On the mediation and prevention of environmental issues

I have found myself more than a little frustrated over the last several months at the approach used by many environmental protectors. I have the utmost respect for them, don't get me wrong but many times I feel that our education system is not teaching how to protect the environment, but more how to mediate environmental issues that have already taken hold. Meanwhile issues that are yet to arise due to a lack of prevention (anyone thinking about the Gulf right now?) What happened to thinking outside the box? To get the creative juices flowing, what are your thoughts on how the environment should be protected? In Lafayette? Nationally? Globally? Should environmental problems be mediated or prevented? If one or the other (since it seems that there are issues multitasking), why? Is mediation or prevention currently used in your environmental protection communities? Should mediation or prevention be higher on your priority list?