How can we save the Earth?

Millions of years of geological changes and biological evolution have endowed our planet with diverse ecological systems throughout the world. Not only do these ecosystems provide a shelter for its diverse plant and animal inhabitants, they are also responsible for providing us with the resources that enrich our lives.

However, at a time when the population of the world has reached a staggering 7 billion, not only is a greater need for space to accommodate us, but also an ever-increasing demand for food, water and other resources. 

The dilemma this poses to the citizens of the world and our governments is profound. How do we meet the requirements of the entire population without exhausting our resources for the generations to come?

While some of these resources are measurable, like the agricultural productivity of the land or the minerals extracted from the earth, others, like the carbon dioxide recycling by the trees or the protection marshes and mangroves provide against tsunamis cannot be easily assigned a monetary value.

When making projections about the number of jobs a project will create and the number of dollars it will pump into the local economy, what is usually not considered are the un-measurable services provided by our ecosystems.

What is the dollar value of the aesthetics of an ecosystem? Should we run out of space in San Francisco bay area, is extensive development of the spectacular California coastline near Big Sur warranted? Should apartment complexes prop up along the Grand Canyon or dense equatorial forests give way to the land for agriculture?

Not to forget other species we share the planet with. Is it worth the while to not encroach the Panda habitats in China? Or are the highways through the Serengti hurting the Cheetahs? 

The present laws of our governments are fragmented. Some regulate air quality, while others are concerned with water and then are the ones that deal with natural gas and endangered species. We lack is a comprehensive law that deals with the inter-relations of these.

Worse still, we do not account for the invaluable services that the ecosystems perform for us silently.

The cost-benefit analysis of any operation that we undertake needs to go beyond the immediate consequences. Rather, the long term future of our world needs to take center stage.

It is time for our generation to decide on the legacy we plan to leave for our posterity.