Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural, physical, or material world or

universe. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. It
ranges in scale from the subatomic to the cosmic. The study of nature is science.
The word nature is derived from the Latin word natura, or "essential qualities, innate disposition",
and in ancient times, literally meant "birth".[1] Natura was a Latin translation of the Greek
word physis (), which originally related to the intrinsic characteristics that plants, animals,
and other features of the world develop of their own accord. [2][3] The concept of nature as a whole,
the physical universe, is one of several expansions of the original notion; it began with certain
core applications of the word by pre-Socratic philosophers, and has steadily gained
currency ever since. This usage continued during the advent of modern scientific method in the
last several centuries.[4][5]
The words nature and natural are used for all the things that are normally not made by humans.
Things like weather, organisms, landforms, celestial bodies and much more are part of
nature. Scientists study the way the parts of nature work. Things that have been made by people
are said to be man-made or called artifacts.
There are natural sciences that study different parts of nature, for example the science
of ecology is about plants and animals as a whole, while biology studies every type of living
thing.
From one point of view, humans are a prime example of nature, and are the most widely studied
natural inhabitants of the planet earth. Humans interact with each other in their natural
environment on a constant basis. Every part of nature everything from the air to the dirt on the
ground is interdependent. Medicine studies humans in health and sickness.
From another point of view, humans and nature can be said to be in conflict. Nature is often seen
by humans as natural resources. People cut down trees to get wood to burn, to buildhouses, or
to make a place to grow food. Fires, cars, and factories make a lot of smoke and harm many
places. People who like to leave nature unharmed and those who feel they need to use more of
nature often fight about what they should do. In the modern world, with many more people and
many big cities, these problems are becoming more serious.
Nature, in the broadest sense, means the physical world as a whole. This is the meaning
that physics, the study of nature (etymologically), takes.

Natural[change | change source]

A useful definition of natural is
"Happening or operating in accordance with the ordinary course of nature". Oxford
Shorter English Dictionary says the word in this sense is first found in 1477.

A resource is a source or supply from which benefit is produced. Typically resources are
materials, energy, services, staff, knowledge, or other assets that are transformed to produce
benefit and in the process may be consumed or made unavailable. Benefits of resource
utilization may include increased wealth, meeting needs or wants, proper functioning of a system,
or enhanced well being. From a human perspective a natural resource is anything obtained from
the environment to satisfy human needs and wants.[1] From a broader biological or ecological
perspective a resource satisfies the needs of a living organism (see biological resource).[2]
The concept of resources has been applied in diverse realms, including with respect
to economics, biology and ecology, computer science, management, and human resources, and
is linked to the concepts of competition, sustainability, conservation, and stewardship. In
application within human society, commercial or non-commercial factors require resource
allocationthrough resource management.
Resources have three main characteristics: utility, limited availability, and potential
for depletion or consumption. Resources have been variously categorized
as biotic versus abiotic,renewable versus non-renewable, and potential versus actual, along with
more elaborate classification.

Natural resources occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by
humanity, in a natural form. A natural resource is often characterized by amounts
of biodiversity and geodiversity existent in various ecosystems.
Natural resources are derived from the environment. Some of them are essential for our survival
while most are used for satisfying our needs. Natural resources may be further classified in
different ways.

Natural resources are materials and components (something that can be used) that can be found
within the environment. Every man-made product is composed of natural resources (at its
fundamental level). A natural resource may exist as a separate entity such as fresh water, and
air, as well as a living organism such as a fish, or it may exist in an alternate form which must be
processed to obtain the resource such as metal ores, oil, and most forms of energy.
There is much debate worldwide over natural resource allocations, this is partly due to increasing
scarcity (depletion of resources) but also because the exportation of natural resources is the
basis for many economies (particularly for developed nations).
Some natural resources such as sunlight and air can be found everywhere, and are known as
ubiquitous resources. However, most resources only occur in small sporadic areas, and are
referred to as localized resources. There are very few resources that are considered
inexhaustible (will not run out in foreseeable future) these are solar radiation, geothermal
energy, and air (though access to clean air may not be). The vast majority of resources are
exhaustible, which means they have a finite quantity, and can be depleted if managed
improperly.

Classification[edit]
There are various methods of categorizing natural resources, these include source of origin,
stage of development, and by their renewability. These classifications are described below. On
the basis of origin, resources may be divided into:

Biotic Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere (living and organic material),
such as forests and animals, and the materials that can be obtained from them. Fossil
fuels such as coal and petroleum are also included in this category because they are formed
from decayed organic matter.

Abiotic Abiotic resources are those that come from non-living, non-organic material.
Examples of abiotic resources include land, fresh water, airand heavy metals
including ores such as gold, iron, copper, silver, etc.

