The Demand for Natural Resources

High demand = High Prices. Is that price only monetary?

What we demand affects so much in the economy and dictates what we invest in. Oil prices are at an all time high, and are only going to increase as our demand is sustained, but the sources are not. The price of oil is high; however with the amount of risk involved in the oil industry, is it a high price to ask - it costs on average (from extraction and refining to transport) around 17p per litre. How much do the oil companies see of that 130p p/L- well on average 70% is tax (91p) that means 22p profit. Taking over four times the amount as the oil companies, doesn't the government also have a responsibility to help with any environmental repercussions?  Large oil companies are investing large portions of their attention and money not in current oil deposits, but looking for future ones. But as the large deposits are bought to the surface, some resort to the tar sands as a source of fuel such as the proposed venture in Northern America. This method uses very high amounts of energy and is a dirty job (it takes one barrel of oil to produce a further two).What affect does this have on the environment and the local communities and their heritage that rely on that the area and how is the landscape altered by it?

                                          400 Tonne trucks working 24hrs. [Greenpeace / John Woods]
                                                       
Aesthetics - Good & Bad

Diamonds are another rare and highly valuable natural resource that unfortunately involves destruction of natural beauty to expose natural beauty. The demand for diamonds area also very high, this price and demand is partially controlled by market leaders in the industry, one of which controls  around 50% of the worlds supplies, a lot of which are rough stones in their vaults. This allows them to retain high prices without there essentially being a shortage in the supply. Although the prices of diamond are high, what is left of the landscape afterwards and what is the price to the environment?
An example of this is the worlds largest; the Mirny Diamond Mine in Eastern Siberia.

The mine is so vast that the air space above it has been closed, due to helicopters being pulled down by the downward air flow.

Pets, Public Spaces and the Environment

Are pets necessary?

Pets, for example dogs were originally domesticated and used as working animals, and when the need for their original usage diminished, they remained. Like an old machine, if it is no longer useful to you, then why keep it?
What need is there for them then? I think the main reason that people keep pets is for companionship and the bond between man and dog and their loyalty towards us. For example a man working in the dog unit of a police force will spend all of their working time together and a bond will inevitably be formed, you take away the police work and that bond is still going to remain. Dogs (if properly handled) will protect you and will remain loyal to you, as though you are the pack leader in the wild; that is why they are mans best friend.
People say one way to cut down on your energy use is to get rid of your pets, but at the end of the day as far as energy is concerned, they ingest, egest and excrete. What does that say about humans?

Public Spaces.

The thing that annoys people about pets and public spaces is the the excrement left behind. Another thing is when they run lose, but again this is only natural behaviour. Another problem is with aggressive dogs, again, this is probably down to it's owner who either can't control it or in some cases those that promote their natural instincts to fight so that they are seen as weapons, it is this kind of person that should not be allowed to own a pet. The problems are not with the pets, it is their owners, whose job it is to clean up after and to control them.

Personally; (and this is just an opinion) dogs are the only worth while pet, as they offer companionship, and give people a reason to get out of the house to walk them, through this they are forced to exercise and given the opportunity to explore places such as parks and woodland areas they may not otherwise have, had they not had a dog. As well as this they are being able to meet new people and other dog walkers along the way.
Although all people that have other pets have some form of connection to them.