Critique of the article Overpopulation threatens the environment - Essay Example

The author brings to fore a grave problem that faces the modern world today, by seeing it in a different perspective. He points to the fact that in order to sustain the environment, human beings have to control the birthrates and take immediate action so that the environment is protected for all living beings, including humans to survive. According to him, the best means to achieve this objective is to refrain from producing more children and he considers vasectomy as a noble mission of the modern day man, in the face of the current situation.

The article, published in the Opposing Viewpoints Series by Green Haven Press, deals mainly with the problem that over population of the earth by the human species has a lot of “far-reaching and overwhelmingly destructive impacts on many other animal and plant species” (Cascadia 22). The author claims that overpopulation destroys biodiversity on earth to such a extent that it will become impossible for life to sustain on the planet in the long run. The author also argues that “The entire history of humanity is one of environmental destruction and the eradication of other species” (Cascadia 22). . Human encroachment of the environment, and the dire consequences that await them due to over exploitation of the resources, remains a topic of engaging debates across the globe.

In this scenario, Cascadia attempts to reemphasize this concern, in a bid to make his audience take cognizance of the problem. The author uses the literacy devices of logos, pathos, ethos and logical fallacies as well as statistical data, to put his point convincingly across to his audience. The title itself, simple and precise, communicates the essence of the essay directly to the readers. The author then introduces the topic, referring to the impact of overpopulation and its exponential growth, by referring to the data of births and deaths.

In any major mishap such the Asian Tsunami or 9/11, the death toll is much less than the birthrate in a day. By citing statistics such as this, the author illustrates a logic that controlling birth rate is a significant concern for humans in order to protect the environment whose resources are already over consumed. The very logic of the situation amply convinces the readers of the essay about the gravity of the situation. Cascadia appeals to the emotions of his audience by referring to historical context of human migration to different landscapes.

By specifically citing the instance of the “extinction of mega fauna” in North America as a consequence of human influx in the area over 10,000 years ago, the author deftly illustrates the impact excessive human concentration can have on the environment. Again, the author’s dexterity in deploying the literary elements of pathos and rhetoric becomes evident when he refers to the example