THE CONSERVATION
MOVEMENT
EMMA CLARK
WHY?
• When Americans gained new technology
and began using cars more often they
realized that they needed to save the
planet they live in.
• “Once its gone its gone forever”
• There was a larger demand for
nonrenewable resources
• Increase of people with growing needs
• Demand of energy and natural resources
• 1953- Nyc people have medical problems
like asthma and lung conditions because of
increased smog
• The dust bowl
WHAT?
• 1963- Clean Air act made local government take control
to prevent air pollution using federal grants
• 1964- Wilderness Act preserved nine million acres of land,
national parks.
• The Green House Effect- effects the earths temperature,
scientists tried to lower the levels of carbon dioxide to
lower the temperature of the earth.
• The Exxon Valdez Alaska Oil spill of 1989- people started
to realize they needed to focus attention on
environmental conservation.
• 1965- The Water Quality Act passes which increases
federal control over water quality because of the
federal water pollution control act of 1948- must have
state wide standards of water quality.
WHO?
• John Muir- writer and wilderness
advocate
• Gifford Pinchot- chief of the US Forest
Service, conservation management of
natural resources for the future.
• Theodore Roosevelt- secured new
laws that gave government power to
manage natural resources.
TACTICS:
• The League of Conservation Voters (1970)- single
major independent environmental PAC
• April 22, 1970- the first national earth day, which is
still around today
• Many acts passed by congress like the National
Environmental policy act, the clean Air act, scenic
rivers act.
• Banned cutting down trees in public places (timber
theft), burning forests for agriculture and land
(Arson), and hunting except under certain, strict
conditions (poaching).
EVENTS:
• Events and programs used for people to start
enjoying the outdoors while conserving it:
• Introduction of the eight hour work day, two day
weekend, people enjoyed the outdoors.
• The creation of the boy and girl scout programs: to
get kids to appreciate the outdoors so the earth
could still be preserved by younger generations
• Many more summer camps and nature study for
children.
EARTH DAY
• April 22, 1970
• Created by Gaylord nelson, a US senator from
Wisconsin, after witnessing a huge oil spill in Santa
Barbara California.
• People practiced healthy lifestyles
and had massive rallies and protests
• Earth day became global, 141
countries joined the movements
• Still goes on today
SIGNIFICANCE:
• The conservation movement is significant because it
made cleaning and saving the earth more popular.
• More people became aware that if they didn’t start
doing anything about the earth it would be gone.
• It created Earth day which is still around today for
the same reason.
http://www.foresthistory.org/ASPNET/Publications/centennial_minis/chap7.htm
WORKS CITED:
• "Teaching History.org, Home of the National History Education
Clearinghouse." The Early Conservation Movement. N.p., n.d. Web. 22
May 2015.
• "David Walls." - Sonoma State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.
• "American Experience: TV's Most-watched History Series." PBS. PBS,
n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.
• "Teaching History.org, Home of the National History Education
Clearinghouse." Teachinghistory.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.
• Barton, Greg. American Enviromentalism. San Diego Califoria: Press of
San Diego, n.d. Print.
• "David Walls." - Sonoma State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.