Man wildlife conflict Essay

MAN WILDLIFE CONFLICT Introduction: Human–wildlife conflict refers to the interaction between wild animals and people and the resultant negative impact on people or their resources, or wild animals or their habitat. It occurs when growing human populations overlap with established wildlife territory, creating reduction of resources or life to some people and/or wild animals. Conflict between people and animals is one of the main threats to the continued survival of many species in different parts of the world, and is also a significant threat to local human populations. If solutions to conflicts are not adequate, local support for conservation also declines. Human-wildlife conflict is a serious obstacle to wildlife conservation worldwide and is becoming more prevalent as human populations increase, development expands, the global climate changes and other human and environmental factors put people and wildlife in greater direct competition for a shrinking resource base. Improving our responses to human-wildlife conflict requires greater consultation not only among wildlife professionals and between their organizations, but also with economic and social development organizations, land use planners, agribusiness, and other key decision makers. Successful responses to conservation conflicts frequently require individual professionals to reach outside their own disciplines for needed tools, skills and perspectives. Interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as collaboration between sectors, is critical to improving the understanding of underlying causes needed to shift the emphasis from reactive mitigation of conflict to proactive prevention strategies. The Human-Wildlife Conflict Collaboration (HWCC) is pioneering efforts to facilitate collaborative learning among diverse partners so that we may improve our collective ability to address the root causes of conservation conflicts. HWCC is unique in that it provides a neutral global forum upon which to convene the individuals, institutions and sectors working on, or affected by, conflict in conservation. Through this forum and our collaborative work, we will help wildlife professionals and key decision makers shift our efforts from a reactive mitigation of human-wildlife conflict to a proactive, prevention of all conservation conflicts. Definition The Creating Co-existence workshop at the 5th Annual World Parks Congress defined human-wildlife conflict as :â€Å"Human-wildlife conflict occurs when the needs and behavior of wildlife impact negatively on the goals of humans or when the goals of humans negatively impact the needs of wildlife.† Nature of human-wildlife conflicts As human population extends to wild animal habitats, natural wildlife territory is displaced. The population density of wildlife and humans overlaps increasing their interaction thus resulting in increased physical conflict. Byproducts of human existence offer un-natural opportunity for wildlife in the form of food and shelter, resulting in increased interference and potentially destructive threat for both man and animals. Various forms of human–wildlife conflict occur with various negative results. Some of these are: Animal deaths Crop damage Damage to property Destruction of habitat Injuries to people Injuries to wildlife Livestock depredation Loss of human life, such as by Tiger attack Information on man-wildlife conflicts in Kerala during the period 1983-93 were collected from the office records of the Divisional Forest Offices and by Visiting areas from where man-wildlife conflicts were reported. Cattle lifting was mainly due to Panther (Panthera pardus) Tiger (Panthera tigris) and Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus). Eighty nine cattle lifting cases were reported during the period. Thirty one human deaths and 64 injury cases were also reported, mostly due to Elephants. Out of the total compensation claimed for cattle lifting only 20% was disbursed and only 14% were disbursed for human casualties. Electric fences using energizers may solve the problem temporarily. Resettling of villagers from inside the forest areas is also advisable. The southern state of Karnataka has got some of the most pristine forests in Western Ghats spanning the districts of North Kanara, Dharwad,  Belgaum, Shimoga, Udupi, Mangalore, Chikmagalur, Hassan, Madikeri, Mysore and Chamrajnagar. The forests in these districts are quite rich in wild life as can be expected, the most notable wildlife in these forests being Elephants, Tigers, Leopards among other animals. In the drier tracts of these and other districts where the topography is mostly plains with scattered rocky outcrops of hills the wildlife consists of Bear, Black bucks and Leopards. The difference is only in the extent of damages and the number of lives lost. The problem of Man – Elephant conflict is more severe in the districts of Hassan and Madikeri where large herds of elephants can be seen roaming and marauding the farms especially in or near the forest areas damaging the valuable agricultural crops. At times there have been loss of human lives which only accentuates the problem taking this conflict to an entirely new level. Naturally people can tolerate the loss of agricultural crops but not the loss of their family members. But then who is responsible for all this? It is we who have intruded into their territory, converting the forests into agricultural farms, growing crops and inviting the elephants to our doorsteps to come and have their stomach fill. Its we who have fragmented their habitat by making roads, dams and canals. We have honeycombed their habitat by our so called developmental activities eating into their homelands and this appetite of ours for their areas is only increasing day by day with the bulging human population. The elephants in these areas seem to have a very peculiar habit. First they have their stomach fill. After that they roam around in search of arrack which is usually being distilled in local bhatties. The arrack or the distil waste gives them a nice kick and these drunken elephants are responsible for the loss of human lives. The tools employed by the forest department like bursting of crackers, gunshots or fire torches are too primitive to stop or scare away the marauding pack of drunken elephants. The Man-Leopard conflict is more visible in the transition zone between dry plain lands and the green hilly areas. In the Chikmagalur district it is more a problem in the dry taluqa of Kadur particularly bordering villages of Kadur and Chikmagalur taluqa where the dry tract ends. Kadur is the place  which earned a bad name for it about 10 years back. It was here where large number of panthers had to be shot and killed by employing and bringing so called sharp shooters from all over the state in search of an illusive so called man-eater panther. The end result of all this hunting spree was that every day and night several panthers were shot and brought to the post mortem table, post mortem was carried out and the killed panther was declared innocent as no human remains could be detected inside till finally some human hair remnants were detected in one and then only this shooting spree came to a halt. It is debatable whether it was really required to kill such a large number of panthers which is an endangered species but perhaps the department had no means to identify the errant panther and hence large number of panthers had to be killed in search of that illusive wayward one. Moreover at times one is driven by the urge to be seen as trying his best. Probably this urge opened the floodgates and gradually people took the law into their own hands thinking that why to wait for the forest department when they can themselves teach panthers a lesson. Same happened some time back. A family of a mother panther and its two grown up cubs was seen in the vicinity of a village. They hunted a calf and ate it partially before they were chased away by the villagers. Once they left, the carcass of the calf was nicely poisoned. When the mother and the cub returned unsuspectingly next day, they consumed the remains and in the process died themselves. Leopards by nature tend to stray into the habitations in search of their kill. Their natural prey is becoming rare in the forests and the omnipresent cattle and dogs in the vicinity of the villages on the periphery of forest brings them in close conflict of the human beings. In some other areas also few panthers have had to lose their lives being caught in the snares. These snares are fixed in the barbed wire fence of coffee estates, not necessarily by the estate owners but at times by their labour in order to catch wild boars or smaller animals. However it is the panthers and Sambars who have had to pay the price with their lives for their adventure in to the estates. The Man- Tiger conflicts are by and large restricted to the high forests and the coffee estates in the vicinity of forests in Chikmagalur district. These conflicts also arise due to depredation by tigers on the cattle or getting entangled in the snares fixed in the fencings of the estates. Few tigers  have been killed due to such snares. In Chikmagalur, Hassan, Kodagu and other Western Ghat districts Coffee plantations are an integral part of the topography. The conditions available in the coffee estates make them very close to look like forest. Presence of cattle in such areas makes them ideal hunting grounds for the tigers and leopards bringing them in direct conflict with the villagers. Moreover there are large number of authorized and unauthorized muzzle loading guns available making it very difficult for the wild life to survive. Primary reason for all these conflicts is fragmentation of the wild habitat. Whereas few patches have been brought under the Conservation network by declaring them as National Parks or Sanctuaries, about 85-90% of the forest areas are still outside this network. While there can be no doubt that establishing this network has contributed significantly to wildlife conservation. But real problem is that even these networks are also fragmented. Whereas total concentration in these parks and sanctuaries is on wildlife protection making the conditions ideal for wildlife, but what about the wildlife staying in forest areas outside these networks. Wildlife knows no boundaries. Creation of ideal conditions in sanctuaries has helped wildlife to multiply rapidly but where is the additional habitat required to take care of the additional population of animals, which tries to flow over to the adjoining areas only to get killed. This is particularly so with regard to the wild animals having territorial tendencies. There is need to have a continuous conservation network with sufficient area and resources to take care of the progeny. Right now almost no effort is being made to take up wild life related management works outside the parks and sanctuaries. The lands outside the parks and sanctuaries (even inside also) are constantly under threat of encroachment. Honeycombing of the forestlands has already reached extreme. The tools employed by the government in reducing the Man and Wildlife Conflicts are highly insufficient and hence not producing desired results. If we think that paying a few hundred or thousands Rupees to a person as compensation for crop damages by elephants or for a cattle killed by a  leopard or tiger would save our wildlife from getting poisoned or shot, then it is nothing but our shortsightedness. Even this so-called wildlife compensation is paid to him after making innumerable trips to the concerned office. The farmer has to forego his earnings for each day he has to visit the office, he has to pay from his pocket for the bus charge and has to undergo physical strain †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. And what he gets is just few hundred rupees. Such hardships discourage him and in the process he gets encouraged to take the law into his own hands and to settle scores with his tormentor- the wildlife. There are only losers on both the sides. The Forest officials are also at times not acting in tandem. There is no coordination among the adjoining units. Particularly in case of elephant herds movements between the adjoining units it can be seen. Everybody wants to drive away the herds to another adjoining unit without giving any thought. It only complicates the problems. Need of the hour is to have a stock of the real problem. And then only solutions can be found. We tend to take each problem in a routine manner. There is a tendency to leave the things to lower subordinates. The powers that be have to take everybody into confidence, discuss the issue threadbare and then have to take a conscious decision. A conscious policy decision need not be essentially sweet and liked by all but it may herald a new era where people and wildlife both can coexist beneficially. How would you react to an elephant in your backyard or a bear in your garden? As human populations expand and natural habitats shrink, people and animals are increasingly coming into conflict over living space and food. From baboons in Namibia attacking young cattle, to greater one-horned rhinos in Nepal destroying crops, to orangutans in oil palm plantations, to European bears and wolves killing livestock – the problem is universal, affects rich and poor, and is bad news for all concerned. The impacts are often huge. People lose their crops, livestock, property, and sometimes their lives. The animals, many of which are already threatened or endangered, are often killed in retaliation or to ‘prevent’ future conflicts. What are the reason for conflict between man and animals? The main reason is that man, unlike other animals change the environment around him instead of adjusting himself according to the environment. By doing this he disturbes other animals, with knowing and without knowing .Thus he creates a conflict. Human beings think that they have a right to control everything (a scientifically given or a god given right) That is because the power of thought he posseses. And because he is the most intelligent being on earth. But unlike human beings animals do not posses a power of thought, thus they with out thinking or knowing block the path of humans. Even a cat stealing a fish from a kitchen is a conflict, yet the cat only hope to fulfill its need of food not to steal it away. Another reason is increasing of development of physical things made by human beings. The human population is high because he knoes the way to heal, thus the need of land is high both for cultivation and living.Many animals have lost their home lands so they go serching for lands in human habitat areas. In many countries it is a big issue because animals such as Elephants do not only barge into villages but destroy crops and even lives on their way. The final big issue is environment pollution and global warming. And this causes some animals especially those who cannot maintain body temperature according to need (such as fish) have become extinct and are becoming extinct.This may look as a mear happening of the pollution and global warming. How come an animal in Africa who’ve become extinct effect someone in America or Asia? Yet it does effect because as you know Planet earth is a system. Solutions Potential solutions to these conflicts include electric fencing, land use planning, community-based natural resource management (CBNRM), compensation, payment for environmental services, ecotourism, wildlife friendly products, or other field solutions.[3] In efforts to reduce human-wildlife conflict, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has partnered with a number of organizations to provide solutions around the globe. Their solutions are tailored to the community and species involved. For example, in Mozambique, communities started to grow more chili pepper plants after making the discovery that elephants dislike and avoid plants containing capsaicin. This creative and effective method prevents elephants from trampling community farmers’ fields as well as protects the species.

