As huge concentrations of pesticides such as Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and dieldrin were applied everywhere around the world, animals and people were beginning to experience symptoms of severe poisoning. Springtime had become strangely quiet, and many dead birds had been found fallen from their perches. Studies at the University of Wisconsin showed that the robin population on campus had declined by over 86%. Also prevalent were a number of serious diseases such as cancer.
Silent Spring, a historic book written by the environmentalist Rachel Carson was an attempt to explain these symptoms. Yet it did more than that. This incredible book triggered public reaction so immense that the overuse of pesticides came to a stop. Millions of people, inspired by Carson’s resolute determination and powerful rhetoric, have carried out her legacy and helped restore the beauty of spring.
Rachel Carson was born on May 27, 1907. She was ever fascinated by nature and enjoyed writing, publishing several short stories during her childhood years. Carson later found work at the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries writing scripts for a radio show about aquatic life titled, “Romance Under the Waters”. For Carson, this merged her talent at writing with her passion for nature.
Carson continued to combine writing and nature. In 1941, her first and personal favorite, Under the Sea-Wind was published, facing little success but much praise. In 1951 Carson tried again, publishing The Sea Around Us, an instant bestseller, giving the author undesired fame. The Edge of the Sea soon followed in 1955.
As Carson looked for inspiration for her next book, the chemical DDT, a strong pesticide, was being applied everywhere in alarmingly high quantities. In some areas, around 23 pounds of pesticides had been applied over the course of the year.Carson and other scientists believed that the overuse of DDT was causing a decline in the health of animals and humans around the globe. Determined to take action, Carson published her most controversial book, Silent Spring, to protest this chemical inundation.
In Silent Spring, Carson drew an image of a town where nature has been silenced by an influx of pesticides. In her 1st chapter, "A Fable for Tomorrow", Carson warned that although “this town does not actually exist …every one of these disasters has actually happened somewhere, and many real communities have already suffered a substantial number of them… this imagined tragedy may easily become a stark reality we all shall know.”
Silent Spring also offered other, harmless solutions that would also control pests. For example, in Chapter 6 of Silent Spring, Carson mentions the Klamath Weed, an invasive plant brought to the United States from Europe. In 1944, two species of beetle were brought from France to fight the weed. “A ten-year survey completed in 1959 showed that control of the Klamath weed had been ‘more effective than hoped for even by enthusiasts,’ with the weed reduced to a mere 1 percent of its former abundance.”
When Silent Spring was published in 1961, the response was overwhelming. Though many people were moved by Carson’s eloquent arguments and pages of evidence, (Silent Spring contained over 50 pages of sources) a large number remained unconvinced. Pesticide companies in particular made ruthless attacks on Carson’s character and credibility, calling her an “alarmist” and “hysterical” and claiming that an absence of pesticides would obliterate the world.
Carson would not be deterred, however. On April 3, 1963 CBS released a series titled, The Silent Spring of Rachel Carson. Although several sponsors withdrew their support before the broadcast, the show continued. On the series Carson defended her claims, backing them up with evidence and persuading the world to share her beliefs. When numerous investigations backed up Carson’s case, even her critics began to reverse their position.
Due to Silent Spring, DDT was officially banned in the U.S. on June 14 1972, and in 25 other countries soon after. Although Carson died on April 14th, 1964, too early to witness the extent of the changes her books have brought, she continues to motivate others into protecting and cherishing nature.
