Geography
Resources on Earth
Resources on Earth refer to the various materials and substances that are naturally occurring and can be used by humans for various purposes. These resources include water, minerals, forests, and energy sources such as oil and natural gas. They are essential for sustaining life and supporting human activities, and their availability and distribution have significant impacts on human societies and the environment.
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eBook - PDFResources and Planning
Pergamon Oxford Geographies
- Brian Goodall, Andrew Kirby, W. B. Fisher, Brian Goodall, Andrew Kirby, W. B. Fisher(Authors)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Pergamon(Publisher)
Section III INVESTIGATING THE RESOURCE BASE 156 Resources and Planning Introduction Planning and geography are both concerned with the earth as the environment of man: an environment that influences how man lives and organises himself, but which is at the same time an environment that man himself has helped to create and to modify. The environment comprises both space and resources, and one of the functions of planning and geography is to seek a means of improving the ways in which they are used. But man is not only a resource -, or material-using animal; he is also waste-generating creature who increasingly seeks to use the ecological system of the earth for non-utilitarian purposes of a recreational or spiritual kind. The availability of resources creates opportunities for or imposes limitations on the fulfillment of these ambitions. Resources, particularly natural resources are, of course, a product of our society (Spoehr, 1956). They are therefore subject to variations in practice between societies, and through time, owing to different cultural practices: cultural appraisal, involving sensory perception of the environment, transforms nature into resources. The ability to realise the potential of these 'perceived' resources is dependent upon man's command of an effective technology. That same technology contributes to our knowledge and assessment of resource availability as, for example, in the expansion of remote sensing techniques exploiting different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum in geomorphology and the use of satellite surveillance in meteorology and climatology. It is vital to understand that the relationship between man and nature/resources is articulated indirectly through economic and social structure.
- Nigel Woodcock(Author)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
III EARTH RESOURCES FOR SOCIETY Chapter Five RESOURCES 5.1 Types of geological resources Coal, oil and gas, minerals and rocks: these are typical geological resources. They are usually considered to be non-renewable, with society progressively depleting a fixed stock of each commodity. By contrast, water or air are usually termed renewable, because natural processes replenish and recondition the stock as it is used. However, renewability is not a simple measure. All resources are renewable on some timescale. For instance, oil and gas are forming now in the world’s sedimentary basins, and mineral deposits beneath active volcanoes. On the other hand, water from rainfall may not be adequate to refill reservoirs or rock aquifers. A more helpful measure is the sustainability of a resource; whether or not its rate of use exceeds its rate of renewal. Most geological resources are unsustainable, because their formation processes are very slow on a human timescale. Oil is being used at least a million times faster than it is being recreated. Water and land are potentially sustainable resources, but only if managed correctly. Figure 5.1 The McKelvey resource classification scheme. Unsustainable resources make up most of the subsurface materials that geologists are called on to assess. A widely used method for assessing their availability is the McKelvey scheme (Fig. 5.1). In this, the resource base of a commodity is the total amount that exists on Earth. For most commodities this amount is of no practical interest, because much of it could never be economically exploited. The resources represent the part of the resource base that might conceivably be economic in the future. Within this amount, only the reserves are both economic now and identified with some geological certainty. A final fraction, previously part of the reserves, has been already produced and used by society.
eBook - PDF- Dhankhar, Rajesh(Authors)
- 2021(Publication Date)
- Daya Publishing House(Publisher)
I Natural Resources Introduction Forest Resources Water Resources Mineral Resources Food Resources Energy Resources Land Resources Role of an Individual in Conservation of Natural Resources INTRODUCTION n broad terms, a resource or natural resource, is an asset available to be used when needed by an organism or group of organisms. In other words, a resource is something useful for humanity, but the concept of utility can change because of technological, economical, and environmental factors. The sum total of all physical, chemical and social factors which compose the surrounding of man is referred to as environment and each element of these surroundings constitute resource on which man draws in order to develop a better life. Any material which can be transformed in a way that it becomes more valuable and useful can be termed as resource. It is possible to obtain valuable items from any resource. This ebook is exclusively for this university only. Cannot be resold/distributed. Ramade (1984) defined a resource as a form of energy or matter which is essential for the functioning of organisms, population and ecosystem. In the case of human beings, a resource, in his words, “is any form of energy or matter essential for fulfilment of physiological, socio-economic and cultural needs, both at the individual level and that of the community”. The functioning of ecosystem or of technological civilisation involves a continuous flow and consumption of energy. In light of this fact, a resource may be defined as one of the various forms of primary source of energy present in nature. The five basic ecological variables are energy, matter, space, time and diversity, sometimes together called natural resource. Classification of Natural Resources Resources may be classified on the basis of the following. 1. Availability (i) Inexhaustible: These resources are unlimited in quantity and quality. With the passage of time quality may be degraded but not the quantity.
