When I mention what I do (come up with ways to estimate the value of environmental goods and services), I sometimes get a response like this:
It really is irritating that some people need to use economic measures to value our environment.
The reality is our environment, air, water, seas, national parks & Great Barrier Reef are truly priceless & must be treated as such ie no cost benefit BS studies needed.
My response is really quite simple. If we don't measure the value of environmental goods and services and place them on par with marketed goods, we risk some acting as if the environment is free.
It's like the nice neighbors who are going to be out of town on Halloween, so they leave a bowl of 'free' candy out for the neighborhood kids. Most of the kids (mainly the supervised ones) are good citizens and only take one or two pieces of 'free' candy. But it only takes one obnoxious teenager to recognize that 'free' means take all you can, and everyone loses out.
So think of those who treat the environment as 'free' as the obnoxious teenage neighbor who needs more adult supervision.
Or, start charging for your Halloween candy.
