“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee as teaching material Essay Example for Free

â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† by Harper Lee as teaching material Essay There have been plenty of opinions and discussions around the statement if the well-known novel â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† by Harper Lee should be used as teaching material. A number of teachers have decided to use the book in classes but there are likewise several strong arguments for banning it in the education. Some claim that this is a novel that â€Å"every adult should read before they die†; while others prefer to say â€Å"this is a dangerous book†. Due to the somber, mighty but significant themes that the book brings up have resulted in that people have got an eye-opener if â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† is proper to occur in children’s hands. But the advantages weigh out the disadvantages. To kill a mockingbird should not be banned from schools since the novel reflects and includes the American segregated history in a trustworthy way that students can understand and as lively discussions likely will occur, possible repetitions from the past will be prevented. Since the release in the 1960s, the book has become a part of classroom study due to the instructive themes brought up in the book. Examples of these themes are racial injustice, courage, compassion and the destruction of innocence. However, due to the controversial nature of these themes, some schools have chosen to ban the book from education. Amongst these are the schools of the Canadian province Nova Scotia who defends their point of view with following statement quoted from the book â€Å"Bloom’s Guides: To Kill a Mockingbird – new Edition†: â€Å"The terminology in this novel subjects students to humiliating experiences that rob them of their self-respect and the respect of their peers. The word ‘Nigger’ is used 48 times [in] the novel†¦We believe that the English Language Arts curriculum in Nova Scotia must enable all students to feel comfortable with ideas, feelings and experiences presented without fear of humiliation †¦ To Kill a Mockingbird is clearly a book that no longer meets these goals and therefore must no longer be used for classroom instruction.† To not enlighten and discuss the true history may result into speculations around the not comfortable students and pointed them out because the school â€Å"is not able† to read the book because of them. Lately, ideas how to censor the novel has been presented. The author, speaker and public policy expert Anthony Jerrod discussed in the article â€Å"Should Huck Finn and To Kill a Mockingbird be Censored?† if the â€Å"n† word should be replaced with â€Å"slave† in the book â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† to be more adapted to today’s modern society. Jerrod claimed that critics mean that a modern copy â€Å"will result in more people being able to truly enjoy these narratives†. The risk with modifying the past can replace the emotions and the truly message Harper Lee wrote. Instead of erasing the history the society should focus on how, to in an accurate, way bring up the book’s content in a way black people can feel comfortable with. What we have done in the past can not be changed however we learn and comprehend from it. The book focuses on many sensitive themes that pupils may feel uncomfortable to read about. The fact that people in the novel are separated based on the skin color is upsetting in the modern society. In the book black people are discriminated which may lead to consequences as discomfort and pointed out while reading about it. Feelings, thoughts and ideas from the olden times become current once again. By realizing the surprisingly fact that it was only seventy-five years ago the occurrences took place in the society and not in an imaginary book, feels frightening. The elder perhaps remember how the segregation reflected their days in the past but the younger generations have not experienced it in the same extent and by removing the disrespect details it will result in further forgetfulness. â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† has become one of the world most famed books by a reason. The novel counts both as a fiction and a lesson in history and is therefore the remarkably accurate school material. When the class discusses the book the pupils might understand the segregation heightens and realize why this is a sensitive topic. The novel will not go in one ear and go out the other. The plot facilitates the reader to identify itself with the central figures leading to a greater understanding and empathy for the happenings. We have a responsibility to declare the inaccuracies we have committed. To use the original â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† in classes moves the discussion and development of equal rights, in several aspects, forward and increases the awareness of how we do not want our society.

Organic certification Essay Example for Free

Organic certification Essay Marketplace Characteristics of U. S. Organic Sector The U. S. organic food industry crossed a threshold in 2000: for the first time, more organic food was purchased in conventional supermarkets than in any other venue. Industry estimates suggest that nearly half of the $7. 8 billion spent on organic food in 2000 was purchased in conventional retail outlets. Organic products are now available in nearly 20,000 natural foods stores (Natural Foods Merchandiser), and are sold in 73 percent of all conventional grocery stores (Food Marketing Institute). Growing consumer demand for organic products has been manifested in the market in many ways. Acreage of certified organic farmland is increasing to meet growing consumer demand. According to the most recent USDA estimates, U. S. certified organic cropland doubled between 1992 and 1997, to 1. 3 million acres. Preliminary estimates for 2001 suggest that certified organic acreage significantly increased between 1997 and 2001. From the consumer side, new products are being introduced rapidly. For example, over 800 new organic products were introduced in the first half of 2000. Desserts made up the majority of new products in 2000, while most new products introduced in 1999 were beverages (Myersand Rorie). The new U. S. Department of Agriculture standards for organic food, slated to be fully implemented by October 2002, are expected to facilitate further growth in the organic foods industry. The USDA standard defines organic production as â€Å"A production system that is managed in accordance with the [Organic Foods Production] Act and regulations in this part to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. † 1 The national organic standards address the methods, practices, and substances used in producing and handling crops, livestock, and processed agricultural products (see box). All agricultural products that are sold, labeled, or represented as organic must be in compliance with the regulations after October 2002. Organic food is sold to consumers through three main venues in the United States—natural foods stores, conventional grocery stores, and direct-to-consumer markets—and a small amount is exported to foreign markets. USDA does not have national statistics on organic retail sales. Industry sources have reported retail sales for organic food, but those data are fragmentary and, at times, inconsistent. A trade publication, the Natural Foods Merchandiser (NFM) reported estimates of total U. S. retail sales of organic foods for 1990 through 1996. NFM estimated total organic sales through all marketing outlets rose steadily from about $1 billion in 1990 to $3. 