5.3 Perspectives on Stewardship and Sustainability

5.3 Perspectives on Stewardship and Sustainability

To what extent does globalization lead to sustainable prosperity for all people?

What does the World We Want Look Like?

The kind of world we want depends to an extent on our worldview and our beliefs about where mankind fits into that world. Is mankind just one of the many unique and wonderful organisms that make up our universe, or are human beings set apart and above the rest of nature? Some people believe that the Earth exists to serve mankind; others believe that people should be stewards of the land.

No matter your worldview, the question of environmental sustainability is the critical issue facing mankind.

Can we find a way to cohabit in a world that respects and protects the many varied ecologies of the natural world while learning how to integrate our modern, urban, industrialized world? Or must we have a world of extremes where natural resources are used without regard for the effects upon ecological systems? Need we sacrifice the natural world for continued economic growth? In a world of continuous economic growth, the natural world must change, and those changes are detrimental.

Stewardship and Sustainability

Environmental sustainability means meeting our present needs without compromising our future. The Earth and its resources are finite, and if we want the human race to survive (meet its needs), we must ensure that the people of today do not use up or destroy all the resources.

Many people believe that we must act as stewards of the land. Stewardship means taking good care of the resources that have been entrusted to us; all living things have a right to exist, and people should understand the natural world and encourage and maintain natural areas and biological diversity for future generations.