| To the Congress of the United States: From the beginning of civilization, every nation's basic wealth and progress has stemmed in large measure from its natural resources. This nation has been, and is now, especially fortunate in the blessings we have inherited. Our entire society rests upon--and is dependent upon--our water, our land, our forests, and our minerals. How we use these resources influences our health, security, economy, and well-being. But if we fail to chart a proper course of conservation and development--if we fail to use these blessings prudently--we will be in trouble within a short time. In the resource field, predictions of future use have been consistently understated. But even under conservative projections, we face a future of critical shortages and handicaps. By the year 2000, a United States population of 300 million--nearly doubled in 40 years--will need far greater supplies of farm products, timber, water, minerals, fuels, energy, and opportunit ...read full document |