Question

What steps should be taken for the protection and conservation of natural resources?

Answer 1

Hint: This involves the processes of rational use and skillful management of the natural environment with all its resources. It includes maintaining the diversity of species, genes, and also ecosystems, as well as various functions of the environment, like the nutrient cycle.

Correct answer:
The resources that exist in nature and humankind are no more responsible for their availability are known as natural resources. These resources have valued characteristics for the use by humankind such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest, and cultural values also. The natural resources include sunlight, atmosphere, forests, water, land, minerals, and animal lives. These resources must be protected and conserved to make them available for our future generations.
Steps for the protection and conservation of forests are as follows:
1. When we protect trees and forests it will automatically conserve and protect the soil also.
2. Indiscriminate cutting down of trees or forests or anywhere should be prohibited and made an illegal offense. This will help in both protecting trees and soil erosion.
3. People should avoid wastage of firewoods and timber. Firewoods can be replaced by biomass briquettes or green charcoal, sawdust bricks, compressed paper bricks which are environment friendly and made from $100\%$ recycled materials.
4. Arrangements should be made to prevent the forests from fire.
5. Alternative arrangements of areas other than forests should be made for grazing of cattle.
Steps for protection and conservation of water are as follows:
1. To avoid excessive use and wastage of water clothes should be washed only in the washing machines and to their maximum loading capacity.
2. We should keep the taps closed while washing utensils, brushing teeth, shaving, etc.
3. Plantation of trees should be done in the monsoon season when the availability of water in the soil is sufficient and temperature is also low.
Steps for the protection and conservation of minerals are as follows:
1. We should improve such technologies which allow the use of low-grade mineral ores at low cost.
2. Indiscriminate use of available minerals should be prohibited and it must be used in planned manners.
3. Use of scrap metals and another substitute should be promoted.

Note:
Government along with the people work together in the direction of reforestation of the deforested area.
Forest trees should be protected from pests and diseases either chemically or biologically.
Water-saving methods of irrigation such as drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting should be promoted.
Techniques of recycling metals should be promoted.