The average American citizen throws away 4.9 pounds of solid waste every single day. As a nation, the United States produces This is a horrific statistic that needs to be ended today. It is our responsibility as citizens of our planet, our country, and Penn State to do our part in ending this. There are now 5.25 trillion macro and micro pieces of plastic in our ocean & 46,000 pieces in every square mile of ocean, weighing up to 269,000 tonnes. Trash produced by the average American citizen travels to the world’s rivers and oceans, accumulating on beaches, and harming marine and coastal environments. The debris also interferences with human uses of rivers and coastal habitats which leads to problems for human life. Every day around 8 million pieces of plastic makes their way into our oceans. Penn State is one of the largest universities in the entire nation, generating close to 20,000 tons of solid waste from the University Park campus alone. The education of pollution among this vast community would make a huge difference. The astronomical amount of trash pollution produced by the United States threatens the world’s marine and coastal environments, which will not end without immediate action from local communities.
Issue Brief Questions:
How does the United States contribute to global waste?
What disasters are our oceans facing due to trash pollution?
What disasters are other countries facing due to trash pollution?
How are other countries handling waste?
What can we do as a nation to solve this problem?
What can we do as the Penn State community to solve this problem?
1). Comment on the title. How does it offer a way forward on the issue? Does it hint at or echo the paper’s thesis? Make suggestions.
I have nothing bad to say about the title. I like that it is attention getting and encourages people to do something about it. Perhaps you could hint at what one important action we should take is.
2). Does this piece’s title and introduction respond to an exigence? Does it make the issue pressing or connect to other pressing needs and issues? Make suggestions.
I think that the introduction does do a good job of mentioning the current state of the oceans, and how much plastic is currently in the oceans. However, maybe you could relate it more specifically to a unique news story that you have heard in the news. To me, I already knew that there was a lot of trash in the ocean, it’s been accumulating for years, so why talk about it now? If anything, the pandemic has been an interesting situation because oceans are cleaner and happier due to less travel; however, the amount of single-use plastic being consumed has shot up. For example, people aren’t properly disposing of their PPE or masks. Just at Penn State, they got rid of the Green2Go container program and now gives a styrofoam container to everyone who passes through the buffet. I know that’s not plastic, but it is just something to think about.
3). Comment on the thesis. Does it set up a clear argumentative claim? Is it advancing a specific policy or practice? Can you imagine how the rest of the argument will unfold?
I couldn’t find a thesis in your introduction, so add that/make it more clear. I think the answers to the questions you posed would form a good thesis; it could go something like this is what the US should do and talk about what is working for other countries and Penn State.
Also just as a side note, if you want to see what Pennn State is doing about plastic recycling, certainly check out the PSU Sustainability Institute’s website.
1. Comment on the Title: Your title explains your issue brief topic well and is straight to the point. You also include a call to action, that gives your audience a sense of urgency, which is very effective.
2. Does this piece’s title and introduction respond to an exigence? Does it make the issue pressing or connect to other pressing needs and issues? Make suggestions: Your title certainley creates an exigence, as I mentioned above when you state “we need to act now”. In your introduction, you set the situation well, describing the place we are in right now on this planet. However, I do think you could hone in on a specific part of the plastic waste that is more directly linked to something that Penn State can help with.
3. Comment on the thesis. Does it set up a clear argumentative claim? Is it advancing a specific policy or practice? Can you imagine how the rest of the argument will unfold? I think that for your thesis, you could make it about specifically HOW Penn State should help combat this situation. While you set up the problem well, you did not offer any possible solutions, you just identified the party you want to help solve it, so go from here now.