ABSTRACT
Pollution is an insidious byproduct of civilization that threatens the quality and integrity of our air, our soils, our water and our infrastructure. The planet has a remarkable ability to cleanse itself, with significant feedback loops in place for restoration of equilibrium. One example is photosynthesis, in which the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle is sustained by regeneration of oxygen from the carbon dioxide of respiration and oxidation. Another is digestion, in which bacteria process organic matter into a form that enables the matter to enrich soils or to nourish living bodies.
