Who was Rachel Carson?
Rachel Carson, known for her book Silent Spring, began her career in the environmental world at an early age. She was born on May 27,1907 in Springdale Pennsylvania and died on April 14, 1964. She is considered to be one of the most influential people in the birth of the Environmental Movement throughout the 1960's and 1970's, and her work and achievements are well-respected. Carson first became interested in the environment due to her mother's love of nature and growing up in a rural area in Springdale, Pennsylvania. This lifestyle and guidance helped spark some of her specific life interests including the study of nature and marine biology. Today, she is remembered for her legacy as not only the woman who began the modern Environmental Movement, but also as a respected "writer, scientist, and ecologist". _&_
After developing her interest in nature and the environment, Carson went on to study more about the of the environment at Pennsylvania College for Women, Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, and even at Johns Hopkins University where she received her Masters of Arts in zoology.
Her career first started when she took a job working in the United States Bureau of Fisheries and this is where Carson first gained awareness of certain chemical pesticides, such as DDT, which she later focused on in her book Silent Spring. She also observed and researched the different effects that such chemical pesticides can have on the environment and certain ecosystems. Chemical pesticides can easily runoff into waterways following precipitation and result in harming organisms that were un-targeted to begin with. DDT was the first of these major pesticides that Carson brought to public attention and conducted major research on. Not only did she publish Silent Spring, but she also wrote articles about the Chesapeake Bay and other bodies of water in her efforts to make people aware of the harm being caused to aquatic organisms as a result of chemical pesticide use and other human actions. In addition, she wrote pamphlets, scientific articles, and other books on the topics of conservation, natural resources, and even some of these books specifically discuss the ocean and marine life. _&_She also taught at the University of Maryland, before she joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service where she worked to observe and describe marine life and managed to write two other books, Under the Sea-Wind and The Sea Around Us before Silent Spring was published that reflected her interest in marine life and in the marine food chain. _
Although information about the danger of certain chemicals being used in pesticides and fertilizers had been known, Carson was really one of the first people to expose it to the public and take action through her research and raising of awareness. DDT was the first major chemical that Carson brought to public attention and she exposed its ability to harm non targeted organisms as a result of runoff. It was Rachel Carson's knowledge, research, and ecological work that brought environmental concerns and issues that needed to be addressed to the surface, making the government as well as the public aware and encouraging the protection of our planet. _
After developing her interest in nature and the environment, Carson went on to study more about the of the environment at Pennsylvania College for Women, Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, and even at Johns Hopkins University where she received her Masters of Arts in zoology.
Her career first started when she took a job working in the United States Bureau of Fisheries and this is where Carson first gained awareness of certain chemical pesticides, such as DDT, which she later focused on in her book Silent Spring. She also observed and researched the different effects that such chemical pesticides can have on the environment and certain ecosystems. Chemical pesticides can easily runoff into waterways following precipitation and result in harming organisms that were un-targeted to begin with. DDT was the first of these major pesticides that Carson brought to public attention and conducted major research on. Not only did she publish Silent Spring, but she also wrote articles about the Chesapeake Bay and other bodies of water in her efforts to make people aware of the harm being caused to aquatic organisms as a result of chemical pesticide use and other human actions. In addition, she wrote pamphlets, scientific articles, and other books on the topics of conservation, natural resources, and even some of these books specifically discuss the ocean and marine life. _&_She also taught at the University of Maryland, before she joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service where she worked to observe and describe marine life and managed to write two other books, Under the Sea-Wind and The Sea Around Us before Silent Spring was published that reflected her interest in marine life and in the marine food chain. _
Although information about the danger of certain chemicals being used in pesticides and fertilizers had been known, Carson was really one of the first people to expose it to the public and take action through her research and raising of awareness. DDT was the first major chemical that Carson brought to public attention and she exposed its ability to harm non targeted organisms as a result of runoff. It was Rachel Carson's knowledge, research, and ecological work that brought environmental concerns and issues that needed to be addressed to the surface, making the government as well as the public aware and encouraging the protection of our planet. _
What Were Carson's Achievements?
Throughout Carson's career studying and researching environmental science, she had many other accomplishments in addition to publishing Silent Spring and other written works. She won many awards for her discoveries and brought awareness to the public about what we as humans do that causes damage the environment. While working for the Bureau of Fisheries, Carson wrote radio scripts for them and published articles about the natural history of the Chesapeake Bay, "The World of Water", and "Undersea" in her efforts to make people aware of the harm being caused to aquatic organisms. These articles brought a wider range of attention to the environment and encouraged people to fight for change that would benefit threatened ecosystems. Another one of her books is the "The Edge of the Sea", which was published in 1955. _&_ Carson is accredited with being "the most popular nature writer of the 1950's" due to her three best sellers during this time period. _
In addition, Rachel Carson was delegated Junior Aquatic Biologist with the Bureau of Fisheries, and won the National Book Award for Non-Fiction for her book "The Sea Around Us". She also received numerable medals including the John Burroughs Medal, The Henry Grier Bryant Gold Medal, and the Geographical Society New York Zoological Society Gold Medal. Therefore, it is evident that she was a very accredited scientist and researcher who possessed impressive knowledge in her areas of study._ Carson won a series of other awards that recognize her impressive work including: a Simon Guggenheim Fellowship award for her studies of tidal life, the Albert Schweitzer award, the National Audubon Society Medal, and was inducted into the American Academy of the Arts and Letters. She worked to preserve the earth for future generations and is the epitome of an environmental activist.
In addition, Rachel Carson was delegated Junior Aquatic Biologist with the Bureau of Fisheries, and won the National Book Award for Non-Fiction for her book "The Sea Around Us". She also received numerable medals including the John Burroughs Medal, The Henry Grier Bryant Gold Medal, and the Geographical Society New York Zoological Society Gold Medal. Therefore, it is evident that she was a very accredited scientist and researcher who possessed impressive knowledge in her areas of study._ Carson won a series of other awards that recognize her impressive work including: a Simon Guggenheim Fellowship award for her studies of tidal life, the Albert Schweitzer award, the National Audubon Society Medal, and was inducted into the American Academy of the Arts and Letters. She worked to preserve the earth for future generations and is the epitome of an environmental activist.
Why was Carson important?
It is often questioned as to why Rachel Carson was such a special leader in this movement and what made her so important. If the American people already knew that chemicals were harmful to not only ecosystems, but also to themselves, what did Rachel Carson do that was so significant? Many people, in fact, did not realize how harmful pesticides are and this is why Rachel Carson's work was so important. Many people simply did not realize that chemical pesticides sprayed on crops, such as DDT, were dangerous to human health and that some are even carcinogens. She was one of the first to step up and explain just how unhealthy certain substances can be to both humans and the earth and to take action instead of just being passive and allowing the problems to continue existing: "Carson, the citizen scientist, spawned a revolution." _ She also had the courage to confront the industrial world about their high chemical use and challenge their power to continue polluting the environment. Rachel Carson and Silent Spring continued to leave behind a legacy in popular culture, the arts, music, and other literature today. _