Forcing the Spring: The Transformation of the American Environmental Movement

Recently, the environmental movement has been seen as elitist--traditionally dominated by white males with its primary goal being the preservation of wilderness rather than the promoting of responsible stewardship of the planet and its resources. Gottlieb ( Empires in the Sun ) expands the definition of environmentalism to include more sociological issues that affect daily life in the community and the workplace. He discusses gender, ethnicity and class as factors in environmental problems, examines alternative movements and grassroots action, such as the protests about Love Canal. Gottlieb introduces Alice Hamilton, pioneer in occupational and community health, as an equal of John Muir. Moving from arguments about protecting the natural environment to a discussion of social justice, he notes that many diverse groups share a common goal in their search for a response to the dominant urban and industrial order. A timely and provocative study. (Oct.)