Dictionary
resources (actual and potential) supplied by nature
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Wikipedia
Natural resources are commodity commodities that are considered valuable in their relatively unmodified (naturenatural) form. A commodity is generally considered a natural resource when the primary activities associated with it are extraction and purification, as opposed to creation. Thus, mining, petroleum extraction, fishing, and forestry are generally considered natural-resource industries, while agriculture is not. The term was introduced to a broad audience by E.F. Schumacher in his 1970s book ''Small Is Beautiful''.Natural resources are often classified into renewable resourcerenewable and non-renewable resources. Renewable resources are generally living resources (fish, coffee, and forests, for example), which can restock (renew) themselves at approximately the rate at which they are extracted, if they are not Overharvestoverharvested. Non-living renewable natural resources include soil, as well as water, wind, tides and solar radiation — ''compare with'' renewable energy.Mineral resources are generally non-renewable and, once a site's non-renewable resource is exhausted, it is considered to be useless for future extraction, barring technological improvements that allow economic extraction from the tailings.Both extraction of the basic resource and refining it into a purer, directly usable form, (e.g., metals, refined oils) are generally considered natural-resource activities, even though the latter may not necessarily occur near the former.Natural resources are natural capital converted to commodity inputs to infrastructural capital processes. They include soil, timber, oil, minerals, and other goods taken more or less as they are from the Earth.A nation's natural resources often determine its wealth and status in the world economic system, by determining its political influence. Developed nations are those which are less dependent on natural resources for wealth, due to their greater reliance on infrastructural capital for production. However, some see a resource curse whereby easily obtainable natural resources could actually hurt the prospects of a national economy by fostering political corruption. ]]In recent years, the depletion of natural capital and attempts to move to sustainable development have been a major focus of development agencies. This is of particular concern in rainforest regions, which hold most of the Earth's natural biodiversity - irreplaceable genetic natural capital. Conservation of natural resources is the major focus of Natural Capitalism, environmentalism, the ecology movement, and Green Parties. Some view this depletion as a major source of social unrest and conflicts in developing nations.
See also - ecoregion WikiProject WikiProject EcoregionsEcoregions sustainable forestry fish wood metal minerals List of minerals petroleum mining refining prospecting soft energy path natural environmentenvironment land soil
External links - nrcan.gc.ca - Statistics on Natural Resources in !Canada&l t;!--Categories-->Category: EcologyCategory:Natural? resources*uralne]]ca:Recursos naturalsda:Naturlig !ressourcede:Rohstoffet:Loodusv araes:Recurso? naturalfr:Ressource naturellehe:משאבי טבעnl:Natuurlijke hulpbronpl:Zasoby naturalnept:Recurso naturalsimple:Natural !resourcesv:Naturresurszh:自 资源 DEBUG REDIRECT (natural resource)
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Websites
Junk Music
Donald Knaack, The Junkman, performs Junk Music.
http://www.junkmusic.org/
Zero Growth
Advocates an ethic of Zero Growth as an alternative to the growth-addiction which is leading the world to ruin.
http://www.zerogrowth.org/
WISA Healthy Homes
Healthy and Energy Efficient Homes
http://www.wisa.ca/
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
Provides links to conservation service offices in Fort Worth, Texas.
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
promote an understanding and appreciation of natural resources and to work with the people of Illinois to protect and manage Illinois' resources to ensure a high quality of life for present and future generations.
http://dnr.state.il.us/
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Charged with management of the state's natural resources to attain sustainability. Oversees the state parks and trails systems. Regulates hunting, fishing, use of state forests.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/
Natural Resources Defense Council
Non profit that uses law, science, and the support of its 500,000+ members to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure a safe, healthy environment for all living things. Provides information on many environmental issues.
http://www.nrdc.org/
Department of Natural Resources
Provides information about outdoor sporting, departmental news, and employment opportunities.
http://www.dnr.state.sc.us/
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