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Natural resource depletion
For centuries Earth has provided us with the resources necessary for our survival, however since the Industrial revolution, we have depleted the natural resources on this planet at an unsustainable rate and Earth is struggling to meet our ever increasing demands.
Resource depletion occurs when resources are being used faster than they can be replenished. Resources can be either renewable or non-renewable, the former being non- exhaustible like water, and the latter being exhaustible like minerals and fossil fuels.
What resources are in decline?
1. Water – only 2.5% of water on our planet is fresh water which is mainly in the form of ice and snow. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
predicts that by 2025, 1.8 billion people will have no water to drink.
2. Coal - This is the most used fossil fuel, and if we step up production to make up for depleted oil and gas reserves, our known coal deposits could be gone in 150 years
3. Oil – this resource is heavily depended upon for transportation means. If our current demand continues, this oil will only be enough to supply the world demands for the next 30 years.
4. Natural gas – Gas is estimated to run out by 2060
5. Minerals - Large-scale exploitation of minerals has grown since the industrial revolution. Technological improvements have allowed humans to dig deeper
therefore all basic industrial metals (copper, iron, bauxite, etc.), as well as rare earth minerals, are threatened.
6. Trees - On average, an area of trees equivalent to the size of the Panama is lost every year. As of this year, approximately half of the worlds tropical forests have
now been cleared through logging, where no new trees have been planted.
The Global Footprint Network calculates the number of days per year for which Earth has enough biocapacity (natural resources produced and ability to absorb the waste generated) to provide for humans’ total ecological footprint. When the footprint of consumption worldwide exceeds biocapacity, this is the Earth’s estimated overshoot day.
Every year this date is getting earlier, according to Global Footprint Network, we used a year’s worth of resources in seven months in 2018. This year, the network estimates that humans are using natural resources 1.75 times faster than ecosystems can regenerate. Another way of viewing this is that we are currently consuming 1.75 Earths.
What is causing this depletion in resources?
1. Overpopulation and overconsumption
The main cause of this crisis is overpopulation as our world nears the 8 billion mark. With growing numbers, resource depletion accelerates further. Extensive use of fossil fuels is just one example of how the environment is being exploited to fuel our consumption.
Overpopulation brings more demand for factories and for goods which require fossil fuels to make them therefore we are excessively mining and extracting oil and coal. CO2 emissions are a huge factor in global warming and climate change and consequently both have risen in recent years.
2. Poor farming practices
Humans are adding a lot of stress on land resources as they over-rely on food production. Poor irrigation practices create alkalisation of the soil and poor soil management and heavy machinery further destroy the soil making it no longer a suitable resource for plant growth. Intense use of pesticides harm the soil and the nutrients in it on which plants are dependent.
3. Logging and deforestation
Deforestation refers to the cutting down of trees to make the land available for residential, industrial or commercial purposes. Through deforestation, there is a loss of biodiversity as forest natural habitats are destroyed as well as increasing desertification and leading to soil erosion which depletes natural minerals in the soil.
4. Pollution
The increase in pollution, mainly from the burning of fossil fuels and other chemicals has heavily impacted the environment. The soil, air and bodies of water are increasingly contaminated with chemicals and pollutants from our emissions and our waste.
5. Industrial and technological development
As technological development advances, more toxins and chemicals are created in the factories and in the waste from the products.
What are the consequences?
The WWF warns that if we continue at this rate, we would need 2.5 planets to supply ourselves in 2050.
As noted above, the main issues are the potential extinction of necessary resources like fuels and minerals. Currently 40% of our energy used is sourced from oil, and this resource is estimated to be depleted by 2052. This will be hugely troubling for human production and consumption as oil is essential in manufacturing, planting, mining, and transportation.
Similarly, the end of coal and natural gas is nearing and would have equally devastating impacts.
The depletion of minerals could also have significant impacts on plant growth and construction. There has been a significant increase in consumption of phosphorus an essential element for plant growth, as well as copper, zinc, sand, and stone, all construction materials.
In addition, the pollution of water, deforestation and poor farming are causing our water resources to deplete. Approximately one billion people lack access to clean water because of the effects of deforestation and contamination of water.
Finally, these issues harm many flora and fauna habitats and lead to extinction of species. Deforestation destroys the homes of many different species and overfishing and pollution have caused dramatic declines in marine life. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says that more than 31,000 species are threatened with extinction.
Resource depletion occurs when resources are being used faster than they can be replenished. Resources can be either renewable or non-renewable, the former being non- exhaustible like water, and the latter being exhaustible like minerals and fossil fuels.
What resources are in decline?
1. Water – only 2.5% of water on our planet is fresh water which is mainly in the form of ice and snow. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
predicts that by 2025, 1.8 billion people will have no water to drink.
2. Coal - This is the most used fossil fuel, and if we step up production to make up for depleted oil and gas reserves, our known coal deposits could be gone in 150 years
3. Oil – this resource is heavily depended upon for transportation means. If our current demand continues, this oil will only be enough to supply the world demands for the next 30 years.
4. Natural gas – Gas is estimated to run out by 2060
5. Minerals - Large-scale exploitation of minerals has grown since the industrial revolution. Technological improvements have allowed humans to dig deeper
therefore all basic industrial metals (copper, iron, bauxite, etc.), as well as rare earth minerals, are threatened.
6. Trees - On average, an area of trees equivalent to the size of the Panama is lost every year. As of this year, approximately half of the worlds tropical forests have
now been cleared through logging, where no new trees have been planted.
