PHILIPPINE BIODIVERSITY

Reports show that in many islands of the Philippine archipelago, there is a high number of
endemic plants and animals (endemic means found only in the Philippines). The country hosts
more than 52,177 described species of which more than half is found nowhere else in the world.
They say that on a per unit area basis, the Philippines shelters more diversity of life than any
other country on the planet.

Conserving and Protecting Natural Resources

There are two types of natural resources on Earth - renewable and nonrenewable. What
is the difference between these two kinds of resources?

The food people eat comes from plants and animals. Plants are replaced by new ones
after each harvest. People also eat animals. Animals have the capacity to reproduce and are
replaced when young animals are born. Water in a river or in a well may dry up. But when the
rain comes the water is replaced. Plants, animals, and water are resources that can be
replaced. They are renewable resources.

Most plants grow in top soil. Rain and floods wash away top soil. Can top soil be
replaced easily? Soil comes from rocks and materials from dead plants and animals. It takes
thousands of years for soil to form. Soil cannot be replaced easily, or it takes a very long time to
replace. It is a nonrenewable resource.

Metals like copper, iron, and aluminum are abundant on Earth. But people are using
them up fast. They have to dig deeper into the ground to get what they need. Coal, oil and
natural gas (fossil fuels) were formed from plants and animals that lived on Earth millions of
years ago. It takes millions of years for dead plants and animals to turn into fossil fuels. Soil,
coal, oil and natural gas are nonrenewable resources.

Table 2. Ways People Destroy Natural Resources

Activities

Effects on Natural Resources

(1)

(2)

When roads are built, mountains are

blown off using dynamite.

Damage natural habitats and/or kill

plants and animals.

Rice fields are turned into residential or

commercial centers.

People cut too many trees for lumber or

paper or building houses.

More factories are being built to keep up

with the demands of a fast growing
population and industrialization.

Too much mining and quarrying for the

purpose of getting precious metals and
stones and gravel.

Some farmers use too much chemical

fertilizers to replenish soil fertility.

Too much fertilizer destroys the quality

of the soil and is harmful to both human
and animals.

Plastics and other garbage are burned.

Cars, trucks, and tricycles that emit dark

smoke (smoke belchers) are allowed to
travel.

Protecting Resources in Your Own Way

All resources used by humans, including fuels, metals, and building materials, come
from the Earth. Many of these resources are not in endless supply. It has taken many thousands
and millions of years to develop and accumulate these resources.

To conserve natural resources is to protect or use them wisely without wasting them or
using them up completely. Conserving natural resources can make them last and be available
for future generations. This is what sustainability of natural resources means. Each one of us
should think about how to make things sustainable. Remember: The lives of future generations
depend on how we use natural resources today.