Alaska's Problems

What do northern scientists think are the most serious problems facing Alaska? More than 500 scientists and technologists have responded to this question posed recently by the Alaska Council on Science and Technology.

Roughly half of the respondents focused on the general problem of how to develop and manage resources without destroying environment and lifestyle. Strong concern was raised for the problem of how to extract nonrenewable resources without devastating Alaska. Some took the skeptical view that there is no way Alaska can avoid the impacts of an expanding population and its associated development--the best that can be done is to seek ways to minimize the impacts.

Though nonrenewable resource development was a major issue, still more scientists were concerned with the issue of how best to develop renewable resources, especially fisheries, timber and agriculture. In essence, they seemed to say that nonrenewable resources are only a temporary asset and that it is better in the long run to worry about the resources that can last forever.

Problems specifically involving individual people or their relations with each other came in for comment too. The problem voiced most was how to develop harmonious coexistence of our different cultures and lifestyles. Other needs stated were improved education and health delivery, and how to cope with self-destructive behavior, especially among young people. In this regard, Alaska's main killer, the accidents, was cited.

Technical problems also received much attention, the one most addressed was Alaska's need to develop energy self-sufficiency by expanding the use of energy sources other than oil. Many also expressed the need for Alaska to develop technologies particularly appropriate to the north. Among these a favorite expressed was to evolve more on-site processing of resources (e.g., lumber mills and petrochemical plants) to avoid having to transport large amounts of raw material by pipelines, road and rail.