The History of the Green Movement

Though the conservation movement had European roots, many observers maintain that the United States has emerged as the worlds leader in environmentalism. If America does, in fact, deserve credit for leading the green movement, what made the United States such a crucible for environmentalism? Its partly due to the immigrants who came to the North American continent in the colonial era and partly to the natural beauty of the land they found when they crossed the Atlantic. The Early Years of the Green Movement America, of course, didnt invent the green movement any more than it invented trees. The basic principles of sustainable forestry management, for example, were known throughout Europe (especially Germany, France and England) since the medieval era. Farming communities in Asia practiced soil conservation through terrace farming and other sustainable agricultural practices. English writer Thomas Malthus, in his oft-quoted An Essay on the Principle of Population, alarmed much of 18th-century Europe by proposing that an increase in human population beyond sustainable limits would result in a catastrophic plunge in population due to famine and/or disease. Malthus writings would inform much of the alarm over the population explosion roughly 200 years later. But it was after the colonization of the Americas by Europeans that writers and philosophers were among the first to propose that wilderness had an intrinsic value beyond its usefulness to humans. While fisheries, hunting grounds, and timber stands were important to civilization, visionaries like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau proposed that in wildness is the preservation of the world (Thoreau). Their belief that nature possesses a spiritual element that transcends human utility gave these men and their followers the label Transcendentalists. The Green Movement and the Industrial Revolution The transcendentalism of the early 1800s and its celebration of the natural world arrived just in time to be trampled underfoot by the ravages of the Industrial Revolution. As forests disappeared under the ax of reckless timber barons, coal became a popular source of energy. Unfettered use of coal in homes and factories resulted in horrific air pollution in cities like London, Philadelphia, and Paris. In the 1850s, a carnival huckster named George Gale heard about an immense California redwood that was over 600 years old when Jesus was born. Upon seeing the magnificent tree, nicknamed The Mother of the Forest, Gale hired men to cut the tree down so that its bark could be displayed in his sideshow. The reaction to Gales stunt, however, was swift and ugly: To our mind, it seems a cruel idea, a perfect desecration, to cut down such a splendid tree ... what in the world could have possessed any mortal to embark in such a speculation with this mountain of wood?, wrote one editor. The growing realization that human industry was obliterating irreplaceable wilderness -- and endangering human health -- resulted in the earliest efforts at managing natural resources. In 1872, Yellowstone National Park was created, the first of what became one of Americas best ideas: a network of national parks that were strictly off-limits to exploitation. The Conservation Movement Takes Root As the Industrial Revolution continued to wreak havoc on wilderness, a growing chorus of voices sounded the alarm. Among them were John Muir, a visionary poet of the American West and its spectacular beauty, and Theodore Roosevelt, an avid reformer whom Muir convinced to set aside vast tracts of wilderness for conservation. Other men, however, had different ideas about the value of wilderness. Gifford Pinchot, who studied forestry in Europe and became an advocate for managed forestry, was once an ally of Muir and others in the conservation movement. As Pinchot continued to broker the clear-cutting of virgin forests with influential timber barons, however, he fell out of favor with those who believed in the importance of preserving nature, regardless of its commercial uses. Muir was among those who decried Pinchots management of wilderness areas, and it is Muirs interest in preservation as opposed to conservation that gave rise to what may be Muirs greatest legacy. In 1892, Muir and others created the Sierra Club, to do something for wildness and make the mountains glad. The Modern Green Movement Begins In the 20th century, the conservation movement was overshadowed by events like the Great Depression and two world wars. Only after World War II ended -- and the rapid transformation of North America from an agricultural society to an industrial one was well underway -- did the modern environmental movement begin. Americas postwar industrialization proceeded at a breakneck pace. The results, while amazing in their breadth, alarmed many with the havoc they wreaked. Nuclear fallout from atomic tests, air pollution caused by millions of cars and factories spewing chemicals into the atmosphere, the destruction of once-pristine rivers and lakes (like Ohios Cuyahoga River, which famously caught fire due to pollution), and the disappearance of farmland and forests under suburban developments were a concern to many citizens. Into this maelstrom stepped a quiet, studious scientist and author.  