The Environmental Issues - Book Report/Review Example

Book Report To begin with, the Rachel Carson was an American conservationist and nautical biologist. She had many books including the silent spring, which were instrumental and got accredited for the advancement they had on the environmental movement world over. According to findings, she started doing some work related to research on natural science and creatures on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, in early 1950s (Carson 2). Studies indicate that, her first work the ‘edge of the sea’ that focused on life in the coastal ecosystems, which established her reputation for the clear and poetical writing style. Findings confirm that, the Silent Spring was a manuscript written by Carson and it underwent publication by the Houghton Mifflin. According to findings, Carson started being apprehensive about the use of DDT and its hazards in the 1940s.In the late 1950s radiation program, which was a force, brought by one of the government agencies that prompted Carson to start her work, and this resulted in her works concerning the environment and the poisonous chemical application (Carson10). Studies show that DDT and other chemicals were used in applying chemicals in targeted areas as determined by the government officials. It happened that landowners in long island pressed their efforts by filing a suit that sought the stoppage of the DDT spraying program. From that time, people were given permission to go ahead and make injunctions against any environmental damages that the pesticides use may have, as this went on the basis for consecutive environmental actions came along. It was at this point that the Audubon Society, the Washington chapter, which was opposed to such kind of spraying programs, contacted Carson. She had a role of giving the public exact spraying practices and related research, which took her many years to complete. This project formed the Silent Spring, and Carson prospered in development by getting instances endorsement by DDT. Carson came across a group of researchers, who helped her in documenting the physiological and environmental impacts caused by pesticide spraying (Carson 25). Again, she took advantage of her relationship and connection to government scientists, to get confidential information about the pesticides and other related issues and in 1959, Carson was criticized by the USAD (Agricultural research service). The main argument that Carson brought forward is that, pesticides have a detrimental impact on the environment; this is because the main effect is beyond the target pesticide but the whole environment and especially major living organisms; plants, animals and insects, including birds. The Theme According to findings, the book Silent Spring, like any other book produced by great writers, has its themes that run through to convey the intended message. The main theme in the Silent Spring book is majorly the destruction of the perceived delicate balance of nature; all living organisms and other dependent factors that form up the life supporting structures of life on earth. These destructive forces are supported by the wholesale use and application of insecticides and pesticides that have negative impacts on all living things in the environment; the influence goes beyond the directed creatures and vermin. For instance, cant berries were found to have a lot of chemicals, used as pesticides, after a spraying program. Research done on rats that ate the berries gave shocking details. It was found that the rats had been adversely affected health wise in that they had cancer symptoms as an effect of the accumulated chemicals in the cant berries. In essence, Carson explained this by describing the balance of nature; this took the form of nature of the soil, of the earth waters, and majorly the living organisms of the planet earth. This balance can shift negatively at any time when instability of any kind causes obliteration. The description took an interesting turn when Carson gave information on how the chemical poisons upset the balance and thereby cause the obliteration that is hard felt by all organisms (Carson 32). The book also had a minor theme, which relates to the options of chemical poisons in the process of regulating insects and pests in the farms. This comes out clearly every moment Carson mentioned and described the destructiveness of chemical poisons on the ecosystem. It showed how the ecosystem met the chemical reactiveness and the subsequent impacts that followed. It was then that Carson used this chance to create an informative sessions by letting readers know of the possible alternative methods of meeting the same results without employing the use of poisonous chemicals or synthetic chemicals. The advantages of the advocated method are that the methods work with the already existing natural balance of the ecosystem. It achieves two functions; to help in the balancing of nature and to help eliminate the pesticides and insects that are perceived destructive, in regard to the area they occupy. This way of relaying valuable information ensured that the target audience got the required information exactly as sit appeared. This explains why many environmental forces joined hands in forming what is now called the environmental movements, lobby groups that spearhead the fight against the use and application of synthetic chemicals; DDT being the major target, as it has the most impacts on the ecosystem in general. The themes were very instrumental and this can be seen today when American environmentalists celebrate the life of Carson as the pioneer of the environmental movements. The environmental issues Studies firmly indicate