The Depletion of our Natural Resources

By Akaria Stewart

The world seems to be in a constant state of depletion these days. From its natural resources to its food supply and even common sense, our earth is in serious need of some conservation. But on a serious note, the fate of human survival depends on how well we manage and distribute these things specifically, our natural resources. 

What are natural resources: 

Natural resources appear within the environment in its original and natural form. They are resources that exist without any actions from humankind that is, until we decide to use it for our own advancement. 

As I’m sure you learned in your 5th grade science class, natural resources can take hundreds of years to form without human intervention. Yes, we do need some of them to survive such as water and air but others like coal and oil are things we use to simply enhance our everyday lives. 

The depletion of natural resources occurs when they are being consumed faster than they can recover. With the  world’s population vastly approaching 8 billion, I would strongly suggest we start taking more precaution with the things that contribute to depletion as well as ways can begin to conserve if we want to continue to have the resourceful life we all know and love. 

Causes of depletion: 

1.) Overpopulation 

This is the most common known reasons for a lot of things when it comes to the wealth and health of our planet. As I mentioned earlier, the earth’s population is soon to be at 8 billion people. With 8 billion people using natural resources in their everyday lives, there is guaranteed to soon be a lack of one them.

2.) Poor farming practices 

This is another well-known issue when it comes to matters of the environment. With the growing population and high demand for food and land resources, farmers have been forced to put a lot of tension on their land. This leaves a lot of soil unmanageable and unsuitable for plant growth.

3.) Technological and industrial advancement 

As humans get smarter, so does our technology. The problem here is, even though we all love our smartphones and devices the production and usage of those things can often produce a lot of chemical toxins that are released into our air, water, and wildlife disrupting the occurrence of our resources. 

Ways to conserve: 

1.) Use alternative sources of power

Using energy sources such as wind and solar are a lot more bio friendly. These sources of energy do not release toxic gases and pollutants that harm our air. 

2.) Plant trees

Planting trees is a great way to help the prevention of soil erosion often caused by water and wind. Not only does it help with soil erosion, but trees are a vital part of our ecosystem all on its own.

3.) Harvest rainwater 

Harvesting rainwater helps with conserving water. Harvesting rain water through the spring season and using it for watering and other necessities during the summer helps keep the usage of water from our water-bodies down.