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ohn Muir was an environmentalist who encouraged protection of nature, especially through national parks. He fought to protect national treasures such as the Sierra Nevada and the Yosemite National Park. In 1892, he founded the Sierra Club, which today is one of the most prominent environmentalist groups in the country.
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Through Walden, Thoreau was able to explore the ties between man and nature. He lived in a simple cabin in solitude for two years, recording his impressions and thoughts about the natural world.
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The First Homestead Act, passed in 1862, sped up the rate of settlement in the western United States by providing 160 acres of land in the West to any adult. Under the conditions of the agreement, the new owner of the land would have to increase its value by building a house, farm, or other business.
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The American Forestry Association, now American Forests, is the oldest nonprofit conservation program in the country. It was founded in 1875 by a group of scientists whose goal was protect one of America’s most abundant resources: trees.
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The General Revision Act of 1891 repealed the Timber Culture and Preemption Acts. The Preemption Act allowed the government to sell land to anyone, while the Timber Culture Act allowed society to have land to grow crops. Also, the General Revision Act allowed the president to set aside any land as a national forest.
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The Sierra Club was founded in 1892 by John Muir, a naturalist and conservationist. Its goal is to protect and preserve the environment. Now, it promotes using renewable energy sources and protecting nature from urbanization.
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The Lacey Act was a conservation bill passed in 1900 that still stands today. It protects a variety of wildlife, from fish to flowers, by imposing punishments on people or organizations who illegal possess or sell wildlife under its protection.
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In 1905, Gifford Pinchot was hired as the first Chief of the United States Forest Service. During his five-year term, Pinchot was able to vastly increase the land area allotted to national forests, as well as revolutionize their management. He is often regarded as the "father" of American conservation, and founded the Society of American Foresters.
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Aldo Leopold was a leader in conservation in the early 1900's. He authored A Sand County Almanac, in which he introduced the "land ethic." Leopold believed that "the land" has the right to continued existence alongside and in spite of industrialization and urbanization.
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Founded in 1905, the Audubon Society was named after a prominent ornithologist in the 18th century. Its mission is "To conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity."
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The US Forest Service was a federal agency initially founded to provide wood and water for the rest of the country. Over time, the agency's purpose has evolved to protect and conserve natural resources on National Forest System lands.
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The Antiquities Act gave the president the authority to set aside any government-owned land as a national park or conservation. The act is still being used today to preserve treasures in nature. Its most recent use was in March, 2013, when President Obama created five national monuments at once.
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The CCC was founded in 1933 as part of FDR's New Deal. It had both economic and environmental advantages; it employed up to 3,000,000 young men, worked for conservation and preservation efforts across the country, and lead to greater public awareness of environmental problems.
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The Taylor Grazing Act, which was signed by FDR in 1934. It allowed the US Department of the Interior to establish districts for grazing. These districts prevented overgrazing and soil deterioration.
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The Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act required any person who hunts a migratory bird to carry a stamp that shows he or she has a hunting license. The money earned from selling the stamps was used to help protect and conserve migratory birds.
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The Soil Conservation Service was founded in 1935 in response to heightened erosion caused by bad farming techniques. These erosions led to the Dust Bowl, an environmental crisis in the 1930’s characterized by large amounts of dirt being carried by strong winds. Today, the Soil Conservation service is called the National Resources Conservation Service.
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In 1940, the Bureau of Fisheries and the Bureau of Biological Survey were combined to create the Fish and Wildlife Service. Its purpose is to help to create an “environmental stewardship ethic” and aide in conservation efforts for the country’s fish and wildlife resources.
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The purpose of FIFRA was to regulate the sale and use of pesticides. The EPA now controls which pesticides are available for use, and which cannot be used because of the harm they will cause to the environment. It was originally passed in 1947, but major amendments occurred throughout the 1970's and 80's.
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Jane Goodall was an animal behaviorist who studied chimpanzees in Tanzania. She earned national recognition, and now travels the world and speaks about the importance of conservation.
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The book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson helped to launch the contemporary environmental movement. In the book, Carson explored the effects of certain pesticides, especially DDT, on the environment. This book shocked many, and eventually led to the banning of DDT in agriculture in 1972.
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The Clean Air Act required the EPA to create standards for air quality based on common pollutants that include carbon monoxide, ozone, and lead. It regulates the amount of air pollution that can be released into the atmosphere, as well as minimizes pollution from cars and factories.
