EAP 3 Research Essay Structure 2

This research essay structure 2 explores the topic of damage to the environment as a consequence of worldwide improvements in the standard of living. It presents arguments, counter-arguments, and refutations to support the position that improved living standards lead to inevitable environmental damage. The essay discusses the impact of consumption, waste disposal, technological advancements, and agricultural practices on the environment. It also highlights the need for awareness and conservation measures to mitigate environmental degradation. The essay includes references from various sources to support the arguments presented.

EAP 3 Research Essay Structure 2
Research Essay Topic: ________ Damage to the environment is an inevitable consequence of worldwide improvements in the standard
of living
OUTLINE: (STRUCTURE 2)
Introduction: (Include references used)
Topic/Definition
Damage to the environment is an inevitable consequence of worldwide improvements in the standard of living
Background:
Environment quality in relation to consumerism is viewed as a function per capita earnings when the purpose of choice of
consumptions are ignored. This acts as a parameter to mediate the growth of economy and degradation of the environment. The rate of
consumptions affect the environment in many ways:
i. The higher the level of consumption, the higher the levels of production and thus the necessity for large energy inputs and
materials that in turn generate large amounts of wastes.
ii. Overexploitation and extraction of natural resources, pollutant concentrations, waste accumulations contribute to damage of
the ecosystem thus limit the activities of the economy.
iii. The effects of quoting individual contentment with buying material belongings are worse when it speculates the amount of
bought possessions. This gets worse when it is capable of depicting the number of goods purchased. This aspect is linked to
“Rebus sic stantibus”, a consumerism term utilized by sociologists about the equivalent phenomenon.
The findings obtained in an Environmental Kuznets curve is critical in observing a U-relationship that is usually inserted between the
growth of the economy and the rate of degradation of the environment. Attentions are focused on approaches based on consumptions to
identify the precise impact of consumerism on the ecosystem. A distinct estimation and specification of reduced equation forms are then
suggested to give the per capita relation between several effect indicators to the consumption.
Outline of Issue
Local administrations that are a near-sighted focus on the stability of their economies while paying little or no attention to issues
concerning their surroundings. These governments take into account that protection of the environments wastes resources whereas

EAP 3 Research Essay Structure 2
economic development owes to their greater success.
Some individuals lay blames on improved living standards as the main cause of environmental degradation but in reality, this only serves as
an excuse for neglecting environmental conservation measures Manahan (2017). Their lack of awareness as well as indulgence in busy
schedules makes them view biodiversity protection as least of their priorities.
Counter-position + Reasons
 Counter Position: improvement of living standards does not always lead to environmental damage
Reason 1: A number of factories and manufacturers get concerned with only profit margins aside from the quality of product,
biodegradability and whether they can be recycled. This shows a lack of accountability in pursuit to protect the environment. Most of these
industries release their untreated wastewater into streams and open areas without looking into their impacts. In Shenzhen, approximately
50% of the population is in possession of private cars and the number is vulnerable to 7,000 increments each month. The exhaust fumes
contribute to the amount of GHGs in the state accompanied by adverse climate changes. The nose irritations from the cars result in a great
impact on people's health Ralph (2016, p.51-64).
Reason 2: Moreover, people have contributed to the huge waste disposal menace in most of the countries in the world. This has
vast impacts on the environment and can result in dangerous problems. Nations like the UK face the bumpy path of trying to reduce the
level of disposals.Much of the waste has been buried in landfills, holes on the earth surfaces, and old quarries that have been abandoned.
The biodegradability of this wastes determines whether they are capable of rotting. Other wastes can rot to release methane gas to the
environment, which is mostly explosive leading to increased levels of greenhouse gases. Some other compounds like leachate are produced
during waste decompositions and they cause pollutions. Most cities are poorly amended as a result of widely disposed wastes accompanied
by pungent odors that pollute the air.

Your position + 2 Reasons
 Your Position: improved standard of living leads to inevitable environmental damage
Reason 1: Enhanced technologies have resulted in increased industries that tend to manufacture products from raw materials.
These industries emit Chloro-Fluoro Carbons to the atmosphere that lead to depletion of the ozone layer. The effect of this is a drastic
increase in temperature called global warming. As a result, ice glaciers start to melt and an overall rise in water levels may cause flooding in
the coastal regions. In developed countries like England and Australia, the burning of coal and fossil fuels act as the major source of
electricity. These processes emit huge amounts of carbon to the environment leading to inevitable damages (Stearns 2018).
Reason 2: The use of eco-friendly products to provide outstanding lighting services in homes and streets has been made possible using
LED lights. However, these compounds contain mercury which is dangerous and can cause serious effects on water and land. Contacts with
mercury in humans result in kidney failures, nervous system dysfunctions, and birth problems. Other products like clothing made of

EAP 3 Research Essay Structure 2
bamboo are environmental unfriendly as they are made from chemicals during the pulping processes Handel man and Brynner (2019). In
the real sense, these products release toxic compounds to the environment like carbon sulfide.

