Rachel Carson’s book Silent
Spring discussed the repercussion of DDT on the environment and human
health. By exposing the truth about DDT, she didn’t know that the aftermath of
not using pesticide could be just as deadly as using pesticide. By banning DDT in the United States, and in
many different countries, it allowed third world countries to suffer. Countries
in Africa, which used DDT to kill mosquitoes that carried Malaria, caused many
children to get infected. The movement to ban DDT caused critics to blame her
for the deaths of millions of African children. It is believed that DDT is the
most effective way to kill large population of mosquitoes, which would reduce
the spread of Malaria. Using DDT was an easier alternative, since many
countries in Africa could not afford a better protection against these
mosquitoes. Carson argued that she did not want to ban DDT altogether. Mosquitoes
are a rapidly evolving species. Even if DDT were being used against them, the
mosquitoes would start becoming resistant to the pesticide, which would render
the DDT useless. If the DDT were useless it would end up increasing the
population of mosquitoes. Her point was
to increase awareness of the danger effects that pesticides can have on our
environment and health, but it may take time for her opponents to realize at
that time there weren’t many alternative to choose from.
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