Science At the Wheel: Driving into the Future of the Environmental Move

Science At the Wheel: Driving into the Future of the Environmental Movement Science has been able to approximate that the human race has existed for only 400,000 years on this 4.56 billion year old planet. Yet in its brief history humanity has had a far greater impact than any other species. Since the dawn of the industrial revolution, the rate and complexity of this impact has only increased. With such profound influence on our environment must come greater responsibility. Scientists, as the leading explorers in this new age of technology, share an important part of this responsibility. Their innovations have shaped the world to be what it is today, and it is their research that will be the foundation for tomorrow. Science provides the vehicle that will drive society into the future. Science explores, observes, and explains the world around us. It both finds and attempts to solve problems with the ultimate goal of benefiting society. The health of the environment is increasingly associated with the well-being of society. Therefore, the problems of industria l and agricultural pollution have to be a priority for the scientist. Science has played a major role in creating this modern problem and therefore must now take the lead in solving it. Having identified the pollution problem initially, scientists more fully understand the extent and severity of this problem. The correlation between cancer and pesticides was identified and continues to be studied by biologists and physicians. It is chemists who have been called to classify the 20,000 Superfund sites and to report on toxic chemicals seeping into homes, schools, and drinking water. Scientists, in general, have studied and stressed the importance of ecosystem diversity... .... Rifkin, Jeremy. "Apocalypse When?" New Scientist. 31 October 1998. Safina, Carl. "To Save the Earth, Scientists Should Join Policy Debates." The Chronicle of Higher Education. 6 November 1998: A80. Satchell, Michael and Betsy Carpenter. "The Disaster That Wasn't." US News and World Report 18 September 1989: 60-69. Soloman, Wendy. "Horsehead subpoenas termed typical tactic." Allentown Morning Call, March 31, 1998. Van Dyne, Larry. "Thank God for the Country Boys; Ten Miles From the White House, Government Scientists Are Working to Bring You a Greener Lawn, Juicier Peaches, Leaner Pork, and Other Wonders." Washingtonian. August 1992. Verrengia, Joseph. "Weapons against pollution? Poplar trees drink up toxins." Seattle Times. (September 30, 1998) http://www.seattletimes.com/news/nation-world/ntml98/altopopl 093098.html. Seattle Times webpage.