Pat Hynes & Frances Crowe – Rachel Carson’s ground-breaking book “Silent Spring, published in September 1962, ignited modern U.S. environmentalism and resulted in new laws for environmental and public health protection in the United States. Two days before it came out, President Kennedy signed his approval for the so-called “rainbow herbicides” (Agents Orange, White, Purple, Green, Pink and Blue, named for the colored bands on the herbicide barrels ) to be sprayed on Vietnamese crops.