Protecting Our Natural Resources

"And God blessed them, saying: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and all living things that move upon the earth,"

Genesis 1:28

Many cultures believe that humans are "special." They are different from and masters over the rest of nature. The biblical quotation above reflects this philosophy. It suggests that nature is here to meet the needs of human beings. God has given us the right to conquer nature and take from it whatever we want and need. We need not be excessively concerned about the effects of this conquest on other species.

Not all cultures view nature in this way. Many societies believe that humans are not more important than or superior over the rest of nature. Instead, they are just one part of the natural world that also consists of monkeys, lions, snakes, trees, bushes, and grass. All living things, these societies believe, form an interconnected web in which the fate of any one species depends on that of all other species. This difference of opinion may sound like a fine philosophical point. But it is more than that. These philosophies determine the way a culture will use its own natural resources and, where possible, those of other nations. The environmental history of the United States illustrates this point well.

When the first European settlers arrived on the North American continent, they found a seeming abundance of natural resources. The continent was filled with forests, fresh water, minerals, land, and wild animals. Everything needed to make their lives complete was there for the taking.

And take they did. Over the next two centuries, Americans swept across the continent, cutting down trees, killing game, farming the land, and digging up its minerals. In the process, they gave almost no thought to the long-term effects they were having on their environment.

Their attitudes toward nature differed markedly from those of Native Americans. Native Americans felt a responsibility to conserve and protect nature. They took what they needed without destroying their natural assets. In contrast, pioneers gave little thought to the devastation their lumbering, mining, and agriculture were causing to the continent.

It was not until the Western Frontier disappeared in the late 1800's that some Americans began to realize the extent to which their natural bounty had been lost. With that realization arose the first American conservation movement.

Since that time, debates have raged over the best ways to use our natural resources. Which, if any, should be preserved, that is, left untouched forever? Which should be conserved, that is, used with care so that they would be available for continued use in future generations? And which should be utilized, that is, cut down, dug up, or harvested without regard for the needs of future generations?

Today, Americans debate this issue with respect to many natural resources: timber, coal, oil, minerals, farmland, water resources, and so on. The debate continues also in other nations around the world. Now that most industrialized nations have used up their supplies of timber, for example, they are turning to tropical rain forests to meet their continued need for lumber. Questions of how best to use the vast potential of the rain forests are now being raised.

created by: Debbie Anholt
updated: 5-5-2000
contact me: anholt@lclark.edu