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Pennsylvania colony
Pennsylvania colony governor William Penn ordered colonists to conserve one tree for every five cut down. -
Burton Act
Congress passed the Burton Act, which preserved Niagara Falls from hydroelectric power facilities. -
The Wild and Scenic Act
The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act passed by Congress and President Johnson to protect waterways from pollution, commercialization, and development. -
Earth Day
The first Earth Day was celebrated by 20 million people across the country. Earth Day was first organized by Gaylord Nelson, a former Wisconsin senator, and Denis Hayes, a Harvard graduate student. Today, Earth Day is celebrated annually around the world. -
The Enviornmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency was established to “create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can exist in productive harmony.” -
Keep America Beautiful
The Ad Council and Keep America Beautiful first aired the “Crying Indian” commercial on nationwide television, inspiring popular interest in the environment.The Ad Council and Keep America Beautiful first aired the “Crying Indian” commercial on nationwide television, inspiring popular interest in the environment. -
NASA's Warning
NASA warned Congress of the effects of global warming. -
Oil Pollution Act
The Oil Pollution Act streamlined the EPA’s ability to prevent and clean up catastrophic oil spills. -
Earth Concert
Live Earth concerts around the world featured Madonna, the Black Eyed Peas, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, and the Beastie Boys, to raise awareness of climate change. -
San Fransico Oil Spill
San Francisco Oil Spill:
On November 7, a South Korea bound container ship struck a tower supporting the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge spilling 58,000 gallons of oil in the San Francisco Bay. Dozens of dead and injured seabirds were immediately found following the spill. The spill fouled miles of coastland and according to area scientists, could threaten the lives of the bay’s birds, fish, invertebrates, and marine mammals for years. A day after the spill, oil could be spotted 15 miles north
