The Use and Importance of Rhetoric in Persuasion - Term Paper Example

Air pollution Introduction The use of rhetoric in article is one of the methods that draw attention and emotionsto the readers thus enhancing their understanding of the intended message. Many articles tend to use rhetoric devices and principles to express the intensity of a situation thus posing an emotional alert to the reader. Air pollution is one of the major current events being discussed all over the world. Air is an essential component in the ecosystem and its resent distortion has led to severe outcomes in many regions worldwide. Many news headlines in magazine emphasize on reminding the general public to maintain the natural state of the environment in order to be safe. In this case, they use oxymoronic titles such as ‘the smoking world’ to demonstrate the effects of industrial waste disposal to the environment. This article examines the use and importance of rhetoric in persuasion. It draws its examples from published article on the causes and effects of air pollution to the environment. 2. Summary of argument 2.1 New York Times: China Lets Media Report on Air Pollution Crisis Many parts of china infested with diseases which occur as a result of hazardous air in the environment. Air pollution is a major concern in china due to the high rise of industrial growth in the country. Most industries are built in the vicinity of human settlements thus making pollution impacts intense to their neighbouring populations. The polluted air situation has led to eruption of various diseases that threaten the health of people living in industrial areas. The government has proven to be ignorant of the situation as it is focused on economic development through the increase and improvement of local industries. Due to this aspect, the ministry in-charge of environmental issues is accused of ignoring its responsibilities which include the enforcement of environment conservation laws and protecting the general public through facilitation of basic environmental education. The author of ‘The New York time’ newspaper also accuses the media of ignoring its responsibility which involves creating awareness through public education provision. A research study released by a private environmental firm indicated that the rate of pollution information disclosure in china has decreased since the year 2005(Wong1, 1). The Chinese government initiated policies that reduce communication costs by using Bishops, priests and leaders of various organizations to pass environmental education and promote awareness to the general public in the country. For this reason, a large percentage in the country lack basic environmental education as the government has failed to invest more in promoting awareness on air pollution crisis across the country. 2.2 New York Times: Air Pollution Linked to 1.2 Million Premature Deaths in China Air pollution has contributed to approximately 1.2million deaths in china since the year 2010. The figure represent nearly 40% of premature deaths globally which occur as an outcome of environmental distortion and air toxicity (Wong11, 1). Environmental researchers declared “Ambient particulate matter pollution” as the fourth mortality risk in china. The research analysis was compiled and presented in the year 2010. This analysis portrays the air pollution situation in china. China is prone to an increase in mortality rate due to the increase of industries which pollute the natural environment. The growing outrage in Chinese urban cities is as a result of untenable intensity of air pollution. A large population of the Chinese society lives in industrial regions. This notion has led to a decrease in the level of life expectancy in the country from an average of 60year to 56years since 2005. Air pollution is one of the major contributors of the gap between the young and elderly society. A large population in china is made of young people between the age of 15-24 years and the aged society of between 65-73 years. This is because the youth group made of people between the ages of 24-40 years tends to settle in urban industrial areas in search from employment. The air pollution rate in the urban regions reduces their life expectance as they are exposed to toxic chemical in the air which is released by numerous industries built together with residential houses. A high percentage of the youth population is prone to diseases that erupt as a result of poor air conditions in the urban regions. The exposure to toxic environment affects their health thus leading to an increase in premature deaths caused by air pollution. 2.3 Atmospheric Environments Atmospheric Environments talk about combustion emissions and its impact to the quality of air in the environment. The article displays a multi scale air quality module to show the impacts of main emission sections in the US. There are various emission sectors in the United States which contribute to destruction of the natural environment. Major air pollution sectors in the US include: electric power generation, road transportation, industry, marine transportation, commercial and residential sources as well as rail transportation (Caiazzo et al, 198). Epidemiological evidences are used to relay long-term exposure from selected populations. The results depict the changes in ozone, PM2.5 concentrations and premature death incidences. Environmental protection agencies established national air quality standards that are used to rate air pollution in the atmosphere. The US government invested in a 30years budget of 2 trillion dollars to support implementation of Clean Air Act in 1990(Caiazzo et al, 199). The act is aimed at minimizing high environmental emissions resulting from economic activities in the states. The Clean Air Act initiative has helped in the reduction of early deaths due to toxicity in the atmosphere. 