Hobbies And Interests
Resource Depletion
The most immediate and obvious effect that humans have on natural resources is the depletion of natural resources, sometimes slowly and sometimes catastrophically, as in the case of nonrenewable energy sources. Even with renewable resources, such as lumber and fish, the geometrically increasing human population puts a great deal of strain on these resources.
Pollution
The apparatus used to process or harvest many natural resources can cause severe pollution, usually by the release of gases and particles into the atmosphere by way of combustion. Sometimes, this is a byproduct of the resource itself, in the case of petroleum-based fuel. In other ways, secondary effects like CO2 release caused by input intensive agricultural farming dangerous pollution.
Habitat Destruction
In cases of extreme deforestation, much of the biodiversity is lost in fragile ecosystems, as in the taiga and the tropical rainforests. Coal mining, since the latter 20th century, employs mountaintop removal, which is far more ecologically devastating than shaft mining or even strip mining. Industrial agriculture animals produce massive waste lagoons, which can run into water sources and rivers, creating dead zones and encouraging harmful algae blooms.
Economic Ruin
Many precious materials, such as gold, diamonds and oil are situated in areas with serious political conflict. These situations are hardly coincidental, as resource exploitation inevitably leads to exploitation of human capital, encouraging violent conflict and social degradation. High poverty is a root cause of ecological destruction, as seen in the destruction of Haiti's forests during a financial crisis.