Unit VI- U.S. Cultural History 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s

Chapter 35

Sections 2 and 6

Living Issues• Conservation and Ecology

• Acid Rain - Air, Water and Land pollution

• Recycling

• Earth Day

• Energy- conservation, alternatives and Government

• Computer Revolution

• Labor problems and Farm Crisis

Conservation and Ecology• Conservation- concern for Conservation- concern for

the following areas:the following areas:– Relationships between organisms and their Relationships between organisms and their

environmentenvironment

– Population growth ratesPopulation growth rates – Soil management and erosionSoil management and erosion

– Efficiency of food productionEfficiency of food production

– Water management- shortages, pollution, ecosystems Water management- shortages, pollution, ecosystems and coastal erosionand coastal erosion

– Rangeland managementRangeland management

– Forest managementForest management

– Wildlife management and extinctionWildlife management and extinction

– Pesticides: crops, health and the environmentPesticides: crops, health and the environment

– Managing wastes in the Human EnvironmentManaging wastes in the Human Environment

Administers 261 million surface acres of public land

Ecology

• ECOECO: It certainly isn't a new word. In : It certainly isn't a new word. In Greek ("oikos"), it means the home, the Greek ("oikos"), it means the home, the place where we live. And place where we live. And ecologyecology means means the science of how all living creatures the science of how all living creatures interact within our home - our interact within our home - our environment on this fascinating, complex environment on this fascinating, complex

Spaceship Earth.Spaceship Earth. • Today, over three-quarters of all adult Today, over three-quarters of all adult

Americans pay attention to a company's Americans pay attention to a company's environmental reputation before they buy environmental reputation before they buy its products and services. Two-thirds of us its products and services. Two-thirds of us recycle the waste from our homes, recycle the waste from our homes, schools, or offices; and 70% say they schools, or offices; and 70% say they would be willing to pay higher taxes to would be willing to pay higher taxes to make our air and water cleaner.make our air and water cleaner.

Amoeba

Pollution- Air, Water and Land

• The Pollution Prevention Act The Pollution Prevention Act (PPA) of 1990 established P2 as (PPA) of 1990 established P2 as U.S. public policy. The Act U.S. public policy. The Act declares that pollution should be declares that pollution should be prevented or reduced at the prevented or reduced at the source, wherever feasible. In the source, wherever feasible. In the absence of feasible prevention or absence of feasible prevention or recycling opportunities, pollutant recycling opportunities, pollutant by-products should be treated by-products should be treated appropriately. Disposal or other appropriately. Disposal or other release into the environment release into the environment should be the last resort and should be the last resort and should be conducted in an should be conducted in an environmentally safe manner.environmentally safe manner.

Water Pollution

• Water Pollution- contamination Water Pollution- contamination of streams, lakes, underground of streams, lakes, underground water, bays, or oceans by water, bays, or oceans by substances harmful to living substances harmful to living things-chemical, biological, or things-chemical, biological, or physical materials.physical materials.

• Types of PollutantsTypes of Pollutants– Petroleum ProductsPetroleum Products– Pesticides and herbicidesPesticides and herbicides– Heavy metalsHeavy metals– Hazardous wastesHazardous wastes– Excess organic matterExcess organic matter– SedimentSediment– Infectious organismsInfectious organisms– ThermalThermal

Non Point Source Pollution• Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, unlike pollution from

industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many industrial and sewage treatment plants, comes from many diffuse sources. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or diffuse sources. NPS pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground rivers, wetlands, coastal waters, and even our underground sources of drinking water. These pollutants include:sources of drinking water. These pollutants include:

– Excess fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides from agricultural Excess fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides from agricultural lands and residential areas.lands and residential areas.

– Oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy Oil, grease, and toxic chemicals from urban runoff and energy production;production;

– Sediment from improperly managed construction sites, crop Sediment from improperly managed construction sites, crop and forest lands, and eroding streambanks;and forest lands, and eroding streambanks;

– Salt from irrigation practices and acid drainage from Salt from irrigation practices and acid drainage from abandoned mines;abandoned mines;

– Bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes, and faulty Bacteria and nutrients from livestock, pet wastes, and faulty septicsystems;septicsystems;

– Atmospheric deposition and hydromodification are also sources Atmospheric deposition and hydromodification are also sources of nonpoint source pollution.of nonpoint source pollution.

Atmospheric Pollution• EPA- 188 pollutantsEPA- 188 pollutants• Types of Pollution-Types of Pollution-

– Release of Particles into atmosphereRelease of Particles into atmosphere• From burning fossil fuelFrom burning fossil fuel• Autos, homes and industriesAutos, homes and industries• Black Carbon pollutionBlack Carbon pollution• RadiationRadiation

– Release of Noxious GassesRelease of Noxious Gasses• sulfur dioxidesulfur dioxide• carbon monoxidecarbon monoxide• nitrogen oxides, and nitrogen oxides, and • chemical vapors.chemical vapors.

