Environmental Science Essay Example for Free

Environmental Science Essay Our world looses 40,000 species a year, while ocean fisheries collapse and global warming threatens ecosystems from the coral reefs to the melting of the North Pole poles to the grain-producing mid-latitudes. There is a greater need than ever before to understand ecosystem processes, man’s impact on these processes, and the value systems that will determine our future interactions with our own ecosystem. Conservation is akin to problem solving, hence the emphasis on the art of solving problems and the critical-analytical approach toward understanding the underlying issues. Conserving nature is thus related to solving problems arising from human interference. It thus combines the complexity of nature with the human dimension, which is complicated to say the least. Hence the multitude of dimensions, confusion of ideas and the widespread involvement in all facets of daily life.Conservation is rooted in the belief that something can be done to prevent the loss of an endeared entity. When we saw native forests disappearing to shipbuilding and firewood, we began to protect them, goes the story. However, the truth follows a slightly different path. Forests were saved because people discovered coal, which was much more efficient to use. Instead of building ships from timber, steel proved to be a better choice. Instead of burning firewood for locomotives, coal proved more efficient. Thus coal and steel saved the remnants of native forests. Likewise it was fossil oil that saved the whales. If no economic replacement can be found, people will use the resource to the last little bit. Conservation in its early days, often happened by accident. However, today, people are using knowledge, foresight, labour and technology for proactive conservation. Soil conservation: soil has become threatened by human cultivation and climate change, resulting in loss of fertility, erosion and desertification. Water conservation: water is needed for food and industry, but in many nations a severe shortage is looming as humans use over 50% of fresh water that never reaches the sea. Atmosphere conservation: clean air is needed by all organisms on Earth. The atmosphere regulates the Earths temperature and protects it from harmful radiation. Global warming and ozone depletion threaten all organisms, including humans. Natural habitat conservation: wildlife needs natural habitat, Wildlife conservation: preventing extinctions, maintaining biodiversity. Mineral conservation: the mining of minerals rests almost exclusively in the hands of mining companies. Their business is to supply an ever hungrier market. Conservation of minerals can be done only at the consumers end, by reducing the need, reusing by-products and recycling wastes Energy conservation: energy is the main driving force behind industry and indeed our civilisation. Our entire standard of living depends on energy to the extent, that people in developed countries use the equivalent of 50 human slaves each, or more. Fossil fuel is going to run out and alternatives have to be found, as well as energy conserved. Urban conservation: in recent times, many cities have grown so rapidly that they have become unlivable due to overcrowding, traffic jams, inadequate public transportation systems, air and water pollution, noise, and lack of recreational parks. People flee the cities to live in suburbs, causing urban areas to sprawl, which exacerbates the transport-related problems. Urban conservation aims to make cities more livable, while halting urban sprawl. Marine conservation: the marine environment has its own rules. To do conservation for the benefit of nature is difficult enough, but because humans are involved in every step, the matter becomes very much more complicated. In fact, this aspect can become quite time-consuming and energy-sapping, often obscuring what the whole purpose of conservation is all about. Human society has become more complicated over time, and will continue to do so. People have occupied every bit of land, and have also been allowed to own it. By having an interest in an area planned for conservation, or an extractable species, human lives are affected and conflicts arise. People who have a claim to be considered, call themselves stakeholders. Dont be surprised that a stakeholder can live hundreds of kilometres away from the place of conflict. Here are the human interests that need to be considered along every step: economic: peoples incomes are affected. Countries with a Bill Of Rights, require such people to be compensated financially. It increases the cost of conservation. However, often new opportunities present themselves, and people can get better jobs through re-training. Where fishing is stopped, boat owners and skippers can learn to earn a living from eco-tourism. Park rangers are required, and those displaced from the area make good rangers due to their local knowledge. rights: over time, people have given themselves all kinds of rights. Their present predicament is seen as a right obtained through custom, and any change to it is seen as an infringement of such rights. tradition: people have been doing what they do for many generations, often passed down in families from father to son. Villages have a tradition, and so do areas. A conservation