Ways of rational use of natural resources. Rational use of natural resources

1. Lead.

2. Rational use of natural resources.

a) The problem of the use of mineral resources.

b) Rational use of water resources.

c) Rational use of soil resources.

d) Rational use of forest resources.

e) Recycling.

f) Resource-saving technologies

g) Integrated use of raw materials.

h) Increasing the efficiency of product use.

i) Information technology.

3. International cooperation.

4. Conclusion.

5. List of used literature.

Like an apple on a platter

We have only one Earth.

Take your time people

Drain everything to the bottom.

It's no wonder to get

To hidden secrets

Loot all wealth

For future ages.

We are the common life of the grain,

One fate relatives,

It's shameful for us to feast

For the next day.

Understand it people

Like your own command

Otherwise the Earth will not be

And each of us.

1. Introduction.

Our planet is not so big and all the natural processes taking place on it are closely interconnected. Thus, pesticides (DDT), used in agriculture in Europe and North America, ended up in the liver of penguins living in Antarctica. The destruction of forests in one country leads to the reduction of the natural wealth of the entire planet, the release of chemicals on one continent can cause skin cancer in people living in other parts of the world, the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in one place accelerates climate change on the Earth as a whole. Oceanic and atmospheric transport of pollutants knows no boundaries. "Everything is connected to everything."

Man has always used the environment mainly as a source of resources, but for a very long time his activity did not have a noticeable impact on the biosphere. Only at the end of the last century, changes in the biosphere under the influence of economic activity attracted the attention of scientists. In the first half of this century, these changes have been growing and are now like an avalanche hitting human civilization. In an effort to improve the conditions of his life, a person constantly increases the pace of material production, without thinking about the consequences. With this approach, most of the resources taken from nature are returned to it in the form of waste, often poisonous or unsuitable for disposal. This poses a threat to the existence of both the biosphere and man himself. The only way out of this situation lies in the development of new systems for the rational use of natural resources, and in human prudence.

2. Rational use of natural resources.

In connection with the problem of nature conservation, the ideas of environmental control as a form of scientific observation included in the technology of rational nature management are becoming widespread. Now this question is very relevant, because. if humanity does not understand the full importance of what is happening, it may threaten it with an ecological catastrophe.

a) the problem of the use of mineral resources.

Every year, 100 billion tons of mineral resources, including fuel, are extracted from the bowels of the earth, of which 90 billion tons turn into waste. Therefore, resource saving and reducing the level of environmental pollution are two sides of the same coin. For example, in the production of 1 ton of copper, 110 tons of waste remains, the production of one gold wedding ring - 1.5 - 3 tons of waste, etc. If at the beginning of the 20th century 20 chemical elements of the periodic table were used in the human economy, now more than 90. Over the past 40 years, global consumption of mineral resources has increased 25 times, and production waste is 10-100 times more.

The #1 metal for industry is iron. The reserves of ores with a high iron content are gradually being depleted, and mankind's need for iron has increased tenfold in the second half of the 20th century. New technologies have emerged to extract this metal from low-grade ores.

Another important metal is copper. If at the beginning of the century ore was used for processing, in which the copper content was at least 3%, then today it is even 0.5% of this metal. Copper is needed by the electrical and automotive industries, so over the course of a century, copper production has increased 22 times, and the amount of waste has increased by at least 50 times.

US environmentalists call the material monster. During a lifetime, one American consumes 15 tons of iron and cast iron, 1.5 tons of aluminum, 700 kg of copper, 12 tons of clay, 13 tons of proven salt, 500 tons of building materials, including 100 m 3 of wood. In Japan, there are 50 tons of mineral raw materials per inhabitant. If all countries start consuming the same amount of resources as the United States, then humanity would need an area equal to 3 areas of the Earth. Mineral reserves on the planet are limited and rapidly depleted. Different types of resources can be exhausted in the next 30-50 years. Perhaps, in the next 20-30 years, the reserves of lead and zinc ores, tin, gold, silver, platinum, asbestos will be exhausted, and then the extraction of nickel, cobalt, aluminum and others will stop. Reserves of phosphorus raw materials are depleted before our eyes. Soon enough, prices for phosphate fertilizers produced from land-based raw materials will rise sharply. And then phosphorus will have to be raised from the depths of the sea, which gets there from rocks, through the fields to which they are taken out as fertilizer, then with domestic sewage into the sea. And this "golden" phosphorus will be used in agriculture.

During the existence of the USSR, it was believed that our country was the richest in all types of natural resources. Apatite mining decreased by 2 times. After the collapse of the country, the Russian Federation lost chromium and manganese deposits, without which it is impossible to produce high-quality steel.

How to stop or slow down this process of resource depletion? The only possibility is to simulate the biospheric circulation of substances in industry. It is necessary that the useful elements contained in the raw materials do not end up in landfills, but are reused. In this case, production and consumption waste is no longer waste, but secondary material resources. Dmitry Ivanovich Mendeleev said: "There are no wastes in chemistry, but only unused raw materials."

Some scientists believe that it is possible to reduce the consumption of primary resources by about 10 times, which will make it possible to move towards a sustainable development of the economy based on new scientific and technological developments. Are there good examples in this area? Yes. The governments of Denmark, Germany, Austria included in their environmental plan a radical reduction in the cost of primary resources (Austria announced a 90% reduction in the cost of primary resources).

b) rational use of water resources.

Drainage systems and structures are one of the types of engineering equipment and improvement of settlements, residential, public and industrial buildings, providing the necessary sanitary and hygienic conditions for work, life and recreation of the population. Drainage and treatment systems consist of a set of equipment, networks and structures designed to receive and remove domestic industrial and atmospheric wastewater through pipelines, as well as to treat and neutralize them before being discharged into a reservoir or disposed of.

