Earth and everything in it is a gift that needs to be grateful for and preserved. Abundant natural resources make humans and living things use it for everyday life.

Examples such as water, soil, air, and all kinds of benefits that exist in the earth can be used to meet human needs. This is why, natural resources need to be conserved .

Basically, the types of natural resources are categorized into two. First, renewable natural resources, and second, non-renewable natural resources.

In Indonesia, it is very fortunate that natural resources are abundantly available. For that, we need to understand what the meaning, benefits, and how to conserve these types of natural resources are. Let's see the explanation in this article!

Understanding Natural Resources Is

According to experts, the definition of natural resources is all elements and components that come from the natural environment that can be utilized by humans to meet their needs and increase their welfare.

For example, humans use forests to get wood that can be used to make houses, bridges, and household appliances. In addition, natural resources such as river sand, which can be used as building materials and bring economic value.

What is clear is that natural resources must be preserved and maintained because they are limited in number, especially non-renewable natural resources.

Types of Natural Resources

As already explained, there are two types of natural resources. These are renewable natural resources and non-renewable natural resources. Let's learn one by one the meaning of each below!

A. Renewable Natural Resources

Nature has various resources that humans can use to maintain their survival. Renewable natural resources are natural resources that can be recovered or re-cultivated.

What are some examples? Examples of renewable natural resources include: water, sunlight, air, soil, and plants.

With the right technique, humans can restore the conditions of water, soil, air, or plant cultivation so that they continue to be available on earth. That's why we call it a natural resource that can be renewed or re-created.

B. Non-Renewable Natural Resources

Second, non-renewable natural resources are the types of natural resources that will run out and be destroyed if they continue to be used.

The easiest example to illustrate is the availability of coal and oil. As non-renewable natural resources, if humans continue to use coal and oil, their numbers will be depleted, even depleted.

What's more, petroleum comes from weathering fossils of ancient animals such as extinct dinosaurs. If humans only depend on oil, the world is in danger of running out of resources and fuel energy supplies.

Other examples of non-renewable natural resources are gold, silver, limestone, and other minerals.

Benefits of Natural Resources

For years, natural resources have supported human survival. Starting from forest products, mining products, air, water, soil, and all kinds of earth's contents that are used by humans.

Here are the benefits of natural resources that we need to know:

1. Energy Source

It is clear that natural resources are used by humans as a source of energy and fuel. Usually, natural resources that are often used are natural gas and petroleum as vehicle fuels.

2. Power Station

Modern society cannot be separated from the availability of electricity. Unfortunately, currently some countries still rely on oil and coal as energy sources for power generation.

Meanwhile, developed countries have implemented alternative renewable energy sources such as wind energy and sunlight.

3. Meeting Food Needs

Natural resources such as plants, forests, soil, water, and air are essential elements for farming and agricultural success. Humans can produce food with the support of adequate environmental conditions.

4. Meet the Needs of Clothing/Clothing

The clothing industry relies on natural resources such as cotton, silk (silk caterpillars), fleece (wool), and root crops as fabric dyes.

5. Meet the Needs of Shelters/ Boards

Humans use natural resources to make decent shelters and homes. Various types of building construction materials almost entirely use natural resources. For example sand, stone, wood, bamboo, and so on.

6. Oxygen Availability

Natural resources such as the forests of Kalimantan are the lungs of the world that can supply the earth's oxygen levels up to 30%. Plants will absorb toxic gases in the air and convert them into clean oxygen for humans and animals to breathe.

7. Additional Foreign Exchange

Indonesia's abundant natural resources are an additional source of foreign exchange for the country. As is known, Freeport's gold mine in Papua produces tens of tons of gold per day. Examples of other natural resources that are valuable for foreign exchange are silver, copper, nickel, bauxite, petroleum, natural gas, and other mining products.

How to Conserve Natural Resources

Although natural resources can be utilized by humans. However, we need to use it wisely so as not to damage the environment.

Here are some ways to conserve natural resources that you can start with yourself:

• Dispose of garbage in the trash and recycle non-biodegradable waste.
• Save electricity consumption.
• Save water usage.
• Using environmentally friendly fueled vehicles .
• Planting trees and caring for the environment

Every little thing we do to preserve the environment, will have a big impact on future generations. Let's start preserving sustainable natural resources so that future generations can enjoy them.