Question 23.50

20. By the time there is concern about using up a nonrenewable resource, it may be too late. Suppose that a resource has a static reserve of 10,000 years, but consumption is growing at 3.5% per year.

  1. How long would the resource last?
  2. How long before half the resource would be gone?
  3. How long to use up the second half?
  4. How much longer would the resource last if after half of it is gone, consumption is stabilized at the then- current level?
  5. image What implications do you see to your answers?