Question map
Rachel Carson’s famous book, Silent Spring refers to
Explanation
Rachel Carson's 1962 book, Silent Spring, is a foundational text of the modern environmental movement that exposed the ecological dangers of chemical pesticides, particularly DDT [1]. The title 'Silent Spring' refers to a future where spring arrives without the songs of birds because they have been poisoned by pesticides. Carson's investigation was specifically sparked by reports of songbirds dying in neighborhoods following aerial pesticide spraying [1]. The book meticulously documented how persistent organic pollutants like DDT bio-magnify through the food chain, leading to the death of insects, which in turn poisons the birds that consume them. This process disrupts the balance of nature and causes significant wildlife mortality [1]. Carson's work eventually led to a domestic ban on DDT production and the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Sources
- [1] https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/library/pdf/Silent_spring.pdf