Jon Russo Free reading response 3

 I read chapter 6 of First Along the River which was about the 1940s  through the 1960s. This chapter began talking about the increased realization that Americans had that the land had to do more than just keep us alive, we can't destroy it.  New innovations such as pesticides and manufacturing plants damaged the land, and the air quality of many areas. In 1961 California lost * million dollars of crops due to air pollution. During the post war era Americans began to take the national parks for granted, lousy management and overuse became the main problems. As items were becoming mass produced garbage was accumulating in junkyards more than ever before. Rachel Carson became a prominent figure showing the dangers of DDT in her book "Silent Spring". Television was used in the 1960s for the first time to broadcast environmental issues. In 1967 auto emissions were noted as a serious problem. Also at this time the population boom was occuring. In 1970 president Nixon declared that we must take back control of our air and waters. 

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