The Use Of Pesticides In Rachel Carson's Silent Spring

Silenced spring; DDT

Albert Schweitzer once stated, “Man can hardly even recognize the devils of his own creation” (Tbach) In the 1900’s, technology has discovered chemical substances that can easily terminate parasites and other disease transmitting insects. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, known as DDT, and other pesticides usage sored as corporate made huge profit out of them. What public did not acknowledge, however, was malignant effects caused by these chemically mortified substances. As DDT usage increased, insidious dangers destroyed both ecosystem and human health; with her book, Silent Spring, Rachel Carson drew attention to the hazards of pesticides, especially DDT, and triggered a movement that would eventually succeed in banning DDT. The usage of DDT and other pesticides significantly increased in the 1900’s as chemical manufacturers started selling them. These synthetic pesticides, which poisoned parasites instantaneously, appealed to the public and became the “gold mines” for the chemical manufacturers (Fletcher, Scherer 76). First, it seemed like these insecticides were the ultimate solution to kill parasites and other

After the book was published in September 1972, many companies that produced these pesticides spent more than 250,000 dollars, equivalent to 1.4 million today, to stop Carson from publishing the book (Fletcher, Scherer 85). Despite their tremendous effort, the Silent Spring became a best seller and successfully proved the case against various chemical companies. As Fletcher and Scherer stated, “She did more than make the case against chemical pesticide industry. She made a case against uncontrolled human ‘progress’” (81). This book was a turning point of monstrous growth of pesticides, which lead people to look back at the “devils of their own creation”