Originally published on Goodreads.
This book was published in the 1960s and represents the situation at the time, so things have certainly moved on since then, but it is amazing to read about the ignorance and willful disregard for evidence resulting in the extreme damage that humans have done to the environment.
There is no such thing as an entirely pure free market economy. Where negative externalities come into play, such as with the environment, regulation is a necessary component. The degree of carelessness and blindness to any evidence highlighted in this book shows why there are certain areas which always need effective government oversight.
Whilst there is sometimes too much of a play on emotion, this is a great example of how science can be communicated effectively to a general audience, not only to help teach but also to push a policy objective. It’s no wonder that this book kick-started the environmentalist movement and helped policy-makers truly understand what their role should be.