‘ONLY HOME FOR MAN’

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32461, 23 November 1970, Page 12

‘ONLY HOME FOR MAN’

Moon-walker’s view of Earth (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, Nov. 22. The American astronaut, Mr Neil Armstrong, who was the first man to walk on the moon, told a London conference that when he looked uif from the moon towards the earth he realised that the earth was the only suitable home for man.

“Those of us in the space sciences are specifically interested in the future of the earth as a planet,” Mr Armstrong told the International Wild Life Fund congress. Although conservation and the preservation of nature are the conference themes, practically every speaker has stressed that unless the population “explosion” is contained, there will be insuffient natural resources on earth for man’s needs.

At this morning’s session, Dr Luc Hoffman, the organisation’s vice-president, gave this warning: “If it proves impossible to control population increase, ■ the human race is doomed to early extinction. If our species survives, but looses the variety of the environment and choice in the process, life will be of poor quality for our descendants.” This theme was also taken up by Mr Armstrong, who said: “As I stood on the moon I realised more than ever the importance of protecting and saving that home on earth, not just from foreign aggressors or natural calamity, but from its own population.”