Silent Spring - the Voice of a Conscience - Research Paper Example

?Silent Spring – the voice of a Conscience Mankind always considers itself as the most superior species in the earth. But, is its assumption really true? This is the question put forward by the novel Silent Spring written by Rachel Carson. The novel triggered the birth of several environment movements in the US leading to the ban of DDT. Rachel Carson argues strongly against the use of harmful pesticides and chemicals which harms the insects and birds in her novel. Debates are galore about her claims in the book till date. Silent Spring's influence paved way for a nationwide ban against DDT. The government re-evaluated its pesticide policy to make it environmental friendly considering the book as a whistleblower. Without Silent Spring we would have still continued our poor pesticide policy reign without any room for betterment or re-consideration. When industrial revolution was at its peak, several people including Karl Marx warned about overproduction and the recession which will follow it. When slavery was at its peak, people like Harriet Beecher Stowe created works like "Uncle Tom's Cabin" which posed a moral question to the US population (Logomasini, 2007). Carson was the first person to raise a voice regarding environmental protection in her era. The first chapter of the book "A Fable for Tomorrow" describes a serene town which lived in co-existence with nature. The second chapter starts with the verse "The history of life on earth has been a history of interaction between living things and their surroundings". According to Carson, humans are just a part of nature. Nature is not created to serve the mankind and trying to control nature for minor comforts will only lead to major discomforts. Rachel Carson known as "the nun of the nature" was born in Springdale in 1907. She grew up beside a factory in a landlocked area. She studied in Zoology the Pittsburgh Chatham University and later at the Johns Hopkins University. After completing a Master's degree she worked in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Her natural writing interest prompted her to contribute to magazines like the Reader's Digest (Griswold, 2012). She wrote three best sellers prior to Silent Spring, "The Sea around Us", "Under the Sea - Wind" and “The Edge of the Sea". Rachel was affected with severe breast cancer and suffered a painful death. Silent Spring emphasizes the theme, using pesticides to kill all the insects will eventually harm the food and the soil affecting the food chain, getting rid of all the bird species. The spring filled with bird chirrups and colourful butterflies will remain absolutely silent. The humans consuming this food constantly will suffer from various diseases and the cycle of birth will be banned. Throughout the seventeen chapters of the book, Carson continues to explain how aerial spraying of chemicals affects the natural food cycle by eliminating all the insects totally. The harvest in certain seasons might be high, but the chemicals used to kill the insects stays within the food grown and causes various diseases like cancer, to the people consuming the food. "Unlike the natural process of chemicals coming into the world where the earth takes millions of years to adjust to it, there is no such time for the earth to adjust to every synthetic chemical introduced into the world" states Carson. In her third chapter “Elixirs of Death” she goes on to explain about the origins of DDT and how it had been thrust upon the farmers after the World War II. She claims Dieldrin as a poison 40 times more harmful than DDT. It was a commonly used pesticide used to kill vermin in many parts of the US. The fourth chapter “Surface Water and Underground Seas” explores how the water washed into the seas and oceans from the chemically affected land shrinks our water sources endangering the whole humankind. It affects the fish in the sea and the birds consuming them too. Though these types of massacres are not intentionally planned, it is important to realize the side effects of using pesticides for high yield. The poisonous chemicals spread from one life form to another, killing or crippling innocent creatures. In her fifth chapter “Realms of the Soil” she explains how soil was formed due to years of rock withering. What took millions of years to form is affected in a few hours through chemicals. Natural soil is necessary for plants to grow and every organism to survive in this world. The chemicals added to the soil stay active for nearly twelve years poisoning everything that grows on it. In chapter six named “Earth's Green Mantle” she explains how some plants are simply named weeds by the chemical companies to sell their products. An example where certain chemicals were used to kill sage plants to make way for growing cash crops is mentioned. The animals and insects which lived depending upon the Sage were left to die eventually as the plant species was eliminated completely through chemicals which affect their chromosomes directly. The chemicals also killed several other beautiful roadside plants. Chapter seven named “Needless Havoc” explains the hidden face of chemical companies. Though they claim their products only do what is advertised, they have severe side effects. She mentions the example of spraying almost 30,000 acres with Aldrin to kill Japanese beetle. In a few days, several birds in the area died mysteriously and the humans were affected in various ways. Sheldon, Illinois and many other parts were affected, but it was covered up as a minor issue. Chapter 8 “And No Birds Sing” the core chapter of the book, explains how using DDT in certain areas of trees affected by bugs harms the birds who consume the chemically killed bugs. Birds are an important part of our ecosystem and harming them will cause irrevocable damage to the very delicate food chain nature have created over millions of years. Spraying insecticides from the sky had already affected several birds, leading to mass destruction of their species. Carson quotes proof form numerous people who state they tend to see lesser and lesser birds. In the nex’t chapter “Rivers of Death”, she mentions how Canadian Government sprayed DDT into thousands of acres of land to prevent a worm called bud worm. The salmon fishes eating these worms and the birds and bears eating Salmons in turn all were affected through DDT. But, the bugs developed resistance against the