Indicators of the Causes of Ecological Impacts or What’s Causing the Global Environmental Crisis

Abstract

Clearly, the study of ecological indicators, defining and establishing the means of measuring the health of the environment, is of great importance. For most of our history, we Homo sapiens have been flying blindly into the future, not knowing our relationship to our life-supporting environment or our principal role in destroying it. Only recently, in the last 20 years, have we made major progress in furthering such understanding. Now many of us worldwide recognize our interdependence, not only with each other but with all other plant and animal life, and our dependence on the air, water, soil, and sun. The development of ecological indicators has contributed much to the growing enlightenment. Today, even leading decisionmakers in government and business appear to recognize the interconnections and are identifying themselves as environmentalists.

Russell W. Peterson is President Emeritus of the Audubon Society, and former Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality.