Role of an

Individual in
Conservation of
Resources
Gowthama Shankar G
2020701012
Table of contents

01 Conservation of Resources

02 Global Resources Depletion

03 Understanding Individual’s Impact

04 Conservation of Resources

05 Sustainable Lifestyle Choices

Conservation of resources
Conservation of resources refers to the sustainable management and
proper use of natural, economic, and social resources to ensure their
availability for present and future generations.

This concept encompasses various types of resources, including:

Natural Resources: These are materials or substances found in the

environment, such as water, air, forests, minerals, and biodiversity.
Conservation efforts aim to protect these resources from
overexploitation, pollution, and habitat destruction.
Conservation of resources
Energy Resources: Energy conservation involves reducing energy
consumption and optimizing the use of energy sources, including
fossil fuels, renewable energy,non renewable energy, and electricity.
This includes improving energy efficiency in transportation, buildings,
and industrial processes.

Economic Resources: Economic resources include capital, labor,

technology, and infrastructure. Conservation in this context involves
efficient allocation and utilization of these resources to promote
sustainable economic growth, minimize waste, and reduce
environmental impacts.

Social Resources: Social resources refer to human capital, community

assets, cultural heritage, and social cohesion. Conservation efforts in
this domain focus on fostering inclusive and equitable development,
preserving cultural diversity, and enhancing social well-being.
Importance of Conservation of Resources:
Sustainability
Conserving resources ensures that they are available for current and future generations. Many resources, such as fossil
fuels and minerals, are finite and non-renewable. By conserving them, we can extend their availability and reduce the risk
of resource depletion.

Environmental Protection
Extracting and using resources often involves environmental degradation, such as deforestation, habitat destruction, and
pollution. Conservation helps to minimize these negative impacts, preserving ecosystems and biodiversity.

Climate Change Mitigation

Many of our activities that involve resource consumption also contribute to climate change through greenhouse gas
emissions. Conserving resources can help reduce these emissions by promoting more efficient use of energy and materials.
Economic Benefits
Conservation can lead to cost savings by reducing waste and increasing efficiency. Businesses can save money on raw
materials, energy, and waste disposal by implementing resource-efficient practices. Additionally, investing in renewable
resources and energy can create new economic opportunities and industries.

Social Equity
Resource conservation can contribute to social equity by ensuring that resources are available to meet the needs of all
people, both now and in the future. This is particularly important in addressing issues of poverty, access to clean water,
food security, and energy access.

Resilience to Shocks
Conserving resources can enhance resilience to shocks and disruptions, such as natural disasters, geopolitical conflicts, or
supply chain disruptions. By reducing dependency on finite resources and diversifying sources of energy and materials,
societies can become more resilient and adaptable.

Preservation of Culture and Heritage

Many natural resources hold cultural and historical significance for communities. Conservation efforts can help preserve
these resources and protect the cultural heritage associated with them.
Global Resource Depletion
Global resource depletion refers to the diminishing availability of
natural resources essential for sustaining human civilization and
ecosystems worldwide.

Several factors contribute to this phenomenon:

Population Growth: The global population continues to rise, placing

increased demand on finite resources. As more people require food,
water, energy, and other commodities, the pressure on natural
resources intensifies.

Economic Development: Industrialization and economic growth in

developing countries drive up consumption rates. Rapid urbanization,
infrastructure expansion, and increased industrial output amplify
resource extraction and consumption.
Global Resource Depletion
Energy Consumption: Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas remain primary energy sources for transportation,
electricity generation, and industrial processes. The extraction and combustion of these fuels lead to environmental
degradation and contribute to climate change, exacerbating resource depletion.

Deforestation: Forests provide crucial ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity preservation,
and soil stabilization. However, rampant deforestation for agriculture, logging, and urbanization results in habitat loss,
soil erosion, and reduced carbon absorption capacity.

Water Scarcity: Freshwater resources are essential for human survival, agriculture, and industrial activities. However,
over-extraction, pollution, and climate change-induced droughts threaten water availability in many regions, leading to
water stress and conflicts.

Soil Degradation: Arable land is vital for food production, yet soil erosion, salinization, desertification, and chemical
pollution degrade its quality and fertility. Unsustainable agricultural practices, including monocropping and excessive
use of agrochemicals, exacerbate soil degradation.
Global Resource Depletion
Mineral Depletion: Minerals and metals are indispensable for
manufacturing, construction, electronics, and infrastructure
development. However, the extraction of these resources often
involves environmentally destructive practices such as open-pit
mining, leading to habitat destruction, soil contamination, and
biodiversity loss.

