Rachel Carson and the Fight Against Indiscriminate Pesticide Use Essay Example for Free

Rachel Carson and the Fight Against Indiscriminate Pesticide Use Essay In her 1962 book, Silent Spring, Rachel Carson details the dangers of indiscriminate pesticide use, which had â€Å"already silenced the voice of spring in countless towns in America† (Carson (1962) page 3). ‘Miss Carson,’ as many of her detractors referred to her, received ridicule from academics, industry leaders and professional journals for over a decade. Years after her death, conservative and libertarian groups such as the Cato Institute, American Enterprise Institute and the Competitive Enterprise Institute attacked her and the apparent successes for environmentalism in the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the ban of DDT to provide an example of a ‘failed’ government program. Rachel Carson revealed the dangers imposed by indiscriminate pesticide use in her 1962 book, Silent Spring. Although Carson used DDT as her focus, the chemical was an example of the numerous synthesized pesticides employed in many aspects of mankind’s daily lives. As a biologist with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Carson was alerted to the â€Å"numerous case reports of damage to birds and fish after DDT application† and believed that â€Å"because DDT was so effective, it unbalanced ecosystems† (Oreskes (2010) page 219). Carson expanded her research and eventually published her revealing book to alert the public and bring an end to indiscriminate use. The book made numerous claims against pesticides, illustrated the destruction caused by prior use and warned of a future in which â€Å"over increasingly large areas†¦ spring comes unheralded by the return of the birds, and the early mornings are strangely silent where once they were filled with the beauty of bird song† (Carson (1962) page 88). These â€Å"elixers of death,† she warned, are less insecticides as they are â€Å"biocides† (Carson (1962) pages 15, 8), infiltrating water supplies, food supplies and organisms from the bald eagle to man. â€Å"If [Silent Spring] stimulated the public to press for unwise and ill-conceived restrictions on the production, use or development of new chemicals, it will be the consumer who suffers.† Dr. William Darby, 1962 Heralded as one of the most influential books in the environmental movement, Carson’s writing was less scientific and more thought provoking. Her often-extreme word choices and diction provided a sense of urgency for some, but drew many detractors. Doctor William Darby, a Professor of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University, reviewed Silent Spring shortly after its publishing. According to Darby, the â€Å"dramatic description[s]† were simply a ploy to mask other scientific findings are mislead the public (Darby (1962)). Darby accused Carson of â€Å"name-drops by quoting or referring to renowned scientists out of context†¦ [leading] the reader to conclude that the authority mentioned is in accord with the author’s position† (Darby (1962)). To further refute her claims, Darby refers to her as â€Å"Miss Carson† throughout his essay. This treatment of certainly harmed, or was an attempt to harm, her credibility in the scientific field. He continues â€Å"her ignorance or biases on some of the considerations throw doubt on her competence to judge policy† (Darby (1962)). Darby stated that â€Å"if it stimulated the public to press for unwise and ill-conceived restrictions on the production, use or development of new chemicals, it will be the consumer who suffers.† Here was an academic, in the field of biochemistry, blatantly denouncing Carson and her conclusions. In The Chemicals Around Us, a viewpoint published in Chemical Weekly in July 1962, Carson was referred to as a â€Å"crank† and that her writing style was more indicative of â€Å"a lawyer preparing a brief† (Chemical Weekly (1962)). Obviously a somewhat biased publication, the article continued to claim that although â€Å"her facts are correct, her conclusions less certain, and her innuendos misleading†¦ such a public be damned attitude was outmoded some years ago and†¦ too many people are watching.† The phrase, â€Å"too many people are watching† referred to the chemical industry and pro-chemical government, implying that despite her efforts, they would fight back against such erroneous claims with ease. Carson’s detractors were not publishing this information against her for publicity, but were concerned. They were not concerned about the indiscriminate use of pesticides, but rather the ability of public outrage and the future of the chemicals industry. By attacking Carson’s conclusions and writing style, they could distract from the dangerous scientific findings. Facing harsh criticism, Carson’s urgent push for policy against indiscriminate pesticide use seemed to stall. When President Kennedy tasked the President’s Science Advisory Committee with investigating the claims, a new hope emerged. Although the committee did not back or deny