Rachel Carson in Environmental - Essay Example

Rachel Carson in Environmental
Rachel Carson exposes the harmful effects of pesticides to all life forms including plants, animals, human beings, and nature. The high number of crop production in the U.S. has spawned the birth of large populations of pests, which necessitates the application of pesticides to huge swathes of land. Unintentionally, the means to control these pests resulted to a “contamination of man’s total environment” (Carson 752). Carson portrays in great detail how the toxic chemical components of pesticides rest on the soil, enter plant systems, and spread through the air, disturbing the equilibrium of nature and posing health risks to mankind. This paper agrees with Carson’s environmental concerns, and extends the political, economic, and technological commentary of the author.
Aside from the environmental problems discussed by Carson, the author also revealed an underlying economic problem that gave rise to the need for pesticides – “overproduction” (752). To respond to the ever-increasing appetite of the U.S. population for crops, farmers have abandoned traditional methods of agriculture and adopted faster means of reaping thousands of tonnage of produce in a short amount of time. This economic greed for abundance resulted not just to acreages of land being attacked by pests, but to garbage bins being filled up by excess food dumped by insatiable, bloated citizens. Carson reminds us to take care of the environment and, at the same time, holds a mirror from which we could reflect on our unhealthy consumption practices.
Another argument Carson raises to which this paper agrees is the lack of government participation in pesticide use where “abuses go unchecked in both state and federal agencies” (754). The government should devote financial and manpower resources to test the toxicity of pesticides on the market, layout safety guidelines for their use, and, ideally, recommend safer methods of controlling pest infestations. In addition, current agricultural practices should be re-evaluated in order to come up with novel farming methods that are more aligned with the natural cycle of the environment. A strong political will that balances the laws of nature, the needs of the economy, and the interests of citizens is necessary to execute the changes needed in the government.
To address the environmental concerns raised by Carson, it is suggested to create technological innovations that offer environmental-friendly alternatives to pesticides. Fifty or so years after Carson raised environmental concerns about pesticides, it is the perfect time to come up with pesticides that are based on natural ingredients rather than synthetic chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Stakeholders should invest in pioneering research programs that examine various ingredients that could be found in nature, which can control the growth of pest populations without polluting the soil, air, and other living organisms.
I agree with Rachel Carson because of the economic, political, and technological commentary she subtly puts forward in her essay. These commentaries open up new ways of looking at environmental problems posed by pesticides, but also shed light on the fundamental political, economic, and technological challenges that must be overcome. Fifty years after Carson’s groundbreaking statement, we are challenged to take part in changing the future of our environment.
Work Cited
Carson, Rachel.  "The Obligation to Endure." The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues across the Disciplines. Ed. Gilbert H. Muller. 11th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2011. 750-755. Print. Read More