The Impacts of Lady Bird Johnson's Work

Author: Lala Juaniza, 282

Date: April 19th, 2021

As seen today, many people in high positions of power don’t use their influence for good. People like Jeff Bezos and ex-President Donald Trump and companies like Nike use their power, money, and influence to take advantage of the environment. To honor Women’s History month, I chose to highlight Lady Bird Johnson, a historical figure who was one of the earliest environmental activists. She used her power as First Lady to help clean up first her home in Washington, D.C, and later other states throughout the country. Her dedication to the environment still influences America today.

She first began with the First Lady’s Committee. In the 50s and 60s, environmental issues and climate change weren’t as pressing as they are today. Many only wanted to beautify their cities for aesthetic purposes. However, Lady Bird Johnson’s reasons for creating a more beautiful environment extend further to her appreciation for the natural world. She once said, “Though the word beautification makes the concept sound merely cosmetic, it involves much more: clean water, clean air, clean roadsides, safe waste disposal and preservation of valued old landmarks as well as great parks and wilderness areas. To me … beautification means our total concern for the physical and human quality we pass on to our children and the future.” She began her mission in Washington D.C. The movement later spread to the rest of the country. The city worked with both private and public organizations to clean litter and surrounding streams and rivers, as well as plant more trees and flowers. These environmental changes also led to other city improvements, like new sidewalks, benches, buildings, all of which gave Washington D.C a more welcoming aura. Lady Bird’s movement also helped neighborhoods become safer and strengthened the communities by providing meeting spaces and small pocket parks. Historic buildings were restored, and public transportation advanced significantly. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson passed the Highway Beautification Act. Although some believe that the Act worsened highway situations, Lady Bird’s movement’s positive effects can still be observed today.

Today, flower beds still line the avenues of Washington, D.C, and clean water efforts also continue to be implemented. The Wildflower Research Center is now at the University of Austin, Texas as a nonprofit with almost 300 acres of land. It is one of the most credible research centers in the country and also now features multiple arboretums and gardens. The Center advocates for the preservation of native plants and has collaborated with the U.S Botanical Garden and the American Society of Landscape Architects for the Sustainable Sites Initiative. Over 200 environmental acts were passed under the Johnson administration, influences by the efforts of Lady Bird.

Much of Washington D.C’s environmental beauty can be attributed to Lady Bird Johnson as well as the Wildflower Research Center. Her ideas to create a better environment were ahead of her time, and her advocacy for the environment is still admired today. She used her power to create an improved living situation for D.C residents while also incorporating nature. Her focus took away from the tense situation America was in at the time and inspired others to create a better, more beautiful environment for themselves.

Today, climate change is more important than ever. Lady Bird Johnson is a mentionable environmentalist because she used the cosmetic appeal to push others to improve their community. She combined her love for the environment, her power as First Lady, and the people’s appeal to create a compelling and lasting solution. Creating programs that appeal to people’s interests will urge them to participate in their communities, if not for the betterment of the environment, but for themselves.