American Environmental History, Essay Example

It is evident during the early days of the 18th century most rich countries including America exploited the environment to meet various social needs. There existed a transportation barrier prompting farmers to find various ways to find a solution to this problem. The small-scale farmers devised various ways to get ample cash for buying high caliber store goods such as farm implements, guns, crockery, metal utensils, and pay nominal taxes. Also, during this period some subsistence farmers could sell cattle in the market while others would burn trees from the fields, they cleared to produce a kettle of potash which fetched some good amount of cash and was easily transportable. The kettle of potash from the wood fetched a good amount of cash since it was a vital ingredient of fertilizer and glass (Carolyn 62). Further, the aspect of the farmers exploiting the environment is proofed when some farmers who lived in the vicinity of the forest would cut down firewood and sell in the market to get some income.

The Americans farmers exploited the environment in various ways such as farming, fishing, and mining to get cash for their daily bread (Carolyn 62). The aspect of exploitation is further proofed with the revolution of transportation whereby the new railway line cut through the land leaving scars in the form of cleared land and pollution by the locomotives. Also, the huge demand for coal, firewood, iron, and timber led to exploitation of the environment during the 18 centuries (Carolyn 67). Besides this, the market revolution presented a threat to the environment in the United States of America more than any other development in modern history. The market revolution had a negative impact on air, land, water, and living creatures as the country were in pursuit of status and wealth (Carolyn 67).

The white subsistence farmers exploited the environment differently as compared to the Native Americans. It is evident the white farmers made an effort to manage and preserve the environment through grazing their cattle by a free-range method whereby the cattle would trample the forest floor and manure it despite causing some erosion. In addition, the whites were not as destructive as Indians who would burn the woods with an intention of having an easy access to the hunting and gathering grounds rather the whites would only set fire with the intention of clearing fields showing they attempted to preserve both their commodification of nature and nature itself (Carolyn 62). In the 19-century man begun to realize he was interacting daily with a live nature in all its interlinked parts. Also, the human race had to make interventions in preserving nature to avoid calamities such as storms, droughts, and failed harvests. During this period, he saw the occurrence of these events as a punishment due to mishandling of the environment hence the need to conserve it.  There were also agricultural improvements due to the use of organic fertilizers. To improve the fertility in their lands, the farmers reared cattle and obtained manures which they could use in their farms. Further, they planted legume crops in fallow land to improve the nutrient contents of their soil subsequently conserving the environment (Carolyn 62).

It is also evident there was an effort to reduce the use of environment with the intention of restoring it. For example, most energies were generated from fossil fuel as compared to the past era when it was derived from firewood (Carolyn 101).  Further, to protect the forests, the Americans reduce the overreliance on timber and instead started using iron and steel to make cars, bridges, and buildings. To restore the environment at the end of nineteenth-century iron and coal was substituted with electricity and petroleum. These two new forms of energy enhanced productivity in the twentieth century.  To protect the environment there were discoveries of oil fields in California, Texas, and Oklahoma which provided energy that competed for coal and other sources of energies that were a threat to the environment. Further, natural gas replaced firewood as a source of heating in homes, cities, and factories. This proofs during the 20th century most countries sort to protect and restore the environment.

Most countries also embraced solar energy as a way of conserving the resources and the environment. Most Americans homes in the 20th century embraced the solar heating system. Solar energy is a clean source of energy, and it is sustainable as compared to other sources of energy. Solar energy has the capacity of reducing air pollution since it doesn’t emit harmful carbon dioxide and methane (Solangi 2151). Solar energy produces non-greenhouse gases as compared to other forms of energy such as coal. Further solar energy utilizes the sun which is the most abundant natural resource and can produce energy amounting to 173,000 terawatts. Additionally, most countries have employed wind power to mitigate the problem of pollution in the environment (Millstein). This is clear proof that most countries including America are making steps towards reducing the use of the environment with the sole aim of restoring it and safeguarding the resources that are left on the planet.

Works Cited

Merchant, Carolyn. American Environmental History. 2002.

Millstein, Dev, et al. “”The climate and air-quality benefits of wind and solar power in the United States.”.” Nature Energy 2.9 (2017).

Solangi, K. H., et al. “”A review on global solar energy policy.” .” Renewable and sustainable energy reviews 15.4 (2011): 2151.