Rachel Carson
Rachel Carson, disturbed by the profligate use of synthetic chemical pesticides after World War II, began reluctantly warning the public about the long term effects of misusing pesticides. In her book, Silent Spring (1962) she challenged the practices of agricultural scientists and the government, and called for a change in the way humankind viewed the natural world.
Carson was attacked by the chemical industry and some in government as an alarmist, but courageously spoke out to remind us that we are a vulnerable part of the natural world subject to the same damage as the rest of the ecosystem. Testifying before Congress in 1963, Carson called for new policies to protect human health and the environment.
Her witness for the beauty and integrity of life continues to inspire new generations to protect the living world and all its creatures.
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