Searching for the Astronomical Environmental Nature Writing Classic: Ehrlich, Abbey, and Others
Ryder W. Miller

Download the Paper (PDF format) - April 1, 2008 Tell a colleague about it. Printing Tips: Select 'print as image' in the Acrobat print dialog if you have trouble printing. This work has been peer reviewed.

ABSTRACT:
With so much astronomy in the news, taking attention away from the wars on the planet, what should environmentalists think about the vast cosmos out there? Will the Moon, Mars, Venus, and the rest of the solar system, always remain an untrammeled wilderness? Should environmentalists, nature writers or eco-critics care or be involved? A surprising amount on this subject has already been written by those who for the purpose of this article wrote the Environmental Canon. Space exploration is about the future and we should care about the future. What we are willing to do to the solar system says a lot about humanity and our aspirations as environmentalists.