Conservation and Growth Can Go Hand In Hand
Perhaps the greatest conservationist to occupy the Oval Office, President Theodore Roosevelt, once said, “Conservation means development as much as it does protection. I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us.”
Certainly, President Roosevelt was a champion for the great cause of preserving our natural legacy; yet, he also understood that environmental protection and economic growth are not mutually exclusive. In that spirit, we announce the formation of Citizens for Sound Conservation, a group dedicated to both the economic and environmental health of our state.
From the mountains to the coast and everywhere in between, South Carolinians are blessed with abundant natural resources that help make the Palmetto State a desirable place to visit, live, work, raise a family and retire. In so many respects, our quality of life is second to none — a divine gift subsequently managed and nurtured by generations of Sandlappers.
Our natural heritage is a gift, but it has not come without responsibilities. Our duty is to ensure clean air and water, preservation of historical and unique places, and proper, responsible stewardship of the resources we have been given. We can meet the obligations of sustaining and improving our quality of life, however, only through a shared commitment to economic development in conjunction with sound conservation of our natural resources.
Too often in environmental policy debates, we find either/or propositions. Are you for the creation of jobs, or do you instead choose to protect the environment and preserve the health of South Carolinians? Individuals and organizations from both sides of this debate, at times with an assist from the media, have routinely cast these issues as all-or-nothing situations, with win-at-all-cost approaches. Sadly, the jobs that would have been created and the reasonable, effective environmental protections that could have resulted have been lost in the process.
The time has come for the debate to change — for the focus to be shifted from the question of jobs or the environment to seeking a balance between the prosperity of our communities and the health and sustainability of our environment. As a result, community leaders representing various interests have united to ensure that sound conservation is achieved while promoting the creation of jobs and opportunities for all South Carolinians.
Over the last several years, we have watched environmental issues move from the science pages of magazines and newspapers to above the fold on the front page, as if these concerns and the pursuit of solutions were new phenomena. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth, as responsible growth and development has been taking place long before this massive green push began.
Several examples are notable. For decades, the state’s manufacturers have committed to sustainability practices not only because those efforts made good business sense and satisfied government regulators, but also because the men and women who ran these companies valued the preservation of our natural heritage. Concerned citizens in other economic sectors have also contributed to this great goal: The State Ports Authority has worked to enhance on-site air quality; our state’s utilities are aggressively pursuing new technologies that will ensure clean, reliable and affordable energy with a renewed focus on nuclear and other renewable clean power; and realtors and homebuilders have long supported expansion of private incentives to protect historic and environmentally sensitive land.
Some folks scoff at these efforts, but we ask those naysayers to reconsider their rigid opposition to economic progress. Evidence demonstrates that developed, prosperous communities enjoy much better environmental conditions and a much higher quality of life than do those areas where people struggle to meet basic needs. Uncompromising positions against catalysts for future growth and prosperity such as expanded port facilities or new power plants will not in the long run benefit South Carolina’s economic or environmental health.
The members of Citizens for Sound Conservation understand that South Carolina must balance good stewardship of our natural resources with job creation. The greatest hope any American can have is the opportunity to realize his or her potential and to do so in a safe, healthy environment. If we do not recognize that prosperity and the protection of our great natural heritage must go hand in hand, we will condemn ourselves and future generations to live in a South Carolina that enjoys neither prosperity nor a clean and healthy environment.