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Natural Resources

( Article Type: Explanation )

‘Natural resources’ is the term used to describe the basic materials and resources that are produced through the earth’s own inherent natural processes and systems. They include the planet’s air, water, and land; nutrients, minerals and resources in the soil; wild and domesticated plants and animals and the entire range of nature’s natural systems for waste disposal, purification, dilution, recycling abilities and pest control. Humankind must be sensitive to the use and management of renewable and non-renewable natural resources. If renewable resources such as fish stocks are not used in a sustainable manner (i.e. they are over-fished and extracted or utilised beyond their capacity to recover from the harvest), they are doomed to become non-renewable resources, resulting ultimately in extinction.

Non-renewable resources have a basic point where their reserves will run out. Non-renewable resources must be used wisely and economically to try to stretch their life span a little longer. For example, it is currently estimated that there are approximately 200 years of reserves of oil on earth at present. If those reserves are made to last longer, then not only will they be available longer but there may also be a chance that a suitable alternative may be discovered.


Associated Topics:

Air Quality , Water Conflict , Atmosphere , Biodiversity , Birds , Catchment Management , Conservation Planning (Systematic) , Earth Charter (The) , Energy , Environmental Accounting , Fisheries - The Ecosystem Approach , Forestry , Fossil Fuels , Geothermal Energy , Groundwater , Land Degradation , Marine Environment , Marine Life of Southern Africa , Mineral Resources , Natural Resources , Non-Renewable Resources , Oil Peak , Paint , Renewable Resources , Rivers & Wetlands , Soil , Stewardship , Tropical Rain Forest , Water and Water Pollution , Water ~ Urban Run-off , Wildlife

Associated Sustainable Development Articles:

Eco-Logic

Associated Organisations:

Africa Earth Observatory Network , Cape Institute for Agricultural Training: Elsenburg , Commercial Products from the Wild Group (CPWild) , Council for Geoscience , Department of Environmental Extension and Project Development , Desert Research Foundation of Namibia , Divwatt , ProNature Paints , Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife (KWAZULU-NATAL NATURE CONSERVATION SERVICE) , Go-Organic , Institute of Natural Resources , The National Association of Conservancies/Stewardships of South Africa (NACSSA) , South African National Parks , WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) , Organic Aloe , PhytoTrade Africa , Keystone Habitat , Cabinetworks , Hemptons Manufacturing & Distribution , EcoPack , Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) , Treasure Karoo Action Group , Augrabies Falls National Park , Mokala National Park