Earth Resources and Our Environment: Resource and Policy Problems

Lee Gerhard

Despite excesses, environmental sensitivity in the United States has improved many aspects of our physical environment, and few would argue that these positive changes should be reversed. However, the environmental movement has lost much credibility over the last few years owing to extreme positions of vocal splinter groups, lack of sensitivity to social needs, shrinkage of wealth, and bureaucratic implementation of extreme agendas, sufficiently so that the media now disparagingly document negative aspects of environmental laws and regulations. Although a balance may be struck, political history suggests that the policy may swing to unbridled exploitation and lessened concern for the physical quality of life. Very few would argue for loss of the significant positive progr ss this country has made.

In consequence, it is absolutely necessary to re-establish the basic tenets of a national environmental policy that preserves an acceptable quality of life for our mainstream society while including the disadvantaged and disheartened of America in its equations of cost and benefits. Five areas of weakness must be addressed: Lack of recognition of societal needs to preserve its standard of living, establishment of priorities, development of consensual standards, balancing of special interests with rejection of spurious issues, and application of holistic and high quality science to analysis of issues.

Earth resources are the basis of wealth. Society's needs for these resources will direct the ultimate resolution of the debate, but with proper education and development of goals, an appropriate policy balance can be gained.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91020©1995 AAPG Annual Convention, Houston, Texas, May 5-8, 1995