Environmental History and Laws
1: What are the 4 stages of American Environmental History?
Because they had a small population, low resource use per person, Nomadic/Shifting land use.
3: Why do you think Jared Diamond coined the agricultural revolution as the “Greatest Mistake in Human History”?
It created more waste, demand and destruction of habitat destruction.
4: Contrast the good and bad of the Agriculture Revolution:
- Hunter-Gatherer Society (25,000- 12,00 ybp)
- Agricultural Revolution (C. 12,000 ybp)
- Industrial/Medical Revolution (1700's to 1900's)
- Information/Globalization Revolution (1980's onward)
Because they had a small population, low resource use per person, Nomadic/Shifting land use.
3: Why do you think Jared Diamond coined the agricultural revolution as the “Greatest Mistake in Human History”?
It created more waste, demand and destruction of habitat destruction.
4: Contrast the good and bad of the Agriculture Revolution:
5: What are the “Roots of abuse” in the American Frontier Era?
6: Look at the graphic of the North American Buffalo territory- what happened to the Buffaloover a short period of time?
Their population rapidly got smaller and smaller areas to find buffalo also got reduced to very small fractions of what used to be
7: List HOW the Industrial Revolution impacted the environment.
Shifted renewable wood to non-renewable fuel, switched from small scale production to large-scale manufacturing, factory towns and cities appeared, moved from rural to urban areas, mechanized agriculture increased food production.
- First colonies
- guns/axes/wheels
- Manifest Destiny
- Westward expansion
- "vast unlimited resources"
6: Look at the graphic of the North American Buffalo territory- what happened to the Buffaloover a short period of time?
Their population rapidly got smaller and smaller areas to find buffalo also got reduced to very small fractions of what used to be
7: List HOW the Industrial Revolution impacted the environment.
Shifted renewable wood to non-renewable fuel, switched from small scale production to large-scale manufacturing, factory towns and cities appeared, moved from rural to urban areas, mechanized agriculture increased food production.
9: List some events of the Early Conservation Era:
10: Explain how each of the following “Early Environmentalists” impacted the environmental movement:
11: What was the 1st federal land restoration project?
Tennesee Valley Authority
12: What were the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) responsible for? planting trees, erosion control, nature trails, etc.
Planting trees, erosion control, nature trails, etc.
13: Why was the “Taylor Grazing Act” important to the environment? Explain.
The taylor grazing act regulated the grazing of public land. This prevented exposure of top soil which would get blown away
14: Why was WWII the end of the Conservation Era?
After WWII technology began to advance, it sped up the rate of consumption of natural resources.
15: When did the environmental era start? Who was responsible for “starting” the movement? How?
The environmental era started since 1960. Rachel Carson was responsible for starting the movement with her book Silent Spring.
16: Who was Aldo Leopold?
An environmental philosopher who believed humans are part of a community that includes natural resources
17: When was the 1st official “Earth Day”?
January 1st, 1970
18: What were some key legislation in the 60‘s, 70’s and 80’s?
19: What is the EPA? What are they responsible for?
The EPA are the environmental protection Agency. They are responsible for studying and improving environmental quality
20: Who are the NRCS? What are they responsible for? What about CITES?
Natural Resources Conservation Service was responsible for monitoring private land use and also educates and advises. The CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, which is an agreement to punish people who trade endangered organisms or their body parts.
21: List the following:
* Montreal Protocol: (1987) An international agreement to phase out use of ozone-depleting chemicals
* IPCC: (1998) Thousands of scientists monitor, share and publish reports on atmospheric change
* Kyoto Protocol: (1997) An international agreement to reduce greenhouse gases by 5% by 2012
22: List some of the important U.S. Environmental Laws below:
- 1832-1870: Growing public alarm at loss of forests, resources and "wilderness". Beginnings of federal control
- 1870-1930: New government and non government groups formed to protect natural resources. John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot. "Golden age of Conservation"
- 1930-1960: Great Depression, Dust Bowl, World wars. Growing sense of environmental responsibility and connection. Large tracts of land purchased and managed by govt.
10: Explain how each of the following “Early Environmentalists” impacted the environmental movement:
- Henry David Thoreau: Massachusetts wildlife
- George Perkins Marsh: Warned about collapse of civilization in "Man of Nature" (1864)
- John Wesley Powell: First advocate to regulate land use.
- President Grant: Yellowstone National Park (1872)
- President Harrison: Passed law stating the President can set aside lands for national parks and national forests.
- John Muir: Founded Sierra Club 1892
- Gifford Pinchot: 1st Chief U.S Forester
- Theodore Roosevelt: Created 40+ wildlife refuges, tripled forest reserves
- Stephen Mather: 1st Head of Park Service
11: What was the 1st federal land restoration project?
Tennesee Valley Authority
12: What were the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) responsible for? planting trees, erosion control, nature trails, etc.
Planting trees, erosion control, nature trails, etc.
13: Why was the “Taylor Grazing Act” important to the environment? Explain.
The taylor grazing act regulated the grazing of public land. This prevented exposure of top soil which would get blown away
14: Why was WWII the end of the Conservation Era?
After WWII technology began to advance, it sped up the rate of consumption of natural resources.
15: When did the environmental era start? Who was responsible for “starting” the movement? How?
The environmental era started since 1960. Rachel Carson was responsible for starting the movement with her book Silent Spring.
16: Who was Aldo Leopold?
An environmental philosopher who believed humans are part of a community that includes natural resources
17: When was the 1st official “Earth Day”?
January 1st, 1970
18: What were some key legislation in the 60‘s, 70’s and 80’s?
- Wilderness Act: 1964
- Wild and Scenic Rivers Act: 1968
- National Environmental Policy Act: 1969
- The Clean Air Act: 1972
- The Clean Water Act: 1972
- Pesticide Control Act:1972
- Endangered Species Act: 1973
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act: 1976
- Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act: 1977
- Alaska Land Bills: 1980
- Superfund: 1980
19: What is the EPA? What are they responsible for?
The EPA are the environmental protection Agency. They are responsible for studying and improving environmental quality
20: Who are the NRCS? What are they responsible for? What about CITES?
Natural Resources Conservation Service was responsible for monitoring private land use and also educates and advises. The CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, which is an agreement to punish people who trade endangered organisms or their body parts.
21: List the following:
* Montreal Protocol: (1987) An international agreement to phase out use of ozone-depleting chemicals
* IPCC: (1998) Thousands of scientists monitor, share and publish reports on atmospheric change
* Kyoto Protocol: (1997) An international agreement to reduce greenhouse gases by 5% by 2012
22: List some of the important U.S. Environmental Laws below:
- Marine Protection Act– 1972 law to regulate the disposal of municipal, solid or hazardous waste at sea or into the sea
- Food Quality Protection Act– 1996 law that enforces safe pesticide levels in food
- Surface Mining Control And Reclamation Act– 1979 law regulating coal mining, and enforces reclamation of altered land
- TSCA– Toxic Substances Control Act– 1976 law that inventories all chemicals in use in the US
- Energy Policy Act– 2005 law providing big tax incentives for research and use of alternative energies