The Start of Environmental Activism Unit 12

Bipartisan In the beginning environmentalism was not a partisan issue. It was not favored by Republicans or Democrats Today environmentalism is largely a liberal issue Ironically environmentalism was trail blazed by many Republican Presidents – Teddy Roosevelt and Richard Nixon

The Mother of American Environmentalism Rachel Carson Wrote a book titled Silent Spring Campaigned against the use of pesticides

Rachel Carson

Earth Day April 22, 1970 The First Earth Day

Environmental Protection Agency There were 15 separate Federal programs that dealt with different environmental problems Nixon combined all those programs into one and created the EPA Which is today the Federal Government’s main instrument for dealing with environmental issues

Cap & Trade Video

Clean Air Act of 1970 Passed by Nixon requiring automobile companies to reduce emissions on vehicles by 90% in 5 years EPA gave them a 10 year extension, and with the invention of the catalytic converter they were successful

Alaska Pipeline

Alaskan Pipeline With pressure to become energy independent there was a large incentive to tap into oil in Northern Alaska Environmentalist fought against it. Pipeline was the compromise to oil fields Alaska Native American also laid claim to a large part of Northern Alaska (1 million plus acres) signed over by Nixon – Native American Reserve – for tribal purposes and conservation Carter sat aside 56 million more acres as a national monument People of Alaska because of the money the pipeline generates, pay no state income tax and no state sales tax

Nuclear Energy Nuclear Energy Fission of uranium atoms Electricity created by fission does not create pollution Does however create nuclear waste Also creates a risk for nuclear disasters Leaks, explosions, etc Uranium is a nonrenewable resource The process of refining uranium does creates pollution Very inexpensive Power Source

Three Mile Island http://www.threemileisland.org/ Three Mile Island Museum

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill 1989 11 million gallons of crude oil covered 1,200 miles of coastlines and beaches 10 percent of the local wildlife and fisheries were killed The Federal Government sued Exxon for 5 billion dollars

Timeline of Environmentalism 1970s it grew in popularity abroad 1980s-2000 it became viewed as a roadblock for business “tell the government that the size of your wallet is more important than some two-inch-long minnow” said an angry resident when Dam construction ended when a species of endangered fish was discovered. 2010 Environmentalism is picking up support as a part of a larger conservation and thrift theme