Natural Resources
Ever wonder where we're getting all the material for our products and
packaging? Two words - Natural Resources. Natural resources are items we
find in the environment. There are two types of Natural resources:
Renewable and Non Renewable resources. Every time a new product is made,
new resources are used. This is why we think companies should use as much
recyclable content in their products as they can. This prevents new
resources from having to be used.
 Renewable resources are those items that will keep coming
back as long as we treat them properly. For example, when we cut down
trees for paper, we can replant new trees. Of course, if we cut too many
trees, destroy the soil and do not replant enough new trees, then we will
lose this important natural resource.
Non-Renewable resources like minerals must be mined from the earth.
Once we use them, they're gone. If we don't start using non-renewable
resources more wisely, then we're going to run out of them. One of the
minerals we use the most is fossil fuel. Fossil fuel makes petroleum from
which we can make plastic. This means if our choice is between using
plastic packaging (most chip companies and chocolates) and paper packaging
(smarties and some cereal companies), we should definitely choose paper
packaging: paper is a renewable resource.
Of course, just because paper is renewable and can be recycled, it
doesn't mean we can waste it. As important as recycling is, it still uses
natural resources. The trucks that pick up and transport recycled products
still use energy like fossil fuels to collect them, and fossil fuel is
also needed to process (melt) the materials. This is why recycling is the
third R. Reduce is the first. We need to reduce our use of natural
resources.
Remember, God gave us natural resources to use, not abuse. We read
somewhere that we need to start treating the environment like a library -
borrow items and bring them back no worse for the wear. Right now, a whole
bunch of us are not following this principle when it comes to natural
resources. Read on to see how we can start working to change this. | 
