Management of Natural Resources
Natural resources are living and non-living components and energy sources of nature that are used by humans to meet their requirements. Solar radiation, air, water, fossil fuels, minerals, animals, and plants are examples of natural resources and sources of energy that we use to manufacture plastic, sheet metals, fabrics, microchips, electricity, and concrete. Nonrenewable and renewable resources are the stock of natural resources that have been used to fulfill our daily needs. Management and conservation of natural resources have been very important in recent years because it has been observed that most of our nonrenewable natural resources such as soil, forest, wildlife, minerals, coal, fossil fuels, and natural gas are not replenished with the speed at which they are consumed.
Conservation and management of natural resources is the practice of caring because they are beneficial for food, shelter, and transportation for living things. Through conservation, we can reduce waste and manage natural resources scientifically.
For the continuation of life, we need careful use and management of natural resources. Therefore, a more effective and efficient management of natural resources is constructed and implemented.
Importance of Natural Resources
The population of the world growing enormously. Therefore, the use of natural resources increses quickly because they used them for food, shelter, and transportation.
The proper use of natural resources is one of the important parts of the sustainable development of modern societies. Natural resources present on our Earth are important due to the following facts:
- Various nonrenewable and renewable natural resources such as fossil fuels, sun, wind, and water are used for generating electrical energy, heat, and light.
- Animal and plant-based natural resources provide food, fuel, and raw materials for human beings.
- Natural resources protect biodiversity and ensure plentiful and varied food sources.
- Natural resources from tropical forests give us many valuable products such as wood and teak, rubber, fruits, nuts, flowers, and many medicines.
- Natural resources play an important part in making our houses and many other constructions work.
- Natural resources play an important part in balancing the ecosystem of our earth.
- Natural resources make a country wealthy because they can be used to create financial capital.
Natural resources are crucial to our daily lives because they are necessary for the economic, social development, and environmental health of the entire planet.
Renewable and Nonrenewable Natural Resources
Nonrenewable and renewable are two classes of natural resources that humans use to fulfill their requirements. Therefore, nonrenewable and renewable natural resources are needed to stay alive or they can be used to make our lives better.
Some nonrenewable natural resources such as fossil fuels cannot be replaced at all. Therefore, if nonrenewable natural resources are carelessly managed, they are gone forever.
Renewable Natural Resources
Renewable natural resources are present in unlimited quantities in nature and are not depleted when used to fulfill our requirements. These resources are continuously available in our nature and their quantities are commonly unaffected by human use.
Solar radiation, air, water, and geothermal heat are common examples of renewable natural resources. Such sources are renewable and replenished naturally. The use of some such resources is very low quantities to fulfill our needs.
Solar Radiation
Solar radiation is electromagnetic radiation that is commonly used for generating renewable solar energy. It is a resource that exists on our planet without any human action. It is the main source of energy on our planet because all forms of energy on our earth are obtained from solar energy.
Air
Air is everywhere in our surroundings and we cannot see it but feel it. It is important for us and we need to reduce air pollution to maintain quality and good health.
As a resource, wind turbines use wind energy to make electricity. It is a clean energy source because it does not cause any pollution in our environment.
Water Resources
Water is a very important resource for terrestrial and aquatic life because we can not imagine life without water. It is available in the form of several water bodies such as oceans, rivers, dams, lakes, and ponds.
Nearly 70 to 80 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water but only 1-2 percent is pure and suitable for human use. Water is a very precious natural resource. Therefore, we need to conserve water for the present and our future.
Geothermal Heat
Geothermal heat is an energy resource used to produce heat or make geothermal energy. Such energy sources are commonly used for heating homes and generating electricity.
Geothermal energy does not depend on the change of weather. Therefore, it is used in the long term to fulfill global electricity demand. Due to renewable resources, geothermal heat is useful or significant in fulfilling huge electricity demands in many countries
Forest Resources
Small plants can be replaced very quickly after they are used while large trees take a long time to replace. Therefore, they are renewable natural resources. Forests are home to more than two-thirds of all known land species to maintain land biodiversity.
