Are Natural Resources Turning Into Artificial Resources?

The depletion of natural resources is a major concern for the sustainability of our planet. As our population grows and consumes more, we are putting greater strain on the Earth's limited supplies of fresh water, timber, food, and other vital resources.

There is a growing trend to turn natural resources into artificial or man-made resources. This process is often driven by economic factors, as it is usually cheaper to produce artificial resources than to extract and process natural ones. For example, it is less expensive to manufacture plastic from petroleum than it is to harvest and process trees for lumber.

However, there are significant environmental concerns associated with this trend. The production of artificial resources often generates pollution and waste, which can degrade ecosystems and negatively impact human health. Additionally, many man-made materials are not biodegradable, meaning they will remain in the environment indefinitely after they are discarded.

The shift from natural to artificial resources is likely to continue in the future as our demands on the planet increase. It is important to be aware of the potential impacts of this trend so that we can make informed decisions about how to best protect our environment and preserve our planet's limited resources.

What is a Resource?

To begin with, it merits talking about what assets are in this specific situation. The physical materials we use in our daily lives will serve as the context for the discussion of natural and artificial resources in primary school. In this sense, assets are characterized as valuable resources or materials that we can use to our advantage. Concrete, on the other hand, is an artificial resource because it does not naturally occur. Wood, on the other hand, is an example of a natural resource.

Therefore, all of the resources we encounter fall into these two categories: natural and artificial. When it comes to limited resources that we can't take for granted and whose use could harm our environment, being mindful of where our resources come from is extremely important. When it comes to sustainability and climate change, this is especially crucial. Let's examine the resources that fall into each category.

Natural Resource Examples:

These are resources that humans can use to our advantage in some way, and they come from the environment naturally. Natural resources include a wide variety of materials and can be renewable or non-renewable. A few examples include:

1. Sand- If you go to the ocean side, you could see a lot of sand. This is completely natural and was not caused by humans. Even though we can use sand to make other man-made resources like glass, sand is a natural resource in and of itself.

2. Gold- Gold can also be found in the environment on its own. It is typically found deep within the Earth's layers. 4.5-carat rocks have been found to contain gold. It is a really old resource, being billion years old. Gold is thought to have originated from the supernova star explosion, which occurred deep in space. It has become valuable throughout human history as currency, jewelry, and artistic material because it is a relatively rare element.

3. Coal- Natural coal is a fossil fuel that can be found in sedimentary deposits deep below the surface. For hundreds of years, humans have mined coal for fuel.

Artificial Resource Examples:

Therefore, "artificial" resources are those that have been created by humans and do not come from nature. Natural resources cannot be produced by humans because the Earth produces them. We may be able to alter and make use of natural resources for our purposes, but we are unable to produce them. The vast majority of the essential resources we rely on to survive are artificial resources, which are those that have been developed by humans and are not found anywhere else in nature.

The following are a couple of key instances of fake assets.

1. Concrete- The most widely used natural resource on Earth is concrete. It is the second most used resource after water and the source of so much of our civilization's history. Water, cement, and aggregates like sand or gravel make up its composition. Concrete is made by combining these components, which are then used to make roads, buildings, and a lot more.

2. Glass is an extremely prevalent artificial resource. Glass is only the result of production by humans, whereas sand, which occurs naturally, is its original material. It's made by warming sand to 1700°C so it melts and afterward sets.

3. Paper is yet another manufactured resource that originates from trees. Pulp is made from the fibers that are extracted from trees. After that, it is mixed with water, flattened, dried, and shaped into sheets of paper with the assistance of a paper-making machine.