Climate Change: Rising global temperatures, attributed primarily to

greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels, exacerbate
resource depletion by altering ecosystems, disrupting weather patterns,
and accelerating environmental degradation processes such as melting
glaciers and sea-level rise.
Understanding Individual’s
impact:
Individuals are the fundamental units of society, serving as the building blocks of
communities and Social interactions through communication,collaboration,and
cooperation

Consumption Patterns:
Consumption patterns refer to the way individuals or households use goods and
services. This includes what people buy, how much they consume, and how
frequently they purchase items.

Types of Consumption Patterns:

1. Resource Consumption
2. Consumer Goods
3. Services
Understanding Individual’s
impact:
Impact of Consumption Patterns:
Environmental Impact: Excessive consumption leads to resource depletion,
habitat destruction, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Social Impact: Consumption patterns can affect labor conditions, human rights,
and community well-being, especially in the case of goods produced under
unethical or exploitative conditions.

Promoting Sustainable Consumption

Encouraging responsible consumption practices involves initiatives such as
promoting durable goods, reducing waste, supporting ethical and eco-friendly
brands, and advocating for conscious consumerism
Conservation of
Resources
Being Mindful of our Resources Footprint: Being mindful of personal
resources consumption habits and making conscious choices to reduce
their usage in daily activities is what can change everything.
Energy Conservation
Reducing energy consumption: Turning off lights, appliances, and electronic devices when not in use, and use energy-efficient
appliances.

Efficient transportation: Opting for public transportation, or walking instead of using personal vehicles.

Conserving water: Conserving water indirectly conserves energy since a lot of energy is used in the treatment and transportation of water.
Simple actions like fixing leaks, taking shorter showers, and using efficient appliances can contribute to water conservation.

Home energy efficiency: Insulating homes, using energy-efficient windows, installing programmable thermostats, and sealing drafts can
help reduce heating and cooling needs, thereby conserving energy.

Renewable energy adoption: Individuals can invest in renewable energy sources such as solar panels or wind turbines for their homes.

Lifestyle choices: Adopting a sustainable lifestyle by consuming less, recycling, composting, and supporting eco-friendly products.

Continuous learning and improvement: Staying informed about new technologies, practices, and developments in energy conservation.
Water Conservation
Water Conservation
Reducing Water Waste: Fixing leaks in faucets and pipes and by turning off taps when
not in use.

Conserving Outdoor Water Usage: Collecting rainwater for outdoor use, and watering
plants during cooler parts of the day to reduce evaporation.

Responsible Chemical Use: Avoiding the use of harmful chemicals in households,

gardens, and agriculture and, thus safeguarding water quality for both humans and
ecosystems.

Reusing Water: Implementing water reuse practices such as reusing greywater from
sinks, showers, and washing machines for purposes like irrigation or toilet flushing can
help conserve freshwater resources.

● A typical bucket holds about 20 liters of water.

● An average shower bath lasts 8 mins or more and can consume 80
liters of water. Hence, a bucket bath saves 75% of water
consumption.
● 49 billion liters of water is wasted daily in India due
to carelessness.
Clean water is not being provided to 16 crore people
in the country.

● Over 5.3 billion units of electricity, or a approx 2

day’s national consumption.

● India generates 26,000 tonnes of plastic

waste every day. This is the equivalent of
approximately 26,000 small cars!
Waste Management
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Follow reduce, reuse, and recycle. This involves using products
recycling materials such as paper, plastic, glass, and metal.

Proper Disposal: Dispose of different types of waste in designated bins or collection

points.

Awareness and Education: Individuals can educate themselves and others about the
importance of waste management practices.

India produces 62 million tonnes of waste annually,

with 70% collected, and only 12 million tonnes
treated, while 31 million tonnes end up in landfills.
Sustainable Lifestyle Choices
Consumer Choices: Individuals can choose to consume sustainable products which includes opting for eco-friendly packaging, choosing
energy-efficient appliances, and supporting businesses that prioritize sustainability.

Reducing Consumption: Embracing minimalism and reducing unnecessary consumption can significantly decrease resource usage and waste
generation. This involves buying only what is needed, repairing items etc.

Energy Conservation: Individuals can conserve energy by adopting practices such as turning off lights and electronic devices when not in
use, using public transportation etc.

Waste Reduction and Recycling: Individuals can reduce waste by composting organic materials, recycling paper, plastic etc.

Water Conservation: Conserving water is critical for sustainable living. Individuals can reduce water usage by fixing leaks etc.

Supporting Sustainable Practices: Individuals can support sustainable businesses and initiatives by choosing to buy from companies with
strong environmental and social responsibility policies.

Education and Awareness: Promoting awareness and educating others about the importance of sustainability is essential. Individuals can
share information about sustainable living practices through social media, community events, and personal interactions to inspire others to
make positive changes.
"The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone
else will save it."

- Robert Swan
THANK YO U!