What are the effects of the space program on the
>Earth's environment? What are the effects of environmental destruction on
>our bodies, right here on earth?
Whatever they are, I think it would behoove us to think of this as a minnow
compared to big, stank fish like, say, certain heavy industries, the auto
industry, the oil industry, stuff like that.
If you really want to help the environment, you recycle and
encourage others to do the same and if you want to target some big
operation and seem to accuse it of having a detrimental effect on Earth's
environment, see above paragraph.
Another thing to consider is that it's not like the space program's
not giving us anything back. There are better medicines, stronger metals
that help make safer cages for cars that wouldn't have been possible were
we confined to earth. I think we're even learning a lot more about the
human body because of space travel and using that knowledge to combat some
diseases.
I understand your concern, but there may be some answers we'll find
in space, or on Mars or wherever which'll help us here. We'd be fools not
to explore this option (not to ignore the problems you mention on Earth,
but to use the space program as a way to, hopefully, help find solutions).
As Jean-Luc Picard once said to a character played by Matt Frewer: "I'm
obligated to use every resource I have available."
As is he, so are we.
There's also an intangible benefit that's important: a sense of
hope. Sort of like, "Hey if we can go to Mars, maybe we can do X, too".
I saw a news broadcast recently that showed how a
>company in Southern California is actually selling land on Mars.
Think "scam!" and beware.
What will humans do once they really get into space if
>they can't control their arrogance & greed?
An important question. Answer: infest the cosmos.
-Sean
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu May 25 2000 - 19:06:26 PDT