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Jose Quiroga Mr. Newman English 101: Rhetoric October 2, 2013 A City Like No Other In a world dependent on fossil fuels for energy, the question that almost always arises is what would happen if we were to run out? Researchers have pondered this question for decades and tend to always lean to renewable resources such as solar, wind, water, etc. Masdar City, located in the Arabian Desert, is an eighteen billion dollar experiment designed to be completely self-sustainable. In the June 2013 issue of Popular Science, Dan Baum describes Masdar City as a step closer to an energy efficient, eco-friendly environment. In his article, City of Light, Baum successfully argues that Masdar City is a city like no other by using ethos and pathos to appeal to the reader. Baum establishes his credibility by visiting Masdar City. He is able to have a firsthand experience living in this renewable energy world. Within the first paragraph he explains his arrival to Masdar City. Masdar does not allow cars. Visitors must instead leave their vehicles in a giant garage at the citys northern edge (64). This is an example of ethos because Baum is able to use his own experience to confirm that Masdar City does not use cars as transportation. Baum towards the end of his visit gives his impression of Masdar City. What struck me first was the almost shocking quiet of the place, devoid, as it was, of horns, idling trucks, and sirens. Then the temperature difference compared to the rest of the Arabian Desert (98). By visiting

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Masdar City, Baum can give an accurate portrayal of what life is like living there. Not only does Baum use ethos to appeal to the reader but he uses pathos as well. Throughout the article, Baum uses pathos to connect with the reader by mentioning how much safer this environment was compared to a traditional city setting by the technology available; it offers a family friendly environment. Baum quotes Severance, his guide through the city, on the idea of PRTs (Personal Rapid Transit pods). These cars get where theyre going and dont run into each other(64). This appeals to pathos because a safer environment is always a goal of any civilization. By eliminating the possibility of accidents Masdar City has created a family-friendly environment. Baum also describes his experience in the courtyard. In the hot Arabian Desert temperatures can reach as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit but by using a tower that he describes as a wind catcher and by positioning buildings in a certain sequence to divert the suns rays the temperature is immensely lower than what it would originally be (98). Again by creating this temperature drop it allows people to enjoy fresh air without being at risk of complications caused by severe heat; appealing again to pathos by offering a more family friendly environment. As well as reducing the chances of injury, these technologies are all ecofriendly. By the successful utilization of ethos and pathos, Baum argues that Masdar City is a model city and others should become more like it. With his own personal experience and the ability to present Masdar City as a friendlier environment, Baum can reassure the reader that he has a good understanding of the city and should be trusted. Baum offers an article that introduces a family friendly, eco-friendly, and technologically advanced environment that can appeal to the reader through ethos and pathos.

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Work Cited Baum, Dan. City of Light. Popular Science June 2013: 62-99. Print.