this polluted earth - the restored church of god · blame this extreme weather on the ... cals are...

Why the PROPHETIC CONDITIONS Series?Knowledge and technology areexploding, yet the world is drowningin a sea of problems! Alcohol abuse ison the rise. Vast regions of farmlandare “dying of thirst” due to droughtsand erratic weather patterns. The allureof drugs is fast seducing a younger generation that no longerknows how to be kids. Crime is more violent, moreentrenched, more widespread than ever. Immorality is robbingfamilies and youth of their innocence by “entertaining” sick,perverted, carnal desires. And the earth is choking in the pol-luted filth produced by humanity.

WHY?The Prophetic Trends and Conditions Series will report

global trends and problems. It explains why humanity is del-uged with such overwhelming—and insoluble—problems.

And points to mankind’s only solution!

Condition reports in the Series:The ALCOHOL EPIDEMICEARTHQUAKES and VOLCANOES in ProphecyThe Tragedy of DRUG ABUSEWhat’s Wrong With THE WEATHER?The Worldwide CRIME WAVEThis POLLUTED EARTHWITCHES, WIZARDS and SPIRITS: Grave and Growing DangerThe IMMORALITY EXPLOSION!Out of the Ashes: THE RISE OF EUROPE

ABOUT THE COVERPollution billows from smoke-stacks around the world, yet thisis just one source. This reportexplains how mankind is killing itsinheritance—the earth.

PHOTO: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

This publication is provided free of charge and in the public interest byThe Restored Church of God. It is made possible by the voluntary, freelygiven tithes and offerings of the members of the Church and others whohave elected to support the work of the Church. Contributions are wel-comed and gratefully accepted. Those who wish to voluntarily aid andsupport this Work of God around the world are gladly welcomed as co-workers in this major effort to preach the gospel to all nations.

Copyright © 2002, 2003 The Restored Church of God. Printed in the USA.All rights reserved.

The Restored Church of God is not responsible for the return of unso-licited articles and photos. Scriptures are quoted from either the KingJames or the New King James version (Copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson,Inc., Publishers), unless otherwise noted.

Contact The Restored Church of GodP.O. Box 23295

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ThePROPHETICCONDITIONSSeries

THIS POLLUTED EARTH 1

Every day, earth becomes more and more polluted. Air pollutionfills our lungs with deadly substances. Water pollution is rapid-ly eradicating what little freshwater we have left. Land pollutionis causing once-fertile lands to become little more than deserts.While many solutions have been offered, NONE are successful.But there is hope! A REAL solution exists—overlooked byenvironmentalists, government agencies and scientists!

POLLUTEDEARTH

This

POLLUTEDEARTH

veryone around the world isdealing with problems. But fewaffect the entire world. For

instance, when war breaks out, thoseon the other side of the earth seldomtake notice. But a looming problem isquickly engulfing this planet—andwill cause everyone to notice.

In the past, only those in largeAsian cities had to worry about the airthey breathed. Most took for grantedthat clean, fresh air would always beavailable. But today, nearly everyoneon earth breathes a cocktail of poi-sons that is nearly worse than thetailpipe of a car.

But this is only one of the stresseshumanity has put on this planet. Wehave quickly wasted away the fresh-water supply. Some countries standon the brink of war because of thisvital resource. Below each continentlie giant lakes of water—aquifers—that are either quickly drying up orbeing left undrinkable from pollution.The United Nations predicts that by2050 the entire world’s usable fresh-water will be gone!

Such frightening possibilities!

The days of moderate weatherhave disappeared. Floods ravagesome areas, while just kilometersaway, the worst droughts of recordedhistory parch a fragile land. Manyblame this extreme weather on thewarming of the planet. But all signs,factors and conclusions point to onecause.

Mankind is poisoning this planeton such a scale that the earth maynever recover!

God’s Green Earth

Many first-world nations have beenblessed with vast renewableresources. The United States, Canada,Britain, etc., began on pristine landhardly touched by humanity. But overthe last several hundred years, thesepeoples have systematically over-whelmed the land with mass farming,huge cities and belching industry.They are destroying what was givento them so many years ago.

But the problems do not stop withthe English-speaking nations.Europeans, Asians, South Americansand Africans have also raped their

lands, with no concern for the conse-quences.

New Delhi, India is a dire exampleof the degradation of air. During thewinter months, breathing its air isequivalent to smoking TWENTYpacks of cigarettes per day!

North America is little better. Anestimated 100,000 die every year fromair pollution here.

“Fresh” water is also full ofunwanted chemicals and additives. Inthe United States, over 7 BILLIONPOUNDS of toxic chemicals arereleased directly into the environment.Another 1.2 billion pounds of pesti-cides are used in farming. These toxinsare filtering their way into our watersystem. This causes up to 900,000people annually to become sick fromdrinking water (envirohealthaction.org).

Even in large cities, where filtra-tion systems remove most of theseimpurities, there are still dangers.Overuse, improper management andoverall inefficiencies have broughtwater levels to dangerous lows. Verysoon, in many parts of the world, there

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will simply be no waterleft to filter.

What is Pollution?

The American HeritageDictionary defines pol-lution as “the act orprocess of polluting orthe state of being pollut-ed, especially the con-tamination of soil,water, or the atmosphereby the discharge ofharmful substances.”

Merriam-WebsterDictionary gives furtherinsight: “the action ofpolluting especially byenvironmental contami-nation with man-madewaste.”

Pollution is the con-tamination, BY MAN, ofany natural resource. But it can also bebroken into different types. Most gen-erally: (1) Air pollution, (2) land pollu-tion and (3) water pollution. Thesource may be responsible for causingmultiple forms of pollution. Forinstance, a chemical factory could pro-duce both air and water pollution.

The interaction of these pollutantscan also yield complex results. Airpollution is thought to largely causeglobal warming. This phenomenon iscreating freakish weather patterns—such as heavy rains and flooding. Suchflooding can then overwhelm citywaste systems and overflow sewageand other contaminants into drinkingwater.

As you can already see, this prob-lem is complex—and “band-aiding”one problem will simply create anoth-er one.

But how bad is pollution? Andhow does it affect you and your fami-ly?

PART 2: AIR POLLUTION

ir pollution can take manyforms: smog that blankets cities

around the earth; gases that are heat-ing the planet; great clouds of pollu-tion that can travel the globe.

Each can interact and intensify theother. They create a global fabric of

air pollution that is seemly imperme-able. However, to understand thisfabric, you must recognize each ofthe threads and what causes them.

Major Forms of Air Pollution

Carbon Monoxide (CO): A colorless,odorless gas produced by inefficientburning of carbon-based fuels. It hasdirect implications for people. Onceinhaled, it inhibits the delivery ofoxygen throughout the body. Lowamounts of CO can cause dizziness,headaches and fatigue. High concen-trations can be fatal, especially forchildren and the elderly.

