FIRST EARTH DAY
On April 22, an estimated 20 million
people march in U.S. streets to call attention to
the urgent need for environmental protections.
1970
U.S. BANS NOTORIOUS
PESTICIDE
Silent Spring had called for it; the new EPA does
it: DDT is declared to be dangerous to wildlife,
the environment, and potentially humans.
1972
WORLD
POPULATIONIN (^1970) 3.7 BILLION
“ENVIRONMENTAL
MAGNA CARTA”
The National Environmental
Policy Act takes effect in
the U.S. It requires
environmental impact
assessments for federally
permitted projects such as
roads and dams.
1970
CLEANING UP RIVERS
The Clean Water Act regulates pollution
and leads to major cleanups in U.S. rivers,
streams, lakes, wetlands, and coastal areas. Some
even become fishable and swimmable again.
1972
DEFENDING MARINE MAMMALS
The Marine Mammal Protection Act shields declining populations—whales,
dolphins, seals, and manatees—from hunting and harassment in U.S. waters.
Their numbers begin a decades-long recovery.
1972
SAVING SPECIES
The Endangered Spe-
cies Act limits encroachment
on the habitat of listed animals
and plants. It prevents extinc-
tions—but is attacked for
infringing on property rights.
1973
CHEMICAL PLANT ACCIDENT
IN SEVESO, ITALY
Toxic vapors expose thousands of people
to some of the highest dioxin levels ever
recorded.
1976
LOVE CANAL
FUROR
Buried toxic chemicals
sicken hundreds of
residents in the
community of Love
Canal, near Niagara
Falls, New York,
calling attention to
the dangers of indus-
trial waste.
1978
THREE MILE
ISLAND
A partial meltdown
at a Pennsylvania
nuclear power plant
kills no one—but
sours many Ameri-
cans on nukes.
1979
1970 S
(^19)
(^71)
(^19)
(^72)
(^19)
(^73)
(^19)
(^74)
(^19)
(^75)
(^19)
(^76)
(^19)
(^77)
(^19)
(^78)
(^19)
(^79)
(^19)
(^70)
. (^5)
(^) (-
(^0). 9
)
(^0). 0 0.
(^5)
( 0
. (^9) )
(^1). 0
(^) ( 1
. (^8) )
(^1). 5
(^) ( 2
. (^7) )
Di
ffe
re
nc
e
in
gl
ob
al
te
m
pe
ra
tu
re
fro
m
(^20)
th
ce
nt
ur
yav
er
ag
ein
de
gr
ee
sCe
lsi
us(^) ( ̊
F)
STORY NAME 85