by Pat Nordman

The earth is God's gift to us, and we have a responsibility to be concerned about the environment. Adam's first job was taking care of the garden. Even in Paradise the plants and flowers and trees needed cultivation!   

We hear much about land and air pollution, but we also have noise pollution and aesthetic damage. Prolonged exposure to intense noise can damage our hearing, but it also can make us irritable and even murderous. Unfortunately we can't escape the din anymore: it's in elevators, restaurants, grocery stores, you name it. We seem unable to endure quiet anymore! We may be a world on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

John Ruskin (1819-1900) spoke of the London of his time as "talking, growling, roaring." And that was before blaring radios and TV's, twenty-ton trucks, jets and rock music! What would he say about the deafening world in which we now live? We are in desperate need of a peaceful world again, so we can think about and care about what we are doing to the earth and to ourselves.

Air pollution has resulted in physical damage of our civilized environment, too. Several years ago I read a hearing published by the government on the effects of acid rain on the statuary in Italy. This country is famous for its centuries-old statues carved by renowned artists. Now acid rain is destroying them. Another hearing dealt with the effects of acid rain on our forests. At a certain level forests all over the world were being affected. The renowned Black Forest in Germany was singled out as being especially affected. Air pollution limits visibility, obscures scenic views, and produces noxious odors. As well as being expensive, it can also have a depressing psychological effect on people. Our environment is less pleasing to our five senses because it has been blemished by our own actions.
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