Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources

Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources! Find high quality essays on the ‘Depletion of Natural Resources’ especially written for school, college and university students. These essays will also guide you to learn about the causes, consequences, prevention and conservation of natural resources.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for school students (Class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 Standard) and college students. Furthermore, those students preparing for competitive exams like IAS, IPS and UPSC can also increase their knowledge by studying these essays.

List of Essays on Depletion of Natural Resources

Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources – 10 Lines on the Depletion of Natural Resources Written in English (Essay 1 – 150 Words)

Depletion of natural resources will eventually lead to a world with lesser elements to survive and makes human life a hardship. Natural resources are the ones that maintain equilibrium in the environment and life.

Natural resources like air, water, solar energy, soil, minerals, coal, etc., are those basic elements that we, living beings, use to lead a normal life. Depletion of natural resources will completely stun the day to day life of a human being as well as fellow living things.

The depletion of natural resources occurs when we vigorously use the available ones at a rapid speed. Some of these non-renewable resources like coal, minerals, etc., take millions of years to form and thus their rapid use will result in depletion of these natural resources. Unsustainable use of these natural resources due to the demand and increase in population has also resulted in depletion of natural resources.

Switching to the renewable sources is one of the many ways to save natural resources from depletion. In order to save this depletion of natural resources, we humans should find out and execute more sustainable and nonpolluting ways to use these natural resources.

Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources – Short Essay for Children (Essay 2 – 250 Words)

Introduction:

Natural resources are provided by Mother Nature to enable the survival of living things and the sustenance of the ecosystem. Depletion of natural resources is the increased consumption of resources that overlaps the replenishment of those resources. The depletion of natural resources occurs due to significant increase in the dependents of the natural resources without an increase in the sources of resources. It can be a devastating problem to the ecosystem because the resources necessary for survival and depletion will cause significant loss of living things

Causes of Depletion of Natural Resources:

Increased population of species that are dependent on the same natural resources cause faster consumption of those resources and results in depletion. The other cause is unnecessary consumption of resources and wastefulness.

Environmental pollution also causes depletion of natural resources through contamination. When natural resources are contaminated, they will be no longer fit for consumption. Deforestation is a major cause of depletion of natural resources. Deforestation results in loss of habitat, food and destruction of the ecosystem. Drought is brought about by deforestation. Drought is an extreme of depletion of water in the environment.

Consequences of Depletion of Natural Resources:

There will be a loss of biodiversity due to death and extinction of living organisms. Natural disasters like drought will also occur upon depletion of natural resources.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the depletion of natural resources is a serious concern because of the adverse effects it has on the ecosystem. Controlled consumption of resources is to be encouraged.

Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources – Causes and Prevention (Essay 3 – 300 Words)

Depletion of natural resources is undoubtedly the product of massive urbanization and industrialization. It occurs due to the continuous, extensive, and irresponsible use by humans disregarding future consequences.

What are the causes of depletion of natural resources?

1. As the earth population exceeds 7 billion, the overpopulation is one of the significant reasons for depletion of natural resources.

2. Wastage and overconsumption tend to contribute to the reasons why natural resources will exhaust in the future.

3. Deforestation leads to the destruction of the earth’s ecosystem, one of the critical reasons for the depletion of natural resources.

4. Mining of minerals and oils also account for resource depletion.

5. Erosion, pollution, and contamination of resources sum up why natural resources will be scarce shortly.

What are the natural resources that might get depleted in the future?

The following natural resources might get a hit and will get exhausted in the near future if we continue to exploit it without any consideration for the future generation and existence of the planet earth.

1. Water:

Water, the essential natural resources will be at stake after 2025, as scientists apprehend that almost 1.8 billion people will have no water to drink. Although the earth’s crust is covered with 70% water, only 2.5 % is drinkable as it comes from the ice-capped mountains and streams while the rest are saline water containing wastes.

2. Coal:

Although it’s one of the most important natural resources we have, scientists predict that the available coal deposit will be able to meet the world’s requirement for just another 188 years. With that said, if the demand increases, this timeframe will squeeze.

3. Oil:

The present hydrocarbon content of the world, 188 million tonnes is enough to meet the demand but only up to the next 46 years. When the stock finishes, transportation will be hampered.

