Sustainability, as it pertains to the environment, seems like an idea that would appeal to everyone. The idea of conserving what we have, reusing what we can, and developing new ways to more efficiently use our planet’s limited recourses just seems like common sense to me. Unfortunately, our representatives in Washington D.C. have used environmentalism as a way to gain votes and divide the electorate. Responsible management of our planet has become as widely debated as gay marriage or religion in the schools. Like most social issues, sustainability has ardent supporters and determined critics.
Global warming has become the spotlight for both sides of the battle over sustainability in American politics. Supporters of legislation that limit green house gases believe, along with the vast majority of scientists, that humans are the cause of the accelerating temperature rise of our planet. Opponents of such legislation argue that the rise in annual global temperature is attributed to the Earth’s natural heating and cooling cycles. No matter which side is correct, it seems only reasonable to me to explore alterative energy sources because our planet has a limited supply of fossil fuels. “Repowering America” will not be an easy task but I believe it is essential for our country’s economic and national stability. So, what has kept America, or more specifically America’s politicians, from leading in what is possibly the most important dilemma facing our planet?
Strong public support for cleaner water, air, and soil began in the 1960’s. Public outcry and mounting scientific evidence pressured the Nixon administration and congress to propose the National Environmental Act. This bill, that “encouraged productive and enjoyable h...
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Even tho the green revolution had stopped starvation in some of the world, it has also caused some. The green revolution was the use of new technology to grow food for the people of the world that started in the 1950’s. These new technology were such things as Gmo’s, pesticides, fertilizers. The main goal was to stop hunger and make second and third world countries better and not living in poverty. The green revolution Raised the amount of food in the world, made the world's population increase in a dangerous rate and harmed and damaged the earth and its people.
...m fossil fuels, there remains alternative resources that can easily be taken advantage of. So why isn’t the United States taking this deeply into consideration and improving this dilemma? The energy crisis of the 1970’s continues on into the present as Americans search for new ways to fuel the consumption. This remains unresolved.
In the first chapter in the second half of the book Rosenbaum discusses issues that relate to air and water, which he describes as being the primary issues for environmental policy today. These issues are the most politically salient and most important. Rosenbaum explains the current condition of the air and water in America and explains the task that Americans face in restoring these; the idea of restoring America’s air and water sources has been a goal since environmentalism emerged. It is important to realize, however, that the slow progress is not entirely the blame of policy and administrative failure, but rather science and technology is constantly changing and therefore new and unanticipated effects are placed on the environment. On the flip side science is also constantly redefining the standards that need to be meet in regards to pollution. The way that he is explaining how the government is working to combat the problems of pollution he i...
"The Debate Over ANWR Drilling Begins Anew." ENewsUSA. ENewsUSA, 2 Mar. 2009. Web. 09 May 2011.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates air pollution through various policies passed through the Supreme Court. The scope of this paper is to investigate the Clean Air Act of 1970, and to analyze the impact it has on businesses and society. It provides a rationale for the policy, and contains a brief overview of governmental involvement in regulating air pollution. Further investigation identifies key stakeholders in business, government, and society, and assesses the pros and cons of regulating air pollution. Finally, the paper concludes with limitations of this analysis and recommendations for future action.
The Clean Water Act of 1972 (CWA) was originally the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948. The original objective behind this act was to “to prepare comprehensive programs for eliminating or reducing the pollution of interstate waters and tributaries and improving the sanitary condition of surface and underground waters.” (U.S Fish and Wild Life Service, 2013). Throughout the duration of this paper the various amendments and their effects will be discussed, those involved both on the side of support and opposition and what influenced the amendments to be made and passed.
Before the 1970s, environmental policy was not the more publicized issue that it is today. After the Santa Barbara oil spill in 1969, the environmental movement really took off. The federal government took the situation into their hands and paid more attention to environmental policy than they had been doing in the past. While the states still have quite a bit of power when it com...
In 1872 Congress set aside a piece of land in Wyoming, establishing Yellowstone as the country’s first national park. This was followed by the first forest reserve in 1891, and the first wildlife reserve in 1903 (Opener). With the creation of parks and reserves our nations land would be preserved and cared for with the admiration for generations to come. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge [ANWR] was established to protect native plants and animals from human interference. The Refuge would cover 19 million acres, an area about the size of South Carolina (Opener). This land has been sought after for years, as it caries for animals and plants that exist nowhere else on Earth, just like the Amazon Rain forest it needs to be protected and persevered. To protect the ecosystem, most of the Refuge was declared closed to oil...
In addition to the individuals that use their wealth and influence to attempt to save the environment, there are also many individuals and organizations on the other side of the issue. These individuals and organizations are not necessarily anti-environment rather they are those who have a large stake in industries like manufacturing and fossil fuel energy or those who feel that the high initial cost of changing existing infrastructure and researching new technologies are not worth the eventual gains for the environment.
Is global warming in America really a big deal? What can Americans do to reverse the increase in earth’s temperature? In the last 50 years, evidence of global warming in the United States has been on a sharp incline. In data taken from a graph in “Climate Change,” in 1950 the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere was 320 parts per million. The graph shows further that this number had steadily grown to close to 400 parts per million. So what causes global warming? Global warming is caused by gases in the atmosphere, mostly carbon dioxide, trapping heat between the atmosphere and the surface, creating a greenhouse effect. Contrary to popular opinion, global warming is not something that just happens without any consequences. Consequences of
Our Congress created the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in 1969 in order to establish an environmental foundation for mankind. This policy endorses harmony between humans and the vast ecosystems surrounding them. To obtain this goal and provide our future with resources as well, NEPA is separated into two titles. The first title declares the policy in detail while the second title focuses on the Council on Environmental Quality. The CEQ oversees the effectiveness of current methods, the reactions of the environment to those methods, and implements revisions as necessary.
As an environmentalist (or a "radical" environmentalist, as I am often labeled by members of the mainstream environmental movement), I feel it is my duty as a protector of the Earth's well-being to write this editorial as a means of bringing into the American consciousness a variety of frightening environmental issues. Though some of you may be aware of these problems, I know many are not, and thus may be shocked to learn about the degradation of our Earth and the people living in it. Indeed, I truly believe that "since the dawn of the industrial age, America has behaved like an alcoholic with a good job—prospering despite a lifestyle that jeopardizes the future and ruins much of what is good with irresponsible behavior.
...empts at doing our part. But what is really needed is change at national and global levels. Only by convincing leaders to create laws that improve our energy policy, and pushing companies to adopt sustainable business practices on a global level, can we see real change. (EDF - Environmental Defense Fund , 2015) We need laws, polices, and infringes…..etc. whatever it takes in order to get our CO2 emissions under control. There are plenty of ways to improve on the current state of global warming like limiting global warming pollution, utilizing renewable energy, drive smarter vehicles, or even drive less. However small the action any change in our normal day to day can still help tremendously especially when done by a large number of people. We have to remember that this is the only planet we have and global warming is a global issue that needs to be taken seriously.
People have to start off understanding what environmental sustainability means. Allie Sibole author of, The Ethics of Sustainability: Why Should We Care?, shares a perfect example, “Sustainability is a moral response to an incredible gift” (Sibole 1). What she explains is, our planet is the beloved gift. People need to not take
The Green movement began in the Western World during the 1970’s around the time of the Vietnam War. The green movement is a social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvements to the current health of the environment. The Green movement also promotes the conservation, restoration, and the overall improvement of our environment. Many people disagree with the green movement and its values because they don’t see the immediate benefits from them. However, supporting the green movement by recycling, researching alternative energy sources, and mandating eco-friendly laws will lead to a better, greener, country.