If undetected, concentrations canaccumulate in buildings, garages andtunnels. Cars produce such high con-centrations that in Tokyo, trafficpolice take regular “oxygen breaks”to prevent dizziness and fatigue.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2): The natu-rally occurring respiratory byproductof animals and people. In a balancedenvironment, vegetation takes in thisgas and, in turn, produces oxygen foranimals and people to breathe. But thebalance has shifted, and CO2 is nowthe principle contributor to the green-house effect—the primary cause ofglobal warming. All excess of CO2can be traced back to human sources.It is primarily caused by burning nat-ural resources such as coal, gas and

oil. Power plants andcars are primary sources.

CO2 can be toxic inhigh concentrations. Itcan cause increasedbreathing rate, uncon-sciousness and evendeath.

Chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs): Used for refrig-eration, air conditioningand consumer products.Although the mostharmful types arebanned in most parts ofNorth America, they areregularly used in otherparts of the world. CFCsrise into the upperatmosphere—the strato-sphere—and react withthe layer of ozone pro-tecting the planet from

the sun. This reaction destroys ozone,leaving the earth’s surface open to thesun’s direct rays.

Every year, a hole the size ofNorth America forms over Antarctica.Understandably, controlling CFCs isvital to the health of the planet.

Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs):An assortment of chemicals causingserious health and environmentalproblems. Some health effects includecancer, nervous system problems andbirth defects.

HAPs are released by chemicalplants, dry cleaners, printing plants,automobiles and aircraft.

Lead: A metal released into the airwhen added to substances that eitherare burned or evaporate. Althoughphased out of gasoline in NorthAmerica, many countries throughoutthe world still add it to fuel. Thisaccounts for 48,000 tons of leadreleased into the atmosphere. It is alsofound in paints and released from leadbattery manufacturers.

Lead causes digestive and nervoussystem damage. And it has also beenlinked to cancer.

Ozone (O3): A gas related to oxy-gen. Breathable oxygen consists oftwo oxygen molecules. Ozone ismade up of three. Found mostly in theupper atmosphere, it is often referredto as the ozone layer.

2 PROPHETIC CONDITIONS

Smog (indicated by the white arrows) stretches across theU.S. east coast and over the Atlantic Ocean.PHOTO: U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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While beneficial in the strato-sphere, at ground level the effects arehighly toxic. Ozone damages humanhealth, the environment and crops,and destroys many man-made andnatural materials. It irritates the respi-ratory system, causing an increase inacute asthma attacks. Ozone alsoreduces visibility, and damages treeand plant life.

Ground-level ozone is formedfrom volatile organic compounds andthe burning of many types of fuels—such as gasoline or coal. Vehicles andindustry are also major producers ofthe chemicals that are the buildingblocks of ozone. When these chemi-cals are exposed to the sun, oxidationoccurs, producing smog.

Nitrogen Oxide (NOx): The majorcontributor to acid rain. It is also abuilding block of ozone. Acid rainharms vegetation and its runoffchanges the chemical makeup oflakes and rivers. This acidification ofwaterways can potentially make themuninhabitable.

Nitrogen oxide is also producedby burning fuels such as gasoline andcoal. This again makes automobilesand aircraft major contributors of thisgas.

Particulate Matter: Solids lightenough to remain suspended in air. Itcan take the form of dust, smoke orinvisible vapors. Besides the obviouseffects of soiling clothing and sur-faces, it can become lodged in thelungs. Over time, these particulateswill build in the lungs, causing respi-ratory disease and lung damage.

There are nearly endless sourcesof particulate matter. Whether it is theburning of diesel or fossil fuels, mix-ing of pesticides and fertilizers, con-struction, mining, etc., the results areall the same. Particulates are the mainsource of ground level haze.

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2): A gas relat-ed to sulfuric acid—a powerful acid.At low concentrations, it is odorless.However, at high concentrations, itproduces the smells most often asso-ciated with paper mills. Metal smelt-ing is also responsible for high levelsof SO2.

Sulfur dioxide is the other majorcontributor to acid rain. It produces

similar problems as nitrogen oxide,such as the destruction of vegetationand certain metals. It also causesbreathing problems and leads to per-manent lung damage.

Volatile Organic Compounds(VOCs): Organic substances that mayform naturally, but are most oftensynthesized in laboratories. In liquidform, they evaporate at room temper-ature and can quickly reach high con-centrations in enclosed areas.

There are many sources of VOCs,including chemicals (benzene), sol-vents (toluene and xylene) and per-chloroethylene (primary chemicalused in dry cleaning). It is alsoreleased from burning gasoline,wood, coal and natural gas. Yet again,automobiles are the major sources forVOCs.

Many VOCs are extremely haz-ardous air pollutants. For example,benzene exposure causes cancer.

As dangerous as these substancesare, you may be breathing them everyday! Most cities around the worldcontain mixtures of all of them.

Pollution—Closer Than You Think

When many think of air pollution,they envision a large city with thou-sands of cars and smoke stacksstretching into a brown haze abovethe skyline.

But if you live in a city, 90% ofyour time is spent indoors. Mostoverlook indoor air, assuming thatair-conditioning or ventilation keep itclean. But Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) studies have shownthat airborne pollutants are 25 to 100times more concentrated indoors.This has caused growing concern thatthey may be a major cause of healthproblems.

Indoor pollutants such as cigarettesmoke or carbon monoxide typicallystay in the air for extremely long peri-ods. This allows concentrations toreach dangerous, yet undetectable,levels. Over time, buildings will pro-duce their own pollutants. As wallsand carpets age, they will producedust and powders.

There is also concern about mois-ture in buildings, which producesmolds and fungi. Old homes may also

have lead-based paint that can flakeinto the air.

The problem of indoor air pollu-tion came to the forefront with thediscovery of the dangerous effects ofasbestos. It was used as an insulatorfor ceilings, walls and pipes in manyinstitutional buildings such asschools. As these buildings aged,asbestos formed into powders andwas inhaled.

Mesothelioma is a cancer of thecells forming on the lining of lungsand ribs. The only known cause isasbestos exposure.

Asbestos use has now been heavi-ly regulated, and many schools andbuildings have had it removed.However, an estimated 1.3 millionpeople in the U.S. are exposed to iteach year.

An emerging indoor danger inschools throughout the U.S. is mold.Fourteen million children attendschool in buildings with poor envi-ronmental conditions. Without propermonitoring for moisture and ventila-tion, these facilities become breedinggrounds for mold.

Headaches, hives, sensory distur-bances and respiratory problems areall indications of mold exposure.With reports appearing throughoutthe U.S., mold may be the asbestos ofthe 21st century.

Ozone and Smog

From inside schools, to the sidewalksthat surround them, it seems pollutionis inescapable. Smog is one suchcase. Studies are showing in moredetail the effects of ground-levelozone on the population. When mostthink of ozone, they think of theozone layer or holes in it. But ozoneis more than just a “shield” coveringthe earth. This colorless, odorless gasis also the main ingredient of smog.