Carson’s claims, they lay the burden of proof â€Å"on those who argued that persistent pesticides w ere safe† (Oreskes (2010) page 222). The paradigm shifted against the chemical industry. The findings established that the industry itself was tasked with proving the pesticides used were not a danger to human health or the environment, â€Å"explicitly invoking the standard of reasonable doubt,† rather than those against indiscriminate use proving pesticides were a danger (Oreskes (2010) pages 220-224). According to Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway in their 2010 book, Merchants of Doubt, â€Å"the legal phrase reasonable doubt suggests that they were guided by existing legal frameworks†¦ to demonstrate the safety of their products,† and that â€Å"manufacturers had not demonstrated the safety of DDT, and reasonable people now had reason to doubt it† (Oreskes (2010) page 222). It took two more Presidential Administrations before President Nixon authorized the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970 and in 1972, the ban on the use of DDT in the United States. The environmental movement, the work done by Rachel Carson, the President’s Science Advisory Committee, numerous scientists and the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and banning of DDT was often heralded as a true governmental policy success story. Not until the early 2000s did the evidence exist that DDT was in fact harmful to humans, and a dangerous carcinogen (Oreskes (2010) page 229). For three decades, the establishment of the EPA was used as an example to follow for the creation of new social, economic and environmental policies. As conservative and libertarian think tanks in the mid 1990s were facing new policies and government regulation conflicting with their ideals, a new strategy for combat emerged. By slandering Carson, â€Å"freemarketeers realized [they] could strengthen the argument against regulation in general. (Oreskes (2010) page 218). To argue against regulation, they would destroy the main example of successful policy and regulation: the establishment of the EPA and banning of DDT. In the late 1990s, groups such as the Cato Institute, American Enterprise Institute and the Competitive Enterprise Institute renewed the attacks on Rachel Carson and the â€Å"junk-science†Ã¢â‚¬â€scientific findings that could not be explained under the free-market system—that led to the ban of DDT in the United States. These think tanks, backed monetarily by Philip Morris and other corporation, â€Å"organized off-the record briefings [with members of Congress], wrote and placed op-ed pieces, and organized radio interviews† (Oreskes, (2010) page 234). The Heartland Institute, focused on â€Å"free-market solutions to social and economic problems†¦ insist[ed] that some one million†¦lives could be saved annually† in developing countries around the world through the use of DDT (Oreskes (2010) page 2 33). There were even claims that her â€Å"false alarm† about pesticides led to the death of millions, making her â€Å"worse than Hitler† (Oreskes (2010) page 217). By destroying Carson’s reputation at the expense of key facts and scientific findings, these groups were changing history. â€Å"Orwell understood that those in power will always seek to control history, because whoever controls the past controls the present† (Oreskes (2010) page 238). Conservative and Libertarian think tanks believed they could control history to derail the progress of regulatory authority in the United States. In the forward to Silent Spring, Carson quotes Albert Schweitzer, â€Å"Man has lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall, He will end by destroying the earth† (Carson (1962) Forward). According to Carson, â€Å"it took hundreds of millions of years for life to produce the life that now inhabits the earth†¦ [and] to adjust to these chemicals would require time on the scale that is nature’s, it would require not merely the years of a man’s life but he life of generations† (Carson (1962) page 7). Rachel Carson believed indiscriminate pesticide use and the continued development of synthetic chemicals would devastate our planet in a way that would require generations for the environment to reach equilibrium. E. B. White, an American essayist once wrote, â€Å"I am pessimistic about the human race because it is too ingenious for its own good. Our approach to nature is to beat it into submission. We would stand a better chance of survival is we accommodated ourselves to the planet and viewed it appreciatively instead of skeptically and dictatorially† (Carson (1962) Forward). By allowing the leaders of this nation to be manipulated by groups controlling history, we failed not only Rachel Carson, but ourselves, our environment and our future. Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Co, 1962. (Carson (1962)) â€Å"The Chemicals Around Us.† Viewpoint, Chemical Weekly. July 14, 1962: 5. (Chemical Weekly (1962)) Darby, William J. Text from Jukes, Thomas, 1962. â€Å"A Town in Harmony.† Chemical Engineering News (Aug 18): 5. (Darby (1962)) Oreskes, Naomi, and Erik M. Conway. Chapter 7: Denial Rides Again. Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming. New York: Bloomsbury, 2010. (Oreskes (2010))