The objects of wastewater disposal are buildings for various purposes, as well as newly built, existing and reconstructed cities, towns, industrial enterprises, sanitary resorts, etc.

Waste water is water used for domestic, industrial or other needs and contaminated with various impurities that have changed their original chemical composition and physical properties, as well as water flowing from the territory of settlements and industrial enterprises as a result of precipitation or watering streets.

Depending on the origin of the type and composition, wastewater is divided into three main categories: household (from toilet rooms, showers, kitchens, baths, laundries, canteens, hospitals; they come from residential and public buildings, as well as from domestic premises and industrial enterprises) ; industrial (waters used in technological processes that no longer meet the requirements for their quality; this category of waters includes waters pumped to the surface of the earth during mining); atmospheric (rain and melt; together with atmospheric, water is drained from street irrigation, from fountains and drainages).

In practice, the concept of urban wastewater is also used, which is a mixture of domestic and industrial wastewater. Household, industrial and atmospheric wastewater is discharged both jointly and separately. The most widespread are all-alloy and separate water disposal systems. With a combined system, all three categories of wastewater are discharged through one common network of pipes and channels outside the urban area to treatment facilities. Separate systems consist of several networks of pipes and channels: one of them discharges rain and uncontaminated industrial wastewater, and the other or several networks carry domestic and contaminated industrial wastewater.

The amount of industrial wastewater is determined depending on the productivity of the enterprise according to the aggregated norms of water consumption and water disposal for various industries. The water consumption rate is the reasonable amount of water required for the production process, established on the basis of a scientifically based calculation or best practice. The aggregated rate of water consumption includes all water costs at the enterprise. Consumption rates of industrial wastewater are used in the design of newly built and reconstruction of existing industrial wastewater systems. The consolidated norms make it possible to assess the rationality of water use at any operating enterprise.

The efficiency of water use in industrial enterprises is assessed by indicators such as the amount of recycled water used, the coefficient of its use and the percentage of its losses.

in) rational use of soil resources.

Uncontrolled influence on the climate in combination with irrational agricultural practices (applying excessive amounts of fertilizers or plant protection products, improper crop rotation) can lead to a significant decrease in soil fertility and large fluctuations in crop yields. But a decrease in food production even by 1% can lead to the death of millions of people from starvation.

Under the influence of economic activity, salinization of soils, the disappearance of perennial plants, the advance of sands occur, and in modern times these processes have accelerated and taken on completely different scales. Over the course of history, man has turned at least 1 billion hectares of once productive land into a desert.

Excessive concentration of animals in small areas with unstable vegetation cover, the renewal of which is difficult due to lack of moisture and soil poverty, leads to overgrazing and, as a result, to the destruction of soils and vegetation. Since soils in arid regions are often sandy, areas with loose sands appear in overgrazing areas, which are blown away by the winds.

Desertification is recognized as one of the global problems of mankind, the solution of which requires the combined efforts of all countries. Therefore, in 1994, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification was adopted.

G) rational use of forest resources.

Once upon a time, most of the planet's land surface was occupied by forests, but with the development of civilization, the situation has changed dramatically, and now all forests occupy only a third of the land surface. Already the first farmers burned vast areas of forests to clear the area for crops. With the development of agriculture industry, forests began to disappear rapidly. We needed land for arable land and pastures, wood for construction and heating. As a result, by the 20th century, natural forests were destroyed almost throughout Europe, in northern Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, southern Russia, and in a number of regions of America. Strong and beautiful wood of tropical trees was in special demand. In the 20th century, most of the wood was harvested in developing countries, tropical forests, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhich seemed huge, and the timber reserves were almost inexhaustible.

But it turned out that this was not the case. Today, tropical forests occupy only 7% of the land, that is, half as much as 100-200 years ago. And their area is decreasing at a catastrophic rate - by 1.25% annually, primarily in Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia and Africa. In Latin America, up to 6 million hectares per year were destroyed in the 1920s. Africa has lost more than 50 million hectares of tropical forests since the early 1980s.

The reduction of forest area and degradation of forests - deforestation - have become one of the global environmental problems. The need for fuel, among other things, remains the cause of deforestation in developing countries. Almost 70% of the population in these regions still use wood and charcoal for cooking and heating their homes. As a result of deforestation, almost 3 billion people have already faced an acute shortage of woodfuel. Prices for it are rising, and almost 40% of the family budget is often spent not buying firewood. In turn, the high demand for firewood is spurring further deforestation.

Rational use of natural resources is necessary, because. forests are “the lungs of our planet”, which means that if there is a complete deforestation, then the production of oxygen will sharply decrease.

e) recycling as one of the most important areas of production to reduce the cost of primary resources.

Recycling, or recycling, is the reuse or reuse of resources.

There has been tangible progress in the development of recycling in the world. For example, during the period 1985-1995, the recycling of glass in the world increased from 20 to 50%, and of metals - from 33 to 50%, today these figures are even higher.

In Germany, at the beginning of 1993, a law on packaging waste was adopted. Manufacturers now have to be responsible for the fate of their product packaging. This has led to a sharp reduction in the number of used containers entering landfills. If the packaging is difficult to dispose of, then the manufacturer has to pay for it, which, of course, is unprofitable. The material recycling curve in Germany climbed sharply from 12% in 1986 to 86% in 1997. The collection of plastic has increased by about 20 times. Such laws have been passed in Austria, France and Belgium.

