Global depletion and conservation of natural resources

 Definition, kinds and characteristics of
natural resources.
 Non-renewable and renewable natural
resources.
 Forest resources
 Water resources
 Food resources
 Air resource
 Mineral resources
 Land resources
 Energy resources
 Sustainable conservation
•B.Victor.,Ph.D •2

 Natural resources are the
materials which are required for
the survival and prosperity of
human beings.
 Natural resource can be a
substance, an energy unit or a
natural process or phenomenon.

•3

Resources have multi-dimensions:

•7

A Resource is something that is useful and
valuable in the condition in which we find it.
Natural resources are objects, materials,
creatures or energy found in nature that can
be used by humans.

•8

Forest services
 control local climate and water regimes.
 helps recycle nutrients.
 prevent soil erosion
 control flow of water in streams and rivers.
absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen
maintain gene banks of wild relatives.
supply food, fodder, medicine, timber, poles and
fuel wood and raw materials for industry.
 valued as sites of natural and cultural heritage as
well as education and recreation.
Ecotourism

 A movement against felling
trees initiated by Mr.
Sundar Lal Bahuguna –
1972.
 The name of the
movement came from a
word meaning 'embrace':
the villagers hugged the
trees and thus saved them
from the contractors'
axes.
 Gandhian method of
Satyagraha is used to save
the forests in the Garhwali
region in northern India.

 Water is an essential natural resource for
sustaining life.
 Water forms 60% of our body weight.
 Water is a renewable and limiting resource.
 About three – fourth of earth’s surface is
occupied by oceans.
 About 97.5% of the earth’s water is strong
saline.
 The rest 2.5% is freshwater.
 Pure, usable water on land is only 0.3%.


 About 70% of the total
consumption is used in agriculture.
 About 1.1% is used for domestic
and municipal supplies.
 Rest is used by various industries.


 Increase irrigation efficiency and reduce
water wastage.
 Recycle industrial waste water.
 Construct waste water treatment plants.
 Reduce domestic water wastage.
 Adopt rainwater harvesting methods.
 Protect watersheds and afforestation to
improve water economy.
 Never dump wastes and garbage in
streams and river.

 Construct dams and water reservoirs.
 Desalinize sea water into usable water.
 Divert canals to dry areas.
 Regularly dredge and desilt rivers, and
water bodies.


•The major source of our food
are plants / plant products.


 Intensive farming reduce fertility and
productivity of soil. Increase soil salinity.
 Over use of chemical fertilizers
contaminate soil and ground water.
 Excessive use of pesticides and
herbicides kill beneficial soil organisms.


› Air is one of the natural resources and is
a life-supporting system.
› It forms the immediate environment of
the earth and biosphere.
› Organisms can respire oxygen and
survive in the world.
› Rainfall in any area depends on Wind
or air current.


› Wind has been used to generate
electrical energy.
› Ozone protects the earth from Ultra
violet rays.
› Nitrogen is an important mineral nutrient
for plants.
› Air acts as a medium for some
microorganisms.
› Water vapour maintains atmospheric
humidity and in precipitation.


 Recycling – Minerals in products can be recycled.
 Reuse – reuse the beneficial items e.g. glass bottles
 Substitution – Scarce minerals can be substituted with
more abundant minerals. e.g. ceramics, alloys
 Reduce consumption – Consumers must decrease their
mineral consumption.
 Recycle industrial wastes – One industry may use the
waste products of another industry.
•35

 Land is one of the major life supporting
systems.
 It forms about one fifth of the earth
surface.
 Soil covers about four fifth of the land
area.
 A fertile soil is a living soil containing
billions of living organisms in every Cubic
centimeter.
 Solar energy is the natural fuel that drives
the soil cycles.

 The activities of living organisms all
sizes are interdependent and
combine harmoniously to provide the
nourishment that sustains all life on
earth.
 Soil erosion is the removal of top soil
by physical agents like wind, water,
ice etc.
 Depletion of soil fertility is caused by
removal of vegetation, water logging
and application of non-degradable
chemicals.

1. Conservational tillage – Ploughing improves
soil permeability, soil moisture and nutrients.
2. Organic farming – More organic inputs to soil.
3. Crop rotation – Growing legumes after cereal
crops.
4. Contour ploughing – Ploughing with alternate
furrows and ridges.
5. Mulching – Soil is allowed to remain untilled
and is covered with plant litter.


6. Strip cropping – Planting in rows or strips.
7. Terrace farming – Slope is converted into
terraces.
8. Agrostological methods – Grasses are
grown in rotation or along with
agricultural crops (lay farming).
9 Afforestation – Trees or wind breaks are
planted in deserts.


‘Nothing happens without energy
conversion and entrophy production’
 Life depends on energy flow through
ordered structures of matter.
 Energy is produced usually from fuel
burning and atom splitting.
 70% of the world population has no
sufficient access to energy.


