7

ENVIRONMENTAL
PRINCIPLE
Environmental principles

Environmental principles offers protection to

our natural world.

Serves as guide for lawmakers, judges and

decision makers, giving laws and policies its
ideal shape and meaning

Environmental principles work together to

ensure high environmental standards by
directing how judges and other decision
makers should interpret the law.
 01
NATURE KNOWS
BEST
(ang Kalikasan ang mas
nakakaalam)
 01
NATURE KNOWS
BEST
(ang Kalikasan ang mas
nakakaalam)
NATURE KNOWS BEST

• Humans have to understand

nature and have to abide by the
rules nature dictates. In
essence, one must not go
against the natural processes if
one would like to ensure a
continuous and steady supply
of resources.
 02
All forms of life
are important
(ang lahat na may
buhay ay mahalaga)
All forms of life are important

Each organism plays a fundamental role in

nature.

It is easy to appreciate the beautiful

organisms like butterflies, especially if one
knows their important role in pollination.
All forms of life are important

Each organism plays a fundamental role in

nature.

The giant ones like elephants, the whales,

the alligators are the ones we respect
mixed with fear or wonder and the products
they produce.
All forms of life are important

Each organism plays a fundamental role in

nature.

But when it comes to unlovely, squirmy, and

troublesome creatures, this principle is
unusually overlooked.
 03
Everything is
connected to
everything else
(ang lahat ng bagay ay
magkakaugnay)
 03
Everything is
connected to
everything else
(ang lahat ng bagay ay
magkakaugnay)
Everything is connected to
everything else
• In an ecosystem, all biotic and
abiotic components interact with
each other to ensure that the
system is sustained.

• Any intrusion from outside may

cause an imbalance and
collapsing of the system.
 04
Everything
changes
(ang lahat ay
nagbabago)
 Everything changes

• The environment is constantly changing.

• Organisms also develop through time.

Consider the folowing examples:
a. Metamorphosis of catterpillars to
butterflies illustrates morphological
change that occur in living forms.
b. b. The increase of vegetation on
earth augmented the amount of
oxygen in the atmosphere through
time.
Everything changes

c. Seasons are cyclic change that

contribute to the diversity of flowers,
fruits, vegetables and other crops during
the year.
d. Random changes manifested by
natural catastrope such as typhoons
destroys forest, coral reefs and
mangroves.
e. Volcanic eruptions annihilate surface
flora and submerge rivers.
 05
Everything must go
somewhere
(ang lahat ng bagay
ay may patutunguhan)
Everything MUST GO SOMEWHERE

Everything ends up elsewhere. It doesn’t just

disappear.

For example: if you throw a piece of candy

wrapper away, it disappears from sight but
does not cease to exist. It ends up elsewhere.

Gases released in the atmosphere may

spread but it will end up a component of the
atmosphere and can be brought down by
rains.
Everything MUST GO SOMEWHERE

Any particular type of waste should always

be a concern to us. It may be a pollutant or
a resource depending on certain factors.

Be a responsible person and throw your

trash in a proper place.
 06
Ours is a finite
earth
(ang kalikasan ay
may hangganan)
 06
Ours is a finite
earth
(ang kalikasan ay
may hangganan)
Ours is a finite earth

Earth’s resources can be classified as

either renewable or nonrenewable.

Renewable resources are those that can

be easily replenished by natural cycles (e.g.
water, air, plants, animals)
Ours is a finite earth

Non-renewable resources are those that

cannot be replenished through natural
cycles.

Although renewable resources can be

replenished, it is important to understand
that these are renewable only if they are
not overused and not destroyed from
factors such as pollution.
 07
Nature is beautiful and we
are stewards of god’s
creation
(ang kalikasan ay maganda at
tayo ang tagapangasiwa ng
lahat na nilikha ng diyos)
 07
Nature is beautiful and we
are stewards of god’s
creation
(ang kalikasan ay maganda at
tayo ang tagapangasiwa ng
lahat na nilikha ng diyos)
Nature is beautiful and we are
stewards of god’s creation

Among all creatures, humans are the only

ones made in God’s image and have been
given the right to have dominion over all His
creations.

Being the most intelligent and gifted with

reason, humans are capable of
manipulating creation to their own
advantage.
Nature is beautiful and we are
stewards of god’s creation

Yet, creation exists not to be ravaged or

abused but to be taken care of.

Humans cannot exist without nature. They

are co-natural with the environment they
live in.