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Tin cans being unloaded at M&T
Chemicals. Many types of cans
-
tin–
plate, tin-fi·ee, steel, aiuminum, and
bimetaliic
-
are recyded
by
converting
them into steei, tin, and othet· usefui
materials.
chis Spaceship Earth's rotal wealth
was a big safecy faccor which allowed
mán ro be very ignoranr for a long
rime," stares Fullcr.
He proposes a ser of gencralized
principies derivcd from human expe–
rience to form the basis of his "Oper–
aring Manual for Spaceship Earth. ' '
Yet new behavior pac"rerns based
solely on human experience are in–
sufficient. Experience is a dear reacher,
but nora perfecr one. The pasr record
of human misrakes resulting in
che
magnitude of che environmenral crisis
shows that lessons written by human
experience alone cannor form a com–
plete manual for solving human be–
havior problems. Man's unpredictable
behavior sometimes frustrares bis bet–
rer judgmenr.
6
Harrison Brown, in
The Chalienge
ofMan's Futttre,
states, "I have nor at–
tempred ro predice che furure, for the
course of events ahead of us depends
upon rhe acrions of man himself,
which are, in rhe main, unprc–
dicrable."
This facet of man's nature is also
recognized by che Bíblica! propher Je–
remiab who said, "It is not in man ro
direct his own steps." Whar source,
then, can supply che needed ser of be–
havioral guidelines, an operating
manual for human conduce roward
the environment ?
Historian Lynn White, Jr. believes
rhe answer will not be found short of
a new religion.
·'More science and more tech–
nology are nor going to get us om of
the presenr ecologic crisis until we
find a new religion, or rerhink our
old one," Whire scates. "Since the
roots of our trouble are so largely reli–
gious, che remedy must also be essen–
tially religious, whether we call ir rhat
or nor. We muse re-think and re-feel
our nature and destiny."
New Behavior Patterns
The modern Christian world has
nor really followed the Bíble's envi–
ronmenral commands ro "dress and
keep che garden" - to wisely rule
and preserve our planecary home.
Modero Chrístianicy and orher reli–
gions did not give man che right per–
spective in the way he was to crear the
earth.
The earth was given ro man to
take care of, preserve and use on a
"sustained yíeld" basis. "Susrained
yield" means balancing che environ–
menral books from year ro year. Ir
means no one person or generarion
rakes away from others or futu.te gen–
erarions
by
deficit spending of re–
sources which resulrs in future gener–
ations having to pay rhe real debe
This insures che earth's survival as
a productive planee.
Ir
also insures a
base of resources (wealrh) for
al!
mankind.
A proper global perspeccive makes
each person individually responsible
for the well-being of everyone else. It
means rhe world "ourside"
is
really
nor ourside at alJ and should nor be
used as a dump for unwanred
marerials.
This new perspecrive places social
responsibility upon man ro rreat rhe
earrh and al! its natural resources re–
sponsibly. Ir forces man ro ask che
question, ' 'Whar are rhe ultimare
consequences?"
Responsible Artitude
Former Secretary of che Interior
Srewart Udall, speaking of a new
rechnological moraliry, saíd, '¡Insread
of asking ourselves 'can we do
ir,'
we
need to ask 'should we.' "
The answer ro "should we" is itself
ourside rhe scope of convencional sci–
ence. This is a moral quesrion which
requires a moral answer.
For example, auromobiles can be
builr wirh small, low-pollution en–
gines. Consumers can buy these cars,
bur chey ofren prefer the power, speed
and personal convenience of cars wi th
big, heavy-pollurion engines.
"My choice can make little differ–
ence overall ro pollurion levels," goes
che argument. People ger what rhey
wam, regardless of pollurion, if rhey
can afford rhe monetary cose. How–
ever, the sum toral of all our pollut–
ing automobile engínes is pollured air
- an added social cose.
Air
pollurion is one specific ex–
ample of how we all pay for the "free–
doro" of environmental irresponsibil–
ity - even though autos may well be
"necessacy" from orher viewpoints.
Wherher we drive low-pollurion
or high-pollurion autos will certa.inly
nor solve ai r pollution overnighr, and
is not che major poinr of chis anide.
l'he
attitude
we cake toward rhe envi–
ronment and rhe
actions
resulring
from our arcirude are rhe imporranr
facrors.
As Professor Whire said, "More
science and more rechnology are nor
going to ger us out of che presenr
ecologic crisis unr.il we find a new re–
ligion or re-think our oJd one."
It is paradoxical thar man has so
PlAIN TRUTH
July
1972