that, Carson`s great book works; especially the silent spring, had a strong influence on environmental movements and other target audience, because the content of the messages relayed reached its target. It is recorded that silent spring was a reconvening point for the fledging social movements in as early as the 1960s. This became the epicenter of the forces behind the social movements, that emerged to seek for justice in various categories of life. For instance, one environmental engineer, who was the scholar of Carson, gave suggestions about silent spring. The engineer believed that silent spring had the greatest alteration of balance of power globally. It generated the heat that caused many authorities to rethink about the regulations that govern the environmental and the chemical industry (Carson 40). It so happened that new regulations came into being and the chemical industry was watched closely by both government and environmental movements or the social groups. The book had made more influence on many people by enlightening them, and was manifested by the impact they injected on the perpetrators of synthetic pesticides and the government in particular. Carson`s work and the activists who were inspired by the same works became responsible for the deep ecology movements together with then grass root environmental movements from as early as the beginning of the 1960s. The silent spring became the influential force behind the rise and establishment of ecofeminism; which carried on even to the feminism scientists who were inspired by the silent spring work. Carson rocked on with the environmental message in a way that many feminism scientists got agitated to do more exploits concerning the hazards associated with synthetic poison, with keen interest on the poisonous DDT chemical use. Carson built a legacy concerning the environmental movements through the active campaigns she steered for the banning of the use of DDT in the United Sates. This was not limited to the United States alone, as there were related efforts in banning and limiting the use of the poisonous chemical compound, DDT in the world. Carson`s launch for the campaign against DDT received great backup as depicted by the formation of various agencies like the EDF. His presentation showed the strength of the message from silent spring to the government and other stakeholders, concerning chemical use and its impacts on the balance of nature (Carson 82). The established organization after Carson`s efforts, the environmental defense fund, had the task of bringing lawsuits against the government. This was seen as the efforts for the establishment of a people`s right for a clean and supportive environment, free from the destructive forces of poisonous chemicals. It was evident that the arguments employed against the use of DDT was viewed in every manner as the Carson`s voice for the majority, who by no means had no power before Carson`s works were published. It took many years until finally early 1970s, when the efforts through the environmental defense fund, including those of other civil activist groups succeeded in safeguarding the environment and the eradication of DDT chemical use in the United States. The weight of Carson`s environmental message was seen in the early 1970s when the Nixon administration created the environmental protection agency (Carson 75). This agency was purposely created to address another important concern that Carson creatively brought out in her book, silent spring. The agency, took great concern in the effects that poisonous chemicals have on wildlife and environmental concerns beyond farm policy. It was recorded through some sources that the environmental protection agency is in essence the perfect shadow of the Silent Spring. It was evident from the early works of the environmental protection agency; where the enforcement of the 1072 federal fungicide, insecticide, and rodenticide act directly related to Carson`s silent spring work concerning the safety of the environment and the destruction of the same by the poisonous chemical use, were reinforced. On the other hand, the environmental messages of the book are relevant because of many things that occurred after the Carson’s departure. Studies show that, many groups, environmental, conservation organizations and government institutions, have relentlessly celebrated the life of Carson, and in particular her great environmental works. Before her death, Carson was awarded the president medal of freedom, which is the highest civilian honor and many countries have always issued Carson postage, in respect of her works (Carson 123). For instance, the Rachel Carson Bridge situated in Pittsburgh, which became a national register of historic places site, followed by the creation of the Rachel Carson homestead association considerably shows the encumbrance that her dispatch had globally. It is important to note that many conservation areas have been named after Carson, in respect of her great work. The earth day is set for the celebration of Carson as great writer of scientific and in particular environmental issues. His work drew international recognition because the environment is important to all persons irrespective of their location; for example, the smoke and poisonous substances from industries in developed countries brings imbalance in the water as well as other ecosystem factors, which are needed by other countries. Moreover, she acted as an eye opener to other governments in regard to the importance of the ecosystem in the sustenance of life. Works cited Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. California, CA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2002. Print. Read More