英语名人堂：蕾切尔·卡逊
Rachel Carson (1907–1964) was a pioneer of the global environmental movement through her writing about conservation. Her 1962 book ‘Silent Spring’ made her famous. It describes the harmful effects on the environment of using toxic chemicals on farmland. It is widely recognized as the first serious account of mankind’s negative impact on farming and nature.
Carson’s career started as a biologist in the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries. In 1951 she published her first book, ‘The Sea Around Us’, which became a bestseller. It made her rich enough to quit her job and devote her life to writing. She was a gifted writer. Her next two books were also about the oceans and both topped the book sales charts.
Carson’s book ‘Silent Spring’ transformed the way America thought about nature. It painted ableak future for the whole natural world. It led to a nationwide ban on the use of a deadly chemical called DDT, and other toxic pesticides that farmers sprayed on their crops. Many people say the book inspired the creation of America’s Environmental Protection Agency.
Since her death, Carson’s name has continued to be associated with protecting the environment. There is now an annual Rachel Carson Book Prize. Norway awards the Rachel Carson Prize to women who have made worthy contributions to the field of environmental protection. In 1980, 16 years after her death, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in America.