– Toxic air pollutantsToxic air pollutants, also known as hazardous air , also known as hazardous air pollutants, are those pollutants that are known or pollutants, are those pollutants that are known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or effects, such as reproductive effects or birth defects, or adverse environmental effectsadverse environmental effects

• Results- Results- Acid Rain, Ozone Damage, Smog, Haze Acid Rain, Ozone Damage, Smog, Haze (Visibility), Global Warming and Climate Change(Visibility), Global Warming and Climate Change

Ozone areas

Land Pollution

• Land pollution is the degradation of the Earth's land through human misuse of the soil

• Toxic Chemicals• Littering and insects• Improper disposal of waste.• Deforestation• Soil Misuse and erosion• Landfills

Recycling

• Reduce/reuse/recyclePractice the three R's: first reduce how much you use, then reuse what you can, and then recycle the rest. Then, dispose of what's left in the most environmentally friendly way.

Earth Day - April 22

• "Good stewardship of the environment is not "Good stewardship of the environment is not just a personal responsibility, it is a public just a personal responsibility, it is a public value.” value.” President G. W. Bush Sequoia President G. W. Bush Sequoia National Park, California National Park, California

• First celebrated on April 22, First celebrated on April 22, 1970 and rallied more than 20 1970 and rallied more than 20 million people to environmental million people to environmental activities.activities.

• Largest grassroots movement in Largest grassroots movement in American History and helped American History and helped create the environmental create the environmental movement.movement.

• Save energy, use less water, and handle Save energy, use less water, and handle household toxics carefully.household toxics carefully.

• Rachel Carson - “Silent Spring”- pesticides.Rachel Carson - “Silent Spring”- pesticides.

Energy- Conservation, Alternatives, and Government

• Renewable Energy– Bioenergy- biomassBioenergy- biomass– GeothermalGeothermal– HydrogenHydrogen– HydropowerHydropower– OceanOcean– SolarSolar– WindWind

• Energy EfficiencyEnergy Efficiency– BuildingsBuildings– IndustryIndustry– PowerPower– TransportationTransportation

• Recycling conserves energy

Computer Revolution

Who controls the past commands the future. Who commands the future conquers the past."

-George Orwell

Farm CrisisThe 1980’s Farm Crisis

• Causes of the farm crisis varied. The agricultural prosperity of the 1970’s inflated the Causes of the farm crisis varied. The agricultural prosperity of the 1970’s inflated the price of farmland. In 1970 the average farmland value in Iowa was $419 per acre. By price of farmland. In 1970 the average farmland value in Iowa was $419 per acre. By 1980 the average farmland value was $2,066 per acre, but by 1986 it had dropped to 1980 the average farmland value was $2,066 per acre, but by 1986 it had dropped to $787 per acre. $787 per acre.

• Many farmers borrowed money at high rates of interest, which could only be repaid by Many farmers borrowed money at high rates of interest, which could only be repaid by continued high prices for their commodities. The prime interest rate in 1981 was18.87 continued high prices for their commodities. The prime interest rate in 1981 was18.87 percent. Falling commodity prices and farmland values in the 1980’s led to economic percent. Falling commodity prices and farmland values in the 1980’s led to economic and social problems. Many farmers were forced into bankruptcy, which, in turn, led to and social problems. Many farmers were forced into bankruptcy, which, in turn, led to the closing of many banks.the closing of many banks.

• In 10 years, the number of Iowa farms dropped by more than 11 percent, from 121,000 In 10 years, the number of Iowa farms dropped by more than 11 percent, from 121,000 in 1979 to 107,000 in 1988. In 2000 there were 93,500 farms in Iowain 1979 to 107,000 in 1988. In 2000 there were 93,500 farms in Iowa.

• Add to this an increase in international competition.Add to this an increase in international competition.• PIK - Payment in Kind- Farmers paid in surplus crops from government grain bins for PIK - Payment in Kind- Farmers paid in surplus crops from government grain bins for

not planting their land.not planting their land.• Farm Loan Security Act- reduced the amount the government would loan on their crops.Farm Loan Security Act- reduced the amount the government would loan on their crops.

Labor in the 1980’s• Air traffic controllers strike.

– On August 3, 1981 nearly 13,000 of the 17,500 members of the On August 3, 1981 nearly 13,000 of the 17,500 members of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) walked Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) walked off the job, hoping to disrupt the nation's transportation system to the off the job, hoping to disrupt the nation's transportation system to the extent that the federal government would accede to its demands for extent that the federal government would accede to its demands for higher wages, a 32 hour work week, updated computer equipment and higher wages, a 32 hour work week, updated computer equipment and

better retirement benefits after 20 years.better retirement benefits after 20 years. – The president announced the striking workers were in violation of the law, and he The president announced the striking workers were in violation of the law, and he

fired them, with little apparent remorse. Organized labor was furious while the fired them, with little apparent remorse. Organized labor was furious while the public had a more mixed reaction. Even those within his own administration had public had a more mixed reaction. Even those within his own administration had their doubts about the move. their doubts about the move.

• Decline of smokestack industries.• “Give-backs”• Strikes and changes in relations of

business and labor.