RESOURCES ON EARTH
Tejinder Kaur, Academic Content Creator at Edumarz
Resources on Earth:
The only planet that supports life on earth is the earth, thanks to the resources it provides to living beings such as the air, water, sunlight, food, etc. These are the basis for the existence of life on earth.
What are natural resources?
Natural resources are the resources that are readily present in nature. They are present on the earth ever since life originated.
The earth has two types of resources:
Renewable resources
Non-renewable resources
Renewable resources: the present resources which might be replenished are called as renewable resources. Example: Solar energy, wind energy, etc.
Non renewable resources: the present resources which don’t seem to be replenished and are present in limited quantities. Example: Coal and petroleum
Importance of Natural resources:
Natural resources are important because the existence of life on earth is possible due to it. Humans depend a lot on the resources for their daily needs. However, excessive consumption of some resources has started causing a decline in these resources. Availability of fresh water is decreasing day by day and if the consumption isn’t done cautiously within the coming years, the results are reckless.
Wind energy is employed in turbines to provide electricity. Solar energy is directly being used in solar panels, heaters, etc. Water is employed to provide electricity in dams and reservoirs. Resources like Coal, Petroleum function as raw materials for several industries. All these resources are very crucial in maintaining a balance in our ecosystem and they help in the socio-economic development of a country.
Depletion of Resources on the Earth:
Human activities are constantly harming the environment. The human population is growing rapidly, this has led to increased usage of the natural resources. Practices such as Overpopulation, Overexploitation of resources, Deforestation, and Pollution are the main causes for the depletion of natural resources.