Americas Growing Focus on the Environment - Essay Example

America’s Growing Focus on the Environment The road to enlightenment is often paved with a variety of factors that help bring about fundamental changes in the way people think and act. I will attempt to examine the various elements, whether cultural, political and technological, that have brought about a profound change in the way Americans view their environment and their relationship to its survival. I will also look at periods in history where environmental concerns were primarily nonexistent, as well as a microcosm of environmental racism and devastation in Portland, Oregon. Later, I will also focus on the subject of America’s wasteful use of natural resources set against the paradox of our serious desire to preserve nature and the particular challenges of environmental history studies. Many changes were taking place in the 1960’s and 1970’s that brought about a clear shift in the way Americans viewed their natural environment. The cultural transformation was taking place as a result of the rapid economic growth and population increase that occurred in the United States following World War II. For many years prior, Americans had placed importance on the preservation of the country’s national wonders; starting in the 1960’s, however, environmental activism grew to be a major player culturally and politically (Warren 273). Earth Day worked as a culmination of these various factors that pushed environmental concerns into the public consciousness. As a result of the post-War economic boom and technological advancements, Americans found themselves with extra income to spend and more free time. The Highway Act of 1956 also helped to move Americans out of their usual surroundings and into the great outdoors. Together with the increased production and availability of the automobile, people were traveling to enjoy time in the great expanses of nature. Sales of pleasure boats and other tools of recreation experienced a great increase. While Americans were learning to appreciate and respect nature, however, their lifestyle changes--such as the treks to the suburbs and increased demand for electricity--were placing demands on the environment that proved to be disastrous. The result was more trash, disease and contaminated water supplies (Warren 275). These negative changes eventually brought about a public outcry that demanded change, as seen in the popularity of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring and the successful membership drives of such environmental groups as the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society. Politically, both Democrats and Republicans worked to gain the environmental vote by backing legislation that would address growing concern over air pollution and water quality. The years of President Richard Nixon’s administration saw a great deal of important environmental legislation become law, such as the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Warren 272) and the Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1969 (Warren 285). Whether politically motivated or not, these legislative victories were a result of the overall shift in how Americans viewed their responsibility to the environment. This newfound push was culminated by the incredible success of the first Earth Day event on April 22, 1970 that brought together millions of Americans for the benefit of one cause. The increased polarization caused by the Vietnam War, however, took attention away temporarily from the environmental movement (Warren 280). The situation in Portland, Oregon is not only an example of the growing awareness regarding environmental devastation, but also brings to the forefront the reality of racism and the need for environmental justice. This issue raises more complicated concerns than simply the importance of clean drinking water and other aspects of the environmental movement. Instead, the question must be asked: Are minorities more likely to live in hazardous and toxic areas? The answer appears to be “yes” (Warren 315). North Portland’s environmental trials are a perfect example of what can happen over the course of years of neglect and ignorance. Since the increase of industrial and economical advancements in the early part of the twentieth century, residents have watched the neighboring slough grow overrun by toxins, pesticides and raw sewage. As one local described the area: “It’s nothing but a stagnant, stale, smelly stream” (Warren 300). Years of political posturing, meetings and numerous disagreements about how to solve the issue have overall done little to erase the problem. Beginning in the 1960’s as environmental issues became more mainstream, environmentalists and enlightened politicians have worked to improve the area’s conditions, but more work needs to be done to repair the incredible level of damage. An added aspect to the issue of environmental concerns is the existence of racism. For a variety of reasons, including cheaper housing, low-income minorities are more likely to live in dangerously toxic neighborhoods. As a particular area is deemed degraded and substandard, more degradation follows; while conscious racism may not play a role, discrimination is most definitely a factor in the perpetuation of racial adversity and toxic environmental conditions (Warren 301). Due to cultural, political and technological advancements, Americans are now more aware of the environmental impact of their choices and actions, but more work is needed. Economic issues addressing class and race, however, are just as inexplicably connected. Preservation and Use: The Great American Paradox As recent history shows, America stands out as a proponent of preserving natural lands and wonders. The paradox continues to be, however, the country’s continued wastefulness and general disregard for the maintenance of its natural resources. I believe this contradiction is a result