We have titled this article "For a More Natural Environment" in honor of World Environment Day. Although it may sometimes seem like a mere formality to give the world's populations the impression that public authorities are concerned about a problem that is of vital importance to the most developed countries, "For a More Natural Environment" aims to examine the ideological conflicts that persist in our country.
But it is actually much more than that: its purpose is to contribute to a collective awareness that should be reflected in different attitudes on the part of the different levels of the Administration, but also on the part of each of the citizens.
For a more natural environment: Conflicting ideas
Being in favor of environmental conservation or improvement is so commonplace that, expressed in such general terms, it loses all meaning. But the reality is that, faced with increasing population pressure and a growing demand...
Widespread and intense through all kinds of material goods and inevitable transformations of economic structures and human settlements, the environment in which we live suffers constant changes that can be real aggressions.
Faced with these facts, two extreme attitudes are possible. The first is staunch conservationism, which reflects a nostalgia for an idealized past (Rousseau's "bon sauvage") and translates into hostile attitudes towards all change.
This attitude simply overlooks the fact that in a developed country like ours, there is a very high level of consumption and a large number of needs to be met. These needs can only be satisfied through an adequate level of economic development. Pure conservationism is an elitist attitude of those who, generally belonging to social classes that enjoy a high standard of living, ignore the basic needs of the vast majority of the population who have not reached those levels.
At the opposite extreme lies unbridled development. There are still many people in this country for whom the important thing is to produce or consume material goods, even if it means sacrificing the environment. This attitude is far more widespread than many media outlets, which are dedicated to blaming the government or businesses for all the problems plaguing our environment, would have us believe. Without resorting to sentimental "boy scout" rhetoric, we must recognize that Spanish citizens are far less respectful of nature and less aware of their civic duties in urban environments than those of many other countries..
Between the two extremes of conservationism and unrestrained development, there exists a middle ground, difficult to find, but one that should be the object of our continuous efforts. Its conception stems from a very simple premise: the goal of economic development should be to increase human well-being. This well-being is undoubtedly achieved through increases in the quantity of goods we can enjoy.
Cognitive Dissonance
But there are circumstances in which these quantitative increases can come at the expense of present or future quality of life. We certainly need more housing, but not at the cost of irreparably damaging our cities. We need to develop our tourism infrastructure, but not at the cost of destroying our coastline or our mountains. We need more industry, but not at the cost of seriously polluting our air or our water.
In reality, all of this (or almost all of it) is compatible through a suitable effort in planning and organization. This requires, on the part of the Administration at all levels, a greater awareness of the desires of the public, who aspire to a more humane, kinder, and less aggressive environment. But it also implies, on the part of the public, not only greater respect for nature and their fellow citizens, but also the acceptance of an unavoidable cost.
Having clean water, more green spaces—all those things that make the environment more pleasant—involves costs that we must be willing to bear. But it's a small price to pay if it allows us to keep human beings closer to their true selves instead of slowly turning them into robots.
We reviewed this article published in La Vanguardia on June 4, 1978, because it seemed to us that things are more or less the same. What do you think?
At Explora Natura, we are committed to environmental education from the earliest years of life. Understanding leads to respect, and respect leads to conservation, not destruction. Click on the following links if you would like to learn more about our programs. environmental education activities y end-of-year trips.
