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Why ‘Silent Spring’ is More Relevant than Ever

A panel of environmental science experts will discuss “Silent Spring,” a break-through book by Rachel Carson in 1962 that documented the detrimental effects of pesticides.

"Silent Spring," by Rachel Carson. With introduction by Linda Lear '62.

A panel of environmental science experts will discuss “Silent Spring,” a break-through book by Rachel Carson in 1962 that documented the detrimental effects of pesticides. The book was required reading for all incoming first-year students at Connecticut College. The panel takes place Monday, Aug. 29, at 1 p.m. in Palmer Auditorium.

Connecticut College has a long history of environmental activism, and was one of the first colleges in the country to offer an environmental studies program. The book connects historical events to today’s environmental issues.

“Powerful environmental issues are happening in the world, such as global warming and the Zika virus and questions about how it should be controlled,” Dean of the College Jefferson Singer told Inside Higher Ed earlier this summer. “We thought it would be so meaningful for students to see that while these questions are so contemporary, they’re not new.”

The panel will discuss the continued relevance of the concerns raised in Silent Spring, including the environmental impact of pesticides and other human intrusions on the natural world. It will also address issues of environmental justice with regard to how individuals in different economic sectors of society have differential exposures to environmental hazards.

Panelists are:

  • Margarita Mogollon, environmental sanitarian for Uncas Health District
  • Sharon Lewis, executive director of Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice
  • Jane Dawson, the Karla Heurich Harrison ’28 Director of the Goodwin-Niering Center for the Environment and the Virginia Eason Weinmann ’51 Professor of Environmental Studies and Government at Connecticut College
  • Joseph Schroeder, associate professor of psychology at Connecticut College

The panel will be moderated by Singer.

The edition of "Silent Spring" read by the College’s first-year students includes an introduction by Carson’s biographer, historian Linda Lear, a 1962 graduate of Connecticut College. Lear will be on campus later in the fall as part of a semester-long series of events related to Carson’s legacy.


August 25, 2016