Activity 1.1- A Turning Point Event for Environmental Science, Silent Spring


      1. Point of View

Rachel Carson the author or Silent Springs story is told beginning in 1962 in the hight of the Cold War. Carsons first three books where know for opening peoples eyes to the natural world, but in Silent Spring she delivered a terrifying warning that we are on a path to destroying our environment. At the time Silent Springs was one of the nations best selling books and was known as a cons reversal book. 

      1. Purpose

The purpose of the video American Experience PBS video over Carsons book Silent Springs is to inspire people to consider more environmentally friendly practices. Carsons provides scientific evidence and case studies showing her audience the negative impacts of pesticides. "In nature, nothing exist alone"She would like to foster a greater appreciation for the interconnectedness of all living organisms and how we all play a role in maintaining ecological balance. 

      1. Questions at Issue

Carson was accused of being a Communist, of being a hysterical, female Luddite, because at the time human ingenuity would triumph over nature. Fish and Wildlife scientist discovered the harsh environmental impacts from a new chemistry-lab creation so called "synthetic" pesticide known as DDT. 

      1. Information

Silent Spring was first printed on September 27,1962. "In mid-July 1945, as the Second World War grounded on the Pacific, Carson was trying to bring attention to what she believed was a war against the earth." During the war in 1945 Carson was 38 years old and restless, a writer by inclination and biologist by training. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the USA military had rushed DDT to the battle zone in an effort to protect troops from insect born diseases. Naples Italy had a crowded population making typhus be able to spread quicker. So they sprayed thousands of people daily with DDT. Entire islands were saturated with DDT. General Douglas MacArthur once said "in war an army commander had three divisions, one in the front fighting, one in the reserve, and one in the hospital because of malaria." But with DDT that problem diminished substantially leading people to believe it is a good thing but Carson was offering a new angle exploring DDT's collateral damage to wildlife. 

      1. Interpretation and Inference

The video interprets all of Carsons work as a groundbreaking and, important for the future of our environment. It portrays her dedication to her studies and as a writer who brought attention to the critical issues caused by DDT. The video suggest that Carsons work highlighted the delicate balance of the ecosystem. Some of the solutions mentioned were to bring public awareness, Implement strict regulations and policies on the use of pesticides and other chemicals to ensure they are safe for the environment, and promote ethical stewardship. 

      1. Concepts

DDT was seen as a great thing since it helped prevent insect born diseases all over the United States. Carson was seen as crazy for second guessing the effects of DDT but overall her work lead to increased public awareness environmental issues advocating for policy changes, mainly through her award winning book Silent Springs.

      1. Assumptions

The video assumes that biodiversity is worth protecting and wants the viewers to recognize how important diverse species is for a healthy ecosystem. There is an underlying assumption that the public has a role in protecting our environment. The video takes for granted that raising awareness and educating people can lead to positive changes for the future. I also think this video took for granted sharing the ethical viewpoint we all have which is that humans have a moral responsibility to protect and preserve the environment which means we all have a role we need to play especially teaching future generations.

      1. Consequences

"Biologist for Fish and Wildlife Services began to see quickly that when DDT is used in certain areas there is evidence of problems." The problems where fish kill and bird kill. Other scientists knew about the problems of DDT but when Carson tried to write a story that warned people that, "We need to be more careful with this, DDT looks like a great thing but we need to be causes with how we use it." But reader's Digest didn't want her article because "housewives would be turned off by this." So in conclusion Carson wrote Silent Spring.

DDT

Picture is from:Blue Growth

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