Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources

What are renewable and nonrenewable resources and how do we use them in our lives? Students reflect on their own use of resources and explore the equity of resource availability through interactive games. Students also explore how population growth affects resource use and distribution, and how engineers interact with and utilize natural resources.

It's the responsibility of everyone to use Earth’s natural resources wisely. Engineers develop new resource technologies, such as more efficient ways to generate and distribute electricity from renewable resources. Environmental engineers design methods to clean up pollution created from using non-renewable resources like coal and oil. Bioengineers work with scientists to genetically modify food to provide more resources. Civil engineers design affordable and effective water filters for people to use when expensive water treatment plants are not yet feasible for communities to develop.