Time for Nature With a focus on its role in providing the essential infrastructure that supports life on Earth and human development
These days, in a more environmentally aware society, it is commonplace to hear about the contemporary, controversial and noticeable environmental issues we face.
After a recent season of relentless heatwaves, devastating bushfires, years of drought, and now worldwide pandemics, the environment is at the forefront of our minds more than ever.
Undoubtedly the greatest minds of our time are working to chart humanity’s course though these unprecedented times.
But in the meantime, how can we, as individuals, businesses and industries make a difference and promote change for the benefit and the environment?
Let’s take a stroll back in time and look at when the small things made a difference. Last century the world was focussed on ecologically sustainable development.
Unfortunately, in my experience, development is neither beneficial to the ecology of a place, nor sustainable. Want we need, what we should aim for, is a balanced approach.
As development spreads across the globe, the built environment is the clear winner over the natural environment. So where is the balance? How did we get here in the first place?
We still design and build infrastructure the same way we did last century, we still teach our children the same way we did last century, we still treat the environment the same way we did last century.
Did we learn from our own mistakes? Why is the environment an afterthought, an impediment to development?
I think it is imperative that we all take the time to look into the past to shape our way into the future. Australia is a prime example of a country that pushes the boundaries of what our environment can handle.
From cane toads to coral bleaching, weather extremes to water shortages, bushfires to bulldust – we live in an already extreme environment. Yet we continue to develop out into marginal lands and nothing seems to change.
Australia can change – and it all starts with us. Better decisions need to be made, based on the adoption of better techniques, changes in design, and improvements to training.
Hopefully, these better decisions can deliver small but important steps towards a balanced environment. If we spend the time look back at our past mistakes and invest in the small changes, the payoff could be big!
Dave Waterson
03/06/2020