Silent Spring by Rachel Carson - Book Report/Review Example

Assignment Book about Environmental Lifestyles Name of the Student: Course: Name of the Lecturer: Date of Submission: Assignment Book about Environmental Lifestyles Part I i. Title Silent Spring ii. Author Rachel Carson iii. Publisher and Date of Publication Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publisher, 6th November 2002 iv. How the Book got obtained The book is an electronic source from the Google Books, an online library, and the to get to book is https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=6sRtTjwwWYEC&pg=PT7&lpg=PP1&focus=viewport&dq=Carson, +R., + (2002) .+ Silent+spring.+Boston-table+of+content v. Author’s Background Rachel Carson is an American marine biologist, an environmental conservationist, and a writer. She was born in 1907, 27th May, and her place of birth was near Springdale, Pennsylvania. She attended Springdale's small school during her tenth grade. She completed her high school at Parnassus before she joined Pennsylvania College for Women that today is well known as Chatham University. During her senior secondary school years, she first studied English before she took a turn to studying biology. After completing an embryonic development of the pronephros dissertation in 1932, she earned a masters degree in zoology. It was in 1962 that her book entitled the “Silent Spring” got published for the first time (Ehrlich and & Minor, 2008). vi. Key Issues Raised in the Book Environmental issues as a result of human-made substances that distort the natural settings of different environment globally as the primary problem. The other includes conservation measures for the environment. The book was written to demonstrate how synthetic pesticides are harmful to the eco-system in which is applied; As much as pesticides are reliable, they have their cost in degradation of the environment. Part 2 The Structure of the book The document contains seventeen sections; each section has a unique topic, thus addressing various issues on touching on the environment. The sections are as follows: I. A Fable for Tomorrow “A Fable for Tomorrow” is the first part of the text and it describes the town that is exquisite but now is destroyed by unnatural human activities. According to the section, human habitation comprises land exploitation, and such destroys the serene environment. She Uses the section to demonstrate how the abode of people to form towns alters the natural resources negatively for their survival (Carson, 2002; p. 1-4). II. The Obligation to Endure The second part outlines specific actions that people take, only to find it degrading the serene environment. For instance, the use of Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloro-ethane (DDT) was used to control pests. The DDT made some insects resistant to the pests destroyed some organisms that were not necessary, therefore altering the natural occurrence of ecosystems. The issue with chemicals is the unbalance ecosystem that is designed naturally (Carson, 2002; p. 5-14). III. Elixirs of Death Chapter 3 address the adverse impact of chemicals such as pesticides. The author demonstrates the chemicals as caused as affecting every living organism and its reason as to why incidences of cancer are rapid among human beings (Carson, 2002; p. 15-38). IV. Surface Water and Underground Seas In part four, Carson demystifies how the chemical spread from pesticides in water bodies. The chapter intends to point out how one area using pesticides affects different parts of the world. V. Realms of the Soil The fifth chapter addresses the effects that pesticides have on the ground; for instance, the destruction of microorganism that plants depend on for proper growth. VI. Earth's Green Mantle Section six addresses the relationship between the humans and Plants; extinction of some plant species due to human activities has ecological consequences. VII. Needless Havoc Part seven illustrates how animals and plants become extinct despite some policies put in place. Authors argue no matter how people use systems to control some habits, there is always loss experienced on a global scale. The chapter stands out bold to stamp out some measures used by control agents (Carson, 2002; p. 85-102). VIII. And No Birds Sing The part confirms that pesticides not only crush the lives of target insects but crucial birds as well. Birds are part of the ecosystem; the author argues those birds’ trends such as migration, breeding season, and sing is vital to some people. The use of pesticides destroys the privilege enjoying the birds’ important activities, including control of the insects. IX. Rivers of Death In section nine, it mostly about the decline of the aquatic life; the author views the water sources as one of the habits of some magnificent creatures and conservation is therefore worth being done to the water bodies. X. Indiscriminately from the Skies Spray randomly from skies to control pests such as gypsy moth is one of the failures of the destructive means to humans and their ecosystem; spraying on air not spreads toxic trough the wind to various parts, leading to the illness of people and other animals and insects with an ecosystem. XI. Beyond the Dreams of Borgias Carson describes the widespread chemical use as perplexing; people market the without revisiting the continued adverse effects they cause on various ecosystems. The chapter acts as a wake-up call for people using pesticides to choose what type they are to use, especially when consequences are not well defined. XII. The Human Price Humans seemingly use pesticides with the thoughts of controlling some destructive organisms; the problem arises when the chemicals are affecting pests in return people negatively affects due to their pollutive effects. Carson points out that some of the insecticides cause illness that affects numbers of people when compared to diseases such as smallpox or cholera. XIII. Through a Narrow Window Chapter thirteen is all about investigating the microscopic study of the effects of the pesticides. The self-oxidation of cells is one of the effects of pesticides on cells and is testable via microscopic (Carson, 2002; p 199-218). XIV. One in Every Four The chapter takes into account cancer causing chemical agents found in the pesticides; the text intention is to add the pesticides as agents leading to contracting cancer like arsenic, radiation among others. XV. Nature Fights Back The part portrays pesticides as one of the factors leading to the increased extermination of useful creatures in the ecosystem. Insecticide-resistant