Environment: Evolution of a Concept
Abstract
In 1950, the term environment denoted limited conditions at home or in the work place. In the following years the concept evolved to include the complex interactions between man's activities and all components of the natural environment. The modern concept of environment encompasses ecological, economic, aesthetic, and ethical concerns. This essay describes the evolution of the concept of environment from a North American and personal point of view. The emphasis is on the political developments, primarily in the United States but also internationally, that shaped the concept.