Every time you turn on the news or pick up a newspaper or magazine to read, there is another story about the latest pending global disaster. Often based on current research, these stories speculate on global warming, decreasing ozone, too much ozone, increasing levels of ultraviolet light, acid rain, habitat loss, loss of biodiversity, decreasing water quality and the effect of increasing human population. All these stories create such a jumble of information that the knowledge can get lost. It is easy, facing this jumbled mess of information to have a dark view of the future.
People tend to be problem-solvers who want to fix things.
Faced with such problems many people have chosen to become environmental activists. Starting with the original Earth Day in 1970, they look to social action to cause change in the way human beings behave toward the planet. The Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act were passed and the Environmental Protection Agency was founded. Looking back we realize that while this activism was very important, it is not enough as we approach global issues. It is necessary to take a step beyond being an activist and become a decision-maker.