One major theme of the <em>Silent Spring</em> is the negative power of humans to affect natural world by polluting and making it lethal with the use of pesticides. Carson argues that pesticides have harmful effects on food, on wildlife and on humans. The author gives the example of DDT which is a prime killer and goes on to blame the chemical industry of deliberately spreading wrong information.
The book explores the effects of pesticides on natural ecosystems, on foods that humans consume which lead to cancer and other serious diseases. Critics said that Silent Spring changed the balance of power in the world since many policy changes came into force in the use of DDT and other pesticides and environment-policy changes. <em>Silent Spring</em> helped cause a reversal in the US' national pesticide policy, which led to a nationwide ban on DDT for agricultural uses. It helped create the US Environmental Protection Agency in 1970.
