Annotated+Bibliography

1) "Biodegradable plastics." //World of Invention//. Gale, 2006. //Gale Science In Context//. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/scic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=K12-Reference&prodId=SCIC&action=e&windowstate=normal&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CCV1647500098&mode=view&userGroupName=erde79591&jsid=6720f12748b0b337e7335f883778657d Info: Authors Credentials: The authors of this article are well qualified scientists that are part of the group, Science in Context. The are experts in their field and are qualified writers. They have written articles before about similar topics that have been published. Scope: The organization is trying to reach out to the general public who takes an interest in the environment and where the Earth is going. Summary: Thesis: "Most plastics are petroleum-based substances that take tens to hundreds of years to disintegrate once thrown away, depending on environmental conditions. However, some plastics are made from materials that are more quickly and completely degradable than oil-based plastics." Main Arguments: the organization does not try to argue anything. It is simply stating facts that they have found when conducting their studies. Evidence: They authors use actuate up to date information because they run their own tests. They are active scientists so that means they have their our information to use as evidence. Evaluation: Research: The organization clearly has research because they are experts in the field. They go out and collect their own findings. Scope: This article is well formatted, easy to read and not hard to understand where the organization stands. Bias: The author does not have bias. Whoever wrote the article provide facts, and did not try to persuade the read. The organization merely placed facts into a cohesive article. Reflection:i learned through this article that not all plastics are harmful. Some can be made biodegradable, but that cost a lot more money and are not as strong. People predict that these plastics will become stronger and eventually will be the only plastic used.

2) Brayshay, Chris. "Blowing litter 'serious threat' to nature site." Northern Echo. 12 Mar. 2008: 11. eLibrary. Web. 28 Sep. 2010. Information:  Authors Credentials: Chris Brayshay is a 57 year old veteran that currently works as the Teesside chief reporter. He has been on staff for several years now and has been providing critical and interesting articles for Teesside.  Scope: He has taken a stand against litter, stating that it is harming the environment to an extreme. He is trying to reach out to everyone, both big business and the small individual that dumps its waste where ever it pleases. He is trying to make people aware of what harm they are doing to the environment. Summary:  Thesis: He says"WINDBLOWN waste from a rubbish dump is posing a serious threat to wildlife on an adjacent national nature reserve, conservationists say" as his main drive in the argument.  Main Arguments: He uses evidence that people complain to the company and submit articles about how the litter is affecting their lives. He receives articles from various people trying to complain about their finding, and in return he formulates this articles into his to form a substantial argument.  Evidence: He uses his own observations and observations of others to form his evidence. When he sees something that is worth mentioning about the environment, he writes it down in this article. His own personal accounts with litter are taken into this article, so eyewitness evidence is present. Evaluation:  Research: He obviously has researched as a writer from both his own research and from hearing the complaints of others. This is not him going out looking for evidence, rather the evidence and research has found him. He complies this researcher and evidence into a cohesive article.  Scope: The topic of litter has been addressed properly. He has provide enough facts about the direction in which the world is going because of the cause of litter. He makes it clear what is occurring in the would and what people need to do in order to make the world a better place.  Bias: Yes, bias does exist, like it will in almost any article about litter. He clearly is motivated to do something to help save the environment. This research has provided me with evidence that litter is affecting our lives all around us, and that people are aware of the problem and trying to do something. Reflection: This research has provided me with evidence that litter is affecting our lives all around us, and that people are aware of the problem and trying to do something.

