From:	Marty <s457033@*******.GU.EDU.AU>
Subject:	Re: NAGTW Iceland part
Date:	Thu, 7 Nov 1996 08:23:52 +1000

> What I'm trying to say is, Paolo has a point. Most of the world is pretty
> fragged up in the 2050s, even though just about everyone will tell you
> that the country they themselves live in, will not be affected in the way
> FASA says it is. (For two good examples, look at the British response to
> the London Sourcebook, and the Germans' tales about the Germany SB.)
>
Some of us think that there are genuine reasons why we should be icons of
purity and light, though. *grin*

I don't live in GB or Germany, but I've seen the pictures (multitudes of
them; My dad's camera mad)..... I can honestly say that I haven't seen
anywhere in Australia half as bad as a lot (most) of Europe. Tokyo city is
another good example of a grimy, dirty, alien place.

It generally has something to do with the number of people that live in
the area, I think. In Australia, Sydney is far more of a drekhole than
Brisbane, and it is four times as big... I can't find any other reason.

I'd have to say that the only places you get no pollution, and unspoilt
wilderness are where there aren't any people. In defense of the person
from Iceland, there aren't very many people there, so an unspoilt country
could be plausible.... it's also not going to be utilised very much (ie
raped for resources) due to climate.

Australia is also currently reasonably unpolluted (or whatever), though we
are fast changing that.

One thing that should be kept in mind is that Aus. and Iceland are both
really small countries population wise...... Frankly, what kind of
runner market would there be in a town of 600,000 people?

[snip]
> However, I also don't think this
> should turn into a race to make your country/area the worst off in the
> world :)
>
You'd have to try hard to make somewhere worse than GB.... and you can't
get much more fine and dandy/sweetness and light than Tir Tairngire.

*grin*

BTW when we finally get something together regarding Aust, feel free to
call me (us) to task if our view isn't dingy and pessimistic enough.

Bleach