River Pollution “Burn On, Big River…” River Fires Ignite Change Oil pollution history of Cuyahoga River w/famous song & national politics.		Oil Spill History “Santa Barbara Oil Spill” Union Oil: 1969 Offshore blowout pollutes beaches, kills wildlife; ignites environmental cause.
Offshore Oil Junk “The Brent Spar Fight” Greenpeace:1995 A classic environmental battle over an offshore oil structure in the North Sea.		Urban/Enviro History “Highway Wars” 1950s-1970s Interstate Highway frenzy brought citizens to the barricades & the courts.
Oil Disaster Film “Deepwater Horizon” Film & Spill: 2010-2016 Story on Hollywood film also recounts history & politics of real BP oil spill.		Strip Mining History “Giant Shovel on I-70″ Ohio Fight: 1973 Shovel’s highway crossing spurs activist organizing & Congressional action.
Pesticides & Ecology “Power in the Pen” 1962-1963 Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring took aim at the chemical industry.		Strip Mining Foe “Mountain Warrior” 1950s-1980s Harry Caudill, author and activist, fought for Appalachia.
Towns Wiped Out “Buffalo Creek Disaster” Coal Dams Fail: 1972 125 dead, 4,000 homeless after coal-waste tsunami crashes through valley.		Western Pennsylvania “Petrochem Peril” Bill Peduto: 2019 Pittsburgh’s mayor opposes further fossil fuels/plastics build-out in region.
Refinery Explosion “Texas City Disaster” BP Refinery: 2005 The BP oil company, skimping on safety, kills 15, injures 180.		Big Coal vs. Small Town “Paradise” 1971-John Prine Strip mining history in Muhlenberg County, KY is covered in this story.
Chemical Plant History “Shell Plant Explodes” 1994: Belpre, Ohio Shell plastics plant explodes; nearby tanks burn, pollute river; 3 workers killed.		Coal & Politics “Coal & The Kennedys” 1960s-2010s JFK, RFK, Ted, Caroline & RFK, Jr — all gave voice to plight of coal communities.
Sexy Coal Hype “G.E.’s Hot Coal Ad” 2005 General Electric’s ‘hot’ TV ad casts coal mining in an unreal light.		Pesticide Promotion “…A Richer Harvest” Union Carbide Ads “Giant hand” pesticide ads & the story of the Bhopal disaster.
Oil Refinery Blaze “Inferno At Whiting” Standard Oil: 1955 Big refinery near Chicago explodes & burns for 8 days; 1,500 flee.		2003 Explosion “Barge Explodes in NY” ExxonMobil Depot A Bouchard oil barge blast frightens terrorist- sensitive NY city area.
Environmental Reporting “Nader’s Raiders” 1968-1974 Ralph Nader’s “swat teams” published best-selling environmental exposés.		Autos & Air Pollution “G.M. & Ralph Nader” 1965-1971 “Unsafe at Any Speed” included reporting on auto pollution & smog.
Poplar Pipeline Leak “Oil Fouls Montana” January 2015 Oil pipeline break pollutes Yellowstone River & Glendive’s water.		Gulf Oil Company “Burning Philadelphia” Refinery Inferno: 1975 Eleven-alarm oil blaze kills eight firefighters & frightens city.
Gulf of Mexico “Offshore Oil Blaze” Shell Oil: 1970-71 Oil rig blowout kills four, burns for nearly three months.		Big Tank Failure “Disaster at Pittsburgh” Ashland Oil: 1988 Oil tank collapse pollutes drinking water for millions downstream.
Petrochem History “The Phillips Explosion” 23 Dead, 130 Injured Following Wall Street stock raids, big oil company makes costly job cuts.		Modern Chemistry “Plastic Infernos” A Short History Plastic materials implicated in spread & severity of deadly fires.

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Date Posted: 9 May 2015
Last Update: 20 April 2020
Comments to: jdoyle@pophistorydig.com

Article Citation:
Jack Doyle, “Environmental History: Selected Stories,
1950s-2010s,” PopHistoryDig.com, May 9, 2015.

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