The second very important law in this direction is the law on container handling. Many firms have begun manufacturing computer boxes and simple materials without the use of adhesives, paints or composites, making packaging easier to recycle.

Automotive and TV manufacturers are increasingly designing their products with easy disassembly in mind. The concept of "Industrial Symbiosis" appeared. "Symbiosis" is the cohabitation of two organisms beneficial to each other. "Industrial symbiosis" is when the unused resources of one enterprise become raw materials for another enterprise, usually from another area of ​​production.

For example, in the Danish city of Kalunburg, hot water from power plants is used by a nearby fish farm. The sludge from this company serves as fertilizer for farm land, and the soot from the operation of power plants goes to the production of cement.

This symbiosis is not only environmentally friendly, but economically beneficial. The amount of waste, for which disposal in landfills has to be paid dearly, is drastically reduced. They reduce the consumption of primary resources in the production of building materials, when crushed stone is replaced by slag and ash from thermal power plants.

Under pressure from economic levers, the role of recycling will increase. It is planned to bring the level of recycling of metals up to 80%, paper and plastics - up to 60-70%.

e) resource saving technologies.

Currently, a huge amount of metal goes into shavings. Some machines (excavators, machine tools, machines, tractors) weigh a lot, which makes them difficult to dispose of. Powder metallurgy is one of the most important ways to save metal. If in the metalworking of castings and rolled products 60-70% of the metal goes into chips, then in the manufacture of parts from press powders, the loss of materials does not exceed 5-7%. This not only saves raw materials, but also energy, reduces air and water pollution. Chips can be dispensed with when using precision casting, sheet and volumetric cold stamping.

Every industry uses a lot of water. So, in the production of 1 ton of steel, 150-230 m 3 of water is required, for the manufacture of nylon fiber - 5000 m 3 of water, 1 ton of nickel - 4000 m 3 of water.

g) complex use of raw materials.

Significant savings in primary resources can be ensured by the integrated use of raw materials, i.e. obtaining many useful substances from it at once.

For example, on the Kola Peninsula there is a deposit of apatite-nepheline ores. They contain:

13% apatite

30-40% nepheline

limestone and other materials. The mined ore is separated into apatite and nepheline concentrates, after which phosphate fertilizers, phosphoric acid, fluorides, phosphogypsum are obtained from apatite, and alumina, soda are obtained from nepheline and limestone.

From copper ores, in addition to copper, you can get at least 20 useful elements - sulfur, zinc, gold, silver, molybdenum, etc. We can save scarce resources by finding a replacement for them: Scarce copper can be replaced with fiberglass, iron and amominium with plastic.

When oil is extracted, associated gas is lost, and it is a raw material for the chemical industry. A huge amount of goods are obtained from natural and associated gas.

When refining oil, you can get an even greater range of goods:

Light gas oil

Kerosene Naphtha, naphtha

It is much more profitable to produce your own goods than to bring foreign currency from abroad, and supply raw materials there - oil and gas. A valuable raw material for the chemical industry is sulfur, its compounds, sulfur dioxide, which is emitted into the atmosphere by industry, enterprises and transport. In Russia they are 20 times higher than in Japan, 3 times higher than in the USA and England.

h) increasing the efficiency of product use.

One of the most important aspects of resource saving is increasing the efficiency of using resource-intensive products and extending their service life, from agricultural equipment, cars to clothing and footwear. Repairing a product, rather than replacing it with a new one, is not only economically beneficial, it also creates new jobs, especially in the field of repairing household appliances, computers, and cars. Doubling the life of a car by half reduces the use of resources needed to produce it. Toyota recycles shipping containers that have an original lifespan of 20 years.

The use of laundry services will save the use of materials per wash by 10-80 times.

In Germany, quarterly it is allowed to arrange dumps of bulky things near the house. Things are redistributed: they are taken by those who hope to repair them. It happens that there is nothing to take out. To collect clothes for homeowners, special bags are placed in mailboxes the day before, where it is packed, what else can be worn is taken away by charitable organizations.

In the US, there is a "Sales" system. Used items are sold at low prices. We have commission stores for these purposes. It is forbidden to exhibit, for example, old cars that pollute the atmosphere or household appliances, the use of which is environmentally dangerous. But this is not beneficial for the manufacturer. Only 17% of such goods are reused in the USA, less in other countries. So far, much more sulfur, iron, copper, aluminum and other scarce resources are being spent in Russia.

and) information technology as one of the ways to reduce the consumption of certain resources.

The electronics of the last decades of the 20th century created telecommunication networks. In each cell of these networks - a monitor, telephone, modem, computer. Saves paper, materials, energy spent on printing production and delivery of printed products. There is no need for long-distance business trips / Using the Internet saves material resources, time and energy. Today they are already talking about the informational “post-industrial civilization”. The media themselves are also changing. They become smaller in size, even miniature.

A simple silicon or germanium microboard with an area of ​​1 mm 2 replaces thousands of transistors and connecting elements. As a result, the unit costs of materials and labor per 1 operational element of the device or for recording one bit of information decreased by the same amount. Information technology makes it possible to reduce the energy and material consumption of the corresponding products and radically changes the entire industrial sphere. On November 12, 2004, a new mine was opened in Kemerovo with a capacity of 3 million tons of coal per year using computers and modern technologies.

3.International cooperation.