eBook - PDF- Sam Stuart(Author)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Pergamon(Publisher)
2 Resources and Raw Materials Defined Introduction One cannot discuss any problem without understanding the terms employed in the discussion. This applies particularly to resources and raw materials, because many differences of opinion - for example, concerning the length of time that minerals can be expected to last - are attributable to the use of different concepts. In the present chapter, the terms are discussed with reference to figure 2. Substances are elements, chemical compounds or mixtures having specific chemical or physical properties. Natural resources are those substances in the soil, water or the atmosphere which in principle can or could be used by man. In the ultimate analysis a natural resource represents the properties possessed by certain substances or combinations of substances, e.g. having a certain electrical conductivity, being hard or being resistant to acids. This becomes particularly apparent when soil, air or water are referred to as natural resources, because the important thing may well be, not the actual substances present in the resource but the properties of those substances - for example, being a basis of biological production (soil, water ), or having the capacity to absorb and carry off substances(water). 'Resources' are those parts of natural resources which are known and accessible and which it is believed can, come to be used under foreseeable technological and economic conditions. Reserves are those parts of resources which are already sufficiently known and accessible to be utilized profitably with the available technology. Raw materials, finally, aqp substances or mixtures of substances which, in one form or another, are used in industrial or other processes in order to manufacture a product. We may already here observe that the raw material, reserve and resource concepts are not timeless. New technology and changes in the prices of raw materials may have the effect of widening the resource base.
eBook - PDFResources Society and the Future
A Report Prepared for the Swedish Secretariat for Futures Studies By
- Tomas Bertelman, Ernst Hollander, Carl-Axel Olsson(Authors)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- Pergamon(Publisher)
2 Resources and Raw Materials Defined Introduction One cannot discuss any problem without understanding the terms employed in the discussion. This applies particularly to resources and raw materials, because many differences of opinion - for example, concerning the length of time that minerals can be expected to last - are attributable to the use of different concepts. In the present chapter, the terms are discussed with reference to figure 2. Substances are elements, chemical compounds or mixtures having specific chemical or physical properties. Natural resources are those substances in the soil, water or the atmosphere which in principle can or could be used by man. In the ultimate analysis a natural resource represents the properties possessed by certain substances or combinations of substances, e.g. having a certain electrical conductivity, being hard or being resistant to acids. This becomes particularly apparent when soil, air or water are referred to as natural resources, because the important thing may well be, not the actual substances present in the resource but the properties of those substances - for example, being a basis of biological production (soil, water ), or having the capacity to absorb and carry off substances(water). Resources* are those parts of natural resources which are known and accessible and which it is believed can, come to be used under foreseeable technological and economic conditions. Reserves are those parts of resources which are already sufficiently known and accessible to be utilized profitably with the available technology. Raw materials, finally, are substances or mixtures of substances which, in one form or another, are used in industrial or other processes in order to manufacture a product. We may already here observe that the raw material, reserve and resource concepts are not timeless. New technology and changes in the prices of raw materials may have the effect of widening the resource base.
eBook - PDF- John J.W. Rogers, Trileigh (Patricia) L. Tucker(Authors)
- 2008(Publication Date)
- Greenwood(Publisher)
4 Resources and the Environment Geology and atmospheric dynamics control the distribution of natu- ral resources around the world. Reallocating these resources so that they are shared with those in countries other than where they originate has profoundly shaped world history, including power relationships, na- tional boundaries, and the well-being of billions of people throughout geography and time. We discuss five critical aspects of present and past consumption of resources and the environmental consequences of their use: (1) en- ergy resources; (2) mineral and rock resources; (3) food resources; (4) fresh water resources; and (5) wireless communication and the Internet, which has recently become one of the world’s most powerful resources. Energy resources have been critical to cultural evolution throughout history because use of stored energy multiplies the productivity of hu- man and animal energy. The activities involved in discovery, extraction, refining, purchase, delivery, and use of these energy resources constitute a significant proportion of world economic activity. All energy sources, however, create significant problems. The United States must import most of its oil, and world reserves are being depleted. Burning fossil fuels has serious consequences for global atmospheric processes (see Chapter 1). Nuclear fuels have several downsides, partly because ra- dioactive elements can be used for making the most powerful weapons ever invented, and radioactive isotopes are very hard to get rid of safely once they have been created for any purpose. Fully renewable energy resources include hydropower, solar and wind energy, and biofuels, but production of some biofuels reduces the amount of food available for people. Mineral and rock resources have been critical for making tools and other physical goods throughout history and also for serving as symbols
eBook - PDFScience, Technology and Society
Needs, Challenges and Limitations
- Klaus-Heinrich Standke, M. Anandakrishnan(Authors)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Pergamon(Publisher)
The ever-increasing need for natural resources has instilled a sense of innovation into the scientific community, which has come forward in a big way in the last two decades to meet the demands of national economic development. As an outcome of this, conceptual models have been proposed, validated, and in many cases, have paid rich dividends. The increasing rate of economic progress of nations in the latter part of this century at a rate much faster than before has created, and is contributing to, the crisis of natural resources that are indeed the backbone of progress and developnent. In spite of the creation of geopoliti-cal problems this crisis of shortage and depletion of natural resources has acted as a catalyst in the process of cross-fertilization of scientific ideas and mutual collaboration of the scientists across political boxindaries. In order to cope iko with this situation that is unprecedented in the history of mankind, technology as applicable to earth science studies has advanced in rapid strides. Sophisticated tecliniques of terrain evaluation by space imageries, modern methods of geophysical exploration, both off-shore and on-shore, means of exploration in shallow and deep marine basins and advanced techniques in the study of continental areas of complex geological history vri.th potentials of exploitable natural resources, have evolved. These are all an outcome of the awareness that prudent manlcind in its endeavours must provide for an intimate understanding of the earth and for an enquiry into geological processes that have operated over the span of the earth's history, and which operate even today. There has been a need for the continuing inventory of current and potential resources.
