Thursday, December 6, 2012

Declaration of Environmental Rights 1970 by LINDSAY MISCHKE


In the 1950’s and the 1960’s, economic growth was powered by oil.  The United States produced more oil than they actually used or needed.  Large offshore deposits of oil were discovered off of the California coast, and in order to obtain this oil, a new technology of underwater drilling had to be done which was dangerous.  In the winter of 1969, off the coast, lots of sticky black petroleum floated up to the top and suffocated thousands of fish and trapped many seabirds.

·        Fish, birds & oil washed up on shore, ruining many beaches

·        Santa Barbara was affected the most

A group of angry citizens came together to protect the environment and to state how mad they were about the wasteful ways of Americans.  Although the economic growth was a success, it was overshadowed by the harm it did to the natural world.  Humans have been abusing the world for many years now.  The environmental disaster of the Santa Barbara channel brought many environmental issues up:

§  Littering

§  Humans have taken up much natural land

§  We have stripped the forest and grasses and reduced the soil

§  We contaminate the air WE breathe

§  Pollution of the lakes, rivers & oceans

§  We have exterminated species of birds and animals and brought others close to  it

§  “Made physical world ugly and loud depriving man of the beauty and quiet that feeds his spirit.” (Hofstadter p. 507)

We are able to solve this problem by simply using our minds, not machines.  People need to realize that man is a member of his community, not the master of it.  We must treat our backyards as if they were the world and the world as if it were our backyard. 

“TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF OUR LIFE ON THIS PLANET, WE WILL BEGIN ANEW.” (Hofstadter p. 508)

                  A recent article relating to a recent BP deepwater oil spill..
"Offshore drilling is inherently dirty and dangerous and needs to be phased out."


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