Natural

Resources
Introduction
Natural resources can be defined as
‘variety of goods and services provided by
nature which are necessary for our day-to-
day lives’.
Eg: Plants, animals and microbes (living or
biotic part), Air, water, soil, minerals,
climate and solar energy (non- living or
abiotic part).
They are essential for the fulfillment of
physiological, social, economical and
cultural needs at the individual and
community levels.
Let us see the types

ForestResources
Water resources
Mineral resources
Food resources
Energy resources
Land resources
Forest Resources
A forest can be defined as a biotic
community predominant of trees, shrubs or
any other woody vegetation usually in a
closed canopy.
 It is derived from latin word ‘foris’ means
‘outside’.
 India’s Forest Cover is 6,76,000 [Link]
(20.55% of geographic area).
 Scientists estimate that India should ideally
have 33% of its land under forests.
 Today we only have about 12% thus we
need not only to protect our existing forests
but also to increase our forest cover.
Functions of Forest
 Itperforms very important function both
to human and to nature.
 They are habitats to millions of plants,
animals and wild life.
 They recycle rain water.
 They remove pollutant from air.
 They control water quality.
 They moderate temperature and
weather.
 They influence soil condition and
prevent soil erosion.
Uses of Forest
Commercial uses:
◦ i. Wood – used as a fuel
◦ ii. Supply wood for various industries – Raw
materials as pulp, paper, furniture timber
etc.
◦ iii. Minor forest products – gum, dyes,
resins
◦ iv. Many plants – Medicines
◦ v. Supply variety of animal products –
honey. Ivory, horns etc.
◦ vi. Many forest lands are used for - Mining,
grazing, for dams and recreation.
Uses of Forest
Ecological uses:
◦ Production of oxygen
◦ Reducing global warming
◦ Soil conservation
◦ Regulation of hydrological cycle
◦ Pollution moderators
◦ Wild life habitat
Causes of Over-
exploitation of Forest
Resources

Increasing agricultural production.

Increasing agricultural activities.
Increase in demand of wood resources.
Deforestation

