Incorporation of Natural Capital into Mainstream Policies

In "Natural Capitalism," Paul Hawkins replaces the world's economy to its respectful position within the larger economy of natural resources and ecosystem services that sustain us. This is done simply by giving value to things not normally found on , from human intelligence and cultures to hydrocarbons, minerals, trees, and microscopic fungi.

Health – “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (World Health Organisation, 2017).

From the earliest civilizations natural resources have shaped the course of Humanity. Some resources have allowed us to rise up, invent new machines, and build mighty empires. While others have taken hundreds of lives and forced humanity to take a step back on the path of progression.

But over the past few decades, the definititon and concept of health has evolved to encompass more elements than just the physical well-being of a person. This is partly attributed to various researches and studies that have taken place around the world in the last 60 years. Already in 1948, the World Health Organization declared that health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not

The Biodiversity Treaty sanctioned that countries whose biological resources are exploited by bioprospecting companies have a right to share the financial benefits resulting from the sale of these resources (Adair, 1997). National parklands are owned by the federal government. Therefore, our national parks have the legal right to share in the financial benefits that

While watching the documentary on Libby Montana i learned a lot about all of the bad things that happened to hundreds of people.The story can be traced back to 1919 when companies first started pulling vermiculite out of mines in Libby. Known commercially as Zonolite, vermiculite was used in a variety of construction materials including insulation for homes and buildings. Decades of mining the vermiculite exposed workers and residents to toxic asbestos dust. A word from our soc book that i related to the movie was health. Obviously this was going to be a term i picked just by seeing what was going on.Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living organism. In humans it is the ability of individuals or communities

In “Where Have All the Exploiters Gone? Co-Management of the Maine Lobster Industry”, author James M. Acheson validates Garret Hardin’s logic in “Tragedy of the Commons” that property rights do in fact help conserve resources. Acheson also refutes basic principles set forth by Hardin that users of open access resources have no vested interest in preserving resources over the long term and are unable to generate regulating mechanisms.

It is also important to recognize Canada and in particular Alberta’s dependence on the development of natural resources to be economically secure. In the past resource development has had less tangible consequences with smaller populations, less advanced extraction methods, and inability to access reserves. In a contemporary setting it appears that natural non-renewable resources are being rapidly depleted in a sequential manor by their most economically redeemable characteristics. Michele Heng, Keith Hipel, and Liping Fang also validate this argument in their paper that the rapid oil sand development does not consider future generations economic, social, and environmental well being. This displays many clear intersections present the issue of oil and gas development in Alberta. The ramifications however can be seen across provinces and globally. The pollution resulting from form the tar sands effects water sheds and ecosystems that are nation wide. A new discussion and analysis of not only the long-term adverse environmental implications, but also the political and socio-economic inequities is needed (Heng, M. Kipel, K. Fang, L. pg. 1137). This change in discourse and policy is discussed as well by Jeff Galius in An Act of Deception. Galius emphasizes the need for a scientific based creation of a strong environmental assessment

Natural resources can be found all over America from dirt to diamond all the resources found help build our nation. “The great California gold rush began on January 24, 1848, when James W. Marshall discovered a gold nugget in the American River.”(California

The average human lifestyle has drastically improved over the past several years. Advances in medicine and technology have directly led to an irrevocable increase in both the quality of living, as well as the length of average lifetimes. Prior to this modern revolution of medical applications, humans who lived during the middle ages were stricken with plagues, disease, injuries, and other difficulties with health that greatly wreaked havoc on mortality rates. Since remaining in a state of adequate health is so fundamental to human satisfaction and progression, individuals have historically centered the majority of their existence on ensuring that the underlying requirements necessary for life were being

Technological advancement has often outperformed scientific knowledge associated with the causes that determine health. Increasing complications in social organization increase the possibilities by which multiple agents can disturb health, including factors such as those that risk physical health like venomous chemicals or radiation, restricted access to sanitary and pure natural resources, and the infinite amalgamation of them all. Decisions taken in areas apparently detached from health frequently have the prospect to have an impact on people’s health in either positive or negative manner due to a large number of links and connections in modern life. Health is an area comprised of highly intricate systems, which can be accidentally

In the piece “Selling out on nature” (McCauley, 2006), Douglas J. McCauley describes how conservation efforts are fueled by the economic advantages it possesses and are carried out solely for the purpose of benefiting our economic markets. McCauley states that ecosystem services are “economic benefits provided by natural ecosystems” (27), arguing that the only incentive for mankind to save nature depends on how profitable nature can be. He emphasizes that our attention should not be put forth in commodifying nature but rather, inculcating respect and love for it so that we can preserve it for many years to come. I oppose McCauley’s argument because it’s impractical and unachievable. Humanity will

Economic analysis that weighs all costs and benefits of a particular model must include environmental considerations. That is to say, the potential for short-term economic losses caused by conservation in the present, should be measured against the dividends that conservation will pay in the future (Nordhaus, 2007). If the earth is truly our most valuable commodity, then analysis under these conditions should recognize that if a “dollar value” were placed on environmental sustainability, more often than not it would outweigh any initial monetary loss resultant of the implementation of more sustainable practices.

This paper uses the terms natural resource(s), resource(s), and reserve(s) in many different contexts. Please use care when interpreting their usage and context.

Naidoo & Wills (2000) defined health in two main ways: the positive approach, where health is viewed as a capacity or an asset, and the negative approach, which emphasises the absence of illness, diseases or disorders. “Health” as defined by the World