Action Citizen

Big ?: What actions are citizens taking to protect their environment?

epa & Superfund

Big ?: What actions are citizens taking to ensure their water is clean?

Clean water

Big ?: What actions are citizens taking to ensure their air is clean?

Pick a topic from the list below. You will look at 2 different topics in this assignment. Click on the image to go to the topic's page.

Clean Air

National Parks

International treaties

Endangered Species

Citizens and the Environment

Big ?: How can ordinary citizens take action to protect National Parks?

Big ?: What actions are citizens around the world taking to protect the evironment?

Big ?: what actions are citizens taking to protect endangered species?

Endangered Species

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Do you think our government is doing enough to protect plants and wildlife from extinction? Explain.
What can you do to protect wildlife in your state?

Since the early 1900s, efforts have been made to protect America's wildlife from the effects of a growing population and industrialization. In 1973, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) replaced earlier efforts and strengthened protections for endangered and threatened plants and animals in the US. Once an animal is added tot he list, the law requires the US fish and wildlife service to draw up plans for trying to restore the species and protect its habitat. In 2008, the polar bear was added as a threatened species under the ESA because of the decline in sea ice as a result of global warming, or climate change. Polar bears became the poster child for the impact this phenomenon has on animal life. Today, there are over 1,300 threatened and endangered species in the United States. The main reason species become endangered is human threats to their habitat and food supply. Pollution and pesticides are also leading threats to their survival.

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International Treaties

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What role should the government play in protecting our Environment?
How can Youth participate and make their voices heard?

Founded after WWII, the United Nations initially focused on maintaining world peace and security. Over time the UN, enlarged its mission and protection the environment became a key focus. The first UN meeting on the environment took place in Stockholm, Sweden, in 194 with participation from 114 countries. Members drew up a set of recommendations and action steps. The United States was not an enthusiastic participant and did not sign the Stockholm declaration until 2001. The Senate still has not ratified it (meaning it is not in place in the U.S.). Since then the U.S. has signed multiple environmental treaties, including the Kyoto Protocol - a treaty to commit to reducing greenhouse has emissions across industries, and the Paris Climate Change Agreement, but the nation as a while still remains deeply divided over appropriate environmental actions. Under President Trump, for example, the U.S. withdrew from the Paris Treaty, becoming the only country to do so. Many young people were very concerned about this action and joined in protests against the withdrawal. Prsident Biden re-signed the Paris Climate Agreement on his first day in Office.

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National Parks

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Click on each picture in order and see how ordinary citizens made an extraordinary difference.

How should the United States and its citizens balance the interests of conservation and economic development?

Founded

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Clean Air

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Click on each picture in order and see how ordinary citizens made an extraordinary difference.

What role should citizens play in deciding how our government should regulate the sources of energy needed to safely meet our household and industrial energy needs?

Founded

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Clean Water

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Click on each picture in order and see how ordinary citizens made an extraordinary difference.

Using the Court system is one way citizens can work for justice and to hold government officials accountable what are other ways?

Founded

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EPA & Superfund

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Click on each picture in order and see how ordinary citizens made an extraordinary difference.

1. What responsibilities do the government and corporations share in protecting the environment and citizens' health? 2. Do you live near a superfund site?

Founded

Dig Deeper

VECTOR

Fun set of pop art onomatopeias

ALTERNATIVE RESOURCE

It was not until 1972, in Stockholm Sweden, that the UN held its first conference on the environment. Attendees proposed a long-term plan with recommendations and actions steps for the world's nations. The report did noteven address rising temperatures. Since then, the United States has higned multiple environmental treaties including the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

1. To keep peace throughout the world.2. To develop friendly relations among nations. 3. To help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy. 4. To encourage respect fo each other's rights and freedoms.

