Megger’s Article Response Essay Example for Free

Megger’s Article Response Essay Betty J. Meggers article, Environmental Limitation on the Development of Culture, examines how environmental habitats directly affect and influence culture. Meggers discusses the differing environmental types and its resulting effect on the people and their cultural development. Her theoretical framework is grounded on the idea that the relationship between culture and its environment is not only based in terms of subsistence (802), but largely to a culture’s experience with diffusion (822). Diffusion can best be defined as a process in which a cultural trait, idea, or behavior is spread from one society to another. While she does believe that the relative strength or weakness of an environment to provide a suitable means for food production affects the adaptation and advancement of a culture, she also believes that cultural diffusion plays a vital role as well. According to Meggers, the general belief is that environmental potentiality is the sole conditioner of cultural development (801). The span of environmental habitats into classified into 4 environmental types, ranging from Type 1 environments, which have the least agricultural potential, to Type 4 environments, which have unlimited agricultural potential. Meggers does generally seem to agree that the environmental type can set limitations on the level of development a culture is able to obtain (816). Because Type 1 environments have the least agricultural potential, tribes must subsist mainly by hunting, fishing, and gathering. Cultures that live in Type 1 environments are relatively small in population size and tend to lead more of a nomadic lifestyle, a necessary part of life because they must continually follow their food source. As a result, their existence is noticeably simplistic because their primary focus is on satisfying only their very basic needs such as shelter and food. This type of environment results in a culture where social organization and technology is very limited in scope. The nomadic lifestyle necessitates that tribes remain relatively small, therefore making the single family the basic social unit. Additionally, technology remains limited to only the most essential tools and utensils due to the limited resources available. According to Meggers, Type 1 and Type 2 environments seem to prohibit cultural advancement because of the limitations imposed on a culture by the environment and the general lack of a suitable source of diffusion. Conversely, Type 4 environments have unlimited agricultural potential because they possess all the ideal conditions necessary for sustaining agriculture. Meggers calls Type 4 environments the â€Å"cradles of civilization† (804) because of their ability to develop and implement the technology necessary to sustain an agriculturally based lifestyle. Type 4 environments are typified by their complex social organization and cultural advancements. Meggers states that Type 4 civilizations are elaborate due to their intensive production of food and the necessary means of distribution. However, Meggers also believes that success of Type 3 and Type 4 environments to advance culturally is also heavily influenced by diffusion across cultures, or a cultures relative exposure and adoption of differing cultural norms, beliefs, and behaviors.

Strategies of Patient Assessment in Nursing

Strategies of Patient Assessment in Nursing Introduction to Nursing Care The purpose of this assignment is to describe how a nurse assesses a patient admitted to a hospital ward. It will discuss the history of the patient, any pre-existing medical conditions and the reason they were admitted to the ward. It will also describe the hospital setting, the nursing model used, the risk assessment tools and the information collected from the assessment including the needs identified and what can be and will be done. For the purpose of this assignment the patient, healthcare professionals and the trust must remain anonymous, and will be referred to by pseudonyms. This is in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) code, where it clearly states you must respect peoples right to confidentiality (NMC Code, 2008). The patient receiving assessment and care will be referred to as Mrs Ethel Morris. Mrs Ethel Morris was admitted to an orthopaedic trauma ward within the North West. Orthopaedics is the correcting of deformities to the skeletal joints and bones, which have been caused by damage or disease (McFerran, 2008). The ward consisted of many staff, including, nurses, health care assistants, a house officer, medical consultants and physiotherapists. It had three bays, 2 being female, with 8 beds in each and one ten bedded male bay. Also, there were 4 side rooms for patients that needed to be isolated. This was an acute setting with various Orthopaedic conditions, including fractures of all types. The ward admits patients twenty-four hours a day from Accident and Emergency (AE) and transfers from other hospitals. Many of the patients admitted have pre-existing medical conditions, which have to be taken into account alongside their fractures. Ethel was an 82-year-old lady who had fallen whilst she was out shopping with her daughter. She usually walked with a walking stick to aid her balance, but with a previous history of dementia she had forgotten it. Dementia is a progressive deterioration of the brain, caused by structural and chemical changes within the brain. Symptoms include, memory loss, disorientation and changes in personality (Ouldred, 2007). Ethels friend had called an ambulance immediately after the fall, and she was admitted to the ward through accident and emergency. Ethels fall had resulted in a fracture to the neck of femur in her left leg. Marieb (1998) states that the femur is the strongest and largest bone in the body. It consists of a ball, which is known as the head of the femur, which is carried on the neck of femur to the long bone. The neck is the weakest part of the femur. Elderly people are more at risk of falls as their muscles become weaker they become less flexible. This then interferes with their movement and balance, they become more inactive and this increases the risk of falls. (Skelton et al, 1999) Ethel also has osteoporosis, which may have contributed to her fracture. Liscum (1992) states this is the formation of the bone having decreased. Elderly women suffering from osteoporosis, who subsequently sustain a fractured neck of femur, face a fifty percent chance of not walking again. Ethel appeared confused when she arrived on the ward, not knowing how she had come to be in hospital, apart from being aware of the pain and discomfort she was suffering with her hip. The nursing staff reminded Ethel what had happened and checked her drug kardex immediately for pain relief. The doctor who had seen Ethel in AE had written her up for 5ml of oromorph every three hours to control the pain. As oromorph is a controlled drug the nurse checked the dosage with another registered nurse and give it to Ethel orally. Once Ethel was comfortable, the nurse in charge of the bay began the nursing assessment. An assessment is the collection of information from an individual, to establish their needs and develop a clear prospective of their situation. The nursing process relies upon complete and thorough assessments to be a success. A key nursing skill is observing a patient, using all five senses, from listening to gain information, to touching them, assessing their temperature and the condition of their skin (Brooker and Waugh, 2007) Holland et al (2008) also states that an assessment identifies the priority amongst the problems. Data can be collected in a number of different ways, from observing a patient, communicating with them and through their clinical notes. Collection of information can also be made through a secondary source (a relative), if, for example, the primary source (the patient) was unconscious. A named nurse approach was used on the ward; this provides individualised care for the patient from admission to the point of discharge. Named nursing has been developed from primary nursing and is very closely connected to team nursing. (Dawe, 2008) The ward follows a philosophy of care to meet individual needs. Providing patient centred care, meeting individual needs whilst respecting their privacy, dignity, religious and cultural beliefs. They strive to provide high quality care and aim to maximise the potential of individuals to adapt and cope with their conditions. The wards philosophy reflects the National Service Frameworks (NSFs) quality of care. NSFs are in place to improve care in twelve specific areas, including blood pressure, diabetes and mental health. The standards have been implemented nationally and they have all been set certain time scales. (Department of Health (DOH), 2008) The ward uses most of the NSFs depending on which patient they are dealing with. In Ethels case the main ones being blood pressure and older people, which has eight different standards of its own. The nurse firstly recorded Ethels clinical observations, and her saturations appeared to be very low at only 89%. Oxygen saturations are monitored through an electronic device called a pulse oximeter. This reads the oxygen levels of haemoglobin in the arteries and is updated with each pulse (Jevon, 2000). The nurse immediately put her on four litres of oxygen through a nose cannula. A Nose cannula