Editing Environmental movement (section)

== Scope ==

[[File:Air pollution by industrial chimneys.jpg|thumb|Before [[flue-gas desulfurization]] was installed, the [[air pollution|air-polluting]] emissions from this power plant in [[New Mexico]] contained excessive amounts of [[sulfur dioxide]].]]The environmental movement contains a number of subcommunities, that have developed with different approaches and philosophies in different parts of the world. Notably, the early environmental movement experienced a deep tension between the philosophies of [[Conservation movement|conservation]] and broader [[environmental protection]].<ref name="l">{{Cite journal|last1=Tesch|first1=Danielle|last2=Kempton|first2=Willett|date=2004-01-01|title=Who is an Environmentalist? The Polysemy of Environmentalist Terms and Correlated Environmental Actions|url=https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/jea/vol8/iss1/4|journal=Journal of Ecological Anthropology|volume=8|issue=1|pages=67–83|doi=10.5038/2162-4593.8.1.4|issn=1528-6509|doi-access=free}}</ref> In recent decades the rise to prominence of [[environmental justice]], indigenous rights and key environmental crises like the [[Climate crisis|climate crises]], has led to the development of other environmentalist identities.

===Focus points===
{{Further|Environmentalism|List of environmental issues|Human impact on the environment}}

The environmental movement is broad in scope and can include any topic related to the environment, conservation, and biology, as well as the preservation of landscapes, flora, and fauna for a variety of purposes and uses. Examples include: 

* [[Nature conservation|Environmental conservation]] is the process in which one is involved in conserving the natural aspects of the environment. Whether through [[reforestation]], [[recycling]], or pollution control, environmental conservation sustains the natural quality of life.
* [[Environmental health]] movement dates at least to [[Progressive Era]], and focuses on urban standards like clean water, efficient sewage handling, and stable population growth. Environmental health could also deal with [[nutrition]], [[preventive medicine]], [[aging]], and other concerns specific to human well-being. Environmental health is also seen as an indicator for the state of the [[environment (biophysical)|environment]], or an early warning system for what may happen to humans
* [[Environmental justice]] is a [[social movement]] that addresses injustice that occurs when poor or marginalized communities are harmed by [[hazardous waste]], [[resource extraction]], and other [[Land use|land uses]] from which they do not benefit.<ref name=":8">{{Cite journal |last1=Size |first1=Julie |last2=London |first2=Jonathan K. |date=July 2008 |title=Environmental Justice at the Crossroads |journal=Sociology Compass |language=en |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=1331–1354 |doi=10.1111/j.1751-9020.2008.00131.x}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |doi=10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199286294.001.0001 |title=Defining Environmental Justice |date=2007 |last1=Schlosberg |first1=David |isbn=978-0-19-928629-4 }}</ref>{{pn|date=April 2025}}

==== Genetically modified plants and animals ====
[[Genetically modified plant|Genetically modified plants]] and [[Genetically modified animal|animals]] are said by some environmentalists to be inherently bad because they are unnatural. Others point out the possible benefits of GM crops such as [[water conservation]] through corn modified to be less "thirsty" and decreased pesticide use through insect-resistant crops. They also point out that some [[genetically modified livestock]] have accelerated growth which means there are shorter production cycles which again results in a more efficient use of feed.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rincon |first=Paul |date=25 February 2015 |title=Is the world ready for GM animals? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31604233 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806053845/https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31604233 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |access-date=16 August 2018 |publisher=BBC}}</ref>

Besides genetically modified crops and livestock, [[synthetic biology]] is also on the rise and environmentalists argue that these also contain risks, if these organisms were ever to end up in nature. This, as unlike with genetically modified organisms, synthetic biology even uses [[base pairs]] that do not exist in nature.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 2016 |title=FUTURE BRIEF : Synthetic biology and biodiversity |url=http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/synthetic_biology_biodiversity_FB15_en.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015125328/http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/synthetic_biology_biodiversity_FB15_en.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2017 |access-date=16 August 2018 |publisher=European Commission}}</ref>

==== Anti-nuclear movement ====
The [[anti-nuclear movement]] opposes the use of various [[nuclear technology|nuclear technologies]]. The initial anti-nuclear objective was [[nuclear disarmament]] and later the focus began to shift to other issues, mainly opposition to the use of [[nuclear power]]. There have been many large anti-nuclear [[Demonstration (people)|demonstrations]] and [[protest]]s. The [[pro-nuclear movement]] consists of people, including former opponents of nuclear energy, who calculate that the threat to humanity from climate change is far worse than any risk associated with nuclear energy.