Rachel Carson in 1962 published, a devastating argument against the reckless use of the pesticides that were wiping out populations of birds, insects, and other animals. The now-classic book gave voice to millions of Americans who saw their rich natural heritage disappearing right before their eyes. Following the publication of Silent Spring and books like Paul Erlichs The Population Bomb, Democratic Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson joined many other politicians in adding environmental protection to their platforms. Even Republican Richard Nixon made considerable progress toward incorporating environmental awareness into his administration. Not only did Nixon create the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), he also signed the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, which required environmental impact assessments for all large-scale federal projects. And on Christmas Eve of 1968, NASA astronaut William Anders, while orbiting the moon with the Apollo 8 mission, snapped a photograph that many people credit with providing a foundation for the modern green movement. His photo shows a small, blue planet Earth peeking over the horizon of the Moon. (See above.) The image of a small planet, alone in a vast ocean of space, showed billions the fragility of our planet and the importance of preserving and protecting Earth. The Environmental Movement and Earth Day Inspired by the protests and teach-ins that were occurring worldwide throughout the 1960s, Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed in 1969 that there be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment. In Nelsons words, The response was electric. It took off like gangbusters. Thus was born the event now known as Earth Day. On April 22, 1970, the first celebration of Earth Day took place on a glorious spring day, and the event was a tremendous success. Millions of Americans coast to coast took part in parades, concerts, speeches and fairs devoted to preserving the natural heritage of the United States and the entire world. In a speech that day, Nelson stated, Our goal is an environment of decency, quality, and mutual respect for all other human creatures and for all living creatures. Earth Day is now celebrated worldwide and has become an environmental touchstone for two generations of eco-activists. The Environmental Movement Solidifies In the months and years following the first Earth Day and the creation of the EPA, the green movement, and environmental consciousness were solidified into private and public institutions around the world. Landmark environmental legislation, like the Clean Water Act, the Federal Pesticides Act, the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Scenic Trails Acts, were signed into law. These federal acts joined many other state and local programs to protect the environment. But all institutions have their detractors, and the environmental movement is no exception. As environmental legislation began to be implemented nationwide, many in the business community found that environmental legislation was having a negative impact on the profitability of mining, forestry, fisheries, manufacturing and other extractive and polluting industries. In 1980, when Republican Ronald Reagan was elected to the presidency, the dismantling of environmental safeguards began. By appointing anti-environmental crusaders like Interior Secretary James Watt and EPA Administrator Anne Gorsuch to office, Reagan and the entire Republican Party signaled their naked contempt for the green movement. Their success was limited, however, and both Watt and Gorsuch were so universally disliked -- even by members of their own party -- that they were removed from office after serving a matter of months. But the battle lines had been drawn, and the business community and the Republican Party remain vehemently opposed to the environmental protections that define much of the green movement. The Green Movement Today: Science vs Spiritualism Like many social and political movements, the green movement has been strengthened and annealed by the forces that oppose it. After James Watt was appointed to lead the Department of the Interior, for instance, membership in the Sierra Club grew from 183,000 to 245,000 in just 12 months. Today, the green movement is again defined and galvanized by its command of issues like global warming and climate change, wetlands preservation, the Keystone pipeline, nuclear proliferation, hydraulic fracturing or fracking, fisheries depletion, species extinction and other important environmental concerns. What distinguishes the green movement today from the earlier conservation movement is its emphasis on science and research. Speaking in spiritual tones and using religious metaphors, early environmentalists like Muir and Thoreau celebrated nature for its profound impact on mans emotions and our souls. When Hetch Hetchy Valley in California was threatened by a dam, Muir exclaimed, Dam Hetch Hetchy! As well dam for water-tanks the peoples cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man. Now, however, we are far more likely to call upon scientific data and empirical research to buttress arguments in favor of wilderness preservation, or against polluting industries. Politicians cite the work of polar researchers and use computerized climate models to battle global warming, and medical researchers rely on public health statistics to argue against mercury pollution. Whether these arguments succeed or fail, however, still depends on the vision, the passion and the commitment of the people who make up the green movement.

