The basic reason for being ecologically minded is simply the fact that resources are limited. If resources were completely or even nearly unlimited, ecology and the environmental advocacy would just be talk; people could continue exploiting and depleting resources using conventional development strategies to fulfill the needs of current social systems.
However, limited resources are a reality, especially material resources. Therefore, finding ways to enjoy the Earth's resources while also ensuring sustained health for ourselves and future generations is the ultimate goal behind ecological thinking.
Put simply, ecology attempts to establish a sustainable and long-lasting civilization while recognizing that resources are limited. In order to accomplish this, it is first necessary to follow a conservation strategy, whereby currently unused natural resources are temporarily put aside. This may require the adjustment of society's needs to increase the efficiency of currently used resources.
Energy resources are a good example. Currently, when society lacks electrical power, we revert to previous solutions to the problem, by building a new power plant. And if that is still not enough, we build yet another. However, if governments employed a conservation strategy, the answer would not be another power plant but an increase in the efficiency in power usage. Europe, the US and Japan have already been improving such efficiency for 10 to 20 years. Yet Taiwan consumes electricity quite recklessly, and efficiency is rarely considered. Walking on Taipei's streets in the summer feels like a spa, yet businesses often don't close their doors and windows when their air conditioning is on. This demonstrates Taiwan's careless energy consumption patterns.
Building designs rarely consider energy efficiency and even when outside temperatures are tolerable, air conditioning inside makes many places unbearable. Ironically, just when environmental energy resources are at their fullest (sunny summer days), Taiwan has power shortages.
According to information from Taipower, it takes about two nuclear power plants plus one fossil fuel-burning power plant to fight the battle against the summer heat. If methods, such as insulation and thermal air channeling were adopted we could save a substantial amount of energy. If we learn to turn our enemy into a friend by absorbing the sun's energy using solar cells, we would benefit from an even greater amount of energy. Energy efficiency strategies are economical and cost much less than building a new power plant.
Sustainable principles can be summarized with the "three Es": ecological integrity, economic efficiency, and equity.
Ecological integrity -- the preservation of our environment -- is the foundation for sustainable development. Economic efficiency is one method of achieving it whereby we incorporate ecological and cultural considerations. Equity is the most fundamental principle: In order to achieve cross-generational equity, each generation must preserve the natural resources that were passed on from the previous generation.
When resources are given to the next generation, each person should receive no fewer resources than we received ourselves. Thus, renewable and diverse resources can all be preserved indefinitely.
According to the "law of the minimum" in the study of ecology, all life development is restricted by the lowest or worst environmental elements. Similarly, preservation of environmental quality also hinges upon the worst elements in society. Future opportunities for development therefore relies upon the improvement of life for society's poorest.
Cheng Hsien-yo is a board member of the Seven Star Eco-Conservation Foundation (
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