WSP00632

• File Number: 8027
• Description: Section D General Correspondence - Federal Agencies - EPA
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 9/1/1971
• Author: EPA
• Title: The Environmental Protection Agency
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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In proportion tu the carth'.. size. the layer of tlir
which sllrrounds our gklbc is no thickeT than
the skin 1111 an apple. ^ shallow cru.,t on the
l'arth's surface provides a limited supply or water
and other resources. This tiny envelope of air
and this shallow cru\t of earth <lnd water arc the
hiosphere--th;l! part of our world that supports
life. It is a dose\.! !<OystClll in which all thing.... ar~
rccyck'u and reused in supporl or the li(e procc$.'1,.

Man is, of course, a part of this closed life.
system and dependent on it fOT his. survival. or
all living thing"" however. hl". alone. i... c;'pahlc
of consciously cooperating with nature to insure
his survival and progress.

Since the Industrial Revolution. the .lccclcrat-
ing growth of science and applied technology has
given us incrc3!';Cd power and new tools to use
(his planet a!i we choos~.

Our skill and ingenuity in m;lOipuluting the
cnvironm<:nl have product.'d (rCl1lCIllJous b.:ndit!\
to human life. We havc Icarnr:d tn control most
of lhe communicahle di!\eascs which once COll-
trolled us, to produce bumper crop!i where noth-
ing grew before, 10 produce energy, light, heat.
and consumer conveniences which were once
beyond thc reach of ~ings, We used our scientific
disco\'<.'fi....s and our technological wOlUkrs for the
purpose of enhancing life, but in the process we
gilVC Ion little thought to the \Ccond- or third-
order cOllsl'qucnces of our actions. We failed to
anticip,lte the fact that environmental moditica-
tions which have accompanied our good imcn-

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