Question
Is soil classified as a renewable or nonrenewable resource?
Answer
<P>Dear Nancy,<BR><BR>Thank you for submitting your question to AskNSDL. I used Vivisimo, <A href=http://vivisimo.com">http://vivisimo.com</A>, a clustering search engine and Google, <A href=http://www.google.com">http://www.google.com</A>, to find resources on this question. I searched on this string of terms: soil "(alternative OR renewable) resource". If you decide to replicate the search, this strategy (or some variation on it) will return many more results than those I have listed below. A brief review shows some difference of opinion on this question.</P>
<P>* Enviro Health - Soil: our most vital non-renewable resource. {EnviroHealth.87.1} by Jon Tveite, 14 Aug 2002 - AlterNet Forums presents this interesting article. The author argues that soil is *not* a renewable resource, stating<BR><BR>: "...soil is no more a renewable resource than oil. Both were formed over millions of years by processes we only dimly understand. If oil were to run out, which it will, we might be able to make due, through cultural changes and alternative technologies. When the soil runs out, we will be screwed. People will always have to eat." <BR><BR>Click on the link below to read the whole piece.<BR><A href=http://forums.alternet.org/guest/motet?show+-uiSYvw+-h+EnviroHealth+87+1">http://forums.alternet.org/guest/motet?show+-uiSYvw+-h+EnviroHealth+87+1</A><BR><BR>Tveite's article provides additional links that may interest you, too - Land Institute, <A href=http://www.landinstitute.org/">http://www.landinstitute.org/</A>, and essays by Jackson, <A href=http://www.landinstitute.org/vnews/display.v/ART/2000/08/01/37e288b43">http://www.landinstitute.org/vnews/display.v/ART/2000/08/01/37e288b43</A><BR><BR>Also, consider the following:<BR><BR>* Trees, soil and water from Journeys to Forever - Discussion of soil erosion leading to deserts.<BR><A href=http://journeytoforever.org/tree.html">http://journeytoforever.org/tree.html</A><BR><BR>* Renewable resource: Entry in Hutchison Encyclopedia hosted by Tiscali.reference.com considers soil a renewable resource when " properly conserved."<BR><A href=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0023675.html">http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0023675.html</A><BR><BR>* Soil - a Vital and Non-renewable Resource. Soil Facts No. 1, March 2000: The topic is discussed from an Australian perspective.<BR><A href=http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:n3DoUeCx1OUJ:www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au/care/soil/soil_pubs/pdfs/fact1.pdf+soil+%22(alternative+OR+renewable)+resource%22&hl=en">http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:n3DoUeCx1OUJ:www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au/care/soil/soil_pubs/pdfs/fact1.pdf+soil+%22(alternative+OR+renewable)+resource%22&hl=en</A><BR><BR>* Renewable Resources: Eco-Pros Environmental Education on the Web describes soil as a <BR>"non-renewable renewable resource," along with plants and animals, fresh water, trees, clean air, fish and biospheres of living things. Management and stewardship are keys.<BR><A href=http://www.eco-pros.com/renewableresources.htm">http://www.eco-pros.com/renewableresources.htm</A><BR><BR>I hope these websites are helpful. Be sure to check with your local library for materials that they may have available on this topic. Database articles might be especially informative.<BR><BR>Best,<BR>Joyce W.<BR>Librarian/AskNSDL staff<BR></P>
http://forums.alternet.org/guest/motet?show+-uiSYvw+-h+EnviroHealth+87+1
http://www.landinstitute.org/
http://www.landinstitute.org/vnews/display.v/ART/2000/08/01/37e288b43
http://journeytoforever.org/tree.html
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0023675.html
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:n3DoUeCx1OUJ:www.dlwc.nsw.gov.au/care/soil/soil_pubs/pdfs/fact1.pdf+soil+%22(alternative+OR+renewable)+resource%22&hl=en
http://www.eco-pros.com/renewableresources.htm
soil, alternative resource, renewable resource
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