Natural Resources Natural Resources Conservation and Conservation and

ManagementManagement

Past, Present, and FuturePast, Present, and Future

The Fourth Wave 1980-The Fourth Wave 1980-PresentPresent

The beginnings of a sustainable The beginnings of a sustainable revolution?revolution?

The high cost of environmental The high cost of environmental protectionprotection

Many business people see protecting Many business people see protecting the environment counterproductive the environment counterproductive to growth economicallyto growth economically

Many solutions just push the problem Many solutions just push the problem around EX. Scrubbersaround EX. Scrubbers

We cannot sustain this way of living! We cannot sustain this way of living! What do we do now?What do we do now?

Lester Brown: visionary!Lester Brown: visionary!

Building a Building a sustainable Future sustainable Future

The goal: a sustainable The goal: a sustainable environmentenvironment

Do we really have Do we really have any other option?any other option?

If we use our If we use our resources wisely, resources wisely, we can have a we can have a high quality of high quality of life? Right?life? Right?

We can panic, we can ignore We can panic, we can ignore it, or we can tackle the it, or we can tackle the

problem head on!problem head on!

BalanceBalance

How do we How do we balance our balance our needs needs

with the ability of with the ability of our planet our planet

to replenish itself to replenish itself

and recover from and recover from our actions?our actions?

The 3 components of The 3 components of sustainability:sustainability:

Social JusticeSocial Justice

Social JusticeSocial Justice

The poor bear the brunt of the The poor bear the brunt of the environmental problems: environmental problems:

they do not have the they do not have the resources to move or fight resources to move or fight the companies that take the companies that take their water or destroy their their water or destroy their environment.environment.

Social JusticeSocial Justice

NIMBYNIMBY““Not in my backyard”Not in my backyard”

Rich people can fight the government. Rich people can fight the government. The poor cannot. The poor cannot.

This is especially true in countries with This is especially true in countries with government corruption. government corruption.

How is that our problem? How is that our problem?

Social JusticeSocial Justice

People working in unsafe conditions People working in unsafe conditions with no laws to protect themwith no laws to protect them

People working for low salariesPeople working for low salaries People’s environment getting trashed People’s environment getting trashed

with no clean up plans with no clean up plans People’s resources being taken for People’s resources being taken for

pennies on the dollarpennies on the dollar

Healthy EnvironmentHealthy Environment

Healthy EnvironmentHealthy Environment

Like it or not, this is a global problem Like it or not, this is a global problem we are not an ISLAND!we are not an ISLAND!

What is done in China affects us, and What is done in China affects us, and vice versa. vice versa.

Many countries do not have laws in Many countries do not have laws in place to stop the pollution/destruction place to stop the pollution/destruction of the lands and watersof the lands and waters

This will affect us and does!This will affect us and does! We need a global solution to this We need a global solution to this

global problemglobal problem

Economic GrowthEconomic Growth

Economic GrowthEconomic Growth

A balancing act to be sure.A balancing act to be sure.

How do we continue to run a How do we continue to run a capitalistic society without running capitalistic society without running out of our resources and destroying out of our resources and destroying the planet and our future? the planet and our future?

It’s a balancing act!It’s a balancing act!

What do we have to work What do we have to work with?with?

Our intelligenceOur intelligence Our knowledge of the sciencesOur knowledge of the sciences Our abilities to communicate and Our abilities to communicate and

negotiatenegotiate Our ability to have empathy for Our ability to have empathy for

othersothers Our commitment to humanityOur commitment to humanity The resources on the planetThe resources on the planet

How do we classify Natural How do we classify Natural Resources?Resources?

RenewableRenewable

NonrenewableNonrenewable

Renewable ResourcesRenewable Resources

Good fertile SoilGood fertile Soil Resources grown in soilResources grown in soil Resources from the waterResources from the water Fresh waterFresh water EcosystemsEcosystems Energy from the earth (wind, solar, Energy from the earth (wind, solar,

tidal, hydropower)tidal, hydropower)

Nonrenewable ResourcesNonrenewable Resources

Fossil fuelsFossil fuels Nonmetallic mineralsNonmetallic minerals MetalsMetals

How do we manage the How do we manage the resources?resources?

Up until now, we have had four Up until now, we have had four options:options:

ExploitationExploitation PreservationPreservation The utilitarian approachThe utilitarian approach The ecological or sustainable The ecological or sustainable

approachapproach

ExploitationExploitation Assumptions:Assumptions: an unlimited an unlimited

supply of supply of resources resources

Nature has Nature has no valueno value

Nature is Nature is here to serve here to serve humanshumansThe resource is used as The resource is used as

intensely as possible to intensely as possible to provide the greatest provide the greatest profit to the user.profit to the user.

PreservationPreservationAssumptions:Assumptions:

Nature should Nature should be preserved be preserved for enjoyment for enjoyment for future for future generationsgenerations

Advocate for Advocate for intelligent intelligent sustainable use sustainable use of resources of resources while while preserving preserving some areassome areas

Resources should be set aside, protected, and preserved.

The utilitarian approachThe utilitarian approach

Manage the Manage the resources so they resources so they will never be will never be exhausted.exhausted.

Assumptions:

•Human centered approach

•Science is used to plan management techniques

•This was developed by Gifford Pincot

Ecological or Sustainable Ecological or Sustainable ApproachApproach

Efforts are made to preserve entire Efforts are made to preserve entire ecosystems and manage them as a ecosystems and manage them as a whole.whole.

This requires a systems approach to This requires a systems approach to management.management.

Adaptive management:

Recognize the system is constantly in flux and be ready to shift management quickly as new data comes into play!