Resource management is the efficient and effective development of an

organization's resources when they are needed. Such resources may

include financial resources, inventory, human skills, production
resources, or information technology and natural resources.

Here we are going to speak about managing natural resources, which

are the building blocks of our civilization. Many people take these for
granted, but the sad reality is that these resources are limited and
many of them are non renewable.

The power resources that the world depends on today are very
inefficient. Not only is it hard to find these resources but also, these
resources cause a lot of damage to the environment. You might have
experienced the difference in the quality of air in a city and a village,
and the difference is very noticeable.

People choose personal convenience over the greater good and welfare
of society and the environment because, well, it is convenient. It is very
hard to change the mindset of people right now, but there is still a way
to solve all these problems; we must make the eco-friendly option very
convenient.

Before we talk about that, we would like to give you a few glimpses of
the future if we do not act fast and together.

Let’s start with the most infamous polluter – plastic. Plastic is material
consisting of any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic
compounds that are malleable and so can be molded into solid objects.
Do you see how convenient that sounds? Well that’s why we use it.
They are usually synthetic, most commonly derived from
petrochemicals, however, an array of variants are made from
renewable materials such as polylactic acid from corn or cellulosics
from cotton linters. You may have seen these variants as eco-friendly
plastic bags which shops and the public use. They are taking a step in
the right direction, but there is a better way.

The saying reuse, refuse, reduces and recycle has gained a lot of
popularity in this century. Why buy something when you already have a
similar thing which serves the same purpose? That is why many bazaars
and markets ask you to bring your own bag or BYOB. What we should
learn from this movement, other than saving our environment (which is
the whole point) is to improvise with what we have and be grateful for
it.

Here is a fact about plastic – plastics contribute Greenhouse gases in

the equivalent of 850 million tons of Carbon dioxide (CO2) to the
atmosphere in 2019. In current trend, annual emissions will grow to
1.34 billion tons by 2030. By 2050 plastic could emit 56 billion tons of
Greenhouse gas emissions, as much as 14 percent of the earth’s
remaining carbon budget.

Next time, think before paying 5 or 10 rupees and buying a harmful, yet
convenient, plastic bag.

Moving on, let me explain about greenhouse gasses. A greenhouse gas

(sometimes abbreviated GHG) is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant
energy within the thermal infrared range. Greenhouse gases cause the
greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's
atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide
and ozone. Without greenhouse gases, the average temperature of
Earth's surface would be about −18 °C (0 °F), rather than the present
average of 15 °C (59 °F). The atmospheres of Venus, Mars and Titan
also contain greenhouse gases. But, too much of something is never
good otherwise the Earth’s polar ice caps will melt, all life will die and
the Earth will end up like Venus, with a mean surface temperature of
735 K (462 °C).

Scientists all over the world are trying to find better way to power the
modern world. A few of these technologies are –

 Geothermal energy utilizes the Earth’s internal heat. Today,

geothermal energy is being used for electricity, as well as the
heating and cooling of large buildings and establishments.
Geothermal energy is highly powerful, yet environmentally safe.
The processes that geothermal plants undergo in order to extract
this renewable energy is both natural and cost-effective.

 Solar energy is one of the most accessible renewable resources

today. It makes use of the sun’s energy and converts it into
electricity. Many businesses, and even houses, are making use of
solar energy not only to reduce their ecological footprint, but also
to significantly cut cost on their electrical expenses.
 Energy from wind is harnessed with the use of wind turbines and
windmills. The blades of wind turbines and windmills are designed
in such a way that they turn with every blow of the wind, thus
generating energy. The use of wind turbines and windmills in
harnessing wind energy produces zero hazardous waste.
 Water is another source of strong, renewable energy. It is
considered as one of the most widely used form of eco-friendly
energy. Typically, for hydropower to be harnessed, turbines and a
hydroelectric dam are utilized. The use of water as energy source
is not only cheap, but highly reliable.
  Nuclear fusion is a reaction in which two or more atomic nuclei
are combined to form one or more different atomic nuclei and
subatomic particles (neutrons or protons). The difference in mass
between the reactants and products is manifested as either the
release or absorption of energy. This difference in mass arises due
to the difference in atomic "binding energy" between the atomic
nuclei before and after the reaction. Fusion is the process that
powers active or "main sequence" stars, or other high magnitude
stars. Fusion is the process which powers stars like our sun, which
is the current ultimate source of energy. All the energy you have
ever used has indirectly come from this process, so imagine if we
could replicate it and harness this energy. Scientists are currently
working on this.

You must be thinking what you can do to help solve these problems.
Here are a few tips –

 Make sure to use your clothes washer and dryer only when you
have a full load. You could save 1,000 gallons of water/month!
 Pick up some reusable cloth bags to use at your local grocery
store. Say no to both, “paper” and “plastic!” It can take up to a
thousand years for plastic bags to degrade. Paper bags (although
recyclable), aren’t much better. In the US alone, approximately
14,000,000 trees are cut down each year to be made into paper
bags.
 Eat no meat and animal products for one day a week. One study
estimated that a quarter pound of beef is equal to approximately
460 gallons of water. Factor in the methane, as well as other
greenhouse gas emissions of cattle, and the fossil fuels it took to
 get the beef to you. Even one day of being a vegetarian is good for
your health and the Earth.
 Print double-sided. If possible, advocate making your office or
school paper-free.
 Buy used furniture and re-purpose it. You save money and trees
(plus, create original furniture!)
 Turn your computer off when you go to sleep. You’ll conserve
energy.

The responsibility of protecting our environment and harnessing

renewable energy doesn’t fall on organizations or large corporations
only. Individually, we have a role to play. Even you, right in your own
home, can go green, and help the environment.