Sustainable Landscaping and Ecological Restoration in Northwest Illinois
Prairie Works is the source for ecological and landscape services in Northwest Illinois. Prairie Works can assist on projects large and small ranging from prairie and woodland restoration, invasive species control, controlled burning, bio-engineered erosion control and landscaping through the use of native plants. Prairie Works offers an environmentally friendly and dynamic solution to traditional land use practices and strives to connect people to the natural history of the area.
Cory's Blog: A cyber bulletin containing information, statements, news, reports, inside dope, observations and ramblings. Please browse the archives at your leisure.
This past weekend the Chicago area received up to 9 inches of rain. 2008 is on track to become the wettest in history there. Dubuque, IA is not far behind with 39.58 official inches so far. The following is an excerpt from weatherman Tom Skillings blog of WGN-TV.
http://blogs.trb.com/news/weather/weblog/wgnweather/ Subscribe to Toms blog here
It was 46 years ago this month that the groundbreaking book Silent Spring was published. Written by Rachel Carson , Silent Spring was published in September of 1962 and is credited to starting the modern environmental movement. Rachel Carson, a marine biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, exposed the detrimental effects of the pesticide D.D.T. 10 years after the release of Silent Spring D.D.T. was banned and it served as the catalyst for reviving a struggling Bald Eagle population as well as many other birds.
The book’s title was inspired by the John Keats poem ”La Belle Dame sans Merci“ which contained the lines “The sedge is wither’d from the lake, and no birds sing” spent weeks on the New York Times best seller list, was a ‘Book of the Month’ club offering and was endorsed by then Supreme Court Justice, William O. Douglas. It spurred many other environmental awareness books and set the tone for an environmental movement. Of course it would come against great critictism. Biochemist and former chemical industry spokesman Robert White-Stevens stated, “If man were to follow the teachings of Miss Carson, we would return to the Dark Ages, and insects and disease would once again inherit the earth.” Several industry representatives insisted that Silent Spring was part of a communist plot to ruin U.S. agriculture.
In response to the critictism of Silent Spring, U.S. President John F. Kennedy directed his Science Advisory Committee to investigate Carson’s claims. Their investigation “vindicated” Carson’s work, and lead to an immediate strengthening of the regulation of chemical pesticides. The book stated that uncontrolled pesticide use led to the deaths of animals and especially birds, but also humans. Although some scientists had raised cautionary flags, most americans were unaware of how sythetic chemicals poisoned the environment until Silent Spring. The books obvious passion about the inherit dangers in the excessive use of herbicides and pesticides ignited the imaginations of an attentive audience.
Carson writes: I contend, furthermore, that we have allowed these chemicals to be used with little or no advance investigation of their effect on soil, water, wildlife, and man himself. Future generations are unlikely to condone our lack of prudent concern for the integrity of the natural world that support all life.
Carson passed away shortly after Silent Spring was published in April of 1964. She was granted a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980, had a postal stamp with her image, Time magazine listed her one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century.
Anyone who participates in annual Bald Eagle watching owes thanks to Rachel Carson and her 46 year old book Silent Spring.
http://www.nrdc.org/health/pesticides/hcarson.asp NRDC Article
http://www.reason.com/news/show/34823.html Article written for it’s 40th Birthday
