The Environmental Challenge—Values in Conflict

The major problem facing us today—as individuals, as organizations, as a nation and as a civilized world—is the proper allocation and management of resources—our natural resources, our human resources, and our material resources. Each society in history has ultimately been judged on this basis, and the performance of the present society will, likewise, not escape close scrutiny on this issue. The war in Indochina, foreign assistance, expansion of industrial production capacity and environmental quality are but a few of the national objectives affecting our allocation of resources. The lack of clear-cut objectives and methods for assessing relative priorities of primary and secondary goals can lead to considerable misallocation of resources on a national or even a world wide basis. Consider the environmental issues—everyone is for improved environmental quality—but what are our national objectives in this area?