Over the last 60 years, environmental politics and policy have shaped the modern world and sparked some of the most controversial—and complicated—disputes in American history. On issues from toxic chemicals, endangered species, and pollution to Hurricane Katrina and global climate change, Americans have debated how to protect the planet and local communities while maintaining a vibrant economy and high standard of living. The environmental movement that emerged after World War II transformed American attitudes toward ecology, land use, and natural resources, raising issues that the nation had never previously confronted.

The Environment since 1945 examines numerous controversies in environmental politics and policy since 1945, including the Donora smog event of 1948, building dams in national parks, the passage of the National Environmental Protection Act, the banning of DDT, the Love Canal crisis, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the Makah whale hunt, and environmental racism. Designed to spark discussion, this authoritative new resource is essential for anyone interested in this timely topic and how it affects American history.