the other mike
Diamond Member
Fifty years ago today, on June 22, 1969, the Cuyahoga river in Cleveland, Ohio caught fire.
At the time, the river was one of the most polluted in the US. Journalists filled glasses with pitch-black river water, while politicians dipped cloth into the waves that came up oil-soaked.
The river fire lasted roughly 20 minutes, but it sparked public outrage that in part led to the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency, the federal office tasked with making sure "Americans have clean air, land, and water."
Take a look at what the Cuyahoga River — and other waters around the US — looked like before the EPA existed.
The Cuyahoga River caught fire 50 years ago today. These stomach-churning photos highlight why the EPA exists.
I distinctly recall the smell of pollution in the air growing up in Akron, about 20 miles from the river and the industrial corridor where all the rubber plants were ( before they moved south). They've really cleaned it up, thanks in large part to Nixon's EPA.
At the time, the river was one of the most polluted in the US. Journalists filled glasses with pitch-black river water, while politicians dipped cloth into the waves that came up oil-soaked.
The river fire lasted roughly 20 minutes, but it sparked public outrage that in part led to the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency, the federal office tasked with making sure "Americans have clean air, land, and water."
Take a look at what the Cuyahoga River — and other waters around the US — looked like before the EPA existed.
The Cuyahoga River caught fire 50 years ago today. These stomach-churning photos highlight why the EPA exists.
I distinctly recall the smell of pollution in the air growing up in Akron, about 20 miles from the river and the industrial corridor where all the rubber plants were ( before they moved south). They've really cleaned it up, thanks in large part to Nixon's EPA.