Following is a passage from a book by nature writer and activist Edward Abbey and three responses written by students who disagree with Abbey. After reading the excerpt and responses below, answer the following questions.
EDWARD ABBEY: From Beyond the Wall
What about the "human impact" of the motorized use of [boats] of the Glen Canyon [reservoir]? We can visualize the floor of the reservoir gradually accumulating not only silt, mud, waterlogged trees and drowned cattle but also the usual debris that is left behind when the urban industrial style of recreation is carried into the open country. There is also the problem of human wastes. The waters of the wild river were good to drink but no one in his right senses would drink from Lake Powell. Eventually, as is already sometimes the case at Lake Mead, the stagnant waters will become too foul even for swimming. The trouble is that while some boats have what are called "self-contained" heads, the majority do not, most sewage is disposed of simply by pumping it into the water. It will take a while, but long before it becomes a solid mass of mud Lake Powell will enjoy a passing fame as the biggest sewage lagoon in the American Southwest. Most tourists will never be able to afford a boat trip on this reservoir, but everybody within 50 miles will be able to smell it.
All the foregoing would be nothing but a futile exercise in nostalgia (so much water over the dam) if I had nothing constructive and concrete to offer. But I do. As alternate methods of power generation are developed, such as solar, and as the nation establishes a way of life adapted to actual resources and basic needs, so that the demand for electrical power begins to diminish, we can shut down the Glen Canyon power plant, open the diversion tunnels, and drain the reservoir.
Abbey, Edward. "The Damnation of a Canyon." Beyond the Wall. Henry Holt and Company, 1984.
- Abbey, an extreme environmentalist and author of "Damnation of a Canyon," describes how a lake created by a dam built on the Colorado River is killing wildlife in the area with fluctuating water levels and too many tourists. He proposes shutting down the dam and eventually destroying it. Abbey does not stop to think about the wealth that the dam provides the nearby town. It provides a power source and extra revenue because of its tourists. The nearby town will not have any source of power if the dam were to be removed. Abbey does not seem to understand this and proposes they wait for a new energy source to come along. This proposal is an extreme case of an extreme environmentalist thinking that his way of coming up with solutions is the best and refuses to listen to any other suggestions. (Keri)
- As expected, some environmentalists out there defend the truth of their claims to the death. Edward Abbey might be one such person. In his article, "Damnation of a Canyon," Abbey rants and raves about the horrors of a dam that was built in his favorite canyon. This dam created Lake Powell. Abbey focuses almost exclusively on how the dam will cause a pile-up of mud and silt and on all of the negative effects that will come from human contact with nature in Glen Canyon. Eventually he believes, "the stagnant waters will become too foul for swimming … Most tourists will never be able to afford a boat trip on this reservoir, but everyone within fifty miles will be able to smell it." Obviously, Abbey has some very strong conviction about what he thinks of Lake Powell. But the claims that he makes in his article are too extremist. They cannot be taken seriously. It appears as though Abbey has thrown his entire sense of reason out the window, and now all he can do is make emotional, nostalgic, outlandish claims. This is exactly the type of extremism that I encourage Americans to beware. There are certainly many good things about building a dam in Glen Canyon, including recreational benefits and power. But Abbey fails to inform the readers of these benefits or to acknowledge that there is any truth to them. Abbey is exactly the type of environmentalist that cannot be trusted. He wants so desperately to save his canyon that he resorts to unprofessional techniques to get his way. (Emily)
- Edward Abbey feels that human enjoyment of nature is impaired when too much human influence is present. In his work "The Damnation of a Canyon," he describes the degradation of Glen Canyon as a result of the construction of a dam. He states that because of the varying water levels, plant life cannot sustain itself where it once could. This affects animal populations because animal life cannot be maintained where there is no plant life. Wildlife before the dam flourished with songbirds, beavers, and sandpipers. Now the shores are silent. In this respect, Easterbrook's and Abbey's beliefs contrast with one another. While Easterbrook feels that environmental changes caused by the dam are different but not bad, Abbey believes the area is now more like a cemetery. [Instead of] a compromise, Abbey just wants the removal of the dam. Abbey wants to have his boyhood memory a reality again and is so willing to compromise the needs of others in the process. He does not take into consideration the necessity for the dam. It is probably used to supply energy to numerous houses and families. Like Easterbrook, I doubt many would be willing to give up electricity for the removal of a dam, and so, I believe Abbey's solution is unrealistic. He does not discuss the effects removing the dam would have on basic human comforts. His only concern is restoring Glen Canyon back like when he thought it was beautiful. (Steph)
