Plastic Bags: How Convenience Is Killing Our Planet

[[Patterns 13e_e-Reading for Cause and Effect]]

Arte Ideas

Arte Ideas describes itself as an “online emporium of Ethical Fashion and Lifestyle labels.” It focuses mainly on brands and products that support sustainability, limit their harmful effects on the environment, and operate on a Fair Trade basis.

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Questions

Examine “Plastic Bags: How Convenience Is Killing Our Planet,” and respond to the following questions.

Comprehension

Question 11.1

How much time does it take for one plastic bag to degrade fully?

Question 11.2

What solutions do the writers propose to limit the harmful effects of plastic bags?

Purpose and Audience

Question 11.3

What are the primary purposes of this infographic? Explain your answer.

Question 11.4

How would you describe the attitude of the writers toward their prospective audience? What do they assume about that audience?

Mode

Question 11.5

The infographic uses both visual icons and statistical data in its presentation. Do you think the writers provide enough empirical data to support their argument? Is the data presented clearly and integrated effectively enough to make their main point? Explain what works well—or what does not.

Question 11.6

How do the writers represent cause-and-effect relationships visually in this infographic? Point to specific examples and describe the causal relationship that is depicted.

Writing Workshop

Question 11.7

Would this infographic stop you from using plastic bags by making you aware of their hazards? Write an essay explaining your answer in terms of cause-and-effect relationships.

Question 11.8

This infographic is called “Plastic Bags: How Convenience Is Killing Our Planet.” What other cause-and-effect relationships follow from objects, products, or practices that are convenient in the way that plastic bags are? Choose another example, and trace its causal chains—either positive or negative.