You could almost call them the climate cops! Acting under the United States’ Federal Government, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) preserves our planet’s natural environment.
This is no small task, mind you! But the EPA is no small organization. With 17,000 employees on-staff, the EPA sprawls across the country with 10 regional offices and 27 laboratories. Through the organization, the EPA assesses environmental problem areas, researches possible solutions and educates the public about making greener lifestyle choices.
The brainchild of former US President, Richard Nixon, the EPA was first formed in December, 1970. Yes, then-President Richard Nixon, astutely observed that our planet’s environment was in jeopardy almost four decades ago. Since 1970, the EPA has been responsible for numerous conservation initiatives. As an example, the EPA administers the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act and registers all pesticides legally sold throughout the United States.
Furthermore, the EPA has created a fuel economy test which is mandatory for use by American automobile manufacturers. Through this test, a new vehicle’s gas mileage is calculated and advertised. With just one fuel economy test, this creates standardization within the industry. In 1972, the EPA banned the use of DDT as the then-popular pesticide was found to be cancer-causing and a major risk to human and environmental health. More recently, the EPA was instrumental following the 9/11 terrorist attacks with monitoring air quality , reporting those same findings to the media and public plus safely discarding hazardous waste from the crash sites.
As an environmental watchdog, the EPA polices our activities and protects Earth’s climate. What with global warming becoming more of an issue each and every day, these climate cops have a huge job on their hands. Interested in learning more about the EPA? Check out www.epa.gov/.
