Environmental protection is a global movement to ensure the preservation of our planet. It involves reducing air and water pollution, waste management, and ecological conservation efforts. In underserved communities, this can unlock a treasure trove of health and economic benefits, propelling them toward prosperity.
Cleaner environments drastically cut healthcare costs and elevate community productivity. They also support more effective learning in schools, which can lead to long-term economic empowerment. Projects focused on environmental cleanup, green infrastructure and renewable energy create new jobs and offer training opportunities for the local workforce. Often, they also help increase property values, making homes and neighborhoods more desirable to live in.
The impact of environmental protection is not an overnight fix. It takes a long time to implement the required regulations and educate people on the importance of greener practices. But the good news is that everyone can make a difference – even by just recycling more, using solar power, shopping second-hand or buying meat raised humanely.
Research shows that preferences for individual freedoms predict a preference for environmental protection, as well as a preference for greater economic growth. For example, a preference for personal privacy, preventing government video surveillance in public areas and having a say over one’s own economic fate predict higher preferences for environmental protection. But a desire for less red tape and more free markets also tends to result in lower preference for environmental protection, as it can decrease firm competitiveness (Walia et al, 2020). This may be because people are less likely to view the environment as part of their personal freedoms.