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

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 civilizations 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

History of Environmental Science ancient civilizations

Ancient China, India, Peru awareness of many environmental issues Example: used soil conservation methods to protect against erosion

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

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

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

History of Environmental Science: mid1700s - mid1800s

Beginning of Industrial-Medical Revolution
Age of Enlightenment (approx. 1650-1800) science progresses; thus, societys 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)

History of Environmental Science: mid1700s - mid1800s

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

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

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

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

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

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

American Dust Bowl 1930s due to poor agricultural practices and drought

History of Environmental Science:1940-1960

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

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
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

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

Environmental Impact Equation developed in the 1970s by Paul Ehrlich, Barry Commoner, John Holdren: I=PAT

Fig. 1-13 p. 15

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)

Other Names to Know

E.O. Wilson Mr. Biodiversity, biologist concerned with loss of biodiversity Jane Goodall ground-breaking research on chimps over 45 years, conservationist Ronald Reagan president 1980s, sagebrush rebel emphasized economic development, opposed by many environmental groups

History of Environmental Science: 1990s-present

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

Growing population Poverty Increasing standard of living