Contrast should include
- defining renewable resources and nonrenewable resources
- distinguishing between examples of resources and the long-term/short-term benefits and true (i.e., full) cost
- describing the terms, illustrating the differences, and providing examples of each.
Some examples of renewable resources are water and fiber. Nonrenewable resources include fossil fuel-based products, such as plastic.
Teacher Resources:
Process/Skill Questions:
- Why are trees considered a renewable resource?
- What factors contribute to continued use of nonrenewable resources?
- How might a life-cycle cost analysis be applied when purchasing an automobile?
- How do renewable and nonrenewable energy sources compare with regards to pollution by-products, efficiency, and dollars invested per kilowatt hour?
- How have the nonrenewable fossil fuels been beneficial to humans in the last century while at the same time causing problems that may linger beyond this century?
- What are examples of emerging technologies in carbon sequestration that often mimic photosynthesis?