Environmentalism Flashcards
What was environmentalism?
-political philosophy covering multitude of topics connected by their impact on the planet
-e.g. Ind pollution, protections of wildlife, organic farming + dangers of radiation + nuclear water
What was new with environmental science?
-new word ‘ecology’ defining health of natural environment
-drawing on number of issues emerged in 60s
How did the 60s inform the 70s movement?
-gained enough potency to impact more greatly on public consciousness
-also drew in counterculture of 70s that rejected consumerism + commercialism
What publications of the 60s informed the 70s movement?
-1962 ‘silent spring’ by US biologist Rachel Carson
-book sounded alarm about decline in wildlife in farming countryside root cause being overuse of chemical pesticides like DDT
What was formed in 1963 further influencing the movement in the 70s?
-1963 Hunt Saboteurs Association to carry out direct action against cruelty of fox hunting
What happened in 1967 further increasing awareness about the environment?
-wreck of a giant oil tanker Torrey Canyon caused massive oil spill polluting a stretch of the coastline in southwest England
How did the gov act on environmental concerns?
-Heath ministry housing + local gov replaced by dep of environment
-Wilson est royal commission on environmental pollution 1970 to advise gov - next 40yrs advised on rural + urban environment issues
What pressure groups were set up?
-‘friends of the earth’ in US 1969
-expanded to include Br, Fr + Sweden 1971
What is another example of environmental pressure groups?
-Greenpeace UK formed 1977 when discovered beagles forced smoke 30 cigs a day in Br labs to study effects on health leading to outrage
-animal lib front 1976 adopted extreme tactics incl breaking into research facilities
What was the new form of anti nuclear protesting?
-campaigning against use of nuclear power to generate electricity due to long term dangers dealing with radioactive nuclear waste
What were the incidents regarding nuclear waste leading to this?
-1957-79 5 incidents at nuclear power station Sellafield on the Cumbarian coast
-partial nuclear meltdown Three mile island, NY 1979 increased anxieties
How did direct action split the environmental movement?
-radical organisation Greenpeace founded Canada 1971 to campaign against whaling
-Greenpeace UK founded 1977 - animal rights protestors carried out violent attacks on pharmaceutical labs
-Animal liberation front founded 1976 - extreme violence with letter bombs sent to politicians incl. thatcher 1984
Alongside PGs what else was there a general increase in regarding environmentalism?
-increase of interest in natural environments + need for conservation
How was this seen?
-TV programmes made at BBC Natural History unit did a lot to raise awareness
-1979 David Attenborough Life on Earth series used new colour photography + gained massive TV audiences worldwide
How were environmental concerns reflected in popular culture?
-book Watership down about rabbits forced to move by a road developments published 1972 + became bestseller
-situation comedy the good life airing 1975 depicted couple trying to be self-sufficient in suburban house
Who was Teddy Goldsmith and what did he do?
-Goldsmith travelled world learning about tribes + campaigned against destruction of Amazon rainforest
-published ‘a blueprint for survival’ 1972 advocating return to self-sufficiency + de-Ind society
What new political platform did this inspire?
-the people’s party set up 1973 - soon became Ecology party 1975
-put up 53 candidates 1979 gen elec
What was environmentalism like at the end of the 70s?
-had carved a permanent place on the political scene
