Ann Priapi is a Middle School Teacher from New York
“Before becoming a teacher, I worked for the USDA as a laboratory technician. The book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson had a tremendous impact on me as a young adult. Though it is now 50 years since it was published, I believe it to be relevant today. If we damage the Earth, we damage ourselves. Pesticides do not stay where they are applied, they move through the biosphere quietly and efficiently. They are another example of our attempt to solve one problem that has led to the creation of many other problems. My students react with astonishment when I teach about the effects of DDT or the disposal problem presented by plastics. They truly care about the state of the environment and do not understand the disregard some adults have for wildlife.”
“I believe that the use of pesticides pose a significant and continued threat to Earth’s biodiversity. Although the Endangered Species Act intended to address alteration of habitats by chemical pesticides there are far too many in use on a large scale. The full impact of these pesticides may not be completely known for generations to come.”