The Supernatural Element in Shakespeare’s Hamlet Essay

A common motif in Shakespeare’s many plays is the supernatural element, to which Hamlet , with the presence of a ghost, is no exception. The story of Hamlet, the young prince of Denmark, is one of tragedy, revenge, deception, and ghosts. Shakespeare’s use of the supernatural element helps give a definition to the play by being the catalyst of the tragedy that brings upon Hamlet’s untimely demise. The ghost that appears at the beginning of the play could possibly be a satanic figure that causes Hamlet to engage in the terrible acts and endanger his soul. The supernatural element incorporated into the play is used as an instigator, a mentor, as well as mediation for the actions of the protagonist that ultimately end in tragedy, with the loss†¦show more content†¦The foreshadowing of the guard as well as the conduct of the ghost causes the reader to question the motive of its haunting. After the ghost disappears at the crack of dawn, the guards tell Hamlet, who is eager to meet the ghost. Hamlet ends up talking to the ghost, who then reveals himself, as well as his mission: I am thy father’s spirit,/ Doomed for a certain term to walk the night/ And for the day confined to fast in fires/ Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature/ Are burnt and purged away. But I am forbid / to tell the secrets of my prison house†¦ But this eternal blazon must not be/ To ears of flesh and blood. List, list, O list!/ If thou didst ever thy dear father love†¦ Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder (Shakespeare I.v) The ghost intermitted admits to being ‘doomed’ and ‘confined†¦fast in fires’, all synonymous with features of Hell. A reader can only deduce that the spirit is evil if it has been damned to be in fire. In addition, the spirit wants Hamlet to avenge his father’s death by killing Claudius. Murder is a cardinal sin: thus, by igniting Hamlet’s desire to kill Claudius, the spirit was encouraging Hamlet to commit a cardinal sin that would damn his soul to hell, which directly conflict with his principles, as mentioned by critic, Skulsky. â€Å"Hamlet has arrayed against it suicide and revenge, that is, breaches of the revealed will of God; and as a partner with Scripture in that revelation, conscience is virtually anShow MoreRelatedThe Use of Supernatural Elements in Shakespeares Hamlet and Kyds the Spanish Tragedy1181 Words   |  5 PagesDiscuss the usage and effects that the supernatural elements have in both Kyds `The Spanish Tragedy and Shakespeares Hamlet. Ghosts or supernatural beings feature both in The Spanish Tragedy, written by Thomas Kyd, in 1587, and in Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, in 1601. 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Genovese and Northup Essay Example For Students

Genovese and Northup Essay Slavery as a global institution tends to have an unreal aura surrounding it. Modern perspectives cannot be empathetic because it is not an institution even partially realized in the last century of American life. This is why even through reading Eugene Genoveses Roll, Jordan, Roll and examining most of the aspects of slave life, slavery still remains a mystery in the personal sense. Solomon Northups Twelve Years a Slave, in addition to being one of Genoveses own resources, fills this void with its brutally honest personal story of a slaves life. Northups account enlightens and strengthens Genoveses arguments, specifically those concerning labor, the master-slave relationship, and rebellion, by putting global descriptions in a personal perspective. One of the main advantages of 12 Years a Slave is that Northup is a slave himself, and in that respect does not have to be an apologist for slavery and slaveholders. It is not that Genovese himself is an apologist, but as a modern Caucasian, he must approach the subject of casting any light that might be perceived as positive on slaveholders with trepidation. Although Genovese does his best to present a fair and accurate depiction of slavery, he cannot know the slaves perceptions of their masters. It is really in this respect that Northups account is so useful. By portraying slaveholders as people with human faults and sensibilities, he shows how the institution affects everyone involved. Slaveholders can still be good people, and that goodness shines through the peculiar institution. This is a vital piece of the story of slavery that Genovese cannot put in his comprehensive history. Northups words must be left to stand alone, and draw specifics against a general background. The details of working cotton and sugar cane differ little from Genovese to Northup. Genovese puts the slave gang working grueling hours with specific daily goals, and Northup backs this up with his description. The hands are required to be in the cotton fields as soon as it is light and they often times labor till the middle of the night.(1) This is a prime example of how Northup is able to lend his personal experience to Genoveses general description of slavery. Northup tells us that even after such long hours, the slaves are still extremely afraid, because the master demands a certain amount of cotton from each slave. Merely meeting that goal is not be enough; if a slave exceeds it, then the expectations for that slaves ability would be raised. However, if the goal is not met, then the slave is whipped(2). These specific elucidations of Genoveses general work theme strengthen his thesis and make slavery a much more personal experience. The description of Northups experience of working cotton and cane again ties together many things Genovese outlines in Roll, Jordan, Roll. Even though Northup is not really working in a gang, the work style is much the same and the demands are even more personalized to the worker. Each one is taskedaccording to his picking abilities, none, however, to come short of two hundred weight. Northup goes on to explain about Patsey who picked around five hundred pounds a day, and if she didnt pick at least four hundred pounds she would surely have been beaten.(3) Genovese suggests that the general trend of slaveholders is to use this kind of inducement to keep their slaves on their toes, but he doesnt have descriptions as graphic as this. When Genovese discusses labor, he seems to focus mainly on the southern idea that slaves are lazy. Northups tale hones in more on what the individual experience is in slavery; and it is not one concerned with trying to avoid work. Northup is a slave, and an y work he does for his master he does under duress, and so the benefit of his tale is to refocus the discourse on labor out of rhetoric and into a tangible sense of what is demanded of slaves. .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3 , .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3 .postImageUrl , .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3 , .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3:hover , .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3:visited , .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3:active { border:0!important; } .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3:active , .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3 .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u47f49e30c6e2f5e9b1a3b725cd54caf3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The members themselves EssayThe power of the whip is not really detailed by Genovese in any descriptions by slaves of how the whip increased productivity specifically. The closest he gets is quoting of a grandfathers advice that working hard would avoid the whip(4), but Northup actually describes how the whip would