“Natural Resources and Their Use Short Notes Class 8” provides clear, exam-focused points to help students revise the chapter quickly and effectively. The short notes are created from the chapter 1 of the book Exploring Society India and Beyond.
These notes simplify key concepts, definitions, and important ideas for faster understanding. Perfect for last-minute revision and strengthening core concepts before exams.
These short notes are meant for quick learning and exam revision. For deeper conceptual clarity and complete understanding, students should carefully read the NCERT textbook alongside these notes.
When Does Nature Become a Resource?
1. What is Nature?
- Totality of life and non-life forms in our environment
- Exists independently of humans (not created by us)
2. Nature to Resource, Shift
- Happens when humans:
• Use elements for sustenance
• Create new things from them for consumption - Example: Trees → cut → wood → furniture = resource
3. Conditions to Be a Resource
Must be:
- Technologically accessible
(e.g., deep-ocean petroleum may exist but be unreachable) - Economically feasible to extract
(cost shouldn’t outweigh benefit) - Culturally acceptable
(e.g., trees in sacred groves are often not cut
4. What Counts as Natural Resources?
- Formed over millions of years
- Obvious: water, air, soil
- Not-so-obvious: coal, petroleum, precious stones, metal ores, timber
E. What Counts as Natural Resources?
- Formed over millions of years
- Obvious: water, air, soil
- Not-so-obvious: coal, petroleum, precious stones, metal ores, timber
F. Final Definition
Natural resources = materials/substances occurring in Nature that are valuable to humans
Categories of Natural Resources
Why Categorise?
- Group things by shared characteristics/criteria
- Gives each group a name for quick reference
- Enables clear communication without lengthy descriptions
(e.g., “living things” instantly conveys meaning)
There are two types of categories :
- Based on the uses
- Based on Sources for energy
Categories (Based on USE)
1. Resources Essential for Life
- Air → breathe → from atmosphere
- Water → drink → from rivers & ponds
- Food → from the cultivation of soil or living things
- ❗ Cannot be made by humans: air, water, soil
2. Resources for Materials
- Used to create physical objects from Nature’s gifts
- Two purposes:
• Utility (e.g., wood → chair)
• Beauty (e.g., wood → carved statuette) - India’s diversity → wide variety: wood, marble, coal, gold
3. Resources for Energy
- Cornerstone of modern living
- Powers:
• Electricity for buildings
• Transportation
• Production processes - Sources: coal, water, petroleum, natural gas, sunlight, wind
Categories (Forms Of Energy)
Renewable and non-renewable resources
Nature’s Core Principle
- Functions in a restorative and regenerative way
- Works in cycles with no waste
Restoration
- Returning something to its original healthy state after damage/degradation
- Examples:
• Skin cut → heals naturally
• Forest → recovers after wildfire
Regeneration
- Goes beyond restoration
- Nature’s ability to:
• Create new life
• Create conditions for thriving
Real-World Example: Forest Ecosystem
- Trees lost due to human action (e.g., clearing for housing)
- Plant original tree types → restores ecosystem
- Trees provide food + shelter for birds, squirrels, and creatures
- Life returns → ecosystem thrives
Nature’s Zero-Waste Cycle
Forest example:
→ Tree falls
→ Bacteria, fungi, and insects decompose it
→ Tree becomes part of the soil (enriches it)
→ New trees/plants grow from seeds
→ Some fall → cycle repeats
Renewable Resources
What Makes Them “Renewable”?