In 1992 (June 3 - 14) in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), the World Conference "Environment and Development" UNCED was held at the level of heads of state and government. A lot of work has been done, and as a result of the meeting in Rio, two international agreements were concluded, two statements of principles and a plan of main actions for global sustainable development were adopted. These five documents include:

1. Rio de Janeiro Declaration on Environment and Development. Its 27 principles define the rights and obligations of countries in promoting development and human well-being.
2. Agenda 21 is a blueprint for making development socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.
3. Statement of principles for the management, protection and sustainable development of all types of forests vital to economic development and the conservation of all forms of life.
4. The goal of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is to stabilize the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at levels that will not cause dangerous imbalances in the global climate system.
5. The Convention on Biological Diversity requires countries to take measures to conserve the diversity of living beings and ensure that the benefits from the use of biological diversity are fairly shared.

The conference in Rio made us think about the extent to which people are capable of solving the problem of harmonizing socio-economic development and environmental protection. The conference was attended by 178 states and more than three dozen intergovernmental international organizations. 114 delegations were headed by heads of state and government. Simultaneously with this Conference, a public rally "Global Forum" was held in Rio de Janeiro. Its participants (about half a million representatives of public organizations of the countries of the world, in one way or another connected with the environmental movement) during the scientific discussions at the seminars expressed opinions that were independent of the official authorities.

The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development set out a set of principles for future development. These principles define the rights of peoples to development and their obligations to preserve our common environment. They are based on the ideas of the Stockholm Declaration adopted at the UN Conference on the Human Environment in 1972.

The Rio Principles include the following key ideas:

1. People have the right to a healthy and fruitful life in harmony with nature.
2. Today's development should not be carried out to the detriment of the development interests of present and future generations.
3. States should develop international legislation to compensate for damage caused by activities under their control outside their territories.
4. To achieve sustainable development, environmental protection must be an integral part of the development process and cannot be considered in isolation from it.
5. The eradication of poverty and inequality in living standards in various parts of the world is necessary to ensure sustainable growth to meet the needs of the majority of the population.
6. States must cooperate to preserve, protect and restore the integrity of the Earth's ecosystem.
7. States must limit and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and encourage appropriate population policies.
8. Environmental issues are resolved in the most efficient way with the participation of all interested citizens. States develop and encourage public awareness and participation by providing broad access to environmental information.
9. States adopt effective laws on the environment, develop national laws regarding liability and compensation for victims of pollution and other environmental damage.
10. In principle, whoever pollutes the environment should be financially responsible for that pollution.
11. States notify each other of natural disasters or activities that may have harmful effects.
12. Sustainable development requires a deeper scientific understanding of the issues. States should share knowledge and new technologies to achieve sustainability goals.
13. War inevitably has a devastating effect on sustainable development. Therefore, states must respect international law for the protection of the environment in times of armed conflict and must cooperate in its further development.
14. Peace, development and environmental protection are interdependent and inseparable.

No less important than the environmental declaration is Agenda 21, which includes consideration of a number of different socio-economic and environmental issues. The outline of the Agenda consists of four main sections.

· The first section is called "Social and Economic Aspects".

This section examines international cooperative relations aimed at achieving a world economic order that will help all countries, both developed and developing, to embark on the path of sustainable development.

Unsustainable patterns of consumption and production are recognized as one of the main causes of persistent environmental degradation around the world, especially in industrialized countries. Therefore, the issue of rationalizing production and changing the structure of consumption is being especially carefully considered.

· Section two - "Conservation and rational use of resources".

Devoted to the consideration of such global environmental issues as the protection of the atmosphere, the rational use of land resources, the fight against deforestation, the fight against desertification and drought, the protection and rational use of the oceans, the protection and rational use of fresh water resources.

There is also a separate chapter to consider the issue of improving the safety of the use of toxic chemicals, the disposal of hazardous waste, the disposal of solid waste and sewage, and, of course, the disposal of radioactive waste.

· In the third section - "Strengthening the role of key population groups".

It talks about the need to increase the role of women, youth and children in sustainable development, strengthening the role of indigenous people, cooperation with non-governmental organizations, local authorities, workers and trade unions, business and industry, academia and technology, as well as strengthening the role of farmers.

· The fourth section - "Means of implementation".

Covers issues of sustainable development financing, technology transfer from developed countries to developing ones.

It also talks about the need to direct science for sustainable development, to conduct education, training and informing the population, building capacity for sustainable development.

The issue of the need to revise international legislation regarding sustainable environmental development is also being considered.

The Agenda addresses both the pressing issues of today and preparations for the challenges of the next century.

It recognizes that sustainable development is primarily the responsibility of governments and that it will require the development of national programmes, plans and policies. The efforts of states must be coordinated through international organizations.

Agenda 21 explains that people, consumption and technology are the drivers of environmental change. It proposes policies and programs to achieve a sustainable balance between consumption, population and the earth's ability to sustain life, and outlines some of the methods and technologies that need to be developed to meet human needs while managing natural resources sustainably.

By adopting Agenda 21, the industrialized countries have recognized that they have a greater role to play in improving the environment. Rich countries also promised to increase financial assistance to other countries for development. In addition to funding, such countries need help to build knowledge, capacity to plan and implement sustainable development solutions. This will require the transfer of information and professional skills.

As Agenda 21 says, only partnership on a global scale can bring a more secure and prosperous future for all peoples.

The largest Russian scientist, full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, co-chairman of the Russian Ecological Union N.N. Moiseev believes that humanity is on the threshold of a new stage in its history, when the main task is to find a way out of a dangerous environmental situation on a global scale. It is necessary to create such conditions and organization of the life of the world community that can ensure co-evolution, i.e. joint development of man and nature. The main indicators of an ecological crisis are the discrepancy between the needs of a growing population and the declining possibilities of meeting them at the expense of resources of depleting nature, ("the Malthus problem"), a decrease in the stability of the biosphere, the deterioration of the human gene pool, the greenhouse effect, etc.