Is Saltwater Desalination the Best Solution to Water Shortages in the United States?

As a matter of scientific fact, the vast majority of the surface area of our planet is covered in water; ironically enough, however, a great deal of this water cannot be consumed by human beings in its natural state, as it is salt water, which could only be consumed by human beings after undergoing desalination. This is a process through which the ions that make water saline are removed through various means and technologies, chief among them reversed osmosis (RO), thereby making the water suitable for humans to drink. Desalination is a process that is undertaken in sea or ocean water which by in large contains the most saline of all the water in the world. Desalination is an increasingly popular process, necessitated by shortages in domestic and industrial water supplies. For all of its present day popularity, desalination is not a new concept; rather, it is a technology that has been in use since the 18th century in southern Florida, which to this day hosts desalination units. Currently, this technology is the method of choice for gulf nations that are found within dessert terrains that rarely produce any fresh water supplies for consumption, as evidenced by recent reports showing a major water crisis looming in the horizon. These reports forecast that in the next five years, at least 36 states face substantial water shortages, supported by the shrinking water levels of major dams across the states and the shrinking of the Great lakes. Fresh water sources can no longer stand up or match up with the demand of the constantly increasing population of the US. This is most acutely felt in marine ecosystems where there is a problem in reducing the levels of salinity and also the brine discharge system, causing an imbalance in marine ecosystems (Tonner 11). History of Water Shortage All over the world, water that is mainly found in reservoirs like dams, lakes and waterways like rivers is relied heavily upon for replenishment of municipal water supplies; these supplies provide water for both commercial and residential use. All these are regarded as fresh water sources since the water comes naturally, mostly through rainfall. With the advent of global climatic changes, there has been a decline in the amount of rainfall; the patterns of the rains have become irregular and they rarely conform to expected time frames or the duration. The other factor that has not aided the water shortage debate is the general rise in global temperatures. This has led to increase in the rates of water evaporation from water reservoirs. Since rainfall in most cases is declining or there is a general atmosphere of drought griping the sphere in general, meaning that the rate of water uptake from the sources (through evaporation and uptake by man) and the rate of replenishment by rain do not match. It is quite obvious that with declining input of water into the reservoirs and the increasing abstraction of water, water levels will keep declining exponentially, creating a huge problem (Tonner). Temperature problems do not end there, because rising sea levels have been occurring through melting of glaciers in the arctic and Antarctica sub-continents. Increasing water levels serve to push saline water into the underground water supplies, thereby increasing the amount of saline in circulation and decreasing fresh water. With growth in industrialization, enormous environmental challenges present themselves. Waste products from industries are degrading the environment at an alarming rate, with these waste products usually finding their way into fresh water sources and catchments areas. The end result is unusable water and a host of other problems. Industries themselves require enormous amount of water to operate and at the same time their effluents also requires a lot of treatment so that it can be discharged into the water ways without modification of the marine and water ecology in general. Population growth and explosion does not lessen the burden therefore it is bringing more troubles. The number of persons globally is increasing but the sources of fresh water are not increasing thereby exerting great pressures on the existing water sources. Real estate development in general is also a part of the problem, which can be seen in the way many buildings are constructed over water catchments, leaving very little land that can allow percolation of water into the underground aquifer, which encourages the driving of the little available rain water to the ocean in order to avoid flooding. With the advent of these severe climate changes and dry spells, water levels began shrinking at an alarming rate. This alarmed local authorities, leading them to warn the general public to conserve water and use it wisely. In order to make their pleas to be understood by the public, they resorted to the extreme measure of water rationing. When water rationing started, it was a clear warning; it was then that the general public awoke to the reality that a global crisis was at hand (Tonner 6). After looking into all viable options of providing water to many thirsty citizens, the only option that guaranteed a steady supply and cheap means was desalination. This was preferred after looking closely at the cost of infrastructure in terms of pipes and the cost of maintenance of the dams. In the recent times, those centrally placed states that were endowed with large water resources, used to share their water with their unfortunate neighbors in the arid regions of the south west areas. The cost of pumping that water and the maintenance of the complex piping system proved a too much burden to bear and its viability with time almost impossible. The dwindling resources of water also were not showing sustenance of the venture in the long term. All these when combined, were pointing to desalination as the only viable option and that was current with prevailing economic circumstance. The advancement in the technology and its easy implementation has been one of the motivating factors towards its adoption as a major solution to current crisis of water shortage (Tonner). This process is drought-proof, thereby making it operational all year round, despite the dramatic climatic changes. All that is necessary is availability of sea water and sufficient power to drive the machines that are involved in this process and which usually require a lot of energy (Tonner 11). Participants in this Venture On the fore front of desalination efforts is the UNEP (United Nations Environmental Program) which is involved with maintaining a clean environment. Support of this venture comes from the motivation of providing water to a thirst planet. Since this organization is involved with the environment, it is in the organization’s best interest to make sure that all the technologies that are enacted for use in providing essential services will not lead to the biodegrading of the environment and adding of more problems rather than solving the already existing problems. This institution will be involved in putting down the necessary legislation that will act as the guideline when it comes to issues that are pertinent to the environment and its preservation. Closely following the proceedings and implementation of this program is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) which knows very well the side effects of the climatic change and the need to address the shortage of water around the globe. For the process to gain popularity around the world, IPPC has to do a lot of campaign on the viability of the project and trying to silence the proponents that will argue in the favor of the impacts that the project it would have on the environment and the ecosystem especially the marine ecosystem. Ocean conservancy is another very instrumental organization that has to be consulted in order to give the project a go head as the proposed project would be drawing its raw material (water) from the ocean, the negative impacts on the ecology and marine organisms notwithstanding. At the top of the list of concerns is whether water is a basic human right or it will be turned into an economic resource, only available to those few members of the society who can afford it (Tonner). The program will see the disruption of the normal saline environment for marine organisms which may lead to loss of endemic species that are unique to that area. However big the reward of this proposed project is, the negative impacts on other organisms cannot be overlooked because the reality would soon hit home and would therefore end up in creating a bigger problem than the one that is there. The other organizations involved in this venture fully are the Water Management Boards of respective Counties in the individual states. These boards are at the centre of the storm since they must provide water to the thirsty masses. Innovation comes as the core business of the boards in order to look into neo ways of circumventing the problems bedeviling them (Tonner 7). Resolving the Water Shortage Issue Clearly, as the research has indicated, there is a massive water shortage that will have an increasingly negative effect on the people of the world, especially