 Renewable: an energy source that can
be replenished in a short period of time.
 Nonrenewable: some energy sources
cannot recreated in a short period of
time.


 Fossil fuels e.g., Coal, petroleum
products, natural gas
 Coal is more polluting than oil and gas.
 Global coal reserve: 940 billion tonnes.
 Coal reserves last for 50 years.
 Amount of energy demand met by coal:
60%.
 Cheap and convenient energy sources.
Oil and gas.

 Non-fossil
energy source – Nuclear
energy– 17% of electricity demand
 Geothermal: Underground steam from
geysers – Used to generate electricity.
Underground hot rock turns water into
hot water or steam.
 Tidal
and wave energy – Wave energy is
used to generate electricity.


 Wind energy – Wind power is used to rotate a
wind turbine motor, which is coupled to a
generator – Clean, pollution-free.
 Hydropower – Water falling from a height
turns turbines at the bottom of dams to
generate electricity. 20% of world electricity
demand.
 Solar energy: Inexhaustible, Pollution - free.
Photovoltaic cells convert direct solar energy
into electricity.


 Renewable energy sources that
indirectly use radiant energy from the
sun
› Biomass
› Wind Energy
› Hydropower


 Primary producers capture sunlight energy through
photosynthesis biomass is produced
 Energy is generated by burning the biomass in the
presence of oxygen.
 crop residues & animal manure can be burned or
converted into bio-fuels

 Solid biomass, in the form of plants and trees, can be
converted into liquid fuels such as ethanol, methanol, and
bio-diesel.
 Algal biomass contains different types of complex sugars.
Enzymes from microorganisms is used to convert starches
to simple sugars and to ferment sugars into ethanol


 Europe- rapeseed/canola as biodiesel feedstock
 U.S-Soy
 Philippines -Jatropha Curcas plant
 India, Western China- Jatropha
 Indonesia- palm oil.


 Biomass fuel – Biomass
(Plant matter) is a way
of storing solar energy.
 Energy plantation-
Growing plant species
to produce biomass
for energy.


 Differences in solar radiation cause airflow over earth’s
surface
 Airflow cause turbine blades to turn
 Energy is generated by the spinning action which sends
electricity to a generator
 Clusters of wind turbines are called “wind farms”

 The sun’s energy drives the hydrologic cycle, produces the
winds which cause waves, and warms the surface of the
ocean
 Energy of flowing or falling water is used to generate
electricity


 Earth has internal
heat from its
formation at the
core, from the
friction of
continental plates,
and from
radioactive decay
 Energy is used to
generate electricity
and for space
heating


 Life of resources can
be prolonged by using
them diligently
 The resources can be
useful for a longer
period of time and for
a larger number of
people.
 During consumptive
use, prevent
exploitation,
destruction or neglect.


 Energy conservation – moderating or
eliminating wasteful or unnecessary
energy-consuming activities
 Energy efficiency – using technology to
accomplish a particular task with less
energy


 allows nonrenewable fuels to last longer
 gives time to phase in renewable energy
 decreases dependence on oil imports
 reduces environmental damage
 slows global warming
 saves money


Methods of Resource conservation
1. Material Substitution.
e.g.- Substitution of Copper sheet by
aluminium.
- Substitution of Plastics by paper.
2. Product life extension method.
- Customer can hold the goods for a
longer period.
3. Recycling
- Industrial waste and by products can
be profitably recycled.


 4. Waste reduction.
 1. Consume or exploit the resources in a
minimal way
 2. Avoid or reduce wastage in the
process of production
 3. The waste of one industry can be used
as the raw material of another industry.
 e.g. - Bagasse of Sugar industry is the
main raw material for manufacture Papers.


1. Stabilizing population growth
The relentless growth of population has
been a critical factor in over utilizing natural
resources.
Human race must willingly practice
population control.
It should be stabilized at the level of
carrying capacity.
2. Change-over in energy use
A change – over is necessary from non-
renewable polluting energy to renewable
and non-polluting.

3. Change – over in technology: Change is
needed from resource – intensive and
pollution – prone technologies to
environment – friendly technologies.
4. Change – over is economy: The economic
development must be environmentally
sensitive and sustainable.
5. Scientific conservation: Conservation is the
“global of efficiency”. Scientific methods
should be followed to manage nature and
natural resources efficiently.


 Dr.B.Victor is a highly experienced professor,
recently retired from the reputed educational
institution- St. Xavier’ s College,
Palayamkottai, India-627001.
 He was the dean of sciences, IQAC
coordinator and assistant controller of
examinations.
 He has more than 32 years of teaching and
research experience
 He has taught a diversity of courses and
guided 12 Ph.D scholars.
 send your comments to :
bonfiliusvictor@gmail.com

Global depletion and conservation of natural resources

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