LESSON 2

The State of Natural Resources Management

Content Standard:
The learners demonstrate an understanding of the state of the environment and
natural resources management.

Learning Outcomes:
The students will be able to:
1. State the meaning and types of natural resources;
2. Recognize and describe the causes of natural resources exhaustion;
3. State possible solution to solve problem of natural resources exhaustion;
4. Describe the impact of lesser natural resources to the society.

Word Bank:
natural resources, biotic resources, abiotic resources, renewable resources, non-renewable
resources

DISCUSSION

Natural Resources are all that exists naturally on Earth. It includes sunlight,
atmosphere (air), water, land (includes all minerals), metal ores, oil and most forms of energy
along with all vegetation and animal life that naturally exist on earth. Some natural resources
such as sunlight and air can be found everywhere, and are known as ubiquitous resources.
However, most resources only occur in small sporadic areas, and are referred to as localized
resources.
There are very few resources that are considered inexhaustible (will not run out) —
these are solar radiation, geothermal energy, and air (though access to clean air may not
be). The vast majority of resources are exhaustible, which means they have a finite quantity,
and can be depleted if managed improperly.

On the basis of origin, natural resources may be divided into:

Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere (living and organic material), such as
forest and animals, and the materials that can be obtained from them. Fossil fuels such
as coal and petroleum are also included in this category because they are formed from
decayed organic matter.
Abiotic resources are those that come from non-living, non-organic. material. Examples
of abiotic resources include land, fresh water, air and heavy metals including ores such
as gold, iron, copper, silver, etc.

Renewability is a very popular topic and many natural resources can be categorized
as either renewable or non-renewable:
 Renewable resources can be replenished naturally. Some of these resources, like
sunlight, air, wind, geothermal heat, biomass, etc., are continuously available and their
quantity is not noticeably affected by human consumption. Renewable resources are an
important aspect of sustainability.
Non-renewable resources or finite resources either form slowly or do not naturally form in
the environment. Minerals are the most common resource included in this category. A
good example of this are fossil fuels (Petroleum and natural gas), because their rate of
formation is extremely slow (potentially millions of years), meaning they are considered
non-renewable.
Though many renewable resources do not have such a rapid recovery rate, these
resources are susceptible to depletion by over-use. Resources from a human use
perspective are classified as renewable only so long as the rate of replenishment/recovery
exceeds that of the rate of consumption.
"The conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve
that problem, it will avail us little to solve all others." -Theodore Roosevelt

Threats to renewable resources

Today, natural resources are decreasing at accelerated rate not only because of the
natural environmental changes but of non-natural environmental changes caused by human
activities. Extinction is a natural part of life on Earth. Over the history of the planet most of
the species that ever existed, evolved and then gradually went extinct. Species go extinct
because of natural shifts in the environment that take place over long periods of time, such
as ice ages and human activities.
Deforestation - The destruction of rain forests is one of the critical causes of climate change.
Deforestation causes carbon dioxide to linger in the atmosphere. As carbon dioxide accrues,
it produces a layer in the atmosphere that traps radiation from the sun. It also means habitat
loss for some living things. Deforestation also affects the water cycle. It reduces the content
of water in the soil and groundwater as well as atmospheric moisture. Deforestation reduces
soil cohesion, so that erosion, flooding and landslides follow.
Over exploitation/Overfishing is causing loss of some endangered species like the blue
fin tuna.
Growing human population causing some renewable resources, species and organisms
facing a very high risk of extinction due to over-consumption. It has been estimated that over
40% of all living species on Earth are at risk of going extinct.
Climate change leads to rise of the sea level, thereby losing some of land territory.
Increase in global temperature that warms the earth especially the oceans making it
impossible for some species to survive, the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have
decreased in the mass due to shrinking of ice sheets. Ninety-seven percent of climate
scientists agree that climate-warming trends over the past century are very likely due to
human activities.
Pollution is the presence of a substance in the environment that because of its chemical
composition or quantity prevents the functioning of natural processes and produces
undesirable environmental and health effects. Pollutant is any material that causes the
pollution coming from: by product of essential activities such as transportation, factory; basic
biological function — excreting wastes and non-biodegradable wastes such as plastics,
cans, organic chemicals, etc.
At present, the main energy source used by humans is non-renewable fossil fuels.
Since the dawn of internal combustion engine technologies in the 17th century. petroleum
another fossil fuel has remained in continual demand. As a result, conventional infrastructure
and transport systems, which are fitted to combustion engines, remain prominent throughout
the globe. The continual use of fossil fuels at the current rate is believed to increase global
warming and cause more severe climate change.
The use of nuclear technology relying on fission requires Naturally occurring
radioactive material as fuel. Uranium, the most common fission fuel, and is present in the
ground at relatively low concentrations and mined in 19 countries. This mined uranium is
used to fuel energy-generating nuclear reactors with fissionable uranium-235 which
generates heat that is ultimately used to power turbines to generate electricity.

The Concept of 8R's in saving Natural Resources

Reuse — Instead of buying everything new, reuse things as much as you can. This will not
only reduce waste but also save you money.
Repurpose — Don't throw away things you're no longer using: repurpose them into
something useful or beautiful. Worst case scenario, donate used items to a charity or thrift
store for someone else.
Rot - Compost as many things as you can instead of throwing it in the garbage. Composting
is a great way to renew the Earth, help reduce waste and maybe even help your garden.
Repair -- When something breaks, don't just immediately go out and buy a replacement.
First see if you can repair the item, or take it somewhere and have it repaired. It will not only
save you some money in the long run but also help reduce waste.
Recycle – On the topic of reducing waste, recycle whenever you can. Glass, cardboard,
paper, bottles, aluminum, batteries, electronics, scrap metal can be recycled into a usable
thing such décor, storage, or safety box.
Refill — Disposable items like cups, paper plates. paper napkins and bottles might be
convenient, but they're terrible for the environment. Try using something that can be washed
or refilled more than once whenever you can.
Reduce – Downsize and simplify your home to reduce waste and excess. Living simply can
really help you gain an appreciation for the little things, reduce your bills and help the
environment by having less waste.
Refuse — Whenever possible, refuse to buy over-packaged and single-use items or items
that are not organic. Change your daily habits and eating habits, lessen extravagant
expenses of material thing and food. Spend your money worthy. Try shopping at farmer's
markets instead of the supermarket and pay attention to what you put in the shopping cart.
 DO YOU KNOW?

Wind is just moving air created as the sun heats the Earth's surface. As long as the
sun is shining, the wind remains an infinite, renewable resource. Wind power is clean energy
because wind turbines do not produce any emissions. The windmill harnessed the wind's
energy turning wind into electricity.

Solar panel. The sun has produced energy in the form of heat and light since the Earth
formed. Solar energy systems do not produce emissions and are often not harmful to the
environment. Thermal solar energy can heat water or buildings. Photovoltaic devices, or
solar cells, directly convert solar energy into electricity. Individual solar cells grouped into
panels range from small applications that charge calculator and watch batteries, to large
systems that power residential dwellings.