We may be at the dawn of a new millennium, but the environmental problems we face are painfully familiar. They may even be getting worse. Despite the Earth Summit, and despite success stories like the Montreal Protocol to protect the Ozone Layer, human beings continue to plunder the global environment.
Unsustainable practices remain deeply embedded in the fabric of our daily lives.
We are failing to protect resources and ecosystems. We are failing to invest enough in alternative technologies, especially for energy. We are failing even to keep the debate alive. These are deeply troubling trends. I recommend four priorities for reversing them.