is two small plastic tubes that are inserted into each nostril to administer oxygen. This allows room air to be breathed in at the same time and is secured by tubing over the ears, which fits onto the oxygen cylinder (Brooker and Waugh, 2007). The nurse carried out Ethels assessment by her bedside with the curtains drawn to respect her privacy. As Ethel had dementia her daughter was present for the assessment, to confirm details and help with the process. Barrett et al (2009) states that nurses who carry out disorganized, incomplete assessments, may fail to notice a major concern, or recognize an underlying problem. Nursing models are used in the assessment process in most care settings. They are in place to establish the information that is required, ways it can be gathered for the best results, and the detail that is likely to be more helpful. (Aggleton and Chalmers, 2000) Roper et al (2000) says that models are used to help organize thinking by creating theory. They are global views that have been summarised into systems. There are many different Nursing Models used in clinical settings from Orems self care model to Hendersons model of nursing. Nursing models are used to provide a distinctive framework, to highlight what the patients needs are (Fawcett, 1989). The nursing model used on this ward was Roper Logan and Tierney, Activities of living model. Roper et al (1996) activities of living consists of twelve activities that ensure survival, these are, maintaining a safe environment, communicating, breathing, eating and drinking, eliminating, personal cleansing and dressing, controlling of body temperature, mobilising, working and playing, expressing sexuality, sleeping and dying. These activities are all as important as each other and one cannot be done without another. The impact of illness will affect more than one of these activities. Roper et al (2000) activities of living was first written in 1980 for nursing practice to be introduced to students. At this time there were five concepts in the model that included activities of living, lifespan and individuality in living. The model became the United Kingdoms most popular model and was also widely used throughout Europe. The nurse used a number of risk assessment tools when assessing Ethel. These were, the malnutrition universal screening tool (MUST), waterlow score, falls risk assessment score for the elderly (FRASE) and the Abbey pain scale. The MUST tool is a nutritional screening tool that recognises over nutrition (obesity) and under nutrition (BAPEN, 2008). The MUST tool was developed so nutritional care would improve in all care settings, by the malnutrition advisory group (MAG) of BAPEN. This tool can be applied to all adult patients, even those who are bed bound (BAPEN, 2008). As a result of the MUST screening tool, Ethel was commenced on a fluid balance chart. This measures the quantity of liquid intake, including Intravenous (IV) fluids and drinks, against the total urine output. Also to be monitored was Ethels food intake, this was to be done on a food chart. This needed updating after every mealtime to show how much was being eaten at different times. The waterlow score is to determine whether a patient is at risk of developing a pressure ulcer (Waterlow, 2005). This tool uses a scoring system, based on patients data. The categories include skin type, age, and continence. (Thompson, 2005) Ethels score was sixteen and she was at high-risk of pressure sores, this was due to her age and mobility. Waterlow (2005) first designed this tool for students use in 1985. It is the most frequent risk assessment tool in the United Kingdom (UK), and is used throughout hospitals, nursing homes and within the community. Pressure ulcers are most common in people with bony surfaces, thin skin and an unhealthy diet. Ethel was found to be a high risk of developing a pressure sore, as she was immobile and had tissue paper skin. The nurse commenced her on a turns chart so she would be rolled or moved every three hours to check and relieve her pressure areas. Also a pressure-relieving mattress was ordered for Ethel, this alternates the body areas under pressure by rotating the air throughout the mattress. (Collins, 2004) The FRASE assessment tool is to assess if a patient is at risk of a fall, taking into account their history and their current state. (Bolton NHS, 2003) Connard developed a fall risk assessment for the elderly in 1996; this was then adapted into a hybrid tool, known as the FRASE tool. It is in similar context to the waterlow score as they both use a points scale to assess the patients level of vulnerability (Kinn and Hood, 2001) The nurse carrying out the assessment began Ethel on a falls care plan, as she was at high-risk from having another fall. A member of staff was to update the care plan each day, noting any unsteadiness or falls. This was going to play a greater part after Ethels operation, as for the time being she was bed bound. The Abbey pain scale was developed in Australia to assess patients pain levels. It was used for individuals who had trouble communicating effectively and who suffered from dementia (Turner-stokes and Higgins, 2007). Abbey (2004) researched and developed the abbey pain scale between 1997 and 2002, and wanted it to be a straightforward and effective tool, used by all health care staff. It consisted of six scales to measure pain including physiological changes to changes in body language. Ethels score was seven and her pain level was acute to chronic during the assessment. The nurse had previously administered 5ml of Oromorph, and because of this the abbey scale was to be updated every hour to monitor the success of the pain relief. During the assessment the nurse collected various information from Ethel, including objective and subjective data. Newson (2008) states that objective data is information collected that can be measured such as temperature and blood pressure. The MUST tool was used to measure Ethels weight, and other observations were recorded, including blood pressure which was 142 systolic and pulse of 84; these were all in satisfactory limits. Any data collected outside the normal range would have been given an early warning score. A doctor and the outreach team need informing if a score totals three or above (Baines and Kanagasundaram, 2008). Also collected was Ethels details that included her, address, date of birth, and her medical history. This can be obtained through medical notes. as original records cannot be tampered with and all records made must be clear and accurate (NMC Code, 2008). Subjective data is information that cannot be measured, for example, information that the patient has given about him or herself, or the nurses insight on the patient (Newson, 2008). The nurse asked Ethel questions to gain this information, if she felt nauseas, or in pain and how she felt about what had happened. Also observed was Ethels behaviour to see if she was agitated or frightened, closed body language showed she was as her arms were wrapped around herself. The nurse also looked at and noted the condition of her skin, nails and hair. Due to Ethels dementia she didnt understand very much of what was going on and didnt know how she had ended up on a hospital ward. Short-term memory is affected alongside some long-term memory loss. This affects the ability to communicate with people and can result in the patient asking the same question repeatedly (LEHR, 2006). The nurse had to keep reassuring Ethel about what had happened, how she ended up on the ward and what her plan was. Communication is a key skill in nursing and it is an essential part in building the patient-nurse relationship. The nurse has to gain lots of information from the patient so it is important to know whether there is a communication barrier, such as a hearing problem or if the patient cannot read or speak the same language. They may need to speak more loudly or slowly so the patient can lip-read (Holland et al 2008). McCabe and Timmins, (2006) states that communication should be focused on the patient, rather than task centred. Listening, empathy and support are essential communication skills in nursing, but the main being to develop a relationship with the patient, and nurses should make time to spend with them. Ethels daughter stayed during the assessment process to help the nurse gain accurate information and communicate effectively with Ethel. The nurse had to speak slowly so she understood, and if she looked confused the nurse would reassure her and repeat the question. This process took a long time but it was necessary so Ethel could gain trust in the nurse. This made her feel more relaxed and comfortable as she could feel the warmth that had developed between them. This assignment has shown how a nurse has an important role in assessing, planning and the implementation of patient care. It has shown that nurses have to obtain data by using a various number of different sources, from assessment tools to observing patients behaviour. The nurse must also use a nursing model to help complete full and accurate assessments of patients and their needs. If there is a communication barrier, nurses must be able to overcome it by using an interpreter or picture cards. The needs identified during the assessment process have to be implemented and care plans introduced. Nurses then have a responsibility to keep regularly updating the care plans by re-assessing the patient on a regular basis.

