Natural Resources Conservation and Management Past, Present, and Future Lecture #4 MS LC Fort High School

The Fourth Wave 1980-Present The beginnings of a sustainable revolution?

The high cost of environmental protection Many business people see protecting the environment counterproductive to growth economically Many business people see protecting the environment counterproductive to growth economically Many solutions just push the problem around EX. Scrubbers Many solutions just push the problem around EX. Scrubbers We cannot sustain this way of living! What do we do now? We cannot sustain this way of living! What do we do now?

Lester Brown: visionary! Building a sustainable Future

The goal: a sustainable environment Do we really have any other option? Do we really have any other option? If we use our resources wisely, we can have a high quality of life? Right?

We can panic, we can ignore it, or we can tackle the problem head on!

Balance How do we balance our needs with the ability of our planet to replenish itself and recover from our actions?

The 3 components of sustainability:

Social Justice

The poor bear the brunt of the environmental problems: they do not have the resources to move or fight the companies that take their water or destroy their environment.

Social Justice NIMBY “Not in my backyard” Rich people can fight the government. The poor cannot. This is especially true in countries with government corruption. How is that our problem?

Social Justice People working in unsafe conditions with no laws to protect them People working in unsafe conditions with no laws to protect them People working for low salaries People working for low salaries People’s environment getting trashed with no clean up plans People’s environment getting trashed with no clean up plans People’s resources being taken for pennies on the dollar People’s resources being taken for pennies on the dollar

Healthy Environment

Like it or not, this is a global problem we are not an ISLAND! Like it or not, this is a global problem we are not an ISLAND! What is done in China affects us, and vice versa. What is done in China affects us, and vice versa. Many countries do not have laws in place to stop the pollution/destruction of the lands and waters Many countries do not have laws in place to stop the pollution/destruction of the lands and waters This will affect us and does! This will affect us and does! We need a global solution to this global problem We need a global solution to this global problem

Economic Growth

A balancing act to be sure. A balancing act to be sure. How do we continue to run a capitalistic society without running out of our resources and destroying the planet and our future? It’s a balancing act!

What do we have to work with? Our intelligence Our intelligence Our knowledge of the sciences Our knowledge of the sciences Our abilities to communicate and negotiate Our abilities to communicate and negotiate Our ability to have empathy for others Our ability to have empathy for others Our commitment to humanity Our commitment to humanity The resources on the planet The resources on the planet

How do we classify Natural Resources? RenewableNonrenewable

Renewable Resources Good fertile Soil Good fertile Soil Resources grown in soil Resources grown in soil Resources from the water Resources from the water Fresh water Fresh water Ecosystems Ecosystems Energy from the earth (wind, solar, tidal, hydropower) Energy from the earth (wind, solar, tidal, hydropower)

Nonrenewable Resources Fossil fuels Fossil fuels Nonmetallic minerals Nonmetallic minerals Metals Metals

How do we manage the resources? Up until now, we have had four options: Exploitation Exploitation Preservation Preservation The utilitarian approach The utilitarian approach The ecological or sustainable approach The ecological or sustainable approach

Exploitation Assumptions: an unlimited supply of resources an unlimited supply of resources Nature has no value Nature has no value Nature is here to serve humans Nature is here to serve humans The resource is used as intensely as possible to provide the greatest profit to the user.

Preservation Assumptions: Nature should be preserved for enjoyment for future generations Nature should be preserved for enjoyment for future generations Advocate for intelligent sustainable use of resources while preserving some areas Advocate for intelligent sustainable use of resources while preserving some areas Resources should be set aside, protected, and preserved.

The utilitarian approach Manage the resources so they will never be exhausted. Assumptions: Human centered approach Science is used to plan management techniques This was developed by Gifford Pincot

Ecological or Sustainable Approach Efforts are made to preserve entire ecosystems and manage them as a whole. This requires a systems approach to management. Adaptive management: Recognize the system is constantly in flux and be ready to shift management quickly as new data comes into play!