A culture of environmentalism has been growing around the world over the past 30 years. I believe it was the most significant happening of the past century.
Environmentalism is a guardian of those things vital to all life--air, water, land and solar radiation--and of the other animal and plant species with which we humans share the Earth.
Most Americans (70%) call themselves environmentalists. As schools, from kindergarten through graduate school, extend environmental education, more and more students are bringing a commitment to environmentalism to their communities.
Looking back on past civilizations, we see many examples of how isolated communities prospered until they depleted the natural resources on which their lives depended. Then they crashed.
Today the world is one community, six billion humans all dependent upon the same resources but competing vigorously to use ever more of them and fouling much of the remainder in the process. The winners in this competition boast of their progress, while 2 billion losers struggle to survive.
The world's farmers have worked miracles in producing ever more food. That achievement is based in large measure on irrigation, using water from huge underground aquifers. We know we are rapidly depleting them. What do we do? We pump faster.
The world's fisheries have been a generous source of food throughout the ages. But now we have reached the limit of harvesting in most major fishing areas. When a fishery collapses, the most productive fishermen move their sophisticated equipment to compete in another, speeding its depletion too. It appears that the total annual catch may have peaked at 95 million tons.
More than half the plant and animal species on our planet live in tropical forests. Scientists believe they hold a trove of antibiotics and other genetic masterpieces. If we continue cutting those forests at the current rate, they will all be gone when today's infants reach 45 years of age.
World production of fuel oil is projected to peak within 5 to 10 years, and then start a long decline to zero. Meanwhile, we keep its price low and pump faster.
The 3 basic causes of environmental degradation are growth in human population; growth in consumption of resources; and harmful fallout from technology.
Although the rate of population growth has been markedly lowered, primarily through family planning, the world will still add about 78 million more people in 2000. Our goal must be to reach zero growth. Quality of life will not benefit from further growth in population.
Consumption of resources increased twentyfold in the 20th century, and in the process, created a deluge of waste. We must use resources more efficiently, prevent waste, recycle, use renewable resources and save open space.
Science and technology redesigned our world in the 20th century, bringing us the auto, airplane, space shuttle, radio, television, computer, birth control pills and antibiotics.
Science and technology also gave us nuclear weapons and nuclear waste, chlorofluorocarbons, DDT, smog and global warming. We must expand technology assessment so we can early on weigh the potential good and bad impact.
If the negative trends continue unabated, our world community is headed for disaster. However, some powerful trends, if reinforced, can overcome the negatives and allow a decent, environmentally sustainable future.
The positive trends include family planning to reduce birth rates, technology assessment to use resources more efficiently, solar and wind energy, empowerment of women, training of young people, environmentally committed elected officials and indexes of progress that go beyond the gross domestic product (GDP).
The global culture of environmentalism underpins these trends. It is rooted in love for life on Earth, arrayed against forces that threaten life for future generations. It recognizes that all people are kindred souls sailing together with plant and animal life in a common lifeboat.
