In honor of Earth Day 2014, today’s “Women Who Run the World” goes out to Rachel Carson. Never heard of her? Most people haven’t. Yet, Carson is responsible for one the greatest social, political, and scientific movements of modern history– environmentalism.
Born in 1907, Carson spent her childhood frolicking through Pennsylvania forests and rivers. She received degrees in marine biology and zoology only to find herself job hunting during the Great Depression. Hired by the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, Carson got her foot in the door of environmental issues. For 15 years, Carson made a career for herself in the federal government, all while writing for different environmental publications.
What makes her important? This may seem like an ordinary career path, but our generation has to remember that the environmental movement didn’t spring out of nothing. Carson’s writings, in particular, accelerated the urgency of proper environmental practices. Carson’s understanding of humans as only one part of nature, rather than dictator of it, set her aside from many at the time.
In 1962, Carson published her most known work, Silent Spring. The writing brought to light the potential consequences of chemical use from WWII and the agriculture sect. The title comes from her fear that she would one day wake up without the sounds of nature around her. No birds, no wind in the trees, no stream bubbling outside. The book was ridiculed by those threatened by chemical regulation, claiming Carson was overreacting to a non-issue. In response, she pointed out that these issues would not just affect nature, but the entire environment, humans included.
Later in life, Carson continued to pursue her beliefs and began tying global health with environmental issues. Though it may seem distant to women today, the bravery and determination of Carson has propelled a global movement of activism that could not have existed without her. Find out more on the legacy and story of Rachel Carson through this New York Times article or on her website.
Photo Credits:
http://www.rachelcarson.org/Biography.aspx#.UzvuENzSnwI
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