TOW #6: The largest methane leak in U.S. history began one year ago at Aliso Canyon. What have we learned since then?

The largest methane leak in U.S. history began one year ago at Aliso Canyon. What have we learned since then?

              In this editorial, the author shares the story of the largest leak of methane gas in United States history. It happened in Aliso Canyon, California and it released more than 90,000 metric tons of the potent greenhouse gas. The article later describes the negative effects that it had on neighboring residents. This particular piece was written by The Los Angeles Times Editorial Board. This group is comprised of nine individual writers who have each gained years of experience in, our outside of The Los Angeles Times.

              This article was written for an indefinite audience. The issues present have the ability to impact each and every person in the country on a profound scale. The writing is used to persuade readers into taking their own actions to increase the currently insufficient progress being made. This article was written after the worst methane leak in the history of the country. Not only did it force nearby citizens to relocate due to the methane’s impact on their health, but it caused an energy shortage. Furthermore, it was written during a time period in which the effects of fossil-fuel addiction are becoming ever more apparent.

              The author begins the text with an anecdote of how the leak came about. They describe how the leak was thought to be small and routine. The author’s then use a litote and say “the leak was neither small nor routine.” Implying that the leak was profound while also instilling a sense of uncertainty and dread. This is much more effective than presenting the 90,000 metric tons statistic at the beginning. Without context, the statistic is meaningless to the reader. The authors proceed by appeal to readers’ emotions. They tell the story of the 8,000 families forced to relocate due to the sickening smell of the gas.” In fact, residents in the surrounding area still experience frequent nausea, nosebleeds, and even rashes. The authors also tell how the fear of widespread power-outages would have caused the state to grind to a holt had it not been for a summer of unusually low power-usage. These stories appeal to fear. If the facts regarding fossil fuels’ danger did not convince readers to take action, the fear of the consequences of over-dependence will.