the abbreviated reign of “neon” leon spinks

BEWARE SOLUTIONS THAT CREATE NEW PROBLEMS 37
fragile than we ever imagined, and an acute awareness that solving today’s
problems can sometimes have unintended, and profound, consequences
for tomorrow.
TOM MIDGLEY’S OTHER LANDMARK
INVENTION
Without Thomas Midgley, one could argue, global environmental
awareness might not exist.
By creating toxic leaded gasoline and ozone-eating chlorofl uorocarbons
in the 1920s—man-made substances that threatened the existence of
every living creature on Earth—Midgley inadvertently created publichealth
crises so formidable that people began to understand just how drastically
human behavior can affect what once seemed like a limitless
ecosystem.
RECIPE FOR DISASTER
Leaded Ozone Holes
Ingredients
1 well-intentioned inventor
2 scienti fically
perplexing problems
2 short-sighted solutions
Large corporate research budget
Mix ingredients well. Ignore evidence of poten-
tial risks. Let stand for 60 years while chefs enjoy tasty
profits. When grumbling begins, remove from table, offer
substitute, and bury the dead.