Environmental History Learning from the Past Environmental History

Environmental History: Learning from the Past

Environmental History of the US 4 Eras n The environmental history of the US can be divided into 4 eras: n Tribal n Frontier n Early conservation n Environmental

Environmental History of the US Tribal Era n Tribal Eran n n Native Americans 10, 000 years before European settlement Slash and burn/shifting cultivation Small population Low environmental impact

Environmental History of the US Frontier Era n Frontier Eran n n Early 1600’s—European settlement Frontier environmental worldview —vast and inexhaustible resources Tribes and land conquered Public private land Government declared frontier officially closed in 1890

Environmental History of the US Early Conservation Era 1832 -1870 n Early Conservation Eran n n Alarm at resource depletion Urged part of unspoiled wilderness be protected as legacy to future generations Thoreau (Life in the Woods) and other writers addressed these issues but not taken seriously Active role of government increases Environmental change within democracies involves voicing opinions through elected officials, legislation, budgeting, and lobbying by special interest groups.

Environmental History of the US Early Conservation Era 1870 -1930 Actions ↑ role of government and private citizens in resource conservation n 1891 -Forest Reserve Act established federal government as responsible for protecting public lands n 1892 -John Muir founded Sierra Club and led preservationist movement n 1890 -Yosemite National Park n

Environmental History of the US Early Conservation Era 1870 -1930 cont…. n Theodore Roosevelt 1901 -1908 n n n Established wildlife reserves and tripled size of national reserve President given power to designate public land as federal wildlife reserves 1905 -US Forest Service 1906 -Antiquities Act President can protect areas on federal lands as national monuments (Grand Canyon) “Golden Age of Conservation”

Environmental History of the US Early Conservation Era 1870 -1930 cont…. n 1916 -National Park Service Act creates National Park System

Environmental History of the US Early Conservation Era 1930 -1960 n Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) 1933 -Civil Conservation Corp (CCC) n 2 million people employed n Restore degraded environment, built dams, etc. n n 1940’s and 50’s had little change

n Environmental History of the US Environmental Era 1960’s Environmental Era- Citizens began modern environmental movement n 1962 -Rachel Carson published Silent Spring about pesticide effects n 1963 -Clean Air Act n 1964 Wilderness Act protecting tracts of land in the Wilderness System n 1968 -Garrett Hardin n 1969 -Spaceship Earth worldview n

Environmental History of the US Environmental Era 1970’s n n n Environmental decade 1970 -1 st Earth Day Nixon n 1970 -EPA established 1973 -Endagered Species Act 1978 -Bureau of Land Management started to manage public lands through Federal Land Policy and Management Act

Environmental History of the US Environmental Era 1970’s cont…. . n Jimmy Carter n n 1977 -Department of Energy (DOE) to reduce dependence on foreign oil 1977 -Clean Water Act 1980 -Superfund created in response to Love Canal to clean up abandoned hazardous waste Tripled land in National Wilderness system and doubled land in the National Park System

Environmental History of the US Environmental Era 1980’s n n Anti-environmental movement formed to weaken laws of 60’s and 70’s Ronald Reagan n Increased private energy, mineral development and timber cutting n Funding for environmental resources cut

n Environmental History of the US Environmental Era 1990 -2004 cont…. George Bush Sr. Weakened protections on almost as much public lands as Teddy Roosevelt protected n Increase fossil fuel use n Relaxation on air and water quality standards n 1992 attended the United Nations Conference, Earth Summit, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to discuss environmental issues n

Environmental History of the US Environmental Era 1990 -2004 n n Clinton protected more public lands as national monuments than any other Pres. 1997 -Kyoto Japan 161 nations met to negotiate a treaty to decrease emissions and slow climate change

Environmental History of the US Environmental Era 1990 -2004 n n n George Bush Jr n Just like dad n Withdrew US totally from Kyoto treaty We’ll see what’s next! Frontline’s Hot Politics