The Global Footprint Network calculates the number of days per year for which Earth has enough biocapacity (natural resources produced and ability to absorb the waste generated) to provide for humans’ total ecological footprint. When the footprint of consumption worldwide exceeds biocapacity, this is the Earth’s estimated overshoot day.
Every year this date is getting earlier, according to Global Footprint Network, we used a year’s worth of resources in seven months in 2018. This year, the network estimates that humans are using natural resources 1.75 times faster than ecosystems can regenerate. Another way of viewing this is that we are currently consuming 1.75 Earths.
What is causing this depletion in resources?
1. Overpopulation and overconsumption
The main cause of this crisis is overpopulation as our world nears the 8 billion mark. With growing numbers, resource depletion accelerates further. Extensive use of fossil fuels is just one example of how the environment is being exploited to fuel our consumption.
Overpopulation brings more demand for factories and for goods which require fossil fuels to make them therefore we are excessively mining and extracting oil and coal. CO2 emissions are a huge factor in global warming and climate change and consequently both have risen in recent years.
2. Poor farming practices
Humans are adding a lot of stress on land resources as they over-rely on food production. Poor irrigation practices create alkalisation of the soil and poor soil management and heavy machinery further destroy the soil making it no longer a suitable resource for plant growth. Intense use of pesticides harm the soil and the nutrients in it on which plants are dependent.
3. Logging and deforestation
Deforestation refers to the cutting down of trees to make the land available for residential, industrial or commercial purposes. Through deforestation, there is a loss of biodiversity as forest natural habitats are destroyed as well as increasing desertification and leading to soil erosion which depletes natural minerals in the soil.
4. Pollution
The increase in pollution, mainly from the burning of fossil fuels and other chemicals has heavily impacted the environment. The soil, air and bodies of water are increasingly contaminated with chemicals and pollutants from our emissions and our waste.
5. Industrial and technological development
As technological development advances, more toxins and chemicals are created in the factories and in the waste from the products.
What are the consequences?
The WWF warns that if we continue at this rate, we would need 2.5 planets to supply ourselves in 2050.
As noted above, the main issues are the potential extinction of necessary resources like fuels and minerals. Currently 40% of our energy used is sourced from oil, and this resource is estimated to be depleted by 2052. This will be hugely troubling for human production and consumption as oil is essential in manufacturing, planting, mining, and transportation.
Similarly, the end of coal and natural gas is nearing and would have equally devastating impacts.
The depletion of minerals could also have significant impacts on plant growth and construction. There has been a significant increase in consumption of phosphorus an essential element for plant growth, as well as copper, zinc, sand, and stone, all construction materials.
In addition, the pollution of water, deforestation and poor farming are causing our water resources to deplete. Approximately one billion people lack access to clean water because of the effects of deforestation and contamination of water.
Finally, these issues harm many flora and fauna habitats and lead to extinction of species. Deforestation destroys the homes of many different species and overfishing and pollution have caused dramatic declines in marine life. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says that more than 31,000 species are threatened with extinction.
What are the solutions?
1. RAISE AWARENESS
2. Reduce our general consumption, including oils and minerals
3. Support renewable energies such as solar and wind power to reduce dependence on fossil fuels
4. Use electricity more efficiently – use energy efficient appliances, turn off appliances and lights when not using
5. Promote sustainable fishing rules to avoid overfishing and conserve ecosystems
6. Avoid single-use plastics and use re-usable bags and water bottles
7. Drive less to avoid overconsuming crude oil – walking, biking and public transport are all great options!
8. Recycle more
9. Reduce food waste – an estimated 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted globally each year. If people around the world are encouraged to buy less, to plan their meals and to save their leftover food, this could have a huge impact.
10. Control deforestation and plant trees!
Promoting initiatives and raising awareness about deforestation is key as forests are filled with natural resources. The ecosystem services they provide are valued at approximately $33 trillion annually, and about a quarter of the world’s population depends on them to make a living. Yet, we’re destroying forests at a rate of about 60 acres each minute.
Sustainable forest management practices can help prevent this, establishing protected areas, create a harvesting plan and using better logging techniques.
Become Carbon Negative helps counter this and restores forest ecosystems by planting trees. This helps offsets the carbon generated by its customers as well as helps save habitats and the species that rely on trees for survival.
1. RAISE AWARENESS
2. Reduce our general consumption, including oils and minerals
3. Support renewable energies such as solar and wind power to reduce dependence on fossil fuels
4. Use electricity more efficiently – use energy efficient appliances, turn off appliances and lights when not using
5. Promote sustainable fishing rules to avoid overfishing and conserve ecosystems
6. Avoid single-use plastics and use re-usable bags and water bottles
7. Drive less to avoid overconsuming crude oil – walking, biking and public transport are all great options!
8. Recycle more
9. Reduce food waste – an estimated 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted globally each year. If people around the world are encouraged to buy less, to plan their meals and to save their leftover food, this could have a huge impact.
10. Control deforestation and plant trees!
Promoting initiatives and raising awareness about deforestation is key as forests are filled with natural resources. The ecosystem services they provide are valued at approximately $33 trillion annually, and about a quarter of the world’s population depends on them to make a living. Yet, we’re destroying forests at a rate of about 60 acres each minute.
Sustainable forest management practices can help prevent this, establishing protected areas, create a harvesting plan and using better logging techniques.
Become Carbon Negative helps counter this and restores forest ecosystems by planting trees. This helps offsets the carbon generated by its customers as well as helps save habitats and the species that rely on trees for survival.
