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World Population Reaches 1 Billion People
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World Population Reaches 2 Billion People
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Founding of the IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an environmental network hoping to encourage human progress and economic development while maintaining the diversity of nature and preserving natural resources with sustainable practices. With over 1,300 members, they hope to inform and empower conservation efforts everywhere. https://www.iucn.org/about -
Minamata
Minamata disease was discovered in Japan and linked to Methyl Mercury that was released into the water by a chemical factory. It was consumed by fish and shellfish, which were then consumed by the local population. The disease can damage hearing, sight, balance, and muscle strength. In some extreme cases, it can cause insanity, paralysis, comas, birth defects in newborn babies, and even death. Overall, 900 people died and more than 2,600 people had mercury poisoning as a result of the disease. -
World Population Reaches 3 Billion People
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Gaia Hypothesis
The Gaia Hypothesis states that living organisms and their inorganic surroundings have evolved together as a single living system that greatly affects the chemistry of Earth's surface. The hypothesis was developed in the 1960s by Dr. James Lovelock, and published in 1979 after gaining little recognition previously. -
Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring"
Rachel Carson published "Silent Spring" in 1962. Her book explained the decline of the bird population across America due to the of the use of DDT, a synthetic pesticide. Because of this book, the Environment Defense Fund was launched to solve the DDT problem. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/rachel-carson-silent-spring-1972-ddt-ban-birds-thrive/ -
Clean Air Act
The Clean Air Act was designed to control air pollution, protect the ozone layer, and promote overall health. It regulates emissions of hazardous gas pollutants, which can be very harmful to humans. In addition to its original passing in 1963, amendments were added in 1970 and 1990. -
Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Act
The Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Act is an amendment made as Title II to the Clean Air Act and is now called the National Emissions Standards Act. This act controls the air pollution emitted from vehicles, making sure that it stays within local, federal, and national U.S. standards. This act will hopefully lower the amount of acid rain being precipitated, which can be harmful, as well as reduce the toxic waste released into the air. -
Save the Whale Campaign
Due to commercial whaling, whale species have been pushed to the brink of extinction. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was created in 1946 to conserve whales and prevent their extinction. In the 1970s, Greenpeace’s Save the Whale campaign sparked a movement against whaling and by 1982 a ban was created, and it was finally executed in 1986. https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/18307/history-commercial-whaling-greenpeace/ -
Endangered Species Act
Through the Endangered Species Act, federal agencies provide a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals. The law requires federal agencies to work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services to ensure the actions they authorize do not jeopardize any endangered species. -
World Population Reaches 4 Billion People
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Toxic Substances Control Act
The United States Congress passed the Toxic Substances Control Act in 1976 which gave the Environmental Protection Agency the authority to require testing, reporting, and restrictions of chemical substances. It doesn't only affect new chemicals but also those that are already produced. Some of the main chemicals it focuses on are asbestos, radon and lead-based paint. -
Bhopal Disaster
The Bhopal Disaster took place when 30 tons of highly toxic methyl isocyanate and other poisonous chemicals leaked from a pesticide plant and created a mist covering Bhopal. About 600,000 people were exposed to the gas and it's estimated that 15,000 people have died as a result of the leak. Union Carbide, the owners of the factory, failed to create backup systems to cope with the accidents. The factory still has not been cleared and is still causing health problems to those nearby. -
Chernobyl Nuclear Accident
In Chernobyl, Ukraine, a chain reaction led to an explosion flipping the lid off a nuclear reactor when safety procedures weren't followed, leading to an accident worse than any other. The surrounding area was exposed to radiation causing thousands of deaths despite a forced evacuation. https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/energy-government-and-defense-magazines/chernobyl-disaster-spurs-ecological-movements-eastern-europe -
World Population Reaches 5 Billion People
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Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
The Exxon Valdez oil spill happened when 10.8 million gallons of oil began to spew forth into the cold waters of Alaska. It eventually spread almost 500 miles from the crash site and stained thousands of miles of coastline. Hundreds of thousands of birds, fish, seals, and other animals perished as a result, despite the mobilization of more than 11,000 people and 1,000 boats involved in the cleanup. This oil spill is considered to be the largest man-made environmental disaster in U.S history. -
Oil Pollution Act
The Oil Pollution Act was created as a way to strengthen how oil spills are prevented and handled. Its goal is to keep oil from reaching navigable waters. It was created following a major oil spill of millions of gallons of oil along the Alaskan Coast. -
Kuwaiti Oil Fires
The Kuwaiti oil fires happened in 1991 and were caused by Iraqi military forces setting 605 to 732 oil wells on fire, along with an unspecified number of oil-filled areas, such as oil lakes and fire trenches, which then spewed crude oil across the desert and into the Persian Gulf. The fires burned for ten months, and firefighting crews from ten countries worked to put out the fires. An estimated one to one and a half billion barrels of oil were released into the environment. -
Kyoto Protocol
The first agreement between nations to limit a country’s greenhouse-gas emissions was created as the Kyoto Protocol. It was first enforced in 2005 when industrialized nations are restricted in their carbon emissions. Although the ideas behind it originated from years prior, from 1990 to 2009, emissions increased by almost 40%. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/mar/11/kyoto-protocol -
World Population Reaches 6 Billion People
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"An Inconvenient Truth" Documentary
The documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" is about the former U.S vice president Al Gore’s campaign to educate people about global warming. Gore presents a wide array of facts and information in a thoughtful and compelling way: often humorous, frequently emotional, and always fascinating. The documentary won two academy awards for best documentary feature and best original song. https://www.britannica.com/topic/An-Inconvenient-Truth -
BP Oil Spill
The BP Oil Spill happened when a BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico exploded and sank, spilling 13.9 million barrels of oil into the ocean. The oil contaminated the sea and poisoned the wildlife. Workers tried to contain the spread of oil with floating booms to contain surface oil. The oil severely damaged deep-sea coral and other ecosystems and wildlife. -
Fukushima Nuclear Accident
The Fukushima nuclear accident happened following a major earthquake and is the second-worst nuclear accident in history. A 15-meter tsunami disabled the power supply and cooling of three reactors, causing a nuclear meltdown. Over 160,000 people were forced from their homes after the plants meltdown. It's reported that 1 worker died from radiation, and 2,202 people have died since. https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/fukushima-accident.aspx -
World Population Reaches 7 Billion People
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Greta Thunberg School Strike for Climate
Greta Thunberg first protested outside of the Swedish parliament in a “skolstrejk för kilimatet,” meaning school strike for climate. She's traveling the world speaking before the world’s major leaders and sparking school-walkouts in over a hundred countries hoping to change the world's response, or lack thereof, to climate change. This new approach to global politics has influenced many to rally behind her, including over a million students. https://www.ted.com/speakers/greta_thunberg