in light of growing human populations, increased use of water by households and industry, and pollution which is harming the environment and decreasing available water supplies. Therefore, the question of how to resolve the water shortage issue is an increasingly important one to answer. Of course, the water supply on the earth is limited, in both fresh and salt water varieties. Therefore, the focus in stopping water shortages is to simultaneously make as much fresh and salt water available for both industrial and home users, which is possible through a variety of means (Tonner). First, the fresh water that is available on the planet must be conserved, which can be achieved through several different methods. Conservation starts with every home and business water user; simple steps to avoid wasting water in the first place will go a long way in terms of reducing the amount of water that literally goes down the drain every day. This, however, is not enough. In both homes and businesses, it is essential that the equipment that uses water be kept in prime working condition, with broken or inefficient equipment being replaced in favor of equipment that will not waste water. Also, as discussed earlier, there are environmental steps which can be used to prevent the wasting of fresh water, including smart real estate development, the prevention of the pollution of water supplies by individuals and industry, and the like. All of these steps will in fact help to save fresh water supplies to a large extent. Another water supply which has been discussed in this paper is desalinized salt water which can be used for human consumption once it has been properly prepared via the many desalinization plants that are found across the US today. Since there is vast salt water to be found on earth today, if it is properly desalinized, there is a great deal of available water. Once again, however, this must be conserved for the good of the growing society. Preserving the Environment In any case, wherever water comes from, the environment must be protected at all costs, for if there is no planet left for people to enjoy, there is little point in trying to do anything with water, as the human race will not be around to reap the benefits of the water itself. This reflects back to the previous discussion in regard to fresh and salt water supplies; there are in fact ways to be able to provide sufficient water supplies without destroying the environment. This will, of course, require the involvement of international, national, state and local authorities all working together. This is especially important considering the fact that pollution from other parts of the world certainly affects the US, and vice versa. Therefore, the world community must in fact act as a sort of environmental police force so that those who would cause damage to the environment are held accountable, not only for the sake of the planet but also for the sake of the water supplies that are now in the process of being conserved (Tonner). Overall, what is seen in the relationship between a safe environment and clean water supplies is the fact that neither can exist without the other. If people abuse water supplies, the planet will eventually be unable to sustain human life. On the other hand, if the planet is destroyed, water availability immediately becomes a non-issue. As such, this immediately becomes everyone’s problem, and of course, everyone must play a role in the solution of the problem. These solutions are both big and small, but all important just the same. Conclusion Water desalination is the only way out for the water crisis that is facing US and the rest of the world at large. However there are underlying issues that need to be addressed before the implementation of national projects. These issues range from environmental to human health issues. Fundamental questions have to be addressed as to why should our solution to the current water problem lie in the seas and oceans whereas there are waivers that are granted according to the clean water act which allows agriculture to continue polluting our water catchments areas with fertilizers. Before moving our pollution to the ocean, we must address the mess that we have caused on land, as this problem will not go away by itself. The most common excuse that has been circulating around is that cleaning of pollution is very costly and expensive. However this pollution has been caused by man and before handing the mandate of polluting the ocean now to the private sector, first we should deal with the mess on land. Is Saltwater Desalination the Best Solution to Water Shortages in the United States? As a matter of scientific fact, the vast majority of the surface area of our planet is covered in water; ironically enough, however, a great deal of this water cannot be consumed by human beings in its natural state, as it is salt water, which could only be consumed by human beings after undergoing desalination. This is a process through which the ions that make water saline are removed through various means and technologies, chief among them reversed osmosis (RO), thereby making the water suitable for humans to drink.Desalination is a process that is undertaken in sea or ocean water which by in large contains the most saline of all the water in the world. Desalination is an increasingly popular process, necessitated by shortages in domestic and industrial water supplies. For all of its present day popularity, desalination is not a new concept; rather, it is a technology that has been in use since the 18th century in southern Florida, which to this day hosts desalination units.Curren tly, this technology is the method of choice for gulf nations that are found within dessert terrains that rarely produce any fresh water supplies for consumption, as evidenced by recent reports showing a major water crisis looming in the horizon. These reports forecast that in the next five years, at least 36 states face substantial water shortages, supported by the shrinking water levels of major dams across the states and the shrinking of the Great lakes. Fresh water sources can no longer stand up or match up with the demand of the constantly increasing population of the US.This is most acutely felt in marine ecosystems where there is a problem in reducing the levels of salinity and also the brine discharge system, causing an imbalance in marine ecosystems (Tonner 11). History of Water Shortage All over the world, water that is mainly found in reservoirs like dams, lakes and waterways like rivers is relied heavily upon for replenishment of municipal water supplies; these supplies provide water for both commercial and residential use.All these are regarded as fresh water sources since the water comes naturally, mostly through rainfall. With the advent of global climatic changes, there has been a decline in the amount of rainfall; the patterns of the rains have become irregular and they rarely conform to expected time frames or the duration. The other factor that has not aided the water shortage debate is the general rise in global temperatures. This has led to increase in the rates of water evaporation from water reservoirs.Since rainfall in most cases is declining or there is a general atmosphere of drought griping the sphere in general, meaning that the rate of water uptake from the sources (through evaporation and uptake by man) and the rate of replenishment by rain do not match. It is quite obvious that with declining input of water into the reservoirs and the increasing abstraction of water, water levels will keep declining exponentially, creating a huge problem (Tonner). Temperature problems do not end there, because rising sea levels have been occurring through melting of glaciers in the arctic and Antarctica sub-continents.Increasing water levels serve to push saline water into the underground water supplies, thereby increasing the amount of saline in circulation and decreasing fresh water. With growth in industrialization, enormous environmental challenges present themselves. Waste products from industries are degrading the environment at an alarming rate, with these waste products usually finding their way into fresh water sources and catchments areas. The end result is unusable water and a host of other problems.Industries themselves require enormous amount of water to operate and at the same time their effluents also requires a lot of treatment so that it can be discharged into the water ways without modification of the marine and water ecology in general. Population growth and explosion does not lessen the burden therefore it is bringing more troubles. The number of persons globally is increasing but the sources of fresh water are not increasing thereby exerting great pressures on the existing water sources.Real estate development in general is also a part of the problem, which can be seen in the way many buildings are constructed over water catchments, leaving very little land that can allow percolation of water into the underground aquifer, which encourages the driving of the little available rain water to the ocean in order to avoid flooding. With the advent of these severe climate changes and dry spells, water