Environmental Timeline

1872: Yellowstone Act

1872: Yellowstone Act

People should know about this event because it was the beginning of our National Parks Service. Yellowstone was the first dedicated National Park with the goal of "dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people" and "for the preservation, from injury or spoliation, of all timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonders. . . and their retention in their natural condition." Without the dedication of the first park, out National Park System would not be what it is today. People should know the history of our National Parks Service and understand the purpose.

1916: National Parks Service

1916: NPS

This event is important because this is when we developed the National Parks Service. Without the National Parks Service, we would not have conserved and protected the land we have today. There are about 400 parks across the US, which make up approximately 4% of the entire US. That is 84.6 billion acres of preserved land. People should know how vital the National Parks Service is to the preservation of our beautiful Earth.

1933: Civilian Conservation Corps

1933: CCC

This event is important because it made an impact on our natural resource supply. President Roosevelt passed the Emergency Conservation Work Act and created the CCC. Thousands of young men were recruited into the CCC aka “peacetime army" They protected against erosion and destruction of our natural resources. CCC camps were all over the United States. This impacts us today because it was a large group of people working together towards one goal. People should know about the CCC because it was one of the first government groups to help the environment

1935: Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act

1935: Soil CDAA

We should know about this act because it was a huge turning point in land conservation after the Dust Bowl. This act was passed to control dust storms, erosion, land use and conservation. 100,000,000+ acres of prairie land was affected during the Dust Bowl. The caused the largest migration of people in history. About 2.5 million people moved away from the prairie after the Dust Bowl. This event impacts us today because without it we could have faced events like the Dust Bowl again. It is important to learn about because we want to continue to prevent this.

1954: LA Smog

1954:

Smog

We should know about this event because of the severity of the air pollution. Schools in Los Angeles had to close for most of October due to the smog. This was one of the worst air conditions ever seen in LA. This impacts us today because we are working to prevent this from happening again. People should be aware of this event because they may not know how severe air pollution can get.

1962: Silent Spring

We should know about this publishing because it was very informative and effective. It warned about the dangers of pesticides like DDT to water and wildlife. Years after it was published, the federal government banned the usage of pesticides like DDT. This impacts us today because we have removed this chemical from out world. People should know about this because it takes education the people to make change.

1962: Silent Spring

1963: Clean Air Act

We should know about the Clean Air Act because it was an important law towards clean air. This act regulated air pollution and emissions. Without it, we would see much more air pollution. It is important to showcase this act because it has significantly reduced our emissions and air pollution.

1965: Water Quality Act

We should know about this act because it has improved our water quality. The federal government passed this act to strengthen water pollution laws and outline water quality guidelines for states. This has successfully reduced out polluted waters. We need to preserve our clean freshwater and not clog it with pollutants. People should learn about this because it affects them on a daily basis.

1970: Environmental Protection Agency

1970: EPA

We should know about the EPA because they play a vital role in environmental laws and regulations. It was established to “create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can exist in productive harmony.” This is still an active agency with the same goal. People should be educated about the EPA and what it does for our world.

1973: Endangered Species Act

We should know about this act because it protects our endangered species. That is all plants and animals that are endangered or on the brink of extinction. It impacts us today because it is constantly protecting these species. People should learn about it because it plays a vital role in maintaining our species.

1987: Montreal Protocol

We should know about this event because it is an important international treaty. This treaty was signed to eliminate ozone-depleting hydrocarbons from the environment. It takes numbers to change something as big as pollution. It was adopted by many countries and represents exceptional international cooperation. It impacts us today because harmful ozone-depleting hydrocarbon production has significantly decreased. People should learn about this not only because of the positive environmental effect, but also the impeccable international agreement.

1992: Earth Summit

We should know about this because it plays an important role in climate change. This resulted in the signing of the Convention on Climate Change and the Earth Charter. These were both global pledges to control global warming. This impacts us today because we are still trying to control climate change. People should know that there are pledges in place in hopes to control it.

1997: Julia Butterfly Hill

We should know about this event because it was an individual who had an impact on deforestation. Julia Butterfly Hill was 23 years old when she decided to live in the top of 180-feet tall California Coast Redwood tree for 735 days to successfully block its destruction. This had a big impact on society because she made a statement. People should know about this because it only takes one person to make a change.

1997: Julia

2007: Live Earth

We should know about this event because it made the public aware of climate change. This was a collection of concerts around the world featuring Madonna, the Black Eyed Peas, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, and the Beastie Boys. This has an impact because people look up to the famous singers and will listen when they are advocating for something. People should know about this because we can do something similar in the future to raise awareness.

2007: Live Earth

2007: San Francisco Oil Spill

2007: San Fran Oil

We should know about this event because it had a great affect on our waters. On November 7 2007, a container ship hit a tower of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and spilled 58,000 gallons of oil into the San Francisco Bay. The spill spoiled miles of coastland and threatened the lives of the bay’s birds, fish, invertebrates, and marine mammals for years. A day later, oil was spotted 15 miles north of the San Francisco, and 8 beaches in Marin County were closed. This still has an impact on our marine life and other mammals. We are now more cautious of preventing issues like this. People should know about this because it was a big event that affected many.