3 billion in 1996, the last year that total sales were reported. Since 1999, Packaged Facts, a market research firm, has been reporting organic food sales. According to Packaged Facts, organic food sales in all venues totaled $6. 5 billion in 1999 and $7. 8 billion in 2000. This increase continues the streak of industry growth equal to 20 percent or more annually since 1990. Purveyors of natural products were the primary sales force for organic food since the beginning of the organic food movement over half a century ago. Until 2000, the largest retail outlet for organic food was natural foods stores followed by direct markets (such as farmers markets), according to NFM data (fig. 1). In 2000, 49 percent of all organic products was sold in conventional supermarkets, 48 percent was sold in health and natural products stores, and 3 percent through direct-to-consumer methods (Packaged Facts). In contrast, in 1991, 7 percent of all organic products were sold in conventional supermarkets and 68 percent were sold in health and natural products stores (NFM). Fresh produce remains the top-selling organic category (see fig. 2), followed by nondairy beverages, breads and grains, packaged foods (frozen and dried prepared foods, baby food, soups, and desserts), and dairy products. During the 1990s, organic dairy was the most rapidly growing segment, with sales up over 500 percent between 1994 and 1999. Sales of organic yogurt and kefir increased 56. 4 percent between 1999 and 2000. Following closely, sales of nondairy beverages (for example, juice and soymilk) increased 53. 1 percent and sales of fresh produce grew by 51. 4 percent between 1999 and 2000, according to industry sources. Overall, according to Packaged Facts, organic sales in natural product supermarkets and conventional stores increased by 20 percent between 1999 and 2000. Organic farmers market their food directly to consumers much more frequently than conventional farmers do, and the last decade has seen a renaissance in the use of farmers markets across the country. Producers capture a much higher share of the consumer food dollar when they market their produce directly to consumers. Several surveys of certified organic producers show similar findings on theirheavy use of direct -to-consumer marketing. A 1997 survey of certified organic producers in the United States conducted by the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF)—a California nonprofit group that sponsors research on organic farming—found that direct market use is extensive and varies by commodity sector, with fruits and vegetables the highest. Organic producers reported selling produce from about 23 percent of their vegetable acreage directly to consumers through on-farm sales (9 percent), farmers markets (8 percent), â€Å"community supported agriculture† subscriptions (4 percent), and other types of direct-toconsumer markets (2 percent). Also, produce from about 20 percent of the organic fruit and vegetable acreage was marketed directly to grocery retailers and restaurants. A 1994 USDA survey of certified organic vegetable producers in the United States found that the use of direct-toconsumer markets varied with farm size, with 60 percent of the growers with under 10 acres (three-quarters of the respondents) using this channel compared with 12 percent with 10 acres or more (Fernandez-Cornejo et al. ). Smaller growers tended to market directly to grocery retailers (11 percent versus 6 percent for larger growers) and through grower cooperatives (10 percent versus 3 percent for larger growers), while the larger growers marketed more heavily to vegetable packer/shippers, brokers, and food processors. Organically grown food is widely available in farmers markets across the United States, and organic-only farmers markets have been organized in Oregon, Illinois, Missouri, and other States. The renaissance in farmers markets in the United States during the 1990s—fostered by State and local municipalities wanting to revitalize neighborhoods and preserve regional farmland and open space— has been a boon to organic farmers who use this marketing outlet much more heavily than conventional farmers do. States are also producing directories of farm stands and pick-your-own farms, including organic directories, and developing logos like â€Å"Jersey Fresh† to promote locally grown food. Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is an innovative direct marketing arrangement that organic farmers have been pioneering in the United States for about a decade. Consumers subscribe to the harvest of a CSA farmer for the entire upcoming season, and pay for their produce in advance. Under a CSA arrangement, consumers share the production risks and variable harvests of the farmer— including especially abundant harvests—and sometimes participate in festivals and other social activities at the farm. Over 800 CSAs are currently listed in the U. S. database maintained by USDA and the Robyn Van En Center at Wilson College. Most of the CSA farms use organic production systems. Production Characteristics of U. S. Organic Sector A growing body of research in the United States has been devoted to the economics of organic production systems— its yields, input costs, income, profitability, and other economic characteristics. A 1990 review of the U. S. literature concluded that the â€Å"variation within organic and conventional farming systems is likely as large as the differences between the two systems† and found mixed results in the comparisons for most characteristics (Knoblauch, Brown, and Braster, 1990). Several more recent U. S. studies have indicated that organic price premiums are key in giving organic farming systems comparable or higher whole-farm profits than conventional chemical- intensive systems, particularly for crops like processed tomatoes and cotton (Klonsky and Livingston, 1994; Batte, Forster, and Hitzhusen, 1993; Assadian, Esparza, and Ponce, 1999). Other studies have found that organic systems may be more profitable than conventional systems, even without price premiums. For example, some Midwestern organic grain and soybean production was found to be more profitable than conventional systems, even without price premiums, due to higher yields in drier areas or periods, lower input costs, or crop mix (Welsh, 1999). Also, a recent study comparing organic and conventional apple production in California’s Central Coast showed higher yields as well as higher returns under the organic systems (Swezey et al. , 1994). And another recent study compared organic, conventional, and integrated apple production systems in Washington State over a 6-year period, and found that the organic system was more profitable, had similar yields, better tasting fruit, and was more environmentally sustainable and energy efficient than the other systems (Reganold et al. ). We are not aware of recently published research that finds farming with organic methods is less profitable than farming with conventional methods. Of course, net returns to various production systems may vary with biophysical and economic factors (such as soil type, climate, and proximity to markets), and a system that is optimal in one location may not be optimal in another. Also, factors not captured in standard profit calculations, such as convenience, longer-term planning horizons, and environmental ethics, can motivate rational adoption of a particular practice or farming system. Further research is needed to improve our understanding of the factors influencing net returns to organic farming systems. The promising results from the limited number of economic studies to date have led to an increase in research on organic farming systems. USDA, universities, and other U. S. institutions are increasingly examining the long-term economics of organic farming systems through replicated field trial research and a multidisciplinary systems approach. Most of these projects are less than a decade old, and promise to answer basic research questions about yields and profitability as well as to address farmer-defined management and production obstacles to the more widespread adoption of organic production systems. Farmers in 49 States used organic production methods and third-party organic certification services on 1. 