Jake’s Sunday Post: Natural Resources

“The nation behaves well, if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation, increased and not impaired in value.”   ~ Theodore Roosevelt

Jake’s Sunday Post theme this week is natural resources, and there are so many ways one could approach this challenge. Wiki defines the term like this, “Natural resources occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural form…………..Some are essential for our survival, whilst most are used for satisfying our wants.”

One of the world’s most used, non-renewable natural resources, is oil, and it’s being used at a rate much faster than nature can create it. I was fascinated to see several pumpjacks, popularly known as a ‘nodding donkeys’, when we were travelling through the countryside, on our way to Mount Rushmore.

Another natural resources has to be our magnificent wild animals. Sadly, because of man’s greed and ignorance, some species, like these rhinos, are becoming in danger of extinction. Rhinos have been around for over 50 million years, but the world population of rhinos has dropped by 90% in the past 30 years. Since the start of the “poaching epidemic” in South Africa in 2008, the country has lost over 1500 rhinos. Because of a belief by some people, that powdered rhino horn has the power to cure many medical conditions, from impotency to cancer, it is selling on the international market for $60,000, and is more expensive than gold, platinum and cocaine.

I love to visit our wildlife parks in South Africa, where the emphasis is on conservation and the protection of  various endangered species.

The big cats are definitely my favourites.

Water, as we all know, is a very necessary natural resource, but for those of you who don’t like to drink it neat, here is a pic of the Cave Spring Hollow in Lynchburg TN, which has been the water source for  Jack Daniel’s whiskey, for over 140 years.

Of course, we all have to eat to survive, and yesterday, I paid a visit to our favourite local grocery store. On display were many examples of natural resources which had been grown and harvested especially for human consumption.

In spite of Thanksgiving a couple of days ago, there were still plenty of these left. It seems that turkeys aren’t in any danger of becoming extinct, at least in America,

Many more sources of protein are available from our natural resources under the sea,

and I bought some of this lovely fresh salmon for dinner this evening.

Of course, when all’s said and done, I’m sure you’ll agree that the most precious of all our natural resources, which needs to be nurtured, protected and treasured, are our children, for they are the hope of the world tomorrow.

To find links to more posts on Jake’s fascinating theme, just click here.