Environmentalism Legalisation

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)- Nixon Administration asked American car manufacturers to cut down exhaust emissions


  1970
• Compliance with EPA regulations

  1. Manufacturers introduced catalytic converters

  2. Manufacturers introduced unleaded gasoline
• Cutting car pollution by 75%

  1975
• Congress passed The Toxic Substances Control Act


  1976
• Carter


  First successful Presidential candidate to campaign environmentalism
• Carter's environmental policies


  1. Obtained legalisation to prevent chemicals from polluting the environment

  2. Expanded the national park and wilderness land

  3. Renewed the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts

  4. Sought to find alternative sources of energy
• Carter's ambitious energy programme failed to get through Congress intact because Americans hated paying more for petrol
• • Carter's impressive achievement were insufficient for environmentalists & upset traditionally Democratic labour unions
  • Workers in industries that generated a great deal of pollution believed environmentalists threatened their jobs
  • Many sported bumper stickers saying- 'If your hungry & at work, eat an environmentalists'