Language and Composition: The Art of Voice (Muller and Whiting)Chapter 11:
Nature and the Environment: How Do We Relate to the Natural World?Context LinksCHIEF SEATTLE, Letter to President Pierce Context Links A great deal of controversy surrounds the text of the letter from Chief Seattle. The National Archives conducted an investigation with the aim of discovering whether Chief Seattle wrote the letter and gave the speech (see above). What do you think?
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1985/spring/chief-seattle.html The city of Seattle took its name from the Suquamish leader. This article looks at some historic sites related to the chief.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/getaways/57273_heritage07.shtml
BARRY LOPEZ, Children in the Woods Context Links Read this article about disconnection of children from the natural world. What is the thesis? Do you think Lopez would agree?
http://www.naturalnews.com/032619_children_nature.html Do you have a favorite national park? Visit its Web site and list some ways it tries to get visitors excited about the park. How does the virtual experience compare with a real one? If you do not have a favorite national park, visit this site for Crater Lake National Park.
http://www.nps.gov/crla
RICK BASS, Why I Hunt Context Links As a member of the Yaak Valley Forest Council, Bass has an opportunity to directly affect environmental issues in the area near the U.S./Canada border where he has lived for the past several years. This site includes a podcast interview, as well as transcripts of other works where he has had an impact on nature.
http://www.nps.gov/mabi/historyculture/rick-bass.htm Study this Web site for the Sierra Club. What are the organization’s goals? Do you think Bass would agree with these objectives? Why or why not?
http://www.sierraclub.org/
BILL MCKIBBEN, The Environmental Issue From Hell Context Links McKibben founded the organization 350.org in 2008. Visit the organization’s Web site and summarize its recent activities. How does the organization support the thesis of the essay?
http://www.350.org/en Some scientists do not agree with McKibben’s views. Check out this article about global warming and list the varying viewpoints.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-11-01/its-global-warming-stupid
RACHEL CARSON, The Obligation to Endure Context Links Here is an article about Silent Spring. The essay in the Student Edition is from this book.
http://alumni.msu.edu/newsArticle.cfm?id=314 Carson’s views have been debated long after her death. Read this 2007 article from The New York Times. Do you agree with its thesis? Why or why not?
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/05/science/earth/05tier.html
HENRY DAVID THOREAU, Nature Context Links This link provides an extract from John Updike’s introduction to the 2004 edition of Thoreau's Walden.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2004/jun/26/classics Here are some poems by Thoreau. Do they relate to the reading from the text?
http://www.poemhunter.com/henry-david-thoreau/
RALPH WALDO EMERSON, Nature Context Links Here is the Amazon.com listing for Nature. What are your impressions of the cover and the reviews?
http://www.amazon.com/Nature-Ralph-Waldo-Emerson/dp/1468114344
JARED DIAMOND, The Last Americans: Environmental Collapse and the End of Civilization Context Links Here is some new research about the collapse of Mayan society.
http://www.livescience.com/17315-mayans-contribute-apocalypse.html In this video, Diamond talks about why societies collapse.
http://www.ted.com/talks/jared_diamond_on_why_societies_collapse.html
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