Environmental Degradation and Economic Development

The State of Issues at Hand and Methods for Solving Key Problems

In recent times, there has been an alarming set of concerns coming to light as never before seen. From terrestrial environmental degradation to the rapid and catastrophic declines in reefs, we are now realizing more than ever the overarching connections between seemingly distant non-related phenomena. We are also realizing how these problems also affect our acute health and long-term survival.

There are a number of factors driving environmental destruction. The root cause is economic development. Whether it is subsistence slash and burn techniques for poor farmers or coastal development and subsequent wetlands destruction the cause and effect are the same. People need to live and support themselves whether directly with farming or by economic and business expansion. Unfortunately, there is an understanding currently with much of the population that environmentalism and economic development are mutually exclusive. This however is inaccurate, with proper support, standards, and practices we can both improve and repair the environment and grow business. In our capitalist system, there are a number of checks and balances that allow business to grow and succeed. While never 100% successful at achieving aimed for goals, these rules and regulations (or lack thereof) encourage and grow business within a determined set of standards. Business grows and evolves in this set of standards. Change standards and the path of evolution changes. Different countries of different standards for various industries and the results (job creation, workers rights, environmental impact, public health impact…) can be measured and compared to other countries or areas with a different set of standards. By building into these rules criterion for environmental concerns that did not unduly hamper economic growth, benefits can be had all around.

A common challenge to meeting this goal is that often environmentally friendly options often have a steeper upfront cost. Even though in the long term such environmentally conscious actions deliver a greatly increased benefit in human health, profit potential, and environmental conditions, short term business and profit pressures cause much development to ignore these long term solutions. With a combination of tax breaks, small business support, research, and education we can help set up a frame work for that will encourage environmentally advantageous options that allow business to remain competitive in a situation with companies that do not have such practices.

One option for the development of mutually beneficial technologies and practices is the Non-Profit Organization. The NPO can be used as an incubator for such development. Being free from certain market pressures, and the infusion of tax deductible donations and grant money, enables the NPO to accomplish things a for profit company may not be able to. The NPO can then take these new technologies and applications and educated business owners and policy makers on the benefits of such practices.

Outreach programs to the general public as well as business professionals and policymakers will be key to the next phase of bringing these new technologies to fruition in the market were they would be of much benefit. In order to engage new audiences these outreach activities will have to be presented in new and exciting ways. One must grab the attention of the desired audience, then be able to convey information in such a way to best educate and influence the actions of that audience.

A specific area in which the public can be engaged is the creation of urban and sub-urban greenways. These patches of suitable environment for native species can have a large impact on the larger picture of environmental restoration. Encouraging the use of native plants and organic horticulture techniques are vital to accomplish these goals. Tax breaks to property owners who section off part of their property for wildlife development should be encouraged. Larger scale programs exist where land is put into trust so it may be exempt from taxes and protected from development. A smaller scale program could be used for the average small business or home owner. A tax write off could be given for the portion of land set aside for such native wildlife growth. Eventually as these points of isolated habitat become more abundant flow of species and genetic integrity are increased. These measures will have wide ranging benefits aside from the obvious. These include an increase in ocean health as terrestrial habitats are restored, to the increase of short term and long term health of people, as there will be less poisonous pesticide and herbicide applications and other toxins are removed from the environment and locked up in the biomass.

Large and local businesses will also be important in this equation. As landscapers are educated in native species and environmentally friendly practices and more homeowners and businesses demand such practices we will see a feedback loop where it is profitable and advantageous for such business to thrive. This will also go hand and hand with product producers such as the horticulture industry. As more people demand native and beneficial species, more landscapers will seek out these species to sell, and ultimately horticulture will start producing more of these species and at better cost over time as efficiency and scale of growing them increases. It can also work from producer to consumer where the producer of helps educate to the consumer of the benefits of there product. Very good example of this is organic foods. They used to be expensive and few people bought them. As popularity has grown more producers have got into the game and now the price has gone down substantially and the availability has increased.

With the rapid expansion of the Reef Aquarium hobby in only the last few decades we have seen a new industry develop right along side with it. From the collectors, exporters, wholesaler and retailers to the dry goods and equipment manufacturers, many people are making money from and depending on the hobby and its continued future. With reef aquaria we have had the ability to observe microcosms of reef environments in a readily accessible way. This allowed a much greater awareness of these extremely crucial yet hard to reach places, to a much larger audience then ever possible before. Many in the hobby are themselves aware of and concerned about the plight of the worlds reefs. This awareness can be used to be of much benefit of the dual environmental and economic goals. The same model used for environmentally friendly terrestrial development may be applied to the Reef Hobby. By using the NPO for the development of new practices and technologies and then applying them to the industry we can have a profound impact on the future of the world reefs. We now see more and more coral farms on land and in the ocean, as well as breakthroughs in captive husbandry of corals and marine organism. However, at the same time there is profound destruction happening in many places that is having permanent and devastating effects. Also on land manufacturing and the use of products can have its effect on reefs as terrestrial health is paramount to reef health.

Because we are at an early stage in the growth and expansion of the reef hobby we are in a good position make permanent and lasting changes. By building a solid foundation of ecological practices for the hobby now, the whole industry can develop using these principles. Less energy is needed now to make larger changes for the future. However the longer we wait the more energy we will have to put in, to develop the same amount of change.