Environmentalism: Ideology & Environmentalism: Ideology & Collective Action Collective Action

Components of Environmentalism: Components of Environmentalism: 1. Environmental problems recognized, 1. Environmental problems recognized,

described and defineddescribed and defined 2. Problems situated within an ideology 2. Problems situated within an ideology 3. Actions taken to change the way 3. Actions taken to change the way

humans interact with the environment humans interact with the environment

Manifest Destiny Manifest Destiny

Nature has no intrinsic valueNature has no intrinsic value Nature is unproductive and valueless Nature is unproductive and valueless

without human labor to convert it into without human labor to convert it into commodities that increase human welfare commodities that increase human welfare

Natural resources are abundant and Natural resources are abundant and humans have the right to use them to humans have the right to use them to meet their needs meet their needs

The Idea of Wilderness and Origins The Idea of Wilderness and Origins of Ecosystem/Forest Management in of Ecosystem/Forest Management in

the USthe US

1854- 1854- Walden or Walden or Life in the WoodsLife in the Woods

1864- The Maine 1864- The Maine WoodsWoods

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die,

discover that I had not lived."discover that I had not lived."

““In Wilderness is the Preservation of the In Wilderness is the Preservation of the World”World”

Changes in the Late 1800s…Changes in the Late 1800s…

Western frontier closes Western frontier closes Deforestation, flooding and fires Deforestation, flooding and fires Wilderness disappearing Wilderness disappearing John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt and

Gifford Pinchot Gifford Pinchot Conservationism, was rooted in the upper Conservationism, was rooted in the upper

and upper middle classes. Concerned and upper middle classes. Concerned about outdoor recreation, shrinkage of about outdoor recreation, shrinkage of public lands, and destruction of forests. public lands, and destruction of forests.

Formation of the National Forests Formation of the National Forests

1880s –destructive logging across the Great Lake states 1880s –destructive logging across the Great Lake states created calls for forest protection.created calls for forest protection.

Movement in the 1880s for a federal forest protection Movement in the 1880s for a federal forest protection policy to guard watersheds of major rivers and reserve a policy to guard watersheds of major rivers and reserve a portion of federal timberlands from commercial logging. portion of federal timberlands from commercial logging.

President Benjamin Harrison, from 1891-1893, President Benjamin Harrison, from 1891-1893, established 14 million acres of forest reserves (only 1.5 established 14 million acres of forest reserves (only 1.5 percent of billion acres then in federal ownershippercent of billion acres then in federal ownership

When I came home [from France] not a single acre of Government, state, or private timberland was under systematic forest management anywhere on the most richly timbered of all continents....When the Gay Nineties began, the common word for our forests was "inexhaustible." To waste timber was a virtue and not a crime. There would always by plenty of timber....The lumbermen...regarded forest devastation as normal and second growth as a delusion of fools....And as for sustained yield, no such idea had ever entered their heads

Gifford Pinchot, First Chief of the US Forest Service, 1905-1910

First professionally trained US forester

• Pinchot invented the term “conservation”. “Conservation means the greatest good to the greatest number for the longest time” 1910

• Advocated “preservation through use”.

•Opposed establishment of National Park Service

•Proposed to open up Adirondack State Park in New York to logging.

Theodore Roosevelt and ConservationTheodore Roosevelt and Conservation

““Forest Protection is not an Forest Protection is not an end of itself; it is a means to end of itself; it is a means to increase and sustain the increase and sustain the resources of our country and resources of our country and the industries which depend the industries which depend upon them. The preservation upon them. The preservation of our forests is an imperative of our forests is an imperative business necessity…business necessity…Whatever destroys the forest Whatever destroys the forest destroys our well-being…..the destroys our well-being…..the fundamental idea of forestry fundamental idea of forestry is the perpetuation of forests is the perpetuation of forests by use”. First State of the by use”. First State of the Union AddressUnion Address

Pinchot grows in influencePinchot grows in influence

1907-forest reserves officially 1907-forest reserves officially renamed “national forests”renamed “national forests”

1907-Roosevelt created 16 million 1907-Roosevelt created 16 million acres of national forests just before acres of national forests just before authority to do so taken away by authority to do so taken away by Congress (Western interests) Congress (Western interests) “midnight reserves”“midnight reserves”

Pinchot given title “Chief Forester Pinchot given title “Chief Forester of the United States Forest Serviceof the United States Forest Service

John Muir (1838-1914)John Muir (1838-1914)

John Muir : Nature MysticJohn Muir : Nature Mystic ““Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.

Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” like autumn leaves.”

-- -- Our National ParksOur National Parks , 1901, page 56. , 1901, page 56.

““When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe.” hitched to everything else in the Universe.”

-- -- My First Summer in the Sierra My First Summer in the Sierra , 1911, page 110, 1911, page 110

Benton MacKayeBenton MacKayeFounder of the Appalachian TrailFounder of the Appalachian Trail

If these people were on If these people were on the skyline, and kept the skyline, and kept their eyes open, they their eyes open, they would see the things would see the things that the giant could that the giant could see."see."

- Benton MacKaye, 1921- Benton MacKaye, 1921

1930s a second wave, the Dust Bowl, soil conservation programs

FDR: Conservation and the New FDR: Conservation and the New Deal Deal

In response to the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created many programs designed to put America back to work. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), one of the first emergency agencies, was established in early 1933.

The CCC's mission was two-fold: to reduce unemployment, especially among young men; and to preserve the nation's natural resources.

Many CCC projects centered around forestry, flood control, prevention of soil erosion, and fighting forest fires.

Aldo Leopold (1887-1948)Aldo Leopold (1887-1948)

1906  Begins coursework at Yale Forest School (Master of Forestry, 1909). 1939  Becomes chairman of a new Department of Wildlife Management at the University of Wisconsin.

1947  In December, submits revised book manuscript titled "Great Possessions" to Oxford university Press which notifies him of acceptance on April 14, 1948.

1949  "Great Possessions" final editing overseen by Luna B. Leopold and published as A Sand County Almanac.

The Land Ethic and Aldo LeopoldThe Land Ethic and Aldo Leopold

“A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community.It is wrong when it does otherwise.”

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect."

Leopold's land ethic rests on the premise that all elements of the biotic community are interdependent.

Leopold first came to this realization during a hunting trip in the Southwest where his party killed a female wolf. He reached the animal in time to see "a fierce green fire" dying in her eyes. "I realized then, and have known ever since that there was something new to me in those eyes--something known only to her and to the mountain."

Rachel Carson (1907-1964)Rachel Carson (1907-1964)

• Carson graduated from Pennsylvania College for Women (now Chatham College) received her MA in zoology from Johns Hopkins University in 1932.

•She began a fifteen-year career in the federal service as a scientist and editor in 1936 and rose to become Editor-in-Chief of all publications for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

•

Silent SpringSilent Spring

In 1952 she published her prize-winning study of the ocean, The Sea Around Us,

In Silent Spring (1962) she challenged the practices of agricultural scientists and the government, and called for a change in the way humankind viewed the natural world.

Established relationship between DDT and fragile bald eagle egg shells.

The Sky is Falling: More The Sky is Falling: More Contemporary Environmentalism Contemporary Environmentalism

"Silent Spring" is published"Silent Spring" is published19621962

"Over increasingly large areas of the United States "Over increasingly large areas of the United States spring now comes unheralded by the return of birds, and spring now comes unheralded by the return of birds, and the early mornings are strangely silent where once they the early mornings are strangely silent where once they were filled with the beauty of bird song."were filled with the beauty of bird song."(from (from Silent SpringSilent Spring))

Rachel Carson received a letter from a friend in Rachel Carson received a letter from a friend in Massachusetts in the summer of 1957. Her friend wrote Massachusetts in the summer of 1957. Her friend wrote that an airplane hired by the state had flown back and that an airplane hired by the state had flown back and forth over her two acres of woods, spraying DDT to forth over her two acres of woods, spraying DDT to control mosquitos. The next day, there were dead control mosquitos. The next day, there were dead songbirds in her yard. songbirds in her yard.

Silent SpringSilent Spring

Her book is often cited as the kick-off of Her book is often cited as the kick-off of the modern environmental movement. the modern environmental movement.

In 1969, Congress passed the National In 1969, Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Cancer Institute announced its findings Cancer Institute announced its findings that DDT could produce cancer. In 1972, a that DDT could produce cancer. In 1972, a federal ban was placed on the pesticide. federal ban was placed on the pesticide.

