40 years ago, Documerica captured a visual baseline of our environmental conditions in the United States. EPA was a new agency setting out to forever after share these with you to help note our collective progress. It’s your chance now to mark the change.
A global call is out for photos of our lives and our environment, plus a challenge to match Documerica scenes today. You can submit photos through 2013.
Join In!
Learn how to share photos through Flickr
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Kentucky Then & Now
EPA’s Documerica Returns exhibit wraps up its Atlanta tour this week:
Today and tomorrow – Jimmy Carter Library and Museum, 441 Freedom Parkway.
Wednesday and Thursday – Fulton County Library, One Margaret Mitchell Square.
Stay tuned for exhibit locations next month in Chicago!
Through 2013, enter your best shots of original Documerica scenes for a spot in the U.S. National Archives Exhibit, Washington D.C., March – September, 2013. Use our Location Challenges or search for images at the bottom of this post. Entries accepted through State of the Environment on Flickr. Please include the Documerica image(s) you match.
KENTUCKY Challenge
DOCUMERICA: Row of miners homes in the Brookside Mine Company Town of Brookside Kentucky, near Middlesboro. The mine, owned by the Duke Power Company, was the scene of a protracted and sometimes violent strike between the mine and the United Mine Workers Union during 1974. The strike ended when a man was shot and killed on the picket line in Harlan County. The home of the Jerry Rainey family is in the foreground. They were threatened with eviction during the strike. June, 1974 by Jack Corn
DOCUMERICA: Paddle wheel steamboats, docked at the new Louisville waterfront on the Ohio River, May 1972 by William Strode.
DOCUMERICA: Members of the Peabody Coal Company Team don their equipment in preparation for the Kentucky State Mine Safety Contest at Benham, Near Cumberland in Harlan County. All of the larger mines have safety teams for each shift. They practice to maintain a state of readiness in the event of a mine accident. Different teams within the different mines compete against each other as a way to keep proficient. October, 1974 by Jack Corn.
DOCUMERICA: Bluegrass Parkway in eastern Kentucky near Ashland and the border with West Virginia. April, 1974 by Jack Corn.
DOCUMERICA: Police and national guardsmen helped maintain law and order. More than 26,000 people were asked to leave the area when a liquid chlorine barge threatened to spill its poisonous contents in the Ohio River. March, 1972 by William Strode.
Telling the story of change is up to you. Play photojournalist for a day. What’s new in town? Can’t match a photo? Then simply share any photos you are taking of the landscapes, the people, and the way of life for State of the Environment.
Browse additional challenges on this blog, or search the full Documerica collection to locate and match images closest to you. All ‘Then and Now’ entries will be considered for the larger Washington D.C. exhibit planned for March 8 – September 8, 2013.
When you follow that link above, you’ll come to a search page like this. Simply type in your town or state to see images of the past. Enjoy, have fun, and we can’t wait to see your contributions to this historic project!
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Photo Theme: Reflections
Our surroundings reflect our choices.
"I Could Be That Bird" by Tobago_Pictures on Flickr September 20, 2012
Our environment, near and far, is impacted by what we do.
This week, share a photo of reflections from our environment. Interpret as you wish. Whether you share a scene from a wishing well, window, pond or puddle – simply share what’s looking back at you.
Photos welcome of our lives and environment today; good, bad, just the way it is. State of the Environment is about what you see.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Today’s Photo: Paper Mill at Night
Congratulations to Scott Butner for his latest featured photo! Who will it be next week? Submit your view of life and our environment today at www.flickr.com/groups/ourenvironment.
Paper mill at night near Wallula, WA November 19, 2011 by Scott Butner.
A collective picture of our environment, created by you.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Exhibit Update & Today’s Photo
Documerica Returns will be live this Friday, Sept. 21 – Saturday, Sept. 22, at the Georgia Aquarium! After its time with the belugas, the exhibit has two stops left in the southeast before heading to the great Windy City:
Jimmy Carter Library and Museum, 441 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia.
September 24-25.
Atlanta Fulton County Library, One Margaret Mitchell Square, Atlanta, Georgia.
September 26-27.
Documerica highlights from the southeast:
Scenes from Georgia
South Carolina
Florida
The call is out for ANY matching photos you can take of Documerica scenes. Match-ups must be submitted to State of the Environment, EPA’s global call for current photos of life and our environment. Discover Documerica near you.
