“The modern form of the word environment comes from an older word that we hardly use anymore: about, surround, form a ring around, encircle” (Stoll 3). The meaning of the word environment did not become a major factor in the life of humanity until 1945. The tragic events leading to the end of World War II triggered a major movement in history: the American environmentalism. Global decision-making has changed along with human unity due to the simple fact that the destiny of all people and that of the environment have become intertwined (Stoll 1). I will discuss in more detail the dramatic attempts made by some Americans to bring to the surface the importance of preserving our environment in order to show if and how we have evolved. “On July 16, 1945, a six-kilogram plutonium sphere exploded over New Mexico. desert with a force equal to 20,000 tons of dynamite” (Stoll 1). Shortly thereafter, “on August 6 and 9, the United States dropped nuclear bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki” (Stoll 1). The levels of radiation emitted have caused widespread harm to humans and the environment. A few were interested in the global ecosystem. Those who did had a deeper appreciation for nature and a desire to preserve it. Ansel Adams (commercial photographer); “visited Yosemite Valley with his family in 1916 and soon began taking photos of it” (Adams 29). “Later, his photographs served a more specific purpose: to inspire people who might never visit nature to join the organization and donate money to its political action funds” (Adams 29). Marjory Stoneman Douglas was also inspired by the beauty of the wilderness: “she published The Everglades: River of Grass in 1947” (Douglas 31). Through her efforts, Marjory succeeded...... middle of paper ......49. Print.Stoll, Steven. American Environmentalism Since 1945: A Brief History with Documents. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2007. Print. Adams, Ansel. “Winter Storm Correction, 1944.” Stoll 29. PrintDouglas, Marjory Stoneman. “The Everglades, 1947.” Stoll 31. PrintCallenbach, Ernest. “Ecotopia, 1975.” Stoll 111. PrintBrown, Lester. “Overtaking the Earth, 2004.” Stoll 67. PrintLeopole, Aldo. “Thinking Like a Mountain, 1949.” Stoll 72. PrintMeadows, Donella and Dennis. “Limits to growth, 1972”. Stoll 62. PrintJohnson, Bird Lady. “Address before the General Session, 1965”. Stoll 127. PrintDevall and Sessions, Geaorge. “On the Cultivation of Ecological Consciousness, 1985.” Stoll 89. PrintBagdikian, Ben H. “The Rape of the Earth, 1966.” Stoll 129. Print Miller, Vernice D. “The Quest for Environmental Justice, 1963.” Stoll 149. Print.