POLLUTING THE SOLAR SYSTEM ONE PLANET AT A TIME

POLLUTING THE SOLAR SYSTEM ONE PLANET AT A TIME

By Andy Weddington

Wednesday, 03 February 2021

If there was an observer on Mars, they would probably be amazed that we have survived this long.  - Noam Chomsky

About six miles from where I was raised we fished a beautiful pond on a small farm owned by a man my dad knew through work. 

Bill Parker was a friendly, generous guy quick to smile and laugh - he offered us an open invitation. His a kind gesture we did not abuse as to not wear out our welcome.

Sometimes his cows greeted us - once in a while close enough to pet. 

To momentarily forget life's troubles, with light spinning and fly rods we caught bream, crappie, bass, and warmouth. Many made our dinner table.   

Parker's pond, as we called it, was in Elon - also home of a tiny college bearing the same name of barely more than a 1,000 students. 

Things have changed.

Looking at a recent satellite view of the area the pond is recognizable but the heavily wooded property is encircled by campus. 

And the now University and town, for growth in physical property and people, is not recognizable.

What I remember of Elon College is watching their competitive football team quarterbacked by Joe West (who had a distinguished career as a MLB umpire) and once going to the old campus gym to see the Carolina Cougars ABA team in an exhibition game.

Those were grand days to be a kid. 

High School classmates went to Elon - one or two excelling in sports and all in partying. 

A cousin worked there in recent years but has since moved on to bigger schools.  

Now Elon University draws students not just from surrounding counties but from all over the world. In fact, a recent visitor to our home who does not hail from the south is considering Elon.  

Fifty-five years of "progress."

Yesterday morning while standing before easel I eavesdropped on a radio talk show segment discussing Elon. 

Elon Musk. 

The popular syndicated host and sidekick were discussing Elon's big idea of going to Mars.

Crazy, right?! 

Technology, logistics, and a smorgasbord of yet resolved challenges abound but most of the conversation centered around a six months trip from Earth to Mars, a two-years stay, and a six months return trip.

Three years of life as we know it. 

The two split on making the trip. 

Six months flight to. What could possibly go wrong?

Two years on Mars? Doing what?

Six months flight fro. What could possibly go wrong?

For the rest of the day into the evening I pondered that conversation, and in context to Earth today.

Depending on who you talk to, humans have pretty much wrecked Earth; celestial to community. 

We're doomed!

That may be true. 

It may not be true.

But anymore perception trumps reality. And lies truth. 

That is, what a great place to live Earth if not for people. 

And the only agreement disagreement, heated usually; thanks to arrogance and ego and agenda.  

What has Mars, out there in the deep dark spinning and orbiting and minding its own business, done to deserve people pollution?

There's nothing there. Nothing.

Elon is an ambitious guy with great big thoughts that become great big things that make great big money.

Richest ($) man on Earth. 

Though there's men and women richer (not $). 

Those who dismissed and laughed at Elon's ambitions are not so doing at his accomplishments (e.g., reusable rockets); hecklers now investors.

People pollution. 

Is wrecking another planet in our amazing solar system inevitable?

If Elon succeeds, yes. 

He wants to colonize.

First things first.

Establish a small college. 

Name it Elon.

Then scrape out a pond nearby. 

Parker's a fitting name.

Cows a must. 

Capital ($) necessary.

Capitol (people) nuisance. 

For Heaven's sake, as survival depends on it, can we please first unscrew Mother Earth?! 

Besides, grab a telescope - most any night Chomsky's amazed observer on Mars is out waving a sign of protest, "Go to Hell, Earthlings. Go to Hell!"