Images of America in the early 1970s

[SOUNDBOUNDER]

In November 1971, the newly created Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a massive photo documentary project, called DOCUMERICA, to record these changes. More than 100 photographers were hired not only to document specific environmental issues, but to capture images of everyday life, showing how we interacted with the environment and capturing the way parts of America looked at that moment in history. By 1974, more than 80,000 photographs had been produced.
The National Archives has made 15,000 of these images available, and I've spent much of the past week combing through those to bring you these 46 glimpses of America in the early 1970s, with an eye toward our then-ailing environment.

46 photos

The Atlantic
DOCUMERICA: Images of America in Crisis in the 1970s - Alan Taylor - In Focus - The Atlantic

[PCP]

That's amazing. On most of those photos it seems like a today's 3th world country.

I hope that in 30 years you can look at today's photos and say the same

Regards

Paulo

[CalebD]

Thanks for that SoundBounder.
The bad old good old days of 40 years ago.

[Capt Len]

Years ago I read a sf book 'The Sheep Look Up' by John Brunner. It is an environment going bad sort of story written in the '60s ?? Based on factual news reports of the '50s its timeless message is fictional in that the sheep haven't, nor are likely to, look up.

[SloopJonB]

AAAHHHH the G.O.D.'s

Yep the EPA can sure be dialed back like many WRW's want.

Too bad the photos don't go back to pre '68. Some shots of the trash alongside highways before Lady Bird got vent windows eliminated from cars would be an eye opener for those who weren't around or don't remember.

There was a bit on Mad Men where Draper and his family went on a picnic in his new Caddy - it was set around '62. They were on a beautiful grassy slope in the country. When it was time to go, they shook all the paper & cans & other trash off the blanket, got back in the car & drove away.

That's just how it was.

Thanks for the photos.