How The Nuclear Agenda Influenced American Popular Culture History Essay

How The Nuclear Agenda Influenced American Popular Culture History Essay August 6th, 1945, ushered in the beginning of a new era, one to be forever known as the Atomic Age. The dropping of the worlds first atom bomb over Hiroshima signalled a defining moment in human history. From that moment on the nuclear agenda would come to influence not only international affairs, but the everyday lives of people all around the world. The 17 year period from 1945-62 saw huge changes for American society, in particular the development and expansion of popular culture. How in fact popular culture was influenced by this new nuclear agenda holds the basis for this essay. It will focus on both the direct influences of a new atomic culture, as well as the indirect influences that a new nuclear world had on the popular arts. For the purpose of this essay it is essential to have a working definition for popular culture, in this instance popular culture will be defined as a commercial culture based on popular tastes. From Hollywood movies to comic books, a new nuclear technol ogy became an important characteristic in portraying the lives of everyday Americans. Along with a new kind of nuclear diplomacy theses influences would show themselves in some of the greatest pieces of twentieth century popular culture. What this meant for a nuclear generation and how it showed the signs of a cultural revival will be additional themes to explore. The atomic bomb revolutionised American life. In all areas economic, social, political it challenged old assumptions and forced reconsideration of accepted standards (Winkler, 1999: 9). The dropping of the first atomic bomb on that historic day insured at least one thing, a changed world. Rosenblatt neatly describes it, as a moment where nothing has ever been the same since. From that moment everything changed: subsequent wars, subsequent peace, art, culture, the position of science, the role of the military, international politics, and the conduct of lives; all changed. Other ages in history were characterized by heroes or by ideas. The atomic age is characterized by a weapon and a threat. (Rosenblatt, 2005:1) The end to fighting in World War II brought a period of relative peace in which popular culture was allowed to flourish. Boyer (1985) reveals that this new popular culture encompassed most areas of recreational life, although there were many alterations in interests and tastes. During the 50s and 60s particularly, popular culture appealed to a younger generation who had become an increasingly significant social group. Rock nRoll had become the main focal point for a young generation, and the novel realization of breaking away from childhood, caused the teenagers to become a defined social group in their own right. Teenagers began to reject the old fashioned attitudes and conventions of their parents and rebel against conformity. As stated by Shapiro (2002) this new generation of teenagers started developing a culture from the American teenage way of life, and alongside the behaviour got themselves part-time jobs to help them earn money to spend on movies, fashion, music and other ent ertainment. Boyer (1985) agrees adding that teenagers could now secure a good amount of money for their wants and needs like making trips to the movies and the purchasing of commercial goods, which became big business for the advertisement and film industries, which duly swooped in on their opportunities. Films which were produced and targeted by the teenage audience solely served to unite the teenage image more extensively. With films like Rebel without a Cause (1954) and The Wild One (1953) movies presented a separate image for the teenage rebel. The indirect effect of a growing nuclear agenda, seemingly allowed a world free from direct military conflict to find its voice again. War time popular culture had been heavily centred around the war effort, yet in this brief period popular culture begun to revolutionise. It became increasingly important for a post World War II America to enjoy this time of relative peace. Subsequently this saw a huge rise in a new consumerism in which tr ends and fashions; that had seemingly been put on hold during the war years, could dominate popular culture once again. The changing dynamics of a nuclear agenda began to have a more direct influence on popular culture, this period created what Zeman and Admundson (2004) call the early atomic culture. This distinct period saw an escalation in the nuclear agendas influence on the shaping of popular culture. Both the enthusiasm and fear surrounding new nuclear weapons would be portrayed in this expansive new arena. From the secrecy of the Manhattan Project to its introduction on a world stage in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this new technology offset an atomic culture. It would be wrong to say that after its first military use the bomb became a subject for fear and anxiety. In truth the majority of Americans at that time were unaware nuclear weapons even existed. For many this was the weapon that had ended the war, saved thousands of American lives and brought forward a longed for epoch of peace. As Winkler agrees, Americans first reaction overwhelmingly was one of euphoria and the bomb became celebrated in popular culture in a well-liked country western song, When the Atom Bomb Fell, recorded in December 1945, which attested to this view as it declared the bomb the answer to our fighting prayers boys(in Zeman and Amundson, 2004:3). Many Americans set aside lurking fears of the new nuclear weapon as they contemplated the golden age of abundance that beckoned after World War II. They were further persuaded by the speeches of President Truman who hailed the atomic bomb as a god given tremendous discovery and one to bring together one human community. Others like David Lilienthal where also quick to speak out over the limitless beneficial applications of atomic energy (Winkler, 1999: 137). The atomic bomb continued throughout the period to be closely linked with its positive benefits and government programs attempted to educate the public about the science behind the bomb. An educational video produced by none other than Walt Disney was commissioned in 1957 entitled Our Friend the Atom, which attempted to demonstrate the benefits of the nuclear age and the wonder of this new technology. This film was shown in schools throughout America and became increasingly significant in showing nuclear power in a favourable lig ht. Other videos such as A is for Atom sponsored and paid for by General Electric were also produced to try and help explain the benefits of nuclear technology. This is not to say that the dropping of the bomb in Hiroshima went unnoticed. As mention by Gamson; H.V.Kaltenborn, the dean of radio news commentators, warned his NBC audience on the very same day, For all we know we have created a Frankenstein! We must assume that with the passage of only a little time, an improved form of the new weapon we use today can be turned against us. (1987:15) The continued promotion of the nuclear agenda also expanded to the American commercial markets, and the wonders of the bomb became tied in with consumerism. 1946 saw the General Mills Corporation expansion into Atomic Bomb Rings with the Kix cereal boxtop. Advertised as a gleaming aluminium warhead, see real atoms SPLIT cried the advert, and some 750,000 American children inundated General Mills for their own Atomic Bomb Ring. Boyer (1985) identifies this move from a promotional premium, to that which actually premeditated several cultural themes that would obsess America in the years ahead. Another example from Boyer reveals that only days after the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima, retail shops were offering atomic sales and products offering atomic results. (1985: 9) This type of cultural consumerism seems void of the true fear that would come to surround the nuclear agenda. Instead it highlights the apparent ease into which America welcomed the birth of the atomic bomb; although this was not always the case. This period in American history coincided with attempts at a new world order and the emergence of the United States as a global superpower. Political, social, economic and ideological issues became not only domestic but international issues. The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan in particular were set up to help fund an American friendly Europe. The movement of the nuclear agenda began to change with the American foreign policy of Containment, an uneasy separation both geographically and ideological, which would see Churchill talk up fears of an Iron Curtain. These international fears would spark a concern of a superpower rivalry and after the