Poisoned Rivers

What makes the poisoning of the Tisa and Danube rivers in Yugoslavia and Hungary such a tragedy is that it’s the result of silly and frivolous human desires (“A Cyanide Spill Poisons More Than Fish,” Feb. 16). What makes it frightening is that the solution is so simple, yet will likely never be reached.

Cyanide is used to remove a vein of a certain metallic rock from the other rocks that surround it. Why would we bother to extract this rock? Does it have any useful purposes? No. We do it because it’s gold! Why is gold valuable? Because we all agree it’s valuable.

If only we’d cherish what is truly valuable.

DAVID KELLY

Gardena