If you mention environmental issues or concerns today to captains of industry and government a flippant one-liner always returns, "We have to balance the environment with the economy."

It is as if proper care of the environment will be a drain on the economy. It is as if we cannot take care of the environment properly until the economy is running properly.

In fact this one-liner is completely back to front. In fact care of the environment will safe guard our economy. The economic costs of not looking after our environment are disasterous.

See the book "Collapse" by Prof. Jared Diamond

Diamond lists eight factors which have historically contributed to the collapse of past societies:

1. Deforestation and habitat destruction
2. Soil problems (erosion, salinization, and soil fertility losses)
3. Water management problems
4. Overhunting
5. Overfishing
6. Effects of introduced species on native species
7. Human population growth
8. Increased per-capita impact of people

Further he says four new factors may contribute to the weakening and collapse of present and future societies:

1. Human-caused climate change
2. Buildup of toxic chemicals in the environment
3. Energy shortages
4. Full human utilization of the Earth’s photosynthetic capacity

The root problem in all but one of Diamond's factors leading to collapse is overpopulation relative to the practicable (as opposed to the ideal theoretical) carrying capacity of the environment. The one factor not related to overpopulation is the harmful effect of accidentally or intentionally introducing non-native species to a region.

Jared Diamond's video presentation of "Collapse" – Video of a talk given at Columbia University in April 2007

You'll need an hour to watch this one but it will save you having to read the book!