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Thomas King writes an eight article series on Yosemite for a Boston newspaper. Helps to foster appreciation for Yosemite environment.
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John Tyndall first explains the greenhouse effect in a lecture to the British Royal Society. This is the first major address of global warming.
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President Lincoln signs a bill to protect Yosemite California.
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The term "ecology" is first termed by German naturalist Ernst Haeckel
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President Grant signs Yellowstone National Park Act to protect an area for public interest.
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In response for the growing need for scientific understanding of the environment of the U.S.
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Established in response to the American Buffalo crisis.
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In response to the over-killing of birds for feathers.
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American naturalist John Muir begins his campaign to save the Yosemite forest from expoitation in a series of articles.
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By this time, land had been claimed and divided. The westward expansion had decimated large areas of forest and sourounding environments.
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Founded by John Muir to advocate for wilderness conservation.
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Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius predicts global temperature increases over time due to increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere.
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This law consolidated 4 previous laws to protect natural waterways from pollution such as garbage and sewage. Fines included one year prison sentences for violations.
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The Lacey Act was signed into law to protect from interstate trafficking of wild birds in response to the Audubon Society's concerns. Buffalo are down to a mere 40 animals from the estimated 30 million from a century previous.
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President T. Roosevelt in first message to congress emphasizes need for water conservation and reclamation efforts.
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President T. Roosevelt established first bird preserve in Florida.
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Congress sets aside a bison reserve to protect the endangered species at Flathead National Reserve in Montana
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In response to human and environmental degradation due to factors related to the industrial revolution.
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States that pesticides are to be effective if sold.
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President Wilson established park service to “conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects [and] leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”
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The supreme court rules in favor of letting a sewage company continue to dump into New York Harbor.
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The Public Health Service conducts and investigation and reports that air pollution in New York City blocks out sunlight.
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Smog trapped in a valley in Belgium kills 70 and ails 6000.
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Due to over-farming and degredation of forests, vasts amounts of land are laid barren.
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Glen Trewartha, a professor of geology explains the trapping of solar heat due to CO2 in atmosphere.
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Citizens needed lanterns during the day for a week during the incident. Sparks a crusade by the St. Louis Post Dispatch and later recieves a Pulitzer for the first of Environmental Reporting.
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The Disney movie Bambi spurs a conservation movement in movies.
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The beginning of the atomic age. Later discoveries of long term environmental devastation.
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In response to the over-killing of whales down to endangered numbers. Japan and Norway ignore and continue to whale.
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Smog continues to cause death and illness in industrialized cities.
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The UN holds its first environmental conference.
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Repeat incidents in London and New York cause smog related deaths.
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First realization that what humans do in one area of the planet affects the other areas of the planet.
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Congress established air pollution act in response to the multiple smog related incidents. Later evolves into Clean Air Act of 1963
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The UK establishes the first nuclear electric power plant. One year later a fire destroys the plant and leaks radiation into the environment.
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Japanese villagers died due to mercury dumping that affected fish that were eventually eaten by villagers.
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Scientist and writer, Rachel Carson publishes Silent Spring. This book of environmental devastation sparks an immediate reaction by the public. This book is seen as a national turning point regarding environmentalism.
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Stops above ground nuclear testing in response to environmental and human effects of nuclear energy testing.
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Act established to ensure a co-existence of humanity and its environment.
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President Nixon establishes agency and consolidates many organizations under this auspice.
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Congress passes several acts to conserve, protect and reclaim environmental quality. Included were acts regarding water pollution, coastal management, marine conservation, and instecticide/pesticide management.
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Congress continues to enact policies that are meant to conserve and protect the environment. Included are legislation governing natural resources, land, whales and toxic chemicals.
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Rekindles debate on safety of nuclear power.
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Ukraine nuclear meltdown is massive causing global issues in its wake. Recently it has been discovered that significant amounts of birth defects are attributed to the meltdown.
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Updated to include over 80 pollutants and ban on lead pipe usage.
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Warns of global warming due to CO2 emmissions and suggests policies to reduce.
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Oil fields burn for months creating a widespread environmental disaster leading to increases in respiratory illness in the area.
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Worldwatch reports that 7/10 scientists believe we are experiencing a mass extinction event.
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300 million gallons of coal slurry explode out into the surrounding environment from the side of a mountainside. Exposes corruption within environmental agency.
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President G.W. Bush promotes policies that rollback conservation and protection efforts in favor of capitalist gains.
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President Obama wins election and begins to enact policy that is meant to reinstate much of the previous environmental policy, starting with land and forest reserves.
