Pelicans, Outline Example

Introduction

1. Reasons behind the continued fluctuation of the status of pelicans either within or on the brink of the endangered species list
2. The brown and white pelicans have continually had their statuses threatened by various human actions, i.e., DDT, oil spills, etc.,
3. The fluctuating status of pelicans vis-à-vis the endangered species list suggests that it is humans’ anthropocentric approach to the environment that threatens the existence of the species.

Development

Point One

1. i) Radical shifts in the brown pelican population in Louisiana indicate that human actions are the main cause
2. ii) Usage of DDT in Louisiana destroyed the habitat of the brown pelican, reducing the population to zero. Nevertheless, the population was replenished through the actions of conservationists. However, the oil spill of 2009 in the Gulf of Mexico once again has threatened their wetland habitat.
3. iii) The empirical data in population numbers correlated to specific events (the knowledge of the danger of DDT, the oil spill) clearly shows that human actions are the cause, which is indicative of the anthropocentric ideology that is inconsiderate to other forms of life

Point Two

1. i) The white pelican has been continually on and off the endangered list because of human interventions into their habitat
2. ii) The fact that conservation efforts have succeeded shows that the problems are human related
3. iii) A consciousness of not intruding into habitats by conservationists have led to upswings in the white pelican population

Conclusion

1. The cases of the brown and white pelicans show that pelican populations fluctuate and are threatened by human action
2. Clearly, this evinces an anthropocentric ideology, as years of careful conservation efforts can be annulled in an instant.
3. We need to re-think our anthropocentric perspective: this is essentially an ethical question concerning the terms of our relation to the environment as a whole.