By the mid-1970s anti-nuclear activism had moved beyond local protests and politics to gain a wider appeal and influence.  Although it lacked a single coordinating organization the anti-nuclear movement's efforts gained a great deal of attention, especially in the [[United Kingdom]] and United States.<ref name="eleven">Walker, J. Samuel (2004). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=tf0AfoynG-EC&q=Three+Mile+Island:+A+Nuclear+Crisis+in+Historical+Perspective Three Mile Island: A Nuclear Crisis in Historical Perspective] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323071157/https://books.google.com/books?id=tf0AfoynG-EC&q=Three+Mile+Island:+A+Nuclear+Crisis+in+Historical+Perspective|date=23 March 2023}}'' (Berkeley: University of California Press), pp. 10–11.</ref> In the aftermath of the [[Three Mile Island accident]] in 1979, many mass demonstrations took place. The largest one was held in New York City in September 1979 and involved 200,000 people.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hrebenar |first1=Ronald J. |url=https://archive.org/details/interestgrouppol00hreb |title=Interest Group Politics in America |last2=Scott |first2=Ruth K. |date=16 August 1997 |publisher=M.E. Sharpe |isbn=9781563247033 |page=[https://archive.org/details/interestgrouppol00hreb/page/149 149] |quote=nevada test site protest demonstration. |access-date=16 August 2018 |url-access=registration |via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref name="diablo">{{cite book |last=Giugni |first=Marco |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kn6YhNtyVigC&q=%22three+mile+island%22+anti-nuclear+protests+demonstrations&pg=PA45 |title=Social Protest and Policy Change: Ecology, Antinuclear, and Peace Movements in Comparative Perspective |date=16 August 2018 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=9780742518278 |page=45 |access-date=16 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211001042241/https://books.google.com/books?id=Kn6YhNtyVigC&q=%22three+mile+island%22+anti-nuclear+protests+demonstrations&pg=PA45 |archive-date=1 October 2021 |url-status=live |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Herman |first=Robin |date=24 September 1979 |title=Nearly 200,000 Rally to Protest Nuclear Energy |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |page=B1}}</ref>

=== Examples of environmental protests ===
[[File:March_Against_Monsanto_Vancouver.jpg|thumb|"[[March Against Monsanto]]", Vancouver, Canada, 25 May 2013]]
{{Main|List of environmental protests}}

[[Tree sitting]] is a form of activism in which the protester sits in a tree in an attempt to stop the removal of a tree or to impede the demolition of an area with the longest and most famous tree-sitter being [[Julia Butterfly Hill]], who spent 738 days in a California Redwood, saving a three-acre tract of forest.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fountain |first=Henry |date=18 June 2006 |title=Rising Above the Environmental Debate |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/18/weekinreview/18basic.html |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Also notable is the [[Yellow Finch tree sit]], which was a 932-day blockade of the [[Mountain Valley Pipeline]] from 2018 to 2021.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news |last=Hammack |first=Laurence |date=12 November 2020 |title=Judge orders tree-sitters down after more than 2 years |url=https://roanoke.com/business/local/judge-orders-tree-sitters-down-after-more-than-2-years/article_3a53db1a-250b-11eb-8b06-4bf4a91a32cc.html |work=The Roanoke Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Dhillon |first=Matt |date=16 April 2021 |title=Last Tree-sitters Removed from Path of Mountain Valley Pipeline |url=https://appvoices.org/2021/04/16/tree-sitters-removed-mvp/ |work=The Appalachian Voice}}</ref>

[[Sit-in|Sit-ins]] can be used to encourage social change, such as the Greensboro sit-ins, a series of protests in 1960 to stop racial segregation, but can also be used in ecoactivism, as in the [[Dakota Access Pipeline]] Protest.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mele |first=Christopher |date=2016 |title=Veterans To Serve as 'Human Shields' for Dakota Pipeline Protestors |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/29/us/veterans-to-serve-as-human-shields-for-pipeline-protesters.html?_r=0 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>

Notable environmental protests and campaigns include:

{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[2010 Xinfa aluminum plant protest]]
* [[Anti-WAAhnsinns Festival]]
* [[Car-Free Days]]
* [[Camp for Climate Action]]
* [[Campaign against Climate Change]]
* [[Climate Rush]]
* [[Cofán people#Oil drilling|Cofán people oil drilling protest (Ecuador)]]
* [[Earth Day]]
* [[Earth First!]]
* [[Earthlife Africa]]
* [[Extinction Rebellion]] 
* [[Global Climate Strike (disambiguation)|Global Climate Strike]]s<!--Intentional link to DAB page--><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/sep/27/climate-crisis-6-million-people-join-latest-wave-of-worldwide-protests|title = Climate crisis: 6 million people join latest wave of global protests|website = [[TheGuardian.com]]|date = 27 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2019/9/17/20864740/greta-thunberg-youth-climate-strike-fridays-future|title = Greta Thunberg is leading kids and adults from 150 countries in a massive Friday climate strike|date = 17 September 2019}}</ref>
* [[Global Day of Action]]
* [[Gurindji Strike]]
* [[Hands off our Forest]]
* [[Homes before Roads]]
* [[(Indigenous) Water protectors|Water Protectors]]
* [[Just Stop Oil]] 
* [[Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta]]
* [[Love Canal protests]]
* [[March Against Monsanto]]
* [[Nevada Desert Experience]]
* [[Plane Mad]]
* [[Plane Stupid]]
* [[Qidong protest]]
* [[Save Manapouri Campaign]]
* [[Say Yes demonstrations]]
* [[Shifang protest]]
* [[Stop Climate Chaos]]
{{div col end}}