Of all subjects, geography perhaps lends itself best to awaking a student's feeling of social responsibility. This means gaining awareness of and consideration for other people and other ways of life. The Earth is the living space and the workplace of all human beings, and because we have a world economy the use of our world's resources is everybody's business and responsibility.

Is it pleasant to realize that one in every three of the world's population is malnourished? To understand that there are diseases that are the concern of every nation? Isn't the whole question of pollution now very much in the public mind? Much of the world's water is polluted, as is the atmosphere. Natural resources are limited. Humanity is responsible for the Earth itself, if only out of self-interest.

The study of geography reveals the interdependence of human beings and the natural world, demonstrating the need for worldwide cooperation.