35 million acres of farmland in 1997, according to an Economic Research Service (ERS) study. Crops were grown on about two-thirds of the certified U. S. organic farmland, and the rest was pasture. The ERS study analyzed data from 40 State and private certifiers (see box, p. 8, on organic standards and certification). Uncertified acreage was excluded, even though it may represent a large segment of organic production, because of the difficulty in determining the production criteria used by uncertified growers. ERS reports statistics on certified organic U. S. acreage in the Organic Farming and Marketing Briefing Room (www. ers. usda. gov/ briefing/organic). Organic farming has made deeper inroads in the fruit, vegetable, and other high-value specialty crop industries than in the major grain and oilseed industries. While less than two-tenths of 1 percent of the U. S.corn, soybean, and wheat crops were grown organically in 1997, over 1 percent of the dry peas and tomato crops and about 2 percent of the apple, grape, lettuce and carrot crops were organic. And nearly a third of the U. S. herb and â€Å"mixed vegetable† crops were grown organically in 1997. (A â€Å"mixed vegetable† crop is a mixture of numerous horticultural crops (mostly vegetables) grown on a small farm or parcel. ) The markets for organic vegetables, fruits, and herbs have been developing for decades in the United States, and these crops are grown organically in more States than any other type of commodity. State and private certifying groups certified over 180,000 acres of these crops in 44 States in 1997, more than double the amount certified in 1994, with the biggest gains for cultivated and wild-harvested herbs such as St. John’s Wort. About 2 percent of the major fruit and vegetable crops—apples, carrots, lettuce, and grapes—were grown organically, and a third of the organic vegetable acreage was devoted to producing â€Å"mixed vegetables† in 1997. Mixed vegetable farms, as defined in the census of agriculture, are small farms—less than 50 acres—that produce a large number of vegetables. Large farms produce processing tomatoes, organic wine grapes, and other high-value crops on a commercial scale, while numerous small farms still specialize in mixed vegetable production for direct marketing to consumers and restaurants. The top producer of organic fruits and vegetables was California, followed by Arizona, Florida, Texas, and Washington. About a third of the total certified organic vegetable acreage in 1997 was for mixed vegetables. In 1997, U. S. farmers certified nearly 3,000 acres of organic mixed vegetables on farms or parcels that were 5 acres or less, and over 14,000 acres on farms and parcels over 5 acres. New York organic producers had over 1,400 acres in the 5-acres-or-less category. Mixed vegetable producers often target farmers markets, community-supported agriculture subscriptions, restaurants, and other direct marketing outlets. Organic farmers are also growing major grains and oilseeds on a small portion of the planted area in the United States. Wheat was produced under certified organic farming systems on over 125,000 acres in 1997, corn was grown on over 42,000 acres, and soybeans were produced on about 82,000 acres. Other field crops produced organically in 1997 include barley, oats, sorghum, rice, spelt, millet, buckwheat, rye, dry peas, lentils, dry beans, flax, and sunflowers. Organic acreage of these crops, especially soybeans, has undoubtedly increased since 1997. Thirty-nine States had certified organic hay and silage production, with most acreage in Idaho, Wisconsin, and New York. Acreage of these crops expanded 51 percent between 1995 and 1997 as the number of certified organic milk cows more than doubled during that period. Organic meat and poultry markets have lagged behind those for crops partly because meat and poultry could not be labeled as organic until February 1999, when a provisional label was approved by USDA. Food crops and non-meat animal foods (eggs and dairy products) are regulated by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration, which allowed food packages to carry an organic label throughout the 1990s. 2 While the number of certified organic beef cows, hogs, sheep, and lambs declined during the study period (1992-97), the number of dairy cows and layer hens increased sharply. The market for organic meat products is beginning to grow now that organic labeling is permitted, and the growing market for organic milk and eggs has been pushing up the use of certified organic pasture and the demand for certified organic grains and oilseeds. Farmers and ranchers raised a small number of certified organic cows, hogs, and sheep in 23 States in 1997. Dairy cows were raised organically in 13 States in 1997, and New York, Wisconsin, and Minnesota were the top three producers. The number of certified organic milk cows in the United States nearly tripled between 1992 and 1994 and more than doubled between 1994 and 1997. California was the leader in organic poultry production, followed by New York and Virginia. Other organic animal specialties, including goats, fish, and colonies of bees, were certified in several States. Consumption Characteristics of the U. S. Organic Sector A number of academic and industry studies have been conducted to examine consumer behavior and identify their motivation for purchasing organic foods. Many of the industry studies use consumer surveys, which seek to identify how often consumers purchase organic food, their motivations for purchasing organic food, and demographic data on organic food purchasers. University studies have adopted different approaches to assess consumer buying behavior and to identify which characteristics (for example, income, food quality, educational level, concern for the environment, or family size) affect whether consumers will purchase organic food. Several industry groups have surveyed consumers about their preferences and buying habits for organic food. The results of the different surveys are not always consistent. The Nutrition Business Journal reported that 11 percent of consumers purchased some organic food in 2000, and less than 2 percent are regular purchasers. Results of the Hartman Group’s 2000 survey suggest that 3 percent of consumers regularly buy organic products. The Walnut Acres Survey (2001) found that 63 percent of respondents purchased organic food at least sometimes, and 57 percent of the purchasers had been doing so for at least 3 years. The Food Marketing Institute’s survey (2001) found that 66 percent of surveyed shoppers bought organically grown foods. In 2001, the Food Marketing Institute’s survey indicated that 37 percent of shoppers said they purchased organically grown food to maintain their health; and 44 percent of these shoppers had purchased organic food in the past 6 months. Consumers surveyed by the Hartman Group (2000) gave the following reasons for purchasing organic food: health and nutrition (66 percent), taste (38 percent), environment (26 percent), and availability (16 percent). 