Earth Day is now a global event, but its origins are somewhat humble. Prior to the 1960s, awareness of the link between public health and pollution was minimal. However, according to EarthDay. org, the 1962 publication of Silent Spring by American marine biologist, writer and conservationist Rachel Carson was a watershed moment for the environmental movement. The book did much to raise awareness of the effects of pollution on public health. Indeed, the publication of Carson's book proved a pivotal step toward the eventual establishment of Earth Day in 1970, which Earth-Day.org characterizes as the dawn of the modern environmental movement.