To ease the crisis, which could lead to a global economic catastrophe, a number of tasks need to be solved. The first among them, according to N. I. Moiseev, is the assessment of the scale of the real danger, the rate of its growth and the determination of the conditions of the environmental imperative associated with this. To do this, it is necessary to develop national research programs, create national information centers, and intensify the exchange of information. Based on the assessment of the scale of the global environmental threat, the following tasks should be solved:

• optimization of demographic policy (carrying out a system of family planning measures, improving pension provision, introducing progressive technologies in food production). Scientists of the WorldWatch Institute believe that the sustainable development of society is possible with a significant decrease in the birth rate, and if humanity starts the necessary transformations today, laying the foundations for the harmonious interaction of society and nature for the next 40 years;
• revision of the value orientations of society and the formation of an ecological structure with the priority of the moral factor;
• creation of centers of the noosphere (ecopolises, etc.);
• development of an educational program based on the rules of economic activity common to the whole planet and environmental standards;

the proclamation from the rostrum of the UN of the principles of planetary coexistence, which are mandatory for all, and which can become a cornerstone in the formation of a new thinking of people inhabiting the Earth.

5. Conclusion.

Due to the increase in the scale of anthropogenic impact (human economic activity), especially in the last century, the balance in the biosphere is disturbed, which can lead to irreversible processes and raise the question of the possibility of life on the planet.

In this paper, we have considered all the main aspects of the rational use of natural resources. They also drew your attention to the recklessness of a person who without measure draws on the resources of the Earth, his native planet, without doing anything to neutralize the traces of his activities.

I am glad that in the last decade, this issue has firmly taken the first positions at various international conventions. It is good that people have begun to think a little about the environment, the state of the planet, and the reserves of natural resources. Because according to forecasts, if the current rate of production and consumption of proven oil reserves continues, it will be exhausted in 30 years, gas - in 50, coal - in 200, depletion of aluminum reserves is expected in 500-600 years, iron - in 250 years, zinc - after 25, lead - after 20.

6. List of used literature.

1. G. V. Stadnitsky, A. I. Rodionov. "Ecology".

2. V.A.Volodin “Encyclopedia for children. Ecology".

3. V.A.Volodin “Encyclopedia for children. Chemistry".

4. D. Taylor, N. Green, W. Stout "Biology in 3 volumes".

5. E.A. Kriksunov, V.V. Pasechnik "Ecology grade 10-11".

There are a lot of natural resources on our planet. These include water bodies and soil, air and minerals, animals and plants. All these benefits people have been using since ancient times. However, today a sharp question has arisen about the rational use of these gifts of nature, since people use them super-intensively. Some resources are on the verge of depletion and need to be restored as soon as possible. In addition, all resources are not distributed equally over the surface of the planet, and in terms of the rate of renewal, there are those that recover quickly, and there are those that require tens or even hundreds of years for this.

Ecological principles of resource use

In the era of not just scientific and technological progress, but in the post-industrial era, environmental protection is of particular importance, since in the course of development people actively influence nature. This leads to excessive use of natural resources, pollution of the biosphere and climate change.

• accounting for the laws of nature;
• protection and protection of the environment;
• rational use of resources.

The basic ecological principle that all people must follow is that we are only a part of nature, but not its rulers. And this means that it is necessary not only to take from nature, but also to give, to restore its resources. For example, due to intensive cutting of trees, millions of kilometers of forests on the planet have been destroyed, so there is an urgent need to make up for the loss and plant trees in the place of cut down forests. It would be useful to improve the ecology of cities with new green spaces.

Main actions of rational use of nature

For those who are not aware of environmental issues, the concept of rational use of resources seems to be a very vague issue. In fact, everything is very simple:

• it is necessary to reduce their intervention in nature;
• as little as possible to use natural resources unnecessarily;
• protect nature from pollution (do not pour pollutants into water and soil, do not litter);
• abandon cars in favor of ecological transport (bicycles);
• save water, electricity, gas;
• refuse disposable devices and goods;
• benefit society and nature (grow plants, make rational inventions, use eco-technologies).

This list of recommendations "How to rationally use natural resources" does not end there. Each person has the right to decide for himself how he will dispose of natural goods, but modern society calls for frugality and rationality so that we can leave our descendants the natural resources that they will need to live.

The rational use of natural resources and environmental protection is one of the most important problems of modern society in the era of the development of scientific and technological progress, accompanied by an active impact on nature.
Natural resources are divided into practically inexhaustible ones (the energy of the sun, tides, internal heat, atmospheric air, water); renewable (soil, plant, wildlife resources) and non-renewable (minerals, habitat, river energy).
Renewable natural resources are natural resources capable of self-recovery in the process of the circulation of substances within a period commensurate with the pace of human economic activity. The rational use of renewable natural resources should be based on the principles of balanced use and renewal of them, as well as provide for their expanded reproduction.
Non-renewable natural resources - part of the exhaustible natural resources that do not have the ability to self-renewal for a period commensurate with the pace of human economic activity. The rational use of non-renewable natural resources should be based on their comprehensive and economical extraction and use, waste disposal, etc.
From the point of view of involvement in human economic activity, natural resources are divided into real and potential. The first type of resources is actively exploited, the second one can be involved in economic turnover.
Currently, the problem of depletion of natural resources is becoming more and more acute. The depletion of the natural resource potential is expressed in the reduction of natural resources to a level that does not meet the needs of mankind, its technical capabilities and safety standards for natural systems.
The depletion of natural resources makes their further development economically and ecologically inexpedient.

