Vintage Photos of the US Show What American Cities Looked Like Before Pollution Had to Be Regulated : The Hearty Soul

In the era before pollution regulations, American cities were faced with unchecked industrial growth that had devastating impacts on the environment. Without federal mandates to protect air and water, pollution levels reached catastrophic levels, creating hazardous living conditions for residents. Vintage photos provide a glimpse into the grim reality of life in the US before the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970. These images reveal scenes such as Baltimore Harbor, littered with trash and tires in 1973, Birmingham’s hazy skies due to industrial smog in 1972, and Cleveland’s landscape dominated by smoke and trash in 1973. Other cities like Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, and Washington, DC, also grappled with severe pollution issues, showcasing the urgent need for environmental regulations to protect public health and the planet. While significant progress has been made in cleaning up the environment since the inception of the EPA, the fight against pollution continues today.