Resources and hazards

Living on a working planet.

What we extract

Metals, fossil fuels, groundwater and building materials all come from geological processes that took millions of years. Extraction rates are not comparable to formation rates.

Ore deposits are concentrations produced by specific, uncommon conditions.
Recycling metals uses a fraction of the energy of extracting them.

Living with hazards

Earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, floods and tsunamis are normal planetary behaviour. Land use planning, building standards and warning systems are what turn a hazard into a survivable event.