John Adams by David McCullough Essays -- Biography John Adams McCullou

John Adams, by David McCullough   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book, John Adams, by David McCullough, is a powerfully written biography of one of our nation’s greatest heroes. This biography explores Adams’ life in great depth, unveiling a side to his life unbeknownst to those who have never studied his life in great detail. Through diary entries, letters, and various other documents, the reader grasps a sense of what Adams’ day to day life was like, and is also able to grasp the enormity of his lifetime accomplishments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the battle for independence from Great Britain, the founding forefathers of our country came together, uniting for a common cause they would end up fighting for with their lives. Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and many others take part of this panoramic chronicle of Adams’ life, all coming together because of their devotion to their country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In particular, of these men, Thomas Jefferson especially is exposed, and his relationship with Adams is explored, as it is a crucial fluctuating one. Though born opposites, they forge a relationship as diplomats, and as close friends, only after meeting and working together, however. In a letter to James Madison, before Jefferson first went to France to work with Adams, he likens him to a poisonous weed. After becoming great friends in Paris, however he writes back to Madison, â€Å"He is so amiable that I pronounce you will love him if ever you become acquainted with him†. Later on though, as the advent of political parties comes into being, and during the intense struggle for the presidency of the election of 1800, the two become archrivals. Incredibly, after this, they become close friends once again, and amazingly die on the same day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The other relationship described in great detail was that which he shared with his wife, Abigail Adams. Through all the times he spent away from her, working arduously for the freedom he was so determined to secure for the thirteen colonies, they stayed strongly attached, and wrote numerous letters to one another, many of which are shared. He writes to her while in Congress, one time sharing with her, â€Å"We live, my dear soul, in an age of trial. What will be the consequence, I know not.† She encourages him, giving him her approval and support, in one letter writing, â€Å"You cannot be, I know, ... ... to the realness of this man. This book was first published in 2001, in New York. Though probably released before the September 11 attacks, it is assurable that if it had been released after, the direct correlation of the American hero would be made of John Adams. I think that the author’s goal, in writing this book, is to present the reality of this particular co-revolutionary, which through all the primary documents especially, he was very successful in doing. The single most memorable thing that I learned about were the relationships that Adams had, with other familiar names. This book had really helped me to understand the happenings that went on in the life period of Adams, but also really just how all these historical co-revolutionaries and Founding Fathers were all related.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On a whole, I found that the scholarly reviews of this book were very positive. Most of the responses of other scholars were those of praise and commendation on such a great book, an interesting and valid view on the life of John Adams. Works Cited: Gelles, Edith. â€Å"The Adams Phenomenon.† November 2001. http:// www2.h-net.msu.edu/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=284001005599191.(05 January 2002)

Letter of Motivation

Motivational letter for university admission Search Send a Message T his message will be pushed to the admin's iPhone instantly. Dear Sirs. Madams I am interested to apply f or a Master's Degree Program in {name od the programme} starting in 2013. graduated in 2011, f rom the University of {name od the university}, USA and hold a Bachelors degree in {name od the programme).T he f our year undergraduate program in {name od the programme} f ormed the asis of my perseverance towards achieving an in-depth knowledge in the f ield of -. As a part ot my degree course I studied various subjects relating to diverse aspects ot {specify} which Includes {specify}. During my bachelor studies, I underwent the experience of developing a {specify}. under the supervision of Prof {name} along with my colleague have prepared the {specify}. While submitting the assignment, our lecturer observed {specify} and recommended our product f or {specify}. pon receiving this