Man since the very beginning noticed a special importance of some environmental elements. For example, ancient Greeks distinguished the four elements: water, air, soil and air. After some centuries the technological development diminished their special role. They were easily available and they seemed to be unlimited. No one paid attention to the wasteful spread of unused raw materials in the environment. With time, the environmental degradation highlighted the limited nature of natural resources. The author discusses these issues, focusing on water and air.