4. Natural Gas:

The reserve of natural gas will serve till the next 58.6 years which is not enough to meet the world’s demand.

5. Seafood:

Fishermen report that the catch they depend upon for their living is gradually decreasing. If not cultured naturally, some stock of seafood will actually diminish soon.

How to prevent the depletion of natural resources?

Well, the answer is embracing a nature-friendly lifestyle and shifting to renewable and sustainable energy resources like solar power, wind, and hydropower, we can at least slow down the depletion of natural resources.

Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources – For School Students (Class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 Standard) (Essay 4 – 400 Words)

Introduction:

Depletion of natural resources can be described as a situation where natural resources are consumed faster than they can be replaced or replenished. Natural resources are not always available in infinite quantity. Though they are replaceable, this process takes a long time.

For instance, it takes hundreds of years to replace crude oil reserves. It also takes many years to grow a tree into maturity. The important question now becomes – are we consuming these resources at the same rate at which we use them? The answer to that is definitely negative.

Though natural resources can be renewable and nonrenewable, depletion of natural resources affects both.

Causes of Depletion of Natural Resources:

The causes of depletion of natural resources could sometimes be man-made and in other cases, unavoidable. We would, however, concern ourselves with only the man-made causes of natural resources depletion.

The following are some of the apparent causes of depletion of natural resources:

1. Overpopulation:

This is a situation whereby the number of people living in a place falls below the number of resources available in that community. The implication is that natural resources get consumed faster than they can be produced.

2. Deforestation:

One might be quick to assume that deforestation only affects trees. This is however far from the truth. Deforestation reduces animal life expectancy and more importantly, it destroys our ecosystem thereby affecting other natural resources.

3. Pollution:

Pollution of various kinds damages natural resources making it difficult for the resources to be produced in good condition. For instance, soil pollution affects plant life making it difficult for trees to grow.

4. Mining:

Though we extract natural resources from the ground through mining for human consumption. Every time we get something from the ground, we hasten up the depletion process.

Prevention of Depletion of Natural Resources

Below are some of the efforts that can help curb the excesses of natural resources depletion.

1. Protecting The Trees – This involves several coordinated efforts aimed at reducing the number of tree cutting. It includes sensitizing the populace about the dangers of tree cutting and encouraging them to plant more trees.

2. Recycle – Recycling reduces waste and also reduces the number of toxic materials in our land water and air. Less toxicity leads to less depletion.

3. Reduce the consumption of fossil fuel products.

Conclusion:

Depletion of natural resources affects everyone. The food we eat, the water we drink, the fuel we consume all comes from the natural resources. If we lose these resources life becomes difficult for everyone. So we need to be cautious and promote sustainable use of natural resources.

Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources (Essay 5 – 500 Words)

Introduction:

In ancient times, people used energy only for daily activities, such as lighting, guarding, and cooking. But as the development took place, in terms of industrial revolution and urbanization, animals were domesticated for household and farming activities and later as the industrial revolution took place, humans used a lot of power drawn from the natural resources. Initially, it was thought that the natural resources are found generally in abundance but of late, it is found that the availability of natural resources are depleting in quantity and can’t be replenished quickly. This is precisely the depletion of natural resources.

Depletion of Natural Resources:

Earth has two types of natural resources, those that can be replenished despite continuous usage like sunlight, tidal energy, etc. These are renewable resources of energy and those that can’t be replenished are called non – renewable resources. Explosive growth in the human population had led to population overconsumption. Humans’ activities have harmed the nature to that extent that now nature cannot replenish the resources at the rate of the resources being consumed. This leads to the depletion of natural resources.

Causes of Depletion of Natural Resources:

The major causes of depletion of natural resources are:

1. Population explosion – The increased growth of population demand supply of energy and resources for their survival. The demand for energy supply is taken care of by the natural resources and the technologies invented to harness the natural resources’ benefits. To quench the demand, natural resources are depleted.

2. Environmental pollution – Extensive activities on earth by humans have caused polluted environment. The production of uncountable pollutants by us not only makes the environment hazardous, but also the pollution of various natural resources like air, water, soil, and land, thereby leading to the depletion of natural resources available in the environment.

