Approaches to Climate Change and Energy Crisis Essay Example for Free

Approaches to Climate Change and Energy Crisis Essay The acclaim and mass appeal that was garnered by the An Inconvenient Truth, no to mention Al Gore’s Noble Prize win, is a testament to the interest on the issue of climate change (Lawrence Bender Productions Guggenheim, 2006). One of the main areas of concern is the development of industries that do not damage or endanger the environment is an urgent concern as industries now face dwindling resources, greater demand and more regulation both locally and internationally (Schnietz Epstein, 2005). Whereas before when interest in environmental concerns were seen more as deterrents to a company’s operations. The increase of judicial decisions levying companies to pay for environmental damages due to their products or manufacturing processes has changed the view to one that treats environment concerns and conserving energy resources as part of ensuring profitability. An assessment done by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) (2002) indicates that the deterioration of the environment has global implications. They point that the depletion of the ozone layer has been linked to stress marine and terrestrial resources though the depletion is mainly concentrated on the poles. Furthermore, scientists estimate that at the current rate of consumption and pollution, the earth’s ecosystems will simply collapse from human demands. De Man (2005) also points out that there are higher social expectations concerning environmental awareness and responsibility among business organizations. National and international efforts have sought to develop universal relevance of the issue not only to promote it as a concern but also to established responsibility for the issue. Robbins (2003) considers these an indication of the urgency and importance of the issue which in turn is to establish it as global critical priority. At the same time, climbing of energy prices due to demand has highlighted the need to raise efficiency and promote conservation. However, there are varying opinions on the approaches to be taken. One of the issues that have been subject to extensive debate is in the development of air pollution control programs. Wigley (2006) points out that because air has no geographic border nor physically contained and all countries have to compete for energy sources such as oil, the issue is an inherent global concern. This global perspective is the basis for the Kyoto Protocol which aims to establish an international monitoring and management system for carbon emissions. The Kyoto Protocol sets a quota for industrial emissions per country where residual allowances can be traded off to other countries and economic sanctions can be applied to violators. Thus, countries are not only politically motivated to control their emissions but also can gain monetary compensation for their efforts. Accession and implementation of the protocol has proven challenging. Opposition to the policies point out that aside from the operational difficulties of the policy and can deter economic growth and development since most industries are energy-intense and impact the environment (Bohan, 2007). Critics of the Kyoto approach to the issue suggest a national interest approach. In contrast to the former, the latter suggests that, â€Å"whats good for the nation as a whole in international affairs†. Using this perspective, instead of developing an international policy, each country must formulate its own towards a common goal (Roskin, 1994, p. 1). As each country is able to achieve individual environmental goals, public interest, which includes the global community, will be met effectively. Thus, what seems to be an inward-looking or even selfish approach to environment and energy issues can be in fact a means to accomplish international goals. Critics of the approach contend in turn that there are no assurances that independent states will develop and implement environmental and energy efficiency protocols. Also, they believe that by leaving consequence at the discretion of national governments, implementation will not be effectively policed. To date, there has still has not been full accession to the Kyoto Protocol: the Untied States and Australia have both rejected it. At the same time, national interest approaches have been significant deterred through the need for compliance to international political, security or economic organizations. According to Setting a Value on the Future, Stephen Gardiner believes that the lack of a consensus on how to deal with the world’s environmental and energy crises is because it is â€Å"politically convenient not to deal with†. Both approaches have proven to be extremely problematic. One difficulty that Thomas Palley of the Economics for Democratic and Open Societies sees in national interest perspectives is a failure to recognize the distinction between corporate and national interests, (as cited in Jacobson, 2006). The suggestion is that confusing corporate interests, which primarily is centered on profit, the national interests that will be defined will be the interest of a few instead of the public’s and that it most likely will neither support environmental or conservation objectives (Wigley, 2006). On the other hand, without industrial development, there will be little headway in the development of efficiency and productivity technologies or the means to put them in practice (Jacobson, 2006). The most critical realization is that the issue is not just a political issue. Just as critical should be the realization that whatever, polices are to be implemented, they should be able to stand the test of time and changes in international relations. This because, achievement of environmental and energy goals will likely take a number of years before they are attained. President George W. Bush has raised a valid point regarding this issue: The fundamental question is whether or not we will be able to grow our economy and be good stewards of the environment at the same time, (as cited in Jacobson, 2006). Neither the Kyoto approach nor the national interest approaches, as they are utilized today, seem to fully address these concerns. However, this should deter the commitment to environmental protection and rehabilitation as well as energy conservation. In conclusion to recognize non-political elements influencing the issue, to institute long-term policies and resources and to develop and implement policies that recognizes both perspectives. Reference http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN1537871920071015

