216 Ecology and Applied Environmental Science
monuments etc. The need for sensible environmental management adds an
extra layer of organization to the already too-organized life of people in the
modern world, some of whom are suffocating under the burden of rules.
Sometimes activities for the preservation of biodiversity and the landscape
are considered by those affected as an insult against the value of equality or
social justice—at least as it is interpreted by them. For example, in order
for an intellectual person to enjoy an archaeological site or for a nature
lover to admire a rare bird in a wetland, the local farmer should limit his
possibilities of increasing his income, e.g. through irrigation, drainage or
building works. Similar protests are expressed in some European countries
against the European Union policy, because by strict environmental protection legislation it imposes limitations without compensating those affected
for the resulting loss of income.
As a rule, the development of activities that change the environment meets
the public’s expectations for more security and comfort in life. Security is
a fundamental value for individuals and for society as a whole. The limitation of wild nature, of non-friendly biological organisms and of many
natural processes has been at the centre of the endeavour for increased
security in the past. In spite of the current rise of the economic and technological level and the drastic reduction of dangers that come from nature, a
certain degree of opposition still exists. Comfort is also a basic pursuit of
man, who tries to live better, labouring less. Thus few people, for example,
would sacrifice the sense of security offered by the night illumination of a
park in order to protect nocturnal animals from the disturbance caused by
the lights. Similarly, few would want to put up with mosquito invasions at
nightfall in order not to pursue drainage of a swamp next to their house.
Thus by seeking greater security and comfort, by demanding equality and
by being aware of his freedom, man has been destroying the natural environment as much as the abilities of his technology have allowed him in the
course of history. One of the first things primitive man did as soon as he
developed his first tools was to clear the neighbouring forest. However, civilisation poses barriers that are associated with the pursuit of maximum collective social safety that depends also on environmental equilibrium. Those
barriers limit or suspend the potential destructive inclination of the private
interests of individuals. Today, the main factors that make environmental
conservation practicable are the relative saturation of consumer needs in
industrialized countries, the wide recognition of environmental degradation
and the development of environmental concern, and the accelerating development of technological possibilities and business activities in environmental protection sectors—so-called green capitalism. Those factors are mainly
manifested in countries with important economic and cultural development.
The problem of decisions in relation to environmental or other social
issues is solved by the democratic principle of the majority. This principle
monuments etc. The need for sensible environmental management adds an
extra layer of organization to the already too-organized life of people in the
modern world, some of whom are suffocating under the burden of rules.
Sometimes activities for the preservation of biodiversity and the landscape
are considered by those affected as an insult against the value of equality or
social justice—at least as it is interpreted by them. For example, in order
for an intellectual person to enjoy an archaeological site or for a nature
lover to admire a rare bird in a wetland, the local farmer should limit his
possibilities of increasing his income, e.g. through irrigation, drainage or
building works. Similar protests are expressed in some European countries
against the European Union policy, because by strict environmental protection legislation it imposes limitations without compensating those affected
for the resulting loss of income.
As a rule, the development of activities that change the environment meets
the public’s expectations for more security and comfort in life. Security is
a fundamental value for individuals and for society as a whole. The limitation of wild nature, of non-friendly biological organisms and of many
natural processes has been at the centre of the endeavour for increased
security in the past. In spite of the current rise of the economic and technological level and the drastic reduction of dangers that come from nature, a
certain degree of opposition still exists. Comfort is also a basic pursuit of
man, who tries to live better, labouring less. Thus few people, for example,
would sacrifice the sense of security offered by the night illumination of a
park in order to protect nocturnal animals from the disturbance caused by
the lights. Similarly, few would want to put up with mosquito invasions at
nightfall in order not to pursue drainage of a swamp next to their house.
Thus by seeking greater security and comfort, by demanding equality and
by being aware of his freedom, man has been destroying the natural environment as much as the abilities of his technology have allowed him in the
course of history. One of the first things primitive man did as soon as he
developed his first tools was to clear the neighbouring forest. However, civilisation poses barriers that are associated with the pursuit of maximum collective social safety that depends also on environmental equilibrium. Those
barriers limit or suspend the potential destructive inclination of the private
interests of individuals. Today, the main factors that make environmental
conservation practicable are the relative saturation of consumer needs in
industrialized countries, the wide recognition of environmental degradation
and the development of environmental concern, and the accelerating development of technological possibilities and business activities in environmental protection sectors—so-called green capitalism. Those factors are mainly
manifested in countries with important economic and cultural development.
The problem of decisions in relation to environmental or other social
issues is solved by the democratic principle of the majority. This principle