United Nations

When the United Nations (UN) was founded in 1945, global environmental issues were not a major concern. The main focus was on maintaining world peace. Currently, there are 193 members of the UN, representing countries all over the world. The UN Charter has 4 main purposes:

Paris Climate Agreement

Concerns about the earth's rising temperatures went mainstream in 1988 - the same year this cartoon appeared in newspapers. That year the director of NASA's Institute for Space Studies testified in front of the US Senate about the connection between Greenhouse Gases and rising temperatures. The director reported that science clearly connects the carbon pollution from things like car exhaust and coal burning plants to these gasses. The United Nations is leading efforts to control carbon emissions through international treaties like the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Although several treaties have been signed, temperatures are still rising.

Global Temperatures

Experts agree that Greenhouse Emission, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted through human activity like driving, cooking, heating homes, etc., are a main culprit because they trap heat in the erth's atmosphere. These emissions are a natural occurrence, and were usually cleaned out of the air by plants and other natural processes. However, humans' use of fossil fuels is growing more quickly than nature can keep up with. In 1995, nations came together to talk about hte growing problems realted to the rise in temperatures across the globe. Twenty years leater, world leaders met in Paris and eventually hammered out an agreement to take action: The Paris Climate Change Agreement. The agreement was signed on Earth Day 2016 by 175 countries including the United States. What are the goals of the agreement? Primarily, it aims to keep global temperatures from continuing to rise. Emissions need to be reduced by 45% this decade to reach this goal. In 2017, the US withdrew from the agreement, but rejoined in 2021. The United States is one of 55 countries that contribute 55% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

1966 ACT & Endangered Species Act of 1973

The publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring (1962) raised public awareness about the critical need to protect and preserve America's wildlife and plants. The US's first Endangered Species Law was passed in 1966 and expanded with the 1973 Endangered Species Act (ESA). The goal of this legislation is to "conserve, protect, restore, and propagate certain species of native fish and wildlife." The 1966 List contained 75 endangered species, including the Bald Eagle - our national symbol. In 2023 the ESA turned 50. Today, about 1,300 species are on the list. The good news is that some species have been removed from the list because of action by governments at every level and the American people. The Bald Eagle was removed in 1987.

Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson is one of the founders of the American Environmental Movement. She was born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1907). In an era when few girls finished high school or college, Carson graduated from both. Earning a master's degree in zoology, she worked as a writer and radio broadcaster for the US Bureau of Fisheries. She published newspaper articles and books forused on pollution and marine life. Her book "Silent Spring" (1962) brought National and International attention to the use of pesticides and their damacing effects on the environment. Silent Spring Documented how DDT was threatening the Bald Eagle with extinction. DTT, a chemical once considered safe to use in homes and sprays on crops, was eventually banned but not before harming people and the environment.

People noticed. In 1900, the Lacey Act became the first federal law to protect American wildlife. It was toolate for the passenger pigeion, but it was a beginning.

In the late 1800s, american scut down forests and dug up their habitat to build cities, factories, and homes.
These birds were also hutned for food.
The bird's habitat disappeared and their numbers dwindled.

The Lacey Act

At one time there were flocks of thousands, maybe millions of passenger pigeons in the United States. So why are you looking at a picture of stuffed birds? Passenger pigeons have not been seen since 1914. They are extinct. What happened?

Protected Species across the US

Partnership between

Governments and the Public

While governments around the world pass legislation and sign international treaties to protect wildlife, that is not enough. Citizens like Rachel Carson, Greta Thunberg, and YOU all play an important role in protecting the plants and animals around us. Whether you volunteer at a nature center, stay on the path in a forest, count birds in your neighborhood, or send emails to your representatives all o fus need to do our part. We have to try and ensure that other species do not suffer the same fate as the passenger pigeon.

Greta Thunberg

Greta Thunberg is an international climate activist. In 2018, she began her activism in a small way at her own school in Sweden when she was only 15. She organized a "School Strike." Thunberg and her classmates sat in front of the Swedish parliament holding signs demanding that their government take action on climate change. They did this for three weeks. Eventually students around the world participated in these "Friday Strikes" and Greata became a household name. She was invited to speak before the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year, and continues to promote awesrenes of and actions on climate change today. Greta is an ordinary person making an extraordinary difference because she stood up for what she believed in. She knew that only governments, working together around the world can make a difference on the topic of greenhouse emissions and the damage they do to the environment.

