Don’t shoot; I’ve got nothing against Alexander Hamilton.

The fine statesman — he’s been characterized as the brains behind George Washington — helped ratify the Constitution and served as our country’s first Secretary of the Treasury. He earned that spot on the $10 bill, even after he was shot dead in a duel by Aaron Burr in Weehawken, New Jersey, on July 11, 1804.

He was an abolitionist. You can’t say that about Thomas Jefferson, his political enemy.

So, no, I’m not in favor of wiping him off the greenback. But let’s consider current Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew’s announcement last month to remove him from the bill and place an influential American woman on the currency. Let me suggest they print two kinds of $10 bills, one with Hamilton and one with a woman who made a pivotal difference in American society.

If you agree, so far, good. Even if you don’t, read on. I promise no fireworks (not the real kind anyway, the kind that rattle your nerves send your pets scurrying for cover).

Who might that woman be?

I’ve got just the person. Well, not just me, me and former Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee do: Rachel Carson.

Carson was a scientist and a writer. A combination I can say I am three-fourths of a whole (I studied biology and chemistry in college and majored in social ecology at University of California, Irvine before turning to journalism). Carson wrote an influential book on the environment, “Silent Spring,” published in 1962, that changed our thinking forever.

Carson was the first to bring together studies on the ruinous cycle of pesticides. Carson’s book — using detailed description and allegory — linked humans using chemicals to kill insects that killed birds and harmed humans. In short, what we do to nature can come back and bite us. No one ever thought that way before Carson.

“She popularized modern ecology,” was how the New York Times put it in an article on the 50th anniversary of the ground-shattering book.

Following in her footsteps were those who began to popularize the connection between the burning of fossil fuels and the heating of the Earth. People like Bill McKibben, Elizabeth Kolbert and Al Gore. And now, add Pope Francis. His encyclical on caring for the Earth speaks to our moral obligation to pass along a healthy planet to our children and grandchildren.

I asked some present-day environmentalists to comment on the idea of Carson’s face on U.S. currency by 2020, highlighting 100 years since women were given the right to vote. Here’s what some wrote:

“I love this idea. I’d love it even it I weren’t from Leechburg, PA, a tiny western Pennsylvania town just a few miles from Carson’s hometown of Springdale. She was a hell of a scientist and reporter, an unusual combination.” — Nancy Vogel, state Department of Water Resources.

“The reason this is a very good idea is that it will remind us every time we see her face, that our health is extremely valuable, and investing in health by protecting and ensuring safe food, air, water and land is the best investment we can ever make.” — Andy Lipkis, president and founder of TreePeople.

“With her early exposure to Audubon Centers, Rachel Carson in her life’s work made evident that people and natural places can make the difference.” — Adan Ortega, water expert.

“This is the perfect time in history to give acknowledgment to a woman who opened our eyes to the importance of respecting our environment and the benefits of living sustainably on this planet!” — Debby Figoni, water conservation analyst, South Pasadena.

Steve Scauzillo covers transportation and the environment for the Los Angeles News Group. He’s the current recipient of the Aldo Leopold Award for Distinguished Editorial Writing from The Wilderness Society. Follow him on Twitter @stevscaz or email him at steve.scauzillo@langnews.com.