Unit 8: Topic 13 - Environment and Natural Resources Flashcards
What are Clean Air Act (1963), Clean Water Act (1972), and Endangered Species Act (1973)?
Clean Air Act: A United States federal law designed to control air pollution on a national level; one of the United States’ first and most influential modern environmental laws.
Clean Water Act: A federal law governing water pollution, it’s aimed at restoring and maintaining the biological integrity of the nation’s water.
Endangered Species Act: One of the few dozens of US environmental laws passed in the 1970s, aimed at protecting critically imperiled species from extinction.
In 1973, Israel, supported by an American airlift, turned back a surprise attack by Egypt and Syria, known as the Yom Kippur War. How did Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) respond?
In October 1973, the OPEC member countries (most of whom were Arab states in the Middle East) announced an oil embargo, barring oil exports to the United States. Gas prices skyrocketed, the stock market crashed, and Nixon introduced gas rationing and price controls.
The embargo ended in May 1974, and although prices eased, the energy crisis continued through much of the 70s, leading to further inflation. higher gas prices (averaging $0.63 in 1978) led to increased demand for fuel-efficient cars, mainly produced in Japan.
The publication of which book gave birth to the modern environmental movement?
Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson.
The book documented the detrimental effects of the widespread use of pesticides, particularly DDT, on the environment and wildlife. It also argued that these chemicals were a threat to human health.
It also sparked public debate regarding the environment, and as a result, the US government banned the use of DDT in 1972. Silent Spring also helped to change public perception of the environment and the role of government in protecting it.
What happened to the Cuyahoga River in 1969?
It caught on fire due to the pollution from factories upstream. As a result, it dramatized the extent of the river’s pollution and the ineffectiveness of the city’s lagging pollution abatement program and pushed for environmental laws.
How did Congress and Environmentalists react to the oil crises of 1973?
Congress reacted by enacting the 1975 Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which set corporate standards for gas mileage. Manufacturers who failed to achieve the mandated averages faced stiff fines and other sanctions.
Environmentalists searched for alternative sources of energy. Solar power appealed to some, but it was costly. Hydropower was more reliable but most suitable for dam sites that had already been built upon, and wind power only worked in areas where fewer people lived. Nuclear power also had it’s advocates as it’s fuel – uranium – was virtually inexhaustible and produced no noxious or greenhouse gases. However, it made many people nervous as the waste products of the reactors were radioactive and would remain so for thousands of years.
On March 28, 1979, what happened at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania?
Three Mile Island was a nuclear facility that suffered a partial nuclear meltdown in 1979.
Although only limited amounts of radiation were released, it enhanced the credibility of anti-nuclear groups, who had predicted such an accident. In partial response to the accident, there has been no new groundbreaking on nuclear plants in the United States since 1974.
What happened at Chernobyl in Soviet Ukraine in 1986?
A severe nuclear accident occurred at Chernobyl; large amounts of radiation were released into the atmosphere and caused many deaths. As a result, it reinforced fears against nuclear power.
What is Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (1970)?
The EPA is a governmental organization signed into law by Richard Nixon in 1970. It was designed to regulate pollution, emissions, and other factors that negatively influence the natural environment. It was a significant triumph for the environmentalist movement.
What is Earth Day?
It is an international day of celebration and awareness of global environmental issues launched by conservationists on April 22, 1970. It helped raise awareness about environmental problems and is considered a step forward in the environmental movement.
