Rachel Carson (1907-1964)
Rachel Carson was seen as the "backbone" to environmental health due to her numerous contributions . Carson was seen as the cause of why the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) became conscious and aware of the many environmental hazards that existed in the water and air quality, as well as pesticides. Carson's book, "Silent Spring" , which was written over 50 years ago , influenced the environmental movement to become informed on the nature of the chemicals being placed in the environment and the effects they have on animals, humans, and vegetation. Carson especially pressed the issue of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethan (DDT). Within Silent Spring Carson expressed the need to eliminate the use of DDT's within the environment due to their ability to climb the food chain , which in the end affected the children and adults who live off the land (animals and vegetation) . Carson expressed the issue that if mankind continues to poison the environment , the environment will then poison mankind: " Our heedless and destructive acts enter into vast cycles of the earth and in time return to bring hazard to ourselves" .
Although Carson made the damage being done to the environment known to not only the thousands of readers of Silent Spring , but to government officials , the issues addressed still persist today. Carson made countless efforts to ensure that individuals were aware of the harm being done to the food chain , yet issues still exist today, how many more deaths will occur before eminent action is taken to rid the environment of chemicals , and have industries and the government own up to the damaged caused by them? Although she was strong willed and persistent in her work and research , her actions alone are not enough to end the constant destruction being done to the environment annually .
Sources: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com
http://www.paleycenter.org/away-we-go-green-silent-spring/
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