John muir biography video of barack obama

Michael Turgeon was a 2016-2017 Environmental Ethics Fellow at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

Any discussion of the history of environmental thought is incomplete without addressing the contributions of naturalist John Muir. Muir, who dons the back of California’s commemorative “state quarter” and has given his name to many mountains, trails, and parks all across the state, was perhaps America’s most historically influential advocate for its natural places.

He dedicated his life to preserving places like Yosemite, and his efforts were largely successful.

American Masters | John Muir in the New World | Season 25

And by examining his life, we can see why his legacy was so profound.

Despite his impact in California, John Muir did not arrive in the state until he was almost 30. Muir was actually born in Dunbar, Scotland, in 1838, to parents that were devout Christians. Muir would carry a connection to the Scottish countryside throughout his life (and never lost his Scottish accent), bu John Muir Movie – The Unruly Mystic Documentary Series XOTA