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RCC Alert for Gardeners Who Are Pet Owners

Protect your pets from hazardous mulch

Coca Mulch is hazardous to pets, especially dogs.  It can be fatal if enough is consumed by a dog.  While pet owners usually know about dogs' problems with chocolate, they may not realize that cocoa mulch is dangerous as well ...more

RCC Alert for Gardeners — "Killer Compost"

As a result of researching "Killer Compost" for Mother Earth News, organic gardener and writer Barbara Pleasant now avoids using outside sources of compost or hay mulch for growing her own vegetables.  Why? ...more

Kate Campbell Stevenson
performs Rachel Carson

July 5-14, 2013

2013 Maryland Humanities Council Chautauqua Series
"Turning Points in History"

for more information see News and Events below

2013 Rachel Carson Open House

In partnership with with local organizations, Green Wheaton, Sandy Spring Friends in Unity with Nature, Coastal Conservation Association Maryland, Rachel Carson Council and the owners of the National Historic Rachel Carson House, Diana Post and Clifford Hall co-sponsored the 2013 Rachel Carson Open House.

Three outstanding speakers presented important information with environmental implications both locally and nationally...more

RCC Staff welcomes visitors (left)

RACHEL CARSON: A PORTRAIT

Rachel Carson's friend, Marjorie Spock, an organic farmer, was one of the first citizens to take action against the widespread, heedless use of pesticides which characterize America in the 1950s. She and others attempted to obtain a permanent injunction against the federal and state governments for applying DDT on Long Island.  The case went all the way to the Supreme Court and attracted the attention of Rachel Carson.

Correspondence between Rachel Carson and Marjorie Spock is in the Yale University library ...more

Our good friend Kathy Sykes (originator of "The Sense of Wonder Contest" shared her tribute to Rachel Carson with us in a recent blog entitled "Celebrating Rachel Carson's Life."

RCC's MINI GUIDE to NEONICOTINOIDS 2013

What is a Neonictinoid?  ...more

RCC'S REPORT ON

"50 Years After Silent Spring:
On Roads Old and New"

A Special Event

This day-long program honoring Rachel Carson's landmark book was co-hosted by Rachel Carson Council (RCC) and the American Bird Conservancy (ABC).

Over 80 people attanded this two session event at the National Wildlife Visitors Center in Laurel, Maryland ...more

Donors age 70.5 or older are eligible in 2013 to transfer up to $100,000 from their IRAs to qualifying organizations like Rachel Carson Council without paying income taxes on the transferred money.

Your tax deductible gift must be postmarked no later than January 31, 2014 in order to qualify. ...more

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Recent blog by Johns Hopkins student Gabriel Popkin:
"Why Does Rachel Carson Matter?

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We will comment regularly on issues from a perspective that has been shaped by Rachel Carson's work and the opportunity to observe nature from an inspiring location – the Rachel Carson Legacy House – where she wrote Silent Spring ...more

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Annual Rachel Carson
Intergenerational Sense of Wonder Contest

We are pleased to announce the 7th Annual Sense of Wonder Contest sponsored by the U.S. EPA, Rachel Carson Council, Inc., the Legacy Project, the Dance Exchange and the National Center for Creative Aging.

Entries must be from an intergenerational team of two or more persons that are not the same age—a young person and an older person.  Deadline for entries is June 10th, 2013.

The entry should express your sense of wonder about capturing the essence of the natural environment—the sea, streams, the mountains and praries, a sunrise or moonlight, flowers, leaves, wildlife in its habitat.

Categories include: Poetry • Dance • Essay • Photo • NEW! Songwriting ...more

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The 2012 Rachel Carson Council Report Card

Click for the full 2012 Report Card

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Local Currency Features Rachel Carson

A local currency, called "Anacostia Hours" has been created in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC around the cities of Mount Ranier and Hyattsville.

This area is part of the Anacostia River Watershed (The Anacostia River drains into the Potomac River in Washington, DC).  The local currency grants $10.00 in Anacostia Hours money for one hour of labor (its use is regulated and sanctioned by the IRS). The currency is well supported today in the community is serves, where it helps foster an economic bond and sense of community among a network of mechants and professional who utilize one another's services.  What is unique about "Anacostia Hours" is the face on the currency, one of Maryland's most famous citizens: Rachel Carson.  It  is an appropriate choice because for many years Rachel Carson resided in various parts of the Anacostia watershed.  The Rachel Carson bill is valued at $5.00.  The motto on the "Anacostia Hours" currency also seems appropriate to Rachel Carson: "In Each Other We Trust."

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SELECTIONS FROM

"Letters from Rachel Carson,
A Young Scientist Sets Her Course"©

an unpublished manuscript by Dorothy Thompson Seif ...more

(Rachel Carson Council owns the copyright on this manuscript)

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Now Available
Get Some Green Back

The "Green Mantle™ Initiative: Get Some Green Back" gives 12 ways to help protect yourself, your family, your pets, your fellow citizens, and the wildlife work force that supplies useful ecosystem systems—while also indicating how doing so can save you money. The "Intitative" includes ways to lower your energy use while reducing greenhouse gas production; it recommends using fewer chemical pesticides to reduce risk to the environment and human health. No cost PDF is available in either full color brochure format or as concise palm card.  More...

VISIT OUR SHOP!

Compendium of Pesticide Information
Songs for the Earth - A Tribute to Rachel Carson
35 Insecticides Used Around Dogs and Cats
Golf At A Crossroads
Rachel Carson Poster
Global Climate Change
No Toxins Lawn Sign

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Special Donations to RCC

Occasionally donations are made to the Rachel Carson Council, in memory of or in honor of friends, relatives or special pets. You can find a list of these Special Donations here.

Past Issues and News Items can be found here.