effort may upset such traditions. culture: every ethnic group has a different culture. Within a culture, specific rights and beliefs are held dearly. Conservation may infringe on such cultural values. spiritual: persons and groups may have spiritual values, arising from beliefs and superstitions. emotional value: people often value a place or a species emotionally. Such values cannot be measured but are real to the beholders. A large range of emotional values can be held. race: racial matters may dominate conservation efforts. Original People like the Maori in New Zealand, the Aborigines in Australia and the Indians in America and Canada, have lived in the area for a long time, and have cultural and spiritual ties with an area. However, often the race issue is used to gain power and income. Nevertheless, it seems that the three underlying causes, population growth, economic growth and material needs (standard of living) are too holy to be stemmed, or even discussed. So it happens that all our conservation efforts are directed at fixing problems, rather than preventing them. Worse still, the concept of sustainable development requires us to increase economic activity while also conserving the environment, two opposing goals. Conservationists now try to improve our quality of life, the need for a clean environment, such as clean air and water, uncluttered living areas, and unspoiled scenic lands. Only very recently has the concept of biodiversity entered the conservationists vocabulary. It requires healthy ecosystems, not just for the benefit of people but also for those other millions of species. The ecological crisis, as an outcome of human impact on nature, has reached a point that could threaten the very survival of humanity. In keeping with the economic interests of a small minority, new production forms be implemented faster and faster, with no prior evaluation of their ecological consequences. These minority interests also require maintaining production techniques recognized as harmful. This is going on while technological progress is increasing the possibility of acting upon nature, and hence upsetting or destroying it. Industry, transports and the breakdown of more or less durable consumer goods release a great variety of toxic substances into the air. The unbridled and apparently uncontrollable growth of motor vehicle traffic makes this the primary source of sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide, far ahead of household and industrial heating. Formic aldehyde, mercury and asbestos, for example, are industrial pollutants. These are also found to a very significant extent in everyday consumer products, such as building materials in the case of formaldehyde and asbestos, and mercury in batteries. Waste, of household, agricultural or industrial origin alike, is carried off in the worlds waters, turning them into gigantic sewers. Continental waters, rivers and lakes are the hardest-hit, but pollution is reaching the sea more and more, via rivers and coastal cities. The direct consequences are the accumulation of heavy metals; mercury, cadmium, etc, and highly toxic organic compounds, in sediment on the ocean floor, riverbeds and lakebeds. Above all, fertilizer build-up, involving nitrates and phosphates, has led to an unbridled proliferation of algae and water plants. Their breakdown then exhausts the oxygen dissolved in the water: resulting in a massive death of aquatic life. Among the most dramatic manifestations of the ecological crisis, the destruction of the worlds forests is among the most disturbing, because of the extent of its consequences. In 50 years, one third of the worlds woodlands has disappeared. This has hit tropical countries the hardest. In the industrialized countries, the wooded area has remained relatively stable, but forests are slowly dying from air, oil and soil pollution. However, in the Third World, deforestation is at the heart of the ecological crisis. Deforestation is the outcome of a vicious cycle of poverty and depletion of arable land. Another cause is the over-harvesting of tropical woods, with no concern for sustainable management. This destroys biodiversity the tropical forests are home to over 50% of the plant and animal species of our planet and the forest populations resources, in order to provide a cheaper product for Western building and furniture markets. In future, we must see our neighbours as partners and friends rather than as poachers and foes. This partnership can also extend to adjoining industries, farming enterprises and business ventures. It does, of course, mean that human attitudes and behaviour will have to change. We should all see ourselves as custodians of the environment and learn to live in harmony with it. Only then will we see light at the end of a dark tunnel. Worked Cite: Daniel B. Botkin, Edward A. Keller Published by Wiley Text Books (June 2002) Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet

BUSINESS LOYALTY Essay -- essays research papers

