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188
SECTION V
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
Ecological change, although normally imperceptible, is constant
and inevitable and man's problem in this respect is to
adjust and accommodate without destroying or endangering the
structure of society. By many, change is viewed as a menace to
an established and comforting stability but society, in recent
times, has become increasingly conscious of the fact that its
environment is not something to be taken for granted. Indeed, it
is now not only aware that apathy leads to serious deterioration
in living conditions but that responsible action can be most
rewarding and evidence of such enlightenment in the community
is to be found in the emergence of a number of ad hoc organisations.
Clearly, in this respect, local authorities have a responsibility
to their communities and the mere possession of a site with
requisite staff and necessary funds is not, ipso facto, sufficient
justification for deciding to alter or expand and so disrupt existing
thriving residential districts. Indeed today, more than ever
before, circumstances are such that society requires aspects other
than expediency to be considered and subjected to close scrutiny
and thorough investigation before any scheme is undertaken. In
this category, matters of extreme importance environmentally
which demand critical analysis and prior examination include the
effects of such schemes upon pollution of all kinds, noise nuisance,
sewage and refuse disposal, medical and nursing facilities,
schools, public utilities, eventual viability socio-economically of
the resultant area, etc. In particular, architects have a special
responsibility to ensure that new buildings, generally, preserve
local character and blend with existent settings and that construction
is of materials that will not readily disfigure and subsequently
mar the environs.
In short, a local authority should strive by all means within its
powers to advance the quality of life in its area and so to improve
the actual physical surroundings that the social, economic and
aesthetic needs of its residents are satisfied. Furthermore, by
public education it should seek to stimulate civic pride and
awareness in order to create a climate in which measures designed
to improve the environment will be apparent to all. Only by