Analysis Of Andrew Revkin's Carbon-Neutral Is Hip, But Is It Green?

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This rhetorical analysis essay describes how reducing carbon emissions that cause pollution and other harmful effects on the environment and the lives of the people can attain a clean environment. It is based on Andrew C. Revkin’s article Carbon-Neutral is Hip, but is it Green? This article explains how carbon-neutral companies reduce carbon emissions. The companies’ work is to estimate the amount of greenhouse gases that are produced by different bodies like big businesses, international banks and transportation sectors. The effects are then sold to these emitting parties who pay for projects such as algae fertilization and tree plantation that could absorb the emitted gases. The argument of the author of this article is in agreement with what most environmentalists claim. …show more content…

The author gives reliable examples, facts, estimates and statistics, which make his arguments to be based on logical reasoning. For instance, according to Andrew Revkin, European countries are using a cap-and-trade system that is effective in imposing charges on carbon. Also coal-burning plants are being shut in China. However, he believes that charging on emission is not a radical idea and the charge will not have any effect on American competitiveness. By stating that “The average American, by several estimates, generates more than 20 tons of carbon dioxide or related gases a year; the average resident of the planet about 4.5 tons.” The author is defiantly backing his argument with facts and numbers, logically appealing to the audience. Mentioning the “industry report card” and what it entails, the author is directing the audience towards certain facts to back up his claim. He goes on to give logical explanations on how much fuel would be consumed and how much one would spend on fuel on a midsize car for over 2000 miles to ensure low carbon emissions. In this case, the audience will do the mathematics and without doubt agree with the

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