Our first step in the Toulmin Method is to identify the
claim. In the case of this argument, the claim is stated in a very general way, then is elaborated
on throughout the essay. (Therefore, there is no particular point in the essay where the
writer states her claim in full.) However, the general statement of the claim could be
said to come at the beginning of paragraph 2,
where the writer argues,
"It is time for us to rethink our landscaping practices." She elaborates on this somewhat
in the sentence that follows: " In our arid Western climate and poor soil, the traditional lawn
takes too much water, time, and harmful chemicals to maintain." The argument proceeds to prove
that this is true, then offers alternatives to "the traditional lawn."