A forest is an important part of our ecosystem to maintain biodiversity. Tropical forests give us many valuable products such as wood and teak, rubber, fruits, nuts, flowers, and many medicines.
Deforestation is cutting and burning trees present in forests. Presently, we can cut forests for housing and construction projects. It destroys wildlife habitats and increases soil erosion on the earth’s surface. Therefore, deforestation can harm various ecosystems present on the earth.
The trees in the forests reduce carbon dioxide and produce oxygen for life. It also helps to improve the water-holding capacity of soil and regulate the water cycle.
Nonrenewable Resources
Non-renewable resources are limited in nature and nonreplenishable due to a lack of regeneration. The most common examples of nonrenewable natural resources are soil, forest, wildlife, minerals, coal, fossil fuels, oil, natural gas, etc. These resources are formed over a long time but cannot be renewed easily. Therefore, they are not replenished with the speed at which they are consumed.
A finite amount of nonrenewable resources are found in our earth. Therefore, they are extracted directly from the Earth but cannot easily be replenished. Extraction and processing of nonrenewable resources can cause various environmental issues such as deforestation, habitat destruction, water pollution, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Coal and Petroleum
Fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum are the most important energy sources inside the Earth. In addition to carbon, coal or petroleum contain hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur. These nonrenewable resources were formed millions of years ago by the degradation of biomass. Therefore, these are the resources that will be exhausted in the future.
Along with household uses, coal is commonly used to generate electrical energy in thermal power plants and power in steam engines. Petroleum and its products such as diesel, petrol, kerosene, and LPG are used in vehicles, ships, aircraft, and household purposes like cooking.
When coal and petroleum are burned, they release carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxides of nitrogen, and oxides of sulfur (sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide) in the air. The combustion of coal and petroleum in insufficient air or oxygen also forms toxic carbon monoxide. All these gases are poisonous at high concentrations, and they cause the greenhouse effect, acid rain, and many other environmental issues.
Soil
Soil is an important natural resource needed to grow crops or food production. Poor farming and excess use of pesticides and herbicides may deplete nutrients and pollute soil. Soil erosion and depleted nutrients by water and wind increase when farmers plow up and down hills.
Minerals
Minerals and precious metals are important nonrenewable natural resources present in our Earth. The deposit of many raw minerals has been depleted or in danger.
The ores for minerals like aluminum and iron become harder to find on Earth’s surface. Therefore, the tools and machinery made of aluminum and iron are more expensive to purchase and operate.
Difference between Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources
| Renewable Resources | Nonrenewable Resources |
| It can be present in unlimited quantities in nature and renewed rapidly in a limited timeframe. | It can be present in a finite quantity in nature and cannot be renewed easily. |
| The extraction and processing of renewable resources can cause limited or no environmental issues. | The extraction and processing of nonrenewable resources can cause various environmental issues. |
| Environmentally friendly and inexpensive resources. | Unfriendly to the environment and prices fluctuated over time. |
| Wind, water, air, forests, and geothermal heat are examples of some renewable resources. | Soil, forests, wildlife, minerals, coal, fossil fuels, oil, and natural gas are examples of nonrenewable resources. |
Conservation Natural Resources
People often waste natural resources by killing animals, cutting forests, damaging the fertility of the soil, polluting water and air, etc. We hit natural resources during our development. However, sustainable development means the use of the environment in ways that ensure to saving of resources for the future.
The conservation of resources means the scientific utilization of resources to yield the greatest suitable benefits for the present and future generations. The conservation of natural resources is important for present and future generations to save our earth from natural climates.
Forest Conservation
Sustainable forestry is a crucial management process that ensures these natural resources well into the future. Therefore, the trees in forests are conserved by plantations when we consume them.
Forests are the hotspots of biodiversity because of the presence of a large number of species. Therefore, the conservation of forests is an important factor in maintaining our biodiversity. For the conservation of forest and wildlife resources, we can take the following steps:
- We should judicially use forest products to conserve biodiversity.
- Tree cutting or deforestation for paper and timber should be strictly controlled or banned.
- The killing of wild animals should be banned and laws should be formulated against hunting.
- Afforestation should be more and more practiced.
