Environmental History: An Overview G. Tyler Miller’s Living in the Environment MATES Chapter 2 SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Four Major “Revolutions” in Human Culture Key Concepts Four Major “Revolutions” in Human Culture U.S. Environmental History Tribal and Frontier Era Early Conservation Era The Environmental Era Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Cultural Changes and the Environment: Hunter-Gatherer Culture Hunter-gatherers LEAVERS VS. TAKERS Homo sapiens 60,000 years- 12,000 years ago Nomadic: seasonal movement Limited and local environmental impact Less than 50 people Generally work with natural processes SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Environmental History of U.S. 1600 1700 1800 1900 Dominated by the frontier attitude Early Settlers Conquer the wilderness for human use. Resources are inexhaustable SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Cultural Changes and the Environment: The Agricultural Revolution Agriculture 10,000-12,000 years ago NE Africa SE Asia Slash and burn/ shifting cultivation (See Fig. 2-2 p. 23) Sustainable left a plot alone for 30 years Essentially sustainable resource use Started to Increased environmental impact SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Environmental History of U.S. 1750 1800 1900 John James Audubon Henry David Thoreau George Perkins Marsh Some conservationists were influential in raising environmental concerns later in this period. SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Henry David Thoreau Massachusetts Wrote Life in the Woods Alarmed at the loss of wildlife in his home state SPRAGUE ENV MATES

George marsh Man and Nature Scientific case studies to show past misuse of resources led to the rise and fall of civilizations. SPRAGUE ENV MATES

John James Audobon Hunter and painter Catologed numerous birds SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Cultural Changes and the Environment: The Industrial Revolution Industrial Revolution (mid-1700’s) Started in England shifted to US Shift to dependence on non-renewable resources Wood to Fossil Fuels Dramatic increase in environmental impact Lung Ailments, Sun Blocked out, SMOG!!! Even changed Evolution Industrial Melanism SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Environmental History of U.S. Yosemite and Sequoia National ParksLincoln 1864 1850 1st National Park: Yellowstone Ulysses Grant 1872 1900 1950 General Revision Act Several presidents, particularly Theodore Roosevelt, used this Act to establish 43 million acres of forest reserves. SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Information Revolution Cultural Changes and the Environment: The Information Revolution/Globalization Information Revolution Rate of information increase and speed of communication Globalization Decrease in cultural diversity SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Environmental History of U.S. 1850 1900 1950 Different worldviews Theodore Roosevelt - utilitarian John Muir - preservationist SPRAGUE ENV MATES

John Muir Founded Sierra Club Preservationist Movement Called for the protection of public lands from exploitation SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Theodore Roosevelt 26th President The Golden Age of Conservation Created wildlife reserves 1905 US Forest Service Established 1916 National Park Service SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Tribal Era: Native Americans “Leavers” Environmental History of the United States: The Tribal and Frontier Eras Tribal Era: Native Americans “Leavers” Native Americans generally low-impact hunter-gather or agricultural societies Frontier Environmental Worldview: European Settlement (1607-1890) Significant impact as wilderness frontier was “tamed” SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Environmental History of the United States: The Early Conservation Era Period: 1832-1960 Concern over resource use Preservation of public lands Public health initiatives Environmental restoration projects SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Environmental History of U.S. Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac published posthumously Franklin Roosevelt establishes CCC 1900 1950 2000 SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Dirty Thirties SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Dust Bowl 1930-1936 Franklin Roosevelt Crop Rotation NRCS CCC planted 200 million trees Changed the face of the Area forever. Many left Never to return. SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Great Depression Hoover wanted to sell all public lands to developers “depression lack of funds” Franklin D. Roosevelt: Persuaded Congress to create jobs and restore the degraded environment Civilian Conservation Corps; Plant trees care for parks 2 million employed SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Environmental History of U.S. Wilderness Act of 1964 government to protect undeveloped tracts of land 1900 Paul Ehrlich published The Population Bomb 1950 First Earth Day 4/20/70 Sen. Gaylord Nelson 20 mill took to the streets 2000 SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Environmental History of the United States: The Environmental Era Period: 1960-2000 The environmental movement “Silent Spring” The science of ecology Spaceship Earth worldview 1969 Apollo 1980’s Anti Environment 1990’s: environmental awareness SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Environmental History of U.S. SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Environmental History of U.S. 1900 1950 Rachel Carson published Silent Spring 2000 SPRAGUE ENV MATES

Important Figures During The Environmental Era – Part 1 Rachel Carson: Silent Spring (1962) (See Individuals Matter on p. 33) Richard Nixon: EPA 1970; CWA 1972 ESA 1973 Jimmy Carter: DOE lower dependence on foreign oil, Superfund SPRAGUE ENV MATES