Timeline of Timeline of Environmental Environmental

ScienceScience

Environmental issues have surfaced throughout human history.

60,000 years ago-today60,000 years ago-today• Earliest evidence of fire to clear land Earliest evidence of fire to clear land

in Tanzaniain Tanzania• Deforestation continues to devastateDeforestation continues to devastate

7,000 years ago7,000 years ago

• Land, air and water pollution Land, air and water pollution commoncommon

• Rome was notorious for sewage in Rome was notorious for sewage in the streetsthe streets

Ancient sewer system

500 BC forward500 BC forward

• Soil conservation practiced except in Soil conservation practiced except in China in ancient timesChina in ancient times

• Lead poisoning by Romans who Lead poisoning by Romans who prepared their wine with lead prepared their wine with lead sweetened sugar (lead acetate)sweetened sugar (lead acetate)

Middle Ages and Middle Ages and RenaissanceRenaissance1200-17501200-1750

• Plague devastates Plague devastates Europe but leads to Europe but leads to the beginnings of a the beginnings of a public health system. public health system.

• Still deforestation, soil Still deforestation, soil erosion, water erosion, water pollution pollution

• Picture is woodcut of Picture is woodcut of outhouse opening directly outhouse opening directly into water supplyinto water supply

Era of Enlightenment Era of Enlightenment 1750-18301750-1830

• Thomas Malthus predicts Thomas Malthus predicts that as populations soar, that as populations soar, resources will become resources will become scarce or run out scarce or run out entirely.entirely.

• Movement to clean up Movement to clean up waterways.waterways.

• New technologies create New technologies create new pollutionsnew pollutions

• Woodcut of victims of typhusWoodcut of victims of typhus

Industrial Revolution Industrial Revolution 1830-18901830-1890

• Living conditions in Living conditions in urban areas horribleurban areas horrible

• Smog episodes begin Smog episodes begin killing residents of killing residents of large cities like large cities like London. London.

• Conservation of Conservation of wilderness areas wilderness areas begins begins

• Giant Sequoia “Mother of the Giant Sequoia “Mother of the Forest” tree cut down started Forest” tree cut down started national forest preservation national forest preservation

Progressive Era 1890-Progressive Era 1890-1920 1920

• Reform was the common Reform was the common concern. Reform of working concern. Reform of working conditions, slum housing, conditions, slum housing, food adulteration, sanitation, food adulteration, sanitation, drinking water, polluting drinking water, polluting industries and more. industries and more.

• Social activism, women’s Social activism, women’s clubs, Sierra Club beginclubs, Sierra Club begin

• Young Teddy Roosevelt leads the way in Young Teddy Roosevelt leads the way in conserving large tracts of land for “wise conserving large tracts of land for “wise use”use”

Roaring 20’s and Roaring 20’s and depression depression 1920-19401920-1940

• Leaded gasoline Leaded gasoline becomes standard becomes standard for vehicles for vehicles despite fight despite fight againstagainst

• Civilian Civilian Conservation Conservation Corps founded by Corps founded by FDRFDR

World War II and the World War II and the 50’s50’s• Only the government Only the government

can secure the long-can secure the long-term public interest. term public interest. Private industry can Private industry can not not

• Increasing C02 Increasing C02 buildup buildup

• Deadly smog episodes inDeadly smog episodes in LondonLondon

The Sixties 1960-1970The Sixties 1960-1970

• Rachel Carson’s book Rachel Carson’s book Silent SpringSilent Spring

• The tragedy of the The tragedy of the commons (as commons (as unrestricted grazing unrestricted grazing could turn a common could turn a common pasture into a pasture into a wasteland, wasteland, unregulated industry unregulated industry could do the same to could do the same to the planet. )the planet. )

The Seventies 1970-1980The Seventies 1970-1980

• A decade of awakening and cleanup A decade of awakening and cleanup begins with the birth of the begins with the birth of the Environmental Protection AgencyEnvironmental Protection Agency

• Air pollution is cut back dramatically Air pollution is cut back dramatically through use of catalytic converters on through use of catalytic converters on new cars new cars

• Water pollution is greatly decreased Water pollution is greatly decreased through a massive sewage treatment through a massive sewage treatment expansion program … expansion program …

1970-1980’s1970-1980’s

• Toxic chemicals become Toxic chemicals become more troubling more troubling

• Nuclear power safety is Nuclear power safety is increasingly suspect after the increasingly suspect after the Three Mile Island accident.Three Mile Island accident.

• Energy crisis in oil supply Energy crisis in oil supply leads to reversals of some leads to reversals of some restrictions on refinery and restrictions on refinery and oil pollution oil pollution

• Greenpeace protecting whalesGreenpeace protecting whales

The Eighties 1980-1990The Eighties 1980-1990

• Disasters -the Disasters -the Chernobyl nuclear Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster in reactor disaster in Ukraine; and the Ukraine; and the Challenger shuttle Challenger shuttle and Exxon Valdez and Exxon Valdez oil spills in the U.S. oil spills in the U.S.

• Ozone depletion Ozone depletion from fluorocarbons from fluorocarbons

The Nineties 1990-2000The Nineties 1990-2000

• Persian Gulf War Persian Gulf War creates environmental creates environmental disaster with thousands disaster with thousands of burning oil wells. of burning oil wells.

• Political standoff - A Political standoff - A Gallup poll finds 76 Gallup poll finds 76 percent of Americans percent of Americans call themselves call themselves "environmentalists." "environmentalists."

2000 til now2000 til now

• Global climate change Global climate change becomes a pressing priority becomes a pressing priority

• Coal mine disasters Coal mine disasters continue to haunt the US continue to haunt the US and China.and China.

• Toxic Waste dumping in Toxic Waste dumping in developing nations developing nations continues to be an urgent continues to be an urgent problem. problem.

• Tsunami and earthquake Tsunami and earthquake almost destroys nuclear almost destroys nuclear power plant in Japan power plant in Japan

The FutureThe Future