Environmental HistoryEnvironmental History

Learning from the PastLearning from the Past

Cultural Changes and the Cultural Changes and the EnvironmentEnvironment

3 major changes have occurred since 3 major changes have occurred since we were hunter-gathererswe were hunter-gatherers

1) The agricultural revolution 1) The agricultural revolution

(10000-12000ya)(10000-12000ya)

2) The industrial-medical revolution 2) The industrial-medical revolution (~275ya)(~275ya)

3) The globalization revolution 3) The globalization revolution (~50ya)(~50ya)

Problems resulting from changesProblems resulting from changes

1)1) More energy and technology More energy and technology available to alter the planetavailable to alter the planet

2)2) Human population increased Human population increased dramaticallydramatically

3)3) Pollution, increased resource use, Pollution, increased resource use, and environmental degradation occur and environmental degradation occur

Hunter-gatherers had a small impact on Hunter-gatherers had a small impact on the earththe earth

- They lived in small groups and moved They lived in small groups and moved ith seasonsith seasons

- They had expert knowledge of their They had expert knowledge of their natural surroundingsnatural surroundings

- Population growth was slow due to Population growth was slow due to high infant mortality and a shorter life high infant mortality and a shorter life expectancy expectancy

Agricultural revolution provided food Agricultural revolution provided food for longer, healthier living, but for longer, healthier living, but increased environment degradationincreased environment degradation

-people settled and began cultivation -people settled and began cultivation of plants and animalsof plants and animals

-some used slash and burn, -some used slash and burn, especially tropical regionsespecially tropical regions

-others used sustainable cultivation, -others used sustainable cultivation, such as crop rotationsuch as crop rotation

Agriculture led to:Agriculture led to:

-more food available for longer and -more food available for longer and healthier liveshealthier lives

-formation of towns and villages-formation of towns and villages

-habitat destruction began to occur-habitat destruction began to occur

-beginning of soil erosion and -beginning of soil erosion and overgrazing of areasovergrazing of areas

-pollution of natural resources began-pollution of natural resources began

Industrial-medical revolution meant Industrial-medical revolution meant higher standard of living coupled with higher standard of living coupled with environmental degradationenvironmental degradation

- Began in England in 1700s and came Began in England in 1700s and came to US in 1800sto US in 1800s

- Shift from reliance on renewable Shift from reliance on renewable resources to nonrenewable fossil fuelsresources to nonrenewable fossil fuels

- Fossil fuel use in factories led to Fossil fuel use in factories led to pollutionpollution

- Working conditions often dangerousWorking conditions often dangerous- Exodus from rural areas to townsExodus from rural areas to towns

Early Conservation Era (1832-1960)Early Conservation Era (1832-1960)

- Few people warned of resource - Few people warned of resource degradation degradation

- Henry David Thoreau wrote Henry David Thoreau wrote Life in the Life in the WoodsWoods, an environmental classic that , an environmental classic that told of his observations of nature over told of his observations of nature over 2 years in the Massachusetts 2 years in the Massachusetts wildernesswilderness

- George Perkins Marsh, a scientist and George Perkins Marsh, a scientist and Vermont legislator, published Vermont legislator, published Man and Man and NatureNature, presented studies showing the , presented studies showing the need for resource conservationneed for resource conservation

1870-1930, role of federal government and 1870-1930, role of federal government and private citizens increased to protect natural private citizens increased to protect natural resourcesresources

- 1891 Forest Reserve Act established that the 1891 Forest Reserve Act established that the federal government was responsible for federal government was responsible for protecting public lands from exploitationprotecting public lands from exploitation

- ***John Muir, geologist and founder of the ***John Muir, geologist and founder of the Sierra Club, lobbied for conservation lawsSierra Club, lobbied for conservation laws

1) led movement to limit use of public 1) led movement to limit use of public wilderness to hiking and campingwilderness to hiking and camping

