On the surface of it, NASA’s announcement of plans to crash two spacecraft into the moon Oct. 9 seemed like just one more in a long list of projects the U.S. was pursuing in its space program to gain knowledge about the universe. We’ve come to take those projects for granted, haven’t we? But upon reflection, the planned moon crash seems more like the kind of arrogant act that has always characterized man’s existence on planet Earth: if we can see it, it must be ours, to do with whatever we choose. It calls to mind a children’s book by Dr. Seuss, Yertle the Turtle, about a lowly turtle who fancied himself king of all he could see. (If you haven’t read it, you should.)
This kind of conceit has marked our progress through the ages. In our quest for expansion, knowledge, wealth, and power, we have claimed things as our own just because we could see them: Europeans from England and Spain claimed parts of North America for their respective kings, as if they belonged to no one else. Although mankind’s claiming and conquering throughout the years have ultimately resulted in great wealth and innovations in housing, food, technology, manufacturing, entertainment, and more, those innovations have come at great expense: decimation and enslavement of native populations; elimination of species; pollution of soil, air, and water; consumption of Earth’s resources by the few, at the expense of the many; and an Earth orbit full of space junk. If we can see it, it must be ours, to do with whatever we choose.
Scientists tried to alert us years ago to the possible consequences of the way we have chosen to live on this planet. They have warned about depletion of Earth’s finite resources, such as fossil fuels; about the health consequences of pollutants in our air and water; and about atmospheric changes that could result in severe climatic disturbances.
We are finally starting to get it. Concerned citizens of planet Earth will have a chance to raise their collective voices on Oct. 24, International Climate Action Day, and send a message to world leaders that all countries must take aggressive action now to mitigate the effects of the carbon dioxide spewed into Earth’s atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. On that day people will gather for rallies, photographs, petition-signings, and more. It is believed that, through our collective efforts, we can bring Earth back from a tipping point of no return.
In the Dr. Seuss story, Yertle always wanted more. The more he saw, the more he wanted to see. He demanded that other turtles arrange themselves in a stack he could climb, and from which he could see more and more. Eventually, the stack became so tall and unwieldy, it tipped over and, as Seuss said, “The great Yertle, that marvelous he, is king of the mud. That is all he can see.”
We can raise our voices in support of Earth. But who will speak for the moon?