levels began shrinking at an alarming rate.This alarmed local authorities, leading them to warn the general public to conserve water and use it wisely. In order to make their pleas to be understood by the public, they resorted to the extreme measure of water rationing. When water rationing started, it was a clear warning; it was then that the general public awoke to the reality that a global crisis was at hand (Tonner 6). After looking into all viable options of providing water to many thirsty citizens, the only option that guaranteed a steady supply and cheap means was desalination.This was preferred after looking closely at the cost of infrastructure in terms of pipes and the cost of maintenance of the dams. In the recent times, those centrally placed states that were endowed with large water resources, used to share their water with their unfortunate neighbors in the arid regions of the south west areas. The cost of pumping that water and the maintenance of the complex piping system proved a too much burden to bear and its viability with time almost impossible.The dwindling resources of water also were not showing sustenance of the venture in the long term. All these when combined, were pointing to desalination as the only viable option and that was current with prevailing economic circumstance. The advancement in the technology and its easy implementation has been one of the motivating factors towards its adoption as a major solution to current crisis of water shortage (Tonner). This process is drought-proof, thereby making it operational all year round, despite the dramatic climatic changes.All that is necessary is availability of sea water and sufficient power to drive the machines that are involved in this process and which usually require a lot of energy (Tonner 11). Participants in this Venture On the fore front of desalination efforts is the UNEP (United Nations Environmental Program) which is involved with maintaining a clean environment. Support of this venture comes from the motivation of providing water to a thirst planet.Since this organization is involved with the environment, it is in the organization’s best interest to make sure that all the technologies that are enacted for use in providing essential services will not lead to the biodegrading of the environment and adding of more problems rather than solving the already existing problems. This institution will be involved in putting down the necessary legislation that will act as the guideline when it comes to issues that are pertinent to the environment and its preservation.Closely following the proceedings and implementation of this program is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) which knows very well the side effects of the climatic change and the need to address the shortage of water around the globe. For the process to gain popularity around the world, IPPC has to do a lot of campaign on the viability of the project and trying to silence the proponents that will argue in the favor of the impacts that the project it would have on the environment and the ecosystem especially the marine ecosystem.Ocean conservancy is another very instrumental organization that has to be consulted in order to give the project a go head as the proposed project would be drawing its raw material (water) from the ocean, the negative impacts on the ecol ogy and marine organisms notwithstanding. At the top of the list of concerns is whether water is a basic human right or it will be turned into an economic resource, only available to those few members of the society who can afford it (Tonner). The program will see the disruption of the normal saline environment for marine organisms which may lead to loss of endemic species that are unique to that area.However big the reward of this proposed project is, the negative impacts on other organisms cannot be overlooked because the reality would soon hit home and would therefore end up in creating a bigger problem than the one that is there. The other organizations involved in this venture fully are the Water Management Boards of respective Counties in the individual states. These boards are at the centre of the storm since they must provide water to the thirsty masses. Innovation comes as the core business of the boards in order to look into neo ways of circumventing the problems bedevilin g them (Tonner 7).Resolving the Water Shortage Issue Clearly, as the research has indicated, there is a massive water shortage that will have an increasingly negative effect on the people of the world, especially in light of growing human populations, increased use of water by households and industry, and pollution which is harming the environment and decreasing available water supplies. Therefore, the question of how to resolve the water shortage issue is an increasingly important one to answer. Of course, the water supply on the earth is limited, in both fresh and salt water varieties.Therefore, the focus in stopping water shortages is to simultaneously make as much fresh and salt water available for both industrial and home users, which is possible through a variety of means (Tonner). First, the fresh water that is available on the planet must be conserved, which can be achieved through several different methods. Conservation starts with every home and business water user; simple steps to avoid wasting water in the first place will go a long way in terms of reducing the amount of water that literally goes down the drain every day.This, however, is not enough. In both homes and businesses, it is essential that the equipment that uses water be kept in prime working condition, with broken or inefficient equipment being replaced in favor of equipment that will not waste water. Also, as discussed earlier, there are environmental steps which can be used to prevent the wasting of fresh water, including smart real estate development, the prevention of the pollution of water supplies by individuals and industry, and the like.All of these steps will in fact help to save fresh water supplies to a large extent. Another water supply which has been discussed in this paper is desalinized salt water which can be used for human consumption once it has been properly prepared via the many desalinization plants that are found across the US today. Since there is vast salt water to be found on earth today, if it is properly desalinized, there is a great deal of available water. Once again, however, this must be conserved for the good of the growing society.Preserving the Environment In any case, wherever water comes from, the environment must be protected at all costs, for if there is no planet left for people to enjoy, there is little point in trying to do anything with water, as the human race will not be around to reap the benefits of the water itself. This reflects back to the previous discussion in regard to fresh and salt water supplies; there are in fact ways to be able to provide sufficient water supplies without destroying the environment.This will, of course, require the involvement of international, national, state and local authorities all working together. This is especially important considering the fact that pollution from other parts of the world certainly affects the US, and vice versa. Therefore, the world community must in fact act as a sort of environmental police force so that those who would cause damage to the environment are held accountable, not only for the sake of the planet but also for the sake of the water supplies that are now in the process of being conserved (Tonner).Overall, what is seen in the relationship between a safe environment and clean water supplies is the fact that neither can exist without the other. If people abuse water supplies, the planet will eventually be unable to sustain human life. On the other hand, if the planet is destroyed, water availability immediately becomes a non-issue. As such, this immediately becomes everyone’s problem, and of course, everyone must play a role in the solution of the problem. These solutions are both big and small, but all important just the same. ConclusionWater desalination is the only way out for the water crisis that is facing US and the rest of the world at large. However there are underlying issues that need to be addressed before the imple mentation of national projects. These issues range from environmental to human health issues. Fundamental questions have to be addressed as to why should our solution to the current water problem lie in the seas and oceans whereas there are waivers that are granted according to the clean water act which allows agriculture to continue polluting our water catchments areas with fertilizers.Before moving our pollution to the ocean, we must address the mess that we have caused on land, as this problem will not go away by itself. The most common excuse that has been circulating around is that cleaning of pollution is very costly and expensive. However this pollution has been caused by man and before handing the mandate of polluting the ocean now to the private sector, first we should deal with the mess on land. Work Cited Tonner, John. ‘Desalination in America’ Water and Waste Digests. November 2002. 7 May 2009.

