The Development of Energy: A Brief History of Power Use

Early in human history, people used energy for heating, lighting, and cooking. As humans began to farm larger areas of land, their energy demands changed. Domesticated animals were used for energy sources to pull plows. When the Industrial Revolution occurred, people's energy demands further changed to meet the needs of industry. Work that was done by people and animals were then transferred over to machines. These machines required more natural resources such as iron and coal to produce large amounts of steel for tractors, pipes, and other devices. As the population increased, the demand for more products, such as clothing, shoes, and household items required more energy to be produced. The increased use of machines eventually led to an increased need for power. The needed power could only come from natural resources. Causes
. Some of the materials needed are renewable resources, such as agricultural and forestry products, while others are nonrenewable, such as minerals. The USGS reported in Materials Flow and Sustainability (1998) that the number of renewable resources is decreasing; meanwhile there is an increasing demand for nonrenewable resources

Over-consumption/excessive or unnecessary use of resources:
Non-equitable distribution of resources
Overpopulation
Slash and burn agricultural practices, currently occurring in many developing countries
Technological and industrial development
Erosion
Habitat degradation leads to the loss of Biodiversity (i.e. species and ecosystems with its ecosystem services).
Irrigation
Mining for oil and minerals
Aquifer depletion
Forestry Forest Reserves within a particular country
Pollution or contamination of resources
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. The environment is being abused and this depletion of resources is one way of showing the effects. Mining still pollutes the environment, only on a larger scale.
. Drilling for oil has become a major issue. America is more abundant in coal but the effects on