Half a century ago, a monumental book was published that created
a holistic and balanced view of the environment. The book,
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, was directly influenced by the
work of a Michigan State professor and his students, so the MSU
Museum chose to honor their work with an exhibit. Published in
1962, Silent Spring exposed the dangers of over-using chemicals
in the environment. “In all truth, there were two periods of
environmental awareness: the period before Silent Spring and the
period after silent spring,” says MSU Museum director Gary
Morgan. “They are two completely different worlds.” A pesticide
called DDT was once used excessively around the world to control
mosquito populations, Morgan says. DDT also remedies Dutch elm
disease, he says, which was a big problem on MSU’s campus and
across America. “The elms were dying en masse,” he says. “One of
the most beautiful trees in America was disappearing.” Morgan
says DDT was applied in huge quantities from the ground in
sprays and from the a