I hope you all are thoroughly enjoying the articles. And before I further continue with today’s topic, I would be grateful for your precious feedback and responses.
The previous blogs attempted at explaining the basics of Sustainability, as it will aid in understanding topics that Tequila Bubbles will publish subsequently.
In this blog post, you shall get more insight into Non-Renewable Sources of Energy- another aspect that makes Sustainability irreplaceable. And to tell you the truth, the deeper I read on Sustainability, I feel more and more humbled at the wonders of the Planet. And feel disappointed at the cruel way in which humanity has exploited and looted the resources available in abundance.
In the article on Natural Capital, emphasis was laid on the critical fact that Earth’s resources are limited. And hence should be utilized wisely. This blog post attempts to focus on some of those top resources. That is commonly considered Non-Renewable Sources of Energy.
Let’s swim a little deeper.
What are Non-Renewable Sources Of Energy?
As Non-Renewable resources take billions of years to form, once exhausted, they are not replenishable. In many cases, they fossilize over many millennia. If I were to give you an example, it would be the dazzling Golconda Diamonds found in the Indian Subcontinent. But due to excessive mining, the reserves were exhausted, never to be replenished again. And thus, the current generations can only imagine the beauty of those diamonds or see them in museums.
However, coming back to reality, be it the life-giving Groundwater or the mined coal, minerals, and precious stones, are as critically endangered as our irreplaceable wildlife.
The Non-Renewable Sources of Energy
Let’s discuss these resources in more detail as humankind is primarily dependent on them for growth and development.
Ground Water:
Although water is the basis of existence, one cannot consume water from the oceans, seas, or ponds. Instead, humans use ground Water to satiate their thirst. So what exactly is Groundwater? In layman’s terms is the unexposed water flowing beneath the Earth’s surface. That is accessible by digging wells. Also, Groundwater is used for irrigation purposes as well.
Although a considerable quantity of Groundwater is present, unplanned and excessive usage has led to its rapid depletion. Since the turn of the century, the Depletion of Ground Water has led many concerned individuals and organizations to raise concerns. Groundwater formation is a slow and gradual process. Therefore, its extinction will not only lead to the loss of vegetation and wildlife. But will make life difficult on the Planet.
Fossil Fuels:
Now I bet you have all been hearing immensely on this subject. But what exactly does the term mean? First, to not sound very scientific, decomposed organisms, plants, and animals create fossil fuels. They take four or five billion years to develop and are residents of the Earth’s crust. And hence are non-renewable if extinct.
Some examples are coal, oil shales, tar sand, natural gas, and petroleum. Due to the carbon content, fossil fuels are combustible with air and oxygen. That, in turn, generates electricity and power.
Example: Earlier steam engines used coal to run their trains.
Minerals and ores and rocks:
Another highly utilized and essential non-renewable source for commercial use is MINERALS, ORES, and ROCKS. Now, most of you will wonder Rocks?? One can spot them everywhere. Be it by the river or any mountainous region. How can they be non-renewable? They are my friends.
Minerals:
Occur naturally and are solids that have a definite chemical composition. Generally, minerals require sufficient time to form, i.e., millions of years, depending on the temperature, pressure, oxygen, and amount of water available.
There are a variety of minerals available on the Planet. Like, gold, silver, diamond, graphite, tourmaline, quartz, and many more.
Ores:
Ores are naturally occurring rocks or sediments that contain one or more minerals. In simple language, All ores are minerals, but all minerals are not ores. The ores are generally obtained from mining and can be treated to get metal or valuable minerals sold for profit.
Examples are iron, zinc, copper, and aluminum.
Rocks:
Rocks are non-renewable natural resources. They are non-replenishable as they take a long time to form. Rocks are available in huge numbers throughout the globe. They are solid masses that are composed of one or more minerals. There are three types of rocks: -Igneous Rocks, -Sedimentary Rocks, -and Metamorphic Rocks.
Well, you wouldn’t think about SOIL when speaking of Non-Renewable Sources of Energy. But, of course, soil is available the world over in plenty. But what is truly surprising is that, like ROCKS, they too are irreplaceable and take a long time to form.
Example: The soil used for farming or growing flora and fauna
So through this article, one can see how the world was and is rich with abundant resources. But the very reason for highlighting these points was to create awareness regarding the one central ground reality- these benefits are there for a limited period. And unplanned mining, excessive pumping of water, and burning of fossil fuels are harming the Planet and depleting the resources at such a fast pace that future generations will be devoid of its benefits.
Hence, Sustainable methods and reduction in overdependence on these non-renewable sources of energy are of paramount importance.
Anyways Folks, time for me to sign off.
Stay Healthy, Stay Safe and let’s focus on living an Ecofriendly and Sustainable Life.