- Exhibit restoration & regeneration characteristics over time
- Renew themselves through natural processes
Examples in India
- Sunshine → abundant across most regions
- Rivers → regularly fed by rain + melting glaciers
- Forests → renew themselves naturally
- Soil → replenishes through natural processes
Specific Renewable Resources
- Solar energy
- Wind energy
- Energy from flowing water
- Timber from forests
→ but only if managed sustainably
⚠️ Critical Condition:
Must NOT disturb Nature’s natural rhythm of restoration & regeneration
Example: Harvest timber faster than forest regrows → forest depletion
When Renewability Breaks Down
| Human Action | Consequence | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Fossil fuel industrialisation + forest cutting | Rising temperatures | Himalayan glaciers melt faster than rain/snow replaces them |
| → | Disturbed water cycle | Threatens water security for plains populations (Himalayas = “water tower”) |
| Industrial waste discharge into rivers | Wastes cannot decay into food for lifeforms | River becomes poisonous → cannot support life |
Non-Renewable Resources
What They Are
- Created over very long periods (millions of years)
- Cannot be replenished at the rate humans use them
Examples
- Fossil fuels: coal, petroleum
- Minerals & metals: iron, copper, gold
India’s Coal Situation
- Has significant coal reserves
- Mined to meet growing energy needs
- Estimated to last ~50 more years
- Demand is rising due to:
• Population expansion
• Accelerating development work
The Challenge
- Till sustainable options become widely available:
→ Must use existing coal judiciously (carefully and wisely)
Distribution of Natural Resources and Its Implications
Uneven Distribution
- Resources NOT evenly spread across:
• The planet 🌐
• Even within single countries 🇮🇳 - Shapes:
- Human settlements
- Trade patterns
- International relations
- Conflicts/wars → many fought to control resources
Benefits of Resource-Rich Areas
- Industries near resources → local employment
- Townships grow → expanded economic opportunities
- Better modern facilities → improved quality of life
Costs & Conflicts
- Benefits come with short-term + long-term costs
- Examples worldwide:
• People displaced from homes for development
• Sacred places threatened → sparks conflicts
Trade & Unique Products
- National/international trade depends on the geographical location of resources
- Combined with human knowledge + skills → unique products
(e.g., Wootz steel) - Trade-fueled development of large empires in India
Political Boundaries Problem
- Nature ignores political boundaries
- Creates tensions over resource sharing:
• Between states
• Between countries - Example: Kaveri River water sharing → Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry
• Requires negotiations + deft management for peace + fair sharing
• Harder between neighbouring countries
The ‘Natural Resource Curse’
1. What Is It?
- Also called the “paradox of plenty.“
- A phenomenon where resource-rich regions experience:
• Slower economic growth
• Slower development - Key insight: Abundant resources ≠ lead to automatic prosperity
2. Why It Happens
- Economies often fail to develop industries that:
→ Convert raw resources → higher-value products - Result: Resources stay raw → limited economic benefit
3. India’s Approach
- Avoided the curse by:
→ Investing in industries that process resources
→ Meeting growing domestic needs through value addition
4. The Real Challenge
- Must balance:
- Resource extraction
- Sustainability
What Determines Success?
Lasting benefit vs. temporary windfall depends on:
- Human knowledge
- Good governance
- Strategic planning
Responsible and Wise Use of Natural Resources: Stewardship
Core Requirement for Sustaining Life
- Must respect Nature
- Must use resources so that:
• Renewable resources → restore & regenerate
• Non-renewable resources → used responsibly & judiciously
Scientists’ Warnings
Irresponsible treatment of natural resources has caused:
- Pollution
- Biodiversity loss
- Climate change
→ All are accelerating at an increased pace in recent years
Restoration and regeneration of
renewable resources
The Problem: Pushing Beyond Capacity
We use renewable resources faster than they can regenerate → two critical examples:
Example 1: Groundwater Crisis
- Issue:
• Farmers extract groundwater faster than the water table replenishes
• Extraction rate > Replenishment rate - Consequences:
• Deficit builds up over time
• Higher extraction costs → eventual unavailability
• Prediction: Many growing cities will run out of groundwater soon - Solutions being attempted:
• Traditional water harvesting
• Rejuvenation of ponds & tanks
• Cutting wasteful water consumption
• Processing & reusing water
Example 2: Soil Degradation
- Cause:
• Improper use of chemical fertilisers & pesticides - Traditional Wisdom:
• Soil is viewed as part of Mother Earth
• Holistic practices included:
– Cow dung & natural fertilisers
– Mulching
– Multi-cropping - Way Forward:
• Learn from traditional practices
• Apply them now to prevent further degradation
• Must replenish & rejuvenate soil
Over-exploitation of groundwater: a caselet from Punjab
The Crisis
- Fertile plains of Punjab → groundwater severely depleted
- State-powered Green Revolution → fed a large population + made India food self-sufficient
- Today: faces sustainability crisis → Nature exploited beyond regeneration (short term)
- ⚠️ Not unique to Punjab → affects many other states
How It Happened (1960s Onwards)
| Change | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Shift to high-yielding wheat/paddy | Needed more water than traditional seeds |
| Heavy use of chemical pesticides & fertilisers | To meet increased water demand |
| Free power supply | Heavy use of chemical pesticides & fertilisers |
| Modern farming techniques | Heavy use of chemical pesticides & fertilizers |
Combined Effects Today
- Groundwater level → inaccessible till ~30 metres depth (large parts of Punjab)
- Chemicals dissolved in groundwater → health hazards
- ~80% of Punjab is classified as “overexploited.”
