Environmental Activism Flashcards
What began in the 1960s?
The widespread realizaion that pollution and overconsumption were damagine the environment.
What did Silent Spring do
It awakened America’s concern’s about the environment and helped lay the groundwork for the activism of the early seventies
Who published Silent Spring and what year was it published in
Rachel carson, a marine biologist. It was published in 1962
In Silent Spring, what did Carson warn against
The growing used of pesticides-chemicals used to kill insects and rodents.
What did Carson argue
That pesticides poisoned the very food they were intended to protect and as a result killed many birds and fish.
Where did the name Silent Spring come from
Carson said that wefaced a silent spring in which prids killed ff by pesticides would no longer fill the air with song. She added that the weapons used in “man’s war against nature” pesticides were some of the most harmful
Within Six months of publication, how many copies did Silent Spring sell
half a millin
What did Chemical companies say, and what did Americans think
They said that it was innaccurate, and they threatened to sue. But many Americans thought that Carson’s book was an early warning abou tthe danger that human activity posed to the environment.
After the book’s publication, what did Kennedy establish
An advisory acommittee to investigate the situation
With Carson’s prodding, the nation slowly began to do what
focus more on environmental issues. Although she would not live to see the US government outlaw DDT in 1972, her work helped many Americans realized that their everyday behavior as well s the nation’s industrial growth had a damage on the environment
During the 1970s the administrations of Richard nixon and jummy Carter confronted the environmental issues like
Conservation, pollution, and growth of nuclear energy
In the 1970s the United states
Would actively address its environmental issues f
When was the first Earth Day
April 22, 1970 nearly every community in the nation nad more than 10,000 schools and 2000 colleges hosted a type of environmental awareness activity and spotlighted such problems as pollution, growth of toxic waste and the earths dwindling resources
What is an environmentalist
someone who takes an active role in the protection of the environment
What did presiden Nixon realize
the importance to make peace with nature. He set out on a course that led to the passage of landmark measures
In 1970, Nixon consolidated 15 existing federal pollution programs into the
Environmental Protecition Agency
What was teh EPA given
power to set and enforce pollution standards, to conduct environmental research and to assist the state and local government in pollution control
Today, what is the EPA
the federal government’s main instrument for dealing with environmental issues
In 1970, Nixon signed a new _____ whihc
Clean Air Act that added several amendments to the Clean Air Act of 1963. This act gave the government the authority to set air standards
Congress also passed the Endangered Species Act which
was passed in addition to laws that limited pesticide use and curbed strip mining-the practice of mining for ore and coal by digging faping holes in land.
During the 1970s, how many environmental laws took effect
35 and they addressed every aspect of conservation and cleanup from protecting endangered animals to regulate auto emissions
1970s what did the federal government do to ensure the continued well being of Alaska (the larges state in the nation and the most ecologically sensitive.)
Took steps
This discovery creatied a massive pipeline to transport it. It created many new jonbs and increased state revenue
Oil found in 1968 in Alaska
What raised concerns about Alaska’s wildlife as well as the rights of the native people
New development
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
Which turned over millions of acrees of land to the states native tribes for conservation and tribal use.
In 1971, how did President Carter enhance this conservation effort in Alaska
He set aside 56 million acres in Alaska as national monuments. In 1980 Congress added 104 more
At the end of 1970s what were many Americans aware of?
The dangers that nuclear power plants posed to humans and the environment. However, during the 1970s many people in America had realized the drawbacks to heavy dependence on foreign oil.So, nuclear power seemed to be an attractive alternative
Opponents of nuclear energy warned the public against the nuclear industries growth stating that
The wastes that were produced were potentially dangerous to humans and thier environment
On March 28th, 1979 what incident tookplace
Three mile island
Where is three mile island
Near Harrisburg PN. Th ereactor malfunctioned and on the 30th, the low level radiation did escae.
What did officials do about Officials do
They evacuated some residents while others fled on thei rown.
Even though more than 100,000 residents were evacuated, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The federal agency that monitors the nuclar power industry announced that the immediate danger was over
The events at three mile island rekindled the debate over what
Nuclear power
What did Supporters of Opponents say for nuclear power
Supporters: Non One had been killed
Opponents countered by saying that chance had averted the tragedy. They demanded that the government call a halt to the construction of new powerplants and gradually shut down the old ones
What did the government doabout the nuclear power
They didn’t get rid of it, but the government did recognize the nuclear’energy’s potential danger to both humans and the environment
As a result of the accident, what did the Nuclear Regulatory Commission do
Strengthened its safety standards and improved the inspection procedures
Even though the environment movement had support, it still had
oppositopned
The movement struggled to balance environmental concerns with
jobs and progress