2) lobbied for national park system2) lobbied for national park system

3) responsible for establishing Yosemite 3) responsible for establishing Yosemite National Park in 1890National Park in 1890

President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) established wildlife reserves and 1909) established wildlife reserves and tripled size of national forest reservestripled size of national forest reserves

- Persuaded congress to give the power Persuaded congress to give the power to designate public land as federal to designate public land as federal wildlife reserveswildlife reserves

- US Forest Service created with Gifford US Forest Service created with Gifford Pinchot as first chief in1905Pinchot as first chief in1905

- Antiquities Act of 1906 allows president Antiquities Act of 1906 allows president to protect areas of scientific or historical to protect areas of scientific or historical interest as national monumentsinterest as national monuments

- National Park Service Act passed in 1916National Park Service Act passed in 1916- Presidents Harding, Coolidge, and Presidents Harding, Coolidge, and

Hoover promoted resource removal from Hoover promoted resource removal from public lands at low prices to stimulate public lands at low prices to stimulate economic growtheconomic growth

- Hoover proposed selling all public lands Hoover proposed selling all public lands to private interests for economic to private interests for economic developmentdevelopment

- The Great Depression was devastating The Great Depression was devastating for the Nation, but forestalled the for the Nation, but forestalled the purchase of public lands by private purchase of public lands by private interestsinterests

- 1930s the government bought land and - 1930s the government bought land and hired workers to restore the country’s hired workers to restore the country’s degraded environmentdegraded environment

- President Franklin D. Roosevelt President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corp established the Civilian Conservation Corp in 1933in 1933- 2 million people obtained work restoring - 2 million people obtained work restoring degrade environments, building dams, etc.degrade environments, building dams, etc.- CCC provided jobs, flood control, - CCC provided jobs, flood control, irrigation water, and cheap electricityirrigation water, and cheap electricity

- Few changes were made during 1940s and - Few changes were made during 1940s and 1950s due to WWII and economic recovery 1950s due to WWII and economic recovery after the warafter the war

Environmental Era 1960-2004Environmental Era 1960-2004- 1960s were beginning of modern 1960s were beginning of modern

environmental movementenvironmental movement- Rachel Carson wrote Rachel Carson wrote Silent SpringSilent Spring

documenting the harmful effects of documenting the harmful effects of pesticides on air, water, and wildlifepesticides on air, water, and wildlife

- 1964 Congress passed Wilderness Act1964 Congress passed Wilderness Act- Public awareness grew concerning the Public awareness grew concerning the

harmful effects of pollution and habitat harmful effects of pollution and habitat loss for wildlife speciesloss for wildlife species

1970s1970s- First annual Earth Day April 20, 1970 First annual Earth Day April 20, 1970

celebrated by 20 million peoplecelebrated by 20 million people- President Nixon established the EPA President Nixon established the EPA

in 1970in 1970- Endangered species Act passed in Endangered species Act passed in

19731973- Federal Land Policy and Management Federal Land Policy and Management

Act passed in 1978 gave the Bureau Act passed in 1978 gave the Bureau of Land Management its first real of Land Management its first real authority to manage public lands authority to manage public lands

- 85% of public lands are in 12 western 85% of public lands are in 12 western statesstates

- ““sagebrush rebellion” was a sagebrush rebellion” was a campaign by miner, ranchers, campaign by miner, ranchers, loggers, developers, farmers, and loggers, developers, farmers, and others that wanted to greatly reduce others that wanted to greatly reduce government regulation and persuade government regulation and persuade legislators to sell or lease lands to legislators to sell or lease lands to private interests at low pricesprivate interests at low prices

- This was return of thinking to This was return of thinking to President Hoover’s idea President Hoover’s idea

President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)- Persuaded congress to create the Persuaded congress to create the

Department of Energy with the task of Department of Energy with the task of reducing the country’s dependence on reducing the country’s dependence on imported oilimported oil

