ABSTRACT
An outdoor excursion to the local stream can be a relaxing and enjoyable undertaking. However, when the wayfarer arrives at the local stream, spreads a blanket on its bank, and then looks out upon its flowing mass only to discover a parade of waste and discarded rubble bobbing along and cluttering the adjacent shoreline and downstream areas, he quickly loses any feeling of relaxation or enjoyment. The sickening sensation the observer feels increases as he closely scrutinizes the putrid flow. He recognizes the rainbow-colored shimmer of an oil slick, interrupted here and there by dead fish and floating refuse, and the prevailing slimy fungal growth. At the same time, the observer’s sense of smell is alerted to the noxious conditions. Along with the fouled water and the stench of rot-filled air, the observer notices the ultimate insult and tragedy: signs warning “DANGER-NO SWIMMING or FISHING.” The observer soon realizes that the stream before him is not a stream at all; it has become little more than an unsightly drainage ditch. He has discovered what ecologists have known and warned about for years: contrary to popular belief, rivers and streams do not have an infinite capacity for pollution (Spellman, 1996).
