Environmental Defense Fund Archive
Collection 232

Timeline History

Four decades ago, Environmental Defense was founded when four scientists on Long Island set out to halt the use of DDT (dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane), the pesticide Rachel Carson warned about in Silent Spring. DDT caused eggshells to weaken and crack, threatening the survival of magnificent birds like the osprey, bald eagle and peregrine falcon.
ED's founders tried a novel approach, common today but unheard of in 1967: They went to court on behalf of the environment. Their efforts led to a nationwide ban on DDT and the birth of modern environmental law. The osprey has since made a dramatic recovery, and the bald eagle and peregrine falcon have been removed from the endangered species list.

Soon ED was hiring economists, engineers and computer analysts to find ways to help the environment without harming the economy. In the process, Environmental Defense became one of America's most influential environmental advocacy groups, now with over 300,000 members and more Ph.D. scientists and economists on staff than any similar organization.

From the beginning, they made a commitment not only to oppose ill-conceived policies, but also to propose alternatives. ED stilll goes to court when necessary, but increasingly they work directly with business, government and community groups, forging solutions that make sense for all.

Some Notable Environmental Defense Victories:

1967: A small group of scientists incorporates our organization as the Environmental Defense Fund after winning a battle against the pesticide DDT, which had been harming wildlife.

1970: They help bring all hunted whales onto the U.S. endangered species list.

1977: Their campaign curbs the use of the hazardous flame retardant TRIS in children's sleepwear.

1985: ED helps convince federal regulators to phase lead out of gasoline.

1989: Southern California's largest urban water district adopts their plan to finance water conservation on farms by buying the conserved water.

1990: The new Clean Air Act incorporates ED's innovative market-based methods to cut air pollution, leading to less acid rain.

1991: McDonald's accepts the recommendations of their joint task force, eventually eliminating a cumulative total of more than 150,000 tons of packaging waste.

1996: ED helps the Panará Indians of Brazil win protection for their homeland, protecting 1.2 million acres of Amazonian rainforest from deforestation.

1999: Pollution from older fossil-fuel power plants in Texas is brought under tighter control when ED helps draft and win new legislation.

2000: Environmental Defense partners with eight leading companies to cut greenhouse gases.

2000: Landowners enroll about 2 million acres in Safe Harbor programs Environmental Defense developed to protect endangered wildlife.

2001: Environmental Defense empowers nearly 1 million individuals to take action globally and in their own backyards through its www.ed.org web site and provides detailed environmental information for every community in America on its Scorecard.org sites.