In order to transport the Space Shuttle Endeavour to its new home in Los Angeles, some 400 trees will be destroyed along its final glide path. While a promise has been made to replace them with twice as many young trees, the loss of the large, older shade trees has outraged many citizens.
Regardless of one's view on this matter, the decision illuminates man's tendency to place a higher priority on technology and development than on conservation. The Endeavour, a powerful symbol of human achievement, will be paraded past an adoring public; in preparation, nature's handiwork will be sacrificed. Of course, the financial benefits of the shuttle shrine will be reaped for generations to come and, as we all know, economics trumps nature in human society.
A more subtle revelation of this decision is our preoccupation with the past, often at our own expense. We excel at commemoration but are less adept at planning for the future. In our rush to glorify the past and to make our present life more enjoyable, we fail to address the long-term effects that our policies might have on the welfare of this planet.
