How one scientist took on the chemical industry - Mark Lytle

Prevoditelj: Neda Vrkic Recezent: Sanda L

In 1958, Rachel Carson received a letter

1958. godine, Rachel Carson primila je pismo

describing songbirds suddenly dropping from tree branches.

koje opisuje kako su ptice pjevice iznenada počele padati s grana stabala.

The writer blamed their deaths on a pesticide called DDT

Autorica je za njihovu smrt okrivila pesticid nazvan DDT,

that exterminators had sprayed on a nearby marsh.

kojim su istrebljivači prskali obližnje močvare.

The letter was the push Carson needed to investigate DDT.

Pismo je bio poticaj koji je Carson trebala za istraživanje DDT-a.

She had already heard from scientists and conservationists who were worried

Već je čula od znanstvenika i konzervatora, koji su bili zabrinuti

that rampant use of the pesticide posed a threat to fish, birds,

radi raširene upotrebe pesticida koji su predstavljali prijetnju ribama, pticama

and possibly humans.

i moguće ljudima.

She began to make inquiries through government contacts

Počela je s upitima putem vladinih kontakata

from her years working in the United States Bureau of Fisheries.

od svojih godina rada u Uredu za ribarstvo Sjedinjenih Država.

She asked: “what has already silenced the voices of spring?”

Pitala je: "Što je već utišalo zvukove proljeća?"

In 1962, Carson published her findings in "Silent Spring."

1962. godine, Carson je objavila svoje nalaze u "Tihom proljeću."

Her book documented the misuse of chemicals

Njezina knjiga je dokumentirala zloupotrebu kemikalija

and their toll on nature and human health.

i danak koji su ostavile na prirodu i ljudsko zdravlje.

"Silent Spring" immediately drew both applause and impassioned dissent—

"Tiho proljeće" je odmah privuklo i odobravanje i strastveno neslaganje -

along with vicious personal attacks on the author.

skupa sa zlobnim osobnim napadima na autoricu.

How did this mild-mannered biologist and writer ignite such controversy?

Kako je ova blagonaklona biologinja i autorica započela takvu polemiku?

Carson began her career as a hardworking graduate student,

Carson je započela svoju karijeru kao marljiva diplomantica,

balancing her studies in biology at John Hopkins University

balansirajući svoj studij biologije na Sveučilištu John Hopkins

with part time jobs.

s honorarnim poslovima.

Still, she had to leave school before completing her doctorate

Ipak, morala je napustiti školu prije nego što je završila doktorat

to provide for her ailing father and sister.

da bi se brinula za svog bolesnog oca i sestru.

Carson found part time work with the Bureau of Fisheries

Carson je pronašla honorarni posao na Zavodu za ribarstvo,

writing for a radio program on marine biology.

pišući za radio program o morskoj biologiji.

Her ability to write materials that could hold the general public’s attention

Njezina sposobnost da piše materijal koji je mogao privući pažnju šire javnosti

impressed her superiors, and in 1936,

impresirao je njezine nadređene i 1936. godine

she became the second woman to be hired at the Bureau full time.

postala je druga žena koju su zaposlili u uredu na puno radno vrijeme.

In 1941, she published the first of three books on the ocean,

1941. godine, objavila je prvu od tri knjige o oceanu,

combining science with lyrical meditations on underwater worlds.

kombinirajući znanost s lirskim razmišljanjima o podzemnom svijetu.

These explorations resonated with a wide audience.

Ova razmišljanja odjeknula su širom publikom.

In "Silent Spring," Carson turned her attention

U "Tihom proljeću" skrenula je pozornost

to the ways human actions threaten the balance of nature.

na načine na koje ljudske radnje prijete ravnoteži prirode.

DDT was originally used during World War II to shield crops from insects

DDT izvorno se koristio tijekom 2. svjetskog rata da zaštiti usjeve od insekata

and protect soldiers from insect-borne diseases.

i da zaštiti vojnike od bolesti koje prenose insekti.

After the war, it was routinely sprayed in wide swaths to fight pests,

Nakon rata, rutinski se prskao u širokim područjima u borbi protiv štetočina,

often with unforeseen results.

često s nepredviđenim rezultatima.

One attempt to eradicate fire ants in the southern U.S.

Jedan pokušaj iskorijenjivanja vatrenih mrava na jugu SAD-a

killed wildlife indiscriminately, but did little to eliminate the ants.

neselektivno je ubio divljač, ali je malo eliminirao mrave.

