For the longest time environmentalism was considered to be an after-thought in American politics. The words recycling, carpooling, and clean energy were non-existent in our vocabulary. Today however, the condition of the environment is of up most importance. Even though the new millennium has brought increased environmental awareness, our planet is still in dire condition and is on the verge of being uninhabitable. Although new government and international policies strive to limit pollution and degradation, they lack enforcement and achievement of these environmental goals is minimal. A creative, multi-national solution integrating children in middle schools and the world’s most powerful leaders is more crucial now than ever before if we wish to preserve Earth for future generations and avoid the need for a “new” Earth day in the next 40 years. Numerous acts and bills proposed by the federal government strive to preserve our environment and the species that inhabit them. However, the success of these policies is limited. For example, the Endangered Species Act passed by Congress in 1973 is arguably a complete failure. Since its initiation, the “law has recovered 12 of 1300 listed species, for a cumulative success rate of .01% (or a 99.99% rate of failure)” (Bean, 1). In addition, the Endangered Species Act fails to establish an incentive system for the preservation of these rare species. Only a handful of people are compelled to conserve ecosystems for the sake of an intrinsic value. This, combined with the fact that enforcement of environmental degradation is scarce due to the limited number of resources provided by Congress causes an irreversible reduction in biodiversity (Bean, 8). The Clean Air Act is also deemed a failure... ... middle of paper ... ...=bl&srcid=ADGEESjoFq9FYvxr15KNVnyaBu87BKaw-k531fIXHQe92a6Erz1wrBLCB6a1jMj8mrhmYzKIhw0Ql11Pfhy0siXwm9ViRT5LJ9sH1meHoI8K_rIlD79uYFNMSI36F2ky6B-x6CLk26bF&sig=AHIEtbSEOyJK21-NaAx0QI7wnax_7s3tjw>. "Clean air groups file suit over fed failure to protect people and national parks." Grand Canyon Trust (2011). Jan 30, 2011. . "The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer." UNEP (2000). Jan 30, 2011. .
Conservation is needed, particularly in Orange County, because of the large-scale development of homes, businesses, and roads. The listing of the California Gnatcatcher as a "threatened" species and the dwindling numbers of other CSS dependent species are a testament to the need for whole-habitat preservation. For instance, CSS habitat includes other birds and organisms in need of protection, including the Coastal Cactus Wren and the Orange-throated Whiptail Lizard. The single species approach moves very slowly and often species go extinct before any listing is allowed. In the meantime, other species require protection and are placed as a last priority. The ESA, many conservationists argue, was always meant to be an act aimed at supporting multi-species preservation. With the leisurely pace at which legislation moves and with the single-species ...
Mr. Middleton, a journalist, compiled an article describing, in his opinion, the flaws of the Endangered Species Act. He then attempts to back his opinion with studied analyses, researched facts, and testimonies. To summarize Middleton’s (2011) perspective, “Rather than provide incentives for conservation and environmental stewardship, the Endangered Species Act punishes those whose property contains land that might be used as habitat by endangered and threatened species” (p. 79). This quote is broad and generalized yet draws in readers and forces Middleton to spend the rest of the article backing this statement with more logic based facts.
I would argue that at the very least, there needs to be some form of triage implemented. The way the Endangered Species Act is currently allocating funds is mediocre at best and has many flaws. There is no denying there are limited resources so that makes efficient use of them even more important. Each of the systems of triage outlined in this paper have valid points and problematic components. Elements of each system could be combined into a nicely working plan that recovers the greatest number of species on a limited budget.
"Protect Your Lungs - Pollution & Air Quality : Canadian Lung Association."Protect Your Lungs - Pollution & Air Quality : Canadian Lung Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2014.
There is one hundred and eighty days of school and seven hours in each day. Out of the whole year, one day is dictated to the environment and talked about for five hours. On this day, every teacher makes sure that they have their shiny blue and green buckets out right next to the door that they have set out themselves a few days before this special day. That way when the environmentalist comes to visit and starts to show pictures of the recycling bins, no one starts acting clueless. These very important people start explaining the reason for choosing this particular school to give a very important speech about saving earth as well including that prizes will be passed out if all questions are answered correctly at the end. But only to find out
The United States has earned the reputation of a rebellious country since its birth in the revolution against Britain. Over the course of history, Americans have repeatedly confronted oppression, both foreign and national, through various wars and rights movements. Unfortunately, when it comes to environmental issues the average American has grown increasingly complacent. With a renewed urgency, government is working to combat global warming, but lacks the necessary social backing. This social support could be supplied through a new environmental movement that differs from past efforts. Throughout American history there have been three categories of environmental movements: preservation, conservation, and modern reform, all of which have failed to bring a ubiquitous social change and substantial impact on the overall environmental health.
Stratospheric ozone absorbs 97-99% of ultraviolet radiation. As this protective layer continues to dissentigrate, human health will suffer. One American dies every hour from skin cancer, a direct result of ozone depletion by anthropogenic chemicals, primarily CFCs, which damage the ozone layer. Alternate chemicals are now being used in the place of CFCs that will not damage statospheric ozone, and there is international recognition of the importance of developing these chemicals. The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty which limits the production of ozone depleting substances. Still, human health is at risk from the deletion of ozone, and the risk factor will continue to rise unless people and industries become more aware of the implications connected with everyday use of chemicals which destroy stratospheric ozone.