 Clearing of forests, or intentional

destruction or removal of trees and other
vegetation for agricultural, commercial,
housing, or firewood use without replanting
(reforesting) and without allowing time for
the forest to regenerate itself.
 Deforestation is one of the major factors
contributing to the greenhouse effect and
desertification.
Causes
Developmental projects
Mining operations
Raw materials for industries
Fuel requirement
Shifting cultivation
Forest fires
Over grazing
Effects
 Extinctions of many species
 Disturbances in the life cycles and habitats of
many animals, birds and insects. Homelessness
which leads to death of many organisms.
 Unavailability of food
 Change in climatic changes which makes the
seasons unreliable and changing again and
again
 Soil erodes more frequently than before
deforestation took place. Water easily washes
the nutrients from the top soil which makes the
soil unfit for irrigation and agricultural purposes
Effects
 Emission of Carbon dioxide which
increases Global Warming greatly
 With reduced number of forests Pollution
increases which affects the environment,
human beings and other organisms
consequently
 Conflict over lands, resources and food
affects the social culture and leads to
racial and ethnic problems too
 As years pass, cost of goods and amenities
will increases and interest rates will also
boost up
Causes of deforestation in
India
State-sponsored agricultural expansion
Rapid industrialisation
Urbanisation
Growing consumerism
Lack of education
Absence of strict implementation of laws
Lack of proper planning
Corruption of government institutions
Population
Construction
Problems created by deforestation
in India
Decreasing levels of rainfall
Soil erosion
Climate change
Loss of biodiversity
Air pollution
Flooding
Desertification
Hydroelectric shortages
Control measures
 New plants Act. of more or less of the same
variety should be planted to replace the
trees cut down for timber
 Use of wood for fuel should be discouraged.
 Forest pests can be controlled by spraying
pesticides by using aero planes
 Forest fire must be controlled by modern
techniques.
 Over grazing by cattle must be controlled.
 Steps should be taken by the government to
discourage the migration of people into the
islands from mainland.
 Education and awareness programmes must
be conducted.
Case Study
Deforestation in the Himalayan region, involves
clearing of natural forests and plantation of
monoculture like Eucalyptus. Nutrient in the soil is
poor; therefore soil losing their fertility, hence,
Himalayan area facing the serious problem of
desertification.
1. How does the plantation of monoculture
species like Eucalyptus affect the soil in the
Himalayas?
2. What could be the long-term effects of
deforestation on the Himalayan ecosystem?
3. What are some sustainable alternatives ?
4. Why is soil fertility crucial for preventing
desertification in mountainous regions like the
Himalayas?
Timber Extraction
There has been unlimited
exploitation of timber for
commercial use.
Due to increased industrial
demand; timber extraction has
significant effect on forest and
tribal people.
Timber Extraction
 Wood used for engineering purposes like
building houses, making furniture is
called timber.
 The products derived from timber have
been important to many civilizations,
and thus it has acquired value within
these civilizations.
 Timber extraction results in deforestation
and in the fragmentation of the last
remaining forests.
 It harms valuable species of trees, birds
and wild animals.
Effects of Timber
Extraction
 Poor logging results in a degraded forest.
 Floods may be intensified by cutting of trees or
upstream watersheds.
 Loss of biodiversity.
 Climatic changes such as less rains.
 New logging roads permit shifting cultivators
to gain access to logged areas and cut the
remaining trees which results in forest
fragmentation which promotes loss of
biodiversity
 Exploitation of tribal people by the contractors.
 Soil erosion especially on slopes occurs
extensively.
 Sedimentation of irrigation systems, floods
Case Study – Chipko
Movement
The world famous Chipko Movement,
pioneered by Dasohli Gram Swarajya Mandal
in Gopeshwar brought about a general
awareness about conservation of forests. The
first Chipko Movement dates back to 1731,
when a village woman named Amrita Bai led
the Bishnoi women against the Maharajas men
to prevent them from cutting trees. In this
attempt to save the trees, she sacrificed her
life along with the lives of her husband, three
daughters and 363 people. The movement was
given this name because the village women
embraced or hugged the trees to stop them
from being cut. In 1972, in Uttar Pradesh, the
Mining
 The process of extracting mineral resources
and fossil fuels like coal from the earth is
called as mining.
 Types of mining
◦ Surface mining: Mining of minerals from
shallow deposits
◦ Underground mining: Mining of minerals
from deep deposits
 Steps involved in mining
◦ Exploration
◦ Development
◦ Exploitation
◦ Ore processing
Environmental Impacts of
Mining
 Pollute soil, water and air.
 Destruction of natural habitat.
 Continuous removal of minerals leads to
the formation of trench where water is
logged which contaminates the ground
water.
 Vibrations cause earth quakes.
 Produces noise pollution
 Reduces shape and size of the forest.
 Increased risk of landslides.
 Spoils the aesthetic beauty.
Dams
A barrier constructed to hold
back water and raise its level,
forming a reservoir used to
generate electricity or as a water
supply.
Also used to control flood, in
irrigation, Drinking water supply
etc.
Benefits of Dams
Water Supply
Meet the Rural Agricultural
demands
Dams help in flood control
Production of hydropower
Local Navigation
Recreational Purposes
Animal benefits
Problems in construction
of dams
Loss of species and ecosystem
Loss of aquatic biodiversity
Cumulative impact on water
quality
Alteration in temperature and
flow in the river downstream
Effects of Dams on
Environment
Thousands of hectares of forest will
be cleared.
Killing of wild animals and
destruction of aquatic life.
Spreading of water borne diseases.
Water logging increases the salinity
of the soil.
Ex: Narmadha Sagar project it has
submerged 3.5 lakhs hectares of
forest.
Effects of Dams on Tribal
People
 Construction of big dams lead to the
displacement of tribal people.
 Displacement and cultural change affects the
tribal people both mentally and physically.
 They do not accommodate the modern food
habits and life style.
 Tribal people are ill treated by the modern
society.
 Many of the displaced people were not
recognised and resettled or compensated.
 Body condition of tribal people will not suit with
new areas and hence they will be affected by
many diseases.
Case Study – Sardar
Sarovar
The World Bank’s withdrawal from the Sardar
Sarovar Project in India in 1993 was a result of the
demands of local people threatened with the loss
of their livelihoods and homes in the submergence
area. This dam in Gujarat on the Narmada has
displaced thousands of tribal folk, whose lives and
livelihoods were linked to the river, the forests and
their agricultural lands. While they and the
fishermen at the estuary, have lost their homeland,
rich farmers downstream will get water for
agriculture. The question is why should the local
tribals be made homeless, displaced and relocated
to benefit other people? Why should the less
fortunate be made to bear the costs of
development for better off farmers? It is a question
of social and economic equity as well as the
Water Resources
 Water resources are under major stress
around the world.
 Rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers
supply fresh water for irrigation, drinking,
and sanitation, while the oceans provide
habitat for a largeshare of the planet's
food supply.
 Today, however, expansion of agriculture,
damming, diversion, over-use, and
pollution threaten these irreplaceable
resources in many parts of the globe.
Uses
Isessential for all forms of life.
Many uses of water include
agricultural, industrial, household,
recreational and environmental
activities.
Virtually, all of these human uses,
require fresh water.
No plant or animal species can survive
without water. If water in our body
drops by 1% we feel thirst, if it drops
by 10% we face death.
Uses & Over uses of
water resources
Distribution of Water
Resources
Impacts of over
utilisation of
underground & surface
water
Loss of Integrity of freshwater
ecosystems
Risk to ecosystem functions
Depletion of living resources &
biodiversity
Pollution of water bodies
Impacts of poor quality
water
Publichealth hazards
Damage to ecosystems
Adverse economic conditions
Characteristics of good
water
Should be transparent, colourless
and odourless
Should have sufficient oxygen
concentration
Should be free from
bacteriological contamination
Should be free from water
pollution
Should be free from excessive
nutrients like N, P etc
 Measures to conserve water
 Apply Rainwater harvesting
 Don’t leave the tap running needlessly
 Use water wisely for household, agriculture and
domestic purposes
 Avoid leakage
 Prevent flow of untreated sewage to lakes and
rivers
 Collect water by building dams and reservoirs
and digging wells
 Use fairer policies for treatment, access and
pricing of water
 Prevent flow of industrial effluents to natural
water resources
Water related diseases

