Perhaps the most vital lesson from environmental history?

In my last post, I wrote about how environmental history can help us to progress discussions about fresh water today - one of the questions I have been asked in relation to New Zealand's Rivers.

Why? Because in our environmental history, we encounter attitudes and behaviours that were unquestioned at one time, but which today we see as both unacceptable and incomprehensible.

There is no reason to believe that that will not be the case with attitudes and behaviours that prevail today.

This in itself should give us pause for thought when discussing fresh water issues - and indeed all environmental issues - today.