Lethal Legacy started off as a novel set in the year 2050; purely fictional. But the situation in which the main character found himself had to be explained in terms of the deterioration of the environment. Weeks of research uncovered an amazing saga of doom and despair; wrong decisions made for the wrong reasons, criminal neglect and appalling apathy on the part of many from the top to the bottom of every strata of society. Most of the incidents depicted in the book are fictional, but many more are fact, frighteningly so. It is a scenario that could quite easily eventuate; indeed many of the events are occurring now and have been for some time. Many of those in a position to help eliminate pollution will not do so because of vested interests. Many turn a blind eye because the truth is too horrible to contemplate, and some feel helpless in the face of such a massive task. There are of course many selfless people throughout every level of society who strive constantly for the betterment of mankind; the weekenders who plant trees and vegetation along river banks, clean the rivers, estuaries and bushland of all manner of detritus; the many environmental groups, some of whom risk their lives to save various endangered species and prevent tree felling. But all too often they lack resources and coordinated direction; this must originate far higher up the corporate and governmental ladder. Inevitably they tackle the results of degeneration and not the causes. There are also many good environmentally aware people in all walks of life, from the bottom to the top, who try to do the right thing, sometimes to their disadvantage. But many of those who really have the power to effect change are apparently not loving enough or caring enough to slough off their indifference to the ultimate fate of their children and grandchildren because they are the ones who will carry the brunt of our reckless behaviour in the years ahead.
I have kept the central theme as a vehicle to carry the environmental message.