Citizen Participation

There are many different ways that each of us can make a difference. Small actions like turning off the water while brushing your teeth and turning off the lights when you leave a room, add up when done by one family or a whole town. If your family doesn't recycle, ask your parents to start. As a citizen you can also take action in your wider community. Find out the level of pollution in your town's air. Ask if your city has a plan for reducing emissions. Visit your city government's website and look for information on protecting the environment. If you don't see anything, email or call them. There is no age requirement to be an active and concerned citizen.

More than just Bald Eagles and Polar Bears

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) has many different goals. It identifies not only species facing extinction, but also those that are threatened. In addition to animals, the ESA applies to plants and habitats. The Saguaro Cactus is unique to the American Southwest and is a relatively common plant - at the moment. The Hohokam peoples ate the saguaro's fruit and used the plant as building materials. The greatest threat to this giant cactus is humans. Like the passenger pigeon, the saguaro is threatened by human expansion into their habitat and theft. The majority of the world's cati live in the Americas. All American cacti are protected by an International treaty covering flora and fauna around the world.

Yosemite Valley

In 1864, President Lincoln signed a bill designating the Yosemite Valley as land for public use and preservation. The bill authorized the state of California to protect the land from settlement. Explorers who visited the western U.S. returned home describing the natural wonders of the region and asking Congress to protect other areas. Photographs, paintings, and sketches showing the natural wonder of Yellowstone convinced Congress to establish Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone was the first national park in the world. In 1906, protection of the Yosemite Valley expanded, and Yosemite National Park was created.

Hetch Hetchy Valley

In the early 1900s, San Francisco's population grew quickly. The city needed more water. One option was to dam Hetch Hetchy Valley. There was one big problem: the valley was within Yosemite National Park on protected land. Congress would have to pass specific legislation allowing for the construction of a dam within the park. Conservationists, mainly citizens of San Francisco, argued the environment should be used to benefit society, such as providing water. Preservationists, such as John Muir, argued the park should be enjoyed and not used for its resources. National opinion was divided. In 1913, Congress allowed the building of the dam in the Hetch Hetchy Valley.

Park Creation

The creation of the nation's national parks was an incredibly important move in preserving the environment, but not everyone was a fan. Early supporters argued there would be no cost to the government and that individuals would volunteer to oversee them. That didn’t happen. Some parks were supervised by the Department of the Interior, while others were supervised by the Department of War. So, for over forty years, the care and responsibility of national parks was divided between different parts of the government. The result was poor management, and little support from the people for creating more. Stephen Tyng Mather, a successful businessman and outdoors enthusiast, wanted to help. In 1914 he wrote to his friend Franklin K. Lane, the Secretary of the Interior. He complained about the conditions of the parks. Secretary Lane suggested Mather come to Washington D.C. and run the parks himself. He became the National Park Service Director.

Stephen Tyng Mather

Marjory Stoneham Douglas

Park Creation

The creation of the nation's national parks was an incredibly important move in preserving the environment, but not everyone was a fan. Early supporters argued there would be no cost to the government and that individuals would volunteer to oversee them. That didn’t happen. Some parks were supervised by the Department of the Interior, while others were supervised by the Department of War. So, for over forty years, the care and responsibility of national parks was divided between different parts of the government. The result was poor management, and little support from the people for creating more. Stephen Tyng Mather, a successful businessman and outdoors enthusiast, wanted to help. In 1914 he wrote to his friend Franklin K. Lane, the Secretary of the Interior. He complained about the conditions of the parks. Secretary Lane suggested Mather come to Washington D.C. and run the parks himself. He became the National Park Service Director.

