Clearing the Air

In the 1950s, America waged a war. It was a war on bugs! Insects destroyed crops and spread disease. Thus, some people saw bugs as a threat to human survival. What could solve the bug problem? Chemical companies created a way to remedy it. They made a chemical called DDT. It killed bugs. However, DDT created new problems. It also killed birds and other wildlife. The US government claimed that DDT was safe. But biologist Rachel Carson knew the government was wrong. Carson wanted people to know the facts. So, she wrote a book called Silent Spring. The book warned of the dangers of DDT. The book explained that when we poison nature, we poison ourselves. Silent Spring made chemical companies angry. They tried to say that Carson had her facts wrong. But Carson's research persuaded the public — and the president. Because of her book, DDT was banned.