“The more clearly we can focus our attention on
the wonders and realities of the universe about us,
the less taste we shall have for destruction.” Rachel Carson, 1954.
This May will be the 100th anniversary of the birth of Rachel Carson. Her groundbreaking book Silent Spring spurned the modern environmental movement. She truly is the First Lady of Green.
She started working for the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries during the Depression. Her tenure lasted 15 years beginning with her writing radio scripts and ending with Carson as Editor-In-Chief of all publications for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
She also wrote feature articles on natural history for the Baltimore Sun.
Then in 1962 she wrote her landmark book Silent Spring. A treatise on the danger of pesticides and called for research to ensure pesticides were used safely and to find safe alternatives.
She testified before Congress in 1963. As a result of her efforts Congress conducted a review of pesticide policy and outlawed the harmful pesticide DDT.
As you can imagine, the pesticide industry mounted a massive campaign to discredit Carson but her commitment to the health of the people and of the planet prevailed. Now I suspect it’s the pesticide lobby trying to influence things. There are still campaigns against her like this 2003 article that appeared on FrontPagemag.com and was posted on the Free Republic. The article compares Carson to Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot.
To honor her life the Friends of the National Conservation Training Center are hosting an online book club celebrating the works of Carson. The book club will run through November, each month featuring a guest moderator who will also offer commentary.
Image of Silent Spring via The Manhattan Rare Book Company.