First Draft Research Paper

DeVry University

Proposal for Alternative Energy Sources

I. Introduction

A. Topic

1) Research question: Will the adoption of alternative energy sources help solve problems related to global warming?

2) Working thesis: Climate change is one of the most challenging conundrums of our time and we must embrace the adoption of cleaner energy sources to avert the catastrophic impacts of global warming such as disruptions to food systems and coastal flooding.

3) Angle: While the United States is the world’s largest economy, it is one of the leading emitters of greenhouse gases. Overreliance on fossil fuels has been blamed for the increasing problems of environmental pollution. There is need for the U.S. and other states to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide through the adoption of cleaner energy sources.

B. Context

1) If the United States does not take prompt actions to reduce environmental pollution, dangers of global warming could be unavoidable.

2) The adoption of alternative fuels would reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by 25 percent by the year 2020. The electricity demand would also be reduced by 15 percent by 2020 if the adoption of cleaner energy sources is embraced (Ceres.org, 2014).

C. Audience

1) My main audience will be entrepreneurs as they play an important role in closing the alternative energy investment gap. Businesses around the world have been instrumental in supporting various policies that have seen the expansion of investment plans in alternative energy (Ceres.org, 2014).

2) My second audience will include my instructor, my fellow students and the general public who rely on fossil fuels to run their cars every day.

3) I am convinced that my audience shares my sentiments and principles and will likely support me on this note.

III. Evidence

A. Research collected so far

Fossil fuels account for over 80 percent of the United States contribution to global warming pollution (Greenpeace.org, 2014). The existing technologies have introduced cleaner energy sources such solar, wind, and geothermal power. Alternative energy sources would serve as a solution to the problems of global warming.

B. Research to be collected

Yet alternative energy sources have been identified as a solution to the changing of climate patterns in the world, I will seek additional evidence to show the impact of cleaner energy sources on global warming. I will research on individual sources such as wind, solar and geothermal power to support my claim. Making a thorough research on what is currently being done in the United States and other developed economies would be a good start to making my thesis supported. I will also look at countries such as China and other developing states and study the efforts being made to avert global warming.

III. Conclusion

I propose that the adoption of alternative energy sources will help in solving global warming challenges. Fossil fuels account for the changing of climate patterns in the world, which has resulted in the rising of temperatures. Food insecurity is on the increase because of these changes to the climate. Wind, solar and geothermal power have been identified as the cleaner sources of energy that can be used as an alternative to fossil fuels. These forms of energy do not emit greenhouse gases to the environment and can therefore reduce the impacts of global warming. It is therefore my proposal that the United States, which is the largest economy in the word, should embrace the use of alternative energy sources and prevent the dangers of global warming.

IV. References