Leaving Enough for Tomorrow

Sustainable development, where forest conservation falls under, is a delicate balancing act of prioritizing economic growth and making sure there’s enough for tomorrow. However, many people believe that it’s impossible to allocate enough resources to use only what we need and save the rest for later, especially when it takes a long time to regrow what was taken. Still, what human beings must always consider is that other people’s needs immediately place a moral demand on us. That means we are responsible for making sure that our actions generate only positive outcomes for other people or prevent adverse consequences. 

Today’s needs should not take precedence over tomorrow’s needs, but the reverse applies, too. Thinking that one is more important than the other means that one group of people is less deserving of leafy green trees, thick woodlands, and infinite supplies of fresh air when that simply isn’t true—we’re all worth enjoying the many bounties of Mother Nature. However, our moral goal must always be to strive to achieve the best possible outcome no matter who gets to enjoy it—in other words, using enough without using it all.