- Appointed environmentalists to key positions Appointed environmentalists to key positions and consulted on resource policyand consulted on resource policy

- Helped create the Superfund as part of the Helped create the Superfund as part of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (used to Compensation, and Liability Act (used to clean up abandon hazardous waste sites)clean up abandon hazardous waste sites)

- Tripled land in National Wilderness system Tripled land in National Wilderness system and doubled land in National Park systemand doubled land in National Park system

1980s- Environmental Backlash1980s- Environmental Backlash- President Regan greatly increased private President Regan greatly increased private

energy and mineral development and energy and mineral development and timber cutting on public landstimber cutting on public lands

- Federal funding for research on energy Federal funding for research on energy conservation and renewable energy conservation and renewable energy resources were drastically cutresources were drastically cut

- Many of Regan’s policies were Many of Regan’s policies were challenged, strongly opposed in challenged, strongly opposed in Congress, and caused public outrageCongress, and caused public outrage

- ““wise-use” movement formed by coal, oil, wise-use” movement formed by coal, oil, mining, automobile, timber, and ranchersmining, automobile, timber, and ranchers

George H. W. Bush elected in 1989 George H. W. Bush elected in 1989 promised to be the “environmental promised to be the “environmental president”president”

- Continued to support exploitation of Continued to support exploitation of valuable resources on public lands and valuable resources on public lands and allowed some environmental laws to be allowed some environmental laws to be undercut undercut

Bill Clinton elected in 1993Bill Clinton elected in 1993- Appointed environmentalists to key Appointed environmentalists to key

positions in environmental and resource positions in environmental and resource agenciesagencies

- Protected more public land in the lower 48 Protected more public land in the lower 48 states than any other presidentstates than any other president

George W. Bush became president in 2001George W. Bush became president in 2001- Proceeded to weaken many environmental Proceeded to weaken many environmental

and public land use laws and policiesand public land use laws and policies- Policies rested on increasing use of fossil Policies rested on increasing use of fossil

fuels and relaxation of air and water fuels and relaxation of air and water quality standardsquality standards

President ObamaPresident Obama- Immediately reversed Bush policy that Immediately reversed Bush policy that

refused to allow California to enact refused to allow California to enact stricter car emission standardsstricter car emission standards

The species The species Homo sapiens sapiensHomo sapiens sapiens has has lived on Earth about _____ yearslived on Earth about _____ years

a.a. 4,0004,000

b.b. 12,00012,000

c.c. 30,00030,000

d.d. 60,00060,000

e.e. 90,00090,000

Agricultural societies resulted in all of Agricultural societies resulted in all of the following changes to humans the following changes to humans exceptexcept

a.a. Growth of villagesGrowth of villages

b.b. Specialized occupations and long Specialized occupations and long distance tradedistance trade

c.c. Increased competition for resourcesIncreased competition for resources

d.d. Equal work distribution among Equal work distribution among people people

e.e. UrbanizationUrbanization

A major stimulus for the Industrial A major stimulus for the Industrial Revolution was Revolution was

a.a. The bubonic plagueThe bubonic plague

b.b. The European WarsThe European Wars

c.c. A shortage of woodA shortage of wood

d.d. povertypoverty

e.e. FamineFamine

The OPEC oil embargo and The OPEC oil embargo and energy crisis occurred inenergy crisis occurred in

a.a. 19631963b.b. 19731973c.c. 19831983d.d. 19931993e.e. 20032003

Benefits bestowed on most citizens of Benefits bestowed on most citizens of industrialized countries are least industrialized countries are least likely to includelikely to include

a.a. More affordable material goodsMore affordable material goodsb.b. An increase in average agricultural An increase in average agricultural

production per personproduction per personc.c. A higher average life expectancyA higher average life expectancyd.d. Continued exponential growth of Continued exponential growth of

the human populationthe human populatione.e. Lower infant mortality ratesLower infant mortality rates