JAC Board Class 8th Social Science Notes Geography Chapter 1 Resources
→ Any object, substance or material that has utility or usability makes a resource.
- The substances which have certain values becomes a resource.
- The two important factors that can change substances into resources are time and technology.
- Time and technology are related to the needs of the people.
- Human beings themselves are the most important resource. It is their ideas, recommendations, knowledge, inventions and discoveries that lead to the creation of more resources in the world.
→ Types of Resources
These are mainly divided into three categories:
- Natural resources
- Human made resources
- Human resources
→ Natural Resources
- Natural resources are the resources that are drawn from Nature and used without much alterations.
- The natural resources are the air which we inhale, the rivers and lakes, the soils, minerals. These resources are presents of nature to living things and can be used directly.
- Sometimes technology may be needed to use a natural resource in the finest manner.
- Natural resources can be divided into:
- Renewable resources
- Non-renewable resources
→ Renewable Resources
- These are the resources which get renewed or refilled quickly.
- Solar energy and wind energy are some of the resources which are unlimited and are unaffected by human activities.
- But some renewable resources such as water, soil and forest can affect the living things. In many parts of the world now a days, a major problem has come up. There is a shortage and drying up of natural water.
→ Non-renewable Resources
- These are the resources which are present in fixed amount.
- These are found inside the earth and take millions of years to form.
- Fossil fuels, oil, natural gas, and coal and nuclear energy are some of the non-renewable resources.
- In current scenario, around 84% of the total amount of energy used globally comes from fossil fuels.
→ Certain physical factors such as terrain, climate and altitude lead to the distribution of natural resources. Due to the unequal distribution of resources, these factors differ a lot over the earth.
→ Human Made Resources:
- Human made resources are those natural resources whose original form has been changed to some other form.
- Human beings use natural resources for their needs such as buildings, bridges, roads, etc.
- Technology is also one of the forms of this resource.
→ Human Resources:
- Knowledge, skill and technology help people to create more resources when they need to do so. Hence, human beings are a special human resource.
- Human beings become a valuable resource due to education and health.
- Human Resource Development is to enhance and improve the quality and attributes of person’s skills so that they are able to create and generate more resources.
→ Conserving Resources:
- Resource conservation means utilising resources veiy carefully and giving them time to get renewed and restore.
- Sustainable development means to balance the need to use resources and also preserve them for the future.
- Many ways are there to conserve resources such as reducing consumption, recycling and reusing thing.
- It is our responsibility and task to ensure that:
- Sustainable use of renewable resources.
- On the earth, the varied range of life is conserved.
- Minimise the damage to natural environmental system.