3 The Fresh Trends (2001) survey revealed that 12 percent of the shoppers surveyed reported that whether a product is organic is a primary factor in their purchasing decision. Sixty-three percent of the respondents of the Walnut Acres Survey believed that organic food and beverages were better for them and were more healthful than their conventional counterparts. Fresh Trends (1996, 1998, 2000, 2002) found little difference between the purchasing habits of men and women. Over the years, Fresh Trends found that, of the shoppers that had purchased organic produce in the previous 6 months, more purchased vegetables than fruit (according to the 1996 survey, 24 percent purchased fruit and 84 percent purchased vegetables; according to the 2000 survey, 35 percent purchased vegetables). Apples and tomatoes led the list of fruit and vegetables purchased by the shoppers surveyed by Fresh Trends. According to the Hartman Survey (2000), the top 10 organic products purchased were strawberries, lettuce, carrots, other fresh fruit, broccoli, apples, other fresh vegetables, grapes, bananas, and potatoes. The Hartman survey also suggested that fruits and vegetables were â€Å"gateway categories† (typically the first organic products purchased by consumers). The Walnut Acres Survey (2002) indicated that 68 percent of consumers revealed that price is the main reason they did not purchase organic food. Academic researchers have taken a slightly different tack in studying organic consumers by complementing surveys with statistical analysis to depict the typical consumer. Some studies reveal conflicting results, most likely because of the different methodological approaches. Consumers considered the following factors important when purchasing fresh produce: price, size and packaging, whether the item is on sale, and whether the item is organic (Estes and Smith). Age, gender, and having a college degree had little impact on a shopper’s decision to buy organic produce (Thompson and Kidwell). Consumers with higher incomes and higher levels of education are willing to pay more for organic potatoes (Loureiro and Hine), while consumers with advanced degrees are less likely to buy organic produce (Thompson and Kidwell). Appearance of fresh produce mattered, and the larger the number of cosmetic defects, the less likely would an organic product be purchased (Estes and Smith, Thompson and Kidwell). One picture of the typical organic shopper is a younger household in which females do the shopping; smaller and higher income households are the most likely purchasers of organic produce (Govindasamy and Italia) and organic apples (Loureiro et al. ). Households knowledgeable about alternative agriculture are more likely to purchase organic produce (Govindasamy and Italia) and those concerned about the environment are more likely to purchase organic apples (Loureiro et al. ). Those concerned about food safety are more likely to buy organic produce (Govindasamy and Italia) and organic apples (Loureiro et al. ). Those who enjoy trying new products are more likely to purchase organic produce (Govindasamy and Italia). Households with children under 18 are more likely to purchase organic produce (Thompson and Kidwell) and organic apples (Loureiro et al. ). Consumers with children are willing to pay less for organic potatoes (Loureiro and Hine) and more likely than other households to purchase organic apples (Loureiro et al. ). Strategies to increase purchases of organic food include shelf-labeling, which had a mixed effect on sales in an upscale grocery store but a significantly positive effect on sales of dairy products, pasta, bread, cereal, and carrots in a discount retailer in the Minneapolis and St. Paul markets (Reicks, Splett, and Fishman). The recent addition of organic food sales to scanner data, by AC Neilson and Information Resources, Inc. , has made possible econometric studies of consumer demand for organic food. Frozen organic vegetables, organic milk, and organic baby food all exhibited high price elasticity of demand, meaning that the quantity purchased responds greatly to price changes (that is, quantity purchased increases by more than 1 percent when prices fall by 1 percent) (Glaser and Thompson, 1999, 2000; Thompson and Glaser, 2001). For some frozen vegetables, there was little crossover between purchases of organic and conventional products, so that changes in prices of either commodity had no significant impact on quantities purchased (Glaser and Thompson 1999). For other products (milk and baby food), the conventional and organic products are substitutes, so that increases in the price of the conventional product result in consumers’ purchasing a greater quantity of the organic products (Glaser and Thompson, 2000; Thompson and Glaser, 2001). The Marketing Chain: From Farm to Market Food passes through many hands as it moves from farm to consumer. Some foods are fresh when delivered (apples and eggs) while others are processed before delivery (pasta and bread). Regardless of whether they are fresh or processed, higher quality products and products with unique attributes (such as organic foods) generally have a higher selling price. As a result, farmers have a strong incentive to produce and sell commodities with quality and other price-enhancing attributes intact. Yet, since most foods pass through a number of intermediaries as they move from the farm to the consumer, maintaining premium product integrity along the marketing chain can sometimes be a challenge. To do so, each agent along the marketing chain must begin by moving the product to the next agent quickly. Farmers need to sell their perishable commodities immediately after harvesting, while distributors, brokers, and wholesalers need to get fresh products to retailers as quickly as possible. Retailers want to be able to purchase a consistent and large enough supply of a wide variety of uniform quality fresh food. Consumers want to be able to buy a wide variety of fresh food that is both high quality and low priced. Organic food consumers, in particular, want to feel confident that they are buying food that not only was grown organically, but also has kept its organic integrity at each stage in its journey to the market. Each commodity, depending in large part on whether it is fresh or processed, follows an individualized path from farm to market. Because fresh foods rapidly deteriorate, they must be delivered to the market quickly. The storage and transportation systems along the way must provide the proper temperature and other conditions that help maintain freshness. Processed foods, on the other hand, have a longer shelf life—but the products that go into them must be harvested at the right time, delivered at the right time and satisfy the processor’s quality requirements. In the next sections, we trace the production and marketing chains for the major organic commodities in the United States, noting applicable regulations as well as observed marketing trends.

