Persuasive Essay/Speech - Global Warming

I know this isn't really under an essay format, this is more of a speech but I require help from you geniuses nether less.

Good morning everyone, today I will speak to you about the truth of Global Warming. For more than a decade, people have engaged in bitter debates about the Earth's climate. This debate touches upon the potential changes in our atmosphere due to greenhouse gases - popularly known as Global Warming. This debate can be summarized as Global Warming: Real or a hoax?

When some people think of Global Warming, they would often picture tornadoes or hurricanes, and in turn think about the destruction these forces will cause: the destruction of cities, destruction of forests or the destruction of marine life. Fortunately, Global Warming isn't the main cause of these destructive forces. I'll be talking about all the facts that will reassure you that Global Warming is not an issue that we have to worry about.

Whenever Global Warming comes up in a TV documentary, debate, or any other media source, greenhouse gas is identified as the major cause. Just how much of this greenhouse gas is caused by human activity? It is about 0.28% if water vapour is taken into account, and about 5.53% if not. Water vapour constitutes Earth's most significant greenhouse gases, and this natural source of greenhouse gas accounts for about 95% of Earth's total greenhouse effect.

I believe we are being sucked into the world of propaganda, and we're led to believe that there's a massive hurricane heading our way. I'm sure you all heard about Polar bears being on the brink of extinction. The photograph of two polar bears stranded on a melting ice floe in mid-winter became a symbol of Global Warming. Would you like to know truth? The photograph was actually taken in the summer. The student who took the photograph stated: "they were on the ice when we found them and on the ice when we left. They were healthy, fat and seemed comfortable on their iceberg." Furthermore, the photographer wasn't even asked permission to put the image all over the Internet "the image you have seen around the world was issued without my consent, and [with] the wrong by-line"

One man that started this propaganda was Al Gore. Although it wasn't his intention, he had created many incorrect facts in his film "An Inconvenient Truth." For example, Al Gore claims that Himalayan glaciers are shrinking and global warming is to blame, yet recently, a Discovery news article reports that the Himalayan Glaciers seems to be growing, not shrinking. Gore also claims that global warming is causing more tornadoes. Yet the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change stated that there has been no scientific link established between Global Warming and tornadoes. Gore stated Global Warming is causing more frequent and severe hurricanes. However, hurricane expert Chris Landsea published a study documenting that hurricane activity is no higher now than in decades past. There are about 32 more flaws in the film, which I will not go into it right now.

I'm not arguing that Global Warming isn't real. Global climate changes have been occurring for centuries, and Global Warming is most likely to be occurring now. But there is a great deal of evidence, which suggests that temperature fluctuations are part of a natural cycle of climate change, not man-made causes. When nature itself produces the greatest contributions to climate change, isn't it morally irresponsible, and politically ill advised for mankind to bear the blame for rising temperatures?

To conclude my presentation, I believe the clouded judgement of Global Warming supporters failed to withstand the tsunami of opinions from stubborn disbelievers, which turned Global Warming into the hottest topic of the decade. I hope my speech has provided you with enough information to base your opinions on Global Warming. Thank you.

I basically have a few questions
Our teacher taught us about Fallacies and told us not to use it, in your opinion, was paragraph 5 a little too much like an ad hominum? (attacking a person's character)

Also our speech is required to have at least 3 rhetorical devices, trying to come up with valid rhetorical devices proves to be harder than writing the essay itself, I been trying to come up with some for almost 2 hours and, still no luck. I decided to try my luck and ask the members of this forum for help.

One last thing, if you guys spot any problems with my essay please let me know, I'm not doing so well in English and I need all he help & suggestions I can get.

Thanks!
Gebraroest

I admire your courage as you are trying to convince global warming being a nature cycle. However, I'm not really convinced by your essay.

Like it or not, most of us believe that global warming is caused by green house effect ... Thus, in order to make this essay a convincing one, you, definitely, have to do some research and elaborate your points well. Your points seem to be weak.

Our speech has to have a maximum of 4 minutes, I practiced the speech myself and it came up to be 3 min and 46 seconds. If I add anymore information, I'm afraid that my teacher will cut me off

...I'll be taking part on the "no" side of this debate.
" " marks to help your clarity.

When people think of global warming, they would picture a giant hole in the ozone layer and blinding sunlight ...

Well, about Gore... no, you are not attacking his character. You are pointing out the fact that Discovery debunked his claims. It is okay, I think!

About rhetorical devices... google this: rhetorical devices list
Your teacher probably taught about them in class. I am not sure how to help, because I don't know what was covered in class. Did you talk about logos, ethos, and pathos? Try this: virtualsalt.com/rhetoric.htm.

I'm not arguing that Global Warming isn't real. --- this is a rhetorical device called "concession." You concede a point.

Global climate changes have been occurring for centuries, and Global warming is most likely to be occurring now. But there are many evidences that suggest that temperature fluctuations are part of a natural cycle of climate change, not man-made causes. ---- this should appear near the beginning of your essay, not at the end.

What are the rhetorical devices covered in class?
You can easily use these: allusion, aphorism, appeal to authority, correction of erroneous views, concession, flattery, imagery, irony, logical reasoning.

google this: List of Rhetorical Devices

I am a firm believer in the theory that Human action is mostly responsible for global warming.
Much as your essay tries to argue the reverse to my believe it is good food for thought.
The speech seems well prepared but am yet to be convienced .
John Oluoch

I still think you should moe this sentence to the beginning:


This is a key argument in the speech.

Matt, this new version looks good, but I think you could cover more than you do. Cram a lot of info into each paragraph for a concentrated orange juice essay. I'll give some of my thoughts below.


In this situation, you are supposed to refute some points instead of just saying you disagree.
Challenge yourself to make a counter argument.

Global warming is a tough one to take a stance on, though, because we know that a lot of money is involved and that researchers often try to find something significant where none exists, just to validate their research. But... on the other hand, we should be reducing harmful emissions for other reasons, even if global warming is not human-made!

On one hand, we have a lot at stake if global warming is being caused by humans. We don't want to accidentally destroy the planet. But on the other hand, we have only been measuring temperature for a small amount of time in human history.

And look at all these experts disagreeing. I am not even an expert, so I feel that I have no place in the argument. Nevertheless, if I can get a car that runs on water, I will. ;-)