Throughout the history of the United States, various individuals have helped us shape our moral attitudes toward the environment. In this unit we identify several of these pioneers and explore some key turning points that have advanced change and how we think about, and behave toward, the natural world.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 10 hours.
The authors of this article discuss historical influences on the modern environmental movement in the areas of water and air pollution, deforestation, habitat destruction, and environmental disasters.
How do you think population growth has influenced the environmental movement?
Read these sections. The text is directly related to sustainability ethics and how our understanding and attitudes have evolved over time. After reading the text, attempt to link the key features of the sustainability movement with the environmental movement. Are they one and the same, or are there stark differences?
To understand the history of the environmental movement, one should appreciate the significant human developments of the past. Read this timeline to get a sense of the history of European environmentalism.
To understand the history of the environmental movement, one should appreciate the significant human developments of the past. Read this timeline to get a sense of the history of European environmentalism.
To understand the history of the environmental movement, one should appreciate the significant human developments of the past. Read this timeline to get a sense of the history of European environmentalism.
Read this article by Senator Gaylord Nelson, one of the founders of Earth Day, for a brief history of the events that led up to the first Earth Day in 1970.
Read this article and watch the videos, which detail the background of the Earth Day movement.
Read this article, which describes the environmental movement from 1970 to 1995. The article gives an excellent account of the environmental changes that were observed during this period. As you read, think about what has changed (for better or worse) and what hasn't since the article was written, in the areas of production, consumption, and population; global, regional, and local environmental issues; and regulation and management.
Read this article, which discusses some of the most common air pollution problems scientists have had to tackle. This article walks you through some of the issues regarding smog, especially in Los Angeles. It also talks about the ozone depletion issue and some of the ways we have controlled and improved this environmental problem.
Read this timeline. How do you think that attitudes towards environmentalism have changed in Europe since the 1970s? Do you see a marked increase in environmental action since the 1970s?
Read this article on ecofeminism. The text introduces the origins of ecofeminism and the lists problems that it has addressed. Do you believe our attitude towards the environment may change if we see an increase in female politicians who have the power to impose laws and regulations?
Watch this video, which presents the experiences of four people influenced by Marti Kheel, a vegan, ecofeminist, activist-scholar credited with founding Feminists for Animal Rights. Do you believe the influence of certain people can parallel the influence of religious beliefs in shaping attitudes about the environment?
Read this chapter. How do you believe climate change and sustainability will be interdependent as we move forward?
Read these short introductions and watch the video lectures that follow. Taking sustainability as meaning "meeting the needs of today without compromising the needs of the future," do you think this is an achievable target for the human race to meet, or are our current consumption trends only going to become worse?
Watch this short video about the life and history of John Muir. How different do you think the landscape today might look in the United States, if not for the work of John Muir?
Read this history of the national parks. The article discusses the history of their creation, noting in particular Yellowstone and Yosemite, which John Muir was a key advocate for preserving. Take a moment to think of a time you may have visited a national park or had the desire to visit one. Some of these parks would have not been possible without the advocacy of certain key individuals. For their efforts, we owe great thanks.
Read this brief description and history of the Sierra Club, founded by John Muir in 1892. How important do you believe non-governmental organizations, such as the Sierra Club, are in driving forward issues and trying to influence the government to make changes?
Read this except from an article about Theodore Roosevelt. Pay particular attention to the Conservation section, and note the key achievements made in this area. Take time to consider how different the American landscape might look today if some of the conservation efforts and laws enacted by Roosevelt had not been implemented.
Read about the history of the Reclamation Act, signed into law by Theodore Roosevelt. In light of what we know today, how "sustainable” do you think this Act is? Can we continue to use water at the rate we do, especially when considering the impacts of population growth and the potential for climate change?
Watch this video, which summarizes the history and achievements of the National Wildlife Refuges that were created by Theodore Roosevelt. How do you believe these refuges have helped to preserve wildlife from the threat of development?
Read this short biography of Aldo Leopold. How do you believe Leopold began to shape the foundation for wildlife management? Do you think he may have faced opposition?
Read this review of the Curt Meine's biography of Aldo Leopold. What element of Leopold's ambition for pioneering conservation do you find the most admirable?
Read these short summaries of this text. At the bottom of the page, there is a link to a PDF Fact Sheet; click on the link and read the article. How do you think Leopold's views helped to shape environmental change in that era?
Read the short summaries of the linked text. At the bottom of the page there is a link to a PDF Fact Sheet; click on the link and read the article. How do you think Leopold's views helped to shape environmental change in that era?
Read this short biography of Gifford Pinchot. As you read the excerpt written by Pinchot, try to put yourself in the mindset of the early 20th century. At the time, it was the norm to just take what you needed. The term sustainability was not even a thought in anyone's mind.
Watch this short video about the history of the U.S. Forest Service. As you watch, take time to reflect on how different the U.S. landscape might look if programs such as the Forest Service had never been established.
Read this brief history of the U.S. Forest Service. Take time to think of an occasion when you may have experienced the joys of the forest or woodland in your local area or country. How did the experience make you feel?
Watch this video about the firestorm of 1910. How damaging do you think the great fire in 1910 was to the progress of the Forest Service and the wider conservation movement?
This is a very comprehensive history of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, its author, and associated major events before, during, and after it was written. After you have have finished with these materials, try to summarize how you think this book has helped to shape the history of the environment, and the environmental movement over the past 50 years.
Read this article, which details early environmental conservation efforts in the United States, and discusses the events surrounding the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970. Why did environmental protection emerge so strongly as a political issue during this time? What were the major forces or beliefs driving these changes? Do you think advances in scientific understanding were a key catalyst for change? You may find it useful to make notes in this section, to refer to when we discuss U.S. environmental law later in Unit 5.
Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.