Our world's heritage /
Carol Bittig Lutyk ; editor.
- Washington , D.C. : National Geographic Society , 1987.
- 312 pp. : ill. (col.) ; 28 cm.
Includes index.
"The idea that we are all part of earth and that earth is part of us goes back to the beginnings of human history-a notion enshrined, in one way or another, by most ancient cultures. But the belief in this intimate unity faded over the centuries. It took the advent of manned space flight in the 1960s and the visible deterioration of the environment to bring the concept back into focus and to make us realize that we are all inhabitants of a tiny blue-and-white oasis in the black desert of space.
The rapid growth of human populations and the spread of towns and cities and highways after World War II threatened important historic and cultural areas, as well as natural realms with unique plant and animal life. We human were misusing earth's resources-its clean air and water, forests, minerals, and wildlife. Gradually, we became aware of the need to preserve our earthly heritage on a global scale."