eBook - ePub- A.S. Mather, K. Chapman(Authors)
- 2018(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
CHAPTER 3 Environmental resources in space and timeThe control of environmental resources and the means of exchange of resource products were discussed in Chapter 2 . This chapter reviews the equally important questions of how resources are distributed in space and how they have been perceived and utilized through time. It is concerned with the wheres and whens of environmental resources, and in particular with how these are inter-related.To state the obvious, the global physical environment is far from uniform. Climate, soil type and terrain all vary greatly over the Earth’s surface. The distribution of the human population, and of the demand for environmental resources, is also highly variable. In addition, as Chapter 1 suggests, different attitudes to the environment exist in different parts of the world. This chapter shows that these factors have changed over time, at least in many parts of the world. It also highlights the significance of what has been described as the ‘conquest of space’: easier and cheaper forms of transport have combined with political and economic imperatives to transform the spatial scale of resource use. In the past, people could usually look only to local environments for resources, but today world-wide systems of supply exist for many resource products. Whereas we were once ‘ecosystem people’, dependent on what could be obtained from the local ecosystem, now we are ‘biosphere people’, drawing resources from around the world (Dasmann, 1988). The use of environmental resources is therefore carried out within a changing framework of space and time. An understanding of how this framework has evolved is essential to the understanding of modern issues and problems in the management of environmental resources.Spatial characteristics of environmental resources
A spatial classification of resources
Some environmental resources are strongly localized, while others are widespread or even ubiquitous. The atmosphere and its oxygen are literally ubiquitous, while the ocean is very widespread and land is extensive. These spatial characteristics provide the basis for a simple classification of resources. Ubiquities occur everywhere, while commonalities occur in many and widespread areas. The atmosphere is an example of the former, and arable land or forests of the latter. On the other hand, rarities are strongly localized, occurring only in a few (usually small) areas. Some mineral deposits are among the best examples of resource rarities. In a few cases, they may amount to uniquities, occurring at only one point.
eBook - PDFThe Blue Planet
An Introduction to Earth System Science
- Brian J. Skinner, Barbara W. Murck(Authors)
- 2011(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
Resource supplies were vast in comparison to the level of demand placed on them, and the discarded wastes from resource use were easily absorbed, with little impact. Today, with a population of almost 7 billion, our level of resource extraction is beginning to push the lim- its of the system’s carrying capacity. We are using some resources faster than they are being replenished, and we are degrading the physical systems on which their replenishment depends. The huge quantity and harmful characteristics of some of the wastes generated by human activities threaten to overwhelm the systems into which they are emitted. Humans are by far the largest cause of displacement of Earth materials—we move more rock and sediment each year than all the great rivers of the world combined (FIG. 17.1). Let’s begin by considering how we became such prodigious users of Earth resources. RESOURCES FROM THE EARTH SYSTEM Civilization and natural resources are inseparable—the former would not have been possible without the latter. Scholars have even marked the stages of civilization by the natural resources our ancestors learned to use: Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age. Human history and the story of civilization are thus inextricably linked to the human innovations in the use of Earth resources. History of Human Resource Use The first resources that early humans used were the fruits, nuts, animals, and fish they hunted and gathered, a life- style that is still maintained by some traditional nomadic people today (FIG. 17.2). These materials are renewable resources because their supply is replenished by new growth each season. Millions of years ago our ancestors started to use another class of natural resources, when they picked up suitably shaped stones for use as hunting aids (FIG. 17.3). Stones for tool use are a nonrenewable resource, so-called because even though they are replenished naturally, the rates of replenishment are measured in millions of years rather than in annual seasons.
