The Bulldozer in the Countryside

One of the most important questions in environmental history is what caused the rise of environmentalism. Adam Rome argues that American environmentalism started in the backyards of suburbia. It leaked out of poorly constructed septic tanks, grew with every felled tree, and spread with every new house. Rome demonstrates the important relationship between the mass migration to the suburbs after 1945 and the rise of the environmental movement, a connection that scholars "so far have not recognized." (xi) Consumers living in suburbia began to worry about the impact of their lifestyle on the environment. By focusing on this connection, Rome has made an important contribution to the history of postwar America.

Adam Rome's Bulldozer in the Countryside examines the environmental impact of the growth of suburbia in post-World War II America. While the emergence of affordable suburban housing fulfilled an immense housing need, eventually the federal government, environmental groups, and the general public became aware of the environmental destruction caused by increased suburban sprawl.
Rome traces the development of suburban tract housing chronologically, beginning with the housing shortage facing the nation after World War II. Giant assembly-line builders such as William Levitt created tract house developments quickly, becoming in a sense national heroes. But these developments caused immense environmental damage. First, these developers show more generally scraped the construction sites clean of all vegetation and trees, paving the way for disastrous soil erosion. Creeks and other drainage channels were often eliminated in favor of storm sewers. Because these developments were often far removed from municipal sewage systems, contractors installed millions of unreliable septic tanks, leading to widespread water contamination. Despite early interest in solar energy, building costs led builders to begin advocating all-electric homes. Alliances with energy companies led to the widespread installation of electric air conditioning and heating, increasing the use of energy obtained from burning coal.
Eventually, housing developments were built in areas that were environmentally sensitive. Building in areas such as filled-in wetlands and hillsides created problems such as mudslides, flooding, and increased damage from storms and hurricanes.
These problems, along with concerns about the destruction of open space, led to a shift in emphasis from private property rights to a new land ethic. show less