1950s-1970s-conservationism 1950s-1970s-conservationism became environmentalismbecame environmentalism

Between the 1950s-1970s-Between the 1950s-1970s-conservationism became conservationism became environmentalismenvironmentalism

1962-Rachel Carson-The Silent Spring1962-Rachel Carson-The Silent Spring 1968-Paul Ehrlich The Population Bomb1968-Paul Ehrlich The Population Bomb Barry Commoner-more politically radical-Barry Commoner-more politically radical-

modern technology and the power of modern technology and the power of corporations were the villians-1972 The corporations were the villians-1972 The Closing CircleClosing Circle

Environmental events-major oil spill along the coast of California in 1969, the bursting into flames of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Lake Erie declared a dying sinkhole

What stimulated What stimulated this 1960s transformation this 1960s transformation

1) the activist culture of 1) the activist culture of the period the period

2) greater scientific 2) greater scientific knowledge of knowledge of environmental problems environmental problems

3) a rapid increase in 3) a rapid increase in outdoor recreation outdoor recreation

4) post World War II 4) post World War II economic expansion…economic expansion…

Earth Day 1970 Earth Day 1970

Gave Rise to Environmental Gave Rise to Environmental OrganizationsOrganizations

Four different kinds of environmental Four different kinds of environmental organizations; the expression of civil societyorganizations; the expression of civil society

1. National Organization and the Washington 1. National Organization and the Washington Lobby. They may have different specialties-Lobby. They may have different specialties-some do environmental lobbying, some do some do environmental lobbying, some do scientific research and education, some do scientific research and education, some do litigation, law suits, some purchase land to set litigation, law suits, some purchase land to set aside. Example: NC. aside. Example: NC.

2.2. Grassroots Environmental Organizations-Grassroots Environmental Organizations-triggered by toxic waste dumps, radioactive triggered by toxic waste dumps, radioactive wastes, nuclear plants, and proposals to build wastes, nuclear plants, and proposals to build garbage incinerators.garbage incinerators.

Issues of environmental health.Issues of environmental health. Love Canal and the emergence of a housewife, Love Canal and the emergence of a housewife,

Lois Gibbs, who won her spurs by holding some Lois Gibbs, who won her spurs by holding some EPA officials hostage, resulting in the declaring EPA officials hostage, resulting in the declaring of a federal disaster area two days later. of a federal disaster area two days later.

She founded in 1981 the Citizen’s She founded in 1981 the Citizen’s Clearinghouse for Hazardous Wastes. (NIMBY Clearinghouse for Hazardous Wastes. (NIMBY to NIABYto NIABY

Environmental Justice Environmental Justice

"Environmental racism refers to any policy, "Environmental racism refers to any policy, practice or directive that differentially practice or directive that differentially affects or disadvantages (whether affects or disadvantages (whether intended or unintended) individuals, intended or unintended) individuals, groups or communities based on race or groups or communities based on race or color."color."~ Dr. Robert Bullard, ~ Dr. Robert Bullard, Environmental Justice Resource CenterEnvironmental Justice Resource Center, , Clark Atlanta UniversityClark Atlanta University

Radical Environmentalism-Deep Ecology. Radical Environmentalism-Deep Ecology. Ecological equality-the right of every species to Ecological equality-the right of every species to survive because of its intrinsic value, not survive because of its intrinsic value, not because of it usefullness to man. Just one of because of it usefullness to man. Just one of many species, and we should act according, many species, and we should act according, be self effacingbe self effacing

Earth First! The Gaia Hypothesis-the notion Earth First! The Gaia Hypothesis-the notion that earth is a single, living organism. Direct that earth is a single, living organism. Direct Action Organizations: Action Organizations:

Anti-environmentalist movements-wise use Anti-environmentalist movements-wise use movementsmovements

Deep Ecology and Direct Action Deep Ecology and Direct Action

Ecotheology Ecotheology

Real Change? Real Change?

Legislation, politics Legislation, politics Attitudes, beliefs vs. actions. Attitudes, beliefs vs. actions. Much still needs to be done Much still needs to be done

Pop AssignmentPop Assignment

Go to one of the three following websites and Go to one of the three following websites and write one single-spaced page describing one or write one single-spaced page describing one or more of the activities of that environmental more of the activities of that environmental organization.organization.

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)-Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)-www.nrdc.org/www.nrdc.org/

Sierra Club-www.sierraclub.org/Sierra Club-www.sierraclub.org/

Conservation International-www.conservation.orgConservation International-www.conservation.org