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Chapter 2: The Obligation to Endure Carson demonstrates her belief that only the human species has acquired significant power to alter the nature of the world. The most alarming assaults has been the contamination of air, earth, water, rivers and sea with dangerous lethal materials. She states, "Radiation is the unnatural creation of man's tampering with the atom." DDT has caused a process of escalation in which more toxic materials have been released. Carson believes that such chemicals are used in order to maintain farm production, but then questions its overproduction. The spreading of thousands of different kinds of organisms from their native homes to invade new territories is described as a factor in the insect problem. She does not contend that poisonous and biologically potent chemicals be in the hands of people wholly ignorant of their potentials to harm. "The obligation to endure gives us the right to know."
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Chapter 4: Surface Waters and Underground Seas Carson begins by emphasizing how much the world relies on water. However, since chemists have began to manufacture unnatural substances, the problem of water purification has become complex and danger to users has increased. Purifying plants seem to fail at their jobs to clean water which can be fatal to consumers. Carson bluntly states, "It is not possible to add pesticides to water anywhere without threatening the purity of water elsewhere. Since all water was once groundwater, pollution of groundwater is pollution of water everywhere. Waters of wildlife refuges are established on Tule Lake and Lower Klamath. representing the drainage of agricultural lands. Carson gives multiple examples of organisms dying in waters from being infected with DDD, a close relative of DDT. The neurological affects that DDD causes are described, along with affects in other animals like dogs.
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Chapter 5: Realms of the Soil This chapter begins by discussing the importance of soil. Life on earth depends on it, meanwhile soil depends on life as well. Soil is part of a never ending cycle that constantly changes. Carson states that the bacteria contained within the soil is the most important part because it is what makes up the microscopic plant life. Springtails and earthworms also make a huge contributions to soil. The author introduces the impact that harsh chemicals have made within soil. She states, "The very nature of the world of the soil has been largely ignored." A commonly unknown fact about chemicals in soil is described: chemicals like toxaphene remain in sandy soils ten years after its application to kill termites. This affect happens quite often, and Carson points out that not many people are aware of how much of an impact this has on soils. The author believes that not only the soil is affected, but also the the extent that insecticides are absorbed from contaminated soils and introduced into plant tissues.
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