Brand Loyalty â€Å" Brand loyalty-that certain something that makes a consumer keep buying over and over again-is an elusive quality. It begins with the consumer’s preference for a product on the basis of objective reasons-the drink is sweeter, the paper towel more absorbent. The brand name is the customer’s guarantee that he/she will get what they expect†(Fisher). As far back as companies go the main question asked when selling their product, how can I get people to purchase my product? This is still a very important issue in the day- to- day operations of any company, but now they are asking a whole new question. In today's fast changing markets, where people are bombarded by advertisements everywhere, people are starting to realize that they don't need to stick with one product for life, and they see that there are many substitutes available. As a result of this new type of market, companies have started to put a large effort towards the development of Brand loyalty. I sha ll explore the topic of Band loyalty and explain its importance in today's business market, and how it motivates a consumer to purchase a given product or service. The phrase Brand loyalty refers to consumers sticking with a brand out of feeling of commitment for that brand. "Consumers attachments to certain brands are so powerful that this loyalty is often considered as a product attribute in and of its self†(Solomon). Solomon’s quote, is showing the attachment that people feel when they purchase a product for a long time, and are still very happy with it, is a huge plus in its self. People enjoy the luxury of not having to scavenge around the supermarket in search of a new product. Brand loyalty is also very attractive to the companies since they enjoy their work being easier, and less costly. It is less expensive and less time consuming to keep old customers, rather than spend money and time advertising towards new ones. "Furthermore, companies with faithful customers tend to be less susceptible to economic down turns or new competitors"(Harrell). There are numerous ways that a company can create Brand loyalty. When the consumers can name the brand for themselves, they are more likely to care about it. To help create that relationship many companies create an entire culture around their brand. By giving the consumer some degree of culture in addition to the product you ar... ...r getting more than a product. It shows that people want to belong to something. For example, the hippies that go to Ben & Jerrys, or people, who go to Starbucks, are getting more than ice cream and coffee. These people are getting an experience that cannot be matched elsewhere. The question is what sounds better if someone asked you what did you do last night? I got coffee at the local coffee shop or I got coffee at Starbucks. When people think of Starbucks they think of the big comfortable chairs and all the people, some even have a fireplace, and newspapers, and board games. Starbucks has created a culture of sitting and drinking coffee and this has become a big big business. This culture is what has made them as successful as they are today. It is as easy as saying if you don't adapt to the times you will not survive in this new market place, so the companies that don't develop Brand loyalty will be at a serious disadvantage. These companies will lose market share, and ultimately pay the price, and that is them going out of business. There is no real excuse for this to happen to any company, considering that there are so many methods, which one can create Brand loyalty.

Service Learning Reflection

I chose to go to my home town to work with Kid's Klub for my service learning project. Kid's Klub is a ministry of Wesley United Methodist Church offering quality before and after school care and summer camp programs for children ages five to fourteen. The reason I chose to go to my home town for this project is because I regularly participate in this program when I am home for breaks. While I am there I assist the children in any area in which they may need extra help, as well as helping with preparations that need to be made for activities and field trips. This project relates to the passage of Matthew 25:31-40. This passage talks about children in reference to helping each other out when one is in need and doing the right thing. Another passage that I would like to mention is Proverbs 22:6. This states that a child should be raised in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it. Kid's Klub is a program that offers care to children before and after school. Being that it acts similarly to a daycare it gives children the opportunity to work on homework or projects they might need to finish, or just to have time to interact with other children and enjoy games and activities. In addition, they are taught scripture in fun ways that they will enjoy. Being able to do such activities in this environment gives the children numerous opportunities to help one another. It is also great that the children are able to associate with different age groups; they are always able to teach each other new things and be able to ask advice from someone that they might feel more comfortable talking to since they are closer to their own age. While I was there, I acted as a teacher, or mentor, as well as a friend. It was my job to assist them with their homework, projects and to clarify what they were going over in bible classes. I also helped prepare dinner for them and played games with them until their parents were able to pick them up. I was also there to mediate and help the kids make the right decision when there were conflicts or arguments. By doing so, they