Water-related disease is defined

as any significant or widespread
adverse effects on human health,
such as death, disability, illness
or disorders, caused directly or
indirectly by the condition, or
changes in the quantity or quality
of any waters.
Types of Waterborne Diseases

 Amebiasis: caused by protozoa. Symptoms

include fatigue, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort
and weight loss.
 Campylobacteriosis: caused by bacteria.
Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain
and fever.
 Cholera: caused by bacteria. Symptoms
include muscle cramps, vomiting and diarrhea.
 Cryptosporidiosis: caused by protozoa.
Symptoms include diarrhea and abdominal
discomfort.
 Giardiasis: caused by protozoa. Symptoms
include diarrhea and abdominal discomfort.
Types of Waterborne
Diseases
 Hepatitis: caused by a virus. Symptoms
include fever, chills, jaundice, dark urine and
abdominal discomfort.
 Shigellosis: caused by bacteria. Symptoms
include bloody stool, diarrhea and fever.
 Typhoid fever: caused by bacteria.
Symptoms include fever, headache,
constipation, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, loss
of appetite and an abdominal rash.
 Viral gastroenteritis: caused by a virus.
Symptoms include gastrointestinal discomfort,
diarrhea, vomiting, fever and headache.
Floods
An overflow of a large amount of
water beyond its normal limits,
especially over what is normally
dry land.
Causes of flood
1. Heavy rainfall, melting of snow
and sudden release of water from
dams. (Flash floods)
2. Reduction in the carrying
capacity of the channel.
3. Deforestation, mining and over
grazing increase the runoff from
rains and the level of flood raises.
Effects of flood
Primary effects
◦ Physical damage
◦ Casualties
Secondary effects
◦ Contamination of water
◦ Spread of water-borne diseases
◦ Loss of harvest
◦ Death of some non tolerant tree
species
Tertiary effects
Flood Management
1. Floods can be controlled by
dams.
2. Channel management control
flood.
3. Flood hazards reduced by
forecasting or flood warning.
4. Flood may also be reduced by
reduction of run off by increasing
infiltration through appropriate
afforestation in the catchment
Drought
A drought is a period of below-average
precipitation in a given region, resulting
in prolonged shortages in the water
supply, whether atmospheric, surface
water or ground water
A drought can last for months or years, or
may be declared after as few as 15 days
It can have a substantial impact on the
ecosystem and agriculture of the affected
region and harm to the local economy
Types of Drought
Meteorological drought
Agricultural drought
Hydrological drought
 Meteorological drought

