Short Writing Exercise 1 (essay style)

Write at least 1 page (but not more than 2 pages) double-spaced paper on one (only 1) of the following 2 topics described in Mann/Kump

What is the best course for the country (p. 144-5)

Keeping the power turned on (p. 160-1)

Your essay will contain 2 elements

1. Summary; boil it down; explain what is being said.

2. What do you think should be done? Why? You can express personal, US, world viewpoint(s)

Due by class time Wednesday, Feb. 8 (in-text citations and references not necessary, but all words should be your own).

GRADING

Grammar= 20%; Spelling= 15%; Organization= 15%; Content= 50% (30% for Summary & 20% for Analysis)

Short Writing Exercise 2 (essay style)

Visit the EPA Household Emissions Carbon Calculator at http://epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html (If you have problems with link, copy and paste it directly into a web browser. I found it was easier to work with using the Mozilla Firefox browser rather than Internet Explorer. Someone also said the Google browser works successfully). You can either use your “household” in Tucson if you are sharing a residence and paying utility bills OR your hometown “household” of your family unit. You will need to fill information in 4 categories (The Basics, Household Vehicles, Home Energy, Waste) to get your total family and individual carbon footprint estimates, which you can compare to the US average(s) that are provided. It may take a little time for you to assemble appropriate vehicle and home energy numbers that you will enter into the calculator.

After you have your household and individual estimates, you will write your paper about this exercise (1-2 printed pages, double-spaced, no references needed). Among other things, it should contain the following elements:

1) what a “carbon calculator” is and why it might be useful or important?

2) what values and assumptions you used in regard to the information you were asked to input?

3) how did you come out in terms of household and individual carbon emissions? how they compare to US averages? why might they be different from the US averages? any ideas about European averages? were you surprised?

4) what are the greatest uncertainties (or lowest reliability) of values you entered?

5) what are the deficiencies of the carbon calculator, i.e., are any factors missing that you think might be important?

6) is it helpful to you in any way? is there any aspect of your lifestyle that you might change now or in the future based on results of this exercise?

Due by class time Wednesday, Feb. 29 (in-text citations and references not necessary, but all words should be your own).

GRADING

To be announced

Term Writing Project Instructions

Avoid making grammar mistakes regarding use of “due to”, “while”, “since” and “that”/”which” (see examples)