Information Technology and the Reduction of Carbon Footprints

Information Technology and the Reduction of Carbon Footprints Information Technology has become part and parcel of the business processes across industries and the global pursuit of going Green will remain unachieved unless IT enables the reduction of Carbon-Footprints. Green-IT is an endeavor to shift to more efficient products and approaches to allow us to compensate more equipment within the given energy foot-print. Regulations on the building of data-centers, better technologies to do so, environment friendly usage of technology are the key-focus areas of Green-IT. Green IT was the Top Strategic Technology for the year 2008 as per Gartner. It went ahead of the multi-core chips, powers supplies, fans and power management soft-wares and a lot of innovation, re-thinking and re-designing is happening in the technology vendor and business processes sphere. IT is all-encompassing and holistic, supporting all the functions like supply-chain, logistics, travel, facility management, collaboration, personnel management and the overall brand. In his book, Green to Gold, Daniel Esty a Yale Professor, elucidates that IT leaves its fingerprints on all the business processes and its carbon-foot prints are also every-where. IT has the responsibility as well as the opportunity to combat this menace. Role of Information Technology in going Green to Gold Information technology is an industry which has grown at a remarkably fast pace in the last few decades Fast growing computers and telecom network, ever-increasing demands for computing power, rapid increase in usage of computers, PCs, laptops, data-centers, mobile phones, etc have caused IT to leave a lot of Carbon-foot prints across the globe. The foot-prints are heading more towards the developing and less-developed countries. These ICT driven devices would become the biggest green-house gas emitters by 2020. But it has a potential to reduce far more of the carbon-footprints than it causes. A McKinsey study has found that IT can help in eliminating 7.8 metric gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions annually by 2020 which is equivalent to 15 percent of global emissions today and five times more than the estimated emissions from these technologies in 2020. Source: McKinsey Report, How IT can reduce Carbon Emission, 2008 The carbon-foot print has been calculated on the basis of levels of emissions associated with the usage, manufacture and distribution of ICT. ICT emits about 2% of the emission globally which is estimated to become 3% or 1.54 metric gigatons, twice of what the UK produces today. The rapid development in ICT in the countries like China, India and Brazil will cause the increase in gas-emission. The rapid development in ICT in the countries like China, India and Brazil will cause major increase in gas-emission. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Emissions from manufacture and usage of PCs will double by 2020 owing to digitalization of middle class in the developing countries. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Mobile-phones carbon-foot prints will triple by 2020 majorly due to consumption of silicon and other rare metals. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ But most of the damage is caused due to increase in size and number of data-centers serving the un-quenchable thirst for increased computing and processing power. This emission is expected to become 5-folds by 2020 as compared to what it was in 2002. As the crisis is becoming fiercer by the day, its high time that corporate and government has started paying heed to this. The technological advancement in the field of information and communication can be used to abate the emission of green-house gases caused by the very growth of ICT itself. Some of the possible technological solutions are explained below. Virtualization 2.0: Virtualization enables to do more with less. The technology allows for consolidation of large no. of individual machines on one large server (like high density blade servers) resulting in lesser effective cost, and easier management. It also improves the productivity and overall ROI of the IT infrastructure with the use of SANs (Storage Area Networks) and other NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices which reduce redundancy and idle time for the scarce, energy guzzling resources. Virtualization improves the server utilization rates resulting in lesser no. of data centers required. The technology enables lesser energy consumption, lesser green house-gas emission, reduced heat generation, and lesser production of e-wastes. According to Gartner, the total number of virtual machines deployed worldwide is expected to increase from 540,000 at the end of 2006 to more than 4 million by 2009. This technology can reduce the power consumption of data centers by 50-80 % and floor space by 65%. Virtualization tops the list of top 10 Strategic technologies for 2009 published by Gartner. With Green IT being at number 4. Material Recycling: Around 20-30% of IT equipments become obsolete each year. The IT sector companies generated 3.3 lakh tones of e-wastes in the year 2007 in India. This number is expected to increase to 4.7 lakh tones by the end of 2011. IT sector during the course of their normal activities do not put much strain on the natural resources. But the wastes that they create like CPU, servers, printer cartridge etc. cause much strain on the ecological balance. Many components of the e-wastes have plastic blends which do not bio-degrade easily. The e-wastes also contain lead, cadmium, mercury and bromine flame retardants which are harmful to environment. The lead in computer monitors (approx. 20% by weight); chips in mother board are all highly damaging to environment. As per EPA estimates nearly 3 billion units of used electronic items will end up as waste in 2010. The average life of a desktop in USA has reduced to approximately 2 years. The consequence of reducing life span of electronics good is increase in amount of e-Waste. The expenditure on IT equipment is exorbitant (almost double in 5 years) and so is the toll these put by them on the natural resources. If practices are adopted that increase their useful life, it will contribute a lot in tackling the problem of e-wastes. Many experts consider it as very effective way to tackle the problems of e-Waste; by reducing their creation. E-Waste recycling helps us to recover some more value from the scrap/waste, reduce using up natural resources and prevent contamination of land and water by toxic wastes. One way to deal with e-Wastes is to return the old machines back to the manufactures. In case the original manufacturer does not take the product back, it can be given to a responsible recycler. When the recyclers get e-Wastes they try to make it reusable by making changes in the equipments. Then the wastes are stripped into different components (process called de-manufacturing). The broad categories to which de-manufacturing is done can be to segregate plastics, metal non-ferrous and ferrous parts, circuit boards, CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) glass and Wood wastes. The steps followed at one such recycler (Waste Management) are shown below After de-manufacturing parts are boxed and shipped for sale and re-use. The parts that cannot be re-used are sent for recycling and for safe disposal so that toxic parts do not come in contact with humans via rain water or land. e-waste management in India In India there had been no law/guidelines governing e-Wastes for a long time. However few states like Karnataka have started making rules related to e-Wastes and in April 2008 for the first time Government came up with guidelines on disposal of e-Waste. Out of the total e-Waste created only two fifth used to get recycled. Now India is also adopting Extended Producer Responsibility, as per which now the producers will have to take responsibility for the entire life cycle of their products. So they will also have to take the responsibility of the recycling of their products. For this they can take the help of a registered recycler or start their own recycling plant or make products that have very low level of toxic products and use such process so that