3) "Litter Facts." //ADOT//. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2010.. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Information: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Authors Credentials: ADOT stands for Arizona Department of Transportation. They are responsible for the clean up and the upkeep of the highways in Arizona. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Scope: ADOT reports on the litter found on the highway each year. It is used to inform the people of Arizona of the litter that surrounds them on their highways. The organization is trying to make people aware of how filthy the highways are, hoping that people will stop littering. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Summary: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Thesis: Author says "It costs our region about $3,000,000 and nearly 150,000 labor hours each year to pick up trash along Valley freeways." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Main Arguments: Uses factual evidence to support his thesis. The author tries to use these facts to get people take action. The author uses these facts in a report to form a well informed article on the litter in Arizona. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Evidence: The authors uses facts for ADOT as evidence to back up his topic. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Evaluation: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Research: The organization is obviously well researched because they are the ones in charnge of the clean up along the highways. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Scope: ADOT has provided enough facts so that the topic of litter has been addressed properly. These facts and the way the author presents them makes it clear to the reader how much is actually out there as litter. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Bias: Bias does not exist in this article because it is a report. The organizations uses facts, which eliminates most of biases that are found in articles. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Reflection: This article gives only a glimpse of how much trash is actually out there in the world. If all this trash is found in Arizona alone, times that by 50 and that's a good idea how much trash is just in the United States. This article puts it into perspective how little one clean up can have in a short term effect, but on a long scale clean up or a long term clean up, a lot can be accomplished to save the environment.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">4) "LITTER." An Environmental Education Program of the Prague Post Endowment Fund. Prague Post Endowment Fund, 19 Feb. 2003. Web. 30 Sept. 2010. <http://www.praguepost.cz/PPEF/09SC030219.pdf>. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Information: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Authors Credentials: The Prague Post Endowment Fund is a local non-profit organization established in 1992 to strengthen the link between the international business community and the local non-profit and education. The organizations works with teachers in schools all over the country, providing them with specialized learning materials in English and teacher training. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Scope: The organization tries to reach out to teachers and students alike, making them aware of environmental issues. It also tries to reach out to businesses both big and small. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Summary: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Thesis: The organizations uses "Carelessly discarded garbage affects every member of society: it causes harm to people and animals, damages our waterways, costs us money and suggests that we do not care for our environment." as its focus point to drive the article. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Main Arguments: This article focuses on the effects of plastic in the marine environment. It describes how oils that is used to make the bag escapes from the bag and into the ocean, leaving it polluted. It speaks to how plastic is entangled into the the bag, or the ring caught around the beak. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Evidence: The author uses first had accounts to support his arguments. He also uses reports for Wildlife Foundations to formulate his article and create a well balaned argument. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Evaluation: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Research: The organization has clearly researched the topic because they used statistics and actual events to describe how litter is effecting the marine life. If research had not been done, the there would be no statistics. They either ran the tests themselves, or researched the statistics. Either way leads to an article with a lot of support from reseach. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Scope: The issue has been well addressed. It is clear where the author stands on the issue at hand. In the article "LITTER" the organization tries to persuade people that litter is killing the environment, especially marine life. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Bias: Bias exist because the article is one sided. It speaks about the harmfulness of litter, without including the possitives. This leads to a bias article because it supports only one side of the argument. The organization addresses the topic in a well rounded manor, clearly motivated to argue that litter is harming the world, especially the marine life. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Reflection: This site has provided me with statistical evidence and actually events that indicate the how much litter is hurting the environment. It also names the most common reasons why people litter.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">5) "Plastics." Environmental Literacy Council. N.p., 3 Apr. 2008. Web. 17 Oct.2010. <http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/1188.html>. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Information: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Authors Credentials: The Environment Literacy Council is an independent, non profit organization made up of scientists, economists and educators striving to connect to teachers and students to science-based information on environmental issues. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Scope: The organization is trying to reach out to teachers and students the dangers of recycling and where the world will end up if people continue to litter without a second thought. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Summary: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Thesis:" Plastics are strong but lightweight, resistant to being degraded by chemicals, sunlight, and bacteria, and are thermally and electrically insulating." <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Main Arguments:This article is about how plastic effects the environment. It shows the chemical make up of a plastic bag and how it breaks down to harm the environment. It tells how people should become more responsible and take control of their actions to prevent litter from happening. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Evidence: It provides the chemical make up and how it breaks down. It provides examples of how it effecting the conditions in the oceans and how it effects animal life on both land and sea. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Evaluation: This article is contain first hand accounts and chemistry to accurately explain what goes on in nature when plastic bags are thrown to the curbside. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Research: The topic is clearly researched because it gives facts ranging from the effects on animals all the way down to the chemical make up of the plastic bag and how it effects the earth. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Scope:The issue has been well addressed, leaving the reader with no doubt that litter, especially plastic bags and killing both the environment and the wildlife. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Bias:The organization has bias because it is clearly 100% against litter. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Reflection:This article has done something no other article has. It has shown the chemical make up of plastic which helps me clearly understand how exactly it is hurting the environment.

