Ok. Here's my 24 bits: Let's start at the start of the modern environmental movement, and take another look at Rachel Carson. We all know about her, at least sort of, though I suspect not so many have read Silent Spring straight through, nor looked at her earlier works, nor the rather astounding career that led her to her last book. Rob Nixon, in the Chronicle of Higher Education, reminds us that this is the 50th anniversary of the release of Silent Spring, in his article, "Rachel Carson's Prescience." Good background.
But we could also spend 60 minutes and watch the PBS documentary, Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, available through the MU media library for $14 (VHS), # 362100 . It's a great show, and perhaps many younger folks haven't seen all those clouds of DDT that used to be sprayed everywhere (like from the truck that came through our neighborhood, which we would follow on our kid-bikes, breathing in all that advanced American industry).
[I am curious about the 1963 film (16mm, not even VHS) called Silent Spring of Rachel Carson (120548), described in the catalog blurb as "An examination of the questions brought up in naturalist Rachel Carson's book, "Silent Spring." Are we destroying ourselves with pesticides? Do they upset the balance of nature? Miss Carson speaks on her own views, her critics are given an opportunity to answer her. With Eric Sevareid and Jay L. McMullen."]
Another film about a recent activist: Marion Stoddart: The Work of 1000 --not sure how/where it is available around here.
Would it be worthwhile to read at least the "silent town" intro of the book? A chapter or two, esp. the last?
In the same line, would it be worthwhile for us to go back and read other folks like Aldo Leopold?
Or any number of contemporary writers--John McPhee, Gary Nabhan [books -- I really like Singing the Turtles to the Sea, and the older, Songbirds, Truffles, and Wolves], Bill McKibben? Work toward Wild Dog Dreaming?
later, bob
Bob- I am on board with reading Rachel Carson. A screening of the documentary would be excellent as well. I spoke about Rachel Carson today while teaching Regions and Nations and was left with blank stares. If you don't mention this to Soren, I definitely will. Thanks for this great suggestion!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea. We should do it - maybe our next gathering time of Oct 5? Mike Urban just told me that Emma Marris, freelance writer for Nature and author of Rambunctious Garden: Saving Nature in a Post-Wild World (http://www.emmamarris.com/rambunctious-garden/) might be our E&S guest for November 2nd (still waiting for confirmation), and Jim Harlan's gonna come talk to us about Camino Real and Lewis and Clark on Novmber 30. Should be cool!
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