2.4 Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand ‘Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand’ talks about the state of air pollution in New Zealand. New Zealand is ranked as one of the most populated countries in the world. Citizens in this country are exposed to various health risks. The study analyses the cost of reducing air pollution in New Zealand. The health risks affiliated with contaminated air include; bronchitis, chronic diseases and growth deficiencies (Fisher et al, 1). Motor vehicles emissions, combustion of solid fuel in homes and industrial as well as commercial activities are among the major sources of air pollution in New Zealand. The study provides an epidemiology of long-term and short-term effects of exposure to contaminated air that in turn leads to mortality (Fisher et al, 3). Premature mortality is caused by cumulative effects of contaminated air over a period of lime. The period is determined by the amount of toxicity in the air. In this case, urban air pollution is the major cause of premature mortality in most cities and towns around New Zealand. 2.5 Reducing Air Pollution from the Oil and Natural Gas Industry Oil and natural gas industries are the major sources of air pollution in the category of industrial pollution. VOCs are among the waste products from manufacturing companies in the United State. VOCs help in the increasing of Ozone gas in the atmosphere. Ozone gas sterilizes asthma attacks in asthmatic patients (United States Protection Agency, 5). It also leads to intense radiation which causes skin defects. Air toxics such as sulfuric dioxide gases cause birth defects, neurological problems and cancer I advanced cases. Methane is another industrial emission which helps in the creation of atmospheric Ozone that is dangerous to human health. 1.6 National geographic: Air pollution National geographic website focuses on the effects of carbon IV oxide in the atmosphere. Carbon IV oxide has the highest percentage in greenhouse gases and is affiliated to global warming. Carbon IV oxide is emitted by daily human activities such as burning of fossil fuels. In the past 150 years, concentration of carbon IV oxide in the atmosphere has increased drastically compared to 1000years before rise of industrialization (National Geographic, 1). The advancement of technology has led to the introduction of machinery which has replaced human labour. As a result, green house emission is rampant thus affecting climate and human health. 3. Rhetoric analysis 3.1 New York Times: China Lets Media Report on Air Pollution Crisis (“We have been rolling out the India- and China-specific numbers, as they speak more directly to national leaders than regional numbers,” said Robert O’Keefe, the vice president of the Health Effects Institute) (Wong1, 1). The New York time newspaper reveals the air pollution crisis in Beijing attributing the situation to lack of public education from environmental and health control ministries in China. Robert O Keefe provides a testimonial reflection of the situation saying that the ministry of Health in the country only reach the top official in religious and organization with massive population while ignoring the affected public. The government assumption is that the education is passed to the general public in a cost effective manner as it is cheaper to educate the top influential people in the society as they are able to reach the general public through regular religious or work gatherings. However, the assumption has contributed to a small percentage improvement in environmental advocacy thus low spread of education of air conservation. As a result Robert O Keefe who is also a health and environmental expert is used to convince the newspaper readers on the causes and dangerous effects of public ignorance towards the environment. The author in the New York magazine uses ‘ethos’ to persuade readers as it depicts intensity in air pollution crisis experienced in many parts of china. The use of testimonial approach from an expert helps in affirming both the government and general public ignorance on environmental issues. As results, readers from other regions are able to picture the environmental situation in china due to reliability of the source. (“I’ve never seen such broad Chinese media coverage of air pollution,” said Jeremy Goldkorn a business consultant in Beijing who tracks the Chinese news media) (Wong1, 1). The Chinese media is also accused of ignorance as it disregards relaying environmental education to the public. The author of the New York Times newspaper uses an interview from a business consultant in Beijing who has experience with performance of media stations and newspaper in china. In this case, ethos is used to persuade the readers into believing the environmental state in China. 