Resource Depletion

Another issue plaguing our environment is loss of natural resources.  Because the world’s population keeps growing (we’re at about 7 billion now), we are using up more and more resources.  To make room for people to live and agricultural land, ecosystems often wiped out.  Deforestation often occurs when more agricultural space is needed.  Deforestation is the clearing of natural forests by logging or burning of trees in a forested area.  Deforestation has led to a rise in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and a decrease in biodiversity.  The cause for the rise in CO2 is that normally plants would use up the CO2 in the air and emit oxygen, but once they are destroyed they are unable to do so.  This leaves a high about of CO2 in the air which then leads to the greenhouse effect.  The other issue regarding deforestation is the decrease in biodiversity.  When forest area is cleared, the unique plants and animals that live in that ecosystem are left without a home.  They often become endangered or extinct. 

                Regardless of whether a resource is renewable to non-renewable, if we are using them up quicker than their rate of replacement, they will become depleted.  Some non-renewable resources (a resource that cannot be grown or regenerated once gone) are fossil fuels.  Common fossil fuels we use are natural gas, petroleum, and coal.  Since we depend so much on fossil fuels you can see how this is an issue.  This is why government officials and organizations keep looking for alternative sources of energy.

                Renewable resources (resources that can be replaced through natural processes) include timber, soil, metals, plants, animals, and water.   Even though these can be replaced naturally through the environment, if they are used to frequently they too can become non-renewable.  Hunting, forestry, fishing, and mining can all lead to a depletion of natural resources.

                As long as we conserve our environment, hopefully we will be able to slow down the process of depletion.  This is why sustainability is so important.  It is the idea of long-term maintenance of responsibility.  If we can all learn to be responsible we can take care of our environment.