Natural resources refer to use materials that occur on earth in their raw form (Natural Reseources, 2012, para. 1). Natural resources can only be processed or modified, but they cannot be made by humans. They occur on earth as a result of geophysical energy, solar energy and geochemical energy of the earth. By this definition, it is apparent that if a substance occurs naturally and it is of use to humans, then it can be classified as a natural resource.
“Oil, coal, natural gas, metals, stone, and sand are natural resources. Other natural resources are air, sunlight, soil, and water. Animals, birds, fish, and plants are natural resources as well” (Natural Reseources, 2012, para. 2). The monetary value of minerals and other natural resources depends on how useful people consider them to be. This fact has made many of the natural resources that the world has been blessed with to be undervalued.
Natural resources enable us to have raw materials for the manufacture of goods. Natural resources are also the source of all the food that human beings take. This is explained by the fact that the food that humans take is either from animals or plants. Natural resources are also the source of fuel, which is an indispensable resource in life. Fuel is used in machines, in automobiles, in trains and aeroplanes, etc.
It is also used for cooking and lighting. Natural resources enable people to make products for everyday use. Such products include clothes, refrigerators, computers, containers, toothpaste, etcetera (Natural Reseources, 2012, para. 3). This paper defines natural resources and investigates their effect on the environment.
The process of getting mineral resources from their sources harms the environment in many ways. Extracting of mineral resources, their processing, and even their use has been associated with a myriad of negative environmental effects. Such effects include land pollution, air pollution, and water pollution.
In addition to these, the process of extracting, using and processing natural resources has been associated with destruction and disruption of ecosystems, which ultimately results in decreased biodiversity in affected areas (Natural Reseources, 2012, para. 6). For instance, carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is produced when natural gas, coal, and oil are burnt.
The use of these naturally occurring substances, therefore, leads to an increase in the atmospheric amount of carbon dioxide. Being a greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide traps solar heat and contributes to global warming.
Having discussed the disruption of ecosystems, it is important to note that natural ecosystems and wild species are of great importance to mankind. “Some economists, for example, estimate that the lost pharmaceutical value from plant species extinctions in the United States is about $ 12 billion” (Natural Reseources, 2012, para. 8).
The extraction and use of resources occurring naturally can potentially affect relationships within ecosystems. Ecosystems are normally self-regulating in the relations among animals, plants and their non-living environment. For instance, if trees are cleared in a certain field, the animals living there will lose their habitat, and they will be forced to move elsewhere.
On leaving the ecosystem, further disturbances are inevitable due to the inter-dependence among species in any given ecosystem. The use and extraction of minerals and other natural resources have also been found to decrease the diversity of animals and plants (biodiversity), which costs human beings dearly because they depend on the numerous varieties of animals and plants to meet specific needs.
For instance, some species of plants have medicinal value while others do not. Decreasing biodiversity by the extinction of these plants will cause humans to look for alternative sources of medicine, which will be costly for them (Natural Reseources, 2012, para. 12).
Another issue linking natural resources to the environment is the depletion of non-renewable resources. These are the resources whose rate of regeneration is quite slow. They “can be depleted if not properly managed or conserved” (Natural Reseources, 2012, para. 4). Examples of natural resources that can easily be depleted include natural gas and oil, which are formed over a long period.
Once these resources are mined and completely used, people will not be able to access them. This is the main reason for the widespread advocacy for recycling, which not only conserves natural resources but also mitigates environmental pollution. For example, a company can choose the option of using recycled plastic instead of using oil for manufacturing its plastic.
If the stated company chooses the former option, then “it is recycling material that would otherwise become waste, helping prevent the depletion of natural resources, conserving energy and preventing pollution that would have been created in the extraction and processing of oil from the ground” (Natural Reseources, 2012, para. 15).
Oil and chemical minerals have attracted the attention of numerous environmentalists due to the pollution risk they pose to the environment. Each year, innumerable chemical and oil spills occur in water bodies around the world. The spills vary in magnitude depending on their cause.
They may be caused by small collisions of transportation vessels, mishandling of chemicals or oil, poor disposal of used oil and chemicals, transfer mishaps or even major spill events like the infamous BP oil spill. Spills in coastal waters have devastating effects on the ecosystems thriving there.
The spills lead to the death of wildlife, contamination of resources and overall destruction of the habitat. They may also lead to decreased income from tourist activities, closure of fisheries and closure of navigation routes. These effects are bound to have a negative economic impact on the affected countries.
Natural resources are provided by the earth for use by human beings, but they have to be managed and preserved to maintain their viability and avoid depletion. Although natural resources are invaluable to people, their extraction, disposal, and use can have adverse effects on the environment and flora and fauna. For example, the use of natural gas, oil, and coal leads to the production of carbon dioxide, which pollutes the environment.
Oil and chemical spills pollute aquatic ecosystems leading to the death of aquatic life and affecting economic activities associated with aquatic life. Mining and use of radioactive materials pollute the environment and it causes diseases and deformities in human beings.
An analysis of the effects above of extraction, disposal, and use of natural resources shows the need to come up with strategies to counter the negative effects of natural resources on the environment. Materials like plastic should, therefore, be recycled to conserve natural resources, minimize pollution and preserve ecosystems that are affected as they are manufactured from virgin resources like oil.
Reference List
Natural Resources. (2012). Web.