Renewable resources are living resources that can replace or
restock themselves – they can grow. Timber, for example, can be
harvested, and more trees can be planted to be harvested in the
future, as long as the environment is managed in a sustainable
fashion.
Non-renewable resources are resources that exist in finite
amounts on Earth and are not renewed or replaced after they have
been used or depleted (or only over a long timescale – normally
geological scales). Non-renewable resources include minerals and
fossil fuels. As the resource is used, natural capital or stocks are
depleted. New sources of stock or alternatives need to be found.