Resources

 

CLASS- VIII    RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENTS

01.Resources

·       Utility or usability is what makes an object or substance a resource.

·       Things become resources only when they have a value. “Its use or utility gives it a value.

·       Any thing that has some utility to satisfy our needs is known as a Resource.

·       Some resources ca–n become economically valuable with time.

·       Time and technology are two important factors that can change substances into resources.

·       People themselves are the most important resources because their ideas, knowledge, inventions and discoveries that lead to the creation of more resources.

TYPES OF RESOURCES:

·       Resources are generally classified into Natural Resources,Human made Resources and Human Resources.

Natural Resources:

·       Resources that are drawn from Nature and used without much modification are called natural resources.

·       The air we breathe, the water in our rivers and lakes, the soils, minerals are all natural resources.

·       Natural resources are classified into different groups depending upon their level of development and use; origin; stock and distribution.

·       On the basis of their development and use resources can be classified into two groups, actual resources and potential resources.

·       Actual resources are those resources whose quantity is known. These resources are being used in the present.

·       The rich deposits of coal in Ruhr region of Germany and petroleum in the West Asia, the dark soils of the Deccan plateau in Maharashtra are all actual resources.

·       Potential resources are those whose entire quantity may not be known and these are not being used at present. These resources could be used in the future. The level of technology we have at present may not be advanced enough to easily utilise these resources.

·       The uranium found in Ladakh is an example of potential resource that could be used in the future. High speed winds were a potential resource two hundred years ago.

·       Today they are an actual resource and wind farms generate energy using windmills like in Netherlands. You will find some in Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu and on the Gujarat coast.

·       Based on their origin, resources can be abiotic orbiotic.

·       Abiotic resources are non-living- soils, rocks and minerals.

·       Biotic resources are living things- plants and animals.

·       Natural resources can be broadly categorised into renewable and non-renewable resources.

·       Renewable resources are those which get renewed or replenished quickly. Some of these are unlimited and are not affected by human activities, such as solar and wind energy.

·       Non-renewable resources are those which have a limited stock. Once the stocks are exhausted it may take thousands of years to be renewed or replenished. Since this period is much more than human life spans, such resources are considered non-renewable.

·       Coal, petroleum and natural gas are some examples.

·       On the basis of their distribution resources can be ubiquitous or localised.

·       Resources that are found everywhere like the air we breathe, are ubiquitous.

·       But those which are found only in certain places are localised, like copper and iron ore.

Human Made Resources:

·       When the original form of natural resources is changed by human beings to make it more useful, then it is called man-made resources or human-made resources.

Human Resources:

·       People can make the best use of nature to create more resources when they have the knowledge, skill and the technology to do so. That is why human beings are a special resource. People are human resources. Education and health help in making people a valuable resource. Improving the quality of people’s skills so that they are able to create more resources is known as human resource development.

CONSERVING RESOURCES:

·       Using resources carefully and giving them time to get renewed is called resource conservation.

·       Balancing the need to use resources and also conserve them for the future is called sustainable development.

·       There are many ways of conserving resources. Each person can contribute by reducing consumption, recycling and reusing thing. Ultimately it makes a difference because all our lives are linked.

·       Therefore it is our duty to ensure that-

·       all uses of renewable resources are sustainable

·       the diversity of life on the earth is conserved

·       the damage to natural environmental system is minimised.

Sustainable Development:Carefully utilizing resources so that beside meeting the requirements of the present, also takes care of the future generations.

Some Principles of Sustainable Development:

·       Respect and care for all forms of life.

·       Improve the quality of human life.

·       Conserve the earth’s vitality and diversity.

·       Minimise the depletion of natural resources.

·       Change personal attitude and practices toward the environment.

Enable communities to care for their own environment.  ... the end………