Analysis Of Michael Pollan's Essay 'Why Bother?'

I believe climate change is becoming a more serious issue as the year’s progress. As we all know the summers are getting hotter and the winters seem to not end fast enough. One reason I believe plays a big part in the changes is the big hand that humans have on the Earth. Every year, there are tons of CO2 being released into the atmosphere. This CO2 comes from a number of things such as: fossil fuels like coal or oil, energy generation, transport, and households. Climate change is affecting so many people and the nature all over the world. There are several little things that can be done by every person to make a big difference in the long run. For starters, let’s avoid CO2 emissions by stopping the air plane costs of sending businessmen to meet in person with video conferencing instead, and improve energy efficiency. Other solutions can be as simple as stopping forest loss and replacing high-carbon coal with low-carbon gas. Limiting climate change can be done, but it is up to the community to make it happen.

An urgent issue, climate change is undoubtedly a sweeping global dilemma of paramount importance. Though most people are aware of this fact, many either choose to ignore it, or acknowledge it, but take no action against it. Those who do choose to take action usually attempt to combat climate change by using the methods that are most commonly discussed: becoming more energy efficient, recycling, and reducing emissions through using more sustainable transportation. Though these actions are helpful, they are not the most efficient way to counter climate change.

Climate change is an issue that affects all, and yet some do not even accept that it exists. Climate change is causing glaciers to melt, sea levels to rise, more droughts and heat waves to occur, and even more intense tropical storms. These are just a few examples of the effects of climate change, but there are even more devastating effects such as polar bears having to search for new food sources, on land, because of the sea ice they rely on for hunting melting at a more rapid pace. Climate change enthusiasts have even said, “The struggle to save the global environment is in one way much more difficult than the struggle to vanquish Hitler, for this time the war is with ourselves. We are the enemy, just as we have only ourselves as allies”(“Al”). The effects of climate change are indeed devastating, but the question I want to find an answer to is how do we lessen the effects of these effects that climate change causes? The reason I want to find a solution to my question is that I believe that the Earth is counting down towards catastrophe, and a solution must be found to save it. To find an answer to this question I explored five sources, all of which are articles.

Each of these writings were prompted by the same situation: climate change. However, Michael Pollan was inspired by a different reason than Steingraber. Steingraber’s main reason for writing was to inspire people to make the world better for their children. Pollan, in contrast, wrote to put an end to climate change in general.

Industry is about efficiency; ideally, turning the most profit from the least expense. Therefore, how can we trust an industry to make an ethical choice that will potentially hurt their business model? As exhumed by the articles “Escape The Western Diet” by Michael Pollan and “Don’t Blame The Eater” by David Zinczenko, the health care and food industries are not interested in suggesting we shift our diets towards a what they define as a “healthier”, more natural one, but rather they are set upon developing and distributing a variety of processed, nutritionally-overloaded supplements and cheap foods that conveniently further their return of profit.

In the article “Why Bother” by Michael Pollan, the author addresses the issue of climate change and what we as individuals can do. Pollan starts by making the primary assertion that it is up to each individual to change their habits of mind to curtail the current climate crisis. He believes that by the simple act of gardening it will severely help the situation at hand. During the course of Pollan’s article he gives many examples of what he believes we are doing wrong and how we can change. Through the use of many different rhetorical strategies he is able to support his case very effectively. Pollan clearly states the situation and purpose of his article, along with minor and major claims to support his ideas.

Structuring an argument using facts, helps set up curiosity and challenges the reader, to question uncertainty. Facts in a case, also strengthen the author’s claim and it can help weaken unreliable sources. Arguments of facts, also enhance interpretations of opposing views by providing supporting evidence. In Michelle Konstantinovsky’s “In Defense of Michael Pollan (Or, How Sexism Allegations Boost Web Traffic),” Konstantinovsky uses factual arguments to dissect allegations from opposing critics who are questioning Michael Pollan’s liability. These authors, Solan, and Jezebel wrote in public blogs that Pollan is an anti-feminist based on his perception of women’s role in the kitchen. Konstantinovsky also used her

Most environment and health arguments surround the misuse of nitrogen and corn. In “What’s Eating America” Michael Pollan used the classical oration to structure his argument that America depends on nitrogen and corn; his argument consisted of an introduction, background, lines of argument, alternative argument, and a conclusion. The introduction, also known as the exordium is where the writer introduces his subject of argument. In Pollan’s introduction, he starts gaining the readers’ interest by referencing the connection that all societies even America runs on corn. “For the great edifice of variety and choice that is an American supermarket rests on a remarkably narrow biological foundation: corn”. Although, he does

