Carson’s life was not however totally successful as she suffered consecutive emotional and family difficulties. Her father died in 1935 leaving Rachel to support her mother and the following year her sister died leaving her two daughters dependant on Rachel. In addition to other health problems she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 1960 and died as a result two years after the publication of Silent Spring, in 1964.
Approaches
Rachel Carson began investigating the subject of pesticides by contacting scientists from across the field, including biologists, chemists and geneticists. Her book was based on and created from the feedback she received from these people. Naturally as a result and being a scientist herself the main approach in the book was scientific.
A lot of the terminology used is science based. Indeed a lot of the analysis consists of chemical formulas and reactions. In addition the book describes ecological process in detail alongside the main argument about chemicals. Carson takes a scientific approach in describing the inter-relationships between plants and animals and the environment. Indeed many believe that Carson was the first to use and describe the term ‘ecosystem’.
Context and Background
At the time the book was written chemical fertilisers and pesticides were in heavy and common use both privately and commercially. In 1958 200 million dollars worth of pesticides were sold, in 1962 when the book was published nearly half a billion dollars worth were sold. In writing the book Carson was aware that she was not only confronting an enormous industry but confronting the government too. In this cold war period any criticism of government policy, whether legitimate or not, was risky, with the US government’s rigid anti-communist policies. Despite this Carson bravely continued to reveal that the government had not done its homework in this field, that it hadn’t considered the long-term effects of chemical pesticides. This was also a time when the public were just starting to hear about the dangers of chemicals and chemical warfare. The first chemical Carson mentions in the book is Strontium 90, a radioactive element commonly seen in nuclear fallout, and the book was published only months after the Cuban Missile Crisis
It should also be noted that at the time of writing, the general public and indeed many scientists, believed that chemicals had only a positive influence on the world. There was much faith in the benefits of science and technology and their progress, and Silent Spring questioned this faith outright.
Also before the environmental movement sparked by the book’s publication there was very little regard of the natural environment as little other than an economic commodity. It was seen and used as a resource and its well being had never been considered.
The late 50’s and early 60’s was very much a time of inequality. She was a female working in science at a time when women in science were not wanted or respected. Luckily for all the public did not take such a dim sexist view when the book came to print.
Reactions
This slide shows just some of the words used in description of the book following its publication. Words like expose, explosive and damning do justice to the impact the book had and the reaction of its readers.
But it wasn’t just the general public that reacted to Silent Spring. Chemical Companies and pesticide producers branded Rachel Carson as a ‘nature nut’, denying the truths she had revealed and insisting that their chemicals were safe. Many reacted by publishing and distributing leaflets detailing the benefits of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. One Chemical Corporation even tried to have the book’s publication halted on the grounds of inaccurate evidence of the effects of some of its products.
However not all of the reactions were negative. President Kennedy ordered the Science Advisory Committee to investigate Carson’s findings, as he was so impressed by her writing. It is also believed that the controversy and outrage generated by the books publication prompted the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency.
There were many bills introduced in response to Silent Spring, in fact 40 had been introduced by the end of 1962. These included significant bills such as the National Environmental Protection Act and the banning of the use of DDT in many US states. By 1972 a federal ban was placed on DDT, to prohibit its use anywhere in the United States.
Many of Carson’s supporters believe that the publication of Silent Spring instigated the Environmental Movement of the late 60s ad 70s. This movement saw humanity taking greater responsibility and taking more consideration of the consequences of their actions. It also sparked off the formation of Environmental Pressure groups and ‘earth warriors’, things that are common to us today.
Conclusions
In conclusion I would like to draw your attention to some of the main points broached in this presentation.
Silent Spring was a controversial book. It challenged people, business and governments that others had been too scared to question.
The book was an important eye-opener. It is difficult to say how long the negative effects of chemical fertilisers and pesticides would have gone unnoticed and ignored had it not been for the research and writing of Rachel Carson. It was also an ecological eye-opener for the general public, in that many realised that fertilisers and pesticides could affect them even if they didn’t use them themselves.
The impact of Silent Spring was powerful because the writing itself was powerful. The reaction of the government and the start of the Environmental Movement signify this power.
What is interesting is that Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring is still an incredibly relevant book today, 40years after the research was carried out and the book was published.