Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson was a writer, scientist, and ecologist that changed the environmental movement during her lifetime.  Carson was hired by the U.S Bureau of Fisheries to write radio scripts during the Depression, and at the same time wrote articles that discussed topics about natural history for the Baltimore Sun. She dedicated her career in the federal service for fifteen years, working as a scientist and editor in 1936, then rose to gain the position as Editor-in-Chief of U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. Through her book, Silent Spring, she gained notoriety due to the publication of her book that discussed the negative impact of long-term use of chemical pesticides in our environment. There was a huge backlash against her by the pesticide companies, and some people in the government, but she never backed down. In the end, she testified in front of Congress in 1963 that called for policy change that protects the human health and the environment. Due to her hard work, it led to the creation of U.S Environmental Protection Agency. 

http://www.rachelcarson.org/Biography.aspx#.U-Ex141dVwQ