Final answer:
Over-harvesting, introducing invasive species, and emitting greenhouse gases are activities that do not conserve or protect natural resources. Instead, they can be detrimental by leading to resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and environmental damage. Sustainable practices like reducing, reusing, and recycling are essential for conservation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Conserving and Protecting Natural Resources
Among the options provided to identify activities that do not help in conserving or protecting natural resources, over-harvesting is detrimental. Over-harvesting refers to the use of a natural resource at an unsustainable rate, such as over-fishing, which can lead to the depletion of entire populations of fish. Overusing soils for farming without replenishing their nutrients can also lead to soil degradation. Another non-conservation activity is introducing invasive species to new ecosystems, which can disrupt local biodiversity and damage the environment. Additionally, the emission of greenhouse gases contributes to global warming, which can have widespread negative impacts on natural resources like forests, fisheries, and freshwater. Conversely, actions that help increase the carrying capacity of the environment sustainably include agriculture, domestication of animals, and the use of language for coordination and planning.
It is important to understand that even renewable resources are not limitless. Good practices for conserving natural resources involve reducing consumption, reusing items, and recycling. The conspicuous absence of sustainable practices in activities such as over-harvesting is a clear signal that it does not conserve or protect natural resources.