These two “different” types ofozone can be classified as good orbad. Good ozone occurs naturally. Inthe stratosphere, ozone protects theearth from the sun. Ozone acts like ashield, protecting nature, air and peo-ple from the harmful effects of directultra-violet rays.

Bad ozone is formed by chemicalreactions at ground level. When pol-

3THIS POLLUTED EARTH

lutants from automobiles, powerplants, refineries, chemical plants,and other sources come into contactwith sunlight, ozone is formed. Thisozone stays at ground level and, asthe sun continues to heat it, smog isformed.

Smog is most prevalent in cities.Large industrial areas produce exag-gerated levels of ozone. When com-bined with rising temperatures world-wide, smog is becoming epidemic.

Cities also have the largest con-centrations of people. It has beenreported that one in three people areat risk for ozone-related health prob-lems. This ranges from slight breath-ing irritation to damaged lung tissue.

To inform the public about thequality of the air, the EPA has issueda set of ratings. Unfortunately, the airquality in most cities is now almostalways in the “unhealthy” range.

This causes problems for children,those with pre-existing lung problems(such as asthma), and people involvedin strenuous outdoor activities.According to the World HealthOrganization, up to 1.1% of all deathsare caused by air pollution. Thisequates to 570,000 people a year—the population of Boston proper! And,as cities grow, and as automobilesbecome more common and tempera-tures rise, more and more people willdie!

But not all ozone is bad. As men-tioned above, the ozone in the strato-sphere protects the planet. But thislayer of protection is beginning tovanish. “Holes” form every year overthe North and South Poles, fromapproximately October to December.In 2000, the Antarctic hole coveredover 26 million square miles. That islarger than the entirety of NorthAmerica. Each year, these holes areappearing sooner, growing larger andlasting longer.

They allow powerful ultra-violetrays to reach the earth—unfiltered.This does not currently have a directeffect on people. But it soon will! Asthe ozone depletes, agriculture will beaffected and occurrences of skin can-cer will increase. While the worldtalks about taking steps to solve thisproblem, it grows WORSE. Without

sudden and drastic change to ozonepollution and smog, the problem willcontinue to escalate!

Asian Dust Clouds

One example of mankind disruptingwhat was a beneficial system occursin China. The Gobi Desert, locatedalong the Mongolia-China border,produces intense springtime duststorms. Unlike many deserts, theGobi is made of a very fine yellowdust.

It was best described by Swedishexplorer Sven Hedin in 1895:“…crossing a dead-flat plain of yel-low-grey dust—nothing but dust, sofine that it blew like powder at everybreath of the wind, and so soft anddeep that driving over it was like anadventure on a feather-bed…men,walking alongside, saw their feet sinkinto the dust ankle-deep with everystep…The dust got into everything,the men and the horses and everywagon became plastered with gray-ish-yellow dust” (Through Asia,1899).

When combined with intensewinds, this “powder” creates hugedust clouds that can be three kilome-ters deep. It is interesting to note thatthese dust clouds are a natural methodof distributing minerals and nutrients.Many terrestrial and oceanic ecosys-tems rely on the iron and mineralsthat these dust storms provide.

But, as with most things, man hasdisrupted the natural system.Scientists have discovered that desertareas are expanding. This is mainlyattributed to urbanization, deforesta-tion, pollution and global warming.

These “new” deserts are replac-ing what was once fertile land. Theyconsume over 20,000 square miles ofland each year! In addition to thisstaggering figure, over 70,000 squaremiles of land are being severely dam-aged annually—and are expected tobecome arid sooner than estimated.

This process is called desertifica-tion, defined by the United Nations as“Land degradation in arid, and semi-arid, and dry sub humid areas result-ing mainly from adverse humanimpact”—the creation of new deserts!

By 1984, as many as 13.5 million

people were displaced from some ofthese once-fertile lands. Between theyears 1975-2000, over 185 millionacres of the world’s arable land weredestroyed! The deserts in Africa areexpanding in length (north and south)over six miles per year.

The U.N. Secretary General stated,“Drought and desertification threatenthe livelihood of over 1 billion peoplein more than 110 countries around theworld.”

These growing deserts are chang-ing this natural, beneficial system ofwhich the dust clouds were a part.Records indicate that during the 17thcentury, there were 0.3 to 1.0 duststorms per year. But by 1990, this hadrisen to three to five storms peryear—an increase of over 500 per-cent!

A recent example was the dustcloud that pummeled China in 2001.A mighty wind brought a monstercloud from one of China’s deserts,over 750 miles away, towards SouthKorea. Schools, streets and business-es were evacuated, as people fledfrom the choking dust that complete-ly engulfed the city streets.

Residents were unable to recog-nize when the sun dawned in themorning. Such huge dust storms arenow common in these parts of theworld. The past three years have beenthe worst, and scientists are reportingthat the next few years are going to bemuch the same—if not worse!

The dust storm of April 2001 wasconsidered one of the worst onrecord. Even in North America—over11,678 kilometers away—its effectswere felt: “The particulates in thedust clouds that reduce visibility andcause respiratory problems have notbeen measured in such high volumesince Mt. St. Helens erupted, andeven then, the particulates did notreach the ground as they are in thiscase” (NASA Goddard Space FlightCenter, April 2001).

The story of this Asian dust cloudeven reached television: “So thickwas the dust over [the] weekend thatvisitors to western U.S. national parkshave reportedly been asking rangerswhere the ‘fire is.’ Normally onlysmoke from major fires causes such


haze” (“Discovery Channel EarthAlert,” April 2001).

Dust clouds are becoming muchmore prevalent, and deadlier, with theincrease of arid desert areas.

Desertification must not be simplystopped—it must be reversed!However, with the continuation ofglobal warming, the destruction ofrainforests, population growth, andthe continuous production of industri-al waste and pollution, reversal mayhave already become impossible!

Asian Brown Haze

Not only are dust clouds becomingmore and more intense, they are com-bining with the byproduct of “suc-cess.” Asia is one of the fastest grow-ing regions of the world. Industry isbooming, and its smokestacks are bil-lowing.

Often dubbed the “Asian BrownHaze,” a thick haze forms over muchof Asia. This 6.2 million-square-milephenomenon is a deadly brew of soot,aerosols, particulates (one beingdust), acids and other pollutants thatfour billion people are “drinking” inthe name of progress.

This three-kilometer thick pollu-tion blanket is damaging agriculture,changing weather patterns and killinghundreds of thousands of people. Andas the concentration of pollutantsincreases, so does their devastation!

The haze is thick enough to block10% of the sun’s rays and heat! Thishas cooled the region by as much as15%. Inside the clouds themselves, awarming effect is created. This iscausing lower atmosphere warming.This heating and cooling is changingweather patterns, decreasing rainfallsby as much as 40%!

Every year, monsoon seasonbrings relief to Asia and waters therice crops—a staple of their diets. Inthe last several years, the rains havenot come. Wind patterns have alsodramatically changed. And the cloudsthat do form are longer-lived. Andwith the shifting of winds, they areflooding areas that normally receivemoderate rainfall, leaving otherregions severely drought-stricken.

