Environmental Science Final Project Essay

Earth provides us with many resources to accommodate our needs like food, oil/gas, minerals, and so much more. The problem that all countries seem to face is atmospheric pollution, such as global warming. Global warming is a big priority when it comes to pollution in modern society. In this paper I will bring to your attention the problems we face with global warming, which nonliving/living factors contribute to or are affected by the problem, the effects it has on humans, our current sustainability strategy, my sustainability plan, benefit and challenges of the plan, and required government, societal, and global support. The problem with global warming is that when CO2 and other heat-trapping emissions are released into the air, they act like a blanket, holding heat in our atmosphere and warming the planet. Overloading our atmosphere with carbon has far-reaching effects for people all around the world, including rising sea levels, increasing wildfires, more extreme weather, deadly h eat waves, and more severe droughts (â€Å"Global Warming†, 2013). Human activity is the biggest contributor to global warming, for example when we use fossil fuel we are releasing CO2 into the air from our vehicles and when we use it to generate electricity, CO2 can also be released when we cause deforestation. According to Gale (2013), â€Å"Crowded landfills, polluted water, and poor air quality are just a few of the environmental problems that affect both industrial and developing nations. Perhaps less obvious but no less ominous a threat to the environment is the general increase in temperatures worldwide and the resulting climate changes. This phenomenon, known as global warming, could have serious negative effects on humans and all other living things on Earth. Global warming is a complex problem, and governments have had great difficulty deciding how to address it.† First of all, we need to realize that the biggest contributor to global warming is our everyday activities.  Whether it be driving a vehicle, operating plants, deforestation, and so forth. According to â€Å"Atmospheric Pollution: Global Warming and a Possible Use of Bio-Fuels in a Wide Scale,† â€Å"Global warming is causing climate changes [7]-[19], producing significant consequences to human society and biodiversity, such as the poles melting, with the increasing of oceans level, increasing intensity of hurricanes, extreme events, changes in rainfall patterns (floods, desertification), oceans acidification and biodiversity decreasing [20]- [25]. Therefore, it can cause monumental damage to the economic system, as described in the Stern report [26]. For example in the 1999’s to 2000 some areas in the United States experienced record breaking heat temperatures, at the beginning of this year Australia endured a heat wave that caused hundreds of fires. Most importantly here in the U.S. our society had to suffer from loss as well because of Hurricane Katrina, people were displaced from homes and it caused billions of dollars in damages. When catastrophic events like this occur, people aren’t the only ones affected. Animal life is as well, because their habitats are destroyed. As you can see everything is affected by global warming. The positive and negative impact global warming has on the human race can change from one year to the next depending on how much CO2 we are emitting into the atmosphere. As of now we are emitting high levels of pollutants into the air. According to â€Å"Impacts of Climate Change† (2013), â€Å"Recent studies of how climate change might affect human health expanded particularly swiftly in the 1990s, catching the attention not only of experts but the public. Here as in some other categories, the work was increasingly supervised not by a particular government but by international organizations, from the venerable World Health Organization to the new International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, established 1988). Yet here as in some other categories, it was becoming clear that global generalizations were of little value compared with studies at a regional level. For example, insect vectors of tropical diseases like dengue fever and malaria (which already affected half a billion people) would expand their ranges. The main impacts would be felt in developing nations, but people in the developed world tended to worry chiefly about how such diseases might spread to the temperate zones.† The only positive eff ects I see occurring are regions that are known for having cold climates like Canada, would eventually have warmer weather. However, I  truly feel that positive and negative effects play hand in hand. One region in the world will have great weather, and another will be really damaging. In order to have a balance there needs to be sustainability. At this very moment there are thousands of cities in the U.S. that have established different programs or projects to help reduce global warming issues like greenhouse gases. â€Å"Cities are approaching sustainable planning in a variety of ways. Some are preparing a separate sustainability plan as a guiding document for community-wide action. Others are adopting climate action plans that focus on strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy conservation and other activities. Still others are incorporating the concept of sustainability in their comprehensive plans, either by adding an element to an existing plan or by making sustainability the overarching theme for a complete revamping of their plan (â€Å"Embracing Sustainability In Community Plans†, 2010)†. For example, in some communities here in the state I live in are encouraging people to recycle glass, cardboard, and plastic. While other communities or newly built subdivisions are pushing people towards energy conservation like getting energy efficient appliances. Most contractors here are actually selling homes that are furnished with energy efficient appliances, to promote energy conservation. Bike paths are being designated in towns where people can travel from their home to parks or grocery stores. If we all contribute to being a part of anyone of these projects, its outcome may be rewarding to not only us, but also our environment. As far as my plan goes to sustain the amount of greenhouse gases, is to start within my own home before I try to encourage the community to follow my plan. There are several ways I could reduce the amount of emission my family and I contribute to. We could be more energy efficient by updating our home like putting new windows in, upgrading our appli ances, our heating and cooling system, and our lighting throughout the home. Once I have completely updated our home, I plan to track how much money I saved in six months and compare it to the last six months prior to renovations. The purpose of doing this will help me encourage others to go green in their homes. Secondly, I need to consider riding a bike to work or to the park when permitted by the weather. This activity however, I would like to encourage friends and neighbors to have a bike day once a week during summer to convince them that there are healthier ways to protect our  environment and our health. The third project I would like to do is encourage my husband and his fellow coworkers to carpool to work, instead of taking separate vehicles. By using one vehicle they will be reducing the amount of greenhouse gases into the air versus the amount of emission five cars will give off. Lastly, I would like to start a recycling program for waste product that can be recyclable like cardboard, plastic, aluminum, and glass. I would like to get the whole to wn involved in this. There is a town that is close to mine that contract’s through a garbage company that gives incentives to their customers who recycle. They give the customer two garbage cans one for waste and the other for recyclable material. For those who recycle, receive a discount off their utility bill. This is a project that I would sincerely commit to accomplishing, because everyone wins in this. The environment, the discounts we get, and the garbage company. However, with plans there will always be challenges and barriers that I will need to overcome like the recycling project. I would have to talk to the city, the local garbage company, and possibly even higher authority to come up with a plan that will work for everyone. This is a process that will take a long time to accomplish. Going green in my home will be challenging because projects like this don’t happen all at one day. Another challenge is not everyone in the community will always have a bike. In this case, I could possibly do one week as bicycle day and another as a walkathon. Although there may be challenges that I may face the benefits to this would be much greater in the end, because it will motivate others, money will be saved, and the environ ment will look healthier. In order to achieve a goal as important as this one, we would need to have everyone on board such as our government, city officials, businesses, and the residence in the community. It only takes a few voices to be heard, but I would also find a research program locally or globally to help encourage those that need the encouragement on how badly greenhouse gases are affecting our world and local environments. Once our voices are publicly heard it will promote our sustainability project, and people maybe open minded to the idea. Given all these points on how greenhouse gases effect the environment, how do you currently feel about the issue? Because in all honesty, there was a time when I did not even have a clue on how greenhouse gases drastically effected the environment nor did I plan on reading about it. We need to keep in mind  that what we do today is going to affect us tomorrow, three years from now, and pushing forward into the future. We know that greenhouse gases is a problem, everyone /everything contributes to and is affected by it, the positive and negative effects, current sustainability strategies, my sustainability plan, the benefits/challenges, and lastly the support that is needed to achieve a sustainable program. Reference Page Global Warming. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/global_warming_101/ Sthel, M. S., Tavares, J. R., Lima, G. R., Mothà ©, G. G., Schramm, D. S., Da Silva, M. G., & Castro, M. P. (2009). Atmospheric Pollution: Global Warming and a Possible Use of Bio-Fuels in a Wide Scale. International Review Of Chemical Engineering – Rapid Communications, 1(6), 564-570. â€Å"Global Warming.† Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 12 Oct. 2013. Embracing Sustainability in Community Plans. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.clarionassociates.com/pdfs/herman-sustainability-community.pdf

