Environmental issues Mankind's future depends on the way in which we treat nature, how we use its products and its bounty and whether we have the good fortune to make up for the damage we have already caused. Mother nature has certain laws. Man breaks many of them in his eagerness for maximum short-term gain and heeds neither the interests of the whole, of the earth nor of posterity. Environmental protection means treating each natural resource with respect and consideration, to take only the interest, leaving the capital un- touched, so that our descendants may enjoy the same bounty of nature as the present generation. As matters stand, environmental affairs in Iceland come under an assortment of ministries. The result is mismanagement and overlapping. All projects pertaining to the environment should be united under one ministry for more efficient and more practical administration and more effective environmental protection. It is thought that vegetation was three times more extensive at the beginning of the country's settlement than it is now. Our forefathers probably needed to exploit nature in order to survive. The present generation has both the knowledge and techniques to go on the offensive against soil erosion, but there is a lack of will and motivation. The only thing which can prevent man from milking the resources of the earth dry and ruining the environment he lives in is an increased knowledge and under- standing of nature. We need to be taught to understand and respect nature, and appreciate the need to protect it, but this kind of environmental education is at a minimum in this country. Such education is a question of life and death for the nation because of the way we depend on our natural resources in the land and sea. It can also serve, however, to augment people's enjoyment of outdoor living and improve their own personal treatment of nature. Tourists are becoming increasingly numerous in Iceland, but lack of systematic management relative to the tourist trade has meant that some of the most beauti- ful spots in the country are now in jeopardy from careless driving and overcrowd- ing. 6

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