conserve natural resources.
Many natural resources can be used up, so we must use them wisely. We can conserve natural resources by following the 3Rās: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.