Rational nature management involves the reasonable development of natural resources, the prevention of possible harmful consequences of human activity, the maintenance and increase in the productivity and attractiveness of natural complexes and individual natural objects.
Rational nature management involves choosing the best option for achieving environmental, economic and social benefits when using natural resources.
The integrated use of natural resources involves the use of waste-free and low-waste technologies, the reuse of secondary resources.

Today you can find many scientific articles, abstracts and other literature on the topic of natural resources and their use. It is worth trying to describe this topic as simply and specifically as possible. What is meant by this concept? Why are we needed, how are natural resources, ecology and people connected? Let's try to understand these issues.

basic information

Part of natural resources is used by man directly - air, drinking water. The other part serves as a raw material for industry or is included in the cycle of agriculture or animal husbandry. For example, oil is not only an energy carrier and a source of fuel and lubricants, but also a valuable raw material for the chemical industry. Plastic, varnishes, rubber are made from the components of this resource. Oil refining products are widely used not only in industry, but also in medicine, and even in cosmetology.

Natural resources are chemicals, as well as their combinations, such as gas, oil, coal, ores. It is also fresh and sea water, atmospheric air, flora and fauna (forests, animals, fish, cultivated and suitable for cultivation of land (soil)). And also this concept means physical phenomena - wind energy, solar radiation, geothermal energy, tides, ebbs. Everything that is somehow used by mankind for life and progress.

The assessment and analysis of the state of the elements described above is carried out on the basis of geography and geology data by economic calculation. Control over the rationality and safety of the use of federal natural resources is exercised by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Origin Classification

Biological resources are living organisms of the oceans and land, animals, plants, microorganisms (including the microflora of the seas and oceans). Closed ecosystems of individual regions, nature reserves, recreational areas.
. Resources of mineral origin - rock ore, granites, quartz deposits, clays. Everything that the lithosphere contains and that is available for human use as a raw material or energy source.
. Energy natural resources are physical processes such as tidal energy, sunlight, wind energy, thermal energy of the earth's interior, as well as nuclear and mineral energy sources.

Classification by way of human use

Land fund - cultivated or suitable for cultivation in the future land. Non-agricultural lands, namely the territories of cities, transport links, industrial purposes (quarries, etc.).
. Forestry Fund - forests or areas planned for planting forests. Forestry is both a source of wood for human needs and a way to maintain the ecological balance of the biosphere. It is under the control of such a service as the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.
. Water resources - water in surface reservoirs and groundwater. This includes both fresh water suitable for human biological needs, and the water of the seas and oceans. World water resources are inextricably linked with federal ones.
. The resources of the animal world are fish and land dwellers, the rational fishing of which should not violate the ecological balance of the biosphere.
. Minerals - this includes ore and other resources of the earth's crust available for raw materials or energy use. The Department of Natural Resources oversees the rational use of this class of natural resources.

Renewability classification

Inexhaustible - the energy of solar radiation, geothermal energy, tidal energy and the energy of rivers as the driving force of hydroelectric power plants. This also includes wind power.
. Exhaustible, but renewable and conditionally renewable. These natural resources are flora and fauna, soil fertility, fresh water and clean air.
. Exhaustible and non-renewable resources. All minerals - oil, gas, mineral ores, etc. Most important for the survival of mankind, the shortage or disappearance of certain resources can threaten the existence of civilization as we know it, and lead to the death of most of humanity. Therefore, the protection of natural resources and environmental safety is controlled at such a high level as the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources.

Do human activities affect the state of natural resources?

The use of natural resources by man leads to the depletion of not only mineral resources, but also the Earth's biosphere, and the loss of biological diversity. Biospheric natural resources are renewable and can be restored both naturally and with the participation of man (planting forests, restoring the fertile soil layer, cleaning water and air). Is it possible to avoid irreparable damage to nature? To do this, one should take into account the features that natural resources possess and the conditions for maintaining ecological balance. Create and preserve national parks, nature reserves, sanctuaries, maintain the biological diversity of species and preserve the gene pool in research centers, botanical gardens, etc.

Why is security needed?

The change of geological epochs and evolutionary processes have always influenced the species diversity of both flora and fauna on the planet (for example, the extinction of dinosaurs). But due to active human activity over the past 400 years, more than 300 species of animals and plants have disappeared from the face of the earth. Today, more than a thousand species are endangered. Obviously, the protection of natural resources is not just the protection of rare species of animals and plants, but also the most important task for the life of mankind itself. After all, as a result of an ecological catastrophe, not only the number of species of living beings can change, but the climate will also suffer. Therefore, it is necessary to preserve the habitat of wild species as much as possible during the construction of cities and the development of farmland, to limit commercial fishing and hunting until the restoration of populations. The protection of the environment and its inherent elements is one of the most important tasks that the Ministry of Natural Resources performs.

State of the land and forest fund, world and federal

Over 85% of food people receive as a result of agriculture. Land used as meadows and pastures provides another 10% of food. The rest is accounted for by the oceans. In our country, about 90% of food is obtained from cultivated land, and this is taking into account that cultivated land (fields, orchards, plantations) accounts for a little more than 11% of the land fund.

Forests play an important role in the cycles of evaporation and precipitation, the carbon dioxide cycle, keep soil from erosion, regulate groundwater levels, and much more. Therefore, the wasteful use of natural resources, namely forests, will lead to a reduction in the forestry fund. Despite this, forest areas are being lost at a faster rate than they are being restored by planting young trees. The forest is cut down for the development of agricultural land, for construction, for obtaining wood as a raw material and as a fuel. In addition, fires cause significant losses to forestry.

