This document defines and discusses the concepts of finiteness, resources, and the finiteness of resources. It states that while resources are abundant in nature, they are finite and limited due to constraints of space, time, and the laws of nature. Both renewable resources like plants and animals and nonrenewable resources like fossil fuels are discussed. The document also provides examples of different types of natural resources like water, soil, minerals, vegetation and animals, and discusses some of their common uses.

2. FINITENESS
OF
RESOURCES

3. DEFINITION OF TERMS
• FINITENESS
• RESOURCES
• FINITENESS OF RESOURCES

4. FINITENESS
HAVING BOUNDS OR LIMITS; NOT INFINITE;
MEASURABLE.
SUBJECT TO LIMITATIONS OR
CONDITIONS, AS OF
SPACE, TIME, CIRCUMSTANCES, OR THE
LAWS OF NATURE: MAN'S FINITE

5. RESOURCES
ARE WHAT OCCURS IN NATURE IN THEIR ORIGINAL, UNTOUCHED
FORM - UNLESS OF COURSE MAN DISTURBS THIS. THEY CONSIST
OF ALL THINGS THAT DO NOT COME UNDER MAN-MADE
CREATIONS, WHERE WHAT WE SEE AROUND US THAT TAKES ITS
COURSE WITHOUT THE INTERVENTION OF HUMANS, IS WHAT
WOULD ACCOUNT AS A NATURAL RESOURCE. FROM RIVERS TO
MOUNTAINS, TO PRECIOUS STONES AND MINERALS, THE EARTH
IS ABUNDANT WITH RESOURCES THAT DEVELOP ON THE PLANET
USING ITS SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT TO HELP IT THRIVE OR

6. FINITENESS OF RESOURCES
• FINITENESS OF RESOURCES IT MEANS THAT THERE ARE
LIMITATIONS AND BOUNDARIES TO UTILIZATION. EVEN THE
MOST ABUNDANT NATURAL RESOURCES ARE IN DANGER
OF BEING DEPLETED IN THE LIGHT OF HUMAN
OVERPOPULATION AND OVEREXPLOITATION.
• MOST RESOURCES ARE NONRENEWABLE. THEY HAVE TO

8. TYPES OF NATURAL RESOURCES
• FOREST RESOURCES (PERTAINING TO PLANT AND TREE
LIFE)
• HUMAN RESOURCES (THE POPULATION AT LARGE)
• HYDRO GEOLOGICAL RESOURCES (WATER BODIES OF
ALL KINDS)
• ANIMAL RESOURCES (DOMESTICATED ANIMALS, OR
THOSE THAT CAN BE EASILY APPROACHED BY HUMANS)
• HUMAN RESOURCES (THE POPULATION AT LARGE)

9. TYPES OF NATURAL RESOURCES
 MICROBIAL RESOURCES (ORGANISMS THAT AREN'T VISIBLE TO
THE NAKED EYE)
 ATMOSPHERIC RESOURCES (ANYTHING THAT HUMANS CANNOT
CONTROL - RAINFALL, SUNLIGHT, TEMPERATURE, AND THE LIKE)
 CROP RESOURCES (AGRICULTURAL GROWTH)
 GEOLOGICAL RESOURCES (NATURALLY OCCURRING FORMATIONS
- ROCKS, VALLEYS, MINERALS, PRECIOUS METALS, AND THE LIKE)
 EDAPHIC RESOURCES (ANYTHING RELATED TO THE SOIL AND ITS
PROPERTIES)

11. • SOIL
USED FOR GROWING
CROPS (ONLY 10% OF
THE EARTH'S
SURFACE).
SOIL CAN BE USED
FOR SHELTER. MANY
TRIBAL PEOPLE
AROUND THE WORLD
CREATE SHELTERS

12. • WATER
USED FOR DRINKING (ONLY
0.0007% OF EARTH'S WATER IS
SUITABLE FOR DRINKING. THE
REST IS SALT WATER, WATER
TRAPPED IN GLACIERS, OR
POLLUTED.
FRESHWATER IS USED FOR
IRRIGATION OF CROPS.
WATER BODIES SUCH AS
OCEANS, LAKES, AND RIVERS OF
THE WORLD CAN BE USED FOR
TRANSPORTATION.
FISHING IS A VALUABLE SOURCE
OF FOOD WITHIN CERTAIN WATER
BODIES.

13. • MINERALS
MINERALS CAN BE DEFINED AS NATURALLY
OCCURRING SUBSTANCES OBTAINED
FROM THE GROUND. SOME EXAMPLES ARE
COAL, PETROLEUM, NATURAL
GAS, IRON, COPPER, GOLD, ETC. THEY ARE
ALSO ABSORBED BY PLANTS FROM THE
EARTH'S SURFACE, AND ARE
TRANSFERRED TO HUMANS THROUGH
FOOD.
THEY (COAL, NATURAL GAS, AND FOSSIL
FUELS) ARE A SOURCE OF ENERGY.
USED AS INGREDIENTS TO MAKE OTHER
MATERIALS LIKE IRON ORE, STEEL, AND
PETROLEUM. PETROLEUM IS USED TO
MAKE A VARIETY OF BY-PRODUCTS LIKE
GASOLINE, PLASTIC, ETC.

14. • VEGETATION
LAND IS USED FOR FARMING
FROM WHICH
VEGETABLES, GRAINS, AND
FRUITS ARE GROWN.
WOOD FROM TREES IS CUT AND
PROCESSED TO MAKE FURNITURE
FOR HOMES AND TO PROVIDE FOR
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
IT'S USED FOR COOKING AND
ALSO AS FUEL TO PRODUCE HEAT
FOR WARMTH.
CLOTHING - CLOTHES ARE MADE
FROM COTTON.

15. •ANIMALS
ANIMALS ARE USED
AS FOOD, AND THEIR
WASTE IS USED AS
FERTILIZER FOR
CROPS.
WE GET FUR AND
HIDE FROM ANIMALS
WHICH ARE BOTH
USED FOR MAKING
CLOTHES.

16. • USED FOR TRANSPORTATION.
THESE CAN FURTHER BE DEFINED AS RENEWABLE AND NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES. RENEWABLE RESOURCES ARE THOSE THAT
CAN BE PRODUCED AGAIN, FOR EXAMPLE, PLANTS AND
ANIMALS, WHEREAS, NONRENEWABLE RESOURCES ARE THOSE WHICH
CANNOT BE PRODUCED AGAIN, FOR EXAMPLE, FOSSIL FUELS. THE
LATTER IS EXHAUSTIBLE AND NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY UTILIZED TO
LEAVE ENOUGH FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SERIOUS ATTEMPTS TO USE NATURAL RESOURCES
IN AN EFFICIENT MANNER BECAUSE IN RECENT YEARS, THESE
RESOURCES HAVE DEPLETED AS A RESULT OF THEIR CARELESS USE.
THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM CAN BE UNDERSTOOD FROM THE
WORDS OF FORMER AMERICAN PRESIDENT THEODORE
ROOSEVELT, "THE CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS THE

17. SOURCES:
• HTTP://WWW.BUZZLE.COM/ARTICLES/DIFFERENT-TYPES-OF-NATURALRESOURCES.HTML
•
• HTTP://WWW.AUTHORSTREAM.COM/PRESENTATION/JANELS-444465ENVIRONMENTAL-PRINCIPLES/