Rational use of natural resources

The problem of rational use of natural resources is closely connected with environmental protection.

Today the interaction between society and nature resulting from intense industrial growth through out the world on the basis of existing technologies that produce a diversity of by-products has attained dimensions that are so extreme that they threaten to mankind’s very existence, both through the depletion of natural resources and through the pollution of man’s environment that is dangerous to his life.

It is estimated that the aggregate volume of goods and services in developed countries now doubles every 15 years, and there is a tendency for that period to decrease. But the volume of waste from economic activities continues to double, too. It contaminates the atmosphere, water bodies, and the soil. For each inhabitant of industrially developed countries approximately 30 tons of matter are extracted each year, of which only 1-1.5 per cent is embodied in products that are consumed, while the rest is a huge amount of industrial and household waste discharged into the environment. Here are some figures. In the 1970s, about 2 million chemical compounds (aside from chemical fertilizers) were discharged into earth’s biosphere. According to the World Health Organization, 40,000 chemical agents used by man kind are harmful for the human organism. Every year over 250,000 new chemical compounds are synthesized in the world, of which about 300 are utilized in production and may enter the environment.

Environmental pollution in the industrialized capitalist countries is reaching formidable proportions. For example, in Japan in 1970 it amounted to $ 23 billion, and in the United States, in 1977 the damage caused by air pollution alone was as high as $ billion.

Modern industrial production creates basically new materials and wastes hitherto non-existent in nature and in many respects foreign to living organisms by their physical and chemical structure. The influence exerted by new chemical substances, new types of energy, and various physical radiations on man has given rise to formerly unknown diseases, namely, genetic, toxicological, allergic, respiratory, endocrine and others. The problem of a healthy environment has now become as vital as that of providing man with foodstuffs or energy.

An enormous work has been done in our country over past few years on the rational use and reproduction of natural resources, and prevention and liquidation of adverse consequences of society’s influence on the environment. The state allocates huge sums for environmental protection, provides for further measures to control the environment and sources of its pollution.

They envisage the introduction of new effective ways of developing mineral deposits, the elimination of harmful discharges into the atmosphere, combating production, transport and bother noises, vibrations and the effect of electric and magnetic fields and radiation. The state also provides for the comprehensive and rational utilization and protection of land, water and forest resources, for upgrading forecasting and minimizing the impact of industrial production on the environment, taking into account possible consequences when preparing and adopting various projects.

A large environmental improvement project is under way in Russia. In view of the water shortage in a number of regions and the impending growth of water consumption it is planned to oblige all branches of the national economy, particularly agriculture (in irrigation of land) to use water thriftily, and to increase the water resources of southern regions by territorially redistributing the drain.

To preserve the purity of water bodies provision is made for water protection measures, further large-scale construction of purifying installations in cities and rural areas, and in industry with a total daily carrying capacity of over 70 million cu.m. Measures are carried out to prevent mineral fertilizers and toxic chemicals from being transferred from arable lands. Industry is facing the enormous task of introducing non-waste technology.

It is planned to preserve southern seas, particularly the Caspian Sea and the Sea of Azov. Tens of millions of roubles are allocated annually for the conservation and restoration of fish resources.

Better technical maintenance of motor vehicles, the application of neutralizers, upgrading of engine design, use of new types of fuel and low-toxic additives thereto, the manufacture of gas-cylinder cars as well as the elaboration of optimal traffic control systems- all this will help minimize air pollution in cities caused by motor transport.

Far-reaching environmental protection measures are being implemented in agriculture. Organizational and economic measures were sufficient to raise the anti-erosion effect. Agrotechnical measures will help to additionally retain surface drain and decrease soil washout.

Biological means of combating diseases and pest control are being worked out and brought to the commercial level along with an increase in the manufacture of mineral fertilizers and chemical agents to protect plants.

Monitoring the discharge of toxic and harmful substances into the environment is also being intensified. With respect to more than 2,500 noxious substances limits have been set up in Russia to the maximum permissible concentration in the air, water, soil and foodstuffs. In most cases the environmental quality standards in Russia are more stringent than those in other countries.