ROLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Intended
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this session, students will be able to
• Discuss the role of an individual in conservation of
natural resources
Contents
• Role of an individual in conservation of natural resources
Role of an
individual in conservation of natural resources
• Until fairly recently mankind acted as if he could go on
forever exploiting the ecosystems and natural resources such as soil, water,
forests and grasslands on the Earth’s surface and extracting minerals and
fossil fuels from underground
• But, in the last few decades, it has become increasingly
evident that the global ecosystem
has the capacity to sustain only a limited level of utilization
• Biological systems cannot go on replenishing resources if
they are overused or misused
• At a critical point, increasing pressure destabilizes
their natural balance
• Even biological resources traditionally classified as
‘renewable’ - such as those from our oceans, forests, grasslands and wetlands,
are being degraded by overuse and may be permanently destroyed and no natural
resource is limitless
• ‘Non-renewable’ resources will be rapidly exhausted if we
continue to use them as intensively as at present
• The two most damaging factors leading to the current rapid
depletion of all forms of natural resources are increasing ‘consumerism’ on the
part of the affluent sections of society and rapid population growth
• Both factors are the results of choices we individuals we
need to decide; make as individuals, as
• What will we leave to our children? (Are we long-term
gain?) Thinking of short-term or
• Is my material gain someone else’s loss?
• Greed for material goods has become a way of life for a majority
of people in the developed world
• Population growth and the resulting shortage of resources
most severely affects people in the developing countries
• In nations such as ours, which are both developing
rapidly, and suffering from a population explosion, both factors are
responsible for environmental degradation
• We must ask ourselves if we have perhaps reached a
critical flash point, at which economic ‘development’ affects the lives of
people more adversely than the benefits it provides
Role of an
individual in conservation of natural resources
What can
you do to save electricity?
• Turn off lights and fans as soon as you leave the room
• Use tube lights and energy efficient bulbs that save
energy rather than bulbs. A 40- watt tube light gives as much light as a 100
watt bulb
• Keep the bulbs and tubes clean. Dust on tubes and bulbs
decreases lighting levels by 20 to 30 percent
• Switch off the television or radio as soon as the program
of interest is over
• A pressure cooker can save up to 75 percent of energy
required for cooking. It is also faster
• Keeping the vessel covered with a lid during cooking,
helps to cook faster, thus
Conservation
of energy
1. Switch off light, fan and other appliances when not in
use
2. Use solar heater for cooking
3. Dry the cloth in the sun light instead of driers
4. Use always pressure cookers
5. Grow trees near the house to get cool breeze instead of
using AC and ai cooler
6. Ride bicycle or just walk instead of using scooter for
ashort distance.
Conservation
of water
1. Use minimum water for all domestic purposes
2. Check the water leaks in pipes and repair them properly
3. Reuse the soapy water, after washing clothes for washing
courtyard, carpets etc
4. Use drip irrigation
5. Rain water harvesting system should be installed in all
the houses
6. Sewage treatment plant may be installed in all industries
and institution
7. Continuous running of water taps should be avoided
8. Watering of plants should be done in the evening
Conservation
of soil
1. Grow different type plants i.e trees, herbs and shrubs
2. In the irrigation process, using strong flow of water
should be avoided
3. Soil erosion can be prevented by sprinkling irrigation
4. Use green manures in the garden
5. Use mixed cropping.
Conservation
of food resources
1. Cook required amount of food
2. Don’t waste the food, give it to someone before spoiling
3. Don’t store large amount of food grains and protect them
from damaging insects.
Conservation
of forest
1. Use non timber product
2. Plant more trees
3. Grassing must be controlled
4. Minimise the use of paper and fuel
5. Avoid the construction of dam, road in the forest areas
Summary
• Non-renewable’ resources will be rapidly exhausted if we
continue to use them as intensively as at present
• Population growth and the resulting shortage of resources
most severely affects people in the developing countries
• Turn off lights and fans as soon as you leave the room
• A pressure cooker can save up to 75 percent of energy required
for cooking. It is also faster
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