Soviet tests of 1949; two countries with conflicting ideologies now had the most destructive weapon ever invented. Hollywood was quick in using the new found nuclear agenda for film ideas. The Manhattan project was dramatized in the 1947 film The Beginning or the End, one of the first of several films on the subject. The film tackled the creation of the atomic bomb and its subsequent use in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Filmmakers saw this new nuclear agenda, as a story waiting to be told. One of the trailers produced at the time to promote the film showed an interviewer asking movie goers for their thoughts on what theyd just seen. You cant ignore this picture one women said and the most important motion picture I have ever seen said another. These along with taglines such as the men, the magic the machines saw an increased interest in the development of the bomb. The subject matter was of course both dramatic and dangerously fascinating to a new generation. It talked about the secrecy behind the Manhattan Project and the destructive power behind the bomb. It led many to pose questions in particu lar like that within the films title; was this the beginning or the end? The film industry could now see the need and want of the people to know about the bomb. Much of the film was of course a sensationalised view, and alot of what the Manhattan Project was actually about was unknown by those making the films. Although the sentiment and an increased interest around the bomb would see that the nuclear agenda would continue to influence film. A particular genre within Hollywood that would see a rise in popularity at this time was film noir. As Kakutani identifies in the wake of World War II and with anxieties created by the dawning of the atomic age, film noir a sometimes nihilistic genre became galvanised. The likes of Kiss Me Deadly and Fallen Angel found success at the box office. The genre with its partiality to outsiders and deeply rebellious themes inevitably appeared and emblematized at a time of deep stress. (2001: 1) These kinds of Hollywood films began to show a prevailing attitude that the nuclear agenda had brought about. Hunner (in Zeman and Amundson) describes the nuclear agenda as a totally new age, one full of promise and peril. People searched for a new way of living under this new age thus creating this new culture. And the reason why the nuclear agenda began to find its way into popular culture had a lot to do with the changing nature of nuclear importance. From the creation of the atom bomb moving to the advances with the first nuclear power plant, the science behind the bomb began to spread to new technologies. Nuclear powered aeroplanes and submarines were just some of the uses that that the Unites States found for nuclear energy. Even with these new advances a key turning point for the bomb would come in 1949. Zeman and Amundson (2004) identify this development from the early atomic culture morphing into the high atomic culture of 1949 to 1963. The following years were seemingly different from the earlier phases, as one key turning point would stress. This period saw the American nuclear mo nopoly which had been expected to last until the 1960s, come to an abrupt end in August of 1949. The Soviets after Hiroshima had been working from the American design to build an atom bomb for itself, and the first Soviet test in Kazakhstan steppe signalled a build up of arms. The Soviet atomic test ensured a changing nuclear agenda from the wonder of technology to a characterization of an enemy. A two superpower world would change the very nature of popular culture. The change in nuclear agenda saw an alteration in the types of films being produced in Hollywood. In the 1950s and 1960s, a number of movies attempted to make social commentaries on the war. As Day reveals Films like On the Beach, Fail Safe and The Bedford Incident all took a grim tone about humanitys future, wagging a finger at world leaders who held the fate of the world in their hands and implying that words like democracy and communism had little meaning when the world was teetering on the brink of Armageddon. (Day, 2004: 1). The shift in agenda also introduced the introduction of the B movies which entertained the fear of mutilation. Films such as Them where giant ants mutated by atomic radiation threaten US cities in the South West, and Attack of the Crab Monster were becoming increasingly popular to an American audience. The links to events in the international community such as the nuclear accident in Castle Bravo and Chelyabinsk in 1957 brought about a sense of anxiety. The idea of being exposed to dangerous levels of radiation further influenced the idea of mutation. One of the most recognised films of this period and one that would inspire numerous re-makes was Godzilla. The original Hollywood version in 1954 is considered to be the correspondence of the nuclear weapons which were dropped in Japan. The film unlike its B movie counterparts had a bigger budget and became instantly popular. Other films such as Mickey Rooneys Atomic Kid (1954) which appeared to disassociate the potential of nuclear radiation, failed to do so well at the box office. Later films such as Dr Strangelove would also focus on the idea of a doomsday advice. Other signs that showed the increasing significance of the nuclear agenda were no more apparent than in the Laurel and Hardy motion picture Atoll K. A well loved and admire comedy duo choose for their last screen outing to portray a shipwreck on an island rich in Uranium deposits. It was a far cry from there simplistic and po pular humour which had served them well earlier in their careers. In truth Hollywood had become infiltrated by a collection of A and B movies each adding their representations to the nuclear agenda. As well as Hollywood films the American Civil Defence began producing advice videos such as Burt the Turtle and Duck for Cover. They were clearly designed to help to combat the fear of nuclear catastrophe, and were used to reassure the general public about the dangers of nuclear weapons. They would usually involve drills for mass departure to fallout shelters, and popularized the likes of Duck and Cover. The drills with their indications of dissonantly empty streets and the hiding activity from the nuclear bomb under the schoolroom desk, would later could turn into symbols of the expected inescapable and popular fate formed by those weapons. Most Americans were affected by these videos, especially amongst those in the richer classes who could afford the back-yard fallout shelters which offered a diminutive protection from the direct attack and could keep away from the wind-blown fallout, for some days or weeks. Popular culture within America increased extensively in the early 1950s and 60s, with widespread tensions growing amongst segregated groups in society. The cultural significance of such movements as the non violent rebellion 1955-60, brought the hope of peace and equality for many Americans. The Montgomery Bus Boycott and the influence of charismatic race leaders such as Martin Luther King promoted the need for non-violence; such a belief directly opposed the violent and intermediating prospect of nuclear war. As King himself was quoted in a speech denouncing atomic warfare entitled Time to Break Silence, Communism will never be defeated by the use of atomic bombs or nuclear weapons. These are days which demand wise restraint and calm reasonableness. Whilst King was a strong figure fighting for an end to segregation and civil rights the effect of the nuclear agenda was still quite evident in all aspects of American life. Fairclough points out if it were not for the nuclear agenda; th e case and call for civil rights might have been addressed a generation earlier. (2001: 249) The effect of previous atomic tests and the sight of great chemical explosions found itself positioned in kitsch art. Titus (in Zeman and Amundson) recognises how the mushroom served as symbol for weapons themselves. Pictures on the nuclear weapons never became public until 1960 and even those were only the mock-ups for the Fat Man and the Little Boy. Diagrams of the bombs interior working have been obtainable only for the last few years since design for nuclear weapons became the most strictly guarded secret. These all had an impact of fear on society has well as the nuclear diplomacy that developed between the United States and the Soviet Union. The nuclear agenda found itself quickly ingrained within American life. The nuclear agenda that followed the end of fighting in WWII took on a life of its own, and yet was not the first time popular culture had embraced nuclear technology. Ironically the first reference to the nuclear agenda comes not after its first military use but it can be traced back to 