Three Cheers for H2O

In the article “Water Wars: Bottling Up the World’s Supply of H2O”, writer Joshua Ortega of The Seattle Times discusses the realities of bottled water compared to tap water. Ortega concentrates on persuading the audience to comprehend the truths about bottled water and influence others to drink more tap water. Seattle, being known for environmental influence, is targeted to take action on the water crisis at hand. “Since tap water is a public resource, extensive documentation on its quality and content must be made available to the consumer” (147). This statement supports Ortega’s argument to the audience the procedure used to check tap water before distributing it. Overall, Ortega mixes allusions with cold hard facts to inform and persuade action among Seattle audiences to help prevent water shortage.

Persuading individuals of Seattle to support tap water being healthier then bottled water, Joshua Ortega gives reliable information to encourage trust with the audience. Ortega in the early point of his article uses ethos through allusion to build credibility towards the reader by referencing to facts that well support atrophy caused by bottled water. In this case Ortega uses an allusion to help the audience understand why other solutions are not valid. “When the French privatized there water services, there customer rates went up 150% within a few years” (148). Americans, in general, are not fond of the France. Ortega rekindles these relations of Americans and the French to give the Seattle audience a push to not privatize water as the French. By giving an example of the French privatizing, readers are informed that purifying water in private companies can only hurt the water supply. Also by giving accurate statistics the audience can see the drastic effects that bad decisions have on water.

Another type of allusion that is valid to supporting the point of tap water is bringing in a past crisis or traumatizing event that the Seattle readers can relate to. For example, pathos is used to bring credibility to the article through the emotion of fear. “An energy crisis was bad enough-just imagine if the Enron Scenario happened with water” (149). Here Ortega creates a situation from the past that is closely relates to the audience of a time of suffering. When taking into consideration a shortage of water, the energy crisis is merely a slight defect. Ortega uses the fear of a mass shortage of water to have the Seattle readers comprehend the seriousness of bottled water on the globe. Also associating with the fears of the audience is conveying to them a similar circumstance such as the energy crisis to install pressure to act on the crisis approaching. Ortega then uses another allusion to show the true effects of bottled water and bring the Seattle audience to fear any possible shortages in the future. “ Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as evidenced by the worldwide recall of Perrier in the early 1990s, in which bottled water was found to have benzene, a poison that has produced cancer in lab animals” (147). Supporting counter arguments used in this allusion give the Seattle readers a chance to see that all sides of water pollution are not being taken care of properly. Ortega’s idea to show that bottled water has its weaknesses supports his cause and creates a health scare for Seattle.

An appeal to imagery also has a substantial effect on helping the readers visualize and understand the importance of water supply. Using imagery is a form of logos that gives the audience a chance to look at the water crisis in a more creative way. Ortega uses imagery to become more personable with the Seattle audience, to give the audience the feeling that he also is down to earth individual. An audience is more likely to respond to an individual around the same level they are. “History is rife with conflicts over one party or another’s control of unlimited resource” (150). This example gives a texture to the article. In the past, wars have been fought over limited resources. Ortega uses this imagery of war over limited resources to directly relate to the effects of having a water shortage. With a water shortage, world war is likely to occur. Overall, that is the impact Ortega was striving for when using imagery in that context.

Another affective way that Ortega persuades the Seattle audience to act on the importance of tap water is giving the article a more characterized feeling. Character applies a more comfortable feeling to the audience. With character within the text, tap water is no longer based solely on facts, but also on opinion. Here the people of Washington are capable of seeing the writer’s opinion clearly in an article. Ortega uses connotations to build character to his article. For example, “However, bottled water is ultimately a band-aid solution” (147). In this circumstance, Ortega gives off a voice of opinion to give the overall analysis character. Giving a simple solution such as a band-aid to a small cut shows that bottled water is not a strong solution to having clean water, but more of a quick idea thrown together to look like something is being done to stop water from being polluted. This connotation is significant because it shows the audience the lack of intent the globe has on stopping water pollution.

Appeals to emotions are then used in this article to catch the audiences attention by applying an overstatement. By using an overstatement, the writer clearly states his point of view on a topic. By utilizing the overstatements in the article, the reader’s emotions are capable of meshing with the writers points. “Taking away your water is the same thing as putting a gun to your head” (147). Here Ortega uses an appeal to pathos to give the overstatement that taking away water has the same type of consequences as committing suicide. Hitting close to home, Seattle is known for being one of the top states in suicide. An overstatement such as this can trigger fear in the eye’s of this audience. Literally taking away water from another individual isn’t as extreme as murder or suicide, but by using such an extreme overstatement the audience feels a much more sense of responsibility to act to prevent water shortage. Ortega’s main objective is to have the audience feel a sense of pride on the issue and to motivate participate in helping the cause.

Throughout the article, appeals to pathos through similes are used so the audience can compare the text to related situations. Similes are applied throughout the article so the reader can reflect on ideas and questions that the writer wants them to focus on. For example, “The evidence is as clear as the plastic it’s bottled in- bottled water, compared to good tap water, is not worth the costs, whether they be environmental, health-related or economic” (148). Joshua Ortega uses this simile to show how simple a solution to polluted water is to the audience. By relating to something simple, such as plastic, the audience is can relate to the simple task that is not being taken in proper order. Also by giving such a simple look at solving the problem of water pollution the reader gets a sense that every little bit of participation by the community can help. With a sense of community, the appeal to go out and have every individual do their part becomes apparent to the audience.

In conclusion, Joshua Ortega connects his audience to do their part to help the water crisis through emotions, allusions, and statements that directly affect each individual. By breaking down each fact from all standpoints and bringing complex information understandable to the common person Ortega is capable of getting his point across on the significance of environment and water. With a strong rhetoric response to the crisis, readers are compelled to go out into the community and participate to stop water pollution. To finish his article Ortega brings a sense of patriotism when he states, “It is patriotic duty as Americans to ensure that it stays that way” (150). Joshua Ortega finishes by making it the responsibility of the audience to ensure the cleanliness of the environment.