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Major Development – Damaging or Necessary?
Living securely to the degree that is enjoyed in the U.S. today often requires significant development projects. Development provides conveniences that Americans view as life necessities – and in some cases, this is a correct assessment. Without extreme alteration of the natural environment, some areas would be impossible to settle heavily, due to lack of available water, arable land, and difficulties encountered without availability of major electrical power grids. NW wildlife does not at all suggest that all development is negative! Wise and mindful development that closely follows scientific input can benefit mankind without destroying the environment that sustains us. Balance – that’s what is needed!
Identifying the Problems
‘Ok,’ you say. Balance is reasonable. So where is the hold-up?
At the top levels of wealth in our society, the fortunes of a powerful few were based upon major alterations of ecologically necessary environmental factors. To maintain its profit and power, this small segment of our population is compelled to invest billions each year on dissemination of propaganda to incite fear and anger among the average citizens whose lives are rooted in the Pacific Northwest. In many respects, making changes significant enough to avoid ecological collapse across multiple fronts will demand sacrifices. One of our largest obstacles to making sound decisions for the future of the Pacific Northwest is the lack of accurate and unbiased public education, resulting in yet another instance of the Great American Mindset of our generation – citizen polarization to extreme levels that prohibit productive discussion, gutting the hope of effective compromise.
It is vital that we look at the Big Picture. When faced with a controversial topic, rather than climb on board with those whose heads are firmly in the sand, chanting mantras so seriously flawed that they approach the level of outright lies to the public, we need to dig deeper – listen to those with no fortune to gain: independent scientists! Those of us who claim that ‘those liberals’ intend to ‘save the speckled grasshopper at the cost of human lives’ have allowed their fears to be inflamed beyond reason. Consider that the ‘speckled grasshopper’ that science – environmental experts – warns us to save would be a linchpin species that could threaten entire biological systems if it becomes extinct. The old ‘Circle of Life’ theme is extremely complex and necessary for man’s ultimate survival on this planet, although the example given of the ‘speckled grasshopper’ is over-simplification at an extreme level – made to illustrate a necessary point.
The solution will not be a “liberal” or a “conservative” solution – it will be a functional compromise that achieves Balance!