Keep Rachel Carson's Legacy Alive.

Proclaim May 27 Rachel Carson Day!
Make May 27 an annual opportunity to recognize our 
fellow advocates working for public policies to protect
the sustainability of our community and the quality of
our environment from threats such as climate change,
waste, and pollution. 

Rachel Carson 

(May 27, 1907 – April 14, 1964)

In 1962 Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring, alerted the world to the hazards of pesticides. Carson explained that our health is intimately connected to the quality of our environment. Carson’s gift for eloquent advocacy created such a wave of political urgency that it generated the modern environmental movement.

Within a few years, in spite of an orchestrated chemical industry campaign to discredit her, Congress created the US EPA, the US ban on DDT, the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act.

"Prevention is the imperative." Carson’s message is as relevant today as in 1962. Her legacy has the power to inspire a new wave of public engagement in public policy dedicated to safeguarding the public health and enriching the quality and sustainability of our communities.

Rachel Carson Day 

Suggested wording for your school, community, organization, municipality, congregation, etc:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Whereas we believe in the power of the individual to make a difference; and

Whereas Rachel Carson's birthday, May 27, is an annual opportunity to remember and celebrate her legacy, her unabashed love of nature, her sense of wonder and her extraordinary sense of responsibility, and

Whereas Rachel Carson taught us that our health is intimately connected to the health of our environment; and

Whereas Carson wrote, in The Sea Around Us (1951), “...now in our own lifetime we are witnessing a startling alteration of climate.” and

Whereas Carson’s book Silent Spring (1962) was a call for sanity, public integrity, and human rights that catalyzed a wave of such political urgency that it generated a worldwide environmental movement and public support for the creation of the U.S. EPA, the U.S. ban on DDT, and the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act; and

Whereas Carson faced overwhelming illness and adversity, as well as an orchestrated campaign to discredit her work, and yet she was unwavering in speaking out about the hazards of pesticides and the unbridled chemical industry until her untimely death on April 14, 1964; and

Now, therefore, be it resolved, that we do hereby proclaim and observe May 27 as “Rachel Carson Day” and call on our fellow citizens to remember Rachel Carson’s life and legacy, and to join together to strengthen the protections of our health and the sustainability of our homes, schools, neighborhoods, and community.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Keeping Rachel Carson's Legacy Alive

Contacts:

• Marcia Cooper, President, Green Decade Newton, marciacooper@greendecade.org, 617-964-8567,  c 617-416-1969

• Ellie Goldberg, ellei.goldberg@gmail.com, 617-965-9637, c 617-930-43
  ​​
  27, GreenCAP; Board Member, Silent Spring Institute

May 27, 2014. Green Decade Newton is joined by the City of Newton in recognizing Rachel Carson, a ​​scientist and celebrated author​, for her outstanding, dedicated and selfless service to nature, our environment and public health.

Carson’s 1962 book, Silent Spring, alerted the world to the hazards of pesticides and ​inspired ​the creation of the U.S. EPA, the U.S. ban on DDT,  the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act.  2014 is the 50th anniversary of Carson's death from breast cancer ​April 14, 1964.

Green Decade Newton’s Committee for Alternatives to Pesticides (GreenCAP) promotes the annual recognition of Rachel Carson’s legacy on her birthday, May 27. 

GreenCAP was organized by a group of concerned Green Decade members in 1994 after Dr. Rita Arditti's presentation about cancer as an environmental disease.​ ​

Dr. ​Arditti, a biologist, educator and activist, was a co-founder of the Women’s Community Cancer Project in 1989. Their slogan was “Rachel Carson Was Right.”  (Dr. Arditti died of breast cancer on Christmas Day, 2009.)

At a Carson ​C​entennial event at Newton Free Library in 2007, Dr. Arditti emphasized Carson’s message “Prevention is the Imperative” and that Silent Spring is as current today as it was in 1962.

