Educating America
Rachel Carson's Silent Spring compares to environmentalist Barry Lopez's views of how we are presently ruining the land today. She writes about how our use of DDT to kill insects is also having an effect on the land as well as ourselves. In her book, she points out that the pesticide we spray on crop lands, forests, or gardens goes into the soil where our food is grown, and therefore these poisons go into our bodies and stay there until death. For years, magazines turned down her articles about DDT and other pesticides, but she remained trying and wrote Silent Spring. "No book has had a greater impact on our thinking about the environment" (6). Carson believes that we don't even know the "devils of our own creations" (20). Lopez believes in so many of the same things that he dedicates his book; The Rediscovery of North America to Carson in order to keep the memory of her alive, as well as her beliefs. They both write about how we think of what will benefit us, and do whatever it is without thinking of the possible results. Carson's explanation of what happens with DDT, connecting it with ourselves, makes us realize that we need to think of all possibilities. If something is powerful enough to kill us, then
Lopez shows us his knowledge by talking about molecular biology, and atmospheric chemistry,and also by using a complex vocabulary. He does this, and it gives the reader the feeling of pain and sorrow for thewrongdoings of the Spanish. One event that no one wants repeated is the actions of the Nazis on the Jews. We are no better than Columbus and his men. As Lopez talks about learning from the land he writes: We never said to the people or the animals or the plants or the rivers or the mountains: What do you think of this? We said what we thought and bent to our will whatever resisted. I believe he is correct, we need to consider the land more. FromLas Casas's writings about the Spanish discovery of this land, how they destroyed anything thatwas in their way, Lopez has concluded that instead they should have asked: Who are thesepeople? What is this land? Instead, the Spanish came to this continent and thought only of whatcould give them wealth. After reading these examples Lopez gives of how this land has been treated, and how we are continuing to treat it, I believe anyone would begin to see that we do need to consider the land more. The idea of this kind of courtesy is more ancient than 'primitive' and the wisdom of it, the ineffable and subtle intertwining of living organisms on the earth, is confirmed today by molecular biology and atmospheric chemistry. He believes we need to learn from the past so we can succeed in the future. Lopez mentions "If this search of his for gold should produce a holocaust. In order to do so, Lopez tells us we have to listen to the land, to "walkit, eat from its soil and from the animals that ate its plants" (33-34). Another example of how Lopez appeals to our emotions is through his description of how we disregard the Native's right to this land. it most likely is something we shouldn't do. Lopez urges us to take charge of our future, not only the future of human beings, but also the future of the land.
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Acceptance Essays
