| WHO WILL SAVE OUR PLANET EARTH | | | | alternative - coal. |
| By David Lavie * | | | | * Discover new solutions for the disposal of wastes |
| The U.S. Russia and other developed countries spend | | | | of all kind, including chemical residues from industry |
| tremendous amounts of money in recent years for | | | | and garbage. |
| the study of the planets in the solar system and | | | | * Bring to maximal efficiency water consumption, for |
| beyond. These expenses seem superfluous | | | | home, industry and agriculture. |
| considering the imminent dangers facing civilization | | | | * Stop the burning of the Amazon rain forests and |
| from pollution, intensive exploitation of the limited | | | | the destruction of rare species. |
| natural resources and overpopulation. | | | | * Find ways of implementing birth control in |
| The most expensive Hubble Space Telescope and | | | | overpopulated countries. |
| the hipper expensive manned spaceships may | | | | How can this be done |
| provide us with new information on the Universe. | | | | To do so, huge amounts of money are needed for |
| These and similar sophisticated means, however, will | | | | research and development, as well as for the |
| not help us find the answers to the Big question of | | | | compensation of underdeveloped countries for |
| our time: How Long Will Civilization Survive if | | | | various actions they may have to take. In addition, |
| Destruction of the Planet's Environment goes on? | | | | countries all over the world will have to issue and |
| According to environmental scientists, life on our small | | | | enforce strict laws for the protection of the |
| but perhaps unique planet Earth may come to an end | | | | environment. |
| in the next 70-80 years. They attribute this danger | | | | The question is, how can such acquiescence be |
| to the tremendous technological development, which | | | | achieved among so many different nations and |
| upsets nature's equilibrium and the dramatic growth | | | | interests? How can laws and restrictions be forced |
| of human population. The factors that endanger life | | | | on people whose primary interest is personal survival |
| on earth are mainly: | | | | - and what is the way to convince industries and |
| 1. Contamination of the soil and water resources by | | | | farmers to invest fortunes in expensive devices for |
| monstrous amounts of industrial and home garbage, | | | | protecting the environment? |
| as well as by pesticides and chemical fertilizers used | | | | The only way to achieve these aims is by reaching a |
| intensively in modern agriculture. | | | | worldwide consensus for a global effective action |
| 2. Damage to the protective ozone layer by mainly | | | | towards the common goal of saving civilization and |
| CFC (Chloro-Fluoro-Carbon) gases. | | | | the planet. There is a need for combined efforts of |
| 3. Green House Effect, caused by the excess, in the | | | | all nations through understanding and agreement, as |
| atmosphere, of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other | | | | well as a central authority to initiate and control such |
| gases generated by industry, agriculture, automobiles | | | | an operation. |
| and electric power plants. | | | | Conditions for such an outcome are ripe today more |
| 4. Acid Rain, caused by the release by industrial plants | | | | than ever before, because of the growing influence |
| and vehicles of significant quantities of pollutants into | | | | of the U.S. in the world and the weakening animosity |
| the air. | | | | between East and West. |
| 5. The release of poisonous gases to the atmosphere | | | | Is it really going to happen? |
| and the destruction of rare species of plants and | | | | Will governments consent to giving up their power |
| animals by burning of forests throughout the world, | | | | and obeying a central authority? Will politicians |
| especially the rain forests. | | | | relinquish their ambitious struggle for position and |
| 6. Dramatic growth of human population, which | | | | influence and adopt responsibility for the future of |
| constitute perhaps the most scaring factor of all. | | | | the world? I believe they will, but only through the |
| Human population, consisting today of almost 7 billion | | | | demand and pressure of the masses on |
| people, compared with only 2 billion in 1930, may | | | | governments and parliaments. Such action must be |
| grow in about 40 years to the scaring number of 10 | | | | taken everywhere, through the establishment of |
| billion. The many millions born every year must fight | | | | national associations for the protection of the planet. |
| for their survival. They therefore use water | | | | Some people rightly ask, why should we worry about |
| resources to the limit, exploit the scarce natural | | | | something that may happen in perhaps another 70-80 |
| resources and burn forests for fuel and for | | | | years. Are we the planet's or the civilization's |
| agricultural cultivation. | | | | keepers? - and who can really be sure that this |
| What should we do? | | | | prophecy of doom will actually happen? No one has |
| To save our planet the world must take immediate | | | | precise answers to these questions. But what if the |
| action to protect the environment, like: | | | | warnings are real and civilization - God's wonderful |
| * Reduce air pollution from industry, power plants and | | | | creation which took 3,5 billion years of evolution to |
| vehicles. | | | | develop - disappears forever? Can we jeopardize the |
| * Decrease the use of pesticides by researching | | | | future of our children and grandchildren? We are here |
| safer ways of controlling plant diseases and pests, | | | | now, and it is our prime task and duty to find the |
| like biological control. | | | | answers and solutions for the well-being of the |
| * Find clean and more efficient energy sources to | | | | coming generations. |
| replace dangerous petroleum and its terrible | | | | |