3. Deforestation – The forest is a rich habitat and the powerhouse of the earth’s ecosystem. The industrial revolution and urbanization by clearing the forested areas deplete the biological resources of the earth.

4. Population over consumption – The demand of resources for a population becomes higher than it actually requires. This is because the human population uses resources and energy as a desired demand commodity to live a very sophisticated life.

5. Natural calamities –Calamities like Tsunami, storms, earthquake deplete a whole lot of natural resources. Fortunately or unfortunately, this is the only cause that humans have no control on, to save the resources from depletion.

6. Climatic change – Global warming is a phenomenon that the environmentalists are talking about. Global warming brings about changes in the climatic cycle which can’t be tolerated by the biological species in the environment. This alters the survivability of various species and leads to extinction of many threatened or near-threatened species.

Prevention of Depletion of Natural Resources:

It has become evidently clear that we are facing a threat in terms of natural resources. With the current higher rate of depletion of the natural resources, it is feared that in a few years, we may not have resources to be utilized for our survival. We must know that nature has its own balancing concept. But as we have been continuously abusing nature, a serious imbalance is in effect.

We must be responsible to take up the arduous task of conserving the natural resources. Planting trees, minimizing energy wastage, conserving water and avoiding the wastage of water, conserving electricity at home and workplace, use of alternative and cleaner energy, replacement of the extraneous energy using equipment with eco–friendly and efficient energy conserving gadgets and equipment, are few steps that we can start doing at local levels to prevent and conserve the natural resources from depletion.

Conclusion:

As we understand that the depletion of natural resources is a very serious concern in terms of human survival and environmental sustainability, it’s high time that we take necessary steps to avoid the natural resources from depletion.

Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources – Causes and Conservation (Essay 6 – 600 Words)

Natural Resources:

Depletion of natural resources is the cause of serious concern for the world. Natural resources, as the name suggests, are the materials and sources of energy which are found naturally on earth. There are two major types of natural resources.

The first one is known as the non-renewable or conventional sources of energy. Depletion of natural resources is applicable to this category. Examples are coal, oil, petroleum, minerals, etc. Whereas the second type of natural resources is renewable or nonconventional. The depletion of natural resources in this category is not possible. These include solar energy, wind, energy, hydro power, etc. Both have their own benefits but since the beginning, an excessive dependency and consumption of the non-renewable resources have led to the depletion of natural resources.

Our earth takes years to produce fossil fuels such as coals, oils, petroleum etc. But the exhaustion has happened at a rapid rate. As a result of this depletion of natural resources, we are now falling short of these reserves of energy.

Causes of Depletion of Natural Resources:

Depletion of natural resources has befallen us for a number of reasons. And when we talk about the depletion of natural resources, it also includes the shrinking of forest areas and vegetation. The biggest cause of depletion of natural resources is industrialization.

Lots of trees are cut to make space for setting up the industries. Industries also consume a lot of coals, oils, and other fossil fuels, adding further to the depletion of natural resources. The humongous growth of human population has direct and indirect roles in the depletion of natural resources.

Large portions of land are required to build houses and other amenities for the people. And to feel the population, farmers often end up clearing the forests for growing crops there. This replacement of vegetation with crop fields is another cause of depletion of natural resources.

Implications of Depletion of Natural Resources:

Deforestation alone means various kinds of depletion of natural resources. For instance, soil erosion is a consequence of it, causing floods, drought, and landslides. Shrinking greenery poses a threat to the wildlife and leads to their extinction.

Depletion of natural resources expands to oceans and seas also. Drilling of ocean beds for oils and other fossil fuels interferes with the functioning of marine life. Moreover, excessive use of coals, petroleum, and mineral oils, has created enormous pollution over the years.

The pollution touches its peak by making a hole in the protective ozone layer of the earth. The depletion of natural resources is an indication that we have badly exhausted and exploited the earth’s surface and stripped of its valuable stores.

Conservation of Natural Resources:

The severe depletion of natural resources has brought to us a point where it has become necessary for us to come up with some long-term and effective measures to nourish back our planet. Shifting to the consumption of renewable and green sources of energy is one such step.

