My name is Jason Covert, and I am a Geography major in my first year here at Bridgewater State University. My main goal as a student is to gain new perspectives on world issues and be able to look at them objectively in order to develop an unbiased opinion. This is one of the reasons I have found my passion in the sciences. I have long been interested in meteorology, but have more recently been intrigued by our environmental future as humans. At this time, I am unsure where I will end up with regard to a career, but I hope to combine my two interests around the topic of global climate change in a scientific field. As people begin to understand the effects global warming on our future, I believe a career in a scientific field is relatively secure considering the state of the economy.
Potential topics for my first argumentative essay and my stand on them
1. Whether or not humans have an impact on climate change.
I believe that humans have a significant impact on climate change, and have an obligation to try to reduce its effects.
2. The political atmosphere of the United States with regard to addressing future problems.
The current political atmosphere in the United States is not in the best interest of the general population.
3. Whether or not government should help fund private businesses.
Under some circumstances, government funding is necessary for the public good.
4. Alternative energy vs. fossil fuels (Keystone Pipeline)
We need to start investing in alternative energy and replacing fossil fuel based infrastructure and technology.
5. Whether or not financial aid should be merit based.
The current system is flawed because it is based on parent’s income rather than the student’s abilities. This, in turn, only punishes parents who make too much to get financial aid.
Assignment 1:
Response to New York Times, "In Praise of Tap Water."
1.We must start considering the environmental impact of using individual sized water bottles for drinking water
2.-The cost of tap water is significantly less than that of bottled water imported from all around the world.
-Plastic water bottles require a large amount of petroleum to make and ship. Petroleum is a limited resource that could be better used.
-Continuing acceptance of bottled water may reduce support for public water supplies, causing a loss of a major valuable resource.
3."The real change, though, will come when millions of ordinary consumers realize that they can save money, and save the planet, by turning in their water bottles and turning on the tap."
4.The writer should have included the argument regarding poor drinking water quality in some areas. The refutation of this argument would be that there are many options on the market for home filtering systems. The cost advantages of tap water would still be there minus a small up front investment. There is also the convenience factor that proponents of water bottles would point out. A water bottle is an easy quick drink in places where water fountains may not be present. The writer could refute this argument by pushing eco-friendly refillable water bottles. These bottles are environmentally sound and can be carried all around including in places with few public drinking sources.
5.The purpose of the last paragraph is to incite the reader to think about their actions and whether their use of plastic water bottles is justified.
Response to Polandspring.com, "Poland Spring Water."
Opposing arguments to plastic water bottle use are that while they are 100% recyclable, far too many still make their way into the trash, essentially wasting the petroleum resource they are made from. The visual also emphasizes the changes from the previous generation of water bottle including the reduction of plastic, labeling, and improving it's crush-ability for recycling. The opposing argument of this would simply revolve around the fact that the bottles still exist, and still face the same challenges. They still will not be recycled in majority, still use a lot of plastic, and still are unnecessary given our tap water resource.
Response to Purewater2go.com, "Pure Water 2Go."
By showing used water bottles, the ad portrays the use and disposal of old water bottles as a negative. It argues that filter bottles could significantly reduce the amount of plastic water bottles that are thrown away every day.
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