at a later date recycling cost can be curtailed. When talking about managing the e-Waste, the biggest challenge is tracking the machines so that the companies can collect them and get them recycled. This will call for great investment in infrastructure and lot of data base management. Many companies operating in India provide such services in other nation because the rules of the land dictate so. In India the rules were lax hence this practice was not adopted. However with Governments intent of implementation of EPR, things are likely to change in future. One way to ensure better collection of e-Wastes can be to provide some financial incentives if they collect and recycle more than a certain amount of e-Waste. Regarding dumping of e-Wastes in India the law of country declares such activities as illegal. But the rules allow donation or charity electronic goods to come in the nation. Many companies exploit this loophole to dump their e-Waste in India, in the garb of charity. Till recently nearly 70% of the e-Waste in recycling plants of India had been exported or dumped or given as charity to India. India needs to make rules to stop such digital-dumping in future. Green Computing: It is the study and practice of using computing resources efficiently. It aims at reducing the hazardous materials, maximizing energy efficiency during products life time and promoting recyclability and bio-degradability of the defunct e-waste. A plethora of initiatives are being taken in this regards like à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Climate Savers Computing Initiative (CSCI) which aims at reducing the electric power consumption by PCs in active and inactive states. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The Green Electronic Council has come up with Electronic Product Environmental Assessment tool (EPEAT) like The Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator (EEBC) which assists the purchasers in evaluating green products by providing certificates like EPEAT Bronzeà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, EPEAT Silverà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢, and EPEAT Goldà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ on the basis of compliance with the eco-friendly norms. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ There are global consortiums like The Green Grid (which has members like Microsoft, IBM, Dell, AMD, Sun Microsystems, and VMware etc) and non-profit organizations like Green Computing Impact Organization are also working in the field of green computing. Power Management: There are a number of open industry standards like Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) which allow operating systems to control the power saving options of the underlying hardware. For example à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ CPU performance-stepping that dynamically adjusts the energy requirements of processor in proportion to the load. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Dynamic control of servers internal fan, Liquid cooling agents, and judicious arrangement of equipments in datacenters as per hot aisle/cold aisle layout also aids in reducing energy consumption. Efficient power supply and power management of a desktop computer can reduce in-use power consumption by 10-30%. Thin-client computing can reduce life-cycle energy consumption by 70-80%. . Video-conferencing Telecommuting: A lot of companies have adopted Video-conferencing and Telepresence technologies to reduce carbon-emission related to employee travel, to reduce office-space, heating and lighting expenditure. For example 40% of the Suns employees use telecommuting. This helped in saving an estimated 29,000 tons of CO2 emissions and enabled company cut on 6,660 office seats thus cutting real estate cost by $63 million in the last fiscal year. Other initiatives like hotelling or flexible work-place reduce the space required per employee as space is reserved only when it is needed. Flexible timing and working from home also contribute to reduced green-house gas emission and power consumption. Small Green Initiatives: Paper-less Business Paradigm: In a small and cost-effective way IT can assist in dematerializing the goods and processes by establishing paper-less work-place. Double-sided printing reduces paper consumption up to 40%. A paperless process is 100% paper free. Initiatives like Green PDFs which emphasize paper-less usage and sharing of information electronically can be taken. The technology enabled tele-work for processes like e-billing, e-taxation and e-governance will reduce the deforestation and emission of green-house gases from fuels. Though it will consume electricity, but this model remains viable given the un-utilized exorbitant processing and storage capacities of computers and the amount of reliability, portability, retrieval efficiency and availability it provides. ICT can facilitate in cutting down far more emission than it causes if energy productivity is focused in the sectors of buildings, power, transport and manufacturing. Building Manufacturing Power Transportation Optimize energy usage, Reduce office-space, Telecommuting, Work from home Smart Control systems for motors Sensors in Grids to monitor power loss and theft Smart technologies to manage truck logistics etc , Process of dematerialization of goods and processes Better architecture, efficient technology to monitor lighting, heating ventilation E.g. In China, some plants could cut emission by 200 metric megaton per year One grid in India reduced power loss by 15% by the use of sensors Reducing transportation through telecommuting, video conferencing, internet shopping, downloading content Smart buildings can save up to 2.03 metric tons by 2020 By 2020, 0.68 metric gigatons can be saved annually Globally efficient grids can cut 2.03 gigatons of emissions by2020 0.5 metric gigatons a year can be reduced by this Economic downturn and Green IT Global warming unlike the current economic scenario is not cyclical in nature. To tide over the problem of global warming companies had started taking attempts to be greener. Naturally Green IT was a part of many such endeavors. In the current economic downturn IT is looked upon as a medium to remove inefficiencies of the processes. However the fact still remains that the current economic scenario has caused the IT budget across industries to decrease. The global economic meltdown has caused short term liquidity crisis and lack of faith, which has resulted in many long term projects being put on shelf. Pursuing a long term strategic plan involves huge investment in research and development, in implementation cost etc. Investment in Green IT, if done properly, will lead to good returns in long run. But the impact of the current short term- medium term economic crisis is that it has lead to projects of Green IT being put on back seats. However companies having means and willingness to pursue their long term ambitions still keep Green IT on the priority list. Companies from non IT business domain have continued their endeavors of becoming greener in their IT related activities and are going for upgrading of old infrastructure instead of disposing them and are going for environmental friendly servers. Conclusion The rate at which man has recklessly harnessed the natural environment has brought him to the crisis where he faces struggle for existence. Its high time that businesses realize the gravity of situation and mend their ways. Information and Communication Technology which invariably touches every aspect of the business holds a lot of responsibility as well as opportunity to reduce the carbon-footprints created by man. Green-IT is a two-pronged solution to this problem where-in it can reduce the emission caused by IT itself by technologies like virtualization, better e-waste management, better power management as well as it can assist other businesses and technologies in reducing their carbon-emissions by enabling resource sharing and establishing paradigms like paper-less offices, telecommuting, teleconferencing etc . This way it can first reduce and then help transform the world into a low carbon economy, thereby restoring Greener Earth. Information Technology can indeed take us from Green to Gold .