Mdcm B Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mdcm B - Case Study Example The main aims of the 12 projects were to rejuvenate the entire system of MDCM IT in next three years. The projects aimed to bring changes into the infrastructure, front- office systems as well as in the back office system. The various projects were as follows: In order to reduce the myriad different standards and the IT methodologies in and across the company, this project was designed. As this initiative demanded training for the contractors, the consultants and the internal IT professionals in the new methodology, it can be said that the time required for this project would be around 3 months. In this project the initiative was taken to consolidate the datacenter to three locations and to shift the company to network to VPN that would be managed by the telecommunication providers. The savings from this project would range to $1.1 millions. The time taken by this project would approximately be six months. At this stage an effort was made to standardize the server hardware and platforms. It was realized that by doing so there would be reduction of the maintenance and the support cost. This would normally require maximum of 3 months. At this project an attempt was made to make the functions of HR administration automated and available for the â€Å"self-service† to the employees on the intranet website. It would require around 3 months. At this project, the IT department decided to improve the collaboration systems like E-mail, Discussion boards, Knowledge management applications though they were highly disparate systems and were underutilized. However, the main challenge for the IT department was to consolidate the system as it would require commitment from the IT and would require huge amount of internal systems. It would require three to four months for this system to come into existence. A customer portal was decided to be made on the internet in order to reduce the administrative expenses that are associated