July 2002 was the driest monthIndia experienced in over a century,

while nearby regions such asBangladesh were so severely floodedthat two-thirds of the land was cov-ered in water. This damaged 1.6 mil-lion hectares of cropland.

Even moderate rainfall is rife withproblems. The haze has caused mostclouds to produce highly acidic rain,damaging lakes and agriculture.Between the reduction in sunlight andthe acid rain, winter rice harvests inIndia were reduced by 10%.

At times, the brown haze willcombine with dust to form a horribledust storm, coating the region with ayellow toxic dust. The haze also hasglobal implications. It is able to trav-el halfway around the world in justfive days, landing on the western U.S.and possibly causing the acid rainsexperienced on the West coast.

Many organizations are attempt-ing to address the problem, with fewhaving REAL ideas. The Asian popula-tion is expected to reach five billionover the next 30 years. This willresult in larger cities with even moredense industry. Not only will theymaintain the problem, but the build-ing blocks are in place to intensify it!

Global Warming

Another problem that is drawingnational attention is global warming.The theory is that over time, mankindhas changed the composition of theatmosphere. This has trapped heat,which is slowly increasing the tem-perature around the world.

But new research shows that glob-al warming is more than a theory. It isbecoming a most serious problem.

Before explaining its dangers, wemust first understand how it happens.

The earth’s atmosphere is made upof a myriad of gasses. Most of thesegases are passive in nature. Thismeans that heat passes through them.But some are not. These trap heat andwill redirect some back to the earth.The two main components that createthe greenhouse effect are water vaporand carbon dioxide. Many assumethat this is a negative effect. But with-out these gases in our atmosphere, thetemperature of the earth would be -18°C (64°F) instead of 14°C (57°F).

The concern is not whether the

greenhouse effect is happening. Thesustaining of life on this planet relieson it. The concern is whether man isaltering the natural process that keepsthe planet warm.

Are greenhouse gases increasing?The main gas in question is carbon

dioxide. The burning of most fuelsreleases large amounts of carbondioxide. Power plants, cars, trucksand aircraft all add to this problem.

Therefore, the answer is aresounding YES!

Carbon dioxide has reached lev-els not seen for hundreds of years.The most severe warming has hap-pened over North America andEurope, where temperatures haveincreased 0.6°C over the last century.

While many may look at this asinsignificant, it has the power to dis-rupt weather and ecosystems, whichhave a direct impact on man. Here ishow!

Firstly, a change in weather isbeing experienced around the world.Thunderstorms in North America aredumping 20% more rain than previ-ous years. Other parts of the countryare experiencing the most severedroughts ever recorded. Some scien-tists link this directly to global warm-ing. The warmer the air, the morewater vapor it can hold. This allowsfor much more saturated clouds, and,in turn, flooding when those swelledclouds empty themselves.

Secondly, a change in the planet’secosystems is occurring. Animals,plants, and organisms live in environ-ments designed for them. Animals inthe tropics would not be able to sur-vive in North America. The same istrue with many diseases or bacteria.As the planet warms, the climateregions move further north.

Tropical diseases are appearing innon-tropical regions. The West Nilevirus is one such example.

Mankind has many luxuries andbenefits that he has become accus-tomed to. But giving up these luxuriesis exactly what must be done to curbthe problem of global warming. Theinternational community is so split onthe issue that it cannot even agree thatglobal warming is a real problem—or,if it is, how it should be addressed.


The planet can absorb some of thecarbon dioxide every year. It alreadyhas a system in place to keep levelswhere they belong. One acre of treescan absorb over 2.5 tons of carbondioxide in a year. Yet, while the mediacovers global warming, tens of mil-lions of trees around the world arebeing destroyed.

Acid Rain

Trees allow for absorption of CO2. Intheory, this would slow the onset ofglobal warming. But, a well-knownproblem is showing newly understoodconsequences. New studies show thatacid rain is killing trees all across theU.S. and Canada. Daily ScienceMagazine reported that acid rain isdestroying trees’ “immune systems,”leaving them open to a host of diseases.

But what is acid rain?First discovered in 1852, its

effects were not fully understood untilthe last decade. Acid rain is a generalterm to describe rain that has an pHrating of seven or lower. It might bebetter termed, acidic deposition,because all rain is slightly acidic.Acid rain is particularly so.

Acidity or alkalinity of a sub-stance is measured by the pH scale,which is logarithmic, like the Richterscale. This means that every changeof one number represents a ten-foldchange in value. For instance, a pH of4 is ten times more acidic than 5.

Most plants and organisms aredesigned for an acidity level of pH5.5. But even slight variations inwater and soil can completely disruptan ecosystem. Parts of the UnitedStates and Canada have rain measur-ing 2.6 pH. Little Echo Pond inFranklin, New York has a pH of 4.2.These levels completely destroy mostplants, fish and water-dwelling crea-tures (such as frogs).

If you have traveled in northernCanada or upstate New York, youmay have seen what are known as“dead lakes.” They appear to be veryclean and pristine, because the acidityof the water has killed all plant life,such as plankton, that would havecolored the water. Effectively, suchlakes are completely void of all ani-mal and plant life.

Mankind is the only definablesource for acid rain. Two gases refer-enced above are the primary ingredi-ents that acidify rain—nitrogen oxide(NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2).Sulfur Dioxide is primarily producedby burning coal and smelting ore.This accounts for 70% of all SO2present in the atmosphere.

Approximately 40% of NOx emis-sion results from planes and automo-biles. The remainder is produced byfossil fuel-based power plants.

Altogether, mankind is responsiblefor 90% of these gases present in theskies above eastern North America.While regulations like the “Clean AirAct” have helped to curb acid rain inNorth America, many nations aroundthe world are doing nothing to addressit. They are repeating the mistakes ofwestern culture.

New studies show the complexinteractions that take place in nature.A USDA Forest Service scientist andUniversity of Vermont (UVM)researcher have documented a mecha-nism by which acid rain depletes cal-cium deposits in the soil. Calcium isvital to a healthy “stress response sys-tem” in plants. Climate change, pollu-tants, new pests and diseases areappearing in forests around the U.S.With their immune system weakened,they are unable to respond to thesenew stresses. Trees are weakening,and eventually entire forests may bedestroyed. This leads to less CO2 con-verted into oxygen and further exacer-bation of the greenhouse effect. A sadand deadly cycle.

But the implications reach fartherthan even this. Donald DeHayes,Dean and Professor in the School ofNatural Sciences at UVM once stated,“If extensive, the decline of individ-ual species would radiate throughplant communities…It would alter thecompetition and survival of popula-tions, perhaps even species, includinganimals at higher levels of the forestfood chains.”

He continues to explain that calci-um deficiencies in plants are passedto herbivores. Bird eggs, animalbones, etc., would be weakened, dev-astating all levels of the food chain.

