Environmentalism

Seminar Studies in History

by David Peterson del Mar

Environmental movements have produced some impressive results, including cleaner air and the preservation of selected species and places. But movements that challenged western prosperity and comfort seldom made much progress, and many radical environmentalists have been unabashed utopianists. In this short guide, Peterson del Mar untangles this paradox by showing how prosperity is essential to environmentalism. Industrialisation made conservation sensible, but also drove people to look for meaning in nature even as they consumed its products more relentlessly. Hence Englandled the way in both manufacturing and preserving its countryside, and the United Statescreated a matchless set of national parks as it became the world's pre-eminent economic and military power. Environmentalism considers both the conservation and preservation movements and less organized forms of nature loving (from seaside vacations to ecotourism) to argue that these activities have commonly distracted us from the hard work of creating a sustainable and sensible relationship with the environment.

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Jagoda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly informative book about the world around us. Deprived of unnecessary rules and dates, but containing references to pop culture and everyday life.
It shows the role of art in ecology.
When Walt Disney introduced us to the story of Bambi, and Tolkien built his world full of nature, this has led to a greater openness to wild nature on the part of humans.
"Such is modern life, the mordor is in us" ~ Tolkien
How the fate of the killer whale in the film "Free willy" and the moment of killing the mouse in the "green mile" influenced the audience. This book will give you the answers

[inhonoredglory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! A brief, but nuanced overview of the history and major concepts and controversies faced by environmentalism through the decades. Especially fascinating is how environmental consciousness parallels economic affluence, and how "taking care of the planet" or "loving nature" is a cause that's been used by nationalists, counter-cultural rebels, and even advertisers to promote their own motives. A very easy read and wonderfully structured.

[Bethany’s Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and light read, I managed to finish this book in a day. A lot of the book focuses on the history of environmentalism, our relationship with nature and how we eventually went from fearing the wilderness to exploiting it for resources. There’s also a lot of information on the history of environmental and animal rights groups which was interesting. A good book for anyone interested in the history of our environment and how we have treated it over the years.