Prior to 1962, the American consciousness about environmental issues extended into the realm of John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt, and the great parks that speckle our maps. Conservation was a well established mental framework to most Americans understanding the environment. In 1962 however, Rachel Carson fundamentally changed the way in which Americans viewed their connection with the environment, giving birth to the consciousness of the Environmentalist Movement. Carson’s A Silent Spring, so eloquently written, tapped into the publics emotions and brought to life the true impact of our actions on the environment. The ubiquitous use of DDT, fueled by it’s military uses in World War 2, provided the perfect kindling to fuel the firestorm of activity that would follow in the wake of the book’s publishing. Through Carson’s prose, an end to the use of DDT in America and in many other countries came to an end. Following public outcry about the concerns raised in the book, policy measure were put into place that would assist in the mitigation of further occurrences like DDT. The books contribution to the Movement of Environmentalism runs deep, alongside Muir and others accredited with conservation, Carson will be forever linked to the sift in America’s view to their intimate relationship to the environment.
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