To: "New York Times" <letters@nytimes.com>

Re: Spaceship Earth also “has a problem” - The American way of life!

Date: Tue, 03. June 2001

 

 

 

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Dear Sir/Madam,

 

In numerous articles you refer to President Bush citing uncertainties in the science of climate research as a reason not to join the Kyoto accord on global warming.

 

Considering the magnitude of possible, even if unproven, threats posed by global warming, it would be foolhardy not to want to err on the side of safety.

 

The fundamental threat, we have yet to face up to, is from an economy (and the materialistic values on which it is based) that depends on our primitive, all too human desires for ever increasing material wealth.

 

On a planet with 6-7  billion inhabitants, but a finite carrying capacity, this can only lead to disaster.

 

James Lovell's immortal words, "Houston, we have a problem", apply equally well to Spaceship Earth. But unlike the crew of Apollo 13, we have nowhere to get back to. Either we solve the problem - learning to live within the limits of our planet's carrying capacity - on board ship, or we (i.e. our children) will perish.