12 March 1965, Volume 147, Number 3663 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE Science serves its readers as a forum for N the presentation and discussion of impor- tant issues related to the advancement of science, including the presentation of mi- nority or conflicting points of view, rather exp than by publishing only material on which the ai consensus has been reached. Accordingly, qua :ill articles published in Science-including id editorials, news and comment, and book reviews-are signed and reflect the indi- par vidual views of the authors and not official us points of view adopted by the AAAS or rive the institutions with which the authors are affiliated. was mo] Editorial Board mal ROBERT L. BOWMAN WILLARD F. LIBBY I MELVIN CALVIN GORDON J. F. MACDONALD a r JOSEPH W. CHAMBERLAIN EVERETT I. MENDELSOHN mo FARRINGTON DANIELS NEAL E. MILLER JOHN T. EDSALL JOHN R. PIERCE par DAVID R. GODDARD COLIN S. PITTENDRIGH wrc EMIL HAURY KENNETH S. PITZER Per ALEXANDER HOLLAENDER ALEXANDER RICH mai ROBERT JASTROW DEWITT STETTEN, JR ero EDWIN M. LERNER, II EDWARD L. TATUM CLARENCE M. ZENER con dre Editorial Staff tion Editor woI PHILIP H. ABELSON ser' Publisher Business Manager to DAEL WOLFLE HANS NUSSBAUM F Managing Editor: ROBERT V. ORMES He Assistant Editors: ELLEN E. MURPHY, JOHN E. All RINGLE legi Assistant to the Editor: NANCY TEIMOURIAN he News and Comment: DANIEL S. GREENBERG, trai JOHN WALSH, ELINOR LANGER, MARION ZEIGER, hor ROSEMARY GALLI Europe: VICTOR K. MCELHENY, Flat 3, 18 Ken- prir sington Court Place, London, W.8, England (Western 5360) trol Book Reviews: SARAH S. DEES not Editorial Assistants: ISABELLA BOULDIN, ELEANORE task BUTZ, BEN CARLIN, SYLVIA EBERHART, GRAYCE wat FINGER, NANCY HAMILTON, OLIVER HEATWOLE, are ANNE HOLDSWORTH, MARCIA JODLBAUER, RUTH KINGERLEE, KATHERINE LIVINGSTON poll a U Advertising Staff t Director Production Manager blot EARL J. SCHERAGO RAYMONDE SALAMA bno Sales: New York, N.Y., 11 W. 42 St. (212-PE- 6-1858): RICHARD L. CHARLES, ROBERT S. BUGBEE bec Scotch Plains, N.J., 12 Unami Lane (201-889- sew 4873): C. RICHARD CALLIS 1 Chicago, Ill., 6 W. Ontario St. (312-DE-7-4973): HERBERT BURKLAND poll Los Angeles 45, Calif., 8255 Beverly Blvd. (213- In 653-9817): WINN NANCE meED EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE: l5lS Massa- chusetts Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20005. Phone:, sonT 202-387-7171. Cable: Advancesci, Washington. Copies of "Instructions for Contributors" can be top obtained from the editorial office. ADVERTISING CORRESPONDENCE: Rm. 1740, 11 W. 42 St., New York, N.Y. 10036. Phone: 212-PE 6-1858. SCIENCE 353 - 92334 * :.. t..?:f ".: Ar." atural Beauty and Conservation Science and technology have led to an affluent society, a population ilosion, and a concentration of our people in urban areas. But while number and concentration of human beings has increased, the ality of living has in some ways diminished. The affluence that pro- es so many automobiles brings with it air pollution and great -king lots in the form of expressways. Water pollution has robbed of much potential recreation and simple pleasure; once-beautiful ers EIow are little better than open sewers. Disposal of the solid ste of cities is a noxious and growing problem. Discarded auto- biles increasingly litter our countryside as low prices for scrap ke them practically worthless. President Johnson emphasized his concern about these matters in recent White House message on natural beauty. Recognizing that ost of our population resides in urban areas, Mr. Johnson devoted rt of his message to a call for improving the beauty of cities. He ote of the contrasting effects of ugliness and beauty on man's spirit. rhaps he wrote from a background of personal experience, for iny who live in the nation's capital find great pleasure in its num- )us vistas. Most cities are not so fortunate as Washington. They are istructed on an ugly pattern, and so they will remain, though the ariness may be relieved somewhat if the President's recommenda- is for an Open Space Land Program are implemented. This program uld provide matching grants to help urban areas obtain land to ve as open space. In addition, city governments would be helped acquire and clear areas to create parks and playgrounds. Part of the President's message was devoted to the countryside. recommended the establishment of 12 additional national parks. who have enjoyed the existing parks will support the needed islation. President Johnson sounded another welcome note when stated that he is taking steps to encourage a national system of ils. These would include abundant trails for walking, cycling, and rseback riding in and close to our cities. Another part of the message was devoted to water pollution. In nciple, the problems of sewage and industrial wastes can be con- Iled by legislation. There are other problems of pollution that were tmentioned in the report and that are of scientific interest. The k of revitalizing Appalachia is complicated by the pollution of ter there by acid mine water. When exposed to air, sulfides in coal oxidized, and sulfuric acid is produced. A more subtle kind of lution occurs in rivers like the Potomac. The clear effluent from reatment plant provides a rich source of nutrients (fixed nitrogen, tassium, and phosphate) for algae. On sunny days, a great algae om occurs in the slow-moving river. Often cloudy days follow, I the algae consume more oxygen than they evolve. The water can ome anaerobic; fish die, and the river may become much like a ver. rhe President proposes only limited action on the problem of air lution; a modest $24 million is budgeted for air pollution programs. addition, he has promised to discuss with automobile manufacturers ans of reducing pollution from liquid-fueled vehicles. rhe problems involved in improving the quality of life are difficult; ne are almost insoluble. It is good to find that the matter is getting -level attention.-PHILIP H. ABELSON o n A p ril 5 , 2 0 2 1 h ttp ://scie n ce .scie n ce m a g .o rg / D o w n lo a d e d fro m http://science.sciencemag.org/ Natural Beauty and Conservation Philip H. Abelson DOI: 10.1126/science.147.3663.1245 (3663), 1245.147Science ARTICLE TOOLS http://science.sciencemag.org/content/147/3663/1245.citation PERMISSIONS http://www.sciencemag.org/help/reprints-and-permissions Terms of ServiceUse of this article is subject to the trademark of AAAS. is a registeredScienceAdvancement of Science, 1200 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005. The title (print ISSN 0036-8075; online ISSN 1095-9203) is published by the American Association for theScience 1965 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science o n A p ril 5 , 2 0 2 1 h ttp ://scie n ce .scie n ce m a g .o rg / D o w n lo a d e d fro m http://science.sciencemag.org/content/147/3663/1245.citation http://www.sciencemag.org/help/reprints-and-permissions http://www.sciencemag.org/about/terms-service http://science.sciencemag.org/