Activity 4.1 - US Environmental History and Major Regulations

 Early colonists of the United States had access to vast resources. They were not concerned with conservation or sustainability as we define it today. The land seemed endless and plentiful. However, there were a few warnings, including that of Jared Eliot  in the mid 18th century (Theis & Tomkin 2018), advocating for the need of better farming practices. These warnings did not have a lasting impact and environmentalism did not come into relevancy again until the following century. There were three main groups at this time including the transcendental movement, organized industrial interests, and resource efficiency (Theis & Tomkin 2018). 

The transcendental movement is a philosophical perspective of nature. Society at the time was urbanizing, becoming rigidly organized, and literacy in the general population was increasing. As a result, people began discussing the deep connection humans have to nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson believed in a connection to the "Universal Being" through connection with nature (Theis & Tomkin 2018). At this time, American landscape artists became popular. In these paintings, humans were often depicted off-center to emphasize nature as the main subject of the painting. Transcendentalism began with an appreciation for nature but soon became a holistic point of view concerning issues ranging from racism to gender equity. Though the formal movement fell in the late 19th century, this holistic outlook has carried itself into the modern sustainability model through ideas such as consumer behavior, labor relations, and environmental justice (Theis & Tomkin 2018).

While land was being set aside to be preserved, some of the public wanted parks to be designated within land preserves to allow for educational and recreational use. Around this time, the Union Pacific Railroad was finishing construction and the company lobbied to create parks along the routes. This lead to the designation of Yosemite and many others as a national parks (Theis & Tomkin 2018). These are examples of industry overlapping with environmentalism and manifesting into real legislation. 

Those concerned with resource efficiency saw the negative impacts of the agricultural practices at the time. Soil erosion and infertility, decreasing crop yields, and natural barriers all sparked concern associated with farming practices (Theis & Tomkin 2018). These concerns branched out to encompass forest management, timbering, and mining practices, amongst other things. Eventually, concerns for disease and chemical exposure in workers became apparent. 

By the 20th century, the United States was urbanizing quickly and disease became a rapidly growing problem. Poor working conditions included chemical exposure to workers. Both of these issues put focus on the negative effects of industrialization in the country. By the 1920s, world events including the end of WWI, the great depression, and WWII took focus away from environmental concerns. At the end of WWII, industries expanded rapidly to meet consumer demand (Theis & Tomkin 2018). Around mid century, major incidents involving poor air quality were publicized, making air pollution the norm for industrialized America. People began to focus on how to fix issues brought about by industrialization with minimal cost. Currently, the United States is focusing on the environment as a complex global issue.

(Theis & Tomkin 2018)

References

Theis, T., & Tomkin, J. (Eds). (2018). Sustainability: A comprehensive foundation. OpenStax CNX.