→ Water is drawn much faster than restoration/rejuvenation is possible
Short-Term Gain vs. Long-Term Pain
| Short Term ✅ | Long Term ❌ |
|---|---|
| Food security ensured | Consequences take time + effort to heal |
The case of cement
Why Cement Matters
- Essential for modern life:
• Houses, schools, hospitals, buildings
• Bridges, roads, airports
Pollution Problem
Cement production = one of the most polluting industries
Releases fine dust that:
- Enters lungs (humans + animals) → damages them
- Settles on plant leaves → decreases yields
- Causes soil + water pollution
Solutions Being Implemented
| Approach | Action |
|---|---|
| Regulation | Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) created guidelines to minimise/eliminate pollution |
| Alternatives | Shift to: • Traditional materials (stone, mud) • Plant-based materials • Recycled waste plastic |
| Sustainable Design | Combine traditional methods + modern tech → materials that: • Less polluting production • Provide local employment • Climate-appropriate design |
Vṛikṣhāyurveda: Ancient Indian Botanical Science
What It Is
- Sanskrit roots: vṛikṣha (tree) + ayurveda (science of life/health)
- Dates back several millennia
- Formalised in texts like Surapala’s Vṛikṣhāyurveda (~10th century CE)
Key Practices (All Sustainable)
Soil-specific planting
Recommends plants for different soil types
Seed care
Elaborate methods for collection, preservation, and pre-planting treatment
Smart irrigation
Varies by plant species, growth stage, season
Natural pest control
Uses repellents + companion planting
Soil health
Promotes crop rotation + mixed cropping
Gentle ploughing
Retains soil moisture + supports soil life (fungi, bacteria, earthworms)
A caselet from Sikkim
The Problem (Before Transition)
- Pema’s family farm faced:
• Declining yields
• Mounting debts from expensive chemical inputs
The Shift to Organic
- Trigger:
- State government policy to promote organic farming statewide
- Family decided to try →
- not an easy transition
- Initial challenge:
- Yields dropped as soil recovered from years of chemical use
Key Changes Made
- Switched to compost (replaced chemicals)
- Prepared natural pest repellents using:
• Neem
• Garlic - Started multi-cropping → grew multiple crops across the year
Results After ~5 Years
- Farm thriving
- Sold cardamom, ginger, and traditional vegetables at premium prices
- 2016 milestone: Sikkim became 100% organic state
→ All farmland is certified organic
Transformational Effects
| Area | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Ecological | Local biodiversity flourished → beneficial insects + birds returned |
| Economic | Farmers’ incomes grew by 20% on average |
| Tourism | Visitors came to see the organic farming model → tourism increased |
Global Significance
- Sikkim = global model today
- Proves the entire region can:
• Successfully transition to sustainable agriculture
• Improve both ecological + economic outcomes simultaneously
Responsible and judicious use of resources
For Non-Renewable
Resources
- Use them so they last long enough for
humanity to find sustainable alternatives - Key action: Switch to renewable energy sources
for as many purposes as possible
The Fairness
Challenge
- Distribution/access to resources is often unfair
to some sections of society - Examples:
• Water: Many city areas lack adequate + regular drinking water supply
• Air: Pollution from industries + fossil fuels harms
those unable to protect themselves
Our Role: Stewards
of Nature
- Remember our relationship with Nature
- Act as stewards toward:
- Restoration
- Regeneration
- Sustainability
- Bhagavad Gītā wisdom: Lokasangraha
→ Transcend personal desires → act for the well-being of all
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
India’s Renewable Energy Leadership
Launch & Purpose
- Launched in 2015 by India + France
- Coalition of sunshine-rich countries
- Focus: Nations with abundant year-round sunlight
India’s Contributions
- Channelled billions of dollars into solar projects across developing nations
- Shared technical expertise
- Created affordable financing options
Symbol of Ambition
- Bhadla Solar Park = symbol of India’s solar ambitions
- Shows transition path:
traditional energy → renewable alternatives
Dual Benefit for India
- Represents both:
- Environmental responsibility
- Economic opportunity