What was a common element of the rush to seek western land, timber, gold, and oil?

The acquisition of all of those resources had a negative environmental impact.

Among the main negative environmental impacts caused by man, we can mention the reduction of water sources, species extinction, floods, erosions, pollution, climate change, ozone depletion, acid rain, worsening of the greenhouse effect and habitat destruction.

affirmative action refers to the policies that take gender, race, or ethnicity into account in order to promote equal opportunity.

employers subject to title vii are prohibited from taking race or sex into account in any employment decisions. aa is a penalty for having any job group substantially statistically "underutilized" in any race or either sex. the employer must take steps to eliminate the underutilization, then stop, ending its aa efforts

the idealization of the rural landscape ; admiration for the beauty of nature ; focus on an individual's inner concerns