Green Decade Newton’s programs are designed to provide education and empower citizens to take personal and civic action​ for energy efficiency, pollution prevention, and conservation of vital resources.

For more information visit the Green Decade table at Newton’s Farmer’s Market and go to greendecade.org. Find resources such as Pest Control the Old Way the BEST Way (pdf) and Spring Safety Tips (pdf).

(May 27, 1907 – April 14,1964) 

  

​

Commonwealth of Massachusetts ​City of Newton

May 27, 2014.  The City of Newton proudly awards this Certificate of Commendation in honor of Rachel Carson in recognition of her outstanding, dedicated and selfless service to nature, our environment and public health.  Rachel Carson taught us that our health is intimately connected to the heath of our environment, and that safeguarding our ecosystem protects our health and the environmental resources on which all life depends. City of Newton is proud to join Green Decade in honoring the legacy of Rachel Carson.

​​

Newton's Rachel Carson Day May 27 Keeps Her Legacy Alive

www.greendecade.org 617-965-1995
Sustainable Solutions for the 21st Century

Newton's Rachel Carson Day May 27 Keeps Her Legacy Alive*

On May 26 Newton Mayor David B. Cohen joined local environmental leaders at Newton City Hall to celebrate Rachel Carson's legacy with a Proclamation naming May 27 Rachel Carson Day and to highlight resources and opportunities for local advocacy to improve community and environmental health.

Whereas we believe in the power of the individual to make a difference; and

Whereas Rachel Carson's birthday, May 27, is an annual opportunity to remember the biologist, ecologist and author and celebrate her legacy; and

Whereas, Rachel Carson taught us that our health is intimately connected to the health of our environment, and that we must remain diligent to protect the natural ecosystem to maintain the health of the world’s citizens; and

Whereas the publication of Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring in 1962 generated a worldwide environmental movement and led to the creation of the U.S. EPA, the U.S. ban on DDT, and environment regulations such as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act; and

Whereas Rachel Carson faced overwhelming illness and adversity, and yet retained her unwavering motivation to speak out about the hazards of pesticides due to her unabashed love of nature and sense of responsibility for human health and the public interest; and

Whereas, raising awareness of Rachel Carson's life and legacy can inspire citizens to get involved in efforts to protect our water, food and air from the contamination;

Now, therefore, be it resolved, that I, David B. Cohen, Mayor of the City of Newton, do hereby proclaim

May 27, 2009
Rachel Carson Day
In the City of Newton

and do further call on our citizens to remember the power of Rachel Carson’s words and the example of her life. With a determined collaboration, we can together promote the health and preservation of our environment; and commit to ecological and sustainable principles for landscaping and pest control in our homes, schools, neighborhoods, and throughout our community.

• Charlene Brotman, a board member of the Rachel Carson Council, Silver Spring Maryland (rachelcarsoncouncil.org), a national clearinghouse of inspiration and information for scientists and the public about pesticides, their dangers, and alternative pest controls.;
• Marcia Cooper, President of the Green Decade Coalition/Newton (greendecade.org), one of the most influential grassroots organizations in Massachusetts and a leader in our community for environmental action;
• Ellie Goldberg and Maeve Ward, Green Decade’s Committee for Alternatives to Pesticides and Organic Gardening and Landscaping Committee; and
• Aaron Toffler, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, Lasell College (lasell.edu), provides students with the opportunity to examine the connections between the environment and local and global communities.

• June 17 at 1:30 pm, the public is invited to a screening of the beautiful new dramatic film, A Sense of Wonder, about the last year of Rachel Carson's life after the publication of the book Silent Spring as she struggles to defend her message of environmental stewardship and fight a secret battle with breast cancer. At the Newton Senior Center, 345 Walnut Street, Newtonville, MA.

• May 28 at 7 pm Growing up Green(er) at the Newton Free Library, featuring Newton students from elementary, middle and high schools showcasing their school and community environmental projects.

Also see: What Would Rachel Say?