Environmental policy which favours stricter controls on existing methods of exploiting natural resources, as opposed to policies which seek either to find alternative resources or to prevent such exploitation altogether; chiefly attributive, especially designating (members of) a movement advocating such a policy.
Origin
1980s.
Definition of wise use in US English:
wise use
noun
US
Environmental policy which favours stricter controls on existing methods of exploiting natural resources, as opposed to policies which seek either to find alternative resources or to prevent such exploitation altogether; chiefly attributive, especially designating (members of) a movement advocating such a policy.