The US used to be really dirty – environmental cleanup laws have made a huge difference

By: James Salzman, University of California, Santa Barbara; University of California, Los Angeles, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 5, 2026

Words: 1,595

Last Updated: 3 days, 14 hours ago

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By James Salzman, University of California, Santa Barbara; University of California, Los Angeles

Growing up in the 1970s, I took for granted the trash piles along the highway, tires washed up on beaches, and smog fouling city air. The famed “Crying Indian” commercial of 1971 became a symbol of widespread environmental damage across the United States.

That’s why the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, energized the nation. In the largest single-day …

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