By controlling the pollution and putting a check on our reckless and toxic ways of life would significantly curb further depletion of natural resources. Every one of us should plant trees and make the earth healthier.

Some simple measures can have a huge impact on the current situation of mother earth. By reducing the wastage, reusing the day to day things, and recycling the biodegradable materials, we can save our planet from dying.

Human beings are dependent on nature, but nature is not dependent on humankind. It is the right time to pay back to nature what we have harnessed from it for millions of years.

Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources – For College and University Students (Essay 7 – 750 Words)

Introduction:

Depletion of natural resources has long been a concern for people as well as the governments all over the world. Natural resources are vital for our survival. However, there has been a steady decline in the availability of natural resources for human use over the last decade.

Causes:

There are many causes which have led to the depletion in natural resources. First and foremost is the increase in human population. With an ever-increasing population, the demand for natural resources has also increased substantially. This has led to excess usage of natural resources than the speed at which they are replenished in nature.

Mining is another human activity which has led to depletion of natural resources. We have been suing mining techniques to extract various metals, fossil fuels and other minerals from the earth. But, we have been indifferent of the thought as to how much should we extract in a given period. With hardly any monitoring in place by the government, illegal mining has been on the rise. This has led to over-extraction of the natural resources, thereby depleting them. Although laws are in place to catch and punish the offenders, the execution of the same is still a challenge for the government.

Another important factor which has led to the depletion of natural resources is the increase in pollution levels in air, water and land. The waters of the rivers are so polluted now that they cannot be used for various purposes such as drinking and bathing. So, although the resource is available, we are not in a position to use it for our own use. Additionally, pollution levels in water, air and land have made it difficult for the survival of others species as well which are important to maintain balance in the ecosystem.

Effects:

The effects of depletion of natural resources are all but harmful for the life on the earth. Depletion of natural resources has altered the ecosystem of the earth. Change of climatic conditions has been noticed over the last decade. Many species have become extinct because they were not able to adapt themselves to the changing environment.

Additionally, it has also led to global warming. There has been a constant increase in the average temperature of the earth. This, in turn, poses a threat to the coastal regions of the world as the water levels have been rising up steadily.

Due to change in climatic conditions, there have been altered patterns of rains in different regions affecting the yield of crops. This has led to price rise as the demand is more than what is being produced in the fields. Also, India is a country where half of the population is dependent on agriculture. Damage of crops has affected the farmers and there has been an increase in farmer suicides as well.

Remedies Available:

There are plenty of natural resources available to us. We put them to use as per our own requirements. For instance, we use fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum to generate electricity, drive vehicles; we use water to rotate turbines in a hydropower station. Similarly, we use sunlight as well to some extent to trap and the solar energy and generate electricity. Depletion of natural resources is actually a concern only for the resources which cannot be replenished easily, for example, coal and petroleum.

On the other hand, resources such as wind and sunlight are available in plenty and shall not be exhausted no matter how much we use them. This is the key to our remedy to minimise the depletion of natural resources. We should switch over to the resources which can easily be replenished. On the other hand, we should minimise the use of fossil fuels.

Conclusion:

It is true that there would be no life on earth if we do have the natural resources available to us. However, at the same time, it is also true that it is we who have to ensure that we utilise the resources carefully. Depletion of natural resources is surely an environmental concern that we all should be serious about. There was a time when we switched from cleaner to fossil fuels. Now is the time perhaps to go back in history and rewind our life.

We should think of the solutions available to us such switching to cleaner resources which can easily be replenished in nature. Moreover, the use of resources such as fossil fuels which are on the verge of extinction should be minimised. But, execution of the same is not an easy task. Only a collective effort of people, as well as governments all over the world, can perhaps save the earth and reduce the depletion of natural resources.

Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources – Long Essay for Competitive Exams like IAS, IPS, UPSC and Civil Services (Essay 8 – 1000 Words)

Introduction:

Depletion of natural resources can be said to be the consumption and use of a particular natural resource a lot faster than the rate of replenishment of the natural resources. We can commonly divide natural resources into non-renewable resources and renewable resources. Anytime either one of the two forms of natural resources is used beyond the rate of their replacement; we can consider it to be the depletion of natural resources. Natural resources depletion usually occurs in reference to fossil fuels consumption, water usage, mining, fishing and farming. Defaunation is a term that is used to describe the depletion of the populations of wildlife.

