Term Paper on "Environmentalism Group"

Term Paper 6 pages (1799 words) Sources: 7 Style: MLA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Environmentalism Group

Environmentalism is defined as a movement that was begun to protect the quality of life, through the development of conservation of natural resources, prevention of pollution and control of land use. Historically the movement began in the U.S. with the works of Thomas Jefferson, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Jefferson, attempted to include legislation in the framing of the constitution that encompassed some environmentalist ideals while Emerson and Thoreau, through literature attempted to demonstrate transcendentalist ideals which included many ideals of environmentalism, such as the interconnectedness of nature and the need for change of common social thought of the era with regard to conservation and land use.

Davies 229) the first environmentalist publication is often identified as Man & Nature published in 1864 and written by George Perkins Marsh. In this work it is often said that Marsh predicted many of modern ecological concerns.

Organized environmentalism was begun with the inception of the conservationist movement at the close of the 19th century. The conservationist movement, among other things attempted to demand the setting aside of land for public uses and established national parks an forests as well as wildlife refuges and national monuments that attempted to preserve natural features. The most influential of conservationists, who remain a standard of voice and application include President Theodore Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, and John Muir, the founder of the Sierra Club.

Houston et al.) These and many other names of early conservationists as they were known can be seen throughout the early literature and their words are frequently utilized today to confront resistance and persuade the public of the need for conservation and lifestyle change with regard to environmental issues. An excellent source dealing with the individuals who took part in this movement, accompanied by many of their significant deeds in favor of conservationism can be seen in C. Stuart Houston's 1997 work, Biographical Dictionary of American and Canadian Naturalists and Environmentalists Coeditors, Keir B. Sterling, Richard P. Harmond, George a. Cevasco, and Lorne F. Hammond. There are many conservationist organizations that began during this period that are still active today including, the aforementioned Sierra Club as well as the National Parks and Conservation Association, the Audubon Society, the Izaak Walton League.

After the close of WWII the effects of wilderness encroachment created an invigorated movement that effectively deterred the development of several public works that could have had extreme impacts upon the environment, one of these works that was effectively blocked was the Bridge Canyon Dam, which if it had been completed would have backed up the Colorado River and let the waters flow into the Grand Canyon National Park. This era of conservationist was active throughout the 1950s and 60s and was successful in lobbying the federal government and other smaller municipalities in stopping public works with unknown and assumed environmental risk.

Strong 210-212)

The modern face of environmentalism was probably most profoundly effected by evidence and anecdotal observations of pollution such as that described by Rachel Carson in Silent Spring (1962) in which Carson described the potential connections between the use of pesticides, herbicides and the prolific nature of pollution and human disease as well as environmental depletion.

Frumkin 290) This work marked the beginning of the modern environmentalist movement as the group began to self-identify as environmentalists and expand their scope of understanding about the restricted manner in which environmental issues had only been partly addressed as concerns, and that the scope of environmental protection went much further than establishing parks and wilderness space as untouchable. The group began to see many more concerns, such as the prevalence and lack of control of chemical use, pollution, (water, ground and air) as well as no sustainable energy use practices.

Concern about air pollution, water pollution, solid waste disposal, dwindling energy resources, radiation, pesticide poisoning, noise pollution, and other environmental problems engaged a broadening number of sympathizers and gave rise to what became known as the "new environmentalism." Public support for these issues culminated in the Earth Day demonstrations of 1970.The new movement had a broader goal-to preserve life on the planet. ("Environmentalism")

Additionally, during this time, more radical reflections of the movement began to emerge in popular culture

The more radical groups believe that continued industrial development is incompatible with environmentalism. Other groups, notably Greenpeace, which advocated direct action to preserve endangered species, often clashed violently with opponents. Less militant organizations called for sustainable development and the need to balance environmentalism with economic development. ("Environmentalism")

The need to balance environmentalism with economic development is likely at the heart off nearly all conflict related to the environmental identification as will be expounded upon in the next section.

Current Issues:

The most recent movement in environmentalism is the controversy regarding climate change, formerly known as global warming, which some contend to be a natural planetary fluctuation, so historical that we do not have a recorded history of its occurrences and others argue is a direct response by the earth to human habitation and human caused environmental change.

Baird 14) Another modern issue involved in environmentalism is individual responsibility to be aware of and reduce the impact one has on the environment through actively seeking better "greener" options for consumerism and even waste disposal.

Smith 117) to some environmentalism is even viewed as one of the newest, most modern forms of secular religion, likely similar to how naturalists and their observers thought in the 18th and 19th century.

Crichton 22)

Various political and social organizations as well as countless pieces of legislation have been a result of increased environmental awareness, among individuals and action groups with many varied directives, from saving specific species from extinction to preserving entire ecosystems across the globe.

The environmental movement generated extensive legislation, notably the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), signed into law in 1970, which established an Environmental Protection Agency and a Council on Environmental Quality; the Clean Air Acts of 1970 and 1990; the Water Pollution Control Act, as amended in 1972; other laws regulating noise, pesticides, toxic substances, and ocean dumping; and laws to protect endangered species, wilderness, and wild and scenic rivers. NEPA requires all federal agencies to file impact statements assessing the environmental consequences of proposed projects such as highways, jet runways, bridges, dams, and nuclear power plants. Moreover, the new laws provide for pollution research, standard setting, monitoring, and enforcement. Citizens are empowered to sue both private industry and government agencies for violating antipollution standards. Subsequent legislation includes the Safe Drinking Water Act (1974), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1976), and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly known as the Superfund Act (1980). In the 1980s under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush many acts were allowed to expire and the scope of environmental protection was curtailed. ("Environmentalism")

As has been said previously to identify one's self as an environmentalist, it is not required that one belong to or be an activist for any particular environmental concern, though there are literally thousands of environmental organizations that rally around issues and attempt to change the face of human nature interaction, to better serve the environment.

Though a great deal of the stigma has been removed from self-identifying as an environmentalist, there are still many, and especially those in industry who oppose the actions an opinions of environmentalists. The reason for this issue is that some disagree with environmentalists who wish to conserve the environment at the risk of stopping human economic progress, something that derives massive social conflict.

The Future:

The future of environmentalism will likely take the avenue it has in the past, a movement that will become increasingly important as more people become aware, through education of the impact of environmental degradation and encroachment created by humans. Like any other social/political movement it will ebb and flow in and out of strict rules back to relaxed rules that allow greater economic growth. Environmentalism will also like become even more of a religion, as more and more people begin to recognize the need to act without thought in a certain manner that protects the environment.

Individual and Group Dynamics:

Members of both radical and moderate environmentalist groups self-identify as environmentalists and often meet collectively, such as at earth day summits to discuss issues, concerns and possible actions that can be done to resolve certain issues of environmental concern. The most modern movement, i.e. environmentalist's today, even those who do not belong to a particular identified environmental group can simply choose to recycle, walk more and drive less and do what the movement calls reduce their "carbon footprint" on the environment and still self-identify as environmentalists. Those who appose the movement often seek to limit the scope of the environmental movement to the few radicals such as members of the Earth Liberation Front, who are basically actively breaking laws and violently destroying property to make statements about human environmental exploitation. ("Environmentalism") Just as there is only a very small vocal minority in many conservative circles,… READ MORE

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