NATURAL RESOURCES

Natural resources and Human Responsibility



Human responsibility towards natural resources

Natural resources are the elements and forces of nature, which a man can use for his benefit. These natural resources also represent sources of wealth, which are used for economic exploitation. For example, minerals, soil, animals, and plants are natural resources that a man can directly use for his benefit; however, in the process, they exploit the natural resources. Similarly, fuels, wind, and water can be used as natural resources for production of energy. However, the best use of natural resources depends on the thing that a man has to respect the laws of nature. (Muradian and Alier, 2001).

The conservation of the natural resources could be considered as a social and socioeconomic system, which is aimed at the rational use of natural resources, conservation of natural complexes that are typical, rare, or endangered species and take steps for environmental protection against pollution and degradation of the natural world.

Primitive communities did not have a substantail impact on the exploitation of natural resources, but when they formed the business associations, the natural environment started to feel the initial damage.

In feudal times, there was an increase in the human population; therefore, there was a need for increasing the number of human colonies, this led to the increased exploitation of forests, and developed animal husbandry, fishing and other human activities that damaged the natural world. However, the industrial revolution and the rise of capitalism were the main factors that had the most dramatic affect on the natural world and the rise of capitalism and the industrial revolution played a monumental role in the degradation of the environment. The process of soil contamination was accelerated by the rise of industrial development, and this further led to the over-exploitation of natural resources. Therefore, it is extremely crucail for man to implement urgent measures to protect natural resources and ensure at the same time, their own survival.

Natural resources are of two types: renewable and nonrenewable. The difference between them is determined by the possibility for renewable to be used repeatedly, whenever the man takes care of the process of regeneration. (Richards 2002)

Plants, animals, water, soil, among others, are renewable resources, whenever, there is a genuine concern for exploitation, in such a way, which would allow natural regeneration.

However, minerals and oil are nonrenewable resources because it requires complex processes that take thousands of years to be formed. The human beings can take immense advantage of the natural resources, but at the same time, they have to take reasonable care of the natural world around them.

The concept of natural resources is inseparable from the survival of a human being. After the end of World War II, the concept of responsibility of human beings towards the natural environment has gained popularity.

First, the scientific progress in fields such as soil and water conservation, air pollution and water, the harmful effects of peptic and other remaining chemicals, have contributed to development of the need to consider the nature of interdependence of the various factors in the environment, ...