Defined on the basis of the degree

of dryness, in comparison to a
normal or average amount, and the
duration of the dry period
For ex. United States (1942): Less
than 2.5 mm of rainfall in 48 hours
It must be region-specific, since the
atmospheric conditions that result
in deficiencies of precipitation are
highly region-specific
Agricultural drought

It links various characteristics of

meteorological drought to
agricultural impacts, focusing on
precipitation shortages,
differences between actual and
potential evapotranspiration, soil-
water deficits, reduced
groundwater or reservoir levels,
and so on
Agricultural drought
It accounts for the susceptibility
of crops during different stages of
crop development
Hydrological drought

Hydrological drought refers to a

persistently low discharge and/or
volume of water in streams and
reservoirs, lasting months or
years
It is a natural phenomenon, but it
may be exacerbated by human
activities
Causes of Drought
When annual rain fall is below
normal and less than
evaporation, drought is created.
High population.
Intensive cropping pattern Ex:
Maharashtra - There has been no
recovery from drought for the last
30 years due to over exploitation
of water by sugarcane crop.
Consequences of Drought
Impact on agriculture
Impact on Environment
Impact on Health
Social Impact
Economic Impact
Strategies for mitigation of
drought Impact
An artificial technique of cloud
seeding helps in inducing rainfall
Desalination of sea water for irrigation
Planned crop rotation
Rainwater harvesting
Regulating the use of water intensive
home maintenance tasks and the use
of sprinkles, hoses, etc on outdoor
plants
Sewage water treatment
Dams
A barrier constructed to hold
back water and raise its level,
forming a reservoir used to
generate electricity or as a water
supply.
Also used to control flood, in
irrigation, Drinking water supply
etc.
Benefits of Dams
Water Supply
Meet the Rural Agricultural
demands
Dams help in flood control
Production of hydropower
Local Navigation
Recreational Purposes
Animal benefits
Effects of Dams on
Environment
In flat basins large dams cause
flooding of large tracts of land,
destroying local animals and habitats.
People have to be displaced causing
change in life style and customs,
even causing emotional scarring.
Large amounts of plant life are
submerged and decay anaerobically
(in the absence of oxygen) generating
greenhouse gases like methane.
SUSTAINABLE WATER
MANAGEMENT
 Building several small reservoirs instead of few
mega projects
 Developing small catchment dams and
protecting wetlands
 Soil management, micro-catchment
development and afforestation permits
recharging of underground aquifer, thus
reducing the need for large dams
 Treating and recycling municipal waste water for
agricultural use.
 Preventing leakages form dams and canals and
loss in municipal pipes
 Effective rainwater harvesting in urban
 SUSTAINABLE WATER
MANAGEMENT
 Water conservation measures in agriculture, such
as using drip irrigation, control of growing water
intensive cash crops ; control of water logging.
 Pricing water at its real value makes people use it
more responsibility and efficiently and reduces
wastage
 In deforested areas where land has been
degraded, appropriate soil management practices,
making bunds along the hill-slopes and making
nalla plugs can help retain moisture and make it
possible to revegetate degraded areas
 Use waste water for activities that does not need
fresh water – Recycling
 SUSTAINABLE WATER
MANAGEMENT
 Develop systematic water management
and adopt strict water auditing
 “Save water Campaigns” for public
awareness on water scarcity
 Through rainwater harvesting, community
based participatory initiatives and holistic
watershed management.
 Responsible water usage can only be
achieved by empowering local communities
and creating local accountability.
 The government should develop policies
that protect water resources
Conflicts over water
 Conflict through use: Unequal
distribution of water led to interstate
and international disputes.
 National conflicts:
◦ a. Sharing of cauvery water between
Karnataka and TamilNadu.
◦ b. Sharing of Krishna water between
Karnataka and Andrapradesh
◦ c. Siruvani – TamilNadu and Kerala
 International conflicts:
◦ Indus – India and Pakistan & Colorado river –
Mexico and USA
Mineral Resources
Natural resources in the form of
minerals are known as mineral
resources
Minerals make up most of the
earth and are an important part
of our everyday life
Minerals are simply naturally
occurring substances which have
a crystalline structure
Importance of Mineral
Resources
Almost all rocks are made of
minerals
Have high aesthetic value
Required for electronic
manufacture like cars, planes etc.
They are raw materials used for
making window glass, plaster etc
Types of minerals
 Mineral resources can be divided into two
major categories.
 Metallic Mineral Resources
 Non-metallic Mineral Resources
Effects on environment
Loss of flora and fauna
Land degradation
Occupational health hazards
Pollution of ground and surface water
Damage to local ecological functions
Problem in rehabilitation of affected
population
Air pollution
Problems in safe disposal of
tremendous amount of solid wastes
Conservation of Mineral
Resources
Use of improved technologies
Encourage recycling of metals
Regulate the usage of minerals
Reduce the purchase of
unwanted products
Encourage research for providing
suitable eco friendly alternatives
for fossil, fuels, metals etc.
Case Studies-mining And
Quarrying In Udaipur

