A Woman of All Seasons

Rachel Carson was an environmentalist, writer, and marine biologist born on May 27, 1907, in Springdale, Pennsylvania. Carson developed a connection with nature at a young age thanks to her mother, Maria McLean, who would teach her in locations surrounded by nature. Rachel Carson entered the field of science at a time when women were generally not accepted or respected as scientists. Carson is remembered as one of the primary activists responsible for shaping global environmental consciousness. Her book, Silent Spring, alerted the world to a future where spring would come in silence, and pesticides would devastate the earth's ecology. This was an incredibly controversial book considering how widely loved DDT was, being considered by many the greatest development of the century. Although Silent Spring was met with fierce opposition, it is responsible for igniting an environmental revolution, which spurred many laws and a complete societal paradigm shift. As a result of Carson's work, Congress developed the Environmental Protection Agency, ceased licensing of DDT, developed the Toxic Substance Control Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and established Earth Day. Rachel Carson is also the author behind the best selling books Under the Sea-Wind, The Sea Around Us, and The Edge of the Sea. To learn more about Rachel Carson and her incredible life story, click the link down below! You can watch the linked film, and many other incredible educational films, through Kanopy which you can use for free if you have an account at one of their participating libraries or are attending a public university! I highly recommend you watch it with your entire family. Enjoy!

My Favorite Nature Place

My favorite "nature place" is anywhere up in the trees. Growing up as a hyperactive kid, I viewed any tree as a "climbing tree". No matter where I was or what I was doing, when I saw a tree that I liked, I made it my mission to get as high up as I could (without compromising my safety... too much). I loved the adventure of moving up branch by branch, but equally, I loved the view from up above. I especially enjoy trees which are completely isolated from civilization. While up in a tree, I feel my most calm and safe, ironically, considering I could be seconds from falling to my death at any moment. One place that I have never been to but believe would be my all-time favorite nature place would be way up in a tree in a forest in Costa Rica.