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  • 自然资源 -- -- 高级

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    What is a natural resource ?
    ::什么是自然资源?

    Is it anything from nature that supports life? That may well be part of the definition. So then is this forest, the ancient woodland Białowieża Forest that straddles the border between Belarus and Poland, a natural resource? Does it support life?
    ::自然界有什么东西支撑生命吗?这很可能是定义的一部分。 那么,这个森林,即跨越白俄罗斯和波兰之间边界的古老林地比亚乌维什亚森林,是一种自然资源吗?它支持生命吗?

    Natural Resources
    ::自然资源自然资源自然资源

    Defining natural resources raises important philosophical questions.
    ::界定自然资源提出了重要的哲学问题。

    “Resources” are useful or valuable. But are resources useful for and valuable to humans – or all life? If we “use” them, do we necessarily “consume” them? Is value limited to economics? Are resources limited to materials, or can they include processes, systems, and living things?
    ::“资源”是有用或有价值的。 但资源对于人类 — — 或所有生命 — — 是否有用和有价值? 如果我们“使用”它们,我们是否必然“吸收”它们? 价值是否仅限于经济? 资源是否仅限于物质,或是否包括过程、系统和生命?

    Definitions of “natural” go straight to the heart of our views about ourselves. Most definitions include a tension or conflict between the human and the non-human parts of the Earth: Anything that is natural is “not altered or disguised,” “not produced or changed artificially,” or, rather unhelpfully, “found in nature.” We often define nature as separate from humans: “the world of living things and the outdoors” or with elements of inner conflict (“a primitive state of existence, untouched and uninfluenced by civilization or artificiality”) or even religion (“humankind’s natural state as distinguished from the state of grace”).
    ::“自然”的定义直指我们对自己的看法的核心。 多数定义包括地球上人类和非人类部分之间的紧张或冲突:任何自然都是“没有改变或变相的 ” , “没有人为地产生或改变的 ” , 或“没有帮助的 ” 。 我们常常把自然定义为与人类分开的:“活物和户外的世界 ” , 或与内部冲突的因素(“一种原始的存在状态,不受文明或人造法的影响和不受其影响 ” ) , 甚至宗教(人类的自然状态不同于恩典状态 ) 。

    It is not an idle to think carefully about your own definition of natural resources, because such thinking can clarify your relationship and responsibilities to the Earth. Do natural resources exist only for humans to use (or “exploit” – a term repeated in many definitions)? Are we apart from nature, or a part of nature? In what ways are we similar to other ? How are we different? How do those similarities and differences help us to define our responsibilities to “nature” – to other species and our physical environment?
    ::仔细思考你对自然资源的定义并非无所事事,因为这样的思考可以澄清你与地球的关系和责任。 自然资源是否只存在于人类使用(或“开发 ” — —在许多定义中反复出现的一个术语 ) ? 我们是否与自然或自然的一部分相区别? 我们与自然有何相似之处? 我们有何不同? 这些相似之处和差异如何帮助我们界定我们对“自然”的责任 — — 对其他物种和自然环境的责任?

    Historically, the concept of natural resources was intended as a measure of respect and appreciation for the materials Earth provided, and the supplies humans used and modified to develop the civilization in which they lived. Economic value was primary, and a list of natural resources would include energy sources such as coal or oil and raw materials such as iron or copper. Living things could be, but often were not added: fibers from plants, and skins from .
    ::历史上,自然资源概念的用意是作为尊重和欣赏地球提供的材料的尺度,以及人类为发展他们所生活的文明而使用和改造的供给物。 经济价值是首要的,自然资源清单将包括煤炭或石油等能源以及铁或铜等原材料。 生活的东西可以被添加,但通常不会被添加:植物纤维和皮肤。

