Carolina Reader Ch 7 #5

In their articles located in the Carolina Reader, environmentalists Patrick Moore and Jamie Lincoln Kitman make surprising arguments not usually associated with environmentalists. Patrick Moore's argument is about the effectiveness of hybrid cars and why they may not be very effective. Kitman's argument is for nuclear energy and whether we should pursue it as a reliable energy source to replace coal.
Moore supports his argument by giving facts about different hybrids and why they are good or bad. In some cases, he says a hybrid makes sense, like driving a Toyota Prius around town where it gets great gas mileage. Yet while the Prius and other cars like it get very good gas mileage around town because they run mainly off electricity at low speeds, they use all gas at highway speeds, making it less efficient for highways. Likewise, some hybrids, such as hybrid SUVs, don't get much better gas mileage overall than their gasoline-powered counterparts yet cost a lot more. Moore also defends his argument against a failed bill that proposed a tax break for those who own hybrid cars. Moore points out this doesn't make sense when a person driving a hybrid Dodge Durango, getting 14 mpg, gets a tax break while someone driving a fuel-efficient Civic doesn't. Moore is effective in showing how hybrids may not be just that great.
Kitman makes his argument by stating that even though he is an environmentalist, there are some good things having nuclear energy could do. Replacing coal plants with nuclear plants would greatly reduce carbon emissions and emissions overall. The alternative solutions can't produce the quantity of energy that nuclear energy can produce. Recently, technology for nuclear technology has advanced and plants can be constructed that are very safe. The biographies for each author influences their persuasiveness because it shows that they have a thorough knowledge of the subject. It also shows that they have researched the opposing argument and therefore are able to counter that argument effectively.