As S our population expands, as our industrial output increases, and as rising productivity makes possible increased enjoyment of leisure time, the obligation to make the most efficient and beneficial use of our natural resources becomes correspondingly greater. The standard of living we enjoy greater than any other nation in history-is attributable in large measure to the wide variety and rich abundance of this country's physical resources. But these resources are not inexhaustible-nor do they automatically replenish themselves. We depend on our natural resources to sustain us--but in turn their continued availability must depend on our using them prudently, improving them wisely, and, where possible, restoring them promptly. We must reaffirm our dedication to the sound practices of conservation which can be defined as the wise use of our natural environment; it is, in the final analysis, the highest form of national thrift-the prevention of waste and despoilment while preserving, improving, and renewing the quality and usefulness of all our resources. Our deep spiritual confidence that this Nation will survive the perils of today-which may well be with us for decades to come-compels us to invest in our Nation's future, to consider and meet our obligations to our children and the numberless generations that will follow. John F. Kennedy PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA |