where to start?????

What is the most precious natural resource? I think we could all say that they are all precious. I have been thinking about how daunting of a task that it is to try to protect our natural resources. Where do we do as planners directed the funds or recommended that they be directed? We have talked extensively about energy consumption and the carbon footprint in class. It is my experience that the public, at large is not as in tune to carbon problem as they are to issues such as water quality and solid waste. Maybe it is because they have been on the forefront so long that they have a stronger following.

The infrastructure to protect water quality is grand. Take for example all the grant and organizations that have sprung up to protect water quality. Here in North Carolina there are no less than 100 different non-profits and government agencies that are set up to protect water quality. I venture to guess that there are only a handful of agencies that deal particularly with carbon. I think it is probably going to catch up in the next 10 years. Back to my original question, where does the environmental planner start, do we start with what the citizens are interested in? Do we start with our interests? It is a difficult question to answer.