Carson Mobilizes America
"[Rachel Carson]...could not stand idly by and say nothing...when human existence itself was endangered. . . . She wrote a revolutionary book [Silent Spring, 1962] in terms that were acceptable to a middle class...and woke them to their neglected responsibilities. It was a book in which she shared her vision of life one last time."
- Linda Lear, "Rachel Carson: Witness for Nature", 1997
- Linda Lear, "Rachel Carson: Witness for Nature", 1997
Rachel Carson’s books galvanized the public to rethink conservation. A new ethic of personal responsibility for the environment led to government investigations and reforms. Rachel's profound determination and ceaseless advocacy impacted American society.
"Silent Spring is Now a Noisy Summer"
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"Majority of magazines and newspaper reviews and editorials were favorable. A New York Times editorial suggested that 'Ms Carson would be as deserving of the Nobel Prize as was the inventor of DDT'..."
Source: CBS Interview with Rachel Carson on Silent Spring, April 3rd 1963 from the Rachel Carson Council |
Carson's Statement to Congress
Source: Transcript of Rachel Carson's Statement to Congress on June 4th, 1963, Rachel Carson Council Archives
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Source: Rachel Carson speaking before Senate, United Press International, 1963.
Source: Audubon Magazine, Joe Ciardiello, 2012
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Timeless Leader
Source: New York Times, 1965, ProQuest Historical Newspapers
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"Rachel Carson...brought us back to a fundamental idea...: the interconnection of human beings and the natural environment...a shaft of light that for the first time illuminated what is arguably the most important issue of our era...the truth she brought to light, the science and research she inspired, stand not only as powerful arguments for limiting the use of pesticides but as powerful proof of the difference that one individual can make."
- Al Gore, 1994 Introduction to Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" |