Each week, we highlight two photos submitted by you through Flickr that tell a story about our way of life and environment today. Enjoy today’s photo: Congratulations to Dan Conlin in St. Augustine, FL!
Rising with the Sun; Tropical storm swells St Augustine Beach, Florida September 5, 2012 by Dan Conlin.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Florida Then, Now with You
Ponder this, which U.S. state has seen the most change in the last 40 years?
Documerica gave us 558 images of Florida circa 1975; a lasting picture of the striking transformation easily forgotten. You might ask, what does it all look like now?
Grab your smartphone or camera for chance to show just that.
Share this call for current photos or search closer to home. The best matches by place or people, will display in the U.S. National Archives Exhibit: Searching for the Seventies, Washington D.C. March – September of 2013.
Entries accepted through State of the Environment on Flickr. Please note which Documerica image inspired you.
CALL FOR PHOTOS: Florida
Photographer Flip Schulke is remembered for the collective coverage of his modest hometown of New Ulm, Minnesota with top photography students from the Columbia School of Journalism in Missouri. Highlighted now, he also captured incredible the mid-1970s in the Florida Keys.
Snorkeler at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park near Key Largo. At the Time of This Picture, Water Clarity Was Good, But Experienced Divers Say Clarity Is Far Less Than It Was 20 Years Ago Because of Dredging and Filling Operations by Land Developers Documerica 1975 by Flip Schulke 1930-2008.
Marco Island Land Development on the Southwest Florida Coast. Many Coastal Developers Dig Channels for Waterfront Property Lots. But Since Hard-To-Get State Permits Are Required to Open the Channels to the Ocean, Small Land Plugs Are Left between the Channel Exits and the Open Water. Buyers, Meanwhile, Are Assured That Such Plugs Are Temporary.
Photograph of One of the Uninhabited Islands between the Southern Coast and the Florida Keys Documerica 1975 by Flip Schulke 1930-2008.
Land Development at Summerland Key Documerica 1975 by Flip Schulke 1930-2008.
Follow the Traveling exhibit as it makes it way through the southeast U.S..
To browse more of Flip’s work for Documerica, follow this link to Flip Schulke’s album on Flickr.
You can also participate with State of the Environment by sharing ANY photos you are taking of the landscapes, the people, and the way of life today through 2013.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
South Carolina Then. How about Now?
Check out these scenes from South Carolina nearly forty years ago. Live nearby? Send in your best matching shots of these (or see how to search for more below) for a chance to be in a larger exhibit at the U.S. National Archives in Washington D.C. from March – September of 2013. Let us know in your photo caption which Documerica scene inspired you.
See the current exhibit as it travels through Atlanta and North Carolina this month with EPA Region 4. Exhibit schedule
Through the end of 2013, you can submit your best shots of original Documerica scenes from any of these location challenges to State of the Environment on Flickr.
SOUTH CAROLINA Challenge
DOCUMERICA: Bluffton Oyster Co-op, 05/1973 Paul Conklin (1929-2003).
DOCUMERICA: Shrimp fleet belongs to a black-owned cooperative on Hilton Head, 05/1973 Paul Conklin (1929-2003).
DOCUMERICA: A refreshment stand on the boardwalk of Isle of Palms, the popular ocean resort, 05/1973 Paul Conklin (1929-2003).
Luxury living on Hilton Head Island. Ocean front lots, 100 x 100 feet, sell for as much as $225,000, 05/1973 Paul Conklin (1929-2003).
Telling the story of change around the country is up to you. Share any photos you are taking of the landscapes, the people, and the way of life for State of the Environment.
Browse additional challenges on this blog, or search the full Documerica collection to locate and match images closest to you. All ‘Then and Now’ entries will be considered for the larger Washington D.C. exhibit planned for March 8 – September 8, 2013.
When you follow that link above, you’ll come to a search page like this. Simply type in your town or state to see images of the past. Enjoy, have fun, and we can’t wait to see your contributions to this historic project!
Next up: The exhibit sets it sights on EPA Region 4 in Atlanta for the month of September, before heading to spend October based out of the Windy City with EPA Region 5!
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
A Thousand Suns
Whether you are an early riser, or give yourself pause for the sunset, you have felt the sun’s glow on the horizon. Since the dawn of time, that glow has provided us all with moments of beauty, hope and a sense of peace.
Sunset from Rocky Ridge, Ohlone Regional Wilderness, CA by Chris Alexander
Whether it starts your day or guides you to rest, the sun is steadfast inspiration for our lives and a vital element that supports life. Enjoy it this weekend. Gaze from a hilltop, beach, or window and bask in the light of the day.
