This Green and Growing Land: Environmental Activism in American History

by Kevin C. Armitage

From Benjamin Franklin’s campaign to combat pollution at the Philadelphia’s docks in the 1750s to the movement against climate change today, American environmentalists have sought to protect the natural world and promote a healthy human society. In This Green and Growing Land, historian Kevin Armitage shows how the story of American environmentalism—part philosophy, part social movement--is in no small way a story of America itself, of the way citizens have self-organized, have thought of their communities and their government, and have used their power to protect and enrich the land. Armitage skillfully analyzes the economic and social forces begetting environmental change and emphasizes the responses of a variety of ordinary Americans—as well as a few well-known leaders—to these complex issues. This concise and engaging survey of more than 250 years of activism tells the story of a magnificent American achievement—and the ongoing problems that environmentalism faces.

Genres: Environment, History

302 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an important view of history and the environment. The more things change the more they stay the same.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notes
P
8 F. Bacon thought we need to dominate nature; scientific and theologic view
13 deer skin trade to wuro wiped out deer in South by 1800
14 B/ Risj. 1791, protect Sugar Maple trees
15 Jefferson: protect
20 US - new world, unspoiled nature; Eur - old world, institutional, class, structures
21 1793 B. Barton, PA, called for protect of natural habitat
23 RW Emerson sa god in nature
23-5 HDT
24 HDT: "inventions are pretty toys .. distract from the essentials of life .. improved means to an umimproved end."
27 [Author mistakes metaphor when HDT and F. Douglas speak of slavery in ecol. terms.] HT is anti-capitalist/consumer.
28 10% of US settled thru Homestead Act. 1862 - 160 acres @$26
29 enorm subsidy for RRs. Mich. lumber 96% of forests. T. Veblen: public wealth (resources) squandered. Lumbermen wasted more lumber than used. WC Bryant - early env progressive
30 1832 legal attempts to justify taking land from natives
31 G. Catlin, artist, 1830's, spends 6 yrs painting landscapes & native americans portraits to capture the West beforeit's plundered & lost. Proposes idea of Nat. Parks
32 A. Humboldt, 1769-1859, early env. humanist, scientist
35 Yosemite protected by Lincoln 1864. Yellowst. 1872, admin by US Army. Indians kicked off
37 Early on parks are democrat. places for all
39 So much frontier led to wsate & poor agr. practices - "boundless resources"
44 G. Marsh, 1800's envir visionary, wary of capitalists
46 Presidents begin setting aside millions of acres for forests preserves to protect water sheds
50 Muir combined reverance for nature & talent for getting things done
51 walked 1K miles
54 Old Test., puritans have adverserial relat. to nature
57 Religion; Emerson's individ relation to nature leaves out feminism and communal relations
58 5 Nat. Parks segregated '30's thru WWII
60 Pinchot & Muir, friends, fight over Hetch Hetchy dam for SF water. Muir not strict preservationist
61 Women attracted to conserv. movement, including:
63 Mabel Wright (Audobon) , Mira Dock
65 Wildlife Society started 1935 - autos and roads invading Nat. Parks
66 Marshall, like Catrlin, wanted to combine indian land w/ protected wildernes. Both M&C meant well but this reflected a paternal role
67 Biologists wish to preserve wildern. for their studies. Predators removed from Nat. Parks
68 Edger, Douglas - 2 fem-environists
70 Douglas instrum. in saving/restoring Everglades
72 Zahniser politically active; works to give Wild. Act real teeth
73 LBJ 'if future gens are to remember us w/ gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them something more then the miracles of tech
78 Alaska: artic NWR: natives, oil, Reagan, etc battle 70-80's
80 Prog era was profoundly environmental
84 Pittsb: air, water c. 1908 is horrible, espec for poor
85 Women led the charge; Pitt's Report rep'ed entire nation
86 Ellen Richards, MIT chemist, attacks h2o prob
79 Chapter: Progress Publications (?)
91 White Phos, 1912, removed from workplace. Dr Alice Hamilton studies indudt. diseases, found lead hazards. {tg, why lead paint & gas for so long?]
94 Some conserv were elites wishing to protect their hunting preserves
96 TR, Pinchot
97 Birds decimated for hat fashions
98 Audobon Founded by women
122 Bennett, dust bowl
124 GW Carver, b. IA
126 H. Ickes, Nat. Parks under FDR. one of many lib repub. who joined Dems b/c of inact. by Rep. Party
128 Ickes fights seg in gov and Nat. Parks