Basic HTML Version
Who's That
Polluting
My
World?
Many of us see the environmental pollution prob–
lem as
one
created and sustained by
sorne
vast,
invisible ''THEY"
-
a many-tentacled monster
that comprises the vague images of lndustry, Pol–
itics and Other People. But are "they" real/y the
only culprits? Does legislation against "them"
T
HERE IS
an environmencal crisis.
Ir rhrearens nor only ro de–
grade che quality of life, bur
also ro desrroy Jife irse!
f.
Yec many of us do noc recogníze
che real
cause
of environmemal deple–
rion and pollucion.
We are so overwhelmed by rhe
symproms of ecological disease rhat
we rend ro accuse che obvious carriers
( I ndusrry, che Auromobile, ere.)
wírhour first isolating the germ.
Thar germ is imbedded in our own
arcicudes.
Isolating the Germ
Almosr everyone roday is con–
cerned abour che plighr of our planee.
Bur concerned as we are, far roo many
of us faíl ro see ourselves as che pri–
mary cause of che problem. We see
even less rhat írs ultimare solucion de-
PlAIN TRUTH
January
1973
provide the whole answer?
by
larry Gott
pends not fundamenrally on govern–
ment, industry or cechnology, bur on
che efforrs of individual people.
Ir is easy to see rhe rotal effecrs of
millions of people on rhe environ–
ment. But it is often difficulr ro be–
lieve rhat jusr one person can make a
significant difference.
Governments che world over are
searching for ways co solve rheir envi–
ronmental problems. Developing na–
rions wirh poor rechnologies and
lirde money look co che industrial
giancs for che merhods needed. Buc
che developed counrries, for all their
rechnology and money, are meeting
wirh only limited success in their
cleanup anemprs.
The wocld's number one industrial
power and consumer, che United
Srares, is probably che bese example of
how che wasrefulness and carelessness
of individuals can ourweigh che posi–
rive effecrs of rechnology and money
on che environmenr.
Americans collecrively use more of
che world's resources rhan any ocher
nation. le has been esrimared rhar che
Unired Sraces'
Q
percenr of che
world's popularion uses 60 percenr of
rhe world's raw marerials and 80 per–
cenr of che world's coral ourput of en–
ergy.
America's voracious individual ap–
peti res for material possessions and
crearure comforrs far surpass rhose of
any orher people.
The atti rude rhat says, "I can have
anyrhing I desire as long as I can pay
for
ir,"
overlooks che impacr on che
envíronment of every human actíviry,
rhe ultimare and rotal price of which
men cannot pay.
Ir should be reiterared ar chis point
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