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The Importance Of The Earths Resources
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Published: August 18, 2006
The world at large takes the planet Earth for granted. The only changes that most people are aware of are the changes in the Earth's weather. People tend to not become aware of a problem until it directly affects them. The problem is that the nations with the most power to enforce change seem to be the least affected by it.
However, that will soon change and very quickly. One most pressing issues for the world at large is the dwindling of the Earth's resources. Due to global warming, pollution, and continuing population growth the majority of the Earth's resources are headed towards depletion. Unless action is taken to regulate conservation and consumption the entire globe will experience an increase in food crisis, decrease in sustainable living, and rising of international conflicts as nations strive to care for their populations. The Earth possesses many resources, but the ones most affected and needed by humankind are water, land, and energy resources.
Water
One of Earth's major resources is water. All living organisms need water to sustain life. However, a growing world population and the effects of human industry, pollution, and global warming all contribute to the rapid depletion of the earth's water resources. Water is not solely used for drinking and bathing. Most water is needed for agriculture. As the world population increases the need for more agricultural production increases which in turn increases the demand for water. The problem is that more and more developing nations need water to sustain their growing agricultural and industrial growth. This increase results in the further depletion of surface and groundwater supplies. Healthy water resources are also further weakened by pollution caused by industry and urban areas. Many companies tend to dump their toxic sewage in water supplies such as rivers, lakes and streams. Urban areas do the same with their sewage. Agricultural production also infects water sources with pesticides fertilizers, and untreated chemicals. Climate change is another contributing factor to the decrease of water resources. Global warming will create more droughts as well as raise water temperatures which will result in the breeding of new diseases.
Land
Increase in population and land degradation is resulting in the lack of usable land resources. More and more land is being cleared away to house growing populations. Growing populations cause an increase in agriculture which leads to further land degradation. More and more forests are being cleared away to make room for cattle as well as farmland. Extreme crop production results in the quick loss of fertile land which only adds to the problem of feeding a growing population. Here too, climate change is also a contributing factor. Global warming causes once fertile land to turn into deserts rendering the land inhabitable. Climate change also affects the world's sea levels. Rising water temperatures are currently causing the Arctic ice to melt which can lead to rising sea levels. Rising sea levels will soon cover many coastal areas, leaving less land to house populations.
Energy
Most the globe is aware of the depletion of earth's energy resources. Many of the world's oil fields have either already reached their peak or are fast approaching it. Although many of the world's leaders have denied it, the lack of oil is a common factor in many current international conflicts. Many of the world's leading nations depend on an oil fueled economy. Not only is oil used as the primary source of transportation and fuel energy, but oil is also used to produce many consumer products. The burning of oil is also a major contributer to global warming and pollution. Unless most nations start investing in alternative energy sources, the current dependence on oil will only lead to a further crisis when the world's populations finds themselves without it.
Most developed nations such as the United States and Western Europe have yet to experience the effects of the continuing depletion of the earth's resources. It is mostly developing nations such as China and India that are experiencing the effects. Large percentages of their populations are already living unsustainable conditions and this is only likely to increase as populations continue to grow and demand for the earth's resources can no longer be met with the decrease in supply. The leading nations of the world have more power to begin a process of change. Switching to the use of eco-friendly alternative energy sources, practicing conservation, and population control are some of the few ways to regulate the depletion of the Earth's resources. If nothing is done, humankind will come to find the planet inhabitable. Disease will spread, devastating weather will increase, human health will plummet, and more conflict will break out. The world will begin to see the beginning of resource wars, not just for oil, but for water, food, and land. The nations of the world need to start seeing this more as a global issue and treat it as such.
Water
One of Earth's major resources is water. All living organisms need water to sustain life. However, a growing world population and the effects of human industry, pollution, and global warming all contribute to the rapid depletion of the earth's water resources. Water is not solely used for drinking and bathing. Most water is needed for agriculture. As the world population increases the need for more agricultural production increases which in turn increases the demand for water. The problem is that more and more developing nations need water to sustain their growing agricultural and industrial growth. This increase results in the further depletion of surface and groundwater supplies. Healthy water resources are also further weakened by pollution caused by industry and urban areas. Many companies tend to dump their toxic sewage in water supplies such as rivers, lakes and streams. Urban areas do the same with their sewage. Agricultural production also infects water sources with pesticides fertilizers, and untreated chemicals. Climate change is another contributing factor to the decrease of water resources. Global warming will create more droughts as well as raise water temperatures which will result in the breeding of new diseases.
Land
Increase in population and land degradation is resulting in the lack of usable land resources. More and more land is being cleared away to house growing populations. Growing populations cause an increase in agriculture which leads to further land degradation. More and more forests are being cleared away to make room for cattle as well as farmland. Extreme crop production results in the quick loss of fertile land which only adds to the problem of feeding a growing population. Here too, climate change is also a contributing factor. Global warming causes once fertile land to turn into deserts rendering the land inhabitable. Climate change also affects the world's sea levels. Rising water temperatures are currently causing the Arctic ice to melt which can lead to rising sea levels. Rising sea levels will soon cover many coastal areas, leaving less land to house populations.
Energy
Most the globe is aware of the depletion of earth's energy resources. Many of the world's oil fields have either already reached their peak or are fast approaching it. Although many of the world's leaders have denied it, the lack of oil is a common factor in many current international conflicts. Many of the world's leading nations depend on an oil fueled economy. Not only is oil used as the primary source of transportation and fuel energy, but oil is also used to produce many consumer products. The burning of oil is also a major contributer to global warming and pollution. Unless most nations start investing in alternative energy sources, the current dependence on oil will only lead to a further crisis when the world's populations finds themselves without it.
Most developed nations such as the United States and Western Europe have yet to experience the effects of the continuing depletion of the earth's resources. It is mostly developing nations such as China and India that are experiencing the effects. Large percentages of their populations are already living unsustainable conditions and this is only likely to increase as populations continue to grow and demand for the earth's resources can no longer be met with the decrease in supply. The leading nations of the world have more power to begin a process of change. Switching to the use of eco-friendly alternative energy sources, practicing conservation, and population control are some of the few ways to regulate the depletion of the Earth's resources. If nothing is done, humankind will come to find the planet inhabitable. Disease will spread, devastating weather will increase, human health will plummet, and more conflict will break out. The world will begin to see the beginning of resource wars, not just for oil, but for water, food, and land. The nations of the world need to start seeing this more as a global issue and treat it as such.
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