Head of Single Party State Essays -- Essays Papers

Head of Single Party State â€Å"Syngman Rhee: Key South Korean Politician† 1875- 1965 A. Plan of Investigation The presence of Syngman Rhee’s regime in South Korea after World War 2 was essential for preventing South Korea (ROK) from becoming part of the Soviet Communist bloc. The validity of this statement shall be addressed and analyzed in great detail within this investigation. The primary sources chosen for this investigation shall consist of Top Secret US Documents which include an evaluation of Syngman Rhee and a memo from US Secretary of State to Rhee. They are attached in the Appendix (G). The secondary sources used are numerous and will be included in the bibliography. The main secondary source will be State Security and Regime Security : President Syngman Rhee and the Insecurity Dilemma in South Korea, 1953-60 book by Yong Pyo-Hong. B. Summary of Evidence The United States, Britain, and China had agreed that Korea would be allowed to become independent after the Allied victory, at the Cairo Conference of December 1943. The Soviet Union agreed to this principle in its declaration of war against Japan. On August 15, 1945, President Harry S Truman and Marshall Stalin agreed to divide Korean spheres of influence at the thirty-eighth parallel. Their foreign ministers met in Moscow on December 7, 1945 in order to create a 5 year â€Å"trusteeship† during which a joint United States-Soviet government would create a "provisional Korean democratic government." (1UpInfo, 2002) The trusteeship proposal was immediately opposed by the majority of Koreans (communists excluded), especially by the Korean right-wing politicians, led by Syngman Rhee’s Liberal Party , who used the discontent to form his base of support. Rhee ca... ...t 2003. <http://www.ahrchk.net/charter/mainfile.php/east/12/>. Eisenhower.com 13 Apr. 2000. â€Å"Assessment of Rhee† Oct 4, 2003. <http://www.dwightdeisenhower.com/koreanwar/Maj.%20Gen.%20Dean%27s%20assessment%20of%20Rhee.gif>. Eisenhower.com 13 Apr 2000. â€Å"Memo to Rhee† Oct 4, 2003. <http://www.dwightdeisenhower.com/koreanwar/Message%20from%20Dulles%20to%20Rhee,%20pg.%201.gif>. Hong, Pyon-Yow, State Security and Regime Security : President Syngman Rhee and the Insecurity Dilemma in South Korea, 1953-60, New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1999. Kim, Q.Y. Fall of Syngman Rhee. 1983. University of California. Oliver, Robert. Syngman Rhee: The Man Behind the Myth. 1973. Greenwood Pub. Group. †Rhee, Syngman." Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. 2003. Encyclopedia Britannica Premium Service. 26 Aug, 2003 <http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article?eu=402134>.

Organizational Behavior and Terminology Paper -- essays research paper

Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Paper June 17, 2005 One major corporation that is affected by organizational behavior is the west coast based 24 Hour Fitness, Inc. The company operates and owns more than 300 fitness centers that offer aerobic, cardiovascular, and weight lifting activities to the company’s more than 2.7 million members. Some locations offer even more amenities than those listed. The fitness centers are located in 16 states as well as Europe and Asia (www.hoovers.com). In regards to organizational behavior, or the study and application of knowledge about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations (www.nwlink.com), 24 Hour Fitness meets its organizational objectives by setting goals for its sales staff. The result is a profit for the company but most of all, a commission for the sales counselors themselves. In respect to human objectives, 24 Hour Fitness strives to meet the needs of all customers by customizing personal diet and workout plans, providing the most up to date fitness machines, staffing certified physical trainers, providing functioning and well-maintained equipment, competitive membership rates and promotions, and a clean and well kept environment for its patrons. Human needs involving the staff are met by employees receiving benefits such as medical and dental insurance, retirement, and other things like discounted personal training sessions and free memberships. Managers a...

Essay --

Gay marriage has been a topic of discussion between many people. It is talked in good and bad ways, due to a person’s beliefs or even just their overall opinions. The topic has been present for many years. Throughout the years many things have improved for the rights of the same sex couples. It included difficult times for these couples. They had to fight for their rights. They had to fight people that did not believe that they have these rights. According to Ronald Bailey (page 1), same sex marriage impacts traditional marriage. He also stated that it undermines or looks down upon conventional marriage of heterosexual marriage. The divorce rate among same sex couples decreased. After decades of falling the marriage rate and fertility rate slowly increased and still the divorce rate is down. The divorce rate in different sex couples decreased due to the same sex marriage increasing. In 2003, the divorce rate in Massachusetts was 2.5 per 1,000 people. Then in 2004 the marriage rate jumped 15%. Lesbian couples were 3 times more likely to divorce than heterosexual couples. Gay marriage couples also have kids. Nearly 20% of same sex couple houses have children. Close to 84% of them have biologically related children. Los Angeles reporters stated that 37% of same sex couples have had children of their own in their houses before. By the time that the children are of 17 years old 55% of lesbian couple are separated compared to the 36% of heterosexual couples according to The National Survey of Family Growth. Unlike divorce in heterosexual parents children from divorced homosexual do not experience social or psychological problems. When they divorce 75% of the lesbian couples share custody. In heterosexual (page 2) couples 65% of mot... ...ame the first state to pass in the United States to legalize same sex marriage, governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed this bill. Then 3 years after this on June 16th 2008 California began allowing same sex marriage licenses. Proposition 8 was then launched, proposition 8 was launched to deny same sex marriage rights. Then in 2009 Maine governor John Baldacci signed a freedom to marry bill, which had support from both branches of the state legislature. Even though both legislatures gave support there were also opponents. These opponents also gained support from national organizations which launched a referendum to ban same sex marriage. Voter reserved the legislature in 2012, which again allowed same sex marriages in Maine. There were also out- of- state marriages in New Mexico and Rhode Island. It is a civil right to many the person of one’s choice.