Personal Characteristics of Nick Thomas, Charles Henry, and Chairman Lup In Wisdom Sits in Places

The significance of place-names is compounded in the personal characteristics of Nick Thompson, Charles Henry, and Chairman Lup. Although their personal characteristics differ significantly in terms of attitudes and approach to reality, their behavioral orientation are relatively the same. The subscription to a single set of norms (the rules attached to the place-names) ensures a relatively predictable pattern of behavior from the three characters.Hence, one can assume that the behavioral orientation of the three characters stemmed not from their intrinsic characteristics but rather to their personal interpretations of ‘reality. Here, reality takes the form of adjunctive reference to the past, the legacy of place-names. There is a need, however, to look into the personal characteristics (behavioral) of the characters to provide credence to the above-mentioned proposition. Charles is a traditionalist, an individual who clings to the general beliefs and rules of ancient customs. His minimal exposure to the vagrancies of modern life did not affect his behavioral orientation towards customs and tradition. In fact, most of his actions indicate a persona that embraces the beauty and glorious existence of place-names.In page 10 of the book, Charles said to Mosley: What he’s doing isn’t right. It’s not good. He seems to be in a hurry. Why is he in a hurry? It’s disrespectful. Our ancestors made this name. They made it just as it is. They made it for a reason. They spoke it first, a long time ago! He’s repeating the speech of our ancestors. He doesn’t know that. Tell him he’s repeating the speech of our ancestors. Charles’ obsession with mental images and speeches of his ancestors created a personal impression of sturdiness in his character.He refuses to allow changes that will affect his beliefs on place-names. Nick Thompson behavioral orientation is similar to that of Charles Henry. An old man who delighted in telling humorous and often embarrassing stories, his expression is quite mischievous and intimidating. In the tribe though, he is known as the true â€Å"Slim Coyote. † Thompson’s character can be described in four words: serious, generous, intelligent, and outspoken. In anthropology, the character of Nick Thompson exemplifies the character of an ideal elder who teaches the younger generation the essence of existence.In page 43 of the book, he said, â€Å"Start with the names. I will teach you like before. Come back tomorrow morning†¦ White men need paper maps. We have maps on our minds. † Due reference again is made to the highly revered place-names. The Western Apache’s reverence to place-names are generally rooted from the historical value of the place-names themselves. This historical value is imbued in the personal beliefs of every Apache. It can be said that Nick Thompson, by virtue of his age, has strong personal attachment to this histori cal value.In fact, his understanding bear more influence to his behavioral orientation than his actual belief in the place-names themselves. His motto in life is: â€Å"Learn the names† (a deep understanding of the place-names). Chairman Lup’s character is generally similar to that of Thompson. His obsession with stories about place-names is the primary foundation of his behavioral orientation. For the most, an understanding of his character forces one to assume that he is a strict traditionalist. His personal belief about place-names is actually greater than Charles Henry and almost equal to that of Nick Thompson.

Body Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Body Art - Essay Example Skulls, bones and other body parts engraved as a tattoo on human body is the distinctive and weird trend; that depicts neither beauty nor ugliness but depicts the kind of evil which is intrinsically a part of human nature. Tattoos are also made to replace ornaments, like a delicate and beautiful flower sequence on the neckline can replace a necklace or the same between should blade off the back depict the veracity of female beauty. These tattoos depict beauty and art on an artistic human body (naturally human body is a marvel) and at the same time a hidden message for the on lookers that the female has ornamented her body with vivid colors to signify her style and also signifies her choice and liberty. However, in the professional arena, they are never appreciated nor encouraged. They are a symbol of rebellion, distinctiveness and undisciplined individuals. These individuals can be troublesome and cannot take significant responsibilities. These are all the assumed notions of professi onal recruiters, but if these tattoos are kept under clothes they aren’t much of an issue to the world. The criteria of any society are if something is made irrational, forbidden and unlikable than the norms of such society will always decline its importance and discourage those individuals who chose them. However, if they are a part of a culture than such trends become most popular and highly applicable. Like body piercing and tattoos in African tribes are highly appreciated or polygamy in some societies is also encouraged.

