Saukko's Essay 'How To Poison The Earth'
Maireny Batista
English 120 Sec 113
Instructor: L. Stein
20 October 2008
Essay #4
Environmental Interest and Effectiveness
Preserving the environment is an issue that is gaining more interest as time goes by. Today more and more people are environmental friendly and take in account the human activity that damages the environment and what are its long term effects. Both, Linnea Saukko in her essay “How to Poison the Earth,” and Gretel Ehrlich in her essay “Chronicles of Ice” write about the environment and their concern towards it being preserved. Though in both essays the preservation of the environment is the main focus, and the authors use the same approach, they differ in writing style.
The major difference between Saukko‘s and Ehrlich’s essay is the style of the essays. Saukko’s writing is referred to as direct process analysis, but she also uses satire, which is very effective when it comes to keeping the reader interested. She uses phrases like, “Preserving the earth can be difficult because the earth is always trying to renew itself” (238), which is the first sentence of the essay, to sarcastically express her concern. The essay focuses mainly on …show more content…
toxins or poison and how they are dangerous for life on earth. Overall Saukko’s essay talks about saving the environment in a more general matter, where as Ehrlich’s essay approaches the topic as a result of the actions and risk of the environmental problems, like global warming, addressed in Saukko’s essay.
Ehrlich’s essay “Chronicles of Ice,” talks about her visit to the Perito Moreno glacier, by also using process analysis she explains the formation of glaciers and how with the help of human activities such as global warming, glaciers decline: “We can now see that the steady gains in greenhouse gases and air and water temperatures have occurred only since the rise of our smokestack and tailpipe society” (245).
She uses personal experience to express her concern on the effect of human activity on the environment. She is very detailed and descriptive which makes the essay informative, attracting readers who would be specifically interested in glaciers and what is causing them to decline rather than a general audience interested in the overall effects of other environmental issues as
well.
Saukko and Ehrlich both strongly express their concern for the environment in their essays and they both use process analysis, but the way they approach the readers differs. Saukko’s essay focuses on the pollutants that jeopardize life and Ehrlich essay focuses on what environmental issues affect glaciers. Saukko uses satire to engage the reader and her ironic tone is a contribution. Ehlrich’s essay approaches the reader through personal experience, her details and descriptions make the essay informative attracting a specific reader. Both essays are interesting, each with distinct methods but overall informative while complimenting each other.
English 120 Sec 113
Instructor: L. Stein
20 October 2008
Essay #4
Environmental Interest and Effectiveness
Preserving the environment is an issue that is gaining more interest as time goes by. Today more and more people are environmental friendly and take in account the human activity that damages the environment and what are its long term effects. Both, Linnea Saukko in her essay “How to Poison the Earth,” and Gretel Ehrlich in her essay “Chronicles of Ice” write about the environment and their concern towards it being preserved. Though in both essays the preservation of the environment is the main focus, and the authors use the same approach, they differ in writing style.
The major difference between Saukko‘s and Ehrlich’s essay is the style of the essays. Saukko’s writing is referred to as direct process analysis, but she also uses satire, which is very effective when it comes to keeping the reader interested. She uses phrases like, “Preserving the earth can be difficult because the earth is always trying to renew itself” (238), which is the first sentence of the essay, to sarcastically express her concern. The essay focuses mainly on …show more content…
toxins or poison and how they are dangerous for life on earth. Overall Saukko’s essay talks about saving the environment in a more general matter, where as Ehrlich’s essay approaches the topic as a result of the actions and risk of the environmental problems, like global warming, addressed in Saukko’s essay.
Ehrlich’s essay “Chronicles of Ice,” talks about her visit to the Perito Moreno glacier, by also using process analysis she explains the formation of glaciers and how with the help of human activities such as global warming, glaciers decline: “We can now see that the steady gains in greenhouse gases and air and water temperatures have occurred only since the rise of our smokestack and tailpipe society” (245).
She uses personal experience to express her concern on the effect of human activity on the environment. She is very detailed and descriptive which makes the essay informative, attracting readers who would be specifically interested in glaciers and what is causing them to decline rather than a general audience interested in the overall effects of other environmental issues as
well.
Saukko and Ehrlich both strongly express their concern for the environment in their essays and they both use process analysis, but the way they approach the readers differs. Saukko’s essay focuses on the pollutants that jeopardize life and Ehrlich essay focuses on what environmental issues affect glaciers. Saukko uses satire to engage the reader and her ironic tone is a contribution. Ehlrich’s essay approaches the reader through personal experience, her details and descriptions make the essay informative attracting a specific reader. Both essays are interesting, each with distinct methods but overall informative while complimenting each other.