The effect of foreign currency in accounting Essay

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Galinsky's 6 stages of parenthood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Galinsky's 6 stages of parenthood - Essay Example The parents will create an image of what comes ahead in terms of the birth of the child and parenting behaviours. The parents will have this image in their entire life because parenting will be a lifelong process. Growth then occurs when the parents modify an image that is consistent with the reality that is happening. Nurturing is the stage that occurs when the child is born to the time it starts speaking simple words. Parents do comparison of themselves and that of their child to find available discrepancies. Discrepancies present between the imaged child and the actual child is done by parents getting to know the child by touching and caring for it. At this stage, there is bonding and the parents become attached to the child. Parents face questions relating to their priorities; how much time they will devote to the child and how much time they will have for doing their other duties. Authority stage begins when the child is two years to when it is five years, and parents are faced with the task of deciding the kind of authority to be put in place, the rules to be followed and consequences of breaking the rules. Parents, having assured themselves of their identity, develop an attachment to the child, are faced with the task of accepting the authority they have over the child. This is the stage where they come to understand the child is not their extension; therefore, they form images of getting angry, having unconditional love, and having disciplinary actions that are different from those of their parents. There are parent/child relation problems, and the big question at this stage is how to solve problems that occur. Interpretive stage has its onset when the child begins preschool years to onset of teenage. With the entering of the child into kindergarten, the parents ask themselves whether they have been realistic and they evaluate the past in order to prepare for changes coming. The task

Marketing Environment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Environment - Case Study Example (netMBA.com,n.d.) My company Sainsbury is a "UK based food retailer with vested interest in financial services. The company comprises Sainsbury supermarkets, convenience stores,an internet based home delivery shopping service and Sainsbury Bank. The group is headquartered in Holborn, London and it recorded revenues worth pounds 17151 million during the fiscal year 2006-2007, an increase of 6.8% over 2006." (Data monitor plc.,2007) This essentially implies that the factors impacting any one of it's strengths such as it's internet based home delivery shopping facility, changes in demand/supply or organic foods that form the most profitable component. Even factors that impact it's banking service i.e. Sainsbury Bank may impact Sainsbury plc on the whole. There are several internal as well as external factors. The internal factors help the internal analysis part of the equation since they focus to provide a detailed evaluation of the internal analysis part of the equation since they focus to provide a detailed evaluation of the internal environment's strengths/weaknesses. These factors include several such as "company culture, market share, brand awareness,financial resources.." (netMBA,n.d.).These will be internal to the organization; whilst external factors include competitors, in this case ASDA and TESCO that are leading supermarkets in the UK as well. However, the last four mentioned factors are mainly the macro environmental factors and maybe employed in a PEST analysis. PEST stands for political, economic, social and technological factors that have an impact on the economy. In Sainsbury's case these may be sanctions on the import of a certain kind of fertilizer used for growing organic foods that ends up affecting it's organic food sales and hence, it's profitability. Interest rate fluctuations due to an over all economic downturn may lead to lower profits as well. Apart from this, several other macro environmental variables that have an impact include: "pricing regulations. industrial safety regulations,labor costs,inflation rates, interest rates,education, culture, technology's impact on product offerings, like Internet selling etc."(netMBA, n.d.) Three Opportunities The three main opportunities that are basically the outcome of the environmental factors that impact it and that Sainsbury can make use of in the future and convert into it's strengths are the following: Increasing demand for it's organic based products According to the Data monitor, "increasing consumer awareness of health and environmental issues along with an increasing resistance towards genetically modified (gm) food products and GM farming, has led to the rapid increase in the demand for organic food."(Data monitor plc, 2007). According to the UK Telegraph, "Sainsbury's sales have risen once again thanks to the growing popularity of it's organic and premium food ranges. The company which had come under pressure from investors to sell off its property assets is pushing ahead to recovery and it's strong quality food offer has helped it take customers away from rivals such as TESCO and ASDA"(UK Telegraph,2007) This clearly indicates that organic foods have become a Sainsbury trademark with more and more of the supermarket outlets being revamped to include the greens section equipped with quality based organic food supplies. Online market Nowadays, more and more