1908 in H.G Wells, The War in the Air as well as his subsequently work The World Set Free. The novels first explored the prospect of a nuclear holocaust and an atomic bomb that would be used in war. Perhaps even more telling was the influence it would have on one Leo Szilard. The nuclear agenda might have started life as science fiction but its influence would most definitely lead to science fact. At a time of a new found fascination in the science behind the bomb, it would seem inevitable that the science fiction genre would experience an increased popularity, and it did. Suddenly the question of what the future might hold, the question of what if, gained a horrible new importance. Now, instead of l ooking a thousand years ahead, humanity was looking at the hands of a Doomsday Clock that were edging closer to midnight. (Plested, 2009:1). Nuclear weapons would become a fastener element in the science fiction novels. The phrase atomic bomb predated their continuation when scientist had realized the ending of radioactivity had a potential implication of limitless energy. Until then, the word atomic had been nothing more than a convenient gimmick in science fiction, a buzzword that provided power for everything from pistols to robots to spaceships. Once the atomic bomb had been used, it proved this scientific leap forward, a leap which proved that science fiction authors were not such wild-eyed dreamers as had been thought' (Plested, 2009: 1). However, the science fiction novels began to follow and treat the threat of potential nuclear fallout and its implications for society. Newman, K. (2000) notes the various popular novels like the Babylon, Alas and On the Beach reviewed the af termath of the nuclear war. Other science fiction novels like A Canticle for Leibowitz exposed the long-standing consequences of a nuclear war. Hand in hand with the immediate perils of thermonuclear death, science fiction introduced the public to the other horsemen of the new Apocalypse: Fallout, Nuclear Winter, and Mutation. The latter provided heady fare for the filmmakers of the 1950s, with screens filled with shambling monstrosities of every shape, size and species. (Plested, 2009:1) The crisis of the Cold War coincided with the emergence of the Television, it grew in stature and with the growth of consumerism by the 1950s the TV quickly became a technological novelty an inescapable medium that quickly rivalled the power of movies, radio and mass circulation magazines (Whifield, 1991:153). In 1946 around 7000 American owned their own television set and by 1960, 50 million sets had been purchased and over 530 stations were available by 1961. Yet the reality of nuclear weapons haunted not just photographs and newsreels of Hiroshima and Nagasaki but visions of the future. In 1950 LIFE predicted the growing likelihood of World War III in the essay How U.S. Cities Cab Prepare for Atomic War. Colliers described a hypothetical atomic attack on New York in Hiroshima U.S.A: Can anything be done about it? (Boyd, 1985: 23) Nuclear anxieties boosted the popularity of psychoanalysis an probed the subconscious. Signs of the impacted nuclear agenda also found their way into the music industry. Many songs such as Skip Stanleys Satellite Baby pleaded: Nuclear baby dont fission out on mewere gonna rock it, were gonna rock it.Isotope daddys found out what you are worth. As well as the likes of Bob Dylan with his 1962 song A Hard Rains Gonna fail which was thought to have alluded to an upsurge in the possibility of a nuclear fallout. Through the progression of the nuclear period protest songs in particular became more frequent, such as 99 red balloons, and Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. These songs became opposition against a nuclear build up and warning songs while others utilized the theme like allusion to a huge destruction in general. This period also began to see the rise in the popularity of tranquillity organizations such as the CND. Newman, K. (2000) said the CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) was one of the principle organizations campaigning in opposition to the bomb. Its symbo l, a grouping of the semaphone symbols for D (disarmament) and N (nuclear) came into the modern culture as icon for peace. 1962 saw a flashpoint in the course of the Cold War, a socialist revolution in Cuba would bring the world closer to nuclear war than ever before. The Cuban Missile Crisis illustrated how fragile the balance between a nuclear war and peace had become. The period of time saw a shift in public opinion towards the bomb, how close the world had come to catastrophe had shown Americans the true terror of a nuclear attack. Popular culture moved into a new era of fear and more open criticism of the nuclear programme (Zeman and Amundson, 2004: 4) The scale of influence the nuclear agenda had on popular culture became elevated as the threat of nuclear war become more possible. The time frame saw a great deal of change within America. It becomes apparent that the early atomic culture had a huge influence on popular culture, but the ways in which it affected it were various to say the least. From civil defence videos to sci-fi b movies, the period generated a phenomenal amount of popular culture. The significance is perhaps the diversity of the materials and the changes the nuclear agenda brought into popular culture. The strength of the nuclear culture insured it was impossible for outlets to ignore, instead the bomb in sorts became commercialised and the threat of apocalypse became a somewhat side point. In truth, it would appear in an era of progression and change the nuclear agenda became quite dominant in popular culture. It affected the lives on not only Americans but those in a global community. The turning point perhaps comes at the end of this period during the 13 days of the Cuban Missile Crisis, where the nuclear agenda hatched up the fear and tensions of an American society who had been blissfully unaware of the true dangers happening behind closed doors.

Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata) and Pulp and Lumber Production :: Economic Analysis

Shortleaf Pine (Pinus echinata) and Pulp and Lumber Production Introduction Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) is commercially one of the four most important conifers in the southeastern United States. In fact, shortleaf pine has the widest range of all southern pines, spreading from Florida to New Jersey and from North Carolina to Oklahoma Sidney Investments, a firm based in Dallas, Texas, is considering the purchase of a 360 acre parcel of forested land located in the Quachita Mountains of eastern Oklahoma. This land has been under timber production through one rotation to this point. Sidney Investments would like to be advised on the possibilities of keeping that land in timber production and the operations necessary for the management of shortleaf pine. Sidney has come to Hall-Tree Silvicultural Consultants for a description of the silvicultural procedures involved, and the firm will then perform an economic analysis, checking the current market prices for the implementation of those procedures before making a decision on the purchase of this property. The 360 acre tract that Sidney Investments is considering is located in McCurtain County, Oklahoma. The elevation of the site does not vary much, ranging from 400 to 460 feet above mean sea level. The soil, being primarily composed of sand and silt, is quite mesic and highly drained. The annual precipitation in McCurtain County averages 48 inches. The average annual temperature is near 66Â °F and there are around 260 days in the growing season. Though shortleaf pine prefers a site with a little more moisture, it will, nonetheless, grow well on this site. Because of its characteristic tolerance of varying site conditions, shortleaf pine will outperform any of the other southern pines on this site. Shortleaf Pine Description Shortleaf pine tends to grow rather slowly in the early stages of its life when compared to its closest competitor, loblolly pine. Therefore it cannot compete for the best sites under natural regeneration, but, because of it's tolerance of a wide range of site conditions, shortleaf pine is found naturally in areas where loblolly pine will not grow effectively. It is for this reason that shortleaf pine was chosen for this site instead of loblolly. When planted artificially, it was found that after the first few years of development, shortleaf pine will match loblolly in height growth on the better sites and will surpass loblolly on the poorer sites (Harrington, 1987). Because of this, shortleaf pine is the most commonly regenerated pine in the northern and western parts of its range where the site conditions are not as ideal as in the southern part of its range.

