Sometimes, the journalist's need to summarize is overwhelmed by the magnitude of the subject matter. Such is the case with a story on Eugene Odum. Well-chosen words from an august international statesman, but they still fall short of the task. But if you still seek retrospective on the six-decade career of the world's foremost ecologist, you need not go to the source. By presenting ecological concepts this way I hope to help us avoid overpopulation, overconsumption, damage to life-support systems and other suicidal behaviors.
People control the house.
People and microorganisms have more impact than any other species, in terms of ecological forces. We have to put people in the equation. The big picture Odum advocates a holistic or ecosystem approach to ecology. Many scientists argue against this. But the more you learn about ecology, the more you feel you have to work down from the top to the details.