Efforts by state and federal agencies to bring back the Atlantic salmon to the Connecticut River and its tributaries, for instance, have proven more difficult. It is a sharp contrast to a Connecticut River teeming with salmon that greeted colonial settlers in this area. There is little doubt that awareness of the environment has grown dramatically since the first Earth Day in 1970. We are far more careful about the way we treat our land, air and water. Recycling, virtually unheard of in the early 1970s, is now common, even required in some communities.
Cars run much cleaner.
Dozens of harmful chemicals have been banned or restricted. Against this progress, however, other trends pose new threats to the environment. Census 2000 showed that rural sprawl is accelerating in this region and that people are commuting greater distances. A national Gallup poll last year showed that while close to two-thirds of Americans support efforts to improve the environment, many do not consider environmental quality a top priority. Only 16 percent said they were active in efforts to improve the environment.