6) "Plastics." //The Gale Encyclopedia of Science//. Ed. K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. 4th ed. Detroit: Gale, 2008. //Gale Science In Context//. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/scic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=K12-Reference&prodId=SCIC&action=e&windowstate=normal&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CCV2644031749&mode=view&userGroupName=erde79591&jsid=2404a9f21ba7e317cfdb07e6a00e4219 Information: Authors Credentials: The authors of this article are well qualified scientists that are part of the group, Science in Context. The are experts in their field and are qualified writers. They have written articles before about similar topics that have been published. Scope: The organization is trying to reach out to the general public who takes an interest in the environment and where the Earth is going. Summary: Thesis: "Most plastics are based on carbon, being derived from materials that have some relationship to living, or organic, materials, although, although some plastics, like acetal resins and silicones, contain oxygen or silicon atoms in their chains." Main Arguements: the organization does not try to argue anything. They only state facts about plastics, there effect and what chemicals they are made of. Evidence: the authors use actuate up to date information like chemical formulas and exact uses of the plastic, including how they decompose. Evaluation: Research: The organization clearly has research because they are experts in the field. They go out and collect their own findings. Scope:The organization has provided enough examples and evidence in a well knit article to be considered successful. The article was easy to read and understand. Bias:The author does not have bias. Whoever wrote the article provide facts, and did not try to persuade the read. The organization merely placed facts into a cohesive article. Reflection: This site has provided me with all different types of plastics and which each is used for and how it decomposes. Along with decomposing it also including each effect on the environment. This site has provide me with new insight. I did know that there were different types of plastic and but what i did not know was that there were different effects that each had..

7)"Recycling Statistics and Facts." //All Recycling Facts//. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct.2010. <http://www.all-recycling-facts.com/recycling-statistics.html>. Information: Authors Credentials: This organization is a nonprofit organization that produces facts about recycling. It has been around for several years providing people with evidence on why it is important to recycle. This has been a well qualified and accurate organization for several years. Scope: The group is hoping to reach out to students, trying to provide information for a school project, or just someone who is interested in taking care of the environment. Summary: Thesis: "Whatever your aims, we hope that we can provide you with some insights to the what-s and why-s of recycling through some interesting statistics and facts on recycling below." Main Arguments:The energy it takes to reproduce recycled goods is far less than that of raw material. People should recycle because it not only saves energy, but money too. Evidence: The organization uses statistics on how much the environment. This evidence backs up the organization because it supports their argument. Evaluation: Research: The organization is well researched because it has statistics that indicate how much resources are being used for each amount of a material that goes both recycled and un-recycled. Scope: The issue has been well addressed because facts have been given which clearly demonstrate the organization's understanding of the topic at hand. It was layed out in an easy to read format with much needed information. Bias: Clearly there is bias towards recycling. Reflection: This article has not only provided me with information about recycling plastic, which most sites have done, but it also has included facts about recycling paper, glass, metal and water.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">8) Shalini. "Effects of Plastic bags on environment ." Article Alley. N.p., 2 Mar. 2009. Web. 4 Oct. 2010. <http://www.articlealley.com/article_834023_17.html>. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Information: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Authors Credentials: The author for years has been resea rching and reporting health related articles. Over these years she has written articles from effect of raw milk to influenza to plastic on the environment. She is a qualified journalist having works published on many database and news websites. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Scope and Purpose of the Work: This article is an overview of what is going on throughout the world. The author is trying to make people aware, especially governments of developed nation, of the dangers of dumping their plastic waste into developing nation. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Summary: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Author’s thesis: The author states that “even though they are one of the modern conveniences that we seem to be unable to do without, they are responsible for causing pollution, killing wildlife, and using up the precious resources of the earth.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Main Arguments: The author argues that the plastic is being shipped from the developed countries to the developing countries like India. Once the trash reaches India, it travels all around because India does not have the capability of properly disposing the plastic. The author blames plastic as one of the leading causes of oil in the ocean, as well as the reason for death of over 100,000 animals each year on both land and sea. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Evidence: Animals digest the plastic, which then gets caught in the intestines of the animal. This causes the animal to have trouble digesting and passing the food out. It also sits in the stomach of these animals, which makes them feel full not wanting to eat. If they don’t eat then they lack the nutrients that they need and die. When they decompose the plastic does not, and other animals eat it and the cycle starts again. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Evaluation: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Research: The research is very logical. The author uses her own knowledge of the plastic bag to make the agreements of the article come alive. There is some research because there are statistical numbers but it is not clear how accurate they are. Research is at a minimum but the author still knows a lot about the topic. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Scope: The topic has been addressed well through the uses of separate sections. The author explains effect on land, sea, and how it is made. Each section has information that is clearly explained with examples and facts. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> Bias: The author does not have an objective stance. Bias exists because the author takes a stand against the use of plastic bags. The author clearly believes that plastic bags are harming the environment and should not be used nearly as much. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">Reflection: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">This article was helpful because it provides information on where the plastic goes after it is thrown out in some countries. It also provides facts about what happens to the animals after they consume the plastic.

