More than 50 years of environmental protection efforts have resulted in cleaner and healthier air, water, and land in the United States and to some extent around the world. Smog rarely hangs over US cities, chemical waste drums no longer sit in open dumps, fish thrive in rivers and lakes, and drinking water is safe to drink. The strategies to achieve these improvements have evolved over time from addressing stark signs of pollution to tackling more subtle, complex problems with sustainable solutions. In this discussion, we’ll talk about the rise of the environmental movement and the role society, the economy, science, and politics have and continue to play in shaping future protection of our environment.