How many suns could be shared? Could enough of us join in so that sunrise to sunset glows from around the world?
That’s up to you. Spread the word and share the warmth of a thousand suns with State of the Environment on Flickr.
Our world, our environment. What’s happening where you live?
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Featured Photo: Trout, San Jacinto River
Congratulations to Charles Monroe for today’s featured photo! This trout lived to swim another day in the San Jacinto River, California.
A trout caught and released. April 23, 2012 photo by Charles Monroe
Our world, our environment. What’s happening where you live?
Share a picture of your life outdoors with State of the Environment on Flickr.
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Featured Photo: Cilantro for sale!
Congratulations to Stephanie Marchant for today’s featured photo! Enjoy this snapshot of a farmers market in Dallas this past June. Share what’s fresh at local markets near you with State of the Environment on Flickr.
Dallas Farmer Market. June 2, 2012 photo by Stephanie Marchant
Our world, our environment. What’s happening where you live?
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
Scenes from Georgia Then and Now
The Documerica Returns traveling exhibit is now live in Atlanta!
September Exhibit Schedule:
Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth Street, SW Atlanta, Georgia.
TODAY – Friday, September 7.
West Georgia Regional Library, 710 Rome Street, Carrollton, Georgia.
Saturday, September 8.
Girl Scouts Healthy Living Event, Buford, Georgia.
CLOSED Event Sunday, September 9.
Richard B. Russell Federal Building, 75 Spring Street SW Atlanta, Georgia.
PENDING September 10-11.
Greening Your Campus Symposium, North Carolina Ag and Tech State University in Greensboro, NC.
September 12-14.
Centerfest, Durham, North Carolina.
September 15-16.
Research Triangle Park, Raleigh, North Carolina.
September 17-19.
Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, Georgia.
September 21-22.
Jimmy Carter Library and Museum, 441 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia.
September 24-25.
Atlanta Fulton County Library, One Margaret Mitchell Square, Atlanta, Georgia.
September 26-27.
This week, we’re highlighting scenes from Georgia nearly forty years ago. Live nearby? Send in your best shots for a chance to be in a larger exhibit at the U.S. National Archives in Washington D.C. from March – September of 2013. Be sure to let us know which Documerica scene inspired you.
Through the end of 2013, you can submit your best shots of original Documerica scenes from any of these location challenges to State of the Environment on Flickr.
GEORGIA Challenge
Rural scene showing the Naccochee Valley two miles southwest of Helen, Georgia, which is near Robertstown. The Chattahoochee River is visible at the bottom and top right in the photo. The red roofed building on the riverbank at bottom center is the old Nacoochee station, now a flower and crafts shop. The building across the road is an antique shop. The Nacoochee Indian mound is seen in the distant field beyond the junction of state highways 17 and 75, 05/1975 Documerica by Al Stephenson.
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) buses in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. Voters have authorized a one percent sales tax for improving the transit system. In 1974 it brought in $53 million. A $1.79 billion 53-mile rapid rail transit system was scheduled to begin construction in May, 1975, but was held up by legal battles. In 1974 MARTA carried 73,727,000 passengers, an increase of 27 percent from 1970 to 1974, 06/1974 Documerica by Jim Pickerell.
Hot air balloons being inflated with propane burners outside of Helen, Georgia, near Robertstown for the second annual Helen to Atlantic ocean balloon race. The competition began outside of town in an area being developed by a corporation as a second alpine village. Helen was a typical small mountain community until 1969 when town officials, businessmen and residents endorsed renovation of the business district with a Bavarian alpine motif, 05/1975 Documerica by Al Stephenson.
Al Reinshagen, mathematics teacher at the White County High School in Cleveland, Georgia, farms a one acre plot in nearby Helen because
Telling the story of change around the country is up to you. Share any photos you are taking of the landscapes, the people, and the way of life for State of the Environment.
Browse additional challenges on this blog, or search the full Documerica collection to locate and match images closest to you. All ‘Then and Now’ entries will be considered for the larger Washington D.C. exhibit planned for March 8 – September 8, 2013.
When you follow that link above, you’ll come to a search page like this. Simply type in your town or state to see images of the past. Enjoy, have fun, and we can’t wait to see your contributions to this historic project!
Next up: The exhibit sets it sights on EPA Region 4 in Atlanta for the month of September, before heading to spend October based out of the Windy City with EPA Region 5!
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.
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