Relying on non-renewable sources of energy is a risky business according to environmentalists. The world population has rapidly grown, and the total consumption of energy has skyrocketed. Despite most of the natural resources we use are called non-renewable, we can hardly believe that one day there will be no coal, oil, and timber on the planet. Nevertheless, geologists are more precise. According to the figures published in 2012 Global Resources Stock Check, most sources of fossil fuels will be drained quite soon. The ecosystems will last for much longer, nevertheless, nearly in 200 years, the last forests on the Earth will be gone if we do not switch to alternative sources of energy.
To be more precise about the pace of wasting natural resources, antimony will be the first mineral to vanish from the Earth by 2020. This metal is widely used in microelectronics and is a traditional constituent of lead-acid batteries. Indium, silver, and copper will run out by 2050, which is also soon. By that time, one-third of plants and animal species will be extinct due to the climate change. The bad news is that coal can be the only fossil fuel that will last till 2060. After this point, the humanity will be able to rely only on such minerals as aluminum and phosphorus alongside with timber provided by ecosystems. If global consumers do not switch to renewable energy, the last ecosystems will vanish by the year 2200, and the Earth will turn into a complete desert. Currently, global consumption of renewables is less than 4 percent, and the consumption of nuclear power is close to 5 percent.