Society Takes Notice
The backlash from the pesticide industry stirred up an international controversy over the dangers of chemical treatment. Even the book's critics acknowledged that Carson's work was primarily responsible for bringing the subject to light - one official from the Canadian Department of Agriculture said "much of this furor developed after publication of the book Silent Spring."
"I well remember watching from the public gallery the debate in the House of Lords and seeing two red spots below - the dust jackets of the English edition of Silent Spring beside the dispatch box on either side - one for reference by the Government spokesman, Lord Hailsham, the other by the Opposition spokesman, Lord Shackleton. Nothing has since occurred to modify my view that future generations will regard Rachel Carson as a great benefactor to the human race for the impact created by Silent Spring." - Peter Scott, on the British pesticide debate.
The book proved popular, topping the New York Times bestseller list for 39 weeks straight. Environmental concerns quickly became a part of American culture. Frank Graham Jr. writes in his 1970 Silent Spring retrospective that the book inspired songs, articles on home chemical safety, and even scams that promised "non-poisonous" fertilizers (but were in fact normal fertilizer mixed with green dye). Silent Spring had people worried.
The debate was intensified by a CBS report on the book. Although three chemical industry sponsors dropped their support of the program, CBS went ahead with its report, emphasizing the damage done by careless application of pesticides. Senator Abraham Ribicoff said that "As last night's CBS telecast clearly showed, there is an appalling lack of information on the entire field of environmental hazards. We face serious questions, but we are woefully short of answers."
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Everyone knew about Silent Spring, but what was next? It was time for the government to get involved.