Environmentalism

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Introduction

Environmentalism is a political and moral movement that seeks to protect the natural environment and professes economic, social, political policies to be in line with protecting the environment and giving consideration to living things other than humans and the natural environment as a whole. It further promotes human activities that are harmless to the environment and proposes a reexamination of humanity's relationship with nature (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2012).

Environmentalism is not about improving human life and existence. It does not only concern with improving the standard of water and breathing air. It includes much more - including animal rights and global warming, etc. Some also say that it is more of a religion. As long as humans exist, environmental degradation will occur, and environmentalists will get support. Environmentalism is involved with improving and protecting the environment directly.

The cause of environmentalism started in the early 1960's and 70's with the passage of important laws such as the National Environment Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. Today it has become more of a special interest (Shellenberger & Nordhaus, 2004).

Nowadays, everyone is supporting environmentalism from individual environmentalists, celebrities, religious scholars, United Nations, Environmental Protection Agencies, and others. Numerous non-profit organizations such as the Earth First and Sierra Club are supporting environmental activities and are collecting funds to support the ailing global environment.

Environmentalism

Environmentalism is indeed the foremost concern nowadays. Numerous organizations and groups are working to improve the environment. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on global warming. Teague (2004) writes that environmentalism has become more of a special interest. He warns of the unprecedented natural disasters that are afflicting the United States and other countries. He points out that the devastation caused by the hurricanes in Florida and the Caribbean is attributable to the harmful effects of global warming. Further, he posits that the insurance industry predicts a US $20 billion loss from these deadly hurricanes. Still, no one, he says, from the political arena or elsewhere, is willing to come forward and blame the global warming for the ever-deadly hurricanes.

Environmentalism is the foremost concern. Still, the American people have not yet been prepared enough to work at the level that they are supposed to do to protect the environment. All the philanthropy has not achieved the awareness and interest of the people to work for this cause or to donate for protecting the environment. Nevertheless, it remains the top concern for most of humanity as the humanity suffers these extreme environmental shocks.

Shellenberger and Nordhaus (2004) exhort that much work has been done on the environmental front. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent to reduce the effects of global warming. The environmentalists have continually worked to improve the environment. The carbon emissions of the world have been reduced, and more fuel efficient cars are on the roads. However, all the interest groups and environmentalist organizations have failed to gain the level of national legislation required to win the battle against global warming. Also, ...