what major problem are there of use of resources individually ? why we need to development resources
Answers
Our Natural Resources are running out
What are the top 3 natural resources being depleted and what are the consequences?
1. Water
What will we drink without water?
Only 2.5% of the world’s total water volume is fresh water. Of that 2.5%, 70% is frozen (2).
The depletion of our water resources is more serious that the current oil depletion. There are substitutes for oil but nothing can replace our drinking water.
70% of the available fresh water that remains in used in agriculture, 20% in industry and only 10% is being used for human consumption. (3)
Causes: Increased irrigation, increased use in agriculture, roads and infrastructure prevent water seepage in the soil, rising temperatures
Consequences: Drinking water shortage. Food Shortage. Famine.
2. Oil
Nothing can be moved, manufactured, transported, built, planted, mined or harvested without the liquid fuels that we get from petroleum.
Oil reserves are a non-renewable resource
Oil accounts for 40% of all energy we use (4)
EIA's International Energy Outlook 2013 shows that we have enough Oil to last for 25 years.
Efforts are underway to develop cheaper and more sustainable energy such as solar power, wind power and other forms of renewable energy that can replace oil and fossil fuel.
Causes: Industrial boom. Increased population. Wastage.
Consequences: Less Transportation. Smaller economies. Higher prices. Possibly help push the transition to green energy with reduced CO2 emissions and pollution!
3. Forests
Imagine a world without trees.
An estimated 18 million acres of forests are destroyed each year.
Half of the world’s forest has been cleared.
Deforestation contributes 12 to 17% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually. (5)
Trees absorb greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide.
They produce the oxygen we breathe.
Forests are the habitats of millions of species.
Causes: Urbanization, Illegal logging, Agriculture, Subsistence Farming.
Consequences: Soil erosion, Global Warming caused by the rise of greenhouse gases- Extinction of species and loss of biodiversity. Flooding and drought.
Resources and Development Planning
So, how do we plan the resources and development of the same? India is a land of rich natural resources and diversely so. However, while some regions are ahead in their resources and development, other regions lag behind. For example, states like Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, are blessed with minerals and metal ores.
However, they largely lack proper infrastructure and urban resources. In such cases, we need to consider resource planning at a national, state, regional and even local levels. Resource planning involves 3 steps:
Identifying and documenting the available resources across different regions
Designing a structured plan supported by innovation and technology
Matching the resources and development plans with those of the nation
Conservation of Resources
Land Utilization and Planning
The land is the most important natural resource. Over the years, to make optimum utilization of our natural resources, human beings have caused a lot of damages to our land resources. About 95% of our basic needs –food, clothing, shelter come from land. Hence conservation of land resources and development of land is extremely crucial to our future generations can survive. There are different land planning and conservation measures we can take to protect this natural resource-
Planting shelter belts for plants
Controlling over-grazing in open pastures
Stabilizing sand dunes
Proper management of wastelands
Controlling mining activities
Proper disposal of industrial waste
Reducing land and water degradation in industrial areas
Soil Conservation
India’s natural landscape and geographical location make it blessed with a different variety of soils in different regions. Moreover, each of these soils yields plants endemic to the region they are found in. However, drastic farming and mass production lead to heavy soil erosion and reduced fertility of the soil. There are different methods of controlling soil erosion-
Contour ploughing to reduce the flow of water during irrigation
Terrace farming to reduce soil erosion
Planting shelter belts for plants