“Environmental Studies” were the most interesting and abstract words I had ever seen preceding “High School”. For this reason and the fact that it was near Central Park, I decided to apply and then attend. Because of the central theme of my classes I have been exposed in the shape of special speakers and class discussions to others who share my fear but not my growing sense of hopelessness. Quite recently, it has become more and more important to me that I am a part of the solution for the problems facing the environment. It is fear that I feel when I allow myself to dwell on the ignored warnings and the very complicated mess of problems and impossibilities that plague this planet. I don’t understand why there is even the possibility that one of the last natural, pristine ecosystem, in North America, namely that of Alaska, is in danger of being ruptured by the ever-powerful oil companies. I don’t understand why the heads of state who are infinitely more knowledgeable than me on the dangers of continued abuse of our gracious home don’t drastically and immediately cause change. I don’t understand why people haven’t listened. I guess it’s because they are not fifteen and scared.
At my school, I am an active member of a program called S.E.E.D., which stands for Students Ending Environmental Destruction. As a group, spread awareness about recycling, water conservation and remediation, climate change, and other environmental problems the world faces today. We make sure that every classroom has a recycling bin and informative posters above them. We have hosted movie nights where we provide healthy, GMO-free refreshments and show an educational film that relates to a current issues to spread awareness. We have also convinced our school to install stations that are specifically meant to refill water bottles as it encourages students to stop buying plastic bottles and wasting plastic. Taking care of the environment and educating our youth, the congressmen, women, and voters of tomorrow who will be the deciding factors of the earth’s health, and consequently the people’s health, is crucial to me.
Endangered Species Act (ESA) protects not only the decimation of endangered species, but it also helps to recover and ultimately delist endangered species when they are no longer in danger of extinction. When an animal or plant is listed, it becomes illegal to capture, hunt, collect, and therefore destroying the habitats in which they live. Debates on whether to repeal and reform the ESA, or leaving it alone have been going on since the 1940s. The Endangered Species Act needs to have better parameters set in place to provide resources where it is most needed. Legislators need to amend the ESA in order to better help the plants and animals fighting
In 1989, seventy five percent of Americans identified themselves as environmentalists, and the number has continued to grow since then (Walls 1). Environmentalism is now the most popular social movement in the United States, with over five million American families donating regularly to environmental organizations (Walls 1). Environmentalists today focus on what kind of world they hope to see in the future, and largely deal with limiting pollution and changing consumption rates (Kent 1 and 9). Modern environmentalists also have much different issues than those Carson’s America faced. With climate change becoming more threatening each year, protection of the natural world is needed more than ever. Pollution has caused the warmest decade in history, the deterioration of the ozone layer, and species extinction in extreme numbers (Hunter 2). It not only threatens nature, but also human populations, who already suffer from lack of clean water and poisoning from toxic chemicals (Hunter 16). Unlike environmental actions in the 1960’s, which were mostly focused on protection, a massive increase in pollution has caused efforts to be focused on environmental restoration (Hunter 16). Like in the time of Silent Spring, environmentalists are not only concerned with one country. Protecting the environment remains a global issue, and every nation is threatened by the
It’s important that we do everything within our power to help create a better future for the next generation of Americans. Some people may argue that we don’t have any obligations to people who don’t exist yet, but regardless of those arguments, I believe they deserve to live in an environment where prejudice, environmental issues,political issues, and violence is reduced to a bare minimum. According to the CDC over 780 million people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water, and An estimated 801,000 children younger than 5 years of age perish from diarrhea each year, mostly in developing countries. Considering those facts, we should do our best to preserve the good factors of America, and remove the negative factors such as pollution, so our children and their children can enjoy the America for it’s true worth. Everyone can contribute to the cause by completing small tasks that lead to big changes such as recycling, picking up trash, conserving energy, spreading optimism,
In the past year, the United States’ environmental policy has become a matter of great concern among its citizens. Our president Donald Trump has given little attention to the alarming condition of our environment. Global warming is creating erratic weather patterns, companies are extracting resources at unsustainably high rates and drought stricken states such as California are struggling to provide their citizens with potable water. With such ravaging problems and an unresponsive government, it is up to the citizens to monitor and maintain our pristine Earth and its vital services.
Having considered both sides of the argument surrounding the Endangered Species Act, it seems logical to conclude that, despite the fact that they Endangered Species Act could stand some improvement in terms of the speed of the bureaucracy that governs it, the Act itself is quite sufficient as is as long as it is administered to the full extent of its power. There is a growing tendency in government, however, to undermine the strength of the Endangered Species Act by making decisions on when and where to apply it a political matter rather than an ecological matter (Munro, 2010). To do this is to insure that ultimately it will not just be the environment and the wile organisms that live in it that will lose, it will be mankind as well.
The law has sadly encouraged landowners to get rid of endangered species or to destroy the habitat that might harbor them to avoid restrictions on the way they can use their land (Scully). In 1999 the Safe Harbor agreement came into effect stating that if landowners conduct survival activities for a specific period of time they will not face additional restrictions in the future (“Endangered Species”). A reform bill proposed by Representative Billy Tauzin (LA) required compensation when the value of the land was affected by the Act, even though the Constitution does not require compensation for action taken by the government that affects the value of land (Bean). Many landowners are more than willing to help with species recovery but there needs to be a way to create better arrangements so the landowners can enroll in the recovery programs (Kettmann). Without the help of landowners the government can only do so much by themselves, but no matter the answer there will always be criticism from both