Macbeth Is Not A Villain... :: essays research papers

MACBETH ESSAY The proposition that “Macbeth is a villain in whom there is little to admire'; is an inadequate judgement of Macbeth’s character. Macbeth is not consciously and naturally malevolent, and there are many aspects of his character and his downfall which serve to support this. Macbeth was not only a victim of his own actions, but also of the human condition and the extremely powerful forces of both his wife and fate. Throughout the play the audience undoubtedly experiences feelings of horror at Macbeth, but we are also driven, through an understanding of his character, to admiration and sympathy. This would not be the case if Macbeth was a totally vile and reprehensible villain, and thus the tragedy of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is clear. Macbeth was certainly no villain to begin with. He is introduced to us as a man of great honour, nobility and strength of morals. He is held in high regard by King Duncan, who addresses him as “valiant cousin, worthy gentleman';- so highly, in fact, that Macbeth is granted a promotion over Banquo (who seems to be of an extremely worthy and loyal character). But there is a fatal difference between Macbeth and Banquo- Macbeth’s ambition and lust for power. He is a man with an unsurpassable desire to advance himself. He himself identifies this quality while he contemplates an action that he is wholly repulsed by; “I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting Ambition which o’erleaps itself, And falls on th’ other.'; This “Vaulting Ambition'; is what makes Macbeth vulnerable and leads him to commit possibly the most vile deed he can imagine, setting him on a path of destruction. There is a temptation to use the fact that he could c omprehend the vileness of his deed as a reason as to why we should condemn Macbeth as even worse a villain. But this is a simple view that does not take into account Macbeth’s later torment or give credit to Shakespeare’s intention to create a true – to-form tragedy. Macbeth is not a ruthless, callous villain devoid of all pity and humanity, and there are several issues in the play that serve to illustrate this. Firstly, Macbeth had an extremely active conscience and recognition of human moral values. His conscience put up a great deal of resistance to the prospect of murder, and after the act it continued to torment him until his death.

Merchants of Cool Essay

In watching the film, Merchants of Cool, which was aired in 2001, it is quite concerning how our society is turning to consuming as a means of achieving a satisfying standard of living. The film brought to light how large media companies, especially conglomerates that own all production and distribution of media from start to finish, study and sell to teen youths because of their large quantity of â€Å"guilt money†, disposable income giving to youth by parents to keep them happy. They have become the most marketed group, which in turn turns the youth into adults that continue to seek happiness in consuming. The fear in this standard of living is that we start losing touch with our true values, and instead of looking towards family, community, ethnicity and religion as the creator of cultural forms, we are now being oriented as a society by the world of commodities. And with the advancement of technology, so has marketing research advanced, where we are being specifically being catered to with ads to continue this cycle of finding meaning and happiness through the purchase of goods and services. Advertisers know that they cannot sell meaning and happiness, but they can illicit those feelings by advertising visions of what a â€Å"good life† should be through the selling of products, known as **image-based advertising**. Sut Jhally’s article, Image-Based Culture: Advertising and Popular Culture, explains how image-based advertising has been so integrated into our way of thought and consumption that it is difficult to pinpoint when our most cherished values became tied into consumer culture (p 201). Advertisements have taken up so much of our public space and discourse, and now even our private with the advancement of technology, that we are constantly being shown what the vision of happiness is, and what we must buy to achieve a satisfying standard of living. Juliet Schor’s article, The New Politics of Consumption: Why Americans Want So Much More Than They Need, breaks down the idea that Americans live in a constant state of **dis-ease**: worrying about the preoccupation with getting and spending (p 205). Not only is this disconcerting because it takes away from living in the moment, but it pushes us to live beyond our means. We aren’t happy because we do not emulate what we see as the â€Å"good life† because of the growing aspirational gap because of upscale emulation. We are never at ease where we stand economically and socially, and feel the pressures to keep up. And although this is a problem with the upper and middle class, it is a more dangerous problem for the lower class. The trickle effect of status symbol goods, such as state of the art phones, flat screen televisions, etc. , sets up those with limited resources and aspirations of living the â€Å"good life† by buying those goods for continual financial failure through consumption of expensive goods that is beyond their means. The film, The Merchants of Cool, aired in 2001, and the way that companies acquired information from the consumer was with â€Å"cool hunters†, marketing researchers who would research and interview to see what trends could be capitalized on. The analyzing was apparent, as opposed to now where consumers are being researched and targeted in ways that are more subtle, and now advertisers have the tools to more conspicuously sell us the â€Å"good life†. On the radio interview â€Å"How Companies are ‘Defining Your Worth’ Online†, Joseph Turrow discussed how marketers don’t even have to do much to gather information from us, they can now track our online movements using digital tracking like cookies. This information is gathered and sold to advertisers by data marketers, unbeknownst to us. Market research has evolved so much because of the growing digital world we live in. And advertisers are now able to subtly sell to us in a personally targeted way, instead of the blatant in your face banner ads that we would automatically close without even reading them. Although this is perfectly legal, the downfall falls on the consumer that is being researched and targeted. Our sense of consumption is insatiable when we are constantly being targeted, we lose a sense of privacy when we are constantly being watched, and, as Joseph Turrow also discussed, and we can also be targets of **digital social discrimination**. Digital social discrimination, which is the idea that companies can take digital information and make inferences of what kind of ads are suitable for the individual consumer, they target only certain ads, discounts, and such (2012). Advertisers then think of that individual only in a certain way, and may even target ads that may have negative connotations, such as getting out of debt ads, weight loss, and such. Consumers are being categorized, and because of the categories they are being targeted by certain ads, which perhaps sell a good that is not appropriate, and denied others because of assumptions being made by the online information gathered on that individual. This is why it is important to have some sort of regulatory system overseeing the structure and ownership of media. U. S. government plays only a small role in determining who owns the media, and only regulates it minimally, and the power of the U. S. media that uses the market research to produce products reaches us not just here in the United States, but also has a global impact. Because of the United States’ **cultural imperialism**, where American styles in fashion and food, as well as media far, dominate the global market, our versions of the â€Å"good life† are influenced on parts of the world, as discussed in Richard Campbell’s â€Å"Media Economics and the Global Marketplace†, (p 411). Our ‘cultural dumping’ of exporting U. S. media can influence other countries societal value systems, development of original local products, and abandon their own rituals to adopt American tastes. In reality, the power behind these large media researchers, marketers, producers, and distributors, who are often the owned by the same company, is astounding and influences not only our lives as an individual, but also has the potential to influence on a global level. They are able to gather information about individuals, sell it, and categorize as they see fit, leaving us with no sense of privacy, with the goal of selling us as many goods and services as possible until we reach the unattainable â€Å"good life†, which is a vision that they have carefully created. Until we, as consumers, are more aware of how much consumption has taken over our sense of self-worth and satisfaction and how little privacy we have in the new digital age, we will keep trying to buy the â€Å"good life†. ?

