In general, increased personal wealth leads to an attitude of indifference toward those who have less. Although many poor societies have less, rich societies have never chosen to halt growth and productivity.
Industry is naturally dirty because it consumes energy and resources, and produces waste that must be discarded. Proper waste disposal and energy consumption can be costly, and ultimately reduce profits for the company. Many companies choose to pollute in order to cut costs in exchange for higher profits.
Normal economic forces encourage profitability by cutting costs. In general, pollution controls are an expensive cost to any industry, especially older and more polluting forms of manufacturing. In some cases, it is unrealistic to expect some companies to install pollution controls because it would drastically reduce profitability. Newer industry is incorporating pollution controls into their building and manufacturing plans.
The production of waste is inevitable when processing raw materials. The by-product of processing needs to be considered a residue rather than a waste, and the residues need to be recycled or a new use should be found. While it is probably not reasonable to expect a totally unpolluted environment, manufacturers should consider it a goal, which they should attempt to achieve.
The dominant societal attitude toward resource use has been one of growth and exploitation. Society continues to consume without regard for the future.
The development ethic is based on using the earth's resources for human benefit. The preservation ethic is based on the inherent value and aesthetic value of nature. The conservation ethic works toward a balance between resource use and preservation. There is an inherent conflict between preservation and development because one believes in the destruction of a resource for human benefit and the other believes in the rights of all creatures to live. The conservation ethic, however, balances resource use and aesthetics.
The major motivating force of corporate management is profitability because stockholders expect immediate return on their investment. This often leads to decisions based on short-term profitability rather than long-term benefit to society.
The actions of corporations are viewed differently than those of the individual because continual corporate expansion yields more power and influence over decision-makers.
