Environmentalism In The 20th Century

Most scientists in the 1900s were worried about the earth only because they thought it looked too beautiful to destroy, however scientists created a new science that will help preserve nature and the earth. Ecology teaches that the damage done to forests, the extinction of animals and the toxic wastes in the water and oceans were not just coincidental but were man-made mistakes. Aldo Leopold a scientist that argued that ecology was not something to be taken lightly but it is a solution to a serious issue, he was one of many other ecologists that had spread their way of thinking around the world and it had an effect because colleges were soon offering ecology courses that many found interesting. Many new organizations emerged to help the cause
Another alarming discovery that people had was the fact that the air was becoming unhealthy, and what they were actually breathing in was factory fumes and smoke. Environmentalists brought the long term risks that this can have such as acid rain and the threat of global warming, not to mention what it can do to the people who are using the polluted water and breathing in the polluted air. Amongst this controversy about environmentalism there was a celebration that stemmed from these problems called Earth Day that started from the idea a Wisconsin senator had where people would come in to college campuses and learn about pollution and global warming and other threats to the earth and then were taught what they can do to help. This educational day gradually spread across the nation and an estimated 20 million participated in some way on Earth Day in the next years. Environmentalism became a real help to America and it was acknowledged by almost everyone especially politicians, it crossed its biggest line after Richard Nixon signed a National Environmental Protection Act that enforced laws to have pollution