chemical and started to multiply rather than dwindle. In the tenth chapter “Indiscriminately from the Skies” Carson argues the aerial campaigns are usually very expensive and does not provide the desired results ever. DDT was sprayed across acres of land claiming to kill gypsy moth and fire ants. But, both the species became quite resistant to these chemicals in a few days leaving only the poor people to die and rendering the cattle infertile. Chapter 11, “Beyond the Dreams of the Borgias” talks about how individuals are affected by using these pesticides in their lawn. Humans poison their own garden in an effort to keep it safe from insects. She mentions oil solutions of DDT, Dieldrin, Chlordane and many other killer chemicals harm all parts of our body severely. The next chapter “The Human Price” continues to explore on the same topic explaining how chemicals act as slow poison to most of the living organisms including human beings. In Chapter 13 “Through a Narrow Window” the author defines how each cell in the body produces certain enzymes necessary for its activity. The chemicals which enter forcibly into the body alter the natural course of the enzymes completely. Chapter 14, “One in Every Four” explains about the severe effects of cancer and how people are subjected to various other grave diseases for what is not their mistake. The last three chapters “Nature Fights Back”, “The Rumblings of an Avalanche” and “The Other Road” deals with how the insects have developed resistance to the chemicals unlike humans. She claims Darwin’s survival of the fittest theory suits the insects well than the humans as every small insect from spider to moth and mosquitoes have started to resist the usage of chemicals used against them. The interesting part is they develop this resistance much faster than the humans. In the final chapter, Carson urges the agriculturalists to adapt a more biological means of getting rid of pests rather than relying on the chemicals completely for their own good. She claims there are two ways to overcome the problem of pests and insects, one is costly and dangerous while other is cheap and harmless though it gives controlled profit. Throughout the novel, Carson uses a very interesting and engaging tone which keeps the readers glued to the book. Readers who laid their hands on Silent Spring identified themselves with several incidents described elaborately in the book from seeing dead squirrels beside the fence to spotting lesser and lesser birds every year. They were also able to get a reason for several of their minor ailments which were usually unexplained. Carson’s books lead massive protests against DDT and total ban of the chemical in the US. Rachel Carson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously as Silent Spring triggered grassroots environmental movements (Bailey, 2012) which paved way for the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or EPA. Carson did not achieve this easily. Though she was suffering from severe breast cancer, the chemical companies filed various law suits against her forcing her to testify in the senate subcommittee and various other places regarding the claims she made in her book. Carson was no person to back up. She fought with all her might to prove whatever was printed in the book was based on extensive research and clear reasoning. Though decades have passed after the publishing of her book, several environment issues still persist. The ban of DDT was severely criticised by many people including the famous author Michael Crichton who claimed Carson as a wrong whistleblower killed more people than Adolf Hitler. DDT was used to kill the mosquitoes spreading the disease in several African countries. Ban on DDT affected these nations severely causing outbreak of several epidemics. However, it was later proved that the chemical companies ceased to produce DDT not because of the severe protests, but because the malaria spreading mosquitoes have become resistant to DDT. Carson was accused of being a communist spy who planned to sabotage the massive food growth of the west by preventing the farmers from using pesticides and insecticides. Accusations regarding her link with Soviet Union were also made. But, the author was no person to challenge. Her deep rooted knowledge in the environmental issues made her defend herself against all the blames thrust upon her. Rachel Carson’s claims befit modern day environment perfectly. The need to switch back to organic farming and the awareness about the usage of pesticides are at peak like never before. The US government had included the Silent Spring in the academic curriculum of the school students (Tierney, 2007). However, many scientists still claim human progress is not possible without little or no the damage to the ecosystem. Professor I.L. Baldwin who wrote a review in reply to the Silent Spring named "Chemicals and Pests" argues if humans were to follow Carson's advice fully, they will be forced back to live the Dark Age (Baldwin, 1962). He argues even farming is a form of nature catastrophe as it alters the flora and fauna of the region completely. Many scientists support this claim till date. Conclusion The scientists may feel the damage done by the chemicals is light. But, it is the victims who should make this claim. The dead birds and the damaged rivers can never tell how much they were affected by the harmful chemicals. Hence, they chose to talk via Rachel Carson. Human progress and ecological damage will always go hand in hand. But, creating a suicidal pact in the name of progress can be definitely avoided as there are less harmful alternate ways to carry on farming and eliminate the threat from the pesticides and the poisonous insects. Rachel Carson did her part in saving the environment as a marine biologist and a conservationist. It is the duty of every person who enjoys her works to do the same. References 1. Bailey, Ronald. "Silent Spring's 50-Yer History of Selective Data". Reason.com. 26 September 2012. 5 April 2013. 2. Baldwin L. I. "Chemicals and Pests". Journal Science. (1962). 3. Griswold, Eliza. "How 'Silent Spring' Ignited the Environmental Movement". The New York Times. 21 September 2012. 5 April 2013. 4. Logomasini, Angela. "Acknowledge the Mistakes Carson Made". RachelWasWrong.org. 12 June 2007. 5 April 2013. 5. Tierney, John. "Fateful Voice of a Generation Still Drowns Out Real Science". The New York Times. 5 June 2007. 5 April 2013. Read More