Ab de hao AUDUBON JBC AE NG SILI) 33 
“What Pollution Is.” 
A Letter in the 
Chicago Tribune. 
Chicago, Jan. 10—Pollution is a 
tate of mind! Pollution is the no- 
eturn bottles scattered on our 
aches, the tons of litter along our 
idewalks and highways, and the 
bandoned automobiles decaying on 
ur streets. Pollution is the ingrained 
hilosophy—nurtured by American 
ndustry and encouraged by inane 
slevision commercials—to consume 
ver-increasing amounts of goods 
nd then discard, anywhere, the end 
roduct of built-in obsolescence. 
Pollution is strip mining; ex- 
loitation of our forests; the re- 
eated attempts to open Minnesota’s 
oundary waters canoe area to 
multiple usage.’ Pollution is the 
ar-splitting shriek of the subway 
s it roars underground on a hot 
ummer day. Pollution is the army 
orps of engineers blasting, filling, 
estroying the Everglades in the 
ame of flood control. 
Pollution is the frenzied attempts 
) dam Grand and Hells canyons— 
fortunately deferred for the time 
being by vociferous conservationists. 
Pollution is DDT, traceable even 
now to organisms in the Antarctic. 
Pollution is increasing respiratory 
cripples, hastened to an early death 
by foul air. 
But even more, pollution is a way 
of life, an accepted result of the 
“pioneer spirt’”? which has encourag- 
ed the “development and utilization” 
—at whatever costs—of our natural 
resources. For years conservation- 
ists, led by the Sierra club, the 
Audubon society, and the Wilder- 
ness society, have been fighting a 
losing struggle to preserve what we 
have left. However, until the situa- 
tion has at last reached catastrophic 
proportions, their warnings have 
fallen on deaf ears. Now, it seems, 
everyone wants to get into the act 
and cure the problems at this very 
instant. 
But laws are made by government, 
and government is all of us. Until 
our basic philosophy is completely 
changed by a reeducation of our 
moral values, there can be no en- 
forcement of legislation. The time to 
begin was yesterday. It’s later than 
we think! 
—Burion Russman, M.D. 
NEW LIFE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY 
dded this winter to the list of Life Members of the Illinois Audubon Society are Joseph 
ello, Dolton, a member since 1968; Mrs. Alvatene Barron, Chicago, a member since 1962; 
rs. Richard Bentley, Lake Forest, a member since 1964; Mrs. John Borland, Lake Forest, a 
ember since 1965; Mrs. Alfred Cowles, Lake Forest, a new member; Dr. Richard R. Graber, 
rbana, a member since 1958; Mrs. Janet P. Hooker, Wilmette, a member since 1964; Milton 
ihnke, Brookfield, a new member; Arne Lill, Mascoutah, a member since 1967; Anthony 
allin, Chicago, a member since 1969; Dr. Lloyd McCarthy, Barrington, a member since 1966; 
artin Penner, Chicago, a member since 1967; Mrs. $. G. Rautbord, Glencoe, a new member; 
arjorie Reich, Chicago, a member since 1964; William L. Rutherford, Peoria Heights, a new 
ember; Dr. H. Keith Sadler, Highland Park, a member since 1955; Grace F. Smith, Chicago, 
member since 1956 and Mrs. R. Douglas Stuart, Lake Forest, a new member. 
