Materialphilia, biophilia, and sustainable use of the planet

Conflicts over global resources involving war or terrorism, or both, destroy natural capital and, thus, make resources scarcer. Sustainable use of the planet will require a fairer, more equitable distribution of resources not only among humans but with the millions of other species with which humans share the planet. The quest for greater material possessions - materialphilia - is unsustainable on a finite planet that has a growing population and greater expectations per capita of material affluence. However, biophilia, the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms, should, if widely practiced, result in a greater accumulation of natural capital. This strategy should lead to greater protection of the planet's ecological life support system, which is a primary need for sustainability.