ECONOMICS FOR BUSINESS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

ECONOMICS FOR BUSINESS - Essay Example But with the passage of past two years, much is still to be done to revive the American economy, since the public also has shown their displeasure for many of the policies of the Obama regime. Though the Obama regime has promised jobs for the millions of the jobless Americans, much has to be seen the way in which the whole American economy is going to sway in the coming years. Two years ago with the change in the regime, everyone thought that the recession would be soon over and that the American economy will soon be resurrected back to its previous permanent superior position. But things have so much changed and it is seen that the whole set of optimistic predictions about an instant recovery were turned into rubble. Thus the whole thing of a temporary kind of resurgence only ended up in brewing more trouble for the US economy and the final result was that the start of a double dipping recession. Really it was a shock to the millions of the entrepreneurs as well as the American citi zens in general, since this was the worst scenario that they had ever predicted or they ever wanted to happen. (www.bothsidesofthetable.com) The American government along with the Federal Reserve remained a mute spectator to the entire happenings, since they were also quite helpless and did the maximum that they could to save the entire US economy. But the US economy was sinking constantly and the Obama regime could do nothing to protect the consumer’s interests or the business investors. Indeed billions of dollars that were invested by the entrepreneurs and the investors went up for nothing which meant that it pushed the US economy deeper into financial trouble. The rising inflations during the past two years along with the loss of jobs nation wide, has made things very bitter and increasingly difficult for the American citizens, since they could not afford for even the essential utilities that they had previously enjoyed before the start of the recession. Life has turned fr om tough to the worst during the past two years. The foreign investors from the other countries totally shied away from the US stock markets, since things were becoming much worse and the whole US economy was bundled up in the past two years into increasing debts and poverty started to rule most of the US states. People had indeed opted for a regime change thinking that they would get a better government with the Obama regime but things have still not happened in the same way as they intended it to be. The Year 2010 has been a year that has been marked by the US government and the US Federal Reserve as a year, which was particularly meant for raising adequate funds for resurrecting the US economy as it was during the post recession era. But how far the fund raising has raised the capital for the various US industries and the American economy is still yet to be seen. Though the recession has started to recede and the US economy is showing a bounce back from the past years, still the investors as well as the general US public along with the business community is showing little optimism, regarding the various reforms and the policy packages that are being announced by the US government. (www.bothsidesofthetable.com) As per the US government’s statistical data, the unemployment rates are regarded to be much below the ten percent mark. But though this is the data that has been produced by the official agencies all across the US, the actual

32. Describe the impact of race and gender on police officer Assignment

32. Describe the impact of race and gender on police officer careers.Sport - Assignment Example Therefore, men are generally more suitable for such jobs as compared to women as men are stronger physically and generally more balanced emotionally than women. â€Å"[G]ender is a highly relevant factor in examining the sources and coping strategies of stress among police officers† (He, Zhao, and Ren, 2005, p. 537). The race and gender of a police officer may provide the offenders with basis to exploit the police officer. Many people file discrimination suits against the police officers because of their gender or race. The Ohio Civil Rights Commission found that most men frequently used race as a reason to file discrimination suits against the police officers whereas women used gender for the same purpose (Gaines and Kappeler, 2011, p. 95). For example, a group of White American police officers accusing an African American of robbery may be interpreted as racism against the African American. Likewise, since there is always a variation in the representation of the police officers belonging to different races, there is risk of racism in the police department like in any other

Why is Human Factors such a big issue in the aviation industry Essay

Why is Human Factors such a big issue in the aviation industry - Essay Example Maintenance work in this field involves working under extreme and hazardous environment and in case of an emergency the workload and pressure on the maintenance personal is immense. Flight cancellations and delays in take off can cost airlines dearly in today’s scenario. And in case of accidents the charges can be even more steep and it has to be met along with all the legal issues involved (Adams). Thus it is extremely vital for aviation personals to possess adequate knowledge dedication and efficiency in order to avoid accidents and contribute to the safety and security of the industry (Graeber). The aviation industry is currently taking all possible steps that would enhance the working conditions for the human factor and thereby help to reduce accident rate. This is carried out with the participation of specialists, technicians, crew and the customer. The various areas that are being addressed include improving deck design, and error reporting systems, better flight crew co mmunication, navigation and surveillance systems, developing user-friendly methods and tools for management, training human factors in handling and maintenance of the airplane, formation of the fault information team which will identify faults thus enabling the mechanics to maintain the operational efficiency of the airplane, involving customer inputs, and addressing human factor related issues such as fatigue and working conditions of the maintenance personal (Adams; Graeber). 1. Adams, Charlotte. â€Å"Human factors: Beyond the â€Å"Dirty Dozen†.† Aviation today. 1 Aug. 2009. Web. 21 Sept. 2010.

In what respects does the postmodern city differ from its modern Essay

In what respects does the postmodern city differ from its modern counterpart - Essay Example The way in which the cities are built and expanded, as well as the framework for different buildings and components create this difference and lead to an understanding of how the city has changed while those living in a specific society have also altered. The Postmodern City The concept of the postmodern city became associated with the 1960s and was parallel to the changing lives of those in Western cities. The buildings as well as the structure of the city was known to construct with the cultural components, specifically with individuals moving out of the industrial age of mass production and into the entrepreneurial spirit. This was combined with the desire to build a sense of diversity, both in terms of the structures and architecture of buildings as well as the way in which the economics of different neighborhoods were able to work together. It was the two concepts of diversity and expansion out of the mass production that began to drive forward the ideology of the city. This was combined with the imperialist thought that was still associated with the elite, specifically which became interested in cities that could express a sense of wealth and power in various areas. Each of these proponents changed the city as well as the architecture and designs associated with each neighborhood. The concept of capitalism and the growth of urban renewal that could offer restructuring for money then became the most important component to building structures (Harvey, 1990: 6). The idea of development and the associations with postmodernism became reflective of the culture in several ways. While there was a movement outside of the mass production, there was also an increase in the consumer society. Individuals were interested in expansion specifically from the viewpoint of capitalism and economic structures that would assist in the building of wealth. Building a consumer culture followed this, specifically by building diverse neighborhoods that combined systematic areas whi ch allowed individuals to consume easily and to maintain a heightened lifestyle through various products and goods. The consumption not only became relevant in the basic needs but also became reflective of one’s personality, social status and meaning of lifestyle which was associated with those in society. The result was the desire to create a sense of utopia by presenting the perfect image and by associating this with the neighborhoods which had been built, all which were based on consumer behaviors (Clarke, 2003: 167). Development of Modernism The concept of consumerism and diversity in is one which arose from a backlash among those interested in architecture and the transformations of society and culture. This came from the modernist approach of society. Many began to believe that the culture which was a part of each community was reflective of the values or loss of morality which occurred, specifically with the concept of creating and developing while maintaining a balanc e with those in society. Modernist thought was based first on the need to develop, specifically so individuals could come out of the communities and recognize a sense of diversity that was associated with a given region. The development was followed by reflecting this with the values and morality which one held as well as how this could create a reflection from the architecture and construction of the city (Berman, 1988: pg. 90). The idea of value which was built formed into the development of moving back into the natural and into