Reflection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Reflection - Assignment Example I remember when I started learning English it was not that easy for me to get hold of it since I came from an Arabic background. However, had my mom not made sure that all the siblings spoke to each other in English, my speech wouldn’t have been the way it is. Hence, the maintenance factor came in which helped me continually polish my language skills. I also agree to Baker when he says one of the reasons for acquiring a second language is to make you culturally aware. I remember when I moved into college it wasn’t really that difficult for me to get along with other students since I had a pretty good understanding of the English culture and the language itself. However, I noticed how people who weren’t really familiar with the English language and culture found it very difficult to get along with the local students. It’s inspiring to see how Baker has put down in words a lot of thing that I have experienced in real life. Being a bilingual and aware of the local language of a country also helps you a lot in getting selected for a job. Baker has correctly mentioned this point in his book by saying that acquiring language helps a lot in career in employment. Not only the employment factor but it also helps a great deal in communicating effectively with foreigners while closing trade deals etc. I can totally connect the dots here to my own experience. I remember how one of my cousins raised in Arabia found it very challenging in finding a proper job in out country. Not that he wasn’t good at academics or anything but most of the potential employers told him the only reason they are hesitant about hiring him is that he isn’t familiar much with the English language and they believe it might some how hinder his performance at work. I believe going through Baker’s â€Å"Second Language Acquisition And Learning† has not only conformed my beliefs as to what I think of being a bilingual but it has further

Analyze what a country must consider regarding the major issues of Essay

Analyze what a country must consider regarding the major issues of monetary and exchange rate policies - Essay Example The exchange rate policy of a country on the other hand works in synergy with the monetary policy as a means of effectively administering a variety and broad range of economic issues and policies. In general, it had been expressed that the exchange rate is a factor that enable and provide the monetary policy a basis to update and maintain rules and guidelines for economic engagements in the national and international arena (International Monetary Fund, 2004). Upon the determination of the main coverage of the concepts of the monetary and exchange rate policy, the main objective of determining the main issues targeted by the said policies is at hand. It can be considered that the policies related to the monetary and exchange rates of the country vary according to the respective economic capacity and standing. For that it is important to determine the issues, factors and concepts that a nation needs in relation to the said policies. In terms of the monetary policy of a nation, there are different categories of factors that affect the concept. These factors include inflation, economic output and employment with the concern on the effects of demand and supply of different goods which are defined and covered by the fiscal policy of a nation. These factors are monitored by a central body commonly referred to as the central bank of the country (Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, 2007). The different monetary frameworks deal with the different issues related to the enforcement of the monetary policies. One is the inflation targeting framework that is aimed to establish a clear communication of the possible inflation rates planned for a nation with accountability guidelines in terms of the central bank actions regarding inflation objectives. Another important issue is related to the interaction of the exchange rate policy to monetary policy by acting as an anchor and basis of the monetary rates.