Stephen Tyng Mather

Marjory Stoneham Douglas

Yosemite Valley

In 1864, President Lincoln signed a bill designating the Yosemite Valley as land for public use and preservation. The bill authorized the state of California to protect the land from settlement. Explorers who visited the western U.S. returned home describing the natural wonders of the region and asking Congress to protect other areas. Photographs, paintings, and sketches showing the natural wonder of Yellowstone convinced Congress to establish Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone was the first national park in the world. In 1906, protection of the Yosemite Valley expanded, and Yosemite National Park was created.

Hetch Hetchy Valley

In the early 1900s, San Francisco's population grew quickly. The city needed more water. One option was to dam Hetch Hetchy Valley. There was one big problem: the valley was within Yosemite National Park on protected land. Congress would have to pass specific legislation allowing for the construction of a dam within the park. Conservationists, mainly citizens of San Francisco, argued the environment should be used to benefit society, such as providing water. Preservationists, such as John Muir, argued the park should be enjoyed and not used for its resources. National opinion was divided. In 1913, Congress allowed the building of the dam in the Hetch Hetchy Valley.

EPA

Water Act of 1924

The creation of the nation's national parks was an incredibly important move in preserving the environment, but not everyone was a fan. Early supporters argued there would be no cost to the government and that individuals would volunteer to oversee them. That didn’t happen. Some parks were supervised by the Department of the Interior, while others were supervised by the Department of War. So, for over forty years, the care and responsibility of national parks was divided between different parts of the government. The result was poor management, and little support from the people for creating more. Stephen Tyng Mather, a successful businessman and outdoors enthusiast, wanted to help. In 1914 he wrote to his friend Franklin K. Lane, the Secretary of the Interior. He complained about the conditions of the parks. Secretary Lane suggested Mather come to Washington D.C. and run the parks himself. He became the National Park Service Director.

Yosemite Valley

In 1864, President Lincoln signed a bill designating the Yosemite Valley as land for public use and preservation. The bill authorized the state of California to protect the land from settlement. Explorers who visited the western U.S. returned home describing the natural wonders of the region and asking Congress to protect other areas. Photographs, paintings, and sketches showing the natural wonder of Yellowstone convinced Congress to establish Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone was the first national park in the world. In 1906, protection of the Yosemite Valley expanded, and Yosemite National Park was created.

NEPA

Water Sickness

In the early 1900s, San Francisco's population grew quickly. The city needed more water. One option was to dam Hetch Hetchy Valley. There was one big problem: the valley was within Yosemite National Park on protected land. Congress would have to pass specific legislation allowing for the construction of a dam within the park. Conservationists, mainly citizens of San Francisco, argued the environment should be used to benefit society, such as providing water. Preservationists, such as John Muir, argued the park should be enjoyed and not used for its resources. National opinion was divided. In 1913, Congress allowed the building of the dam in the Hetch Hetchy Valley.

Love Canal

In the early 1900s, San Francisco's population grew quickly. The city needed more water. One option was to dam Hetch Hetchy Valley. There was one big problem: the valley was within Yosemite National Park on protected land. Congress would have to pass specific legislation allowing for the construction of a dam within the park. Conservationists, mainly citizens of San Francisco, argued the environment should be used to benefit society, such as providing water. Preservationists, such as John Muir, argued the park should be enjoyed and not used for its resources. National opinion was divided. In 1913, Congress allowed the building of the dam in the Hetch Hetchy Valley.

The Superfund Process

The creation of the nation's national parks was an incredibly important move in preserving the environment, but not everyone was a fan. Early supporters argued there would be no cost to the government and that individuals would volunteer to oversee them. That didn’t happen. Some parks were supervised by the Department of the Interior, while others were supervised by the Department of War. So, for over forty years, the care and responsibility of national parks was divided between different parts of the government. The result was poor management, and little support from the people for creating more. Stephen Tyng Mather, a successful businessman and outdoors enthusiast, wanted to help. In 1914 he wrote to his friend Franklin K. Lane, the Secretary of the Interior. He complained about the conditions of the parks. Secretary Lane suggested Mather come to Washington D.C. and run the parks himself. He became the National Park Service Director.

Rachel Carson

Superfund Sites

Comprehensive Environmental Response