Chapter 1 Resources

Anything that can be used to satisfy a human need is considered a **resource**. The utility or usability of an object or substance is what gives it the quality of being a resource. Resources become significant and useful only when they possess some form of **value**.

**Value** refers to the worth of a resource. This value can be economic, meaning it can be bought or sold (e.g., metals), or it can be non-economic, appreciated for its aesthetic or other qualities without a market price (e.g., a beautiful landscape). Both types of resources are important as they fulfil human requirements.

Some resources that currently have no economic value might become economically valuable over time, especially with the application of **technology**. For instance, traditional home remedies might lack commercial value today, but if patented and marketed by a company, they could acquire economic worth.

Apart from utility and value, **time and technology** are crucial factors that transform substances into resources. These factors are inherently linked to people's needs and advancements. People themselves are considered the **most important resource**, as it is through their ideas, knowledge, inventions, and discoveries that more resources are created and existing ones are utilised effectively. Each new discovery or invention often paves the way for many subsequent innovations (e.g., the invention of the wheel leading to various modes of transport, or the technology for hydroelectricity making flowing water an important energy source).

Types Of Resources

Resources are broadly categorised into three main types based on their origin and how they are obtained: **Natural Resources, Human Made Resources, and Human Resources**.

Natural Resources

**Natural resources** are those that are obtained directly from nature and used with minimal or no significant modification. Examples include the air we breathe, water bodies like rivers and lakes, soil, and minerals. Many of these are initially available as free gifts of nature and can be used directly. However, in some cases, tools and technology are necessary to utilise a natural resource most efficiently.

Natural resources are further classified into two categories:

1. **Renewable Resources:** These resources have the ability to get **renewed or replenished relatively quickly**. Some renewable resources, like solar and wind energy, are considered unlimited and are not depleted by human activities. However, the careless or excessive use of certain renewable resources, such as **water, soil, and forests**, can negatively impact their availability and stock. While water appears abundant, shortages and the drying up of natural sources are critical global issues today.

2. **Non-renewable Resources:** These resources exist in a **limited stock**. Once these stocks are used up or exhausted, it can take thousands of years for them to be renewed or replenished. Because this regeneration period is vastly longer than human lifespans, these resources are considered non-renewable. Examples include **coal, petroleum, and natural gas**.

The way natural resources are spread across the Earth is **unequal**. This is because their distribution is influenced by various **physical factors** such as the terrain, climate, and altitude, which vary significantly from one region to another.

Human Made Resources

**Human made resources** are created when people use natural substances and change their original form or characteristics to make something useful. For instance, iron ore found in nature becomes a resource only after humans learn the technology and apply the skill to extract iron from it.

People use natural resources to construct buildings, bridges, roads, machinery, and vehicles. These tangible creations are all examples of human-made resources. Furthermore, **technology** itself, which involves applying knowledge and skill to make things or solve problems, is also considered a human-made resource, as it is a product of human ingenuity.

Human Resources

**Human resources** refers to the people themselves. People are considered a **special resource** because they possess the essential knowledge, skills, and technology needed to identify, extract, and utilise nature to create other resources.

While there are differing perspectives on whether to view humans strictly *as* a resource like others, it is undeniable that **human skills, knowledge, education, and health** are what enable the transformation of physical materials into valuable resources. Investing in **education and health** improves the quality of people's skills, thereby making them more valuable resources and contributing to **human resource development**.