Statistical Significance

It has been a while since I have written my thoughts on the blog...I suppose I have spread myself to thin again! :) Reading Elizabeth Royte's "Garbage Land" has been an extremely insightful experience for me, as I'm sure it has been for many. Royte not only enlightens her readers on environmental issues surrounding waste, but also on human behavior. As I continue to read about Royte's journey through garbage land and examine statistics, I find myself wondering whether we effectively apply the knowledge we gain from the statistical data we collect, in general. Perhaps having scientific data isn't enough. Perhaps we are the type of organisms that need to experience the damage we are causing personally before we are able to appreciate its significance. Perhaps nothing is truly real until we have perceived it to be real through our own experiences.