 200 open cast mining and quarrying in

Udaipur. But 100 mines are illegal.
 150 tons of explosives are used per
month.
 It pollutes air, soil and water.
 It affects irrigation and wild life.
Food Resources
 Food is an essential requirement for
survival of life. Main components are
carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals
and vitamins.
 TYPES OF FOOD SUPPLY
◦ 1. Crop plants: Grains mostly constitute
about 76% of the world’s food. Ex: Rice,
Wheat and Maize
◦ 2. Range lands: Produces 17% of world’s
food from trees and grazing animals. Ex:
Fruits, milk and meat
◦ 3. Ocean: Fisheries – 7% of world’s food
World Food Problems
In the earth’s surface, 79% is
water out of total area. 21% land
(forest, desert, mountain and
barren land) . Less % cultivated
land, at the same time population
explosion is high therefore world
food problem arises.
Environmental degradation like
soil erosion, water logging, water
pollution, salinity
Types Of Nutrition
 Nutritious nutrition: To maintain good health
and disease resistance, we need large
amount of carbohydrate, proteins, fats and
smaller amount of micronutrients such as
vitamins and minerals such as Fe, Ca and
iodine
 Undernourishment: People who cannot buy
enough food to meet their basic energy
needs suffer from under nutrition
 Malnourishment ( lack of essential nutrients
in diet)
 Over nourishment ( overconsumption of
saturated fats, sugar and salt in diet)
Over Grazing
 Land degradation:
◦ Over grazing removing the cover of vegetation
◦ Exposed soil gets compacted
◦ Soil moisture reduces.
◦ Desertification - OG leads to poor, dry and
compacted soil.
◦ Land cannot be used for further cultivation.
 Soil erosion: When the grasses are removed the
soil becomes loose and gets eroded by the
action of wind and rain fall.
 Loss of useful species: OG affects the plant
population and their regenerating capacity. OG
replace the plant of high nutritive value with
plant of low nutritive value.
Agriculture
Agriculture is an art, science and
industry of managing the growth
of plants animals for human use.
It includes cultivation of the soil,
growing and harvesting crops,
breeding and raising livestock,
dairying and forestry.
TYPES OF AGRICULTURE
◦ Traditional agriculture
◦ Modern (or) industrialised
agriculture
Agriculture and Modern Ag
riculture
Agriculture – The cultivation of
soil and or production of crop
plants or livestock products.
Modern Agriculture – It depicts
the push of innovation,
stewardship and advancements
continually made by farmers to
sustainably produce higher
quality products with a reduced
environmental impact.
Effects of Agriculture
Problems in using fertilizers
◦ Excess of fertilizers causes
micronutrient imbalance
◦ Blue baby syndrome (nitrate
pollution)
◦ Eutrophication (loss of Nitrogen and
phosphorus)
Effects of Agriculture
Problems in using pesticides
◦ Death of non target organism.
◦ Producing new pest – super pest
◦ Bio magnification – Most of the
pesticides are non bio degradable,
keep on concentrating in the food
chain and it is harmful to human
beings.
◦ Risk of cancer
Water logging: Land where water
stand for most of the year
Case Study
In Delhi the accumulation of
pesticide in the body of mother
causes premature delivery and
low birth weight infant.
Pesticides in Pepsi and Coca Cola
India has reported that Pepsi and
coca cola companies are selling
soft drinks with pesticide content
30-40 times higher than EU
limits. This damages the nervous
system,.
Energy Resources
ENERGY DISTRIBUTION IN THE WORLD
◦ Developed countries like USA and Canada
constitute only 5% of the world’s population
but consume 25% of the world’s available
energy.
◦ Energy consumed by a person in a
developed country for a single day is equal
to energy consumed by a single person in a
poor country for one year.
◦ Developed country GNP increases and
energy consumption increases. In the poor
country GNP and energy consumption are
less.
Types of Energy Resources
 Renewable Resources ( which are
consumed/exhausted/depleted through continuous usage & are
recovered by very hard efforts)
 Bio Mass
 Hydro power
 Geo thermal
 Wind
 Solar