Body Paragraph 1: 1st Argument
Topic sentence Power +
Supporting
sentence
(Explanation)
Power ↓ Environment quality in relation to consumerism is viewed as function per capita earnings when the
purpose of choice of consumptions are ignored.
Supporting
sentence
(evidence)
Power - Moreover, people have contributed to the huge waste disposal menace in most of the countries in the
world
Supporting
sentence
(Consequence)
Power ↑ The findings obtained in an Environmental Kuznets curve is critical in observing a U-relationship that is
usually inserted between the growth of the economy and the rate of degradation of the environment
Concluding
sentence
Power + A distinct estimation and specification of reduced equation forms are then suggested to give the per capita
relation between several effect indicators to the consumption.
Body Paragraph 2: 1st Counter-argument
Topic sentence Power + An improvement in people’s way of living is not proportional to the extent of environmental damage.
Supporting
sentence
(Explanation)
Power ↓ A number of factories and manufacturers get concerned with only profit margins aside from the quality of
product, biodegradability and whether they can be recycled
Supporting
sentence
(evidence)
Power - In Shenzhen, approximately 50% of the population is in possession of private cars and the number is
vulnerable to 7,000 increments each month. The nose irritations from the cars result in a great impact on
people's health Ralph (2016, p.51-64).
Supporting
sentence
Power ↑ The exhaust fumes contribute to the amount of GHGs in the state accompanied by adverse climate
changes

EAP 3 Research Essay Structure 2
(Consequence)
Concluding
sentence
Power + Most of these industries release their untreated wastewater into streams and open areas without looking
into their impacts
Body Paragraph 3: 1st Refutation
Topic sentence Power + Peoples negligence is proportional to the inevitable damage to the environment
Supporting
sentence
(Explanation)
Power ↓ Due to increased population, deforestation levels have risen where people cut down trees to obtain land
for settlements. Trees serve as important components of the ecosystem and this deforestation rates greatly
impacts on the environment (Barr 2016).
Supporting
sentence
(evidence)
Power - Improved living standards have been crucial in causing damages to the environment
Supporting
sentence
(Consequence)
Power ↑ The use of electronic devices like printers has resulted in an increased number of e wastes in the recent
generation.
Concluding
sentence
Power + E-wastes contain toxic compounds like scandium and lead from the batteries that leach to water bodies
hence alterations in the natural components of water.
Body Paragraph 4: 2nd Argument
Topic sentence Power + Some agricultural practices cause damage to the environment.
Supporting
sentence
(Explanation)
Power ↓ Shifting cultivation results to soil erosions and more land is cleared to cater for this change. Other farming
systems like monoculture lead to exhaustion of nutrient content of the soil
Supporting
sentence
(evidence)
Power - The use of pesticides and herbicides to kill pests and weeds respectively causes the accumulation of toxic
compounds in water bodies. They are made to increase crop yields by inhibiting effects of weeds and
pests on crop yield.
Supporting
sentence
(Consequence)
Power ↑ These chemicals are often washed off in the presence of heavy rains to water bodies leading to
contaminations

EAP 3 Research Essay Structure 2
Concluding
sentence
Power + This makes it clear that more innovations are equivalent to environmental damages.
Body Paragraph 5: 2nd Counter-argument
Topic sentence Power + Overexploitation as a cause of loss of biodiversity.
Supporting
sentence
(Explanation)
Power ↓ Overfishing is one of the ways in which natural resources are overexploited. This results from greed to
satisfy their money wants without looking at the effects caused by the activity. These acts led to the
degradation of the entire ecosystem hence shows the connection between humans and environmental
damage.
Supporting
sentence
(evidence)
Power - Fertilizers through science have been implemented to improve the number of nutrients in the soil leading
to improved agricultural production. However, they have a significant effect on the environment
Supporting
sentence
(Consequence)
Power ↑ Fertilizers release nitrous oxides to the environment that contributes to the amount of Green-House Gases
in the environment.
Concluding
sentence
Power + This shows the extent of damage impacted on the environment by newer innovations meant to improve
living standards.
Body Paragraph 6: 2nd Refutation
Topic sentence Power + People's activities cause the degradation of the environment.
Supporting
sentence
(Explanation)
Power ↓ Activities like overgrazing lead to bare lands that are more prone to erosions hence environmental
distortions.
Supporting
sentence
(evidence)
Power - Improvements in transport industry involve the use of ships to transport commodities like oil for exports
in large water bodies like the oceans and seas.
Supporting
sentence
Power ↑ As a result, the shipping bodies are subject to damages leading to oil spillages in the oceans and seas. The
effect of this is the reduced penetration of oxygen to water.

EAP 3 Research Essay Structure 2
(Consequence)
Concluding
sentence
Power + The water biodiversity including fish has highly impacted hence the fact that improved technologies have
caused notable damage to the environment.
Conclusion
Summarise arguments and restate position:
While it is true that environmental damage is form improvement of living standards, traces have it that the latter could also be due to
neglect by society. These issues pose a huge threat if not taken into account deeply by the various states. To curb negligence, the present
day media can take part in creating awareness of the different measures to conserve the environment. In these case, the broadcast, print and
internet media can be greatly utilized to achieve this in connection with governmental and non-governmental agencies Carley and Christie
(2017). Awareness programs can as well be created to suit the rural areas where most of the dwellers are illiterate so as to aid in conserving
the ecosystem.
Final comment (suggestion/ prediction):

Note: You will need to gather the following information on ALL of your sources so that you can complete
your in-text referencing and reference list.
References

EAP 3 Research Essay Structure 2
Friedman, B.M., 2017. The moral consequences of economic growth. In Markets, Morals, and
Religion (pp. 29-42). Routledge.
Carley, M. and Christie, I., 2017. Managing sustainable development. Routledge.
Manahan, S., 2017. Environmental chemistry. CRC press.
Relph, E., 2016. Senses of place and emerging social and environmental challenges. In Sense of
place, health and quality of life (pp. 51-64). Routledge.
Stearns, P.N., 2018. The industrial revolution in world history. Routledge.
Barr, S., 2016. Environment and society: Sustainability, policy and the citizen. Routledge.
Wehrmeyer, W., 2017. Greening people: Human resources and environmental management.
Routledge.
Handelman, H. and Brynen, R., 2019. Challenges of the developing world. Rowman & Littlefield
Publishers.

EAP 3 Research Essay Structure 2