How 'Silent Spring' Ignited the Environmental Movement
Rachel Carson was born on May 27, 1907. Rachel first major at the Pennsylvania
college for woman was an English major.
Around the 1950’s, Rachel graduated John Hopkins university with an M.A.
in zoology. At this time, Rachel began
to see the poisonous signs that pesticides where having on the
environment. Her book Silent Spring,
alerted the world to effects of pesticides had on the environment. After she saw the negative effects of
pesticides on the environment, she began writing her book. Her book prompted congress to launch an
investigation into her work.
One word that best describes Rachel Carson’s work is,
enlightening. I came to this conclusion
because prior to her book being published, the public was unaware of the
negative cause and effects pesticides where having on the environment and
ultimately who consumed the crops that pesticides had been applied to.
The common perception of woman scientist in the 1940’s and
1950’s was that they could not be credited with groundbreaking work. I came to this conclusion because congress
had to launch an investigation into her work trying to discredit it and she had
to defend her work.
Yes we are contaminating our environment today with the use
of pesticides and we will continue to do so unfortunately because of how little
cost it is to apply them for the desired results. I feel this way because I work in the
viticulture industry and for a company called Wilbur-Ellis where we sell
pesticides and fertilizers to farmers.
Biodynamically should be the way of the future and get away from
pesticides.
She continued her work even with terminal cancer because she
was passionate about her work and wanted people to be informed on the cause and
effects pesticides had on the environment.
Title – Pesticides don’t discriminate, they kill all living
and non-living things
The movie and article (links above), really sheds light on who Rachel Carson was and the work she did to enlighten everyone on the negative cause and effects of pesticide use on the environment. I encourage you to take some time out of your day and watch movie and read the article. If Rachel Carson hadn't stepped out of cultural norm from a woman's role in society back in the 1940's-50's, we quite possible would be blind to how negative pesticides are to our environment.