are learning how they should deal with situations and what is the right or wrong way to handle them. It is really amazing to see this first hand when I see the kids oluntarily helping one another with assignments and resolving issues on their own in ways that benefit everyone involved positively. I chose to mention Proverbs 22:6 because it acts as a precursor to the main passage of relation to this service. This passage states that a child should be raised in the way that he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it. I think it is important to include when dealing with children because it is a top priority to teach them. Children must be taught right and wrong in the first place before they will be able to employ those tactics in their lives. It is important that they know what it means to help one another and how much it could mean for one in need as well as the one providing the service. This is why it is important that children receive help when they are in need. The probability that one might help another is much greater when they have been shown the same sort of assistance when they were in need. Once they are shown this, it will stick with them through their lives and they will always know what is right and wrong no matter what. It is not as simple to teach what is right and wrong in this day and age, which is another reason why it is so important. Because of today's society, it has become a standard to disregard morals that we should learn as children and keep with us through our lives. â€Å"In today’s tumultuous society, morality often gets brushed aside as just another part of the fairy tale, and those learning moments of our youth become just another ‘happily ever after' tale that seems unbelievable by today’s standards† (Lebeau). I think it is equally important to teach values so that children are sure to be able to employ them in their lives by helping others. The main passage that I chose is Matthew 25:31-41. This passage talks about treating one another right. Ultimately how we treat one another will determine whether we are saved. It's purpose is to decide whether or not one will be permitted to the eternal kingdom or will be consigned to eternal punishment (NIV, 25:41). The King will separate the children according to whether or not they have helped others when they were in need. This, in turn, makes the obvious point that we need to be taught and to teach others hat is right or wrong and that we need to help each other, regardless of who we are; we do not discriminate. This is shown in one of the verses as follows: â€Å"The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me'† (25:40). When we do good to others, we are doing good to god. Even though we do not have to opportunity to show this directly, it is seen and is important. Both of these passages are of equal importance when addressing what is right and helping others. Children are the future of humanity, therefore it is essential that this is stressed during the early years of their lives. These situations are presented everyday in life, young and old, and it remains important through all of our years. That is why I enjoyed working with the kids and the fact that I was an influence on them. There is nothing I love more than helping children understand why we are to do what is expected. This was certainly a beneficial experience for me as well as the children and we can all take valuable information and learn from our time together.

Stonehenge The Truth Behind the Stones - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1135 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/04/01 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Truth Essay Did you like this example? There are many theories about a mysterious rock formation in the U.K. called Stonehenge. This formation is made up of two circular shapes with two horseshoe-like shapes in the center. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Stonehenge: The Truth Behind the Stones" essay for you Create order Many archeologists have attempted to excavate the site, as well as go there to learn more about the structure and why the ancient people built it. They have all come up with different things. From theories of it being a ritual site, a place of healing, a type of sun dial that measured the summer solstice, and it being the last stop on a long journey of a burial ritual, Stonehenge no doubt had a ritualistic history; however, this paper will focus on it being a place of healing. In 2010, Vince Gaffney, a professor of landscape archeology, set out on a three-year project in order to find out more about Stonehenge (Underhill 50). Gaffney worked on virtual excavations in the past and did the same thing with Stonehenge. He looked into all the past research, as well as did his own through virtual models and images. One thing that peaked his interest was a wooden structure about 1,000 yards away from Stonehenge, very similar in shape and size. He also noticed that Stonehenge may have had a wooden ring around the outside of the stones in the past. So, Gaffney decided to go on a three-year journey into discovering more about Stonehenge and the architectural structures around it. Using the latest technology at the time, Gaffney made his first discovery in just two weeks. According to William Underhill in his work