Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Argument - Essay Example Some four years ago a relative of my aunt’s was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was only fifteen years old and there was no family history of cancer yet when asked for the cause of the disease the doctors said that high exposure to DDT was the cause of cancer. In Africa (where they lived) DDT was frequently used to counter Malaria and the same chemical is an integral component of many of the pesticides used on agricultural fields, which later forms a part of our food chain either through the vegetables we eat or through the red or white meat we consume. The concentration of DDT by the time it reaches the bloodstream of human beings reaches very high levels compared to its concentration in plants or animals. Consequently, the adverse effects of DDT in human beings can cause diseases such as cancer. As is the case of genetically modified food, people do not raise the issue of the usage of concentrated levels of pesticides because they themselves are not aware of the potential dangers associated with the use and exposure to such chemicals. In a documentary aired on BBC, which I saw a few years back a farmer was being interviewed and asked as to why he wore no protective mask while spraying the fields with pesticide and his reply was that he felt no need to do so. Just as Carson pointed out, this shows us how little awareness exists amongst the primary stakeholders who are most vulnerable to the detrimental effects of these chemicals. Moreover, when asked as to why he used pesticides he clarified that they were cheap and thus killed the pests. My friend who is studying Agricultural Engineering in India also hardly knows the potential threats which pesticides can cause to the environment. The justification provided by Carson for the excessive need to use of pesticides as being nothing but a farce is something I only partially agree with because the scenario of surplus food production is prevalent in