Humans are also not immune from

the chemicals that create acid rain. Asfundamental components of smog,NOx and SO2 have been shown tocause increased illness and prematuredeath from such diseases as asthmaand bronchitis.

Even with all the evidence, atti-tudes appear mostly unchanged:“…important new research shows theinsidious harm that acid rain is caus-ing to our trees and wildlife…Weknow how to stop acid rain, but havenot had the will to do so” (Sen. JamesJeffords).

PART 2: WATER POLLUTION

ir pollution’s effect on societytends to span over many years. It

slowly degrades the health of forests,animals and people. In many cases,this shortens the lifespan of humansand animals. The lack of water, on theother hand, will kill most people andanimals in just a few short days. Pure,clean water is vital to all life. Buthumanity is rapidly destroying eventhis precious resource.

Every UN report on the state of theplanet addresses the issue of water—from lack of freshwater to thedestruction and pollution of lakes,rivers and oceans. Yet nothing is doneabout it. No one seems to care thatour most precious resource is beingflushed away!

As stated, North America has beenblessed with some of the richest landin the world. The Great Lakes alonecomprise 20% of the world’s freshwa-ter supply. But pesticides, fertilizers,chemicals and air pollution fall-out arechanging freshwater into DEAD water.

The U.S. is not alone. All parts ofthe world are destroying not onlytheir freshwater supplies, but oceanicecosystems as well. This precious—vital—commodity is disappearing,with no solution or even apparent willto stop it!

Disappearing Fresh Water

None doubt our need for fresh water.North Americans consume more thanany country in the world. Over 50%is pulled from ground water. It hasbecome second nature to assume thatevery time you turn on a faucet,


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drinkable water is available. Many donot know that not only is drinkablewater disappearing, but water alto-gether!

For many years, the 600,000chemicals used in various industrieshave seeped into the ground. Aroundmany cities, rivers are slowly showingthe signs of this stress.

For instance, in the early 1970s, areport was issued documenting thecondition and concerns regarding theMissouri River. Many years of“progress” weighed heavy on thismighty river. The report stated thatthe Missouri River could no longeract as both a method to removewastes from industrial areas AND asource for drinking water. The reportshockingly recommended that themost effective solution was to turnthe Missouri River into a sewer—2,464 miles long!

The Mississippi is fed by theMissouri River and shares a similarfate. In 1966, a group of scientistsstudied the condition of the river.They saw over 100 sewage pipesspewing untreated waste directly intothe river. Today, the Gulf of Mexicohas a region known as the “deadzone.” It is 8,000 square miles—larg-er than New Jersey—and directlyattributes to the pollution flowing outof the Mississippi River. Forty yearsof “addressing” the problem haschanged nothing!

In September 2002, another verylarge “dead zone” was discovered inthe center of Lake Erie, which hasdestroyed ALL life in the area.Scientists have tested the water, try-ing to discover why the lake’s chem-istry has unexpectedly changed. Butthey have been unsuccessful at dis-covering any indicators.

An excess of phosphorous, whichis believed to have been accumulat-ing since the 1960s, has caused thezone. It is located in the deepestwaters in the central basin betweenSandusky, Ohio, and Erie,Pennsylvania.

If the phosphorous problem con-tinues, scientists predict that massiveamounts of fish will die, damagingOhio’s fishing and tourism industry,as well as adversely affecting the

waters that Cleveland, and countlessother communities, draw their waterfrom.

“It’s the beginning of the secondenvironmental war on Lake Erie,”said an EPA scientist. “It’s a veryserious problem, and it could be areally big problem…The brakes wethought we had on the system aren’tworking anymore.”

Even more important than theserivers and lakes are the vast aquifersthat supply much of the U.S. andCanada’s drinking water. They arealso instrumental in crop irrigation.For instance, the Oglalla aquifer in thewestern U.S. supplies 20% of thewater needed for irrigated cropland.Yet scientists now say that demand isexceeding supply in such a fashionthat it will be dry in just thirty years!

Overuse of these waterways ishaving a side impact. To somedegree, most water in North Americais polluted. But supplies are so largethat pollutants are heavily diluted insuch a manner as to allow for filtra-tion. Many of these pollutants beginto settle at the bottom. As water ispulled from the top, via wells, theremaining water becomes a moreconcentrated soup of toxins. Verysoon, this water will be too toxic toeven filter!

Europe is suffering similar prob-lems. Over 90% of the rivers inEurope are suffering from a problemcalled eutrophication. This occurswhen the nitrogen concentrationsreach unnatural levels. Mostly causedby fertilizer runoff, this stimulatesrampant algae growth, stealing allavailable oxygen from the water.

A similar issue has also beenreported with groundwater. However,these western countries havelearned—mostly by mistakes—thatchemical contamination poses animmediate threat and have moved toheavily regulate many of the moredangerous contaminants. Developingcountries have not.

Many parts of the developingworld continue to experience thesame pitfalls that befell the west dur-ing its period of industrialization. Upto 95% of ALL raw, untreated sewageis dumped directly into waterways

that are—or were—used for drinkingwater!

In India, there are 14 major water-ways. Every one is heavily contami-nated. Over 50 million cubic metersof raw sewage are spewed into theIndian coastal waters every year.

Thailand and Malaysia are alsoexperiencing severe water problems.Rivers often contain up to 100 timesmore pathogens, heavy metals, andindustrial toxins than is “permitted”by the government.

São Paulo, Brazil is not any better.They dump 300 metric tons ofuntreated industrial toxins into theTiete River every day. This riverflows through São Paulo, where itpicks up another 1,000 metric tons ofsewage! What flows out of São Paulocan hardly be called water.

Finally, China has one of the mostshocking pollution problems onearth. Of the 50,000 kilometers ofmajor rivers, 60% are so contaminat-ed that ALL fish life has died. In1992, major industry dumped 36 bil-lion metric tons of untreated chemi-cals into lakes and rivers. Numbersthis large are difficult to quantify!

But shockingly, China has onefinal, remarkable example. For threemonths of 1986, the Liao River had 1billion metric tons of industrial wastedumped into it. This destroyed nearlyEVERY aquatic organism for 100kilometers!

As drinkable water disappears,many governments are slowly turningtheir attention to this dire situation.But without a REAL solution, theyare simply focusing time and effortinto fruitless means. This has alsodiminished attention on the other97.3% of the earth’s water supply—the oceans!

Unbalancing the Oceans

Many look at the oceans as unusablewater. Most industry cannot use it. It isundrinkable. Only certain organismscan survive in salty water. But theoceans are the very base of all ecosys-tems in the world: “Oceans are critical,not just to our economy; not just to ourfood supply; not just to America’strade and security; but to the fabric oflife itself. Those dark-blue waters are


perhaps the single greatest naturaltreasure on God’s Earth” (Former U.S.Vice President Al Gore).

The “health” of our oceans shouldbe of vexing concern. Without this sin-gle resource, the machine of humanitywould break down permanently!

