Environmental science came alive as a substantive , active field of scientific investigation in the 1960s and 1970s driven by ( a ) the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to analyze complex environmental problems , ( b ) the arrival of substantive environmental laws requiring specific environmental protocols of investigation and ( c ) the growing public awareness of a need for action in addressing environmental problems . Events that spurred this development included the publication of Rachel Carson 's landmark environmental book '' Silent Spring '' along with major environmental issues becoming very public , such as the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill , and the Cuyahoga River of Cleveland , Ohio , " catching fire " ( also in 1969 ) , and helped increase the visibility of environmental issues and create this new field of study
1969 Santa Barbara oil spill
1969 Santa Barbara oil spill
Environmental science