Scientific America Vol. 304, Within just two weeks the team, armed with high-powered magnetometers and ground-penetrating radar, discovered traces of that putative timber ring (Underhill 50). This was exactly what he was hoping for because he knew that there was more to come based on his calculations from h is virtual research. Through more of his discoveries, there is now more information about what Stonehenge may have looked like in the beginning and after building was completed. Stonehenge has been defined as many different things by archeologists. Writer for Science News, Bruce Bower defined Stonehenge in a 2007 volume of the magazine as a legendary set of massive stones that people positioned on Salisbury Plain around [4,600 years ago] (Bower Vol. 171 67). He later stated in June of 2008, that it was a set of earth, timber and stone structures perched provocatively on Englands Salisbury Plain (Bower Vol. 173 13). These definitions are interesting because they changed a lot in only a one-year time period. This is because of all the new developments in technology, as well as more archeologists being interested in learning more about Stonehenge. Through a lot of Gaffneys research, as well as others, we now know what Stonehenge most likely looked like when it was first created c.a. 1600 B.C. Underhill stated that Stonehenge started off as a circular ditch and bank ¦possibly surrounding a ring of timber posts (Underhill 51). Later discoveries then helped to d evelop the idea that over the following 1,000 years, people brought in the giant blue stones and arranged them in a pattern to measure the summer solstice sun. These bluestones were important because they were said to have brought a healing property into the structure. After realizing what Stonehenge looked like, archeologists began digging into what Stonehenge was actually used for in 1600 B.C. Mike Parker Pearson, an archeologist at the University of Sheffield, announced a discovery made in 2007 of remains that were described to be part of a vast prehistoric settlement (Underhill 52). These remains were found about two miles away from Stonehenge itself. Pearson believed that the remains of the village-like structures where the builders of Stonehenge lived during the time they were building the monument. Through this discovery, he started considering that there might be other monuments linked to Stonehenge, so he started looking. He ended up excavating what is now known as the Southern Circle, a concentric ring of timber posts and said that it was the mirror image of the arrangement at Stonehenge (Underhill 52). This discovery lead to other archeological excavations and findings, showing that Stonehenge was only part of a larger landscape and ritual ground. Archeologists began to suspect that there might have been another reason for Stonehenge, however, when they discovered some human remains near Stonehenge that were not native to the area. In 2002, archeologists were continuing to excavate areas around Stonehenge. They came across some human remains three miles from the monument in a place called Amesbury. They belonged to a man that was from the Bronze Age, and he was buried with an assortment of different treasures and archery gear. He was named the Amesbury Archer because of these factors. He is believed to have been an important figure to the native people at the time. This was most likely because of his knowledge of metal working and the other advanced inventions he carried with him. When looking into the remains, archeologists found that he had lost a knee and had an infection that was causing his bones to deteriorate. Among further analysis of his teeth, Underhill writes that they suggested his original home was far away in the Alps (Underhill 53). This suggests that he came to Stonehenge because he wanted to be healed, or at least have some pain taken away because he had heard stories about the bluestones that Stonehenge was made up of. Other remains were found later on that were said to be a teenager from the Mediterranean and about seven sets of human remains were from Wales. Further theories about the healing properties have been found based on the stones in the structure itself. Many of the Stones in Stonehenge have vanished from the site and most of the stones that remain have chips carved out of them. Underhill writes that Darvill found plenty of tiny flakes apparently deliberately chipped off the larger blocks, perhaps for use as talismans (Underhill 53). Researchers today even believe that some of the original stones that are missing were shipped off to other places because some people could not go to Stonehenge themselves but needed the healing properties from the stones. Stonehenge has been said to have been a place of ritualistic burial, astronomical observations, as well as just a normal burial ground. When looking deeper into its core, however, one can see that it was also considered to be a place of healing and hope for people who were ill c.a. 1600 B.C. onward. Along with the other theories, this one has a great story behind it and some very interesting evidence to go along with it. Historians may never uncover exactly what Stonehenge was built for in the beginning, but they at least have good evidence and a strong story to give the public a good understanding of what it may have been for.