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Environment (#73)
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Environment (#73)
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Man's continued existence depends on science, technology, and intelligent care of the physical environment, land, sea, and air.
The most dangerous threats to human existence today are the population explosion and the deterioration of the physical environment. They are both interrelated, and both are the results of widespread ignorance and indifference by man himself. Man's continued existence depends on science, technology, and intelligent care of the physical environment. No longer can man live by the primitive methods of his forefathers, nor can he continue to live by the careless exploitation of the world's ecology.
Some progress is being made toward informing the citizens of this Continent concerning their environment. However, seldom are the many environmental problems being added up so that they can understand the total disaster now approaching, or the total requirements for its correction -- or the total dangers of the failure to do so.
The world's population is increasing at the rate of 90 million per year, forests are being destroyed, soil is eroding, and mineral resources are being exhausted. Hazardous wastes are accumulating with no safe disposal arranged for. Land, sea and air are being polluted to dangerous levels, the ozone layer is being depleted and the greenhouse effect accelerated. Under these conditions, man is not a permanent resident of this earth. He is a temporary species. For he is taking more from the environment than is being replaced.
It is a sad commentary on the intelligence of the human species that it is not able to plan adequately for its own survival. Now that civilized man has become dominant in the organic world, it seems paradoxical that he should be headed pell-mell for oblivion.
To a student of trends, the future of the human species on this earth appears dismal. Worst of all is the apathy and flagrant denial of these trends by our so-called leaders who are clamoring for a more rapid acceleration of the very trends which cause the problems. All the promises made by politicians are only useless drivel. Only adequate planning followed by competent action can provide effective solutions.
In order to continue at a high level of civilization for an extended period of time, North Americans must accept the changes required:
These things need doing under any circumstances, and they certainly must be done if the human species is to continue living on this planet. To do this, man must adopt a new strategy for his social operations and change his mode of living to conform to that strategy. He must return unto the ecological system as much as he takes from it. If man can do this, he can survive and flourish for thousands of years more on earth. If he does not do it, nature will take a ruthless course so far as the human species is concerned.
It is obvious that these problems will not solve themselves. They can be solved only by an intentional and coordinated effort on the part of North American citizens. We must be the ones who execute the tactics which support the strategy of survival.
Many of the world's environmental problems are global in scope. The winds blow pollution across national boundaries, and the Chernobyl disaster demonstrated the international dangers of nuclear radiation. Furthermore, as industrial nations continue to delete their own natural resources, they become increasingly dependent on imports from other countries. Solutions to such global problems must be on a world-wide basis. However, the solutions have to start somewhere. Some nation or continent must lead the way. North America has the best qualifications for this leadership if its people can overcome their own politico/economic interference. But only after this continent has solved its own problems can it be effective in providing leadership for other nations.
How can a government which is trillions in debt provide the trillions required to assist other countries? How can it repair its own infrastructure, finance environmental clean-ups, bail out its Savings and Loans, wipe out its own poverty and hopelessness, and eliminate the drug problem without a collapse of its economic structure?
How can a nation which can't solve the problem of poverty in the midst of plenty in its own country provide solutions for the world's problems? North America's economic system of scarcity values must be totally redesigned from top to bottom. This Price System ``just grew'' long before the technological age and long before there were major environmental problems. The order of magnitude of highly technical operations required is far beyond the economic abilities of a Price System.
More than a half century ago, Technocracy Inc. first stated that a time would come when the Price System would become inoperable. This means that the country's increasing problems would become so severe that they couldn't be solved by Price System methods. As a result of its study, Technocracy has designed the only ``Technological Social Design'' in existence. It is the only method available which can replace the Price System. This new design is offered to the North American people as a gift. May we soon demonstrate the intelligence to accept it. The time for decision has arrived.
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