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The Problem of Resource Depletion

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Submitted By fleurwoodsen
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Pages 9
Zarina Nogaibayeva, 10B

The Problem of Resource Depletion: Causes and Solutions
People and other living beings depend on natural resources for food, shelter, and protection, as well as for generating energy and all the products we manufacture. With current consumption patterns, people are using these resources at an unsustainable rate. Many resources are at risk of becoming depleted, which can be understood in a term of resource depletion. ‘Therefore, resource depletion refers to the condition when all natural resources such as fossil fuels, groundwater, forests, minerals, cropland soils, marine fisheries, and other natural resources available, have been exhausted within a region.’(Magdoff, 2013) The issue is followed up by the problems of imbalance in nature, shortage of materials, struggle for existence, and slackening of economic growth as well. So, resource depletion can severely damage ecosystems, the environment, the atmosphere, and many other important aspects of the Earth. As said in ‘2011 United Nations Environment Programme Report, humanity will demand 140 billion tons of minerals, ores, fossil fuels and biomass every year by 2050, which is far beyond what the Earth can supply’(Theworldcounts.com, n.d.). Therefore, there is a high risk that after years from now, humanity will not be able to find the resources needed for its existence, if the following problem will not be solved right now.

The main causes of resource depletion include unequal distribution of resources, technological and industrial development, agricultural development, population growth, and excessive consumption of resources. If the factor of unequal distribution of resources makes sense itself as of the condition that cannot be affected by the men; which is natural resources not being equally spread within the Earth, other factors are all the creations of the humanity’s hands.

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