Nature and Society: Resources, Overexploitation, and Pollution
Relations Between Nature and Society
Dependence on Nature
Until the late nineteenth century, and in many cases well into the twentieth century, the population lived primarily on agriculture and animal husbandry. The available technology was very basic.
Nature as an Inexhaustible Source of Wealth
From the Industrial Revolution onward, energy sources such as coal and petroleum made possible the emergence of increasingly powerful machines.
Unsustainable Growth: Natural Resources are Not Inexhaustible
Several decades ago, wealthy countries realized that the pace of exploitation of natural resources is unsustainable.
Ecological Awareness and Sustainable Development
Overexploitation of Resources
It has reached a point where resources are exploited and consumed far faster than nature can replenish and recycle them. Currently, there is great concern about the possible depletion of resources such as petroleum.
Pollution of the Environment
Obtaining a large number of resources, their industrial processing, and the consumption of certain products require a lot of energy. This activity and the accumulation of waste pollute the air, land, and water.
Availability of the Planet’s Resources
Economic Inequalities Between Countries
The location of natural resources explains, in part, how the world’s population is distributed. Exploiting a natural resource requires having the appropriate technology and sufficient economic resources.
Countries and the Inability to Export Natural Resources
Water can serve as an example. Some human groups live a short distance from mighty rivers, but they lack the means to channel a portion of the water and divert it to their settlements.
Rich Countries Control the Majority of the Planet’s Resources
The power of multinational companies is currently very great because they control the export of resources from anywhere in the world.
Overexploitation and Pollution of Natural Resources
The enormous pressure that mankind exerts on the environment causes serious deterioration and impoverishment of natural resources, known as environmental impact.
Overexploitation of Water Resources
Impact on Surface Water: Rivers
In order to provide water where it is scarce, the natural course of rivers is diverted for the construction of canals.
Impact on Underground Water
Aquifers’ overexploitation of groundwater, i.e., the extraction of larger amounts of water than the aquifers can renew, causes saltwater to penetrate underground.
Pollution of Freshwater
It has several origins:
- Human: Water from activities such as personal hygiene.
- Agricultural and Livestock: Water contaminated by fertilizers and animal waste from farms.
- Industrial: Wastewater altered by waste such as heavy metals.
Pollution of Seawater
Pollution of seas and oceans has equally dangerous ecological consequences. The main causes can be:
- Commercial navigation
- Urban, industrial, and agricultural pollution
- The effects of tourism, which is very intense in summer.
Environmental Impacts: Air and Vegetation
Air Pollution
The current economic and energy model, based on high fossil fuel consumption and massive production of products that generate waste when released into the atmosphere, causes air pollution.
Consequences: Acid rain, reduction of the ozone layer, and the greenhouse effect.
Deforestation
Trees play a very important environmental role: they consume CO2 and release oxygen into the air.
Causes:
- Economic interests that seek immediate benefits.
- Excessive wood consumption in rich countries.
- Human activities related to industrial society.
Consequences:
- Landslides and floods.
- Loss of biodiversity.
- Increased greenhouse effect.
Possible solutions:
- Reforestation of land.
- Restrictions on cropland.