Climate change is the biggest threat facing humanity. The Earth's average temperature is rising rapidly, and global warming is having catastrophic impacts on our planet - wildfires, droughts, the heat domes. What is global warming and who is responsible for it? When the sunlight enters the atmosphere of earth, some of it is radiated back into space. The problem today is that this radiation can no longer escape due to greenhouse gases- Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane; because of the everyday enormous emission of these harmful gases a thick blanket is formed in earth’s atmosphere. This blanket is preventing radiation, causing the temperature of the earth to rise dangerously high. Friends, what are the sources of greenhouse emissions? You all know - it’s transportation, every time you drive, your car emits greenhouse gases; every time the fossil fuels are burned, they release large amounts of carbon dioxide. However, the least known but equally major contributor to greenhouse emissions is farming, the growing industrial livestock farming – this cow! Today the theme of my speech is about the carbon emission caused by livestock farming and how we, each one of us, can contribute to lessen it.
If you are wondering how farming livestock affects climate change, Friends, allow me to take you to the largest forest on earth – the amazon rainforest. The Amazon rainforest, which covers 2.72 million square miles and stretches into nine different countries, is considered one of Earth’s most important terrestrial carbon reserves; it stores an estimated 123 billion tons of carbon. This rainforest is often called the “lungs of the planet” because it draws in carbon dioxide and breathes out oxygen. Every day, loggers and farmers in the Amazon cut down trees to open ranches to rear farmed animals. Since these animals need fodder, more forests are destroyed to create fields for growing corn and soy. Friends, it is having a snowball effect – the more the animals are reared for food, the more need for fodder; the more the ranches are built, the less trees in the forest; the less the trees, the more the greenhouse gas, less snowpack in the mountain, less rainfall and the hotter the average temperature.
We all know the difference between a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian, but can anyone tell us the difference between a vegetarian and a vegan? A vegetarian does not eat any animal flesh such as meat, poultry, or fish. A vegan, on the other hand, is a stricter vegetarian who also avoids consuming dairy, eggs, and any other ingredients derived from animals. A vegan is happy with nature’s bounty offered to - the colorful fruit and veggies - shining tomatoes, yellow guava, black watermelon, red cabbage, blood oranges, orange carrots, yellow pepper, green spinach, black-berries , white cauliflower, purple eggplant, purple cabbage. Since a vegan diet is not dependent on animal products, it is the single biggest way to reduce our impact on greenhouse emission. The more vegan we are, the less dependent we are on animals; the less we consume dairy and meat, the less the need for industrial animal farming; the less the forest destruction, the more trees out there in the forests of Amazon; the more the landscape grows, the less greenhouse in the atmosphere and the cooler, the greener and the healthier our planet earth.
Friends, our climate crisis may at times appear to be happening slowly, but in fact it is happening very quickly and turning into a true global emergency. If we don’t act, the glaciers and ice sheets in polar and mountainous regions will inevitably melt, the water and dislodged ice will flow into the oceans, the sudden increase could be catastrophic and coastal cities like New Orleans, Miami, New York could disappear. Friends, while the responsibility for reducing fossil fuel emission lies with Government and business, we individuals can contribute towards zero emission by consuming food less dependent on animals.
The Climate change outlook is bleak, but we cannot afford to get discouraged. If each one of us makes a concentrated effort, we can restore the vegetation, the forest, the landscape and a cooler, greener and healthier planet. Friends, we have inherited this big, beautiful blue planet. Let's rejuvenate our planet, let’s pass this beautiful earth on to our children and to our grandchildren.
Evaluation by Samantha Watt
V – validity of your argument. Strong, well-researched, and supported by facts and information. You clearly communicated the importance of your message, and the validity of your points was evident throughout your speech
E- engagement. You did an excellent job engaging the audience by asking a question which provided a break from the flow of information and invited audience participation. This helped maintain interest and involvement.
G- Gestures and props. Your gestures, props, eye contact, and energy were commendable. However, while the cow, globe and amazon photo props were creative and relevant, they were presented less than enough for us to fully appreciate them. In future speeches, consider holding your props up larger to enhance their impact and make them more memorable.
A - additional persuasion. While your focus on the environmental benefit of veganism was compelling, incorporating more about the personal benefits of veganism could strengthen your persuasion. Something like highlighting the holistic advantages of veganism such as improved health alongside climate health might make your argument even more compelling.
N – next steps. Overall, your speech was informative and engaging. For your next persuasive speech - I would recommend, holding up your props longer to maintain their visual impact; expound on additional benefits to provide a more well-rounded arguments, continue to engage the audience with questions and interactive elements.
I think those tips will rejuvenate the speech; I look forward to your next.
Comments