Considering their stage of development, natural resources may be referred to in the following
ways:

Potential resources Potential resources are those that exist in a region and may be
used in the future. For example petroleum occurs with sedimentary rocks in various regions,
but until the time it is actually drilled out and put into use, it remains a potential resource.

Actual resources Actual resources are those that have been surveyed, their quantity
and quality determined and are being used in present times. The development of an actual
resource, such as wood processing depends upon the technology available and the cost
involved.

Reserve resources The part of an actual resource which can be developed profitably in
the future is called a reserve resource.

Stock resources Stock resources are those that have been surveyed but cannot be
used by organisms due to lack of technology. For example:hydrogen.

Renewability is a very popular topic and many natural resources can be categorized as either
renewable or non-renewable:

Renewable resources Renewable resources can be replenished naturally. Some of

these resources, like sunlight, air, wind, etc., are continuously available and their quantity is
not noticeably affected by human consumption. Though many renewable resources do not
have such a rapid recovery rate, these resources are susceptible to depletion by over-use.
Resources from a human use perspective are classified as renewable only so long as the
rate of replenishment/recovery exceeds that of the rate of consumption.

Non-renewable resources Non-renewable resources either form slowly or do not

naturally form in the environment. Minerals are the most common resource included in this
category. By the human perspective, resources are non-renewable when their rate of
consumption exceeds the rate of replenishment/recovery; a good example of this are fossil
fuels, which are in this category because their rate of formation is extremely slow (potentially
millions of years), meaning they are considered non-renewable. Some resources actually
naturally deplete in amount without human interference, the most notable of these being
radio-active elements such as uranium, which naturally decay into heavy metals. Of these,
the metallic minerals can be re-used by recycling them,[1] but coal and petroleum cannot
be recycled.[2]

A natural resource is anything that people can use which comes from nature. People do not
make natural resources, but gather them from the earth. Examples of natural resources
are air, water, wood, oil, wind energy, hydro-electric energy, iron, and coal. Refined oil is not a
natural resource because people make it.

Natural resources are the basic building blocks of a country. Natural resources come in many
forms, and are just as equally important to the development of the country. Firstly, we have
agriculture. Food grown through farming is important for development, as without food, the basic
necessity to survival, people will be malnourished and unable to work.
The forests are able to provide us with the materials for construction, furniture and paper,
important resources used in our daily life.
Mineral resources such as diamonds, coal, fossil fuels etc. are used to generate power, as well
as selling them to other parts of the world.
Renewable resources such as wind, solar, water are able to provide us with limitless energy, not
forgetting the most basic form of survival and civilization (water), and the energy of all living
things (solar power).
Natural resources in excess, such as crops, timber, minerals etc. can be exported to other parts
of the world to provide the country with a stable economy for development. Without one another,
the development of the country would definitely be slowed down.

Water

Without water, life could not be sustained.

Water is a natural resource and is essential to life. Humans, plants and
animals require water for various biological functions. Although water is a
renewable resource, it can become scarce in landlocked areas. Deserts are
the most common areas subjected to droughts, but numerous areas within
the United States suffer from occasional water shortages. Two common
causes of water shortages are wasteful water consumption and seasons of
unusually light rain. Water also is important for economic reasons, as
farmers require water for their crops and livestock. Without water, their
livelihood ceases. Society also relies on water for sanitation and personal
hygiene. Electricity is generated by harnessing the power of running
water.

Flora

Clean air depends on plants.

Plants are another natural resource. They act as a natural air filter, taking
in carbon dioxide and expelling oxygen. Aside from filtering the air, many
plants are food sources for humans and animals. These plants are
renewable, but supply is limited by a number of factors, including growing
seasons, available farmland, climates and soils. These factors all impact
what, when, where and how crops are grown. Trees have another
important use, as timber. Wood is a common building material, and
numerous products contain wood. From an economic standpoint, trees are
the lifeblood behind the logging industry.

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Fossil Fuels: Oil, Natural Gas and Coal

Oil is integral to society.

Three of the most important fossil fuels are oil, natural gas and coal. Oil
derricks remove crude oil from pockets in the Earth's crust. After
refinement, that oil plays a very important role in society. Oil is the basis
for the fuels and motor oil used in transportation. Oil also is used in the
creation of plastics. Society has a dependency on plastic, as a large
number of products contain plastic. Everyday items like toothbrushes,
kitchen utensils and pens all contain plastic. Even metal pens often have
plastic ink reservoirs. Many items are encased in plastic, such as
groceries, DVDs and video game discs. Natural gas is another important
fossil fuel. It is a common fuel source for many household appliances,
including stoves, dryers, barbecues, furnaces and hot water heaters. Coal
is a third important fossil fuel, and is used in the generation of electricity.

