In just a few days’ time, it will be the 55th anniversary of Earth Day. Whether 55 years sounds like a long time or not nearly enough time at all to you, the fact is that it’s well within the span of a single human life. Thus, it’s worth taking some time to look at some of the various accomplishments in the field of environmental conservation that have happened since the first Earth Day, back in 1970.
The Pine Barrens Protection Act
Could we have started anywhere else? The Pine Barrens Protection Act was signed into law in 1993, just 32 years ago! Sometimes, the best conservation outcome is that nothing happens, and the fact that the Pine Barrens still stands strong after more than three decades is a testament to that fact. Given the growing pace of development here on Long Island, one shudders to think of how much we might have lost if not for the passage of the Protection Act. We’ve written plenty about the Protection Act and its lasting impact in the past, so why not check out some reflections on its 30th anniversary?
The Banning of DDT
You may have heard recently quite a lot of hoopla about the “de-extinction” of Dire Wolves. That is a can of worms that is best left opened elsewhere but the bottom line is, it’s not a genuine “de-extinction,” and in this writer’s humble opinion the resources spent modifying the genetics of Gray Wolves could be better used in stopping the extinction of species that currently need the help. It’s not such an unreasonable idea. Many species of wolves, for example, were nearly driven to extinction, and only saved thanks to the last-minute passage of laws like the Endangered Species Act (passed in 1973!). But the group I want to highlight includes birds like the Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, and Osprey, which were all on the brink of annihilation at the time of the first Earth Day thanks to DDT. DDT was used everywhere prior to being banned, and one of its many harmful effects was the thinning of birds’ eggshells, resulting in a rapidly increasing number of failed hatchings. In 1972, though, DDT was banned nationwide, following on the heels of a ban first passed right here in Suffolk County, then statewide. Now, all three birds are back and doing better than they have in decades. If there had been any further delay in banning DDT, it may have been too late. That begs the question: what other things ought to be banned that haven’t been yet? And is there any legitimate reason that has prevented the necessary action from happening?
Greater Understanding
This is the most amorphous development I want to discuss here, but it is perhaps the most important. In the last 55 years, our understanding of the natural world has expanded exponentially. Whether it’s the many and varied effects of climate change, the discovery of new species, or genome-mapping, there are countless avenues down which we have strode in our pursuit of knowledge. And it is with that knowledge that we can make the next 55 years even greater than the last 55 years. Even now, in a time when it seems that the progress we’ve made is being stripped away from us, we must continue to learn. We must continue to act. We must continue, so the world might continue and be mended. Let us make sure we don’t celebrate Earth Day in name only.
By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society
