Activity 4.1 – US Environmental History and Major Regulations

The history of environmental policies in the United States shows a connection between societal values and policy development. Over the last couple years many movements and people of power have played a large role in molding this countries approach to environmental conservation and the sustainability of it. These ideas have inspired the creation and implementation of environmental policies and regulations in the country. It is important to understand this to better understand the current environmental situation and all work being done towards a more sustainable and brighter future. The American conservation movement was implemented because early colonists thought that the continent's resources were limitless and bountiful(how nice would that be). This idea led to the large consumption of natural resources including wood, animals  and etc, without the consideration of the long-term effects of its use. However people later caught on when concerns about improper forms of agriculture began to happen in the 19th century causing people to formulate ways to use agriculture in a effective matter. This growing mindset and consciousness of the importance of saving the earths land and wildlife led to the start of some federal institutions like the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Park Service. All of which played a very important role in the creation of policies and regulations targeted at using and managing the nation's natural resources for the future generations in an efficient and effective manner. The transcendental movement, which was created in the 1830s caused a huge change in the environmental thought and policy. This movement changed how society saw the environment, encouraging people to have a more in depth approach that brought together all living beings and their surroundings in a way that had not been seen before. The transcendentalists' ideas of being one with nature and the value of being connected them with the environment inspired the beginning of the sustainability ideology in the first place. Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, and Walt Whitman are key figures who played enormous roles in vouching for these ideas encouraged a wider understanding of our relationship with nature and the things around us. John Muir played a huge role in closing the gap between the transcendental movement and environmental public policy. Beyond his works and forms activism, he formed a close association with Theodore Roosevelt and worked on various advocacy efforts together, they helped shape the  environmental policies that put conservation and protection of natural resources first. Muir's establishment of the Sierra Club in 1892 further solidified his role in the environmental policy. The Sierra Club's work and commitment to preserving wilderness areas have left a legacy that will last forever, inspiring future environmentalists and influencing the development of environmental policy in the United States. All in all the historical evolution of environmental policy in the United States reflects a complicated interaction between social values and the development of policies. From the early views of limitless resources to the establishment of federal institutions, the American conservation movement played a huge role in not only creating but shaping the environmental policy. The transcendental movement further influenced the sustainability paradigm by reshaping the social views of the environment. John Muir translated the ideals of the transcendental movement into useful environmental public policies, working side by side to Theodore Roosevelt together founding the Sierra Club. This historical evolution underscores the importance of understanding the dynamic relationship between we as a society see policy development in helping environmental conservation and sustainability for the purpose of its longevity.

Works Cited
Theis, T., & Tomkin, J. (Eds). (2018). Sustainability: A comprehensive foundation.
Russell, E., & Fairfax, S. K. (2014)