Environmental Problems

All cities experience environmental problems to a lesser or greater degree, usually causing great obstruction to the developers that attempt to improve the urban environment. The brown agenda that obstructs this includes these issues: * Waste * Dereliction * Air pollution * Noise * Water supply * Environmental health * Urban ecosystems Waste products and waste disposal * Solids from paper, packaging and toxic waste increase as the numbers and affluence increase * Liquid sewage and industrial waste both rise exponentially * Sewage control in Calcutta, India-during the monsoon season sewage can be seen pouring down the side of the street where the drains are insufficient to cope. * Contamination and health hazards from poor systems of disposal, e.g. rat infestation and waterborne diseases * An example of an MEDC problem of waste disposal is in the ‘Bronx', south of New-York-rubbish continually clutters the streets, just like in the squatter settlements in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Solutions: Solutions to any problem are made more difficult by the lack of available resources and the sheer scale of the problems faced. * Improved public awareness-recycling etc, landfill sites, incineration plants and export to other areas (usually MEDC to LEDC) * Development of effective sewage systems and treatment plants including recycling of brown water for industrial use * Rubbish management-refuse collection, and recycling by informal groups or councils Dereliction of land: * Can obstruct development-due to a number of reasons- > Toxic leaks that enable a growth of development on the land > Unsightly areas-abandoned areas where buildings are in ruins, e.g. Cairo, Egypt, the buildings decline but not restored-leaving them abandoned a huge safety hazard. * Dereliction also occurs in MEDCs such as in the ‘Bronx', New-York, during the 1970s landlords were burning down their properties to claim insurance money-the buildings are boarded up and left derelict and impossible to restore-resulting in brown field sites. Solutions: * Demolishing the ruins of buildings-and re-building on top. * Toxic leaks are very difficult to tackle-the ground has to be drained of the chemicals and this is a long and expensive process. Brown field sites are very unattractive to developers-the sites are much more expensive and unpredictable than green-field sites. There is the problem of toxic waste spilling up from the ground. * There are many schemes set up in the UK for demolishing vacant or crumbling buildings-for example in Manchester many tower block houses are demolished for redevelopment. Pollution of air: * Major problem in most developing world cities. * The drive to industrialization brings with it inevitable problems, especially as legislation to protect the environment is often non-existent or rarely enforced. * The hidden economy can add to the levels of pollution as small, unlicensed industries are set up in peoples homes or on rooftops. These industries release their pollutants into the air, land and water. * Air in Mexico City is so poor that breathing it is like smoking 60 cigarettes a day * Poisonous gas explosions at Bhapal killed 3300 people and seriously injured 150 000 * Photochemical smog formation closely related to urban sprawl * Not caused by traffic alone-factories, waste, incinerators and power plants produce pollutants, especially were industrial plants are old * Some specialist chemical pollution-dangers of explosions etc * Issued of acid deposition Solutions: * Closure of old factories and importation of clean technology, e.g filters, use of cleaner fuel, not coal or wood * Cars can be fitted with catalytic converters, use of un-leaded petrol * Movement from private transport to public-this is an example of green transport planning. This will reduce the release of harmful chemicals such as Carbon Monoxide (which can attach to the red blood cells and cause serious lung problems and even death), Nitrogen Oxide etc caused by the factors mentioned. * Pollution levels can also be monitored and guidelines be released over the levels of pollution in certain areas. Noise: * Rising car ownership-traffic congesting the roads presents a major noise problem-as the roads get busier and more congested the noise levels soar * Factories and power plants are a huge noise pollutant-especially in old factories-the large machinery is not fitted with silencers and is extremely noisy throughout the majority of the day * Dams and electrical plants, mines etc Solutions: * Reduce the amount of traffic on the roads-promote public transport etc * Update the factories with more advanced, quieter, machinery * Promote more energy efficient, quieter, electrical plants- i.e. wind turbines etc Water Supply: * Overuse of ground water led to subsidence and flooding in Bangkok * Cities consume large amounts of water, especially as incomes rise: aquifier depletion, ground subsidence and low flow of rivers * Leaking sewers are also a major threat to the water supply-for example the villages of Kanpur or Varansi, India, leak untreated sewage into the Ganga-spreading disease through the villages in India. * The water supply can also become polluted as inadequate sewerage facilities allow the spread of harmful bacteria-can lead to death from water-borne disease-one of the biggest causes of high infant mortality rates. * Lack a clean water supply means that the risks of disease are very high. * Water pollution > Untreated sewage from the Ganga from cities such as Kanpur or Varanasi > In urban areas, water pollution results from leaking sewers, landfill and industrial waste, including oil and chemicals > In some LEDCs, agricultural pollution from fertilizers and manure is a problem > In some LEDCs, agricultural pollution from fertilizers and manure is a problem-leaking into the water supply Solutions: * Reservoirs * Pipeline constructions (Development of drainage systems and sewers) * Desalination of salt water * Water conservation strategies * Control points-regulation etc * Installing sewage treatment plants in the largest river settlements * Providing low-cost sanitation facilities and bathing areas * Building electric powered crematoria to reduce the numbers of bodies being burnt on the river banks * Putting flesh-eating turtles in the river to clear up the body remains * Monitoring river quality to ensure that water quality consistently improves * Promoting organic farming-elimination of chemical fertilizers and pesticides etc Environmental Health: * Air in Mexico City, Mexico, is so poor that breathing it is like smoking 60 cigarettes a day. * Chemicals such as Carbon Monoxide (which can attach to the red blood cells and cause serious lung problems and even death), Nitrogen Oxide etc * Contaminated water can spread diseases such as Cholera etc * These factors reduce the quality of life and life expectancy, and cause serious health problems-restricted breathing and rapid increase of contracting cancer etc Solutions- see solutions in tackling water contamination/air pollution etc In conclusion, many problems have been tackled, but throwing technology and capital at them does not instantly solve environmental problems. Recycling for example is not always a good way of reducing the build up of waste. For example in Manila, Philippines, children scavenge on refuse sites collecting cans for recycling. As well as being unpleasant, the risk of injury is high and any cuts will become infected. Development in urban areas is usually hindered by environmental problems-which seems to be the worst factor to overcome due to the fact that the environment is very un co-operative and many problems are ‘pushed under the carpet' as such and the problems increase to un manageable levels-both in LEDCs and MEDCs. However, MEDCs seem to be developed quicker and at more sustainable levels-due to more money in the government-more resources and grants awarded. LEDCs are developed however, but it takes a lot longer due to lack of money, resources and usually much more extremes of problems. An example of a LEDC scheme trying to improve urban areas is in India-The Ganga Action Plan-1986 the Indian government launched this to improve the water quality by: * Installing sewage treatment plants in the largest river settlements * Providing low-cost sanitation facilities and bathing areas * Building electric powered crematoria to reduce the numbers of bodies being burnt on the river banks * Putting flesh-eating turtles in the river to clear up the body remains * Monitoring river quality to ensure that water quality consistently improves * Educating local people in the need for separation of sewage and house-hold waste Case Studies that include environmental problems LEDCs: Calcutta, India * Western image is of filth and squalor- people living in cardboard boxes and newspapers on the street or people sitting on the top of buses in a ‘people-jam'. * Sewage pouring down the side of the street in the monsoon season. * These grim images of Calcutta reflect the enormous environmental problems faced result of both physical and human factors. Shanty towns- e.g. India etc * The shantytown is likely to be found on inappropriate land. * Could be prone to flooding or is very steeply sloping, increasing the chances of a landslip. * It could be on a piece of land that has been badly polluted by a neighbouring industry. The shelters made of wood and high population densities increase the risk of fire. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil * 1/3 of the population lives in favelas: > In favelas, the shortage of utilities is constant: all utilities are below standard access. > Water is usually accessed by tapping into a water main that runs near the favela. > Only about 50% of the people living in favelas have access to an indoor toilet-the sewage then runs through open ditches and eventually runs up to street level-creating an incredible health hazard. * Incineration of the waste can easily ignite many of the wooden houses and cause people become sick due to the smoke. * Since the city often does not live up to its obligation to haul away the trash, it can build up on street and become a source for disease. Cairo, Egypt * South of the delta * Some squatter settlements * City of the dead-people live in the buildings for the tombs-no water system, sewage system, shops etc in this area-lack of provisions * Very crowded-people living on the roofs * Housing declines-the buildings crumbling-are not restored * Rubbish, waste, sewage problems * Pollution * Sewage systems broken-floods the streets * Rubbish-Christians recycle the rubbish from the dumps-but Muslims won't due to their religion-Might have pig products there Solutions: * Egyptian and British scheme-water system-pipes set up for sewage all across the county-but slurry is pumped up to the streets from the construction-spreading disease etc MEDCs: The ‘Bronx', New-York * Poor repairs-houses burnt down in 1970's to claim money off the government-landlords used to burn them down * Healthcare-poorer than the ‘white area' * Rubbish cluttering up the streets * People living on the streets * Air pollution from the city-the buildings and factories are old-not filter systems-lots of air pollution * Boarded up houses-dereliction-leads to brown field sites Hackney, London, UK * Lifts are smelly etc-people urinate in the lifts * Construction in the flats are failing, the rooms are damp, they are expensive to maintain * Elderly people contract pneumonia from the damp conditions-causes health problems like bronchitis Solutions: * Demolishment of the blocks of flats * Rebuilding of flats-cleaner-easier to maintain-CCTV cameras set up http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/index.html Environmental Problems What is the impact of human activity on the natural environment? Answer: Humans are a part of the natural environment. Unfortunately, we have not yet learnt to moderate our activities in such a way as to help the environment. Human activities often lead to degradation of the environment. Impacts of humans include: †¢pollution – land, freshwater creeks and rivers, seas and oceans, and air †¢deforestation and destruction of habitats †¢endangerment and extinction of flora and fauna species introduction of invasive and parasitic fauna and flora species to new areas †¢increased desertification of land – this often occurs because, when humans try to increase fertile land in one area, they must divert needed resources from another area †¢altering natural waterways which can increase the risk of flooding †¢Interfering with the natural fire cycles of an area (one cause of increased bushfire problems in Australia) †¢overuse of natural resources, resulting in depletion of some of these resources †¢climate change and the development of extreme weather conditions: scientists continue to debate how much humans actually contribute to climate change and/or global warming, but there is evidence that our activities do contribute in some part †¢rising sea levels †¢increased erosion of land as a result of mining or agricultural activities †¢Mining activities not only can destroy the vegetation of the area, but can contribute to instability in the earth's crust.There can be some neutral impacts. Native people in many lands lived in harmony with their environment for thousands of years. The Native Americans and Australian Aborigines, for example, used only what they needed, and did not pollute their environment or alter it negatively and permanently. Fortunately, man is learning (a little too late) that there are activities he can undertake to improve land he has already degraded. This may involve: †¢conservat ion, monitoring of and captive breeding programmed for endangered species †¢restoring degraded ecosystems by planting trees specifically native to the area, and removing introduced species †¢removal of pollutant materials 3.Questions to consider: †¢What is the biggest environmental issue the earth faces? †¢Where on the Earth is this issue? †¢Who does this effect? †¢ Why it is the biggest issue the Earth faces? †¢ What statistics or relevant information is worth knowing about your topic? †¢ What future concerns are there? The Biggest Environmental Problem The environmental problem that must be considered as the biggest is the Global Warming. Temperature is slowly increasing all over the world. To understand this better it is also important to explain the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect in a summary: Sunlight radiates from the sun, through space, to earth's atmosphere.The sunlight enters the atmosphere and hits the earth. Some of it tur ns to heat energy in the form of infrared light. The heat absorbs by surrounding air and land, which, in turn, makes it warm. Infrared rays that are remitted into the atmosphere get trapped by the greenhouse gases. When the infrared light tries to leave the atmosphere, some of it will be absorbed by the greenhouse gases and is remitted back to the earth. The Infrared light that is remitted back to earth then warms it more. Some of the naturally occurring gasses in the atmosphere are carbon dioxide and methane. This is the way the earth keeps itself warm enough for human habitation.The problem is that more and more carbon dioxide are added into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels for power, transportation, and producing mass quantities of goods in factories. As if this were not enough, thousands and thousands of trees are cut down for lumber, making them unable to take carbon dioxide out of the air and replace it with oxygen. One effect of Global Warming would be rising sea levels . If Global Warming rise the temperature at the ice caps, great amounts of ice will melt, letting all the fresh water flow into the ocean. Tons and tons of ice will melt if the temperature rises high enough with the cause of sea levels to dramatically rise. Another effect of Global Warming would be severe weather. A change in temperature would mean a significant change in weather, in many places.As the weather grows warmer and more tropical, so does the weather. Many areas are experiencing changes in the weather as an effect of Global Warming intensifying winds, rains and storms. Not only considering mankind as the victims of the Global Warming also must the animals be considered. Many animals may become endangered or extinct because of the climate change is, that are happening rapidly. Animals will find their homes disappearing when trees are cut down or dead because of drought. Drowning might also be a consequence when animals are over taken by water when rivers and streams rise. This will force people and animals together even more in an overpopulated world.With the fact that the greenhouse effect also will provide drought in certain areas forcing people and animals even more together and with less food than today. It is very easy to understand that people and animals will starve to death. The Global Warming does not only have a casual effect it also have affects on other things such as inflation. Because of crops being destroyed prices will rise, and in some areas it could mean prices rising so high that only a few would be wealthy enough to buy food. Global Warming also have an effect on the world's economy and it could mean costs that mankind never could dream of. Action must be taken now before it is too late.