Coming to terms with pollution: the language of environmental reform, 1865-1915

Before the Civil War, Americans rarely used the words 'pollute' and 'pollution' to refer to human degradation of the environment. Between 1865 and 1915, however, these two words began to assume meanings identified with more public concerns. By 1890, for example, the phrase 'river pollution' was common in some circles, although even in 1915 Americans had no all-encompassing word for the contamination of water, air, or land. This essay is a preliminary exploration of evolving uses of a few key words, focusing on the vocabulary of middle-class men and women. The anti-pollution campaigns of the period 1865-1915 were mainly the work of doctors, engineers, women's club members, social workers, hunting and fishing enthusiasts, and business leaders. To write a thorough history of the subject, the historian also would need to consider differences across class, racial, and ethnic lines. Still, a careful reading of the middle-class language of reform offers important new insights into the history of environmental activism. Such a study reveals more fully the diverse roots of concern about water and air pollution and also clarifies the relationship between urbanization, industrialization, and environmental reform. The subject also invites a comparison of American and British responses to environmental degradation.