Likewise, it set off debate about whether the effort is worth it. The Apollo program was not done because there was going to be any direct benefit out of it. It was done in part because of a competitive relationship with the Soviet Union. It was done to make people reach higher than what they thought they could achieve. But it had no real practical value.
People say they're going to work on the moon.
German scientist Kraftt Ehricke proffered a possible answer years ago when he advocated moving production facilities, especially polluting facilities, to the moon where even nuclear waste can't seep into the atmosphere and oceans. The low-gravity environment would ease many production problems and enable others. Such a production plan would also eliminate costly ferrying of many materials from Earth because they could be manufactured locally. Meanwhile, lunar workers would be gaining the knowledge and skills needed for the next goal. We'll do that in the next century.