Public safety often drives manypolicies in the U.S. The safety of oceanbeaches has recently driven many reg-ulations on testing and monitoring.This has also acted as a tool to monitorthe pollution trend on coastal waters.

When pollutants rise, beachesclose. All across the U.S., beaches areclosing in record numbers. Such clos-ings are rising. In 2001, 13,410 clos-

ings and advisories were issued. Thisis a 19% jump over the previous year.

Most disturbing are the reasons forthese closures. The vast majority—87%—were due to the presence offecal-associated bacteria. Childrenacross the U.S.—and the world—areliterally swimming in sewage!

But even more disheartening isthat 54% (or 7,208) contained pollu-tants of unknown sources.

What are you swimming in?Monitoring coastal waters varies

across the world, even varyingbetween beaches in the same state.But with less expensive, yet moresophisticated, monitoring equipment

becoming available, more areas aretesting their waters.

In many cases, improved testing isclosing beaches that were oncelabeled “safe.”

Such information points to the larg-er problem of drowning our oceans inpollutants. We must remember thateverything dumped into rivers andstreams ends up in the oceans. Itbecomes mankind’s cesspool. Manyscientists suggest resolving pollutionby diluting it. There comes a pointwhen our vast oceans can no longer“handle”—dilute—what we dump intothem. A point we will reach very soon.

Regions known as “dead zones”evidence this. Located throughout theworld, these regions are usuallycaused by extreme concentrations ofnitrogen. As mentioned previously,this stimulates algae growth. Whenthe algae die, bacteria use all avail-able oxygen to break down the algae.Fish, plants, etc., begin dying off,making the zones dead. Although anatural process, runoff from fertiliz-ers is creating a situation that naturecan no longer maintain.

But most fish will simply avoidthese regions, leaving many to thinkthat there is still coastal fishing watercontaining clean fish.

That depends on one’s definitionof clean. The EPA recently rated mostregions as “poor.” Some areas in theGulf of Mexico were declared com-pletely off limits to fishing. The bestwaters were located in the Southeastand the West coast. But even theseareas were only rated as “fair.”

Many times, the oceanic ecosys-tems will give signals of this horribleimbalance. One such indication is theexploding number of jellyfish in theworld’s oceans and seas. Scientistswarn that over-fishing, nutrient pollu-tion, global warming, and the intro-duction of non-native species is dev-astating marine ecosystems.

A shrimpboat captain in the Gulfof Mexico was recently quoted as say-ing that the jellyfish are so thick that“you can almost walk across the wateron them.”

Let’s look on opposite ends of theearth to witness some of these signs.Japan is completely surrounded by


Sea otters and other animals died due to the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.PHOTO: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

water. For thousands of years, theJapanese have lived and functioned inthis environment. Yet recently, some-thing has changed. The ocean hasbeen used as a dumping ground forarsenic, pesticide, fertilizer and manyother chemicals. This is creating apoisonous “soup” surrounding Japan,killing hundreds of miles of coralreef.

How important are coral reefs? TheNational Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration states the following ontheir website:

• They are a home and nursery foralmost a million fish and otherspecies, many that we rely on for food.

• They contain some of the Earth’smost diverse living ecosystems.

• Their existence protects coastalcommunities from storms, wave dam-age and erosion.

In a country completely surroundedby water, the answer is that they are

critically important! Yet the engine ofprogress is looking ahead, instead oflooking down into the oceans.

Let’s travel around the globe to themouth of the St. Lawrence Seaway.The freshwater from all the GreatLakes enters the ocean at this hugebay. It is also the breeding ground forthe Beluga whale.

This mix of fresh and saltwater isthe ideal spot for these majestic crea-tures to return to every year. But


Map of the Exxon Valdez Oil SpillPHOTO: www.oilspill.state.ak.us/facts/spillmap.html

things have very recently changed.Not only does the St. LawrenceSeaway transport millions of gallonsof freshwater to the ocean every year,it also carries tons of chemicals. Allthe dumping that happens from the tipof Lake Superior, throughout the GreatLakes, accumulates here.

This accumulation has driven thetoxicity of the Seaway to levels thatare eradicating theBeluga whale. Notonly are the chemi-cals causing cancerin the whales, butalso infertility.

On either side ofthe planet, mankindis facing the sameissues. Our expan-sion and “progress”is coming at the costof our resources.Destroying ecosys-tems, no matter howsmall, dramaticallyimpacts even the topof the food chain—human beings!

Many pollutantsmake up the soupdisturbing this balance. The onereceiving the most media coverage isoil. Oil spills are often considered theprimary pollutant of our oceans andseas. Big oil spills account for about37 million gallons of oil per year. Thedevastation is photographed and doc-umented, and most know what oildoes to beaches, fish and animals.

Imagine combining every oil spillinto one giant spill. Then increase thisby 1,800%. It would seem impossiblethat anything could recover from sucha disaster.

But every year, 706 million gallonsof oil make their way to the oceans—363 million gallons of it is oil that peo-ple pour down drains. Since one quartof oil contaminates one million gal-lons of water, oil alone is destroying2.824 quadrillion gallons of water—EVERY YEAR!

That means that every two years,oil contaminates enough water to fillall five great lakes. And oil is only oneof many ways that people have con-taminated water. The actual amount of

water contaminated every year isincalculable. With no REAL solutionto preserve fresh water or save ouroceans, time is quickly running out!

The Unknown Pollution

You now recognize the precariousstate of the freshwater supply. Youhave also seen that using the oceansand seas as a sewer is destroying “the

single greatest natural treasure onGod’s Earth.” But there is anotherform of pollution that goes largelyunchecked—heat pollution!

The complex systems that sustainlife on this planet were designed insuch a manner as to allow for envi-ronmental variations—but never atthe speed or manner by which manhas introduced them. Changing thetemperature a few degrees can terri-bly upset water-based ecosystems.

The amount of oxygen that can bedissolved into water is directly relatedto the temperature of the water. Whenwater is drawn from lakes and riversto cool power plants—especiallynuclear power plants—it is returnedseveral degrees warmer. This heatingprocess reduces the amount of oxygenthe water can hold.

In addition, some fish are very sen-sitive to variations in water tempera-ture—beyond the changes it creates intheir oxygen supply. For instance, troutand salmon stop reproducing if thetemperature warms only a few degrees.

Quickly, artificially-heated watercreates an environment that allowsalgae and other undesirable plants toovertake desirable ones. Then otherfish, such as carp and sunfish, beginto thrive because of the higher tem-peratures. Suddenly, a major changehas happened to a local ecosystem.

But even if fish have becomeaccustomed to the new water temper-

ature, they are still in dan-ger. If the power plantcloses down for any reason(i.e. maintenance), thewater will quickly cool.Fish must not experiencecold shock. This will likelykill them.

Although some fishmay still survive this initialshock, they die when thepower plant comes backonline and quickly reheatsthe water.

Other problems alsoarise. Fish that would nor-mally migrate to warmerwaters in the winter maynot, depleting local foodsupplies.

