To What Extent Is Beavans Overall Argument Justified - Essay Example

Introduction The entire novel en d “No Impact Man” is more than just a work of art because Colin Beavan, the tries to showcase the idea that a good citizen must engage in doing and not just merely on discourse or verbal disputes just to make things happen. In the book, he tries to promote the idea that he is a bit fed up of complaining without being able to do something about what seems to be a good idea or right action. His book is more than just a compassion for the future of the planet earth, but above all, a way of showcasing how individuals could contribute to societal change even in their own little way. Beavan reminds us that a simple yet poweful word, concept or gesture could make a difference. Change is upon us. Beavan said, “We cannot wait for the system to change. We individuals are the system” (Beavan 221). Narration It started in 2006 when Beavan’s project was to live with little environmental impact together with his family at the heart of New York City. This project was trying to include a personal experiment that would have less detrimental impact on the environment while it would help ensure sustaining a high quality of life. Beavan’s novel is a narrative tool that successfully created a provocative appeal and attracted a vast stretch of intrigued audience especially in the midst of alarming concerns on the environmental crises. Beavan’s project touched various issues including food system sustainability, climate change, water scarcity, and materials and energy resource depletion (Beavan). His narrative started with how he was able to successfully convince his wife to see how he felt for the humanity’s lack of concern for the environment, which has become the heart of his claims as the ultimate reason of the prevailing environmental crises. In addition, Beavan’s project was simply an expression of revealing his discourse about the idea that if everyone would work together, societal change is coming along the way. For him, people are the system and if they want some change, it is not the system itself that has to be changed, but the people (Beavan 221). Confirmation What is the most astounding point of Beavan is the idea that humans have widely contributed to the vast changes in the environment, but unfortunately it could be dominantly on the bad side. This is the ultimate point of saying this, “My desire for the pizza was not the problem. The fact that it came on a disposable paper plate was the problem” (Beavan 65). His novel strongly depicts this point even in the first part which has been expounded all throughout in the rest of the pages. Beavan’s project of trying to live a less complicated life is an idea that depicts the life from the past which has limited contribution to substantial environmental impact. He absolutely tries to expound this point by sharing his experience and showing us how in his own little way he could make a difference and influence the world to take the relevant action. In addition, the way Beavan organizes his thought in the entire book sounds like he is strongly indoctrinated by the concept linked up with environmental crises that the global warming alarmists would want us to grasp. This is evident how he tries to integrate the idea of melting ice at the earth’s pole, increase water level and even his actual experience of the alarming climatic change aroud the world, which according to him did not exist before in his young age, which the humanity is compelled to experience if people have to do nothing about the climate change (Beavan 173). The tone of his voice in this context would strongly lead us to the point that Beavan is not hesitant to accept the scientific principle of cause and effect in order to understand why things happen. Another potential reason why he is convinced to believe that the humans have vibrant contribution to the prevailing environmental crises is the idea of associating his past experience with the climatic appearance from the past and at present. Added to this is the historical event that showcases the hesitant America to employ the Kyoto Protocol (Beavan 6). For Beavan, this sounds like allowing to piece the information together as the global warming alarmists are trying to blow the grounds on excessive human emission of green house gases which happened that the US has come to be on top of the list based on statistics. Beavan tried to agree on this by saying that the US is ‘one of the world’s largest producers or green house gases’ (Beavan 6). Thus, Beavan is trying to tell us about the significant implication of economic progress, political issues and the earth’s degrading environmental health status. He sounds very convincing as he is trying to balance the argument by revealing the evidences based on statistics, scientific concept of cause and effect, historical point of view and even his personal testimony. Industrialization has significantly existed, and as what Beavan argues as the core foundation of the prevailing environmental crises. One substantial proof is revealed in the book of Michelle Norris entitled ‘Hungry Planet: What The World Eats.’ While impoverished countries rely on the basic subsistence pattern by consuming mostly ordinary and unprocessed foods, people from improved nations have the opportunity to provide for themselves a varying processed foodstuff on their tables (NPR Books; Time Incorporated). This showcases the point that so many things have indeed changed in the human lifestyle and economically advanced countries like the US have greatly contributed to this progress. This in return to human increases production of garbages that according to Beavan are dirtier than what he could imagine (Beavan 281). Furthermore, pollution continues to exist, the reason for many people to drink dirty water and die from diseases associated with this unhealthy practice. The number of death from the impact of pollution alone according to Beavan has surpassed the World War II (Beavan 194). Refutation I totally agree with Beavan’s point of view that so much things have changed and how humans contributed to these changes particularly on the prevailing issues of environmental crises and the momentary degradation of the environment. The greatest opponents of Beavan concerning this issue could be the global warming skeptics who in their own ways have also used scientific experts to prove their claims that humans have contributed just a little of the prevailing environmental crises, which according to them are just part of the earth’s natural process. How could then the situation concerning the degradation of the environment be a normal natural process if the evidence suggests that humans have really contributed to polluting the mother nature? Humans have indeed trying to destroy the natural ecosystem and other organisms, our cohabitant in this world (Beavan 55). Unfortunately, the existence of the claims of Beavan’s opponents and their associated scientific proofs just made the idea of global warming to be treated as not an exact science in the scientific community. If I were to stand on behalf of Beavan knowing the substantial evidences he presented, his opponents must probably have committed ad verecundiam and misuse of experts. One strong point to back this claim is the association of environmental sustainability concern with the economic progress. Sadly, behind the global warming skeptics are people who are economists by heart. Conclusion This topic is important because Beavan is showing us the right way on how truly we could guarantee a sustainable and better life not only for ourselves, but everyone else’s, today and in the future. He tries to expose the main problem which if we are only keen to listen would make a difference for good, for as long as there is still time left and not yet too late for a new change. Beavan is a mark of a man who truly cares for the environment, who creates in its own way just to ensure sustainability for the humanity to continue to exist in a long time. Conservation is part of this sustainability and Beavan’s point of views try to showcase the importance of taking the opportunity to be concerned with the environment. After all, his point is that we are the ones who would ultimately suffer from the consequences of our actions and past mistakes. References Beavan, C. (2009). No impact man. 2009. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. . NPR Books. Hungry planet: what the world eats? 9 Nov. 2005. Web. 22 feb. 2013. . Time Incorporated. What the world eats, part 1. 2013. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. . Read More