Avery Lancaster
English 12
Ms. Duren
16 November 2016
A Deadly Convenience
In Christopher Marlow’s play Doctor Faustus, Faustus gives his soul to the devil in order to have God-like powers (Marlow). This is known as a “Faustian” bargain because while he did satisfy his immediate wants and needs, he comprises his long-term well-being when he gives his soul to the devil. Another example of a Faustian bargain is driving gas powered cars. Around 220 million Americans average an hour and a half on the road each day. While they are sitting in either bumper to bumper traffic or are buzzing down a county road, one thing is common. They are all polluting the environment. Every time a car is cranked, gasoline is sent into the engine where it combusts in order to power the pistons to create motion. When the gasoline combusts, it creates vapour and releases it into the environment via the tail pipe of the car. Thereafter the car emits greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and other chemicals harmful to human’s health such as benzene (Source 2). Using cars for transportation is a Faustian bargain because people sacrifice the environments health and their own for the convenience and efficiency offered by cars.
Cars have negative effects on the environment because of the greenhouse gases they emit. For example, the exhaust fumes from a car contains nitrogen and sulfur oxides which create acid rain. Acid rain is bad for the environment because it raises the natural pH of the water and damages soil (Source 3). Acid rain also hurts the environment because it damages the respiratory and reproductive systems of animals (Source 2). Carbon dioxide is the most abundant gas released by cars. Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring substance, but cars give off an unhealthy amount. Carbon dioxide traps gasses within the atmosphere and is one of the leading causes of global warming (Source 3). Another way cars pollute the environment is by leaking fluids such as oil or antifreeze (Source 3). These fluids are toxic to humans and animals, and ...