It is obvious that modern methods of soil cultivation lead to almost constant degradation and impoverishment of the fertile layer. Not to mention the pollution of soils and groundwater with pesticides and pesticides. Although fertile soil layers are considered as “renewable” natural resources, this is still a long process. In fact, it takes 200 to 800 years to naturally regenerate one inch of soil (2.54 cm) in warm and temperate climates. Protection of fertile lands from degradation and restoration of the fertile layer are the most important directions in the development of modern agricultural technologies.

The state of the water component of the planet

Rivers are the basis of the country's water resources. They are used as a source of drinking and agricultural water. They are also actively used for the construction of hydroelectric power plants and for shipping. Despite the huge reserves of water in rivers, lakes, reservoirs and in the form of groundwater, there is a gradual deterioration in its quality, the destruction of the banks of reservoirs and hydraulic structures. This issue, among other organizations, is supervised by the Department of Natural Resources.

Exhaustible Resource Status

Modern minerals available to us, such as oil, gas, ore, accumulated in the planet's lithosphere over millions of years. Given the continuous and accelerating growth in the consumption of fossil resources over the past 200 years, the issue of protecting the subsoil and reusing products made on the basis of raw materials from fossil resources is quite acute.

In addition, the development of subsoil itself has an extremely negative impact on the ecology of the region. This is a change in the relief (subsidence of soil, dips), and pollution of soils, groundwater, drainage of swamps and small rivers.

Ways to solve the problems of destruction of the natural environment and prospects for the introduction of innovations

The natural environment and natural resources must be used prudently to preserve life. Therefore, it is necessary to highlight what is necessary so as not to complicate the situation with the environment.
1. Protection of the fertile layer from wind and water erosion. These are forest plantations, correct crop rotations, etc.
2. Protection of soils and groundwater from pollution by chemicals. This is the application of ecological technologies for plant protection: breeding of beneficial insects (ladybugs, certain types of ants).
3. Use of water from the oceans as sources of raw materials. One of the methods is the extraction of dissolved elements, the second is the extraction of minerals on the sea shelf (no pollution and incapacitation of land suitable for farmland). Today, methods for intensive use of ocean resources are being developed, while the number of components that are commercially viable to extract from water is very limited.
4. An integrated approach to the extraction of fossil natural resources with an emphasis on environmental safety. Starting with a full study of the bowels and ending with the maximum possible use of associated substances and components.
5. Development of low-waste technologies and recycling of natural resources. These are the continuity of technological processes, which will maximize energy efficiency, and the maximum automation of technological processes, and the optimal use of by-products of production (for example, heat generated).

Conclusion

Other innovative technologies can also be identified, such as the transition to the maximum use of inexhaustible energy sources. It is they who will save the life and ecology of our planet. This article described how important it is to take care of the environment and its gifts. Otherwise, serious problems may arise.