insects among others are a sign of nature fighting back to keep the ecosystem balanced. The chapter signifies that every natural distortion in natural phenomena has negative consequences. XVI. The Rumbling of an Avalanche In the chapter, as more in-depth insights into the resistance of some pests to pesticides, Carson points out some insects such as ticks that are resistant and outlines that as one of the side effects of the pesticides. Carson views the use of chemicals as worsening the current situations, and that should be a wake-up call for farmers among others (Carson, 2002; p 262-276). XVII. The other Road In the final chapter is whereby Carson tell compares the use of chemicals to control insect to the poem “Road not Taken”; meaning that people view the use of pesticides as a smooth way of fighting insects, in turn, they end up suffering severely. Carson urges people not to take the easy way out which seems preferable, only to turn out disappointing (Carson, 2002; p 277-351). Part 3 1. The text’s position according to the Dominant Western Worldviews From chapter 1 to 17, the authors mentions details of pesticides; including the uses, expected results expected, externalities and the best approaches towards the use of pesticides. The text, therefore, implies that people are rational and would go ahead to choose the solution that has fewer externalities. It means people are provided with knowledge about the best pesticide based on logical thinking, having learned from past experiences. Therefore, people will opt not to take the easy way and incur worse than what they had (Catton and Dunlap, 1980; p. 16-18). In short, people from western countries can determine where they are regarding substance use, such as pesticides through navigating around some desirable goals and lessons to get to where they desire. It also means that book by Carson being about Environmental Lifestyles, is a cautionary text; it intends to convince an individual to divert from the habit of using pesticides while managing essential plants in their ecosystem. 2. How the book in position according to the tenets of Human Exemptionalism Paradigm Pesticides use one of the modern means of controlling pesticides among people across the globe; it makes it conclusively right to extrapolate that man is dependent upon technology for the survivor. Although pesticides is a technology of today, it does not mean that using it problems are solved, they might get worse, and that is where the text by Carson finds it use. It encourages individuals to use technology that is not related to pesticides due to their adverse consequences ((Catton and Dunlap, 1980; p. 23-27). Since culture grows and developed, the continued use of pesticide technology as repetition gets viewed as a culture in the western countries and it should not the one modifying ecosystem undesirable due to their externalities. For instance, insects resistance to pesticides among others is likely to take place when there overuses of some types of pesticides. The author of the text, therefore, acknowledges the use of technology that is not disruptive to the environment. 3. Position of the Text as per the Tenets of New Ecological Paradigm As discussed earlier, it is evident that a number the actions that humans take against the environment has negative consequences. In chapter 3 and 4, the authors give the results that revolve around the use of pesticides regardless of the technology applied. For instance, the use of a plane to destroy pests can lead to the free pouring of chemicals, especially when the wind carries the chemical to other areas not intended, it could be water bodies among others. Such use of chemicals there leading to pollution of water bodies and soil and air, consequently, it leads to the destruction of the ecosystem (Agarwal, 2009). Carson has pointed out how the pesticides have devastated an aquatic life, as well as microorganisms that support plant through means such as aerating the soil and breaking nutrients for natural absorptions. Such are examples adverse effects of what Carson expects pesticide users to know as they use their chemicals; instead, they are cautioned to conserve the environment and not participate in the destruction. Such insights of how man has destroyed the environment serve as a wake-up call that is highly contributed to by lessons learn from reality and is how the texts fit into the tenets of the New Ecological Factors. The intricate linkages of the web and nature get explicitly observable run the book by Carson from chapter one to seventeen. The conclusion that the book suggest is that humans uses pesticides and attains some unintended consequence or rather externalities. 4. The Overall Worldview that best Fits the Text The best worldview that suits the book is the New Ecological Paradigm. The past can define the future other than future determining the history. That is, learning from the past is more efficient than using what is present or the perceived in future. When considering the Dominant Western Worldview, most tend to justify their view that they can apply the pesticides wherever they want because they are at liberty to do so, especially when there are free goods evolved such as rivers and lakes. They make their profits based on business thinking to magnify their profits; it means the Dominant Western worldview rationally dismissible when profit making is involved; it explains why capitalist economies are composed of business people taking advantage of free goods. Lakes and rivers to get wastes dumped since there is no single individual can question them when aquatic life dies, or even when users of the water get ill. When they picture profits versus reputation among others benefits such as grants, individual get compelled to employ the New Ecological Paradigm. Human Exemptionalism Paradigm on the other hand inst on the use of favorable technology during the control of pests falls under New Ecological Paradigm. Consequences of environmental pollution give the idea of rational thinking on what to do and the technology to use or not meaning that both the Human Exemptionalism and the Dominant Western worldview fall under the New Ecological Paradigm. References Agarwal, S. K. (2009). Pesticide pollution. New Delhi: A.P.H. Publ. Carson, R.(2002). Silent spring. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Catton, W. R. J., & Dunlap, R. E. (September 01, 1980). A New Ecological Paradigm for Post-Exuberant Sociology. American Behavioral Scientist, 24, 1, 15-47. Ehrlich, A., & Minor, W. (2008). Rachel: The Story of Rachel Carson. Orlando [u.a.: Harcourt. Read More