Before 'silent Spring'

show more detail show less detail

Series

The Essay

Duration

15 minutes

Genre

Arts
Culture and the Media
Factual
Nature and Environment
Science and Nature

Station

Radio 3

Duration

15 Minutes

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	Chipko	20101011	20110829 (R3)	First published in 1962, 'Silent Spring' was Rachel Carson's warning about the long-term effects of pesticides, a call-to-arms that is widely regarded as the starting point for modern environmentalism. But in many ways Carson was only building on the work of those who'd gone before her. Three writers reflect on the figures whose ideas preceded Silent Spring and laid the foundations of the contemporary green movement. In the first essay, Indian eco-activist Vandana Shiva considers the Chipko protest of 1730 when 363 Bishnoi people in Rajasthan were massacred for protecting a forest of sacred Khejri trees. Producer: Jeremy Grange. Indian eco-activist Vandana Shiva reflects on the Chipko protest and massacres of 1730. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. First published in 1962, 'Silent Spring' was Rachel Carson's warning about the long-term effects of pesticides, a call-to-arms that is widely regarded as the starting point for modern environmentalism. But in many ways Carson was only building on the work of those who'd gone before her. Three writers reflect on the figures whose ideas preceded Silent Spring and laid the foundations of the contemporary green movement. In the first essay, Indian eco-activist Vandana Shiva considers the Chipko protest of 1730 when 363 Bishnoi people in Rajasthan were massacred for protecting a forest of sacred Khejri trees. Producer: Jeremy Grange. Indian eco-activist Vandana Shiva reflects on the Chipko protest and massacres of 1730. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
02	John Muir	20101012		Donald Worster on John Muir, the Scot who became an advocate for the American wilderness. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
03	Alfred Russel Wallace	20101013		Nineteenth century naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace is best known for co-proposing the theory of natural selection with Charles Darwin. But his extensive travels in South America and South East Asia taught him to appreciate the beauty of the natural environment and to understand the impact of human beings on wild places. Botanist Sandy Knapp has followed in Wallace's footsteps across the world and reflects on his surprisingly radical views about our relationship with nature. Botanist Sandy Knapp on Alfred Russel Wallace and his radical views on the environment. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
04	Aldo Leopold	20101014	20110831 (R3)	Aldo Leopold was an outdoorsman, forester and philosopher and his 'A Sand County Almanac', published posthumously in 1949 has become both a classic of American nature writing and a cornerstone of environmental ethics. Leopold's biographer, Curt Meine, explores how a shack and an abandoned farm in Wisconsin became the inspiration for Leopold's environmental manifesto. Curt Meine on forester Aldo Leopold, author of a classic in American nature writing. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. Aldo Leopold was an outdoorsman, forester and philosopher and his 'A Sand County Almanac', published posthumously in 1949 has become both a classic of American nature writing and a cornerstone of environmental ethics. Leopold's biographer, Curt Meine, explores how a shack and an abandoned farm in Wisconsin became the inspiration for Leopold's environmental manifesto. Curt Meine on forester Aldo Leopold, author of a classic in American nature writing. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
05	John Clare	20101015	20110901 (R3)	Richard Mabey discovered Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring' and the work of the nineteenth century poet John Clare around the same time and was surprised to find so many similarities between them. Both highlighted the complex links between all living things and both gave stark warnings about the dangers of breaking those links. In the last essay of the week, Richard explores John Clare's role in bringing the beauty and fragility of the natural environment to wider public attention. Richard Mabey on poet John Clare and his stark warnings about environmental destruction. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. Richard Mabey discovered Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring' and the work of the nineteenth century poet John Clare around the same time and was surprised to find so many similarities between them. Both highlighted the complex links between all living things and both gave stark warnings about the dangers of breaking those links. In the last essay of the week, Richard explores John Clare's role in bringing the beauty and fragility of the natural environment to wider public attention. Richard Mabey on poet John Clare and his stark warnings about environmental destruction. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	Chipko	20101011	20110829 (R3)	First published in 1962, 'Silent Spring' was Rachel Carson's warning about the long-term effects of pesticides, a call-to-arms that is widely regarded as the starting point for modern environmentalism. But in many ways Carson was only building on the work of those who'd gone before her. Three writers reflect on the figures whose ideas preceded Silent Spring and laid the foundations of the contemporary green movement. In the first essay, Indian eco-activist Vandana Shiva considers the Chipko protest of 1730 when 363 Bishnoi people in Rajasthan were massacred for protecting a forest of sacred Khejri trees. Producer: Jeremy Grange. Indian eco-activist Vandana Shiva reflects on the Chipko protest and massacres of 1730. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. First published in 1962, 'Silent Spring' was Rachel Carson's warning about the long-term effects of pesticides, a call-to-arms that is widely regarded as the starting point for modern environmentalism. But in many ways Carson was only building on the work of those who'd gone before her. Three writers reflect on the figures whose ideas preceded Silent Spring and laid the foundations of the contemporary green movement. In the first essay, Indian eco-activist Vandana Shiva considers the Chipko protest of 1730 when 363 Bishnoi people in Rajasthan were massacred for protecting a forest of sacred Khejri trees. Producer: Jeremy Grange. Indian eco-activist Vandana Shiva reflects on the Chipko protest and massacres of 1730. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
02	John Muir	20101012		Donald Worster on John Muir, the Scot who became an advocate for the American wilderness. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
03	Alfred Russel Wallace	20101013		Nineteenth century naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace is best known for co-proposing the theory of natural selection with Charles Darwin. But his extensive travels in South America and South East Asia taught him to appreciate the beauty of the natural environment and to understand the impact of human beings on wild places. Botanist Sandy Knapp has followed in Wallace's footsteps across the world and reflects on his surprisingly radical views about our relationship with nature. Botanist Sandy Knapp on Alfred Russel Wallace and his radical views on the environment. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
04	Aldo Leopold	20101014	20110831 (R3)	Aldo Leopold was an outdoorsman, forester and philosopher and his 'A Sand County Almanac', published posthumously in 1949 has become both a classic of American nature writing and a cornerstone of environmental ethics. Leopold's biographer, Curt Meine, explores how a shack and an abandoned farm in Wisconsin became the inspiration for Leopold's environmental manifesto. Curt Meine on forester Aldo Leopold, author of a classic in American nature writing. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. Aldo Leopold was an outdoorsman, forester and philosopher and his 'A Sand County Almanac', published posthumously in 1949 has become both a classic of American nature writing and a cornerstone of environmental ethics. Leopold's biographer, Curt Meine, explores how a shack and an abandoned farm in Wisconsin became the inspiration for Leopold's environmental manifesto. Curt Meine on forester Aldo Leopold, author of a classic in American nature writing. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
05	John Clare	20101015	20110901 (R3)	Richard Mabey discovered Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring' and the work of the nineteenth century poet John Clare around the same time and was surprised to find so many similarities between them. Both highlighted the complex links between all living things and both gave stark warnings about the dangers of breaking those links. In the last essay of the week, Richard explores John Clare's role in bringing the beauty and fragility of the natural environment to wider public attention. Richard Mabey on poet John Clare and his stark warnings about environmental destruction. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond. Richard Mabey discovered Rachel Carson's 'Silent Spring' and the work of the nineteenth century poet John Clare around the same time and was surprised to find so many similarities between them. Both highlighted the complex links between all living things and both gave stark warnings about the dangers of breaking those links. In the last essay of the week, Richard explores John Clare's role in bringing the beauty and fragility of the natural environment to wider public attention. Richard Mabey on poet John Clare and his stark warnings about environmental destruction. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.