Why Bother By Michael Pollan Summary

The Earth is our home, so why don’t we take care of it and preserve it? Most people think that they can’t make a difference as just one individual in a world of over 7 billion people, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Anything from being a vegetarian, which highly reduces the amount of water used and byproduct created when farming animals, to carpooling to school helps combat global warming. By convincing my English class that global warming is an important issue that we are facing today and will face in the future, I hope to get them to take their own initiatives to reduce their footprint on our planet Earth.

An urgent issue, climate change is undoubtedly a sweeping global dilemma of paramount importance. Though most people are aware of this fact, many either choose to ignore it, or acknowledge it, but take no action against it. Those who do choose to take action usually attempt to combat climate change by using the methods that are most commonly discussed: becoming more energy efficient, recycling, and reducing emissions through using more sustainable transportation. Though these actions are helpful, they are not the most efficient way to counter climate change.

In the article “Why Bother” by Michael Pollan, the main point focus around the idea that humans tend to be careless to help our planet that is on the verge of falling. As humans, we become blind to the issues that surround us and few believe in change. The idea to help or be helped is unlikely especially when many people are very self-center. Michael Pollan believes the problem in which change can’t be made is due to “specialization”. Wendell Berry who’s a farmer and writer once said, “the deep problem standing behind all the other problems of industrial civilization is “specialization,” which he regards as the “disease of the modern character.” (Pollan, 91). When you focus on one thing and continue to do that you began to adapt and become unaware of change. The world cannot continue to survive if there’s no ability to expand your knowledge prior to what your brain already knows.

Al Gore states that he believes humans are the cause of the current climate emergency and the rapid rise of co2 levels in the atmosphere. He believes that we can also be the cure to end

In the article “Why Bother” by Michael Pollan, the author addresses the issue of climate change and what we as individuals can do. Pollan starts by making the primary assertion that it is up to each individual to change their habits of mind to curtail the current climate crisis. He believes that by the simple act of gardening it will severely help the situation at hand. During the course of Pollan’s article he gives many examples of what he believes we are doing wrong and how we can change. Through the use of many different rhetorical strategies he is able to support his case very effectively. Pollan clearly states the situation and purpose of his article, along with minor and major claims to support his ideas.

Most of the time people get so caught up talking about making a difference, rather than focusing in taking action to solve the problem. In the essay “Why Bother” by Pollan, the writer describes people’s attitudes regarding climate change and he offers possible solutions if people just try to help. The idea of “why bother” refers to people’s expectations when it comes to making a difference, like driving less, but these individuals believe that one person doesn't have such power in solving a problem. However, Pollan then says, “If you do bother you will set an example to other people” pg. 317. With this said, Pollan not only bring out a solution but also hope.

Michael Pollan describes the effects of climate change and the different things that people can do to help correct this problem in his essay entitled "Why Bother?" He believes that even the simplest changes can create a huge difference. One of the things the he says will help is taking one day out of the week to use as little technology as possible. Things to not use include cars/motor vehicles, cellphones, electricity, and more. Just taking one day away from these things will help reduce pollution. Another thing he says would help a lot is planting a garden. Planting a garden will provide people with their own home grown food which reduces the need for food shipments and commercial growing. This reduced the pollution caused by the vehicle

Michael Pollan has recognized that there is an issue in today’s society, and that issue is climate change. Within the article of,” Why Bother”, by Michael Pollan, he talks about an effect that society itself may have inflicted upon themselves. But looking at the actual reasoning behind why the climate is changing is baffling. In the text of “Why Bother”, Michal Pollen talks about climate change is on us, yet before reading the text, I assumed that maybe climate change was just destiny, and continues to happen because it’s due. Yet now I believe that we as a people, have actually caused climate change to progress quicker than as planned. Pollan explains that we as a people have to be active in the change we want to see. I can say I concur and

Pollan is right in his mindset to push humanity into action in order to undo the damage we have caused, and although the most beneficial changes for the environment seem like drastic lifestyle changes, such as growing our

In “Save the Earth, Buy Less” Jared Blumenfeld that “China will overtake the United States next year to become the world’s largest producer of greenhouse gases The most worrying threat to our planet at the present time is global warming. Global warming is a massive problem for one to solve, but we can create positive change by making environmentally-conscious personal choices and inspiring others to take collective action. I believe we all can take actions to reduce the global warming: we can reduce pollution, we can recycle products and we can conserve water. These all actions can contribute to making our planet a “greener” place to live.

Getting CFL bulbs can save you over $40 a year rather than keeping your regular incandescent lights. Purchasing water conserving showerheads and toilets can also help not only by cutting emissions, but it will save you money too! When building or purchasing a house, be sure that the insulation in it isn't bad. It needs to be good and reliable. This saves on energy and your money as well. Widows are important too. These are just a few out of the hundreds of ways that you can help. So when people think that they can't help, or have no authority when it comes to reducing the amount of carbon dioxide you use, each person can help. If every person took this serious and pulled their share, maybe the carbon dioxide emissions wouldn't be as high and maybe our oceans wouldn't have to suffer.

This article critically examines the ways in which individuals could help reduce the impacts of global warming. The author challenges that every individual could significantly minimise the effects of global warming by adopting to a more responsible lifestyle.

However, without one of the biggest contributors complying and doing a part for change, the people of America need to take a stand in partaking in green living. Some states and cities have already stood their ground on following certain requirements to keeping the Earth from warming. One can hope each individual can make a difference, when we are looking at a drastic increase of 4.2 degrees Celsius (7.6 degrees Fahrenheit) by the year 2100 (varinsky Mosher, Schwartz.) As many people around the world can see firsthand the changes

There is one way in which society can act against climate change by, considering how certain actions will affect the future generations. As Roman Krnaric stated in his article, Empathy and Climate Change, “we are failing to take the perspective of future generations who will have to live with detrimental effect of our continuing addiction to lifestyles that result in emissions beyond sustainable levels” (208). He is implying that society as a whole continuously do things that ultimately have a major impact on the environment. Krnaric thinks society do not show enough empathy and compassion for others and their family and

In order to combat a social issue, we must have social solutions to this problem. To come together and fight against warming and climate change is essential for us. The less we blame others and start acting upon this issue ourselves, we will have a bigger impact on climate change quicker and more efficiently. Though we have been dealing with the human influence on climate change for centuries, particularly from the start of the Industrial Revolution, we can still lessen the effects. We can’t expect the problem to disappear if only a few people decide to generate a real difference. It is imperative to examine ourselves, our actions, and how this affects the environment. All governments can raise or create taxes on carbon emissions. In developed countries and even in some developing countries, recycling can be heavily instated. More nations can take over the idea of what Sweden is doing and use their waste for energy. Individually, performing simple acts such as picking up trash, using less water and driving less can have potential major effects on the earth and on us.