Why We See the Trees Instead of the Forest

摘要

Ever since Rachel Carson's eye-opening and chilling vision of a Spring without birdsong, Americans have devoted a tremendous effort, at great expense, to save the environment. As each new threat or problem emerged, we tried to correct it. There are now literally tens of thousands of laws and hundreds of thousands of regulations devoted to protecting one aspect or another of the environment. Nevertheless, the natural world and its life-support functions are still very much in jeopardy. As our population and industrial output continues to grow, the threats to sustaining our society continue to mount.