The GLRC's Rebecca Williams reports the economic benefits of the natural system aren't always considered when developers start building:

We don't get a bill from wetlands for purifying our water, but scientists say we might pay more in our utility bills if wetlands weren't there to clean up the water.

Bob Costanza directs the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics. He and his colleagues are building computer models that will be turned into an interactive website. He says the website will put a price on the services things such as wetlands and forests provide:

"If you are gonna, you know, put a new housing development or shopping center, what are you losing in terms of ecosystem services and where could you put those things that would lose as little as possible?"

# posted by Tami @ 9:58 AM