DDT As Portrayed In Silent Spring By Rachel Carson

Throughout his essay, Suzuki supports his arguments with specific examples. To justify his reasoning, the author uses the case of DDT, otherwise known as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. This chemical compound is used as an insecticide to eliminate the population of malaria-carrying mosquitoes, which it did effectively, and saved millions of lives. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, complications arose, which led to an increase in chemicals and caused a domino effect of

In 1975, seemingly absurd predictions made in Rachel’s Carlson Silent Spring (1962) on human health and ecosystem hazards caused by DDT materialized in our James River, Virginia. Irresponsible chemical disposure from Life Science Products made workers ill from neurotoxin exposure, suffering from symptoms of nosebleeds, headaches, chest pains, and dizziness from neurotoxin exposure (Goldfarb, William). Ecosystem was destroyed animals leaving the area with 200,000 pounds of Kepone found on almost all land surfaces, and parts of the river (Wilson, Sarah).

DDT and other chlorinated hydrocarbons are very fat soluble so when these chemicals are sprayed on plants and these plants get eaten by animal the chlorinated hydrocarbon gets in the animal's fat. Then that animal get eaten by another animal and now that has the chlorinated

A positive consequence of DDT is its effectiveness, even in the face of pesticide resistance in the anopheles mosquito. The eradication of malaria in the United States and the health of US Soldiers while fighting in World War II can be greatly credited to the use of DDT

In order for a pesticide to be approved for use it needs to pass a few tests. The government examines the ingredients to ensure they are within safe boundaries, they also examine which crops and where it would be applied, how much you need to use for it to be effective and how often it needs to be used and also how it must be stored and how it can be disposed of (United states environmental protection agency 2016). With all of these regulations in place, it is extremely rare if not impossible for an unsafe products to pass through

Carson’s other books, Under the Sea Wind, The Sea Around Us (which stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 86 weeks), and The Edge of The Sea all focus on nature’s strength and the inter-connectedness of nature and all living things. But DDT exposed the vulnerability of nature and I think this influenced the writing of Silent Spring. DDT was the most powerful pesticide in the world at the time of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Unlike most pesticides, whose effectiveness is limited to destroying one or two types of insects, DDT was capable of killing hundreds of different kinds at once. Developed in 1939, it first distinguished itself during World War II, clearing South Pacific islands of malaria-causing insects for U.S. troops, while in Europe being used as an effective de-lousing powder. Its inventor was awarded the Nobel Prize.

The use of pesticides is an important decision that thousands of communities face each year. Nobody likes dealing with mosquitos and the diseases they bring so using chemicals and pesticides is an option but with other consequences. Mosquitos carry West Nile Virus that affects the city of Genericville every year with 50 cases projected this year in the city and two fatalities as well. On the other hand, the chemicals proposed for controlling the mosquito population has its own risks. The pesticide Malathion is also dangerous to people if they come in contact with it before it degrades. The potential for citizens of the city being exposed is almost a certainty

There is no scientific proof done by researchers to provide any evidence the chemical might do harm, but there isn’t any research that says it does no harm with exposure overtime. The precautionary principle relies on our history with asbestos, PCB, and chlorofluorocarbons destroying the ozone. Therefore, a strength in the precautionary principle is the research it acquires in order to provide enough evidence a chemical like DDT can become more harmful than beneficial. However, the precautionary principle is only based on skepticism and not actual data found from trials in research. The precautionary principle has the capacity to save lives by reducing the human race and planet Earth from being exposed to dangerous chemicals. However, the implications of using the precautionary principle can lead to several deaths to diseases like West Nile Virus and Malaria because of the DDT ban based on skepticism and history

While DDT is good for killing bugs, it is also really good at breaking down our foods. One study by the President's Cancer Panel showed that girls exposed to DDT before puberty are five times more likely to develop breast cancer in middle age. Really the only good thing that comes from DDT is that it’s a possible solution for malaria control, but even then it’s rare that DDT is the most effective option. The dangers and harmful effects of DDT are too dangerous and society as a whole needs to stop using

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) has had a huge impact on the fight against malaria, helping to ensure the control or eradication of malaria in many countries around the world in the mid-twentieth century. However, since its peak in the 1960s, succeeded by environmental and health concerns about the usage of the insecticide, more and more countries have been banning the use of DDT.

