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Minamata disease
In Japan a chemical factory called Chisso in Minamata released large quantities of industrial wastewater that was contaminated with highly toxic methylmercury. Due to this, a disease called the Minimata disease was spread, causing hundreds of casualties. -
Silent Springs
An environmental science book. It mainly focuses on the adverse environmental effects caused by the extensive use of pesticides. It changed people’s ideas about the environment and even influenced them to take action. This book is partly responsible for the strong and the strength of the grassroots environmental movement. -
Gaia Hypothesis
James Lovelock is an independent scientist, environmentalist and futurist who lives in Dorset, England. He is best known by his hypothesis which predicate that the Earth's functions are a self- regulating system. As well he believes that the Biosphere has a regulatory effect to sustain life on Earth. -
First Earth Day
On 22nd of April of 1970. This event was created to show support for the environment and today 193 countries are involved. It is opened for anyone who would like to help the environment and they can do different activities like plant trees, shop with cloth bag instead of using plastic bags, etc. It has now created immediate impacts. Ex. the chemical called dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, got banned after research had been popularized by Rachel Carson in her book called Silent Springs. -
The Limits to Growth
A book written by an MIT team led by Dennis Meadows. This book has been attacked repeatedly since its publication, but its warning about climate change were prescient. The main reason of criticism towards this book was because people did not want to believe the crisis they were going to face in the future and the idea that the earth is finite. -
Chernobyl accident
It took place the 25-26th of April at the Chernobyl Nuclear Water Plant located in the Soviet Union. There was a catastrophic nuclear that was caused because the graphite-moderated nuclear power reactor and other reactors found at the plant resulted in uncontrolled reactions due to a power failure in the station. This created immediate explosions and an open graphite fire. There was a national and international spread of radioactive material from the accident. -
Brundtland Report
The UN set up this commission on the environment and development, it was emphasized on sustainable development. “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This definition emphasizes the goal which is to provide the essential requirements to the world’s poor and the idea of technology and social organization. -
Earth Summit
In Rio de Janeiro, brought together leaders of 105 nations with the intention of rethinking economic growth, advancing in social equality, and ensuring environmental protection. This started a conversation between citizens around the world and raised awareness on environmental issues. The summit was thought to be a success, and it was in certain aspects, as the government failed to implement the commitments and now the world is suffering more than ever. -
The Kyoto Protocol
An international agreement signed on December 11th 1997, in Kyoto, Japan. It commits its signatories to reducing Greenhouse gas emissions. The protocol recognizes that, mainly, developed countries are responsible for the current high levels of GHG emissions because of big industrial activity over the past years. This agreement is one of the many ways by which awareness on climate change can be raised. -
An inconvenient truth
American documentary about former United States vice president Al Gore's campaign to educate people about global warming. It is about threat that climate change poses to the earth, its causes, effects and history and potential solutions to it. People notably admired it and decided to speak out and teach others about climate change, “the climate movement exploded”. People started caring more about the environment and making sustainable choices. -
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear accident
At 2:46 pm on Friday 11th March there was an energy accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant initiated by a 15-metre tsunami which followed the Tōhoku earthquake of magnitude 9.0. Due to the accident, some radioactive elements escaped from Fukushima and caused the release of radioactive material into the sea for a long time and the damage in biodiversity is very visible in Fukushima and the areas around. -
Paris Climate Agreement
An agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change dealing with greenhouse gas emissions mitigation, adaptation, and finance, starting in the year 2020. This agreement brings all nations into the same cause to make an ambitious effort to defeat climate change and adapt countries to its effects. Its aim is to make stronger the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century below 2ºC above pre-industrial levels. -
Sixth Mass Extinction
At the present time human behaviour is on the verge of causing a mass-extinction, the sixth in the world’s history. Wildlife is dying out due to many factors as habitat destruction, overhunting, toxic pollution, human overpopulation, continued population growth, and overconsumption. The sixth mass extinction is seriously threatening the world’s food supplies. -
Ocean Clean up
Through investigations, the scientists say that it would be able to collect half of the plastic located in there about 8,000,000 tons of plastic that enter the ocean every year. This project will float 62 mile long solid curved barriers and it is made of thermoplastic and high-density polyethene. These materials are environmentally friendly. It will reduce enormously the number of dead animals in the oceans, fewer animals will lose their habitats. And the ocean will be clean again.
