Activity 4.1 – US Environmental History and Major Regulations.
In the United States throughout history, the environmental thought has shifted from viewing nature as a resource to be conquered and consumed to slowly realizing nature is something we need to respect and preserve. Theis & Tomkin (2018) and Russell & Fairfax (2014), help explain the evolution of environmental regulation and activism.
When America first came to be, the settlers were focused on survival and Westward expansion, so nature was often seen as an obstacle. back then, nature seemed limitless. This era was shaped by the idea of “manifest destiny” which encourage expansion for economic gains (Thesis and Tonkin, 2018)
By the late 19th century, the effects of unchecked industrialization became hard to ignore as pollution increased alongside water, contamination and deforestation. Muir advocated for preserving nature for its intrinsic value. (Russel and Fairfax 2014) he helped lay the groundwork for the US forest service and national Park service.
A key cultural turning point was the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring in 1962, Carson‘s book brought the danger of pesticides we use to farm the food we eat into the public eye her work inspired many people to become environmental activist and together they pushed Congress to pass a landmark law, called the clean air act and clean water act. The first Earth Day in 1970 reflected this growing consciousness and marked a cultural milestone in mainstream environmentalism (Russell & Fairfax, 2014).
Environmental thought continued to evolve into the late 20th century, but faced a lot of political pushback against environmental regulations. In recent years, federal environmental policies have been influenced by the political party and power leading to environmentalism, emphasizing state level policies like San Antonio creating their own climate, action plan and face of federal action.
In conclusion, the US environmental thought is still evolving and has already reflected on broader, cultural shifts in value science and policies. This history is a key to shaping more effective environmental policies for the well-being of not just our beautiful planet, but future generations to come.
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In this post, Cali is talking about the Clean Air Act in 1970. This act is trying to empower the regulation of air pollution to protect the environment and public health. In April 2025, the Trump administration introduced several executive actions impacting the Clean Air Act. The Revocation of the Regional Haze Rule, that was made under the Clean Air Act, aimed to improve air quality and visibility in national parks and wilderness areas. This rule threatens the air quality and natural beauty of our national parks, which are not only ecological treasures but also vital to tourism and local economies. These actions represent a step backward in our nation's commitment to environment. It's imperative that we prioritize policies that protect public health, preserve our natural resources
ReplyDeleteRichmond, T., & Wildeman, M. K. (2025, April 10). This federal rule helped clear air over America's most beloved parks. Trump's EPA wants to kill it. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/regional-haze-rule-trump-epa-national-parks-0924263065d6dbbec750d15ffc7bd490:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
DeleteThe clean air and water act, there has been a few changes to theses acts like the amendments and the "court rulings on the EPA's authority to help regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants". As for the clean water act there was a court ruling in 2023 that was putting the limit of act's protection to wetlands with a continuous surface connection to other waters. These things have been put into place to help protect our environment from being damaged further. The Federal government has done these things so that way it will ensure that we will still have clean drinking water and if the government hadn’t intervened then there still would be particles in the air which is dangers for that to happen.
DeleteBoucher, E. (2025, January 21). Keeping pollution out of your water: How the Clean Water Act protects your water . Keeping pollution out of your water How the Clean Water Act protects your water Comments. https://www.americanrivers.org/2025/01/keeping-pollution-out-of-your-water-how-the-clean-water-act-protects-your-water/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw5PK_BhBBEiwAL7GTPc1nzXibwVIjoeCffwAdL-8A3WmRxytauKjwT7dsaka0kB7kl3Gr-BoCQv4QAvD
The Clean Air Act 101. (n.d.). https://www.nrdc.org/stories/clean-air-act-101