First off DDT has the ability to kill insects that carry diseases such as malaria. There is

It would appear that DDT would be the obvious choice to prevent cases of malaria in developing nations and all over the world. However, DDT is not without its potential hazards. DDT was used as a pesticide in the United States until it was banned in 1972. First employed as an insecticide in 1939, the white powder would kill massive amounts of mosquito larvae. Paul Müller actually won the Nobel Prize for first using the chemical on insects. The pesticide was used throughout the United States to combat more kinds of insect-pests such as gypsy moths. It was not

Integrating mosquitoes to the ecosystem, can bring a huge repercussions to humanity. So the best way to protect humans is killing the mosquitoes before the can transfer any type of diseases, the best way of doing it, is using the DDT. It is affective, as nontoxic to humans and inexpensive to produce. In 1962, Rachel Carson's book Silent Spring was published. It cataloged the environmental impacts of widespread DDT spraying in the United States and questioned the logic of releasing large amounts of potentially dangerous chemicals into the environment without understanding their effects on the environment or human health. The book claimed that DDT and other pesticides had been shown to cause cancer and that their agricultural use was a threat to wildlife, particularly birds. According to Rachel Carson’s it seems that it only matter when it is a threat for the United States, because diseases carried by mosquitoes does not affect directly to the United States citizens. But it affects the rest of the countries, especially Latin America and Africa. Under U.S law, pesticide are not permitted to be used in the Unites States can still manufactured and export in the U.S for use elsewhere. That’s a clear example of environment racism, why it is not permitted to be used in the U.S and it is permitted to export to others countries? I have always asked that way every single disease on earth start in Africa, it because of this environmental privilege that some countries have from another. The United States knows the environmental and humanitarians effects of his products to the Latin America and Africa society but they do not care, they keep sending “poison” to other countries and those countries in order to protect their citizens they keep buying those products because they do not know the secondary effects of the

Another example of the harmful consequences of DDT is the inhibition of growth and photosynthesis in green algae, which can have unforeseen consequences to the environment. Yet, DDT does not only affect animals, but humans too. It can lead to prickling sensations in the mouth, nausea, headaches, vomiting, tremors, fatigue, muscle weakness, anxiety, and more. As DDT experts, we are aware of the harmful consequences that result from use of the pesticide in the environment. However, we also wish to talk about the benefits that DDT has had in Africa relating to their Malaria epidemic. Malaria is a parasite the lives in infected mosquitoes. DDT has the ability to kill these deadly insects, saving the lives of people around the world. The pesticide is inexpensive, being 3500 times less per person than a quality malaria medication per year, which is very cost effective compared to their alternatives. However, DDT seems to appear more dangerous towards various ecosystems as opposed to their medicinal

In the 1950’s a chemical DDT was being mass produced by all of the major chemical makers it was being applied to almost everything. DDt is a very effective insecticide that was initially used to combat malaria and then was applied to residential areas to help control mosquito and other insect populations. DDT was fused into paint, wood stain and sprayed over crops. The problem with the use of DDT in the 50’s was its lack of testing. Our country saw potential and ran with the idea of having mosquito free summers. It took a book, Silent Spring written by Rachel Carson, written about the harmful effects of DDT on the environment and human health. After the release of silent spring it wasn’t long before DDT was banned in the United States and then worldwide. The precautionary principle is “the precept that an action should not be taken if the consequences are uncertain and potentially dangerous” (Dictionary.com) an idea that is used to help protect the public from harm before it happens. This could have prevented the harm done by DDT if we waited and did more testing on it before releasing it and passing it off as safe (http://www2.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/ddt-brief-history-and-status.) Genetically Modified Food is starting to invade the shelves of supermarkets in foods that most people eat and love. Unfourtunately the current GMO situation appears to mirror the DDT in the 1950’s. GMOs have been tested and approved but there are conflicting studies and views.