Humanity needs power.Even short interruptions in powerwreak major havoc. There is nomeans to cool the power plants with-out heating the surrounding water.Once again, the planet suffers fromthe march of progress—and there isno solution to address it!

PART 3: LAND POLLUTION

nother form of pollution is alsoleaving its mark on society. This

mark may be obvious, such as enor-mous landfills spanning miles of land.Or animal waste reservoirs containingthousands of gallons of animalbyproducts.

Others may be more subtle, suchas hundreds of acres of land riddledwith hazardous pesticides that haveaccumulated over years of farming.

Either way, the world’s land isbeing attacked by methods of farmingand industrialization that havebecome the norm. We simply do notconsider what we will do with themillions of tons of waste produced


Landfill in Southampton, United Kingdom.PHOTO: www.southampton.gov.uk

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every year. Much has even escapedgovernment regulation.

The Death of Agriculture

Do you feel that eating is important?It is ridiculous to even imagine thatsome would think that it is not. Butthe way the U.S. is treating what wasonce its most fertile ground may seemotherwise.

The soil and plants were designedin such a way as to allow plants toleach minerals and nutrients from thesoil, which would then pass on to thepeople and animals that ate them. Likea canteen of water, you cannot keepdrinking and expect it to never empty.

Humanity has farmed like it expectsthe canteen to never empty. Mass farm-ing has depleted many of the nutrientsin the soil. This has caused mankind todo what it does best—address theEFFECT instead of the CAUSE.

We have created special breeds ofplants that can grow in imbalancedsoil. Over time, this has created high-ly specialized breeds, which are notdiverse enough to grow in a variety ofconditions. They are also unable tofight insects and fungi like morediverse breeds could. So people haveproduced pesticides that fight off theinsects and diseases that these spe-cialty breeds cannot fight on theirown.

This allows weak breeds to pros-per, and the cycle continues.

The cycle has caused the numberof pesticides used in farming to growfrom 32 (in 1939) to more than22,000 by 1993! And not only has thevariety of pesticides increased, butthe amounts dumped each year areshocking!

In the U.S. alone, over one billionpounds of pesticides are used annual-ly. This equates to approximately 4.6pounds of pesticide per person. While4.6 pounds may not sound like a lot,keep in mind that some of these pesti-cides are fatal even in tiny amounts.

In fact, of the 25 most used pesti-cides, five are toxic to the nervoussystem and 18 can damage the eyes,skin and lungs. That is only the short-term damage!

The EPA classifies about 12 ofthese pesticides as carcinogenic. In

laboratory tests, 17 of them causegenetic and reproductive damage.

No one could imagine drinkingarsenic, but we spray tons of theseproven deadly toxins on our foodsevery year. Now you may also won-der, “Is it even safe to eat?” (To learnmore about how to avoid these andother dietary dangers, request our freebooklet God’s Principles ofHEALTHFUL LIVING.)

While many foods still contain pes-ticide residue, most of it never leavesthe fields where they grow. Over manyyears, soil pesticide levels become sotoxic that nothing can survive. Notonly are all healthy organisms, miner-als and nutrients leached from the soil,but what remains is deadly!

Imagine the population of Buffalo,New York getting sick each year frompesticides. That is exactly what hap-pens! The concentrations are so highthat the EPA estimates that approxi-mately 300,000 farm workers becomesick each year. But it does not stopthere. Even their families suffer fromindirect exposure.

In Minnesota, farmers using pesti-cides were more likely to have chil-dren with birth defects. Other studieshave shown increases in miscarriagesand premature births.

On the surface, the solutionsounds simple. We must stop usingpesticides or there may not be anyfruits or vegetables left to eat. But theproblem is much more complex thanthat. Many of the more virulent seedsno longer exist in quantities to sustainthe population. And if we stoppedusing pesticides, many plants wouldnot survive even one year.

So an approach of slowly remov-ing pesticides would seem like a log-ical step. Yet the trend shows higheramounts—and more varieties—beingused every year.

Other Farming Pollution—Livestock

Mass farming has also become thenorm for livestock. Gone are the dayswhen small farms had a few dozen, oreven a hundred head of cattle. In theU.S., more than 90% of all poultry isproduced by ten companies.

This requires “cities” of livestock.But unlike human cities, there is no

regulated system to treat and disposeof waste.

In many cases, animals produceeven more waste than humans. In theU.S., factory farms produce 130 timesmore waste than people. That meansthat every year, 2.7 trillion pounds ofuntreated, unregulated waste is pro-duced.

Where does it go?Unfortunately, the solution is usu-

ally huge lagoons, some the size ofseveral football fields. And becauseof poor regulation, many are prone toleaks and spills.

In 1995, an eight-acre hog-wastelagoon burst, sending 25 million gal-lons of manure into a local river. Thespill immediately killed ten millionfish and left hundreds of thousands ofacres of wetlands closed to shell fish-ing for months.

Worries of spills of even greatermagnitude are on the minds of manyNorth Carolinians. That state aloneproduces 28,251,511,730 pounds ofhog waste each year.

Not only are direct spills a prob-lem, but even leaks can lead to direconsequences. In Oklahoma, nitratesfrom a factory hog operation contam-inated local drinking water. The waterwas so polluted that the company wasordered by the EPA to provide bottledwater to local residents.

In 1996, the Centers for DiseaseControl linked spontaneous abortionsto drinking water containing highnitrates—nitrates resulting from fac-tory farm pollution!

One of the deadliest casesoccurred in Milwaukee in 1993.Manure from dairy cows contaminat-ed the local drinking water. Theresult? One hundred people dead and400,000 sick.

Not only is direct contact with thesewastes a danger, the gases they pro-duce can lead to serious health prob-lems. Large hog farms emit a gascalled hydrogen sulfide. In humans,this gas produces flu-like symptoms.But prolonged or high concentrationscan cause brain damage or even death.

In 1998, The National Institute ofHealth reported that 19 people diedfrom hydrogen sulfide produced frommanure lagoons.


Another concern is the astronomi-cal amounts of antibiotics used inlivestock. Out of the 24 millionpounds of antibiotics used each year,70% are used in livestock to acceler-ate their growth.

Many of these antibiotics are notbroken down in the animals and endup in their waste. (Although some isstill in the meat you buy.)

These antibiotics kill many of thebacteria in animal waste. But it is farfrom safe! The remaining bacteria areresistant to antibiotics. These superbacteria can spread to humans and areextremely difficult to treat.

Will humanity ever look at the con-sequences—the devastating results—of its actions?

Users—Not Consumers

In our effort to live the “good life,” weare constantly “improving” andreplacing products in our lives. Butsomething has changed in our con-sumer-driven system. Industry hasproduced many products that we donot consume, but simply use.

Look around you. Newspapers,magazines, clothing, packaging, etc.are never consumed! We simply pur-chase products, only to later throwthem away, replacing them with thenewer, better version. We now live ina user-driven society, and landfillsaround the world are showing theresults!