9)Talberth, John. "Ecosystem Services and the Gulf Disaster ." //World Resource Institution// . N.p., 7 July 2010. Web. 20 Oct. 2010. <http://www.wri.org/stories/2010/07/ecosystem-services-and-gulf-disaster>. Information: Authors Credential: John Talberth serves as Senior Economist with the People and Ecosystem Program, providing economic analysis for its Southern Forests for the Future (SFF), Mainstreaming Ecosystem Services (MES), and Chesapeake Bay projects. John holds a Ph.D. in International and Environmental Economics from the University of New Mexico, a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Government from the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Scope: The author is trying to reach out to people an explain to the people the long and short term effects of the BP oil spill in the Gulf Coast. He then implies the effect could happen to any marine environment, not just the Gulf Coast. Summary: Thesis: "The BP oil spill will degrade critical ecosystem services and their economic benefits for decades to come." Main Arguments: He uses photos on his website to show the dangers and how different the environment is now that the oil has spread across the coast line. He also uses prior knowledge of the topic from previous jobs to show and explain to his audience the effects. Evidence:The author uses maps, photos, and facts about the oil spill as evidence to help support his argument. Evaluation: Scope: The topic of the BP oil spill has been well addressed. He has successfully described and portrayed catastrophic event that could take place in the surrounding ecosystem do to the oil spill. Bias: There is little bias because he is reporting on the effects of the spill. Also the author uses facts to back up his argument. For these reasons there is little room that is left for bias. Reflection: This article has should me the effects of an oil spill. These can be applied to any oil spill around the world. Knowing that plastic bags leak oils when in the ocean, i now know what effects they have when plastic is found in large scales in the oceans.

10) Walsh, Bryan. "Why Green Is New Red, White and Blue." //Time// 28 Apr. 2008: 45-57. Print. Info: Authors Credentials: Bryan Walsh graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Soon after college he began writing articles that quickly caught the recognition of the editors of //Time// magazine. He has published several articles in this magazine over the course of his career. Scope: Since his article is published in //Time//, his audience in those people are interested in both national and global events. His audience is those that subscribe to this magazine which is most likely the adult population of the United States. Summary: Thesis: "So far the U.S. has sat out the fight against climate change- but that can't continue. Here's haw America can lead the way to a greener world." Main Arguments:First cost has to be evaluated and compared to the effectiveness of the project. The US needs to find a balance of money and energy source in order to pave the way for the future and to set an example to other countries. Evidence: He suggest using solar power, water power, Biofuels and green materials. in each of these cases he gives examples of what he means and how they are effective in producing clean energy. Evaluation: Bias: The author has bias in two cases. He clearly is in favor for a cleaner earth, but he is also bias in the fact that he believes America is the best possible country to lead the way. Scope: The author has research the topic and it shows because he uses examples of how each energy source will work. This most likely could not be done with out prior research. Reflection: This article helped me to understand the effects of green house gasses. These gasses are produce when making plastic bottles, often times wasting a lot of energy. When recycled it reduce the emission of these gasses. This article has showed me how using a new, cleaner source of energy as well as recycle, the earth can be a much cleaner place.

11) "Global Warming Hoax: Peer Reviewed Journal Papers Showing Natural Causes for Climate Change." //Global Warming Hoax: News//. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2011. <http://www.globalwarminghoax.com/page.php?8>. Info: Credentials: The organization is a credible source. It provides links and has done research to prove their point. They have been working on trying to make people second guess their views on global warming and have done so successfully for the past decade. Scope: The organization is trying to persuade the mind of people who believe Gore's saying that global warming is because of us. The organization trying to tell these people that it is not their fault at all, but a naturally occurring change. Summary: Thesis: " t is quite likely some of the measurements were distorted and there is still some dispute over whether we've really warmed at all. " Main Arguments: Al Gore and the media portrays it larger than it really is. This has occurred in past history and the media as over exaggerated both cooling and heating spells and this is just another. Evidence: Scientist have proven that temperature rises before the CO2 increase, which means that humans are not responsible. This site also provides links to other articles that are related and help to prove the same point. Evaluation: Bias: This article is clearly against the ideas behind global warming. the organization provides a lot of examples to counter balance a lot of the claims made by Al Gore in "An Inconvenient Truth." Scope: The organization has clearly done research in order to attack the arguments of Gore. The had to have researched his side of the argument as well as their own research to prove Al Gore wrong. Reflection: This article was the first article to challenge any one of my arguments. This article talked about how global warming is happening, but not because of why most people think. People tend to be blamed for the warming but this article claims it is naturally occurring and humans have nothing to do with it, which goes against everything i have read so far.

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