Fauna

Many societies depend upon seafood for survival.

Just like flora, fauna is a natural resource. Meat is an important part of
many people's diets. Meat and dairy farmers rely on this resource as a
source of income. Seafood is important too. Numerous villages depend on
the seas for financial stability and nutrition. Without a renewable supply of
fish and seafood, these villages would become bankrupt, and eventually
be abandoned. Animals also help with various aspects of labor. Work
animals are common in many parts of the world, especially in less
industrialized nations. Horses and mules provide extra power and stamina
for farmers who lack mechanical equipment. Service animals provide eyes
to the blind, and police dogs play an important role in crime fighting and
the war on drugs.

Metals

Metal is found in many products today.

Metals are mined, and are not renewable, though they are extremely
important to society. Numerous metals find their way into everyday life.
From construction materials to jewelry, people interact with many
different metals on a daily basis. Doors and door handles, building
structures, automobiles, street signs, electric wiring and electric

components all contain metal. These things are all integral parts of
everyday life.

Wind and Sunlight

Because of their inexhaustible nature, renewable energy

sources are the way of the future.
Sunlight and wind are both renewable, and both play multiple roles in
people's lives. Both provide renewable energy sources, which is becoming
increasingly important due to society's current reliance on nonrenewable
energy sources. As these nonrenewable sources become depleted, the
ability to capture and harness energy from sunlight and the wind becomes
more important. Sunlight is an important part of the photosynthetic
process in plants. Humans rely on the sun for vitamin D, and to keep
circadian rhythms in check. Circadian rhythms are the daily cycles of the
human body. They are dependent upon day and night, which is
determined by the presence or lack of sunlight. Wind is also important for
more than just energy. Wind provides natural cooling in warm weather,
and aids in plant reproduction by carrying seeds across long distances.

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conservation of natural resources

Introduction
conservation of natural resources, the wise use of the earth's resources by humanity. The
term conservation came into use in the late 19th cent. and referred to the management, mainly for
economic reasons, of such valuable natural resources as timber, fish, game, topsoil, pastureland, and
minerals, and also to the preservation of forests (see forestry), wildlife (see wildlife refuge),
parkland, wilderness, andwatershed areas. In recent years the science of ecology has clarified the
workings of the biosphere; i.e., the complex interrelationships among humans, other animals, plants,
and the physical environment. At the same time burgeoning population and industry and the
ensuing pollution have demonstrated how easily delicately balanced ecological relationships can be
disrupted (see air pollution; water pollution; solid waste).
Conservation of natural resources is now usually embraced in the broader conception of conserving
the earth itself by protecting its capacity for self-renewal. Particularly complex are the problems of
nonrenewable resources such as oil and coal (see energy, sources of) and other minerals in great
demand. Current thinking also favors the protection of entire ecological regions by the creation of

"biosphere reserves." Examples of such conservation areas include the Great Barrier Reef off
Australia and Adirondack State Park in the United States. The importance of reconciling human use
and conservation beyond the boundaries of parks has become another important issue.

Some important roles of individuals in maintaining peace, harmony and equity in nature are as:
1. Instead of deforestation, representation should keep in mind. We should take help from the
Govt, for plantation programmes. Everybody should take part in plantation and care the plants.
2. People should at once stop the over utilization of natural resources instead they must be
properly used.
3. We should make habit for waste disposal, compose and to restore biodiversity.
4. Mixed cropping, crop rotation, and proper use of fertilizer, insecticide and pesticides should be
taught to farmers. Encourage the use of manures, biofertilizers and organic fertilizers.
5. We should protect wildlife. Though hunting is not allowed even then the persons are doing so.
For this educated young should teach the lesson of wildlife act.
6. We must develop energy saving methods to avoid wastage of energy. We should remember
"energy saved is energy produced."
7. Use drip irrigation and sprinkling irrigation to improve irrigation efficiency and reduce
evaporation.
8. Utilize renewable energy sources as much as possible. Encourage use of solar cooker, pump
etc.
9. We should recycle the waste and waste water for agriculture purposes.
10. Install rain water harvesting system in houses, colonies.
11. Try to educate local people for the protection and judicious use of natural resources.

Conclusion
Natural resources are basic and essential for the survival of people. Natural are referred to as
land or raw materials in economic point of view, which occur naturally in environment without
human intervention. It is our duty to protect the natural resources by it using it judiciously and in a
proper manner if they break the rules they are responsible for the problems of it, and prohibited to
offence and they should punished by the law.