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Topic last updated: 26 Oct 2023

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Human activity

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Recycling

Humans extract lots of different natural resources from the Earth to use them for energy, to make technology and vehicles, or to build houses (as examples). These can either be renewable or non-renewable resources. 

A renewable resource is something that can be made as quickly as it is used, such as plants.  

A non-renewable resource is something that cannot be made as quickly as it is used, such as oil.  

Fossil fuels are examples of non-renewable resources, and these include coal, oil and gas. They are made over millions of years and the rate at which humans are using them means that they will run out soon.  

Metals are also non-renewable natural resources found in ores. We extract a lot of these to develop technology.  

As non-renewable materials are now running out, we need to recycle more and use more renewable resources. Recycling means that our old items can be made into new ones, meaning that natural resources do not need to be extracted from the Earth.  

Recycling also reduces the amount of rubbish in landfill sites. Once rubbish is in a landfill site it can take many years to rot away, and rubbish that is rotting adds even more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. 

Materials that can be recycled include paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, cans, glass, wood and metal. You can put garden waste into compost bins or the garden bin too. 

Look out for recycling bins to help manage the Earth’s finite resources effectively. 

recycling
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