VALUATING THE ECOSYSTEMS
by Anton Antonio
July 18, 2015
I saw a poster on Facebook, posted on my wall by one of my
netizen friends, which really got my attention.
It is an infomercial created by the University of Michigan on “The Value
of a Tree”. It said that a tree is worth
US$ 193,250 according to Professor T. M. Das of the University of
Calcutta. A tree living for 50 years
will generate US$ 31,250 worth of oxygen, provide US$ 62,000 worth of air
pollution control, control soil erosion and increase soil fertility to the tune
of US$ 31,250, recycle US$ 37,500 worth of water and provide a home for animals
worth US$ 31,250. These figures do not
include the value of fruits, lumber and beauty derived from trees. An annual income of US$ 193,250 for one
forest alone is mind boggling when compared to the average annual income of US$
5,100 for an average Filipino family.
Wanting to dig deeper into this tree-valuation thing, the
question came to me: “How much is the value of the world’s ecosystem?” Yes… how much is the US dollar value of
Mother Earth? So I did a quick research
to first identify the goods and services derived from the ecosystem in general
--- tangible goods such as food and natural resources, land, etc; and,
intangible services such as clean air, aesthetic beauty, recreational
activities, cultural development, etc.
From this quick research I discovered that 50 years ago the
value of the world’s ecosystems was estimated to be around US$ 33 trillion (or
US$ 48.7 trillion in today’s dollars).
The most recent valuation, however, came up with a new and updated
amount: US$ 142.7 trillion. Unthinkable,
isn’t it? This re-valuation included new
parameters in valuation for the world’s ecosystems.
The new environmental worldview which I often repeat --- Let
us help Mother Earth save us. --- is again proven right even in the context of
man’s materialistic tendency; man always attaches value (especially monetary
value) to everything and anything. So
now that the worth of our ecosystems has been estimated, isn’t it reason enough
for us to protect and preserve the environment and our natural resources? This is humankind’s treasure that should not
only be enjoyed by the present generation… but the future generations as
well. Thanks to the environment
scientists out there who tirelessly seek novel ways in valuating the
ecosystems.
Just my
little thoughts…
(Please
visit, like and share Pro EARTH Crusaders on Facebook or follow me at http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/
and http://twitter.com/EarthCrusader)
REFERENCE:
motherjones.com, (2014).
“How much are the World’s Ecosystems Worth?”. Retrieved on July 18, 2015 from http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/06/how-much-are-worlds-ecosystems-worth
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