Types of Environmental Resources

TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES

by Antonio C. Antonio

January 6, 2015

Are natural resources and environmental resources one and the same?  To some degree, they are the same… but, strictly and technically speaking, they are not the same.  So how do we now differentiate natural resources as opposed to environmental resources?

A resource is anything that serves a need and is useful and available at a particular cost.  It is important to note that all living organisms get all their resources needs from the environment.  The difference between natural resources and environmental resources is that natural resources are provided by Mother Earth or by Mother Nature while environmental resources are resources that can be taken from the environment.  Additionally, natural resources are the actual and potential resources (goods and services) supplied by nature while environmental resources are resources (goods) that can be taken from the environment.

It is also very important to note that there are two types of environmental resources… renewable and non-renewable.  Renewable resources are resources that can be replaced by the environment as long as it is given reasonable time to regenerate before extracted again.  Examples of renewable resources are the living organisms that are part of the food chain.  Non-renewable resources are resources whose supplies are finite or replaced by the environment in an excessively long period of time that is outside the lifespan of man.  The most common examples of non-renewable resources are coal and other fossil fuels.

The utilization of either renewable or non-renewable resources should be within the limits of sustainability… without which will certainly bring us long-term problems from short-term gains.  Understanding the needs of the future generations should be the paramount concern of the present generation.  Without a balanced and sustainable utilization of natural and/or environmental resources, there really is no sense knowing that there are two types of environmental resources.

Just my little thoughts…

(Please visit, like and share Pro EARTH Crusaders on Facebook or follow me at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/.)