Transcript History of Environmental Science

History of Environmental
Science
History of Environmental
Science
Three “revolutions” are significant in the
development of environmental science
1. Agricultural Revolution
2. Industrial-Medical Revolution
3. Information-Globalization Revolution
History of Environmental Science:
Agricultural Revolution
Gradual move from nomadic lifestyle of huntergatherers to the farming of domesticated
animals and plants
Started about 10,000 years ago
Led to human population growth
Can you explain why???
History of Environmental Science:
ancient civilizations
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Ancient Rome – limited
awareness of (or
commitment to)
environmental dangers
and threats
Example: lead poisoning
among upper class
resulted from lead-based
food containers
Example: unregulated
deforestation and soil
erosion may have
contributed to the
civilization’s downfall
History of Environmental Science
ancient civilizations
Ancient Greeks – some awareness
 Example: Greeks deforested much of
Greece but also solar power when wood
became scarce
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History of Environmental Science
ancient civilizations
Ancient China, India, Peru – awareness of
many environmental issues
 Example: used soil conservation methods
to protect against erosion
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History of Environmental Science:
In U.S., Tribal era
From about 10,000
years ago to era of
European exploration
 hunter/gatherers,
some farming
 Small environmental
impact due to small
population size and
lifestyle
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History of Environmental Science:
1200-mid1700s
Middle Ages to Renaissance – beginning of
awareness of public health issues but sanitation
and regulation of use of resources very limited
 Example: plague devastated Europe but led to
beginning of public health systems
 Deforestation of much of Europe occurred
during this time – led to use of coal
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Frontier Era in the U.S.
1607-1890
 Expansion of European influence across
North America
 Clearing land, increasing use of resources,
land granted by government
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History of Environmental Science:
mid1700s - mid1800s
Beginning of Industrial-Medical Revolution
Age of Enlightenment (approx. 1650-1800)– science
progresses; thus, society’s awareness of environmental
issues increased but new technologies led to pollution
and other problems
 Example: Ben Franklin fought against water pollution in
Philadelphia
 Example: Industry pollutes air
and water through use of coal,
other fossil fuels (London was
notorious for dirty air)
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History of Environmental Science:
mid1700s - mid1800s
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Thomas Malthus (1766-1834) – British scholar, published
essays on economics, human population growth
Believed that human populations would eventually be
kept in check by famine, disease because populations
grow exponentially, but food supply does not
In contrast to popular view that human populations were
moving toward perfection and a Utopian society
Dr. John Snow (1854) – first to recognize
a pattern in an epidemic and link it to the
environment – contaminated water from
one pump led to spread of cholera
 Germ theory developed in 1861
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History of Environmental Science:
Early Conservation Era in U.S. 1832-1960
Yellowstone established as the first US National Park
(1872)
Concern about the environment in the US was voiced in the
mid 1800s by people such as Henry David Thoreau
“Alas! how little does the memory
of these human inhabitants enhance
the beauty of the landscape!”
Henry David Thoreau
History of Environmental Science
1880-1920
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Progressive Era – reform in U.S. was happening in many
fields, thus improving conditions for humans (slums,
prisons, etc.) and the environment
Upton Sinclair wrote The Jungle
Teddy Roosevelt – conservationist, as president had a
huge impact in setting aside natural areas
Teedy Roosevelt and John
Muir, Yosemite, 1903
History of Environmental Science
1880-1920
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However, much of the preservation system was based
upon utilitarian conservation-the preserving of resources
so they can provide homes and jobs for people.
John Muir was a geologist, author and
founder of the Sierra Club. Muir argued
that nature deserved to exist for its own
sake, regardless of its usefulness to us.
His view was called altruistic preservation-emphasizing
the fundamental right of other organisms to exist and to
pursue their own interests.
th
20
Century: A Century of
Growth
The inventions of the twentieth century had a remarkable
effect on daily life. They also had a devastating effect on
the environment. Human population grew tremendously.
History of Environmental Science:
1920-1940
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Growing awareness of the effects of man-made threats to health
and the environment, yet society continues to develop, use products
and methods that are dangerous
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Examples:
– Use of poisonous lead in gasoline
– Use of carcinogenic radium to make glow-in-the-dark clock faces
- Women painting clocks with radium would sometimes put the brush in their
mouth to fix the brush into a point. Many women developed cancer
Dr. Alice Hamilton – fought against
the use of leaded gasoline; fought
for the “Radium Girls” who filed a
lawsuit
History of Environmental
Science:1940-1960
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Increasing scientific knowledge
produces some things with
negative environmental impact:
nuclear weapons, DDT and other
pesticides, synthetic materials
such as plastics that are not
biodegradable
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Aldo Leopold –
– wrote Sand County Almanac,
published in 1948, shortly after his
death
– Wrote about the ethical
responsibility humans have to take
care of the earth – the “land ethic”
Information-Globalization
Revolution
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Starting in 1950 but especially from 1970
Development of technology to gain access to more
information on a global scale
Computers, internet, phones, remote-sensing satellites
Effects are personal, cultural, environmental – what does
this mean?
History of Environmental Science:
Environmental Era 1960s-present
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Awakening of U.S. public to
many environmental issues
Publication of Silent Spring
(1962) by Rachel Carson helps
propel the modern
environmental movement,
raised awareness of dangers of
pesticides and other chemicals
Garrett Hardin (ecologist) –
wrote essay “Tragedy of the
Commons” in 1969
History of Environmental Science:
Environmental Era 1960s-present
Paul Ehrlich – ecologist, 1970s, I=PAT,
wrote Population Bomb, which made dire
predictions about the effects of
overpopulation
History of Environmental Science:
1960s-1980s
Certain crises cause people to “think twice”, including
– nuclear accidents (Three Mile Island 1979, Chernobyl 1986)
– an extended nationwide energy shortage (1970s)
– Exxon Valdez oil spill (1989)
Increased regulation of air and water pollution
– 1970s: The Environmental Decade – passage of Clean Air Act,
Clean Water Act (Public service commerical
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4ozVMxzNAA)
History of Environmental Science:
1960s-1980s
More environmental activism
(e.g.,Greenpeace)
 Earth Day (April 22) was started in 1970
 Lois Gibbs – mom who fought for
community of Love Canal that was built on
a toxic waste dump (1978)
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History of Environmental Science:
1990s-present
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Environmentalism grows in the U.S. but many recognize
the economic cost of being “green”; political factions
debate issues worldwide
Global warming is supported by scientific evidence (IPCC
reports, 2007 Nobel Peace Prize to IPCC and Al Gore),
but is still hotly debated
Developing countries
have less money to protect
the environment and still face
issues such as leaded gasoline
The Future - ???
Green consumers
 Energy efficiency (e.g., CAFE standards)
 New technology (e.g., “clean coal”)
 International cooperation
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Growing population
 Poverty
 Increasing standard of living
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