Extracting resources from Earth means using raw materials from the Earth’s surface and below ground for various industrial processes. This includes activities such as agriculture, farming, forestry, and the oil industry, all of which play a central role in our modern economy and daily lives.
AGRICULTURE
Agriculture accounts for a large part of our resource extraction from Earth. It involves growing crops for food and fibre production and managing the land to maintain soil fertility. Conventional agriculture allows for higher yields and more efficient resource use. Still, it has also led to challenges such as soil depletion, erosion, biodiversity loss, and high use of fertilisers and pesticides (chemicals). Organic farming uses various practices to address these issues, ensuring soil health and reducing dependence on synthetic inputs.
FARMING
Farming, or animal husbandry, is another essential part of resource extraction from the Earth.Raising animals for meat, milk, eggs, fur, textile fibres, and other animal products involves extensive land, water and feed use. Livestock farming can have a significant environmental impact, as large agricultural land is used to produce animal grain. Another challenge is the treatment of animals, where efficiency comes before welfare. Sustainable livestock management practices, such as grazing and integrated farming, aim to minimise these negative effects by improving animal welfare and reducing environmental impacts.
FORESTRY
Forestry involves harvesting trees to produce timber, paper, textile fibres, and other wood products. Forests are crucial carbon reservoirs and house much of the world’s biodiversity. Unsustainable logging practices can lead to deforestation, habitat loss, and reduced carbon sequestration. Sustainable forest management balances economic needs with conserving forest ecosystems by planting new trees to replace those harvested and managing forests to support long-term ecological health.
OIL INDUSTRY
The oil industry is one of the most controversial forms of resource extraction. Crude oil and natural gas extraction are essential for energy production and transport. They are also key components of many industrial processes, and their use extends across a wide range of materials, such as the manufacture of plastics, textiles, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, pesticides, etc. Oil drilling and fracking can lead to soil and water pollution, and burning fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. With an increasing emphasis on sustainability and environmentally friendly alternatives, extensive research and development is underway to find substitutes for oil-based products and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
In addition to these sectors linked to producing raw materials for the textile industry, mining is another form of resource extraction from the Earth. Mining involves the extraction of metals and minerals such as iron, copper, gold and coal, which are essential for various industrial sectors. The metals extracted are also an important part of all the machinery used in the textile industry, from harvesters and saws to oil drills. Mining can have environmental impacts, such as affecting natural habitats, polluting water sources and changing the landscape. Sustainable mining practices and rehabilitating mining areas after extraction are critical to reduce its environmental impact.
By understanding and managing resource extraction from agriculture, farming, forestry, and the oil industry in a sustainable way, we can reduce their negative environmental impacts and ensure that natural resources are available for future generations, i.e., not used more than needed.
July 2024, TÄNKOM | Revised July 2024 RETHINK