- To grow awareness about the importance of forests in our ecosystem to save biodiversity.
- Management of forests should be given to local people.
Wildlife Conservation
The depletion of forests not only reduces the availability of natural resources but also causes the loss of wildlife present in them. The killing of animals present in forests for commercial benefits is a crucial threat to our ecosystem.
The skin, teeth, feathers, and tusks of wild animals are used for the production of various commercial products. Therefore, it can disturb food chains, the food web, and the ecological balance on our earth. For the conservation of wildlife in nature we can take the following steps,
- Poaching should be made a punishable offense.
- Monitoring or surveillance of forests by the forest department increses.
- Taking appropriate strategies for the conservation of endangered animals.
- The number of natural parks and sanctuaries should be increses with appropriate security.
Water Conservation
Water is an important natural resource that has many uses in everyday life. Therefore, it is necessary for every living being to save water because we cannot imagine a life without water. We need water for many purposes such as drinking, washing, bathing, washing utensils, watering plants, and cleaning floors.
Conservation of water means protecting, preserving, and controlling the usage of water and its sources. Some important and easy ways for the conservation of water are listed below:
- Leaking of taps should be repaired to control waste.
- To reduce water pollution, industries can not directly dump polluted water into river water.
- The use of insecticides and pesticides can be minimized to minimize contamination.
- Put methods for harvesting by rainwater, and construct canals and dams.
Fossil Fuel Conservation
Conservation of fossil fuels is very important for us because these resources do not exist in the near future. To conserve fossil fuels we can take the following steps:
- The use of nonrenewable fossil fuels can be minimized by using renewable energy natural resources such as solar power, hydropower, wind energy, biomass, and tidal energy.
- The use of CNG or LPG in automobiles should be prompted.
- It is better to walk over a short distance or use a bicycle rather than a vehicle.
- Use of solar cooker and minimize the use of cooking gas.
Soil Conservation
Plant conservation and animal conservation depend on soil conservation because soil helps to grow plants that are eaten by animals. For the conservation of soil, we take the following steps to minimize soil erosion and environmental pollution.
- To conserve soil, we need to grow crops (corn, wheat, and clover) in alternating strips because different root systems help slow soil erosion.
- The cultivation can be done across a slope or across the path of the prevailing wind.
- Harvesting all the trees from a large area is called clearcutting.
- Forestation and plantation can protect soil by reducing soil erosion and providing nutrients through leaves.
Minerals Conservation
Many mining processes can destroy soil, plants, and animal habitats. Similarly, many mining processes can pollute water and air by leaking toxic chemicals into the surrounding ecosystem.
- We need to maintain appropriate mining processes for the conservation of minerals and precious metals.
- The recycling of metals helps to conserve mineral resources.
- Electronic products contain various toxic metals and petroleum-based plastics. They can pollute landfills into the soil and water supply. Therefore, recycling electronic products helps to conserve mineral resources and save our environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Natural Resources?
Natural resources are living and non-living components and energy sources of nature that are used by humans to meet their requirements. Such resources are needed to stay alive or they can be used to make our lives better. Therefore, natural resources are materials and components found within the environment used for development and needed for human survival.
What is Management of Natural Resources?
Management of resources means the scientific utilization of natural resources. Sustainable management of resources present in our Earth is a difficult task. Through conservation, we can reduce waste and manage natural resources scientifically.
Conservation and management of natural resources is the practice of caring because they are beneficial for food, shelter, and transportation for living things.
How to Conserve Natural Resources?
The conservation of resources present in our nature is a difficult task. We can take the following common steps for conserving natural resources:
- Limiting the use of water
- Plantation in free areas
- Irrigation of plants
- Limited use of fossil fuels
- Smokeless fuel utilization.
- Save wild animals to maintain biodiversity
- Turning off lights
- Recycling used paper, aluminum cans, glass, and plastic
Why are Natural Resources Important?
Renewable and nonrenewable natural resources are crucial to our daily lives because they are necessary for the economic, social development, and environmental health of the entire planet. They are crucial sources of energy, goods, and food items. Therefore, natural resources make a country wealthy because they can be used to create financial capital.
