The exploitation of nature's resources occurs when we consume more than can be replaced naturally. For example this happens when we cut trees down and do not replace those we have felled.
Each time that more trees are felled than can be replaced naturally, it causes the forest to gradually disappear and with it, all of the species dependent on this habitat for survival. Currently the rate of tree-felling is 10 times quicker than the rate of natural reforestation.
The exploitation of the sea also belongs in this category. More than 70 percent of the fish we consume are over-farmed. The trawlers have become so efficient that very few fish remain behind as the nets collect the day's catch.
Continue reading: Pollution