Causes of the Depletion of Natural Resources:

1. Soil erosion

2. Agricultural practices like slash and burn

3. Contamination and pollution if resources

4. Overpopulation

5. Unnecessary, excessive or overconsumption resources use

6. Mining for minerals and fossil fuels

7. Deforestation

8. Aquifer depletion

Depletion of Minerals:

We need minerals to help provide us with housing, clothing and food. A study carried out by the geological survey of the United States discovered a trend that is long-term during the nineteenth century on resources that are non-renewable like minerals that supply greater ratio of all the raw materials put into the non-food, non-fuel economy sector. A good example can be said to be the increased consumption of gravel, sand and crushed stone that are employed in construction.

Mineral exploitation on a large scale started during the period of industrial revolution in England around 1760 and it has rapidly grown since then. Advancements in technology have made it easier for humans to access grades that are lower and dig deeper with various forms of ore. All forms of industrial basic metals like bauxite, iron and copper and also minerals of rare earth usually encounter limitation in production output periodically.

Some minerals that are believed to start declining in production in twenty years include:

i. Zinc

ii. Copper (2024)

iii. Gasoline (2023)

Some minerals that are believed to start declining in production in this century include:

i. Iron (2068)

ii. Coal (2060)

iii. Aluminium (2057)

Depletion of Oil:

Peak oil period is believed to be the particular period in time when we reach the rate that is the maximum for the extraction of petroleum globally. After the peak oil period, the theory of peak oil posits that there will be a decline in the long term of the production rate of oil. A report in 2005 by Hirsch put forward that the prices of predictions that are petroleum derived will increase significantly all over the world as a result of the combination of decreased supply and increased demand, and the most significant one is going to be the price and availability of fuel that is liquid for transportation.

It was concluded by the report that there is going to be a problem of risk management that is unprecedented as a result of the oil production of the world that is peaking. There will be a sharp increase in the prices of fuel that is liquid and there will be volatility in the price. If there is no timely mitigation, there will be unprecedented political, social and economic costs.

Deforestation:

Deforestation can be said to be the process of forest clearing through the burning or cutting of plants and trees that are in an area that is forested. Deforestation has led to the destruction of about half of all of the areas of forests that at one point in time covered the earth. Deforestation happens as a result of a variety of reasons and there are a lot of negative effects of deforestation on our atmosphere and also on the quality land surrounding and in the forested area.

Causes of Deforestation:

One major cause of deforestation can be said to be the clearing of forests for reasons that are agricultural. With the increase in the population of areas that are developing especially those that are near the forests, there is usually more need of lands that are needed for farming. A lot of people usually see the forest as being without value just because the resources of the forest are not in use, for people like this; the profits of deforesting usually outweigh the profits of keeping the forest. As a result of this, it is of utmost importance that developing countries know the value of forests economically.

Depletion of Water:

A vital resource that we need in order to survive each day in life is water. Studies have shown that man can only last about a week if he does not take any water at all. The success and prosperity of people and nations historically has depended heavily on the availability of water. One type of water source that is a resource that is non-renewable is groundwater. Groundwater is about 98% of the fresh water that is available on the earth.

Groundwater can be used in supplying aquifers and wells for public, agricultural and private use. Only about 6% of all the groundwater is replenished about every fifty years.

Renewable Natural Resources:

We can get renewable energy from renewable natural resources. We have two major sources of energy that is renewable which are wind power and solar energy. A lot of research is ongoing on how we can get different alternatives that can replace the depletion of resources that are non-renewable.

Conclusion:

We have a lot of major causes and things that give rise to the depletion of natural resources in our planet earth. We are beginning to really see that depletion of natural resources is a thing and there is the need for us to be careful about our consumption of these natural resources.

There is a need for us to learn how to find a balance between resources preservation and economic development. If we fail to do this and exhaust all of our natural resources, there would not be any more natural resources for us to exploit and use to meet all of our needs.