Emergence of modern man Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Emergence of modern man - Essay Example The purpose of this short paper is to explore the influences of evolution and natural selection on modern man and to analyse whether these are continuing to have an effect on our species. The reason that many scientists argue that evolution and natural selection does not continue to exert an effect on modern man is because there are so many protections from nature. Food availability is one of the most important things for a species’ survival (Bootle, 2011), but many humans living in the West do not have to worry about food availability because much of it is available very cheaply and nutrition is found all year round. Many food items can now also be preserved to last through the winter, and these developments have come from a high level of intelligence. This, however, may be one of the problems. Some argue that the effects of obesity on our population may be having an effect similar to that of natural selection in the wild (Bootle, 2011), and could be used as evidence against our collective intelligence. Disease is also another one of the biggest parts of natural selection in the wild (McKie, 2002). However, modern man has developed a number of ways to prevent disease. Even in prehistory, there is evidence that there may have been some attempt at preventative and curative medicine (Regal, 2004), which suggests that man’s high intelligence has a function of preventing parts of natural selection. In modern times, several diseases which would have killed people prior to reproduction (and thus have bred the trait out), such as asthma and diabetes, are present in the population because they can be treated (Regal, 2004). This could also be evidence that natural selection is not as powerful for man as for other species. Perhaps one of the most interesting elements of the human species is that it occupies a huge amount of space on the

Proposals for Ring-Fencing and Loss Absorbency Essay - 44

Proposals for Ring-Fencing and Loss Absorbency - Essay Example The Commission was given up to the end of September 2015, to report their findings to the Cabinet Committee on Banking Reform. The white paper discussed many elements such as ring-fencing, high net worth individuals, prohibited services, SMEs for the purposes of ring-fencing, financial product restrictions, geographical restrictions, exposure to financial institutions, intra-group relationships, ancillary activities, legal and operational links, governance, economic links, scope, PLAC, PLAC composition, leverage ratio, loss absorbency, ring-fence buffer, bail-in, the bail-in process and depositor preference (ICB 2011, p. 19). Keeping in line with two of the stated topics above, this paper will describe the proposals for (i) ring-fencing and (ii) loss absorbency put forward by the 2011 Report of the Independent Commission on Banking (â€Å"Vickers Report†). The paper will discuss whether these measures likely to succeed in ensuring financial stability and how are these proposal s being enacted into UK law. Ring-fencing or ringfencing is a situation in which a fraction of a firm’s assets or profits are financially split without essentially being considered as a separate entity (Freixas & Mayer 2011, p. 397). This might be for: Ring-fencing in asset protection is used by separating particular liabilities and assets into different organizations of a corporate group. At times, it is utilized to mitigate liquidation risk or to enhance corporate credit rating (Haldane & Alessandri 2009, p. 12). In the UK, ring fence profits stem from gains and income from oil rights oil or extraction activities in the UK plus its continental shelf and experience a higher rate from corporation tax (ICB 2011, p. 35). In the case of bonds or loans, ringfencing ensures that an investor has a link to a particular asset they possess.

Video Games and Violence Essay Example for Free

Video Games and Violence Essay Video Games and violence a topic that has caused many a spirited debate both in the classroom, and amongst parents and children. There are plenty of arguments both for, and against the issue. However, there is research out there that shows that large amounts of time spent playing violent video games can contribute to aggressive behaviors, poor academic performance, and desensitization to violence in adolescents. The debates all begin withviolent video games contributing to aggressive behavior both in and out of the classroom. Reports show clear evidence that exposure to violent video games increases aggression in terms of behavior, cognition, and effect, including serious real world aggression, and violence. (Kutner, Baer, Beres, Warner, Nicholi II, 2009). Things such as trait anger increase the odds. Violent game play was linked to high aggression in people that had high anger traits, as well as to a lesser extent to those with moderate and low anger traits. (Kutner, Baer, Beres, Warner, Nicholi II, 2009). Studies showexposure to M rated games is a strong and significant predictor for adolescents engaging in aggressive behaviors like bullying, and fighting. Results also showthat the results are dose related, meaning the more time the child spends playing the game the higher the odds. The numbers go up as much as 45%. M rated game play was an even stronger predictor for this behavior appearing in adolescent girls. (Kutner, Baer, Beres, Warner, Nicholi II, 2009). The classroom is also where the effects of violent video games can be seen. Concerns are rising among parents, educators and health care professionals that there is a dark side to 1 excessive game play. Studies show that parts of the brain that trigger feelings of addiction are activated during game play. Sign of video game addiction include lying about time spent playing, plummeting grades, loss of key relationships, scholarships, and isolation. Children begin to choose the game over participating in school activities, social activities, chores, and homework. For example a ninth grader plays a game with members of the group from around the globe, his parents tell him it’s time to get homework and chores done. The child sends an email to the group saying he is dropping off line. This causes chaos, he gets responses like† are you nuts! We are in the middle of a mission. † The group dynamic takes priority over everything else. An anonymous mother and physician tells of howher son went from a thriving student to user. His grades plummeted, he failed all his classes, lost his scholarship, and is now trying to rebuild his life. Membership becomes so important it becomes hard for the child to separate the fantasy from reality. The more they play the more they begin to identify with the character, and members of the group. Once this happens some type of intervention is usually needed. (Wagner, J. (2008). Professionals feel that violent video games can also contribute to desensitizing adolescents to every day violence, and human suffering. What are seen as horrific, and violent events are just an everydayoccurrence. Most people would never expose their children to violent, or mature content depicting killing law enforcement, and civilians. However, one of the most top cited, and played games among adolescents is Grand Theft Auto, which includes all of the above, and more . (Kutner, Baer, Beres, Warner, Nicholi II, 2009). Professionals feel games like this have an even greater effect on adolescents than slash, and gore movies. Studies show that games like Quake IIeffect how a child sees things after gameplay. If they were angry going into the game, it affected their outlook after gameplay. 2 The debates will continue on video games and violence. Will there be problems with every child? No, of course not. However, evidence is out there to support the fact that video games and violence cancontribute to aggressive behaviors, poor academic performance, and desensitization to violence in adolescents. Parents, educators and Medical professionals can work together to lessen the odds. However, monitoring, boundaries, and playing an active role in the child’s activities are still the best defense. 3. References Kutner, L. A. , Baer , L. , Beres Olson, C. K. ,in, E. V. , Warner, D. E. , Nicholi II, A. M. (2009). M-Rated Video Games and Aggressive or Problem Behavior Among Young Adolescents. Applied Developmental Science, 13(4), 188-198. doi:10. 1080/10888690903288748 Green, J. , Dunn, E. C. , Johnson, R. M. , Molnar,B. E. (2011). AMultilevel Investigation of the Association Between School Context and Adolescent Nonphysical Bullying. Journal Of School Violence, 10(2), 133-149. doi:10. 1080/15388220. 2010. 539165 Report, Wagner, J. (2008). When Play Turns to Trouble. U. S. News World 144(14), 51-53.