The most important property of any production is its resource intensity, i.e. the amount of resources consumed to produce a unit of output.
Resources are understood as means, reserves, opportunities and sources necessary for production, satisfaction of the material and spiritual needs of society with modern technologies and socio-economic relations. Production resources are divided into material, labor and economic (financial). Material resources are divided into biological (organic) and mineral. Biological resources consist of flora and fauna and are unevenly distributed. They are used to provide the population with food and, in part, for production.
According to the ability to restore natural resources are divided into renewable and non-renewable. Renewable resources (plant and animal life, water, etc.) are within the limits of the biospheric circulation of substances. They are capable of self-healing through reproduction or through natural recovery cycles. Animals and plants do not regenerate in the event of the extinction of a species. Non-renewable resources (coal, oil, ore, etc.) are not restored in the process of circulation of substances in a time commensurate with the pace of economic activity. Non-renewable resources should be spent economically and rationally.
Important features of natural resources are the possibility of their replacement and depletion. Replaceable resources may be replaced by others at the present time or in the near future. For example, fuel can be replaced by solar energy, thermal water energy, wind energy, etc. Irreplaceable natural resources cannot be replaced by others either now or in the future. Resource depletion occurs under the influence of human production and economic activities. Depletion leads either to the complete and irreversible destruction of the resource, or to an ecological catastrophe. When the first signs of depletion of natural resources appear, it is necessary to change the activities of the enterprise. Exhaustible resources include scarce natural resources that may disappear in the short term.
Resource conservation management (rational environmental management) is included in the overall management system of the enterprise, the railway and the industry as a whole and includes a set of environmental measures aimed at improving the environmental performance of rolling stock and railway enterprises. These measures are divided into the following groups: organizational and legal, architectural and planning, design and technical and operational.
Organizational and legal measures are aimed at the implementation of environmental legislation in railway transport, the development of environmental requirements, standards, norms and regulations for machinery, equipment, fuel and lubricants, etc.
Architectural and planning activities include the development of solutions for rational land use, planning and development of territories, organization of sanitary protection zones, conservation of natural landscapes, landscaping and landscaping.
Design and technical measures make it possible to introduce technical innovations in the design of rolling stock, sanitary and technological means of protecting the environment at enterprises and transport facilities.
Operational activities are carried out during the operation of vehicles and are aimed at maintaining their technical condition at the level of specified environmental standards.
These groups of activities are implemented independently of each other and allow achieving certain results. But their complex application will provide the maximum effect.
Rational use of natural resources is achieved:
at the production stage - through the use of modern technology and organization of production, the choice of rational methods for obtaining blanks, advanced methods of mechanical, electromechanical and electrochemical processing, hardening of parts, the use of resistant anti-corrosion coatings, the use of flexible automated production, improving the design of equipment, creating a rational maintenance system and repair of technical equipment of enterprises and rolling stock, expanding the range and volume of restoration of equipment parts and rolling stock, saving fuel and energy resources, recycling and using production waste;
at the stage of repair - by choosing methods for repairing products, reducing the proportion of parts damaged during disassembly, increasing the proportion of restoration of worn parts, the use of selective assembly, as well as local closed systems for the use of oils, lubricating fluids, water, etc .;
at the stage of cargo transportation -
ensuring environmental safety in areas and on routes during the operation of rolling stock;
compliance with the main parameters of its characteristics, such as reliability, permissible levels of noise and vibration, levels of sound and light signals;
improving the process of collecting and processing information on the functioning of transport systems, introducing automated systems for monitoring the technical condition of mobile sources of environmental pollution and the environmental situation in areas and on railway lines;
control over compliance with the technology at the points of loading and unloading oil products, when transporting flammable liquids and materials, compressed and liquefied gases, oil products, oxidizing substances and organic impurities, bulk cargo;
compliance with the requirements for the safety of train traffic, taking into account the implementation of measures that ensure the complete prevention of possible emergencies.
Among the many components of natural resources, fresh water resources are currently of particular importance, and railway transport enterprises consume it in large quantities. At the same time, the industry is slowly working on the introduction of closed water use systems, low-waste and non-waste water-saving technologies.
One of the serious sources of pollution of water resources are the processes of cleaning the rolling stock, which form toxic effluents. Efficient washing machines with reversible use systems have been developed.
The main directions of saving water resources at individual railway transport enterprises are shown in fig. 32.3.
An important place in reducing the loss of natural resources is occupied by the utilization and processing of industrial waste.
Recycling refers to the use of waste as secondary raw materials, fuel, fertilizers and other purposes. In various activities of society, production waste and consumption waste are generated. Production waste is the remains of raw materials, materials, semi-finished products generated during the manufacture of products, performance of work and partially or completely lost their original consumer properties. Consumption waste is products and materials that have lost their consumer properties as a result of physical and obsolescence.
Wastes of production and consumption are called secondary material resources. Secondary resources can be used to produce new products or to generate energy. In all cases, secondary resources are subject to recycling, i.e. removal from places of formation and accumulation for the purpose of subsequent use or disposal. The more waste, the higher the likelihood of environmental pollution.
Waste is classified into solid, liquid, gaseous and energy. The phase state of waste affects the choice of methods and means of storage, transportation and processing. According to sanitary and hygienic characteristics, wastes are divided into inert, slightly toxic soluble in water, slightly toxic volatile, toxic soluble in water, toxic volatile, containing oil (oil), organic easily decomposing, feces, household waste. Toxic waste has its own classification.
The nomenclature of waste depends on the type of raw materials and finished products. Solid waste includes ferrous and non-ferrous metal waste, rubber, plastics, wood, abrasives, slag and ash, mineral and organic matter, household waste. Liquid wastes consist of electrolytes, fuels and lubricants, cooling, degreasing and washing solutions, etc. Gas emissions are generated from boilers, melting equipment, ventilation systems. Energy waste should be considered heat and various types of radiation (noise, vibration, magnetic and electric fields, radiation).
The use of waste is one of the most important areas for increasing production efficiency, reducing environmental pollution, and reducing the consumption of natural resources per unit of output. When choosing methods and means of storage, transportation and processing of waste, it is necessary to proceed from their technical and economic assessment.
The main types of secondary resources in the repair of tracks are concrete and wooden sleepers, worn rails, rail fasteners, crushed stone and sand. Old concrete sleepers are used as a foundation in the construction of household and sports facilities or are sold to owners of summer cottages for foundations for greenhouses, baths and houses. Old wooden sleepers can serve as a good material for the construction of non-residential premises (storages, warehouses). Worn rails are used in the construction of buildings and structures for industrial or household purposes. Sand and gravel are recycled and used in the construction of various structures. Fasteners are subject to restoration or are converted into new products. Trimmings, sawdust, wood shavings serve as raw materials for the manufacture of chipboard and fiberboard, plywood, hardboard, cardboard, and the bark - for the manufacture of medicines and fertilizers.
Railway transport enterprises use a large number of motor, industrial, compressor, transmission and other oils made from petroleum. In a year, railway enterprises use up to 400 tons of various oils, some of which (15-20%) are collected, and most often burned in boiler houses. Modern engine oil contains up to 10 different additives, which are practically not consumed during operation. The most important way to reduce oil consumption at railway transport enterprises is the regeneration of used oils. During regeneration, the following is carried out: purification of used oils from mechanical impurities by sedimentation, separation, coagulation, adsorption, chemical treatment methods; restoration of the properties of oils by introducing various additives.
The issues of rational use of natural resources and nature protection in railway transport should be considered taking full account of the peculiarities of the natural conditions of the area where the projected enterprise is located, assessed by its impact on the environment of the adjacent area, the possibility of preventing negative consequences in the short and long term. Taking into account the nature of the negative impact of the designed facility on the environment, issues of rational use of natural resources should be addressed: surface and groundwater, atmospheric air, soils, territories, minerals, vegetation, etc. At the same time, normal sanitary and hygienic conditions of work and life of the population living in the area of ​​construction of railway lines or industrial facilities of the industry should be ensured, and the negative impact on flora and fauna as a result of production activities should be minimized.
The development of all measures related to the construction of new, as well as the reconstruction of existing railway transport facilities, the modernization of rolling stock, should be carried out in unity with the requirements for environmental protection.