Page 103 - SST Class 08
P. 103
Resources and
graphy 12
Geo Their Types
q Value of resources q Types of resources
q Resources and development
Introduction example, the Clean Air Act, passed in Delhi,
stipulates that all vehicles must have a pollution
Natural resources are the things which occur
free certificate. Thus, this law gives a legal value
naturally without the help of humans. These
resources are a kind of wealth for the human beings to air. In the same way, laws are passed for the
protection or utilisation of other bounties of
and every resource has its own utility. The natural
nature, such as rivers, lakes, forests, wildlife etc.
resources as soils, rocks, vegetation, minerals etc.
are available in a large quantity. Aesthetic Value : The natural beauty of our
forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, wildlife etc. is
These bounties are used by us to meet our day-to- preserved in order to provide aesthetic value to
day requirements. Early Man was completely
our natural resources. The importance attached to
dependent upon the environment, as he was not
the cleaning of mountains or rivers is a step in this
familiar with the utility and application of these direction.
bounties of nature.
Ethical Value : By ethical value is meant the moral
Man has learnt, with the passage of time, how to values attached to human conduct and behaviour
transform these bounties of nature into useful concerned with the preservation of natural
things in order to meet his diverse needs. The resources, such as national parks and forest
development of technology, which can transform resources, and not over-using them.
these bounties into useful articles, has converted
them into an essential resource; for example, a
Info Bits
waterfall has the force which can be utilised to Info Bits
drive a water-wheel to grind flour. When a
Agenda 21 is the declaration, signed by world
technique is developed leaders in 1992 at the United Nations Conference
to use this force of falling on Environment and Development (UNCED) which
water, it becomes a took place at Rio-de-Janeiro, Brazil. It aims at
resource. Thus, anything achieving global sustainable development.
present in the nature is
not a resource until some Economic Value : Any natural material used for
A waterfall production has an economic value; for example,
use of it has been found.
providing electricity, building of roads,
developing modern methods of agriculture etc.
VALUE OF RESOURCES
have economic values as they help in enriching
A resource has a value attached to it which can be economic life.
of different types—legal value, aesthetic value, A thing which is not considered useful at present
ethical value or economic value.
does not form a part of the resource; however, as
Legal Value : Legal value of an article depends on and when a use for it has been found, it becomes
the importance given to it by the government. For a resource; for example, a plant in the forest may
Resources and Their Types
103
