Final answer:
One immediate consequence of 'Silent Spring' was the ban of DDT in U.S. agriculture, while the long-term impact includes inspiring the environmental movement and leading to policies for sustainable practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
Discussing one immediate consequence of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, we observe that her book greatly influenced public perception of pesticides like DDT, leading to increased scrutiny of their use and sparking a movement towards environmental awareness. Prior to its publication, the harmful effects of pesticides on wildlife and human health were not widely recognized. Following the book's release, it contributed to the ban of DDT in U.S. agriculture in 1972, marking a significant shift in environmental policy.
Looking at the long-term impact of Silent Spring, the book accelerated the environmental movement, leading to the first Earth Day celebration in 1970, and subsequently the formation of policies and regulatory bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Rachel Carson's work continues to inspire environmental activism and policy change, influencing the discourse on human-environment interactions and the need for sustainable practices to this day.