1. Environmentalism Chapter 26 Section 4

2. Rachel Carson and the Silent Spring
Rachel Carson – A marine biologist who wrote the Silent Spring about the increased use of pesticides and DDT.
Her point was that although pesticides kill insects they also fish, birds, and other animals.

3. The Grassroots Effort Begins
April America celebrated the first Earth Day, a day dedicated to helping address the countries environmental concerns.
The original day was started by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson and has been celebrated as a national holiday ever since.

4. The Government Steps In
President Nixon signed the National Environmental Policy Act in 1970.
This created the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA) that set and upheld pollution standards.
The Clean Air Act- passed in 1970 to establish emission standards for factories and cars.

5. The Clean Water Act- ( 1972) restricted the discharge of pollutants into the nation’s lakes and rivers.
The Endangered Species Act- ( 1973) established measures for saving endangered animal species.

6. The Love Canal
The Love Canal was a community near Niagara Falls, NY that was built on top of a toxic waste dump.
In the 1980’s President Carter declared the Love Canal community a federal disaster area.

7. Nuclear Energy
In the 1970’s people were becoming more concerned about the growing use of Nuclear Energy.
Nuclear Energy was a cheaper and cleaner alternative to Fossil fuels ( coal, oil and natural gas)
Three Mile Island (1979)- A nuclear power plant outside of Harrisburg PA that overheated after one of the cooling systems failed releasing low levels of radiation into the air.

8. Vocabulary DDT Rachel Carson Smog EPA Clean Air Act Clean Water Act
Fossil Fuels
Three Mile Island
Ralph Nadir