 Non Renewable (Resources which are not replenishable, one

time usage)
 Petroleum
 Natural Gas
 Coal
 Uranium
 Propane
Merits of Renewable Energy
Resources

1. Unlimited supply
2. Provides energy security.
3. Fits into sustainable development
concept.
4. Reliable and the devices are
modular in size.
5. Decentralized energy production.
Renewable Energy
Energy which can be regenerated
Merits of renewable energy
resources
1. Unlimited supply
2. Provides energy security.
3. Fits into sustainable development
concept.
4. Reliable and the devices are
modular in size.
5. Decentralized energy production.
Solar Energy
Ultimate source of energy
Earth receives about 745x1018
kilowatt hour of energy annually
Solar power is the conversion of
sunlight into electricity
Solar Panels
Solar Energy usage
Solar heat Collectors
Solar cells
Solar Cooker
Solar Furnace
Solar Power Plant
Advantages of Solar
Energy
It is an in exhaustable source of
energy
 It produces energy without
pollution
 Produce solar energy in large
quantity
Disadvantages of Solar
Energy
 High cost of installation
 No production of energy during night &
cloudy weather
 Storage of energy is difficult
 Present machines cannot operate with solar
energy
 Solar energy panels consume lands
 Silicon used in production of SPV (pollutant)
Wind Energy
 Have kinetic energy in them
 Is harnessed by making use of wind mills
 Rotational motion drives machines like water
pumps, electric generators etc.
 Installed in clusters called wind farms
 Located in coastal regions, open grassland,
hilly regions
 Largest wind farm – Kanyakumari (380MW)
Advantages of Wind
Energy
Inexhaustible source of energy
Tremendous potential
Donot cause air pollution
Generate energy on large scale
Is a natural physical force
Is limitless
Disadvantages of Wind
Energy
Expensive during peak
production time
Unreliable