Cars :: Personal Narrative Driving Transportation Essays

Cars One of the most important steps in becoming an adult is your first car. When you have a car, you don’t need to rely on other people for rides to and from where you want to go. You also learn a great deal, thus making you a more responsible person. I live in Putney, a small town in southeastern Vermont, but I worked and went to school in Brattleboro. Brattleboro is a slightly larger town about a half an hour south of Putney. Since we had to keep stopping to pick up kids, the bus ride to school took an hour. As such, I had to get up a half hour earlier on days I had to ride the bus. That was a huge pain, especially since I hated the bus anyway. After I got my car, I could sleep in. I could also go out to lunch when I was at school, therefore being able to eat where I wanted, and not in the cafeteria. In addition, I could drive myself home after school. That was beneficial because I could hang out with my friends, and go to concerts and movies. I could do whatever I wanted, as long as I made sure my parents were okay with it. My social life improved greatly with the acquisition of my car. If I hadn’t had my car, I could not have worked where I did. I worked at a Lebanese restaurant in downtown Brattleboro. Part of my job was rolling grape leaves in the wholesale department on Mondays and Tuesdays. The job was great, but I never really knew when I was going to be finished. In wholesale, you work until you’re done. When my parents had to come pick me up after work, I had to call them when I was finished, and then hang out for a half an hour until they got there. That didn’t work out very well, especially in the winter. With my car, I was also able to drive myself to all of my appointments, which made them easier to set up, since I only had to work around my schedule, and not my parents’. I was on the

Human Behaviour Psychology

According to Sigmund Freud, (1856-1939), human beings are just mechanical creatures, whom he views as prisoners of primitive instincts and powers, which we can barely control. He states that our purpose is to control these instincts and powers. Freud explained these concepts by comparing the human spirit to an iceberg. The visible part of the iceberg (spirit) is the conscious part, which consists of everything we know and remember and the thinking processes through which we function.The unconscious part is made up of everything we have ever learned or experienced, including that which has been â€Å"forgotten†. A part of these forgotten things are really gone, but the largest part of the unconscious has just been shut out, because it would be annoying to be consciously reminded of it.The influences of Helmholtz are also visible at other points. According to Freud, the material in the unconscious contains psychic energy. This psychic energy is constantly trying to get into the conscious part, while the conscious part keeps using energy to suppress undesirable discoveries. An expression of unknown powers is, for example, slips of the tongue. These expressions show that our unconscious was not strong enough to keep these powers outside the conscious part. Philosophers in the seventeenth and eighteenth century (like Descartes and Hobbes)  shared a mechanistic view.They thought that some of our actions are the result of internal or external forces, which are not under voluntary control. Hobbes, for example, claimed that underlying reasons for behavior are the avoidance of pain and the quest for pleasure. The extreme of the mechanistic view is the theory of instincts. An instinct is an innate biological force, which commands the organism to behave in a particular way.The main advocate of the instinct theory was the psychologist McDougall. He hypothesized that all thinking and behavior is the result of instincts, which are fixed from birth, but which can be a djusted by learning and experience. By changes and combinations of instincts he tried to explain the whole repertoire of human behavior. Human behavior psychology is one of the  theories of learning based upon the central idea that all human behaviors are attained through conditioning. This is also known as behaviorism. Conditioning happens through the interaction of human beings with the environment. According to human behavior psychology, human behavior can be studied in a systematic, methodical, recognizable and observable manner with no deliberation of internal mental states. Strengths of human behavior psychology/Behaviorism†¢Human behavior psychology is based upon observable and noticeable behaviors, thus easier to quantify, collect empirical data and information while conducting research.†¢Behavioral intervention, token economies, and discrete trial training are some of the effective remedial techniques which are all rooted intensively in human behavior psychology , also commonly known as behaviorism. These techniques are very helpful in changing maladaptive, detrimental or harmful behaviors in both children and adults. Criticisms of human behavior psychology/behaviorism†¢Many detractors point out that human behavior psychology or behaviorism is an exclusively one-dimensional approach to human behavior and thus such human behavioral theories do not account for free will and internal influences such as moods, thoughts, feelings, etc. †¢Behaviorism or human behavior psychology does not account for further types of learning, in particular learning that occurs lacking the use of reinforcements.Also individuals are able to adapt their human behavior when new information is brought in, even if a previous behavior pattern has been established over a period of time through reinforcement. Human behavior refers to the range of behaviors exhibited by humans and which are influenced by culture, attitudes, emotions, values, ethics, authority, ra pport, hypnosis, persuasion, coercion and/or genetics.The behavior of people (and other organisms or even mechanisms) falls within a range with some behavior being common, some unusual, some acceptable, and some outside acceptable limits. In sociology, behavior in general is characterised as having no meaning, being not directed at other people, and thus is the most basic human action. Behavior in this general sense should not be mistaken with social behavior, which is a more advanced action, as social behavior is behavior specifically  directed at other people.The acceptability of behavior depends heavily upon social norms and is regulated by various means of social control. Human behavior is studied by the specialised academic disciplines of psychiatry, psychology, social work, sociology, economics, and anthropology. Human behaviour is experienced throughout an individual’s entire lifetime. It includes the way they act based on different factors such as genetics, social n orms, core faith, and attitude. Behaviour is impacted by certain traits each individual has. The traits vary from person to person and can produce different actions or behaviour from each person.Social norms also impact behaviour. Due to the inherently conformist nature of human society in general, humans are pressurised into following certain rules and display certain behaviours in society, which conditions the way people behave. Different behaviours are deemed to be either acceptable or unacceptable in different societies and cultures. Core faith can be perceived through the religion and philosophy of that individual. It shapes the way a person thinks and this in turn results in different human behaviours.Attitude can be defined as â€Å"the degree to which the person has a favorable or unfavorable evaluation of the behavior in question.† One's attitude is essentially a reflexion of the behaviour he or she will portray in specific situations. Thus, human behavior is greatly influenced by the attitudes we use on a daily basis.