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In 1964, the Wilderness Act was passed and created the National Wilderness Preservation System. It protects over 100 million acres of untouched nature across the country. The NWPS manages and protects these areas.
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While other legislation, such as the Wilderness Act and the Antiquities Act, protect acres of land, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act protects rivers specifically. It prevents the building of dams in certain rivers to protect the ecosystems within the river and water quality.
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Nixon was a very pro-environment president. During his presidency, the Environmental Protection Agency was formed, the National Environmental Policy Act was passed, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act was passed, among other things.
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The Cuyahoga River in Ohio was one of the most polluted rivers in the United States. The river has had at least thirteen fires over the last 150 years, including one in 1969 that garnered national attention and led to the Clean Water Act and the EPA.
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One of the most significant pieces of legislation for the environment in the 20th century was NEPA. The act created national standards to protect the environment, and also created goals related to the protection and enhancement of the environment. It was enacted on January 1, 1970.
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The EPA was created in order to oversee protection of the environment through law. The agency regulates environmental laws passed by Congress, as well as studies the environment and teaches the public about conservation. It works to make environmental protection a global issue.
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The Clean Water Act is similar to the Clean Air Act in that it regulates the amount of pollutants in the environment. However, the Clean Water Act set nation-wide water quality standards, and requires anyone that releases pollutants into bodies of water to obtain a permit.
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In 1973, the United States supplied Israel with arms during the Yom Kippur war. In response, OPEC (a collection of countries in the Middle East that export large amounts of oil) decided to start an oil embargo on the US. This lasted for about six months, during which the price of oil rose to the equivalent of $100 per barrel.
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Chlorofluorocarbons are chemicals often used in aerosols, refrigerators, and air conditioners. It was found in 1974 that increased use of them was depleting the ozone layer.
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The RCRA allowed the EPA to control hazardous waste, including its creation, treatment, and disposal.
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This law allowed government regulation of all mining activities. All mines were required to minimize the effects their activities had on local wildlife, as well as try to restore the land used to its former state.
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Love Canal was a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York where Hooker Chemical disposed of toxic waste. The waste was released and leaked into the homes of many Love Canal residents, causing tons of birth defects and other health problems.
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In 1979, a commercial nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania had a partial meltdown resulting in the release of small amounts of radioactive gases and iodine. Soon after, many Americans began opposing the use of nuclear power, questioning its safety.
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The Alaskan Lands Act increased the size of the national park system in Alaska by over 43 million acres. It protects over 100 million acres of protected land in Alaska.
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During his two terms, Reagan arguably worked against the EPA's goals. He questioned its legitimacy, and often delayed the announcement and enforcement of EPA regulations and policy. He dismissed acid rain and pollution, as he found it wasteful to spend so much money on protecting the environment.
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The Bhopal gas tragedy is considered to be the world's worst industrial disaster. In 1984, a leak at a pesticide plant in Bhopal, India exposed over 500,000 people to methyl isocyanate gas, a highly toxic gas that is extremely harmful to human health. At least 3,787 people died from the gas release; many estimate up to 16,000 died from gas-related illnesses such as cancer.
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In 1986, an explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine caused the release of large amounts of radioactive particles into the atmosphere. These particles spread over most of the Soviet Union and Europe, killing at least 31 people and causing serious health problems in many more.
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The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty that worked to eliminate the usage of certain ozone-depleting chemicals such as CFC's and HCFC's. It is one of the most widely ratified treaties in UN history.
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In March, 1989, the Exxon Valdez spilled over 11 million gallons of oil into the Prince William Sound. The spill severely impact local wildlife and sparked outrage in the environmentalist community.
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The Energy Policy Act worked to push the US towards energy alternatives. It improved energy efficiency and provided incentives for companies that used renewable energy sources.
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The Desert Protection Act of 1994 created two national parks and a national preserve in the deserts of California. It stated that California deserts are a public wilderness resource and must be included in the National Park System and the National Wilderness Preservation System.
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The Kyoto Protocol set emissions standards for the entire world. It forced developed countries to drastically scale back their greenhouse gas emissions. 192 countries have ratified the treaty. The United States signed the Protocol but did not ratify it.
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CERCLA, also known as Superfund, is a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries. The law also allows the federal government to intervene in any threat of hazardous substances that can harm the environment or the public.
