The environmental movement strives for Earth stewardship, which means responsibly planning and managing our natural resources. Notable historical events have shaped this movement:

Example: Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" (1962)

• Rachel Carson was an American biologist who warned about the harmful effects of synthetic pesticides in her book "Silent Spring".
• Her book focused on the negative impact of insecticides on birds of prey, stirring concerns about pesticide use in crop production.
• "Silent Spring" played a crucial role in sparking environmental movements in the 1960s, leading to the ban on DDT for agricultural uses, and inspiring the formation of the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Example: "The Limits to Growth" (1972)

• Published by the Club of Rome, a group of experts from different fields, "The Limits to Growth" explored the impact of the booming global population on finite natural resources.
• This book pushed scientists, policymakers, and the public to understand ecological problems on a planetary scale, linking them with human population growth.

Examples: Bhopal (1984), Chernobyl (1986), and Fukushima (2011)

• The Bhopal disaster in India involved a massive release of toxic gas from a pesticide plant, causing thousands of deaths and demonstrating the need for enforceable international environmental safety standards.
• The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident in Ukraine that spread radioactive dust over large areas, leading to evacuations, resettlements, and increased cancer rates. This incident raised serious concerns about nuclear power safety.
• The Fukushima Daiichi disaster in Japan was the largest nuclear accident since Chernobyl. The catastrophe was triggered by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami, leading to large-scale evacuations and increased public pressure to phase out nuclear power. This incident influenced countries like Germany, Italy, and Switzerland to reconsider their nuclear power strategies.