The Problem of Racial Discrimination - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 795 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/02/05 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Racial Discrimination Essay Racism Essay Did you like this example? Racism has been a constant issue today as it was many years ago. Throughout history many groups have been labeled and criticized not only for the race, but for their sex and class as well. People of lower class being criticized for not having economical means to afford common goods. Blacks being put down for their color. The federal government should be the one to initiate a national movement against racism. Although, this cannot be done alone, those in authority and society also play a huge role in this movement. Judgement about other individuals should be considered before expressing yourself outloud. Sometimes with a simple decision your are making you can be committing unconscious bias. According to the article Unconscious Bias, When good intentions aren’t good enough, by Sarah E,. Fiarman, â€Å"a growing body of research shows that we all harbor unconscious bias.† Bringing forward this sort of unconscious bias begins to promote an unpleasant environment for those being targeted. For instance, teachers carry a role with greater responsibilities of not expressing or showing such bias towards anyone based of their skin color, ethnicity, language, and other traits. Still teachers have demonstrated quite the opposite. (indirect quote) â€Å"Educators, he told me, frequently notice misbehavior among black students while ignoring the same behavior among white students.† qtd Unconscious bias article. If students of color are experiencing these prejudiced acts at an early age how can we expect them to develop a positive attitude towards people in authority later in life. When all they have received is racial discrimination. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Problem of Racial Discrimination" essay for you Create order The only way we can begin by preventing such issues is starting a national movement that will help bring racism to an end. This national movement can implement a measure to bring awareness of unconscious bias in school and steps to eliminate barriers ensuring groups and individuals being targeted are being more effectively addressed. Now, this can obviously not only be done through the federal government. Solve this unconscious bias by beginning with the staff then spreading the knowledge through schools and into public mindset. Predominantly the lack of implementing this idea can very well be the downfall of this movement. Although, many might think they’re completely unbiased, it is important to recognize and prevent any act of implicit bias. Imagine being told to go back to your country because you speak spanish. Even worse, being pushed aside by your own friends at such a young age because of your skin color. Well this is happening everyday all around the world. As Gayle Kirshenbaum explains, â€Å"This was not the first time she’d seen her child, the only child of color in a playground, excluded in this way an exclusion that was not noticed or challenged by the attendant white parents.† They say we must lead by example, so how can we expect to bring racism to an end when there isn’t anything being done when moments like these are being encountered.quote: , â€Å"Nearly 800,000 students are enrolled in schools where more than 20 percent of teachers have not met certification or license requirements. Black, Latino and American Indian or Alaska Native students are more likely to attend these schools.† A persons skin tone or race shouldn’t define where they will be put, everyone should b e treated equally. How do you get your child to understand it is not okay to be racist when all they have encountered has been discrimination. A national movement can implement measures to ensure that individuals and groups facing racial discrimination have access to any place or service intended for public use, such as schools, educations, and parks. Initiate by defining the current situation and articulating a comprehensive program of activities aimed at bringing improvement. This ensures concerns of individuals facing racial discrimination that measures are being taken. Not only that but eventually it will promote mutual understanding among different groups. As much as the national movement to end racism is promoted it won’t come forward due to the lack of implementing and monitoring activities. Like a business you have to continue forward looking for new ways to progress otherwise it will only go downfall. Racial discrimination should be addressed through the federal government so they see the importance of this issue. Although no federal government can realistically expect to eliminate racism from one day to another, therefore a national movement should be continues with the support of society. A long term process that includes planning, monitoring, setting goals for what has to be overcomed and areas that need to be worked on. These programs and activities will assist in assuring these goals are being accomplished. The knowledge can be passed on for decades so racism doesn’t continue to be the same issue it has been for years.