I. Attention Catcher: Mmm…carbon dioxide. Tastes good, doesn’t it? No? No. You’re right. Tastes horrible. To us, anyway. But plants seem to enjoy it…
II. Listener Relevance: So how does this affect you? As long as we have trees, we’re fine, right?
III. Speaker Credibility: Well, after reading everything on the subject…yes, everything! Including Piscina and Homs’ Chemical Society Reviews on October 25, I know that these amazing little green things can offer a lot more than crunchy leaves in the fall and shade in the summer.
IV. Thesis Statement: Plants can give us energy. A very specific sort of energy called biofuel which can be used in everything from a car to a plane. All we need is a little sun.
V. Preview: To help you become a little bit more knowledgeable, I’m going to explain to you exactly what biofuels are, why you should care, and give you a couple reasons to do your own homework.
Transition: To start off, I’m going to tell you what biofuels are and why they’re important.
Body
First Main Point: According to the National Geographic Society and their webpage called “Biofuel Facts” which I read on October 22, gasoline and diesel are actually ancient biofuels. But they are known as fossil fuels because they are made from decomposed plants and animals that have been buried in the ground for millions of years. Biofuels are similar, except that they 're made from plants grown today.
Hoekman’s book, Renewable Energy: An International Journal, which I read on October 24, says they’re produced from living organisms or from metabolic by-products such as organic or food waste products. In order to be considered a biofuel the fuel must contain over 80 percent renewable materials. It originally comes from the photosynthesis process and is often referred to as a solar energy source.
Erin Wenzel, a junior at NDSU majoring in chemical engineering, said in her interview on October 21st, “Biofuels can be part of the solution, but they
References: Wenzel, E. (2008, October 21). Personal interview. Fargo, ND: North Dakota State University. National Geographic Society, (2007). Biofuel Facts, Biofuel Information. Retrieved October 22, 2008, from Biofuels Web site: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/biofuel-profile.html Hoekman, S. (2009, January). Biofuels in the U.S. – Challenges and Opportunities. Renewable Energy: An International Journal, 34(1), 14-22. Retrieved October 24, 2008. Pimentel, D. (2008, November). CORN AND OTHER PLANTS FOR TRANSPORT BIOFUELS. Energy & Environment, 19(7), 1015-1016. Retrieved October 24, 2008. Piscina, P., & Homs, N. (2008, November). Use of biofuels to produce hydrogen (reformation processes). Chemical Society Reviews, 37(11), 2459-2467. Retrieved October 25, 2008. Madden, Chris (2004). The Beast That Ate The Earth. Inkline Press. Retrieved October 25, 2008.