The exploitation of resources has always been a point of concern for some decades now. Conservation was never paid much importance in the 90s but recent years saw a renaissance by governments and environment conservationists worldwide. They laid specific emphasis towards saving up exhaustible resources and that too, sternly. Even food wastage is technically exploitation of edible resources and that stands as a primary concern too.
Earth’s finite resources can pose a lot of problems for people in later years. However, some of these can definitely be reserved or recycled for later use. Water, fuel, electricity, etc. are primary requirements for human sustenance, and therefore conservation of these are critical.
Some of the significant pointers regarding the same are:
Food Resources:
Going by the book, food is essential for human survival. But, looking at the amount of food wasted every single day in restaurants, mess, hostels and even domestic households, steps against food wastage is necessary. Some approaches and initiatives for saving food resources are interesting, inspiring and have the potential to enhance community development.
Resultantly, it increases an individual’s carbon footprint and indirectly contributes to global warming on a large scale. The global food system has the potential to reduce greenhouse emission when planned and implemented in an efficient and gradual methodology.
Energy Saving:
Saving up electricity is a dire need of the hour as we know that the developing world is dependent on power for efficient functioning. Therefore, green energy and efficient energy usage are significant. Therefore,
- Excess usage of Air Conditioners which emit oxidants contributing to the rise in global warming.
- Switching off electrical appliances when not in use.
- Repairing faulty electrical meters, keeping electrical connections updated and;
More actions by every individual in this world can help in conserving electricity. Not only conservation but accessibility to electricity, which is a major concern in many developing and under-developed countries, can be resolved if people lay stress on energy conservation.
Water and Fuel Conservation:
Water, coal, oil and natural gas are very important human livelihood. For water, the process of sustenance in contrast to human life is pretty direct. However, for the other three, the impact is indirect and vital too. Water recycling processes started after the 1950s when some developed countries reported a shortage of adequate drinking water. The situations plummeted henceforth, and every part of the world now has water recycling plants for metropolitan supplies. Even after these measures, water conservation awareness is not very profound in Asia and Africa. For example, water plays a very prominent role in agriculture, and Asian countries are pivotal for this purpose, being the exporters of maximum food supplies across the world: drip and other forms of irrigation help in conserving water during agricultural processes.
Similarly, fuel conservation is essential through alternatives that consume lesser energy. This can include using replenishable energy resources for fulfilling energy necessities. Wind power harnessing, hydro-electricity, and most importantly, solar power are the best alternatives towards energy alternatives. Their installation and the initial processes can be costly, but they are beneficial in the long run.
Recycling Materials:
Yes, this is one crucial methodology that can be a solution towards preventing resource shortage in the future. Keeping in mind the 3Rs of recycling, we can control the production or usage of materials like plastic or glass that harm the environment.
Reduce: Reducing the usage of items that are harmful to the environment. Using greener alternatives are definitely an option.
Reuse: The items that are already manufactured need to be used repeatedly with versatility so that there is no requirement of fresh production.
Recycling: Collecting like materials and capitulating them to recycling plants for recycling and formation of new products.
Summing Up:
Innovations and new ideas will always help when it comes to resource conservation. Serving Smile always look out for such prospects and bank on them to make the world a greener place.
Serving Smile NGO 