    As use became exploitation and later depletion, we began to better appreciate our dependence on natural resources, as well as our power over them. Economist E.F. Schumacher, in a 1973 series of essays titled Small is Beautiful, suggested that our economy is unsustainable because natural resources (especially energy) can be depleted. He made the case that natural resources should be considered capital, rather than expendable – conserved, rather than simply used. He also argued that nature’s capacity to resist pollution is limited, pointing to the value of whole and ecosystem services. During the 1990s, ecological economist Robert Constanza calculated that “nature’s services” were worth $33 trillion per year – more than the $25 trillion total of the inter-human economy at that time. Although awareness of resource depletion and ecosystem services is increasing, their values remain inadequately recognized by our economy, and sustainability remains a goal for the future.
    ::随着自然资源(特别是能源)被耗尽,我们开始更好地理解对自然资源的依赖性,以及我们对自然资源的力量。 经济学家E.F.舒马赫(E.F. Schumacher)1973年发表了一系列题为《小是美丽的 》 的论文,认为我们的经济之所以不可持续是因为自然资源(特别是能源)会被耗尽。 他提出自然资源应被视为资本,而不是消耗 — — 保存,而不是简单地使用。 他还争辩说,自然抵抗污染的能力是有限的,它指向整体和生态系统服务的价值。 20世纪90年代,生态经济学家罗伯特·康斯坦萨(Robert Constanza)计算“自然服务”每年价值33万亿美元 — — 比当时人类间经济总量的25万亿美元还要多。 尽管对资源耗竭和生态系统服务的认识在不断提高,但自然资源的价值仍然得不到我们经济的充分承认,可持续性仍然是未来的目标。

    What definition for natural resources shall we use? On the Department of Energy’s “Ask a Scientist” website, Bob Hartwell defines a natural resource as “something supplied by nature which supports life on this planet.” This concise description includes most of the ideas we’ve discussed above, and views human use with an ecological perspective appropriate for the study of biology . Humankind is a part of nature, one species in an interdependent web which includes the Earth and all life. Without question, we are a unique species: we have the power to change that interdependent web in ways no other species can, we have the ability to learn about and understand the patterns and processes which maintain the web, and we have the responsibility to use our natural resources together with that understanding in ways which sustain the web – for our ourselves and for all life.
    ::对于自然资源,我们应该使用什么定义? 在能源部的“问科学家”网站上,鲍勃·哈特威尔将自然资源定义为“自然提供的支撑地球生命的东西 ” 。 这一简明描述包括了我们上文讨论过的多数想法,并用适合生物学研究的生态视角看待人类使用。 人类是自然的一部分,一个包括地球和所有生命的相互依存网络中的物种。 毫无疑问,我们是一个独特的物种:我们有能力以其他物种无法的方式改变这个相互依存的网络,我们有能力学习和理解维持网络的模式和程序,我们有责任利用我们的自然资源,同时理解如何维持网络 — — 为自己和所有生命。

    Most biologists today would probably classify ecosystems, their processes and “services,” and their species as natural resources, together with energy sources and materials from the environment. (which includes both species and ecosystems) is certainly a natural resource, according to this definition. In this sense, the study of ecology is also a study of natural resources.
    ::今天,大多数生物学家很可能将生态系统、其过程和“服务”及其物种分类为自然资源,以及来自环境的能源来源和材料。 根据这个定义,(包括物种和生态系统)当然是一种自然资源。 从这个意义上讲,对生态的研究也是对自然资源的研究。

    Summary
    ::摘要

    • One’s definition of natural resources clarifies human relationships and responsibilities to the Earth.
      ::一个人对自然资源的定义明确了人与地球的关系和对地球的责任。
    • Robert Hartwell’s definition defines natural resources as: “something supplied by nature which supports life on this planet.” This definition includes ecosystems, ecosystem services, biodiversity, energy sources and raw materials.
      ::罗伯特·哈特韦尔对自然资源的定义是:“自然提供的支撑地球上生命的东西 ” 。 这一定义包括生态系统、生态系统服务、生物多样性、能源来源和原材料。

    Review
    ::回顾

    1. Define and describe natural resources.
      ::界定和描述自然资源。