In the future global warming is expected to have a warmer atmosphere. This will begin to lead to acidic oceans within high sea levels. The future is up to us and what we do to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. The more we emit the larger future changes will be. Global average temperature is expected to warm at least twice as much in the next 100 years as it has during the last 100 years. An increase in the temperature and an increase in average temperatures worldwide implies more frequent and intense extreme heat events or heat waves. Global warming has already had observable effects on the environments glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers, and lakes is breaking up earlier plant and animal ranges have shifted and trees are flowering sooner. We can prevent global warming in the future by saving gas, as well as the release of emissions, by walking more. Remember, by saving a gallon of gas you can help keep 20 pounds of CO2 out of the atmosphere. Eat greens, how much of the food in your grocery store is imported from across the world? Transportation is a major contributor of greenhouse gases. Eating locally grown food to reduce transportation emissions. Use less hot water: Simple social fixes like setting your water heater at 120 degrees, using low flow shower heads, washing your clothes in cold water or using the energy saving setting on your dishwasher can go a long

Michael Pollan has recognized that there is an issue in today’s society, and that issue is climate change. Within the article of,” Why Bother”, by Michael Pollan, he talks about an effect that society itself may have inflicted upon themselves. But looking at the actual reasoning behind why the climate is changing is baffling. In the text of “Why Bother”, Michal Pollen talks about climate change is on us, yet before reading the text, I assumed that maybe climate change was just destiny, and continues to happen because it’s due. Yet now I believe that we as a people, have actually caused climate change to progress quicker than as planned. Pollan explains that we as a people have to be active in the change we want to see. I can say I concur and

This summer in Tennessee was one of the hottest summers in recent years. The climate change had a noticeable effect on the environment. The water systems in at least eight Tennessee counties reported drought issues. Those counties had to preserve water for some time, and the vegetation became very dry. There was an ordinance put in place for no open fires. This drought affected farmers, farmlands, and their livestock. Streams and other water sources were drying up which also influenced the ecosystem (Hodgson, 2008). Away that I would reduce the use of carbon emissions would be to carpool which would assist in less pollution. Renewable sources such as the wind and solar panels would be one of the ways to decrease carbon emissions. Natural processes

Climate change in the word is a problem. People that don't use transport, or use non- Co2 producing forms of transport are going through something called Climate Change. The Climate Change is affecting the weather and weather changing problems can cause illnesses. We should be looking for other ways to not produce co2, in order to prevent Climate Change from affecting the world from having serious causes, we will need to have new technology introduced.

Air pollution in the form of carbon dioxide also increases the earth’s temperature;climate changes expand the production of air pollutants. People are trying to put things in order so there is less air pollution and it will not have a big impact on climate change. Airborne pollutants are contributing to global climate change; air pollution can create a disastrous outcome for the nation. Cutting carbon pollution right now so the next generation will not inherit the climate changes would be a good start. President Obama created a plan to address this problem. Thinking Obama's Clean Power Plan would make the issue better it made the issue a bigger dispute between companies because it would be expensive

Climate change is a worldwide issue. Not only is firm action and leadership critical in the United States, but also international efforts need to work toward reducing emissions. Strong public demand for climate change is crucial to enact effective global warming solutions for the future. Unless immediate action is taken, climate change will continue to escalate and continue to affect the entire planet. Ways nations and individuals can help repair the earth's atmosphere is reduce air pollution, use green energy, stop deforestation. Reducing air pollution could have a dramatic effect on climate change. Humans could impact this reduction by simple things such as conserving

Automobiles are a major producer of greenhouse gas. One gallon of fuel burned puts five pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Let’s say that an average car gets 25 miles to the gallon, and that car has a ten gallon tank. Every time a car gets filled up with gas, another fifty pounds of carbon dioxide have been put back into the atmosphere, and that is just one car. The automobile industry is very important to the world economy, so I am not saying that we should stop making cars, but there are other solutions. The recent trend of hybrid electric cars that get up to fifty miles to the gallon are becoming more popular. Also public transportation is very important. City dwellers that live downtown, do not need to drive their cars to work. Every major city has a form of public transportation that can get anyone around the city, and for that gallon of gas a bus burns the same five pounds reaches the atmosphere, but instead of one