How A Landmark Book Launched The Environmental Movement

The author of one of the most controversial book of the 1960s, considered to be the mother of the modern environmental movement, was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century.

1 minute read

June 4, 2007, 2:00 PM PDT

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"In 1962 [Rachel Carson] published the groundbreaking work 'Silent Spring' that helped launch the environmental movement. It was one of the most controversial books of the 1960s. Her warnings about the dangers of DDT and other chemical pesticides helped launch the environmental movement. At the time, Carson was widely attacked by the chemical industry and much of the press.

Time Magazine claimed Carson's research was filled with oversimplifications and downright errors. That was in 1962.Time Magazine would later name Rachel Carson one of the 100 most important people of the 20th century, largely because of Silent Spring."

Includes audio clip of Rachel Carson speaking in 1964 and an interview with ecologist Sandra Steingraber.

Thursday, May 31, 2007 in Democracy Now!

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