acknowledgment of my work I would lik e to carry on my penchant f or specify}, as this {methodology, issue} is gaining increasing Importance, in all aspects and is having signif cant impact on almost all industries and all areas of society. T here is an ample scope to prove one's ability, competence and intelligence in this revolutionary and potentially very benef ictal {methodology. issue. theory}. Besides the college academics I was actively involved in the extra-curricular activities.T he driving f orce behind all this was my aim to develop all the f acets of my personality. In this process I could not achieve the grades I wanted to, in the f irst and second ear. But soon I garnered the skill of Judicious allocation of time and energy. I do not f eel that the marks I scored are the sole indicators of my understanding of the subject. A cogent reason to augment my bellet is the t inal year of my studies, where with strong f ocus and hard work, I excelled In my graduation with dlsunctlon.Considering my excellent record, my college of f ered me f or a Job as a lecturer. Also f or the past twenty months I have been working as a {specify}- In {speclfy} department of {specify}. My work has helped me develop a thorough insight Into eturn to the academic world f or f urther growth. It has given me the conf idence to pursue a Master's degree and also kindled a desire to do research. T his career with open prospects has given me constant incentive to improve myself and to gain more knowledge, Today I perceive that lif e f or me has been a process of conscious evolution.An integral part of this growth has been the value system imbibed in me by my parents, teachers and mentors and an immense liking f or science. As I embark upon a new I OF2 stage 0T my IIT e, I Delleve tnat a postgraduate study wlll prov10e a mllestone In my areer along with invaluable experiences that will allow me to become a successf ul, innovative prof essional and assist in accomplishing my goals. Ten years f rom now, I envisage myself as a f ull-f ledged research prof essional in an organization, or a f aculty member at some leading university.My decision to pursue graduate studies in the United Kingdom is underscored by my desire to be a part of the graduate program at your institution. T he pioneering works going on at the -{specify}-department , which include the development of {specify}, perf ectly match with the f ield of my interest. T he interdisciplinary nature of {specify rogramme, field} has convinced me in taking this decision as it is the ideal choice f or an exciting research career. At the same time, I am conf ident of contributing originally to the ongoing work at your department.By working under the guidance of distinguished f aculty, I shall certainly be able to exploit my potential to the f ullest. T he department web site revealed very strong f aculty like Prof . {NAME} involved in extensive research in the area of {specify}. T his has strengthened my resolve to study at University of {NAME}. I am conf ident that the erudite f aculty will make my learning experience extraordinary. If I get the opportunity to be a part of that intellectually stimulating environment, I am sure my talents will be put to optimal use.I am conf ident that overall opportunity to study in Europe will broaden my horizons and give me an opportunity to gain world class education and help me become an excellent world citizen. I would theref ore, f eel obliged to be able to secure admission in your prestigious university with f ull f inancial assistance and pursue my M. S. program. I am sure that I will match all the credentials and will be able to maintain high standards at your university. Letter of Motivation I am interested to apply f or a Master’s Degree Program in {name of the program} starting in 2013. I graduated in 2011, from the University of {name of the University}, USA and hold a Bachelors degree in {name of the program}.The four year undergraduate program in {name of the program} formed the basis of my perseverance towards achieving an in-depth knowledge in the field of –. As a part of my degree course I studied various subjects relating to diverse aspects of {specify} which includes {specify}. During my bachelor studies, I underwent the experience of developing a {specify}. Under the supervision of Prof {name} along with my colleague I have prepared the {specify}.While submitting the assignment, our lecturer observed {specify} and recommended our product f or {specify}-. Upon receiving this acknowledgment of my work I would like to carry on my penchant for {specify}, as this {methodology, issue} is gaining increasing importance, in all aspects and is having signi f icant impact on almost all industries and all areas of society. There is an ample scope to prove one’s ability, competence and intelligence in this revolutionary and potentially very benef icial {methodology, issue, theory}.Besides the college academics I was actively involved in the extra-curricular activities. The driving force behind all this