During America's 1970s energy crisis, President Jimmy Carter made a promise to improve America’s energy security and reduce its impact on the environment. During his four-year tenure, Carter passed landmark legislation that changed the way America uses energy.
These included the creation of Department of Energy (DOE) and National Energy Act (NEA), which reduced the import of oil and promoted renewable sources of energy. In addition, he deregulated the trucking and airline industries and appointed record numbers of women and blacks to Government jobs.
As gas prices soared, the energy crisis put a spotlight onto America's reliance upon foreign oil. Many Americans stood in long queues at gas stations. Experts believe that the energy crisis set up Carter's drive to improve energy efficiency, and increase the use of alternative energies.
When he was a child growing up in Plains, Ga., a small windmill inspired him to think about green power. The family was able to obtain running water by using a small wind turbine in their yard. Today the site forms part of a historic national park.
Dorner Carter-Carmichael volunteered for the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm and said that Carter had a great passion for the environment. She added that "he was the person who really pushed the conservation and environmental movement that he's famous for," adding that it was "a very important part" of his life.
Around 1924 his family had moved to a small farm community in Plains. It was a community that valued education, service to others and a strong Baptist religion.
When Carter was a child, his father, Earl Carter, raised cotton, corn and sugar cane on the farm, along with peanuts. He also had a country store/commissary, where he sold kerosene, canned goods and overalls to farmers and others who were living on the land.
The Carters built a large pond, a small stream and used them for canoeing or fishing. This was a very popular pastime. The Carters also planted pecan trees on the property and used an old barn to store their belongings.
During his presidency, Carter introduced the Clean Air Act to regulate smog. He installed 32 solar cells on the White House's roof in 1979 as a way to show that he supported renewable energy, and also to promote a greener, cleaner economy. The panels remained until 1986 when Ronald Reagan ordered them to be removed.
He was a politician who was able to change the energy landscape in a very short period of time, and he has left his mark on the world. He is an example for anyone looking to create a future that is more environmentally friendly. His legacy lives on through his work for Habitat for Humanity or his fight against melanoma metastatic.