1960 to 1969

By:Liz Kelly

&Laine Baizer

Minimata Disaster• Minamata, Japan• caused by the release of methyl

mercury in the industrial wastewaterfrom the Chisso Corporation’schemical factory

• the chemical was highly toxic andreleased into the water. It then bio-accumulated into shellfish and fishwhich was then eaten by the localpeople giving them mercurypoisoning

Clean Water Act

• law governing water pollution

• eliminated the releases of highamounts of toxic substancesinto the water and ensuring thatsurface waters would meetstandards necessary for humanuse

Species Conservation Act

• set of rules and guidelines that are designed to protect endangered species all overthe world

• resulted from the fact that animals nearing extinction were not being given sufficientprotection

• two lists were made, one for animals native to the United States and the other forthose native to other countries

• made the trading of and killing of endangered animals illegal and punishable by finesand jail time

Rachel Carson• founder of the contemporary

environmental movement• writer, scientist and ecologist• wrote pamphlets on conservation and

natural resources• in her most famous novel Silent Spring her

goal was to change the way people viewedthe world by bringing attention to thethreat of toxic chemicals to people and theenvironment

Clean Air Act

• established funding for the studyand cleanup of air pollution

• defines the EPA’s (environmentalprotection agency) responsibilitiesfor protecting and improving thenation’s air quality

• sets limits on certain air pollutants,including how much air pollutioncan be in the air anywhere in theUS

• can limit emissions of air pollutantscoming from sources like chemicalplants and steel mills

Wilderness Act• Written in 1964 by Howard

Zahniser, who was a member of theWilderness Society

• created the legal definition ofwilderness in the United States, andprotected 9 million acres of federalland.

Garrett Hardin

• A leading ecologist fromDallas, Texas

• warned society of the dangersof overpopulation and formedthe concept of the Tragedy ofthe Commons

• this brought attention to thepossibility that damage thatinnocent actions by individualscan inflict on the environment

Paul Erlich

• Born May 29, 1932

• American biologist andeducator who is the BingProfessor of Population Studiesin the department of BiologicalSciences at Stanford University

• well-known for his warningsabout unchecked populationgrowth and limited resources

Santa Barbara Oil Well

• In 1969 the Santa Barbara oil spilloccurred

• largest oil spill in United States watersat the time, and now ranks third

• Within a ten-day period, anestimated 80,000 to 100,000 barrelsof crude oil spilled into theChannel and onto the beaches ofSanta Barbara county

• killed thousands of sea birds, aswell as marine animals such asdolphins, elephant seals, and sealions

UN Biosphere Conference

• UNESCO= United NationsEducational, Scientific,and Cultural Organization

• In Paris, France (1968)experts met for the firsttime to discuss globalenvironmental problems

• Turning point in theinternational awarenessof environmentalproblems

“Earthrise” photograph• taken of the Earth by astronaut

William Anders in 1968 during theApollo 8 mission

• In Life’s 100 Photographs thatChanged the World, wildernessphotographer Galen Rowell calledit "the most influentialenvironmental photograph evertaken.”

• Showed people each of theEarth’s geographic features