What Is The First Chapter Of Silent Spring By Rachel Carson

“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.” This is a quote from Rachel Carson, an ordinary marine biologist who changed the world forever. She is most famous for writing Silent Spring, a book which almost single handedly stopped the use of toxic chemicals such as DDT from being used as pesticides, as well as indirectly leading to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).

In the first chapter of Silent Spring, Carson describes a town before and after being exposed to chemicals. It is a beautiful place before, with birds in the sky and fish in the water, and everything is very pleasant. However, after being

exposed, everything is gone; animals and plants start dying, and the town becomes very barren and gloomy. I chose to draw what both of these images may have looked like in a way that conveyed the message that pesticides were destroying the environment. When people view this piece of artwork, they will have an idea of what things may have been like had Carson not been brave enough to change the world.
Ultimately, the environment is something that should be protected at all costs. While many people agree with this statement, few people act upon it; that is why it is important that people like Carson step out against the world in order to make the changes that are needed. The importance of environmentalists is something I cared about even before learning about the people they were and what they did.
Through this drawing, I hope to convey the impact that Rachel Carson had, and how it changed the course of history. While it is not something most people think about on a daily basis, the things that ordinary people, like Carson, can do to make changes that are needed is something that cannot be underestimated.