Since Earth Day 1970

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Since Earth Day 1970
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1970 in the United States the Kent State
shootings the advent of fiber optics
"Bridge Over Troubled Waters" Apollo 13
the Beatles' last album the death of Jimi
Hendrix the birth of Mariah Carey the
meltdown of fuel rods in the Savannah River
nuclear plant near Aiken, South Carolina -- an
incident not acknowledged for 18 years.
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US Population Change Since Earth Day 1970
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1 Challenge since Earth Day Adaptation of the
original vision to meet social, economic and
cultural changes and new scientific revelations
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Scientific revelations
ozone hole
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Scientific revelations
global climate change
fueled by increased production of greenhouse
gases
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Scientific revelations
genetically altered foods
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Scientific revelations
endocrine disrupters
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Scientific revelations
leaking underground storage tanks
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Scientific revelations
indoor air pollution
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Post Earth Day Characterizations

• Evolving Science Technology
• Implementation Obstacles
• Rising Costs
• Information Integration
• Internationalization
• Evolving Environmentalism

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Evolving Science Technology
Ecology Ambiguity Complexity More questions than
answers
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Evolving Science Technology
Ecology Increasing status
Increasing research
A 70s question Is ecology a science?
I dont think so.
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Evolving Science Technology
New and Related Fields of Study
Landscape Ecology Ecological Economics
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Evolving Science Technology
Evolving Science Technology
finding solutions, But,
also Frustrating, confusing discrediting
existing
environmental policy
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Evolving Science Technology
Ambiguity/Contradiction
1980s - clear description of ozone hole,
CFCs as cause 1987 Montreal protocol
restricts use of CFCs 1998 Is ozone hole
related to CO2 in Nature 2000 Antarctic ozone
hole increases at alarming rate
WMO 2006 Study affirms signs of ozone
recovery, Layer protecting Earth could be
healed by mid-century, researchers find
Reuters New Service
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Evolving Science Technology
Complexity

• Outbreak of
• Cryptosporidiosis in Milwaukee
• Almost ½ million infected50 100 die

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Evolving Science Technology
More questions than answers
unk-unks
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Evolving Science Technology
1991 1996 North Carolina
Pfisteria
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Post Earth Day Characterizations

• Evolving Science Technology
• Implementation Obstacles
• Rising Costs
• Information Integration
• Internationalization
• Evolving Environmentalism

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Implementation Obstacles
shifting public mood ebb flow of money and
personnel regulatory complexity dependence on
voluntary compliance litigation
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Implementation Obstacles
shifting public mood
The Reagan years The Contract with America The
Economic downturn The Economic upturn Apparent
Oil Abundance
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Implementation Obstacles
ebb flow of money and personnel
Increasing workloads Flat or declining
budgets EPA 1979 1990 stationary air
pollution source monitoring 33 decrease in
absolute dollars 14 decrease in staff
increase in of sources
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Benzene, Chlorinated Solvents,
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),
Dichloroethylene (DCE), Dioxins, Endocrine
Disruptors, Ether, Ethylbenzene, Furans,
Halons, Hazardous Air Pollutants
(HAPs), Heavy Metals,
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), Inorganic
Cyanides, Ketones, Methyl Bromide,
Methyl Chloride,
Methyl-T-Butyl-Ether (MTBE), Nitrogen Oxides
(NOx), Organic Cyanides,
Particulate Matter (PM),
Perchloroethylene (PCE), Phthalates,
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs),
Radioactive Substances,
Radionuclides, Styrene, Sulfur Oxides (SOx),
Toluene, Trichloroethylene (TCE),
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Implementation Obstacles
regulatory complexity
Time to test 16 common chemicals as Required by
Toxic Substances Control Act 8 years
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Implementation Obstacles
dependence on voluntary compliance
Few states actually inspect public drinking
water supplies on a regular basis
over 200,000
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Post Earth Day Characterizations

• Evolving Science Technology
• Implementation Obstacles
• Rising Costs
• Information Integration
• Internationalization
• Evolving Environmentalism

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Rising Costs
The cost to do the job Source of
opposition Controversy over costing Evolving
solutions
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Rising Costs
The cost to do the job
110 billion 1998 estimate to clean up 12 sites
where nuclear weapons were manufactured
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Rising Costs
Source of opposition
The higher the cost, the harder the sell
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Rising Costs
Controversy over costing
Cost/benefit analysis easier to quantify
costs How do you place a value on environmental
goods? Is it ethical to even consider costs?
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Rising Costs
Evolving solutions
From pollution elimination to reduced
exposure Pollution prevention Establishing cost
thresholds Use of economic incentives emission
rights
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Post Earth Day Characterizations

• Evolving Science Technology
• Implementation Obstacles
• Rising Costs
• Information Integration
• Internationalization
• Evolving Environmentalism

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Information Integration
Factual input Level of executive
intervention Public participation
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Post Earth Day Characterizations

• Evolving Science Technology
• Implementation Obstacles
• Rising Costs
• Information Integration
• Internationalization
• Evolving Environmentalism

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Internationalization
Scientific recognition of global
interdependence Environmental protection
essential to security Changing political climate
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Internationalization
Scientific recognition of global interdependence
Global warming Biodiversity Acid
precipitation
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Internationalization
Environmental protection essential to security
Global menaces to an American way of life may
actually loom larger and more unpredictable in
this crowded world than did the danger of nuclear
conflagration during the Cold War.
- Carnegie Endowment for Peace
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Internationalization
Changing political climate
International disdain for American habits of
consumption complicate international diplomacy
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Post Earth Day Characterizations

• Evolving Science Technology
• Implementation Obstacles
• Rising Costs
• Information Integration
• Internationalization
• Evolving Environmentalism

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Evolving Environmentalism core values depth of
caring coalition mainstream deep
ecologists radical groups
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Evolving environmentalism
core values
30 years of raised environmental consciousness
Earth Day 2000 83 of Americans in
agreement with objectives of
environmental movement 16 are active
environmentalists 55 are sympathetic
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Rosenbaum, 2002
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Evolving environmentalism
depth of caring?
After 96 presidential election Only 1 believed
environment should be high priority in Clintons
2nd term
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Evolving environmentalism
Coalition
druids who defend nature for its spiritual
values polar-fleecers who want to preserve
natural areas for recreational values
apocalyptics who are concerned about the
destruction of the planet eco-opportunists
engaging in lobbying, litigation and politics
eco-entrepreneurs who see economic opportunities
in environmental protection. I dont care why
someone cares about the environment only that
they do. -- 1997, 23 yr old Adam
Werbach Sierra Club President
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Evolving environmentalism
mainstream
Pragmatic reformers Bargaining/coalition
building But split Preservationism vs.
economic exploitation
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Evolving environmentalism
Deep ecologists
2 basic principles - interrelatedness of all
systems of life on Earth -
human-centeredness is misguided Remaining
politically active
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Evolving environmentalism
Radical environmentalists

• Discouraged by compromise
• coalition building
• - No longer politically active

ELF
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SUVs Destroyed by Environmental Radicals in
Calif. Reuters August 22, 2003 By Judith
Crosson LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A pre-dawn fire
apparently aimed at sport utility vehicles,
vilified as gas guzzlers and polluters, engulfed
an auto dealership on Friday in California, the
state known for its love affair with the car.
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Concluding Question Chronologically 4th
decade of environmental era proclaimed in
1970s Politically Are we in the abyss between
our 2nd 3rd period of American
environmentalism?