of America’s consumer society and general selfishness; its citizens want to be able to enjoy the beauties of nature without giving up the benefits of its resources. I will examine the aspects of this paradox, as well as the historical perspective environmentalists must take as a way to better understand the motivations and ultimate repercussions for such actions. The Bulldozer in the Countryside addresses the issue of increased development and the ultimate impact upon the environment. A timeline of the devastation can be found in the work of photographer William Garnett, who in 1950 chronicled the development of Lakewood Park, California. While not its original intent, the photographs show the level of environmental destruction and became an example of unfettered growth (Rome 2). Due to the mass production of goods and materials and the post-War desire for advancement and home ownership, the level of development intensified; Garnett’s photos, however, worked as an important series of evidence that there were consequences for this intense use of the landscape. The response to this expansion is an illustration of America’s growing concern for the preservation of the environment. This shift in thinking can be seen in the changing view of production and consumption, the growing evolution of the environmental movement and the recognition that economic, social and political interests of the time worked as major sources of opposition (Rome 6). A variety of points highlight the author’s main arguments: the suburbs helped spread the word regarding environmental issues as part of the desire to maintain open space areas; the legacy of the earlier conservation movement laid the foundation for a more pro-active type of environmentalism; the role of scientific and technical professionals in spreading the word about the dangers of increased development; the importance of some like-minded federal agencies willing to address environmental issues; the growing influence of the property rights movement to push back against the increased need for regulation and limits on development; and the still-present mindset supporting consumerism while also accepting the importance of the environmental movement (Rome 7). These points pull together the unfortunate paradox of America’s environmental thinking and the reluctance to totally commit to long-term lifestyle changes. Further, the issues related to home ownership are examined due to the environmental stresses that occur as a result of excessive development. While local, state and federal governments may be reluctant to fold to environmental demands, homeowners need to make more noise regarding the construction of earth-friendly structures. The pull to support environmental reforms in many ways goes against America’s philosophy of freedom, the unlimited obtainment of goods and the right to live in relative comfort. Kennecott, Alaska is an example of the dangers of extracting natural resources without examining the serious repercussions that can occur as a result. This case study is also a good learning tool for historical environmentalists to use when trying to understand the relationship between human and natural ecosystems. As author William Cronin states: The special task of environmental historians is to tell stories that carry us back and forth across the boundary between people and nature to reveal just how culturally constructed that boundary is and how dependant upon natural systems it remains (Cronon 33). The human relationship with the environment can grow complicated as trade with other communities becomes more prevalent. As the connections with the outside world increases, the area experiences great ecological change that is not related to its immediate needs. For example, Russia’s purchase of furs from Alaska meant that Alaska was being affected by people with a different cultural make-up (Cronon 37); the implication of their purchases, therefore, were removed from their own immediate environment. Trade works as a way to connect an ecosystem’s resources with the human needs of another, more distant location. This fact makes it difficult to directly understand the environmental repercussions of a community’s trade habits and purchase choices on another ecosystem. As people migrate to new areas, there is an introduction of outside factors, such as plants, animals and the possibility for disease (Conan 41). The healthy connection between the environment and the economic and cultural beliefs of those inhabitants will depend upon the purpose of the migration. The development of Kennecott, Alaska is a perfect example of a community development plan inextricably tied to the extraction of copper and nothing else. The desire from outside entities to extract resources had little relationship to the overall effect upon and concern for the people or landscape of that copper-rich community. America has indeed experienced an environmental shift over the years, allowing for greater understanding of responsible growth and the need for preservation measures. Through cultural, political and economic changes, Americans are better able to see the consequences of their actions; the inability to give up or alter old consumer habits, however, display the level of selfishness still present. Americans want to be able to enjoy nature without making the tough decisions that will help guarantee its existence. By examining history and the dynamics of current environmental policies, the evolution to even greater understanding can be a reality. Works Cited Cronon, William et al, Editors. “Kennecott Journey: The Paths Out of Town.” Under and Open Sky. New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 1992. Print. Rome, Alan Ward. The Bulldozer in the Countryside. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Print. Warren, Louis. American Environmental History. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers Ltd., 2003. Print. Read More