Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson Books’ Argument Life and humans’ ecosystem depend on the environment entirely. The book of Rachel Carson, which is titled as â€Å"Silent Spring†, has shed light on what environmental conservation entails. This book describes the threats faced by the environment due to human activities. It is interested in environmental conservation and the threats of its degradation to nature where it elaborates the details concerning environmental conditions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Silent Spring† by Rachel Carson specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In perspective, the author inspects the areas of the environment that have been affected adversely which include the earth’s water sources and atmosphere among others. In this light, she argues that the human race has to pay because of misusing the environment and encourages humanity to conserve it properly. Furthermore, she identifies and c riticizes the strategies that are applied without considering the environmental conservation and protection. In this regard, she describes the effects of using DDT when showing how people have neglected other creatures in the ecosystem. This book has assessed most aspects including the positive and the vast negative impacts of human activities on the environment. The explicit details of societal participation in environmental pollution have pointed out clearly about the effects of human activities and their impacts on the surrounding. She argues that the environment depends entirely on the activities of human beings. Rachel establishes the impacts of man’s socio-economic activities on the environment and the society. Social Factors Several social factors have been outlined in the book as the possible causes of environmental degradation. These factors include overcrowding that arises in the refugee camps. The strategies initiated to save refugees’ lives have resulted to pollution of rivers and other water sources. For instance, the government launches plans to boost food production through irrigation projects which use pesticides. Unfortunately, these actions have led to adverse reactions including the pollution of rivers among others. In this light, a refugee manager attributed the death of birds to pesticide accumulation in the rivers due to the agricultural practices (Rachel, 45). These depict how the human population causes environmental degradation. In malaria prevalent areas, the pesticides used to control mosquitoes have led to a decline in the insects’ population due to the use of DDT. Moreover, Carson also identifies poverty as a major player in the degradation of the environment. The insect disease vectors that carry malaria are very common in places with poor sanitation which arise due to poor social setup and economic imbalances.Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get you r first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Impacts of Degradation Several impacts of degradation have been identified in the societies and the environment. The pollution of the environment by the pesticides drained into rivers has led to the loss of biodiversity owing to the fact that birds inhabiting the rivers are reported dead. The other result of degradation is the reduced aesthetic value of the environment. The author has brought up a clear incident on how trees are drying due to the use of pesticides. In areas prone to environmental degradation, reduced fecundity, malnutrition, and pandemic diseases have resulted to a negative change of the human population. There are diseases that reduce human lifespan and cause many deaths. The incident elaborated by Carson about two boys who died in Florida is a clear illustration on how death arises from the wastes that people dispose carelessly in the environment (Rachel, 28). Therefore, â€Å"Silent Spring† is the liter ature that most environmental scientists appreciate as it evaluates most issues concerning; the social causes of environmental degradation, its impacts in the societies, and its effects on the environment as a whole. Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002. Print.