In fact, every year adds another200 million tons of waste in the U.S.It has become common for majorcities to transport their garbage tolocations hundreds of miles away.And many parts of the East coast havenearly filled all available landfills.Soon we will reach a point were wehave nowhere to put that 200 milliontons of garbage.

In 2002, there was a garbageworkers strike in Toronto, Canada.After only a few days, the city streetsfilled with garbage. The smell perme-ated nearly every part of its down-town area. The news media was wor-ried about a major rat infestation.Health issues were being discussed.This after only a few days!

Without removing the greed thatpermeates society, things will only

grow worse. There are no signs thatpeople are ready to change theirways.

One solid waste disposal specialist,when describing the state of the prob-lem, said, “Every large community isin a corner where it must do somethingabout the garbage that threatens itsvery environment…We’re running infront of an avalanche and it’s alreadybeginning to bury us.”

All the vast amounts of pollutants.All these problems. What can be doneto solve them? Without a dramaticchange, both to society and to peo-ple’s character, there is no hope!

PART 4: THE REAL SOLUTION

s you have seen in this report, pol-lution has brought this planet to

the brink of death. Lakes, rivers,oceans and farmlands are dying atunprecedented rates. There are manywho think they have a solution to pol-lution. But there is always a reason—and obstacle—that prevents themfrom implementing it. Either govern-ments will not spend the money or cre-ate laws and regulations needed, orthere may be a lack of internationalsupport.

Whatever the reason, the fact isthat man cannot solve the pollutionproblem. It mostly stems from the factthat man will not address the realcause of pollution. Many think it iscreated by industrial waste. By care-less use of resources. By complexinteractions between mankind andnature. But the answer is much sim-pler!

Pollution is caused by greed!Never at any point in time do politi-cians, lawmakers, or activists stop andsay, “We have this problem because ofour greed.”

Greed—the “get” attitude—hasbecome a god for this world.

Society never stops and asks if itneeds what it is creating, if it must addto—expand—the toys and luxuriesthat already exist. In a society whereeveryone attempts to “one-up” hisneighbor, there will always be some-thing thrown out in the process. Wehave created a system that cannotsolve its pollution problem because

the core of its values—our humannature—craves false betterment!

But who is responsible? Whatstarted this cycle?

Some have even suggested that thisattitude stems from “Judeo-Christian”principles—that, since Christiansshould “conquer” the earth, this allowsthem to exploit it.

But should Christians pollute? Orshould they conserve?

Many confuse some of the firstpages of the Bible, misunderstandingthe true meaning. God told Adam to“be fruitful, and multiply, and replen-ish the earth, and subdue it: and havedominion over the fish of the sea, andover the fowl of the air, and over everyliving thing that moves upon theearth.” (Gen. 1:28).

Adam and all men who have fol-lowed him were told to “put into sub-jection” and “rule over” the earth. Thisis what God told Adam to do in the gar-den of Eden: “And the LORD God tookthe man, and put him into the Garden ofEden to dress it and to keep it” (2:15).

God told man to maintain it—dressit—keep it looking beautiful, as Godhad originally created it.

More interesting is the Hebrewword translated “keep.” It means: toguard; generally to protect, keep,observe, preserve, reserve, save.

God commanded Adam to PROTECT

and PRESERVE the world that was creat-ed for him. Never was he told to rapeand destroy the blessings of this world.Imagine how different this worldwould be if Adam—and everyone whofollowed—had simply listened to oneof God’s first directions to man.

But this is not the only warning thatGod has given to man about pollu-tion—the destruction man would visitupon God’s created Earth.

Notice what the prophet Isaiah saidabout our age: “The earth is drooping,withering…and the sky wanes withthe earth; FOR EARTH HAS BEENPOLLUTED BY THE DWELLERSON ITS FACE…Therefore a curse iscrushing the earth, alighting on itsguilty folk; mortals are dying off, tillfew are left.” (24:4-6, Moffatt)

The people of earth are under a“curse.” But why?

Hosea expands this further: “Israel,


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hear the word of the Eternal, for theEternal has a charge to bring againstthe dwellers in the land: No fidelity,no kindness, no knowledge of God inthe land, nothing but perjury, lying,and murder, stealing, debauchery, bur-glary” (4:1-2, Moffatt).

When you break God’s Law, itbreaks you! Mankind’s disobedienceto those laws and having “no knowl-edge of God in the land” has lefthumanity ignorant to what Godintended at earth’s creation.

Not knowing God, man walksblindly in this world, unaware of howto even take care of the planet put inhis charge. Because of his ignorance,“even the beasts and birds and thevery fish within the sea are perishing”(4:3, Moffatt).

Greed and the desire for self haveput everything—including God—sec-ond in the eyes of men. The fruits ofhuman nature are the destruction ofthe earth. But have we now gone toofar? It seems that there is no hope leftfor this world. How can WE preventour own destruction?

The answer is that WE cannot!But God can!

A Final Solution

In 1970, UN Secretary General U.Thant addressed the University of

Texas, saying, “plunder, befoulingand destruction of our native earthhave already gone too far for us torely any more on pious hopes, belatedpromises, and tardy efforts at self-dis-cipline.

“If effective measures are to betaken in time, we need somethingnew—and we need it speedily—aglobal authority with the support andagreement of government and of otherpower interests, which can pull togeth-er all the piecemeal efforts now beingmade and which fill the gaps wheresomething needs to be done.”

This was over 30 years ago! Thingsmust have surely improved—right?

In August 2002, world leadersgathered in Johannesburg. They meantto discuss solutions to these and otherproblems. They disagreed, and failedto reach a resolution on over 90% ofthe proposed matters. Not only wereno real solutions found, but the three-day conference produced 250,000 tonsof carbon dioxide.

Absolutely nothing has changed!The UN is powerless to implement

such a “global authority”—a GOV-ERNMENT—to address this prob-lem.

No system, government, or organi-zation of man will ever have suchpower.

But there is a coming GOVERN-MENT—a SYSTEM not based on thefaulty ideas and concepts of man. Asystem that is based on the divine,true wisdom and mercy of ourCreator.

This is the REAL SOLUTION to theproblems besetting humanity.

Few have understood that the Bibleteaches that there will soon come aworld-ruling government—whenChrist will rule all mankind! Theexpanse and implications of this gov-ernment go far beyond simply solvingthe problem of pollution. Mankindwill be forced to turn from the ways ofhuman nature and practice God’sway—the way of give and out-goingconcern—instead of the way of greed,selfishness, deceit and broken spirituallaws. (To further understand thisworld-shaking event and the periodthat follows, request our free bookletsTOMORROW’S WONDERFUL WORLD–AnInside View! and How WORLDPEACE Will Come.)

The above booklets (along withother literature that we offer) explainmankind’s problems—and their SOLU-TIONS!

Do you wish to taste the hope andunderstanding that God’s Word—theBible—offers? The answers are avail-able. The choice is now yours!


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