In spite of this and other mishaps, the US Department of Agriculture

Unatoč tome i drugim nedaćama, Američko ministarstvo poljoprivrede

and chemical companies extolled the benefits of DDT.

i kemijske tvrtke su isticale prednosti DDT-a.

There was little regulation or public awareness about its potential harm.

Bilo je malo propisa ili javne svijesti o njegovoj potencijalnoj šteti.

But Carson showed how the overuse of chemicals

Ali Carson je pokazala kako je prekomjerna upotreba kemikalija

led to the evolution of resistant species—

dovela do evolucije otpornih vrsta --

which, in turn, encouraged the development of deadlier chemicals.

koje su, za uzvrat, potaknule razvoj smrtonosnijih kemikalija.

Since DDT does not dissolve in water,

Kako se DDT ne otapa u vodi,

she asserted that over time it would accumulate in the environment,

tvrdila je da će se s vremenom nagomilati u okolišu,

the bodies of insects, the tissues of animals who consume those insects,

u tijelima insekata, tkivima životinja koje konzumiraju te insekte,

and eventually humans.

i na kraju ljudima.

She suggested that exposure to DDT might alter the structure of genes,

Natuknula je da izloženost DDT-u može izmijeniti strukturu gena,

with unknown consequences for future generations.

s nepoznatim posljedicama za buduće generacije.

The response to "Silent Spring" was explosive.

Reakcija na "Tiho proljeće" bila je eksplozivna.

For many people the book was a call to regulate substances

Za mnoge ljude knjiga je bila poziv za regulaciju tvari

capable of catastrophic harm.

sposobnih za katastrofalnu štetu.

Others objected that Carson hadn’t mentioned DDT’s role

Drugi su se protivili što Carson nije spomenula ulogu DDT-a

controlling the threat insects posed to human health.

u kontroli prijetnje koju su insekti predstavljali za ljudsko zdravlje.

Former Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson demanded to know

Bivši tajnik agrikulture, Ezra Taft Benson, zahtijevao je da zna

“why a spinster with no children was so concerned about genetics?”

"zašto je usidjelica bez djece bila toliko zabrinuta zbog genetike"

and dismissed Carson as “probably a Communist.”

i odbacio Carson kao "vjerojatnu komunisticu."

A lawyer for a pesticide manufacturer alluded to Carson and her supporters

Odvjetnik proizvođača pesticida aludirao je na Carson i njezine pristaše

as “sinister influences” aiming to paint businesses as “immoral.”

kao "zle utjecaje" čiji je cilj opisati poslove kao "nemoralne."

In reality, Carson had focused on the dangers of chemicals

U stvarnosti, Carson se fokusirala na opasnosti kemikalija

because they weren’t widely understood, while the merits were well publicized.

jer nisu bile naširoko poznate dok su odlike bile dobro publicirane.

She rejected the prevailing belief that humans

Odbila je prevladavajuće vjerovanje da ljudi

should and could control nature.

trebaju i mogu upravljati prirodom.

Instead, she challenged people to cultivate

Umjesto toga, poticala je ljude da kultiviraju

“maturity and mastery, not of nature, but of ourselves.”

"zrelost i vještinu, ne prirode, nego nas samih."

Carson died of cancer in 1964,

Carson je umrla od raka 1964. godine,

only two years after the publication of "Silent Spring."

samo dvije godine nakon publikacije "Tihog proljeća."

Her work galvanized a generation of environmental activists.

Njezin rad je potaknuo generaciju aktivista za zaštitu okoliša.

In 1969, under pressure from environmentalists,

1969. godine, pod pritiskom ekologa,

Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act

Kongres je usvojio Nacionalni zakon o zaštiti okoliša

that required federal agencies to evaluate environmental impacts of their actions.

koji od federalnih agencija zahtijeva da procijene

kakav će utjecaj na okoliš imati njihovo djelovanje.

To enforce the act,

Da bi izvršili akt,

President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency.

predsjednik Richard Nixon stvorio je Agenciju za zaštitu okoliša.

And in 1972, the EPA issued a partial ban on the use of DDT.

I 1972. godine, AZO izdala je djelomičnu zabranu upotrebe DDT-a.

Long after her death, Rachel Carson continued to advocate for nature

Dugo nakon svoje smrti, Rachel Carson nastavila se zalagati za prirodu

through the lingering impact of her writing.

kroz dugotrajni utjecaj svog pisanja.