Book Reviewi The Wounded Planet edited by Roger Ellwood and Virginia Kidd

THE WOUNDED PLANET [originally published as SAVING WORLDS]"The Wounded Planet" Edited by Roger Elwood and Virginia Kidd is a collection of science fiction stories that addresses the problem of pollution and the effects of man -made pollution on the natural world.The Wounded Planet was first published in the early 1970s when pollution was much more obvious.In the 1960s and 70s, many large cities like Los Angeles had regular smog alerts, and rivers and lakes across America were badly polluted.
New federal and state regulations such as the "clean air act"and clean water act, have helped to alleviate some of these problems. Modern pollution is not as easily recognizable as a smokestack belching out black smoke. Today, we have chemicals from plastics and other materials that can cause numerous physical disorders. Thousands of wildlife species are at risk of extinction mainly because of human encroachment. And then there is climate change. My favorite story in The Wounded Planet is "Beautyland" By Gene Wolfe. Sometime in the distant future, a man owns some of the last unspoiled land left in the world.Unfortunately, the owner of the land needs money and has to sell it. Even though "Beautyland" was written several decades ago, the ending is an accurate commentary on todays youtube and reality tv obsessed culture. I recommend The Wounded Planet for science fiction fans that also care about the Earth.