Number: 1977-10
WHEREAS, this Nation’s consumption of its natural resources continues at an alarming rate; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. dependence upon foreign sources for growing amounts of crucial raw materials continues; and
WHEREAS, the national security is dependent upon adequate supplies of many of these resources; and
WHEREAS, the national economic stability is threatened by the potential cut-off of foreign sources or exhaustion of domestic supplies of critical resources; and
WHEREAS, the extent of the U.S. dependence upon foreign sources for materials may well be based upon their economic availability as opposed to their actual domestic supply; and
WHEREAS, the search for more deposits of resources, their removal, transport, use, and eventual disposal have significant effects upon the natural environment; and
WHEREAS, the Nation’s disposable and “convenience-oriented” lifestyle produces burgeoning amounts of unnecessary waste; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. lacks a comprehensive policy toward these resources, their availability, costs, most advantageous uses, recovery from the waste stream, and environmental repercussions of their use;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 24-27, 1977, in Washington, D.C. hereby proposes that the Federal Government determine what its reserves of material and energy resources are, project the expectancy for their availability, determine their domestic availability identified with the economic disincentives to the use of domestic sources, assess the extent of true dependence upon foreign sources for raw materials, examine how resources are being used, determine the availability of alternative sources or substitute materials, and identify disincentives to the use of recovered materials; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization recommends the adoption of a comprehensive policy toward the use of the Nation’s precious resources to minimize unnecessary waste, maximize efficiency of use, and recognize that goods must reflect their complete economic and environmental prices, remove impediments to and provide incentive for the use of recovered resources and a national strategy to minimize potential adverse effects of shortages and foreign embargoes.