Over the last century, particularly during the Great Depression and World War II, scarce resources and economic pressures provided the incentive to conserve energy and recycle or reclaim raw materials. Newspaper drives, collecting metal cans and scrap, paying deposits on glass bottles or having the milkman pick up empty bottles for reuse, were all part of life well into the '60s. As our standard of living rose, however, many of these once precious commodities became disposable. Likewise, energy became abundant: oil, coal, hydroelectric and nuclear power drove a post war economic expansion that lasted, with occasional recessions, until the '70s.
Unfortunately, this "throw-away society" created lakes, streams, and other waterways that were so polluted that they would no longer support life and were no longer safe sources of drinking water; garbage that was dumped into the ocean washed up on our shores; and litter that was careless discarded lined our streets and highways. In addition, cheap oil from the Middle East suddenly became scarce and domestic production could no longer keep up with demand, resulting in long lines to buy half a tank of gasoline in the '70s.