Our Environment Contents

4. Resources

Resources are environmental attributes which are capable - through technological, economic and social processes - of satisfying human needs and wants.

Oil well

Zimmerman stressed the dynamic nature of resources, becoming available through a combination of increased knowledge and technological progress, as well as changing individual and societal objectives, and economic means. Attributes of nature are no more than "neutral stuff" until one or more stakeholders is able to perceive their presence and to recognise their capacity to satisfy the needs and wants of society and industry.