Requires large open areas

Causes noise pollution
Hydropower Energy
 Most clean way of energy generation
 Convertion of potential energy to kinetic
energy
 Geographic condition is imp for
production
 Sufficient water is required
 Requires constructions of dams on rivers
Advantages of Hydro
Energy
Inexhaustible source of energy
Pollution free source of energy
Cheapest form in long run
No wastage of water
Disadvantages of Hydro
Energy
Large volume of water
Cost of construction of dam is
high
Large space for a reservoir
Electricity cannot be stored for
long period
 Geothermal Energy
 Harnessed from hot rocks inside earth
 The geothermal gradient, which is the
difference in temperature between the core of
the planet and its surface, drives a continuous
conduction of thermal energy
 it is now better known for electricity generation
 cost effective, reliable, sustainable, and
environmentally friendly
Advantages
Flexible to install additional units
Affordable with respect to
electricity generation
Sustainable for future
Clean Technology
Useful minerals can be extracted
from underground water
Reliable source
Disadvantages
 If
the cooled water is not injected back, it
may cause the following:
◦ Brine can salinate soil
◦ Land subsidence may occur, the may results in
seismic activity
◦ H2S gas may release in large quantities
 Geothermal hot spots are scattered and
are far away from the areas where
required
 The overall production efficiency is lower
 Causes noise pollution wrt drilling
operation
 Ocean Thermal Energy
OTE converion is an energy technology
that converts solar radiation to electric
power
Difference in temperature between
surface & deeper levels of ocean
 Min 20o C is required for energy
generation
 Tidal Energy

 Is a form of hydropower that converts the

energy of tides into useful forms of power
 Produces by high & low tides
 Turbines operates the tidal effects
 Non-reliable source
 Bay of Fundy, Canada has 17-18m high,
produces 5000mw of energy
Advantages
Clean and renewable source
of energy
No pollution, hence no green
house gases
Reduces dependence on
fossil fuel
Highly efficient resource
Disadvantages
Initial cost of construction is very
high
Insufficient techniques to harness
energy fully
Unreliable source
Dependent on geographic
location
 Bio Energy

 Bioenergy comes from any fuel that is

derived from biomass
 Generated from plant & animal waste
 The majority of biomass energy is
produced from wood and wood wastes
(64%) followed by municipal solid waste
(24%), agricultural waste (5%)
Advantages
More heat is generated from
gobar gas instead of cattle
dung
It is free from smoke, dirt,
dust etc
Apart from cattle dung, it can
digest human refuge, poultry,
etc
Disadvantage

Hydrogen is highly inflammable and

explosive.
Safe handling is required.
Difficult to store and transport.
Non-Renewable Energy

Energy which cannot be

regenerated is called as non-
renewable.
Coal
It is a solid fossil fuel.
Disadvantages:
1. When coal is burnt large
amount of CO2 is released
which causes global warming.
2. S, N produces toxic gases
during burning.
Petroleum

 Crude oil is a liquid consists of more

than hundreds of hydrocarbons and
small amount of impurities.
 The petroleum can be refined by
fractional distillation. In the world
level 25% of oil reserves are in
Saudi Arabia.
 At present rate of usage, the world
crude oil reserves are expected to
get exhausted in just 40 years.
Other Non-Renewable Energy

 Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG):

Petroleum gases obtained during FD and
cracking can be easily converted into
liquid under high pressure as LPG. It is
colorless and odorless gas, but during
cylindering mercaptans are added to
detect leakage.
 4. Natural gas: These are found above
oil in oil wells. It is a mixture of methane
and other hydrocarbons. Calorific value is
high. There are two types. Dry gas and
wet gas.
Other Non-Renewable Energy
Nuclear energy:
[Link] is a father of
nuclear power development in
India. 10 nuclear reactors are
present in India. It produces
2% of India’s electricity.
Nuclear energy can be
produced by two types of
reactions. Nuclear fission and
nuclear fusion.
Case Study
 Wind energy in India: India generating
1200 MW electricity using the wind
energy. Largest wind farm situated near
Kanyakumari in Tamilnadu. It produces
380 MW electricity.
 Hydrogen fuel car: General motor
company of china discovered a
experimental car ( fuel H2) can produce
no emission only water droplets and
vapors come out of the exhaust pipe.
This car will be commercially available
by 2010.
Land Resource

