Silent Earth averting the insect apocalypse Goulson Dave.

PART I: WHY INSECTS MATTER -- A brief history of insects -- The importance of insects -- The wonder of insects -- PART II: INSECT DECLINES -- Evidence for insect declines -- Shifting baselines -- PART III: CAUSES OF INSECT DECLINES -- Losing their home -- The poisoned land -- Weed control -- The green desert -- Pandora’s box -- The coming storm -- Bauble Earth -- Invasions -- The known and unknown unknowns -- Death by a thousand cuts -- PART IV: WHERE ARE WE HEADED? -- A view from the future -- PART V: WHAT CAN WE DO? -- Raising awareness -- Greening our cities -- The future of farming -- Nature everywhere -- Actions for everyone

Insects are essential for life as we know it. As they become more scarce, our world will slowly grind to a halt; we simply cannot function without them. Drawing on the latest ground-breaking research and a lifetime's study, Dave Goulson reveals the shocking decline of insect populations that has taken place in recent decades, with potentially catastrophic consequences. He passionately argues that we must all learn to love, respect and care for our six-legged friends. Eye-opening, inspiring and riveting, Silent Earth is part love letter to the insect world, part elegy, part rousing manifesto for a greener planet. It is a call to arms for profound change at every level - in government policy, agriculture, industry and in our own homes and gardens. Although time is running out, it is not yet too late for insect populations to recover. We may feel helpless in the face of many of the environmental issues that loom on our horizon, but Goulson shows us how we can all take simple steps to encourage insects and counter their destruction.