0.24 Issues and options  (Page 4/6)

Besides physical processes, socio-economic factors must also be considered in a restoration project. Actions of humans have historically been important in shaping ecosystems, and are important in determining the success of restoration efforts. Because the cost to restore an individual site can involve millions of dollars, government support is a necessity. Even with the best efforts, restoration projects can sometimes be hampered by unexpected events. An effort by one environmental group to restore a savannah ecosystem in Illinois was blocked by another environmental group that objected to the removal of the trees from the area.

Environmental involvement

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

The environmental movement had its beginnings in the early 1960’s, when biologist Rachel Carlson published her book "The Silent Spring." The book highlighted the harmful effects of pesticides on wildlife. Soon there was a growing grassroots campaign demanding that the government act to protect the environment. There was also an increase in the popularity of established conservation groups such as the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society. The early years of the movement led to such milestones as the passage of the “Wilderness Act” in 1964 and the “Land and Water Conservation Act” in 1965, as well as the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970.

Environmental groups in the United States carry out a variety of activities: lobbying for new environmental laws, lobbying against harmful projects, acting as pollution watchdogs, actively protecting land and wildlife and educating the public on environmental issues. Some more radical groups such as “Earth First!” add civil disobedience and sabotage to their environmental activities. Greenpeace is one of the largest international environmental groups and is probably best known for its efforts to stop continued commercial whaling by Japan and Norway.

An anti-environmentalist movement, the “Wise Use Movement,” is a coalition of timber and mining companies and cattle ranchers. The members advocate logging, mining, grazing and developing all public lands, regardless of the environmental consequences. Throughout the 1990’s the group attempted to repeal or weaken many environmental laws and discredit environmental groups. Their efforts were largely thwarted; however, they were able to block some proposed environmental legislation.

Although strength in numbers is always an effective strategy when taking on environmental issues, individuals can also make significant inroads in environmental activism. In 1978, a lone woman living in the Love Canal area of Niagara Falls, New York, awakened the nation to the dangers of hazardous waste dumps. Working first at the local level, then the state level and finally the national level, she lobbied governments to take action to protect people from the toxic chemicals contained in such dumps. Her efforts led to the creation of a national Superfund in 1980 to cleanup and regulate hazardous waste sites.