Writing Homework Help

Discuss Pollan’s argument in “Why Bother?” by answering the following questions (use Pollan’s text to support your answers): 

1. What is Pollan’s central claim in his argument?
2. What solution is he proposing?
3. Do you agree/ disagree with him?

As a part of your discussion post, also compare and contrast Pollan’s argument and Ron Finley’s passionate appeal in his TED Talk (posted in this week’s Module). 

Length: compose two paragraphs as your discussion post and incorporate textual evidence from Pollan’s text and from Finley’s TED Talk. Don’t forget to respond to at least two of your classmates’ discussion posts!For the Discussion Post on Michael Pollan’s “Why Bother?” you will incorporate Ron Finley’s Ted Talk “A guerrilla gardener in South LA”.

To quote a Ted Talk, you can either use the subtitle feature, or read the Transcript, which is located underneath the video. I want to emphasize watching/listening to the video because tone and presentation, for instance speaker’s hand gestures, attire, and visuals, are used to persuade an audience. You can learn more about this in the “Lectures” and “Helpful Resources” in the Week 2 module. 

Parenthetical Citation for a Ted Talk  – (Speaker’s Last Name Time Stamp) 

Example – Signal phrase, “quote” (Finley 01:23). 

For a Works Cited, you can use the citation for “Video”, which can be found in the MLA resources of my module. Or, you can also look up “MLA 8 Citation for a Ted Talk”.

ted talk:  https://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/why-bot…

student 1: As I read the article “Why bother?” by author Michael Pollan, he explains how people have the mentality of “Why bother” when it comes to climate change. He starts talking hypotheticals of what if he does start to implement change on lowering his carbon footprint. To only end up going back to a “why bother” mentally. As he states in his article, “but what would be the point when I know full well that halfway around the world there lives my evil twin, some carbon-footprint doppelgänger in Shanghai or Chongqing who has just bought his first car (Chinese car ownership is where ours was back in 1918), is eager to swallow every bite of meat I forswear and who’s positively itching to replace every last pound of CO2 I’m struggling no longer to emit. So what exactly would I have to show for all my trouble?” (pollan paragraph 2) Towards the end of the article he proposes if we decide “to bother” we should be an example and show people. To encourage them to care and lower their carbon footprint.

After reading Pollan article I saw a Ted talk about a South-Central citizen named Ron Finely. Mr. Finely explains how there isn’t much access to healthy foods or healthy alternatives. He expresses that there is a liquor store in every corner but no farmer’s market. Finely and a few volunteers, ends up taking matters into their own hands to plant a community garden. The city threatened to fine him for the garden, but the community gathered together and signed a petition to prevent that. Since then, the community volunteers and grew along with planting more gardens. Author Pollan and speaker Finely have similar messages. The only difference is that Mr. Finely took action showing viewers we can make a difference in society and our communities with our carob footprint. Verses Mr. Pollan leaving a decision for the readers to decide if they would bother or not bother to care to help our planet. As a person who values actions more than words, I have to agree with how Mr. Finely took action.

student 2: In Michael Pollan’s article, “Why Bother?” his central claim is to encourage more people to grow their own food in order to help with the climate change crisis. Throughout, his argument he explains how with increasing carbon dioxide emissions and rising temperatures it’s imperative that we start to change our bad habits. Pollan states how even if one person changes their daily routine to help the environment, “halfway around the world there lives my evil twin” still causing havoc on the planet (Pollan 1). In addition to people making small alternatives, “it will also take laws and money”(Pollan 1). Pollen simplistically suggests “to find one thing to do in your life that doesn’t involve spending or voting…but is real and particular (and) will offer its own rewards” (Pollan 1). Just changing one small aspect of one’s life will have an extensive and positive effect. More specifically, Pollen emphasizes how growing your own garden “it’s one of the most powerful things an individual can do” particularly in reducing their “carbon footprint” (Pollan 1). As a matter of fact, gardening will give you the “freshest, tastiest and most nutritious” fruits and vegetables, “burning calories without having to get into the car to drive to the gym” and the opportunity to “re-engage you with your neighbors” (Pollan 1). With countless positive effects of gardening, it’s Pollen’s easiest solution for climate change without having “to wait for legislation or technology to solve the problem” (Pollan 1). I totally agree with Pollen’s argument because gardening will allow for people to have fresh food with quick and convenient access, educate kids on how to eat healthy, and is great for mental, emotional, and physical recovery/growth. I believe with Pollen that if everyone started gardening it would decrease greenhouse gas and CO2 emissions.

Comparatively, Ron Finely’s Ted Talk, “A guerrilla gardener in South Central LA”, argues how gardening is extremely beneficial in all aspects of one’s life. Similarly, to Pollan’s article, Finely states how “growing your own food is like printing your own money” (Finely 2:45). Gardening’s sustainable and will provide one will plenty of fresh and healthy food alternatives that will reduce one’s carbon footprint. Both Pollan and Finely believe that gardening is the “most therapeutic” activity for the mind (Finely 5:23). While Pollan is more focused on the environmental benefits of gardening, Finely is all about “putting people to work, and getting kids off the street” (Finely 8:29). Finely’s presentation is centered on creating a sense of community especially in places where it’s lacking.

Works Cited

Finley, Ron, director. A Guerrilla Gardener in South Central LA. TED, www.ted.com/talks/ron_finley_a_guerrilla_gardener_in_south_central_la.

Michael PollanThe New York Times Magazine, April 20, et al. “Why Bother?” Michael Pollan | Michael Pollan Writes about the Places Where Nature and Culture Intersect: on Our Plates, in Our Farms and Gardens, and in the Built Environment., 23 June 2011, michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/why-bother/.