Introduction to Earth's Resources

Water is essential to life. Some parts of the world have too little water, while floods happen in other places. Fresh water for drinking is being threatened by pollution and disease. Find out why water is so important, how it can be used to make energy, how we can keep it clean, and simple steps readers can take to conserve and recycle water.

Air is essential for all living things on Earth. It provides the oxygen we need to breathe. Air affects the weather and nature, and can be used as a source of clean, renewable energy. But air can also get polluted by natural causes and human-made sources. Find out why air is so important, the factors that pollute it, and the steps that we can all take to make our air cleaner.

This book looks at how Earth's fossil fuels were formed, where in the world they are found, and how they are extracted and used. It also considers the harmful impact of burning fossil fuels, which causes global warming and pollution. Find out why fossil fuels are important, how we use them, and why we must find cleaner, renewable forms of energy to replace them.

Wood grows all around the world, and we use it every day. People have been using wood throughout history to make tools and shelter, as a fuel, and to make paper. Find out about different types of wood, why wood is so important as a resource, how trees keep the planet healthy, and why we need to conserve wood and plant more trees.

Rocks and minerals are natural resources found in Earth. They are used as fuel, for building, and to make items sush as smartphones. Some minerals, including gold and silver, are prized for their beauty. Find out about the different types of rocks and minerals, how they formed, how they are used, and what we can do to conserve and recycle them.

Everyone in the world needs food to live. Much of our food is grown and raised on farms. Modern farms use technology to improve the health of our food and how much is produced. But farming technologies and shipping food long distances can cause pollution. Find out why food is so important, how it is produced, and the steps we can all take to cut down food waste.