Land is a finite and valuable

resource upon which we depend for
our food, fiber and fuel wood, the
basic amenities of life. Soil is also a
valuable resource.
Land Degradation
Because of increasing of population growth
the demands for arable land for producing
food and fuel wood is also increasing.
Hence there is more and more pressure on
the limited land resources which are getting
degraded due to over-exploitation.
 Soil erosion
 Water logging
 Landslides
 Desertification
 Role of an Individual
to conserve Natural
Resources
Roles to conserve water
 To minimise the evaporation losses irrigate the crops,
the plants and the lawns in the evening, because water
application during day time will lead to more loss of
water due to higher rate of evapo-transpiration.
 Improve water efficiency by using optimum amount of
water in washing machine, dishwashers and other
domestic appliances, etc.
 Install water saving toilets which use less water per
flush.
 Check for water leaks in pipes and toilets and repair
them promptly.
 Don’t keep water taps running while they are not in use.
 Recycle water of washing of cloths for gardening.
 Installing rainwater harvesting structure to conserve
water for future use.
 Role of an Individual
to conserve Natural
Resources
Energy conservation for future use
 Turn off all electric appliances such as lights, fans,
televisions, computers, etc when not in use.
 Clean all the lighting sources regularly because dust on
lighting sources decreases lighting levels up to 20-30%

 Try to harvest energy from natural resources to obtain

heat for example drying the cloths in sun and avoid drying
in washing machine.
 Save liquid petroleum gas (LPG) by using solar cookers for
cooking.
 Design the house with provision for sunspace to keep the
house warm and to provide more light.
 Avoid misuse of vehicles for transportation and if possible
share car journey to minimise use of petrol/diesel. For
small distances walk down or just use bicycles.
 Minimise the use air conditioner to save energy
 Role of an Individual
to conserve Natural
Resources
Protect soil health

 Use organic manure/compost to maintain soil

fertility
 To avoid soil erosion does not irrigate the plants
by using fast flow of water.
 Use sprinkler irrigation to conserve the soil.
 Design landscape of lawn in large area which
will help to bind soil to avoid erosion.
 Provide vegetation cover by growing of
ornamental plant, herbs and trees in your
garden.
 Use vegetable waste to prepare compost to use
in kitchen gardening.
 Role of an Individual
to conserve Natural
Resources
Promote sustainable agriculture

 Diversify the existing cropping pattern for

sustainability of agriculture
 Cultivate need based crop
 Maintain soil fertility
 Make optimum use of fertilizers, pesticides and
other chemicals for production and processing
of agriculture products
 Save grains in storage to minimise the losses
 Improve indigenous breeds of milch animals for
sustainable dairy production systems.
 Adopt post harvest technologies for value
addition
 Equitable Use of
Resources for
Sustainable Life Style
In last 50 years, the consumption of resource in the
society has increased many folds.
There is a big gap in the consumers lifestyle between
developed and developing countries.
Urbanisation has changed the life style of middle class
population in developing countries creating more stress
on the use of natural resources.
It has been estimated that More Developed Countries
(MDC) of the world constitute only 22% of world’s
population but they use 88% of natural resources.
These countries use 73% of energy resources and
command 85% of income and in turn they contribute
very big proportion of pollution.
On the other hand less developed countries (LDCs) have
moderate industrial growth and constitute 78% of
world’s population and use only 12% of natural
resources, 27% of energy and have only 15% of global
 Equitable Use of
Resources for
Sustainable Life Style
There is a huge gap between rich and poor. In this age of
development the rich have gone richer and the poor is
becoming more poorer.. This has lead to unsustainable
growth. There is an increasing global concern about the
management of natural resources. The solution to this
problem is to have more equitable distribution of
resources and income. Two major causes of
unsustainability are over population in poor countries and
over consumption of resources by rich countries. A global
consensus has to be reached for balanced distribution of
natural resources.

For equitable use of natural resources more developed

countries/rich people have to lower down their level of
consumption to bare minimum so that these resources
can be shared by poor people to satisfy their needs. Time
has come to think that it is need of the hour that rich and
poor should make equitable use of resources for