Have you ever thought about how fruit and vegetables are grown? How about what ingredients are put into bug sprays and insecticides to ward off those pesky insects? Look no further as author Rachel Carson takes an in-depth look at the many environmental problems caused by pesticides and herbicides in her New York Times best-selling novel, "Silent Spring." “Silent Spring” is a collection of studies that have been conducted in an effort to educate others about the harmful things that happen to their foods and daily environments every day, in hopes of giving them a wake-up call. Many believe that this novel is a groundbreaking novel that forced people to take notice of the damage caused in their world, which many people were unaware of. After discovering the results of these chemicals, it really makes you wonder, is the luxury of being free from insects really worth all the consequences? “Silent Spring” consists of research and experiments conducted to understand why wildlife was declining in various chemically treated areas. Carson was also interested in finding out how these chemicals also affect human health. Carson first begins our novel by describing a world of green grass and blue skies, complete with singing birds and active wildlife. A world, he says, this is how our earth was before humanity. Carson states that the reason he wrote this novel was curiosity about why and how our earth became so corrupt. She narrows it down to one reason that is the main foundation of this novel: man-made chemicals are responsible for destroying the purity of nature. “The chemical substances to which life is called upon to adapt are no longer simply calcium, silica, copper and all the rest of the minerals... middle of paper... ng”. Unfortunately I'm not an environmental junkie at all, but this novel really opened my eyes not only to issues of the past, but to current issues as well. I learned the importance of what it means to buy organic and not just for the health benefits, but also for the environmental benefits. I was never aware of how harmful pesticides can be, and while DDT may be outlawed in the United States, farmers still use other forms of insecticides to protect their plants. It horrifies me that DDT has been used for so long, despite the deaths it has caused. I admire Rachel Carson for writing this novel and conducting research when no one else cared about the environmental damage being done to our earth. His passion for the land is evident and his willingness to publish such a controversial novel during this time explains why his story is still a relevant resource today.