Two men, a conservative man and a greedy man, were each given a large plot of land. On each plot was lush woodland, a lake teaming with fish, and a small meadow. The conservative man chopped down a few trees and built a small house on the wooded edge of the meadow. He planted a small amount of crops in the place where he had chopped down the trees. He had little in the way of livestock, only a few chickens and a pig. But thanks to the fish in the lake he was able to provide his family with plenty of meat to satisfy their bellies.
The greedy man used his land in a much different way. He cut down all the trees on the land. He built a large house, on the edge of the meadow, with some of the lumber and sold the rest for a large profit. He planted crops on all the remaining land that had been covered by trees. He then proceeded to fence in the meadow, which he filled with a large herd of cattle. He had little interest in eating fish so he caught all the fish in the lake and sold them at market, for a hefty profit, of course.
All went well for both men for several years. The conservative man lived a simple, happy life; while the greedy man made lots of money. That is, until the draught came. The conservative man’s crops were spared from the blistering sun. He had planted them within the trees, and in turn the trees shaded them. His home and even the lake where also given some shade from the large trees growing all around. He continued to be able to provide his family with fresh fish for their supper. The conservative man and his family survived the drought and prospered.
The greedy man did not fair so well. He had chopped down all of the trees on his land. His crops had no shelter from the burning rays of the sun. They withered and died. Without crops he had no food for his livestock. Cattle must eat, so he spent all of his money to feed them. He tried everything he could think of to survive the drought. But then, with no shelter to slow its evaporation, the lake dried up. All was lost for the greedy man.
Just as the conservative man and his responsible ways represent the people that use the Earth’s resources in wise ways; so likewise, the greedy man and his negligent ways represent those people who exploit the Earth’s bounty for their own profit. Which type of person are you?