“Post [Hurricane] Sandy (which hurt the economy to the tune of $100 billion) and the drought ($150 billion), 74 percent of Americans have decided they’re very concerned about climate change and want something to happen” (McKibben 669). “A Moral Atmosphere” by Bill McKibben, argues that Americans are blaming climate change on big industries, while they could be part of the movement on climate change. McKibben goes on to show how Americans will use excuse after excuse to explain why the weakening ecosystem is not their fault, but in reality it can be solved by normal people. He concludes with that in the end everyone is going to need to step up and help fight to protect the damaged biosphere. “A Moral Atmosphere” uses strategies of statistics
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Throughout “A Moral Atmosphere”, McKibben illustrates how Americans choose to blame industries on global warming instead of acting. “But if 10 percent of people, once, they’ve changed the light bulbs, work all-out to change the system? That’s enough. That’s more than enough. It would be enough to match the power of the fossil fuel industry, enough to convince our legislators to put a price on carbon” (McKibben 670). McKibben uses statistics to show how Americans could be putting an end to climate change instead of waiting for industries to step up. He suggests that normal people should be the ones to start acting and do simple strategies like changing their light bulbs to be more eco-friendly. The statistics are effective and can show the reader why they should be the one to step up and be the change. Additionally, the author uses his personal experience to explain why people are not putting an end to wildlife destruction. “...People who have no intention of changing but are starting to feel some psychic tension. They feel guilty, and so they dump their guilt on Al Gore because he has two houses” (McKibben 670). Because the author has written many articles and books on the environment, he can use his personal experience to make a point. He is used to people calling him a hypocrite because he himself is not taking enough action to prevent climate change when in reality people are dumping their guilt on him. …show more content…
The story begins with the reader seeing the beautiful and colorful pages. Each page, is filled with bright and vibrant colors such as pink, yellow, purple and orange truffula trees. Around the trees, there is luscious green grass, a deep blue sky and Swomee-Swans smiling as they soar through the air or bathe in the clear water of the pond. Later in the story, the colorful pages are gone and have been replaced with dark and dreary colors of grey, black and white. The animals are no longer smiling, the truffula trees are chopped down and the only thing that remains is their stumps sticking out of the ground. The animals are all sad because they can’t breathe and are literally choking and coughing because of all of the pollution. The sharp contrast as the story progresses appeals to the emotions of the reader and makes the reader truly feel sorry for the problems that have occurred. Because Seuss plays on the reader’s emotions, the reader is more willing to be part of the change and help in the effort to protect the wilderness. On the last page, Dr. Seuss challenges the reader to not only feel sympathy for the environment, but to also make a difference by saving the truffula
Throughout “A Moral Atmosphere”, McKibben illustrates how Americans choose to blame industries on global warming instead of acting. “But if 10 percent of people, once, they’ve changed the light bulbs, work all-out to change the system? That’s enough. That’s more than enough. It would be enough to match the power of the fossil fuel industry, enough to convince our legislators to put a price on carbon” (McKibben 670). McKibben uses statistics to show how Americans could be putting an end to climate change instead of waiting for industries to step up. He suggests that normal people should be the ones to start acting and do simple strategies like changing their light bulbs to be more eco-friendly. The statistics are effective and can show the reader why they should be the one to step up and be the change. Additionally, the author uses his personal experience to explain why people are not putting an end to wildlife destruction. “...People who have no intention of changing but are starting to feel some psychic tension. They feel guilty, and so they dump their guilt on Al Gore because he has two houses” (McKibben 670). Because the author has written many articles and books on the environment, he can use his personal experience to make a point. He is used to people calling him a hypocrite because he himself is not taking enough action to prevent climate change when in reality people are dumping their guilt on him. …show more content…
The story begins with the reader seeing the beautiful and colorful pages. Each page, is filled with bright and vibrant colors such as pink, yellow, purple and orange truffula trees. Around the trees, there is luscious green grass, a deep blue sky and Swomee-Swans smiling as they soar through the air or bathe in the clear water of the pond. Later in the story, the colorful pages are gone and have been replaced with dark and dreary colors of grey, black and white. The animals are no longer smiling, the truffula trees are chopped down and the only thing that remains is their stumps sticking out of the ground. The animals are all sad because they can’t breathe and are literally choking and coughing because of all of the pollution. The sharp contrast as the story progresses appeals to the emotions of the reader and makes the reader truly feel sorry for the problems that have occurred. Because Seuss plays on the reader’s emotions, the reader is more willing to be part of the change and help in the effort to protect the wilderness. On the last page, Dr. Seuss challenges the reader to not only feel sympathy for the environment, but to also make a difference by saving the truffula