3.2 New York Times: Air Pollution Linked to 1.2 Million Premature Deaths in China The author in The New York Times newspaper employs the use of logos in persuading readers on the intensity behind air pollution crisis in China. This concept promotes affirmation to readers as it creates a sense of truth in the message being relayed. For instance, “Outdoor air pollution contributed to 1.2 million premature deaths in China in 2010, nearly 40 percent of the global total.” the reader is able to picture the situation in the referred region without practically being in the actual vicinity. Logos creates strength in an argument. The author of The New York Times uses this device to summaries a collection of variables thus making the article comprehensible and easy to read. For instance, “Air pollution ranked seventh on the worldwide list of risk factors, contributing to 3.2 million deaths in 2010” (Wong11, 1). The author summarizes actual figure by converting them to general approximation in order which makes the message easy to comprehend without changing the intended meaning. The statement obtained from the newspaper affirms the position of the air pollution crisis in its contribution to mortality rate when ranked in a global scale. It is supported by an estimated figure of 3.2 million which persuades the readers on the intense effects of air pollution in a global environment. Logos also uses range value to avoid bulk of using actual figure that may lead to confusion. For instance, “The report’s authors had concluded that 350,000 to 400,000 people die prematurely in China each year because of outdoor air pollution” (Wong11, 1). The reader is able to estimate the actual figures from a range of figure displayed in an article. The author in The New York Times magazine uses this concept to create sense and understanding of the impacts of premature deaths in China. The author also employs the concept of pathos to stimulate emotions in readers. For instance, he quotes a response from an angry business man in Beijing which condemns the ignorance in media societies towards airing environmental pollution coverage, “I’ve never seen such broad Chinese media coverage of air pollution,” said Jeremy Goldkorn (Wong11, 1). 3.3 Atmospheric Environments The authors in ‘Atmospheric Environments’ use logos to strengthen their argument on air pollution status in the US. The authors use tables with simplified figures to enhance the reader’s understanding. They also use diction by applying jargon cliché with expression such as PM2.5 mg m-3(Caiazzo et al, 199). This concept persuades the reader as it shows professionalism in the research thus strengthening authors’ argument. 3.4 Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand The authors in the article use empathy and guilt to emphasize on the mortality in New Zealand. For instance, “an increase in daily non-external mortality (excluding injuries and self-inflicted deaths) in the age groups above 65 years of age: approximately 1% increase in mortality for each increase of PM10 by 10 μ g/m3.)”(Fisher et al, 3). The authors also use of jargon clichés to emphasize the intensity of air pollution in New Zealand. The authors also used logos to simplify the figures of the affected population. 3.5 Reducing Air Pollution from the Oil and Natural Gas Industry The authors employ the use of rhetoric by quoting figures of annual emissions from industries in the US. For instance, ‘VOCs: 190,000 to 290,000 tons, Air toxics: 12,000 to 20,000 tons’ (United States Protection Agency, 11). This enhances persuasion to the readers as it affirms the reliability of the research. The use of photographs from industries emitting the waste gases in the atmosphere is used to convince the reader on the intensity of industrial emissions in air pollution. 3.6 National geographic: Air pollution The author National geographic website uses picture diction to show the nature of pollution carbon IV oxide generating sources. Ethos is also used in form of jargon cliché to persuade the reader on reliability of the information source. For instance, the author shows expertise by using CFCs instead of chlorofluorocarbons (National Geographic, 1). Rhetoric use of logos is present in the text as the author the years of carbon IV oxide emission by giving and actual figure. This notion persuades the reader on reliability of the information. 4. Conclusion The six articles portray the effects of air pollution in various geographical locations in the world. The authors use rhetoric concepts to emphasize on the intensity of air pollution situation in these regions. As a result, the readers are able to understand the extremity of air pollution situation globally. Air is an importance component in human existence. Due to this aspect, the authors emphasis on the maintenance on a natural atmosphere free from air pollution. Work Cited Caiazzo Fabio, Ashok Akshay, Waitz Ian A, Steve H.L. Yim, Steven R.H. Barrett. Atmospheric Environment: Air pollution and early deaths in the United States. Part I: Quantifying the impact of major sectors in 2005: Cambridge. Elsevier. Published: January 2, 2013. 199-207. Print Fisher G, Kjellstrom T, Kingham S, Hales S, Shrestha R. Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand: Wellington. Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand. Published: June 5, 2007. 1-12. Print National Geographic. National Geographic: Air Pollution. http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/pollution-overview United States Protection Agency. Reducing Air Pollution from EPA’s the Oil and Natural Gas Industry. New York. Published: April 17, 2012. Print Wong Edward (1). The New York Times: Asian Pacific. New York Times: China Lets Media Report on Air Pollution Crisis. New York. New York Times. Published: January 14, 2013. 1-1. Print Wong Edward (11). The New York Times: Asian Pacific. New York Times: Air Pollution Linked to 1.2 Million Premature Deaths in China. New York. New York Times. Published: Published: April 1, 2013. 1-1. Print Read More