>Our General Environmental Law contains in its Title I the following definitions: > >ll) Environment: The global system composed of natural and artificial elements, of a physical, chemical, biological, social or cultural nature, and their interactions continually modified by human and natural action, which rules and conditions the existence and development of life in its multiple manifestations. > >r) Natural Resources: The components of the environment susceptible of being used by human beings for the fulfillment of its spiritual, cultural, social and economic needs and interests. > >Juan Pablo Cerda >Environmental Impact Assessment Department >National Environmental Commission of Chile >jpcerda@conama.cl >http://www.conama.cl > > Dear Juan: Does it follow from the above definitions that ALL resources (including guns, plutonium, pesticides, hydrogen bombs, plastic and PCB's) are "Natural Resources?" If ALL resources are "Natural," then the adjective "Natural" is superfluous. The single word "Resources" would suffice. Since I believe that "Good terminologies reveal differences; bad ones conceal them", I say individuals who use the above definition for "Natural Resources" are using bad terminology. Such terminology masks differences between human-made resources and those resources that are not human-made. I believe a better definition for "Natural Resource" is supplied by Merriam-Webster. http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary Main Entry: natural resource Function: noun Date: 1870 1 plural : industrial materials and capacities (as mineral deposits and waterpower) supplied by nature This definition provides the source of the resource and provides a justification for the adjective "Natural." (p.s. Is there some reason why politicians would want to classify all resources as "Natural?") David South School of Forestry Auburn University, AL 36849-5418 A member of the Forester's Chapter for ZPG http://www.forestry.auburn.edu/people/faculty//biology/south/zpg/forester.html dsouth@forestry.auburn.edu 334-844-1022 334-844-1084 (FAX) As always, views expressed here are my own (and I am not speaking on the behalf of others). I use only 100% post-consumer paper in my home printer. (discarded used office paper printed on one side) ========================================================================= The world population is expected to double by the year 2100. Therefore the annual demand for wood for energy (etc.) will increase and might double (to more than 7 billion m3/yr). To provide plantation wood for people in the future, support the planting of trees on pastureland. Set a goal of converting 8 million ha of pastureland/yr for the next 55 years. This would increase tree plantations to about 5% of the world's landbase. ========================================================================= Support Zero Population Growth for the United States http://www.igc.apc.org/zpg/index.html
Mail converted by
MHonArc 1.1.0