eBook - PDFGeography of Tourism
Image, Impacts and Issues
- Peter Mason(Author)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- Goodfellow Publishers(Publisher)
3 Geographical Resources for Tourism Introduction Chapters 1 and 2 made brief reference to a number of potential geographical resources for tourism. Some of these resources are located within the physical environment, such as landscapes, and include coastal area, moorlands and mountains. Others are part of the human environment, including towns and cities and historic monuments – in summary this is usually known as the built environment. These physical resources and human resources are not necessarily located separately but are often found together. For example, a coastal tourism destination has a physical environment which may be made up of a beach, a shoreline, the sea and it could be backed by cliffs. This will be coupled with a human environment of, for example, hotels, restaurants and bars and possibly, a harbour or marina. This chapter considers the physical and human resources for tourism. Key perspectives Approximately 50 years ago, Peters (1969) provided an attempt to classify tourist attractions. His classification, which was made in relation to international tour-ism, had five categories, which are as follows: Cultural: (e.g. sites of archaeological interest, historical buildings and muse-ums, political institutions) Traditions: (e.g. festivals, music, folklore, arts and handicrafts) Scenic: (e.g. National Parks, wildlife, flora and fauna, beach resorts, moun-tain resorts) Entertainment: (e.g. zoos and aquaria night life, cinema, theatre, theme parks) Other attractions: (e.g. climate, health resorts, spas, unique attractions not available elsewhere) (source: Peters,1989) Not long after Peters put forward his fivefold classification, Robinson (1976) argued that very many tourism attractions are, in fact, geographical and suggested that Geography of Tourism 28 there are seven geographical aspects of tourism.
eBook - PDF- Kieran D. O'Hara(Author)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
This does not include irrigation water needed to grow food. Chapter 14 addresses mainly freshwater resources (both surface and groundwater), but also includes desalination of seawater, which is becoming increasingly important in drought regions such as Australia and the Middle East. Drought leads to both soil erosion and water shortages. It was predicted by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) that droughts would become more extreme due to global warming and this has already been observed in south- east Australia, the Middle East, Texas, and Mexico (Chapter 15). Resources versus Reserves Every president of the United States since the 1970s has stated that it is essential for the country to become energy independent or self-sufficient, but this goal has yet to be accomplished. The United States relies on foreign imports of about 8 million barrels of oil each day, recently reduced from about 10 million barrels per day due to recession and domestic natural gas production, mainly for trans- portation purposes. 16 Chapter 1 Introduction Energy reserves refer to deposits that geologists and other resource engineers consider likely to exist on the basis of current geologic knowledge, and that can be economically extracted under current legal and technological conditions. Energy resources, on the other hand, refer to hypothetical or speculative deposits that could exist and may not be economic to extract (Figure 1.9). Energy reserves are therefore likely to be a more accurate estimate of what is known to exist; resources are what possibly could exist. Reserves are always less, often substantially less, than resources. Higher prices and newer technology may make resources more economic thereby placing them in the reserve category. Conversely, lower prices may place reserves in the uneconomic resource category.
eBook - PDFThe Development Dictionary
A Guide to Knowledge as Power
- Wolfgang Sachs(Author)
- 2009(Publication Date)
- Zed Books(Publisher)
006 Resources VANDANA SHIVA ‘R esource’ originally implied life. Its root is the Latin verb surgere , which evoked the image of a spring that continually rises from the ground. Like a spring, a ‘re-source’ rises again and again, even if it has repeatedly been used and consumed. The concept thus highlighted nature’s power of self-regeneration and called attention to her prodigious creativ-ity. Moreover, it implied an ancient idea about the relationship between humans and nature: that the earth bestows gifts on humans who, in turn, are well advised to show diligence in order not to suffocate her generosity. In early modern times, ‘resource’ therefore suggested reciprocity along with regeneration. GIFTS, INPUTS AND SUBSTITUTES With the advent of industrialism and colonialism, however, a conceptual break occurred. ‘Natural resources’ became those parts of nature which were required as inputs for industrial production and colonial trade. John Yeates in his Natural History of Commerce offered in /65. the first definition of the new meaning: ‘In speaking of the natural resources of any country, we refer to the ore in the mine, the stone unquarried, the timber unfelled (etc.).’ 1 In this view, nature has been clearly stripped of her creative power; she has turned into a container for raw materials waiting to be transformed into inputs for commodity production. Resources are now merely ‘any material or condi-tions existing in nature which may be capable of economic exploitation’. 2 With the capacity of regeneration gone, the attitude of reciprocity has also lost its ground: it is now simply human inventiveness and industry which impart value to nature. For natural resources require to be ‘developed’. Only once capital and technology have been brought in will nature find her destiny.
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