Kendra Toot
Liberty University
ENGL 101
Professor Ruth Ronk
January 24, 2022
I. Introduction
A. Hook audience
1. Since humans are the biggest cause of pollution, we should be the ones to
fix it
B. Identify the principle
1. Our planet is dying, and if we do not start taking care of it so will the
human race.
C. Explain the opposition to your argument, demonstrate that common ground is
possible, and state how that common ground may be found
1. Today’s generations have different short-term priorities; it takes precedent
over anything long-term that does not affect them directly.
D. State your thesis
1. Humanity needs to do everything in its power to save the environment.
II. Several body paragraphs to address opposing arguments and demonstrate
understanding/common ground
A. Topic sentence
1. Modern-day lifestyles are constantly busy and chaotic, and not everyone
can see past their own lives to take care of others.
B. Evidence
1. “Many people are too overburdened by their modern lifestyles to care less
about anything other than their everyday wants and needs.”
C. Analysis
1. Technological advances are the main focus of today’s generation, but
technology can still make advances while making advances in
2. People do not realize that any small change does matter in a journey to
save the environment.
D. Summative sentence
1. Modern-day lifestyle choices can be sustainable too, and if you ignore the
problem at hand it will only get worse.
III. Several body paragraphs to address opposing arguments and demonstrate
understanding/common ground
A. Topic sentence
1. People believe if they ignore the problem it will go away or somehow
change.
B. Evidence
1. “Ignoring climate change in the short term has benefits both to individuals
and to organizations.”
C. Analysis
1. When individuals refuse to acknowledge the realities around them, they
can continue to believe it simply does not exist or that it is not their
problem.
2. One benefit of ignoring climate change is products are cheaper because
people do not care about their carbon footprint.
3. People are starting to realize there are little changes to leave a smaller
carbon footprint.
4. The more sustainable options do not always take more time, but they can
also be cheaper in the long run.
D. Summative sentence
1. Sustainable items cost more money upfront but are normally also cheaper
in the long run, and it helps with the overall waste of everyday life.
IV. State your argument
A. Topic sentence
1. Humanity as a whole should slowly start making changes to become less
wasteful
B. Evidence
1. “In short, there is much evidence that human behavior can adversely affect
the natural environment in a variety of ways and that the forces that
motivate environmentally detrimental behavior are likely to become even
stronger in the future.”
2. There is growing evidence that human behavior can negatively affect the
natural environment in many ways, and the forces motivating such
behavior will only become more intense in the future.
C. Analysis
1. The way the world is headed could mean then end to life as we know it.
The way humanity as a whole treats the earth causes nature and animals
D. Summative sentence
1. Sustainable and less wasteful living is achievable by everyone if done in
small increments.
V. Conclusion paragraph
A. Summarizes the main points of your body paragraphs
1. People are starting to listen to experts talk about climate change and
nature, that it is changing negatively because of the effect humans have on
it.
2. People can still have short-term priorities and other focuses while still
trying to make changes.
3. People can start slow and make sustainable changes, which helps produce
less waste.
B. Restates your thesis claim in a new way
1. Humanity needs to start making changes, whether big or small.
C. Leaves the reader with final though and/or a call to action
1. Everyone needs to start doing their part in protecting the planet because
before long there migh not be one to protect.
References:
NBK236779
“If the human population continues to grow and per capita resource use rises as living standards
increase in developing countries, the proportion of terrestrial biological production co-opted for
human use will continue to rise.”
nature-environment-climate-change
Our current agricultural lands can sustain our growing population simply by reducing food
waste, while at the same time rebuilding near-shore artisanal fishing and developing regenerative
agriculture that produces healthier local foods by rebuilding the soil and absorbing some of the
carbon we release into the world's atmosphere.
Opposition:
People-really-care-environment
“Many people are too overburdened by their modern lifestyles to care less about anything other
than their everyday wants and needs.”
why-people-arent-motivated-to-address-climate-change
“Ignoring climate change in the short term has benefits both to individuals and to organizations.”
“Second, climate change is a nonlinear problem.”
