Silent Spring Analysis

Rachel Carson perfectly explains how our society’s use of pesticides is having negative affects on us and the environment. Her book “Silent Spring” explains how pesticides can cause problems in the future. Pesticides have many disadvantages, and one should try to avoid using them. Scientists are still trying to determine the long lasting affects of some pesticides. In Chapter 3, Carson said, “Every human being is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of conception until birth” (Carson 15). Chapter 3 explains how harmful pesticides and herbicides are to society and the environment. Synthetic pesticides have been distributed everywhere in the world, and residues of these chemicals linger in the soil. These

Pollution is happening in the world, and it starts with water. “The pollution entering our waterways comes from many sources: radioactive wastes from reactors, laboratories, and hospitals; fallout from nuclear explosions; domestic wastes from cities and towns; chemical wastes from factories” (Carson 39). There is evidence of chemicals being in streams and public water supplies. For example, scientists used a sample of water from an orchard area in Pennsylvania and tested it on the fish. The water contained so much insecticide that it killed the test fish in only four hours. The pollution of water is mostly unseen and invisible. If groundwater is polluted, then it means the pollution of water everywhere is polluted because all running water on earth was once groundwater. Another example of water pollution was when the birds died at Tule Lake and Lower Klamath. Most of these birds, which were herons, pelicans, grebes, and gulls, eat fish. The fish and plankton in the lake contained insecticide residues. These residues killed the birds when they ate the

I think “Silent Spring” has changed how people view pesticides and made them realize how bad it is for the earth and society. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a cancellation order for DDT in 1972. I never knew how harmful pesticides could be to the environment and life. I would recommend this book to a friend because it will change their view on pesticides. I use to think pesticides are good because they kill pests, but now I have learned that pesticides are awful to the wildlife, soil, and waterways. Due to pesticides being in the water we drink and in the food we eat, I think it is possible to trace amounts of pesticides in our bodies. “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson calls the readers attention to the issues of pesticides and gives them knowledge on this subject. Pesticides put chemicals into the soil and waterways that hurt the environment. This causes plants and animals to become affected by these chemicals. Pesticides poison the environment, and target not only the species it is meant to kill, but other life forms. Society needs to stop using pesticides, and look for