In this issue of RCC Perspectives, adapted from a 2008 proposal submitted to the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Christof Mauch and Helmuth Trischler explain why the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society was founded. Mauch and Trischler discuss the need for coordinated study of environmental humanities and offer examples of projects pursued by scholars at the Center. They conclude by outlining the six research clusters of the RCC and highlighting its activities, which include colloquia, summer schools, international conferences, and exhibitions.