Olympian Destiny vs. Personal Choice Essay

An Analytical Essay on the Tragedy of Oedipus in Sophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus the King† Debates on whether men control their fates or whether their fates are already dictated by another force are not new and has definitely not ended. Still, even if arguments on the subject has been exhaustingly discussed, there is still no conclusion formed of whether humanity really make their own choices or if there is a greater or heavenly force which deprives humanity of that choice. Such circumstance is depicted in Oedipus the King, one of the trilogies in a famous Greek tragedian’s plays. Sophocles, who is known to be one of the pioneers of tragedies (as a drama) in the world, writes of the sad and terrible fate of Oedipus who is the ruler of Thebes after he saves the people of Thebes from a â€Å"monster†. The play revolves around a prophecy that Oedipus wants to kill his own father and make his own mother as a wife. This leads to this essay’s purpose which is to discuss on whether Oedipus was destined to have such end or whether he was the one who actually made his own fate. In Oedipus the King, trouble brews in Thebes as the people are in pandemonium over a sickness that spreads over the city. Oedipus who is the present ruler of the city after defeating the Sphinx asks help from an oracle to decipher why Thebes if suffering such fate. The oracle reveals that Olympus is angry over the murder of Thebes’ past King and the city can only be restored to its proper order when the King’s murderer has been caught. This rather ominous scene sets the play in motion as the court of Thebes starts to investigate and prod on who is the possible murderer of the dead King. Through much explanation, interrogation and prodding, it is found out that it is Oedipus himself who has killed the King, making the prophecy of Apollo true—that Oedipus will kill his father and marry his own mother. Because Thebes needs to be saved and because Creon cries out for Oedipus to respect the desires of Olympus, Oedipus willingly exiles himself from Thebes and eventually (in the next and last part of the trilogy, Oedipus at Colonus) dies alone. The trilogy that Sophocles has written is known to be the Oedipus plays even if one of the plays played out with the King already dead. However, it is quite evident that in all the plays, Oedipus plays an important part because his fate serves as background of all the plays and his fate becomes a catalyst for all the other scenes in the plot. This fate that brings down such grief to Oedipus and his family is connected to Apollo’s prophecy that was predicted by an oracle in Delphi. Oedipus recounts this prophecy when he talks to Jocasta, his queen and wife (and unbeknownst to him, his mother) over the reason why he self-exiled himself from Corinth: And so I went in secret off to Delphi. / I didn’t tell my mother or my father. Apollo sent me back without an answer, / so I didn’t learn what I had come to find. But when he spoke he uttered monstrous things, / strange terrors and horrific miseries— it was my fate to defile my mother’s bed, / to bring forth to men a human family that people could not bear to look upon, / to murder the father who engendered me. (Sophocles 945-954) This excerpt points to the fact that it is Apollo who passed the knowledge of the prophecy and Oedipus is well aware of the said prophecy. Thus, it would seem that the fate of Oedipus is already determined but there is a possibility that although he made unconscious and innocent choices and decisions, Oedipus is still well aware that all the things that he will do leads to something greater and sadder. This something greater and sadder is his tragic fate that would result in the death of his own father and would result in an immoral relationship with his own mother. This premise neither proves nor negates whether Oedipus’s life was created out of the decisions, actions and choices he made or whether his life was already created by another force for him. Both arguments may be correct but the other holds more weight based on the text itself. With regards to the tragedy of Oedipus’ fate created by his own choice, it can be shown in how the Chorus of the play described Oedipus that he was a man who had his own power from his mental strength which resulted in his ability to be very cunning: You residents of Thebes, our native land, / look on this man, this Oedipus, the one who understood that celebrated riddle. / He was the most powerful of men. All citizens who witnessed this man’s wealth / were envious. Now what a surging tide of terrible disaster sweeps around him. (Sophocles 1805–1811) The Chorus described Oedipus as having feats that he alone did without the help of any other force or power—this would of course show that Oedipus’ total worth as a character and individual was not just created by the Olympian gods alone. Oedipus also had a hand in the making of his own totality as a person. Thus, his characteristics which lead to his â€Å"crimes† were the culmination of all these characteristics. For example, he is cunning and that is why he was able to defeat his father in battle and he was able to solve the Sphinx’s riddle. Because of these two circumstances, he killed his father and he won the queen of the city who is his mother. Apollo merely prophesised Oedipus’ fate—the sun god did not provide the weapon which would kill Oedipus nor did he provide the answer to the riddle. Thus, Oedipus was able to the things he has done based on his own judgement and discernment as a person. On the other hand, the premise that Oedipus is the victim of the tragedy of fate manufactured by the Olympian gods still holds more weight compared to whether he is a victim of his own misplaced judgements and actions. This can be proven by the following lines delivered by the Chorus of the play: In everything / our loftiest traditions consecrate, those laws engendered in the heavenly skies, / whose only father is Olympus. They were not born from mortal men, / nor will they sleep and be forgotten. In them lives an ageless mighty god. (Sophocles 1034-1040) The lines explain that men’s laws and the traditions that they exalt, whether good or bad and advantageous or remiss, is created by the heavens. Therefore, men are but putty in the hands of the gods and goddesses of Olympus. Whatever human beings do, it is determined already by the hands of the gods. If this supposition is correct, it just means that Oedipus’ entire life was created by the gods and it is up to the gods on how his life will end; even if the Queen Jocasta believes otherwise: â€Å"Fear? What should a man fear? It’s all chance, chance rules our lives. Not a man on earth can see a day ahead, groping through the dark. Better to live at random, best we can† (Sophocles 1068–1078). When the queen declared such judgement, she was not able to consider that even if chance rules humanity’s lives; chance is also something which the heavens also control. Though men make decisions in certain circumstances, those circumstances were also created by pre-determined fate: Oedipus had to be there at the exact same time his father was at the crossroads; Oedipus had to take the path going to Thebes; Oedipus had to solve the riddle by the Sphinx, etc. Thus, although Oedipus can make his own decisions which lead to his tragic fate, his tragic fate was already determined by his hands not his own. It was determined, based on the Greek mythologies, by the Fates. Works Cited Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Ontario: General Publishing, Ltd. , 1991.