Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson, born on the 27th of May 1907 in Springdale, Pennsylvania, would go to become a key player in the world’s environmentalism crusade. Beginning her childhood, she always showed admiration for nature and this led to her contribution in the protection of environment.

Carson was to grow up with deep concern of the environment and it all started at her childhood. In Pennsylvania College for Women she continued her academic interests and received a degree in biology in 1929; later she was awarded a master’s degree in zoology in 1932 at the Johns Hopkins University.

Carson started her career working at the United States Bureau of Fisheries after which she moved to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Thanks to her she achieved the recognition and respect which made her one of the most renowned scientists of the period, her focus on marine life made her a prominent figure.

Also in the 1950s, Carson even more concentrated on the consequences of chemical pesticides to the environment particularly DDT. Her famous work “Silent Spring” published in 1962 described the harm these chemicals caused birds, ecosystems, and people.

Carson won a numerous of awards for her work some of which includes the Audubon Medal in 1963. She continues to be honored by the U. S. Presidency, where she was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980; this shows that her contribution to the environmentalism cause was very important.

Although Carson had a notable career and brought inventions in her work sphere, she had to struggle with gender roles in a masculine-oriented workplace and cancer disease. a devoted employee up to her last breathe she passed away on 14th April in the year 1964.

Carson’s instruction in environmentalism will not be forgot. Due to Rachel Carson’s book ‘‘Silent Spring’’, the world woke up to the need to protect the environment. Her work is still valuable for stimulating environment ‘political’ activists and other authorities, stressing on the need to preserve the nature. Carson successfully combines scientific research and stylistic literary writing which made her a symbol of ecology to inspire generations to continue the protection of the planet’s ecosystems.