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Rachel Carson: Concerned Activist
 The name Rachel Carson may not sound familiar, but because of her, there are flowers in bloom, fish in the streams, and birds in the sky. She was a dedicated environmentalist who researched the dangers of pesticides and DDT. She found out that certain pesticides were killing wildlife. She made it her life's mission to educate people about these dangers. Rachel Carson was born in 1907 and lived in a farm town called Springdale, located in Pennsylvania. Her home life was normal. Her dad worked as a businessman, while her mother took care of her and her two older siblings. Rachel had always been drawn towards the outdoors. She often spent time in her family's orchard, watching the birds and other animals. Rachel shared her love of animals with other members of her family, especially her mother. Her mother was too tender hearted to kill insects when they came into the house. Rachel credits her mother for opening her eyes to the natural world. Rachel grew up and went to college. She spent most of her time studying biology even though her true passion was English. She loved to write. Most of her stories were about nature and the beauty that surrounds us. While working at the Fish and Wildlife Service, she did a lot of research on fish habitats. This was the time when she discovered the dangers of pesticides, because in many streams, fish were dying. She had been writing books about wildlife, but she hadn't attempted to write anything about the chemicals she had discovered. She decided that it was time to warn people, and she would do it by writing a book entitled Silent Spring. Rachel Carson never wanted to fight viciously for what she believed, but rather educate people and let them discover what was happening to the world. She didn't want to blame the pesticide companies for the destruction of wildlife, but instead to encourage them to change their products. Unfortunately, the companies didn't see it that way. The companies denied the accusations that their products were dangerous. They called Carson naive and uneducated. Unfortunately for the chemical companies, the evidence Carson found was true, and the companies had to change their pesticides. In 1964, at the age of 57, Rachel Carson passed away. She died of cancer. She had been aware of her diagnosis since 1960, yet she had continued pursuing her cause. She managed to travel some, lecturing on her book. She was later given the title of "The Mother of the Environmental Movement." It is a title that truly belongs to her. By: Margau Dodele Further Reading: Rachel Carson by M.A. McCay
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