was my aim to develop all the facets of my personality. In this process I could not achieve the grades I wanted to, in the first and second year. But soon I garnered the skill of judicious allocation of time and energy. I do not f eel that the marks I scored are the sole indicators  of my understanding of the subject. A cogent reason to augment my belief is the final year of my studies, where with strong focus and hard work, I excelled in my graduation with distinction. Considering my excellent record, my college offered me for a job as a lecturer.Also f or the past twenty months I have been working as a {specify}- in -{specify} d epartment of {specify}. My work has helped me develop a thorough insight into return to the academic world for further growth. It has given me the confidence to pursue a Master’s degree and also kindled a desire to do research.T his career with open prospects has given me constant incentive to improve myself and to gain more knowledge.Today I perceive that life for me has been a process of conscious evolution. An integral part of this growth has been the value system imbibed in me by my parents, teachers and mentors and an immense liking f or science. As I embark upon a new stage of my life, I believe that a postgraduate study will provide a milestone in my career along with invaluable experiences that will allow me to become a successful, innovative professional and assist in accomplishing my goals. Ten years from now, I envisage myself as a full-fledged research professional in an organization, or a faculty member at some leading university.My decision to pursue graduate st udies in the United Kingdom is underscored by my desire to be a part of the graduate program at your institution. T he pioneering works going on at the -{specify}-department, which include the development of {specify}, perfectly match with the field of my interest. T he interdisciplinary nature of {specify program, field} has convinced me in taking this decision as it is the ideal choice f or an exciting research career. At the same time, I am confident of contributing originally to the ongoing work at your department. By working under the guidance of distinguished faculty, I shall certainly be able to exploit my potential to the fullest.The department web site revealed very strong faculty like Prof . {NAME} involved in extensive research in the area of {specify}. This has  strengthened my resolve to study at University of {NAME}. I am confident that the erudite faculty will make my learning experience extraordinary. If I get the opportunity to be a part of that intellectually sti mulating environment, I am sure my talents will be put to optimal use. I am confident that overall opportunity to study in Europe will broaden my horizons and give me an opportunity to gain world class education and help me become an excellent world citizen. I would therefore, feel obliged to be able to secure admission in your prestigious university with full financial assistance and pursue my M.S. program. I am sure that I will match all the credentials and will be able to maintain high standards at your university.

Bronfenbrenner s Ecological Perspective Theory - 928 Words

While considering how Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Perspective theory applies to my life, there are three major things that come to mind: being a co-care giver for my grandfather along side my father, the family I nanny for, and my other job at a special recreation agency. These three things are currently what my life revolves around, and are the entirety of my micro and mesosystems. These three things are the center of all my most important relationships. The relationship my grandfather and I have is a very precious gift to me. He has been one of the few of my family members to always support my decision to become a teacher, and he and grandmother were the ones who took care of me when I was younger. Their values and way of life have greatly affected me in who I am today. They taught me the values of hard work, focusing on education, and caring for others. Now that my grandpa is no longer able as independent as he used to be, my dad and I take shifts doing what we can between our schedules to prepare food, upkeep his apartment, and assist with other daily tasks so that my grandpa can stay where he lived with my grandma. My dad has always been a gifted caregiver in his past careers, and this definitely a trait I share with him. Now we both use this skill to return the favor to my grandfather. This is a humbling task that we would not entrust to anyone else. The woman I work for has become a huge part of my life. While working for Jenny and caring for her three girls forShow MoreRelatedThe Major Components, Strengths, and Limitations of Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Model623 Words   |  3 PagesDevelopmental psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner first introduced the Ecologicial Systems model in the 1970’s. 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