The Loss of Natural Resources Issue & Impact of Human Activities

The Loss of Natural Resources Issue & Impact of Human Activities
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The Issue

Humanity’s survival is at risk, which is brought about by the continuing depletion of natural resources. When natural resources run out, can you foresee what will happen to man?

Today, issues on why the earth is losing its natural resources have become the foremost agenda in many world conferences. Sometimes, it results in finger pointing on who is to blame for this tragic consequence. A thorough understanding of the loss of natural resources issue might provide the right answers.

Understanding Natural Resources

Natural resources refer to the materials that are made available by nature in this planet. They are basically utilized by humans to satisfy their physiological needs including food, shelter, clothing, air, and water. The innate features of natural resources are influenced by the conglomeration of life present in various ecological communities on Earth. Among the valuable natural resources are forest, grazing land, ground, inorganic & organic materials, stones, streams, petroleum and trees. Other than the benefits of human beings, it is also important for vegetation, animal life and agronomy.

Loss of Natural Resources

The wonderful resources provided by nature are massively taken for granted and destroyed by humans themselves. The following are the global issues on the loss of natural resources.

Issue related to food: Fertile lands have been transformed into highways, grazing fields, residences and commercial centers. Reducing vast agricultural areas will naturally deplete the production of food.

Toxic chemical issue: The use of fertilizers and pesticides in the farms to boost food production causes air poisoning and pollution which are harmful to plants, animals and humans.

Issue on the destruction of natural habitats: Wildlife needs a particular kind of environment to survive. For instance, some birds fly to warmer countries during winter season but when the habitat is destroyed by loggers, these birds will go somewhere else to which their body can’t tolerate. Wildlife will soon be doomed for extinction.

Issue on energy: Many countries rely on fossil fuel for their energy needs which is non-renewable. Fossil oil such as gasoline and diesel, pollutes the air, which results in global warming. Everyday, thousands of vehicles are clogging the highways, not only to ferry human passengers but to bring about smog, pollution and other toxins into the environment.

Deforestation issue: For commercial purpose, trees are cut down and no new trees are planted to replace them. Soon there will be no more trees in the forest to prevent soil erosion and floods.

The number of endangered species keeps on increasing because of these issues. Let’s not wait until humans too will be included in this record. The blame for this occurrence is pointed towards men. Therefore, the entire human race has to assume responsibility in properly repairing the damages done to the environment, so that in the near future, there will be no more issues associated with the loss of natural resources.

References

This post is part of the series: Natural Resources Are All Around Us

In this series, you will find information on what natural resources are, how they are classified, and what we can do to sustain them and to prevent them from diminishing.

  1. Earth’s Natural Resources: What Are They?
  2. Loss of Natural Resources: Who Is to Blame?
  3. Utilizing Natural Resources in a Sustainable Manner