"U.S. Mine of Natural Resources." Ding Darling Editorial Cartoon.
This historic cartoon created by Ding Darling seems as pertinent today as when it was first published in 1938. With the all out frontal assault on the environment in recent years, we are turning the corner with our environmental policies to look back at a time when rivers burned and lakes were dead. This sorry state of affairs was, as we would all do well to remember, the result of years of unregulated dumping of wastes into the water and air of our nation. Although environmental regulation during the 1980's and 90's went a long ways towards solving many of the problems that lead to such terrible abuse of our natural resources, these safeguards have been steadily eroded under the pretext of the need for immediate economic expansion. Whether or not unfettered pollution and unrestrained access for miners, loggers and developers to the last unspoiled places will lead to the promised economic growth, Ding's question remains “How rich will we be when we have converted all our forests, all our soils, all our water resources and our minerals into cash?” Copyright J.N. "Ding" Darling Foundation, 1999-2003. Used by permission.