Environmental Problems In The Superstructure Construction Construction Essay

Environmental Problems In The Superstructure Construction Construction Essay To identify the environmental problems in the superstructure construction, we need to recognize the environmental aspect of this site. So that identifies the environmental impact or problems. According to the ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management system, it lists out several environmental aspects a) emissions to air, b) releases to water, c) releases to land, d) use of raw materials and natural resources, e) use of energy, f) energy emitted, e.g. heat, radiation, vibration, g) waste and by-products, and h) physical attributes, e.g. size, shape, colour, appearance. Environmental aspect and impact Emissions to air During construction, all the material e.g. ready mixed concrete truck will deliver to the site by trucks or other vehicles, any transportation method to the site will require fuel to run. Thus they will release some pollutant to the air like CO, CO2, NO, NO2à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Impact Global warming will become more obviously. Although CO2 can maintain the temperature in the earth, excessive CO2 emission will cause green house effect. If the temperature continuous rise, it will become a big disaster for example the mean sea level will increase and the land will drown due to the ice in polar is melted. On the other hand, some of the pollutant will affect the health of human for example NO2 can irritate the lungs and lower resistance to respiratory infection such as influenza. Releases to water Due to the statutory requirement in Hong Kong, the exit of the site must install a wheel washing system to avoid any dust or pollutants bring to outside environment by vehicles. This kind of system will consume so much water and the water will be soil water. Any discharging of waste water will cause pollution. Impact If the waste water is directly discharged to the soil without any treatment, the toxic chemical inside the water will affect the existing plants or tree. The soil will store the toxic contaminant even passing many years. Also, the waste water will create a bad smell to environment. They may not damage the human health, but the bad smell will affect the working condition for worker. Releases to land The site area will divide to several parts for storage area. However this kind of material may be highly corrosion to the existing land for example cement is acidic and the soil is alkali. When cement is leakage to the soil, the soil original property will change and harmful the existing tree and plants. Impact The soil contamination will happen; the soil will become harmful to the existing tree and plant. This effect will not disappear in a short time; it is a long term effect. Use of raw materials and natural resources Timber is one kind of natural resources. It made by tree e.g. hard wood, soft wood. In building construction, timber is playing a very important role of construction material. The most commonly type is timber formwork. Before discharging the fresh concrete, timber formwork will form the fresh concrete to required shape. However the timber formwork cannot use many times because the fresh concrete will corrode the timber formwork. Impact The tree needs to take long time to grow, so timber will not provide without limit. In addition, there are many other products made by timber like furniture, paperà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If the timber is over used and the timber becomes less production, it will very inconvenient for human life. Moreover the tree have a function to absorb the CO2, so when more and more tree disappear, the situation of global warning will get worse. Also the root of the tree can hold tightly to the soil, when the tree is cut, more chance to happen landslide in sloping area. Use of energy and f) energy emitted All the equipments will require electricity to operate in the site for example some hand tools use by worker, lighting system, passenger hoist and material hoist. On the other hand the machine will consume fuel to operate during excavation or transportation. During piling work on the site, the piling process will create big noise and vibration to the environment. Nevertheless, other construction process will also generate big impaction to environment. Impact Since the electricity is come from the fossil fuel by generator, the fossil fuel will create lot of containments like CO2 when burn them. As the above mention, CO2 will lead to green house effect and global warming will appear. Huge vibration will easily get settlement in adjacent buildings. Also the noise will annoy people and become noise pollution. Waste and by-products and h) physical attributes, They are almost same as the above mention. Reference Safety plan What is a safety plan? Safety plan is a document to direct the safety activity for a project. The main idea of the safety plan is to minimize the accident which causes worker injury and any hazard of their health. It will include the following things 1.Safety Policy, 2.Safety Organization, 3.Safety Training, 4.In-house Safety rules regulations, 5.Safety Committee, 6.Programme for inspection of hazardous conditions, 7.Job hazard analyze, 8.Person Protection Programme (PPP), 9.Accident/incident investigation, 10.Emergency preparedness, 11.Safety Promotion, 12.Health Assurance Programme, 13.Evaluation selection and control of subcontractor, 14.Process control programme Safety Policy We need to follow the statutory requirements Factory Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and Regulations Dangerous Goods Ordinance and Regulations Electricity Ordinance Fire Services Ordinance Builders Lifts and Tower Working Platforms (Safety) Ordinance Any related ordinances and regulations Safety Organization The following safety responsibilities should be clearly assigned: Monitoring the implementation and compliance of the Site Safety Plan Arrangement for regular reporting and communication Preparation of method statement, hazard identification survey, risk assessment and establishment of risk control system and monitoring its effectiveness and progress Training and promotion communicating with the enforcement agencies and outside advisory sources Reactive action to staff suggestion Subcontractors First-aid officer, competent persons and examiners 3. Safety Training To ensure the worker can use the machine properly to speed up the construction sequence and avoid the accident happening. The project should provide the following training like: Aerial Lift Operator Training Crane Operator Training Defensive Driver Training Powered Industrial Truck Operator Training Before the work start, it should have a site orientation or induction of training. The orientations provide a forum for the owner/managing contractor to convey its commitment to provide a safe working environment for all individuals on the job site. There also is an opportunity to remind everyone of their responsibility to give due consideration to safety while planning and conducting their work. This is the time to reinforce their responsibility not to expose others on the job site to risks or hazards. 4. In-house Safety rules regulations The entire worker in the site must wear the safety helmet and when the worker needs to wear the safety rope before they require working in height. The worker should wear the air-purifying respirators like mask to avoid any harmful contaminants inhale to worker body. Before the worker start to work, they must have suitable certificate with the corresponded safety training course. So the worker can prove they have required ability to work. Confined Space Certified Worker Safety Training Course Forklift Truck Operator License Examination Course Safety Training Course for Electric Arc Welding Manual Lifting and Handling Competent Person Safety Training Course Electrician License A Trade Test Preparation Course Electrician License B Trade Test Preparation Course Safety Committee Establish regularly coordinating meeting and site safety committee arrangement. Programme for inspection of hazardous conditions Regular inspection on the site the time interval is based on the past performance and hazard profile. Establish the inspection profile like compliance and safety walk and responsible personnel (including site senior management, safety officers and safety supervisors) Using the checklist to ensure they are fulfilled the standard. Job hazard analyze There are many hazards on the site like: Fall from height Falling objects Stepping on or striking against object Hazards associated with operation of machinery, transport and earth moving equipment such as concrete mixing plants, trucks, bulldozers, excavators etc. Hazards associated with lifting of materials, both mechanical and manual. Electrical hazards Fire hazards Chemical hazards Collapse of earth during excavation, slope cutting After we identify the corresponding the risk of the hazard, we can arrange the suitable solution to minimize the accident. Person Protection Programme (PPP) We must ensure that the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is the last resort after exhausting the hazard control. The PPE includes Safety helmet, safety footwear, UV protection (e.g. long sleeve shirts, wide brim hats, 15+ sunscreen) and eye, hearing and respiratory protection The selection and procurement must choose appropriate PPE with the qualification. We should provide suitable training to the worker to show how to use, storage and maintenance of the PPE. For example, we need to provide the safety helmets cabinet to store them. Accident/incident investigation Establish a system of notification, recording and reporting. We should provide some systematic arrangement for investigation and implementation of remedial measures to curb further recurrence. Structured approach for compiling and analyzing accident Statistics. Arrangement for studying the trends of accidents and formulate strategies for enhancement of performance. Emergency preparedness For small fire accident, it should provide the suitable fire-extinguisher e.g. water CO2, foamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to stamp out the fire. For large fire accident, all the construction work must stop and follow the emergency routes to escape. Also, alarm system should be provided to remind worker to escape. For heavy typhoon like signal 8 and the red and black signal of the rainstorm, all the construction work must stop. We should provide the emergency manual on the site which contains: An emergency plan Floor plans and layout showing emergency exits, firefighting equipment Diagrams and layout of dangerous goods stores Telephone numbers of key company personnel, the police, etc. A list of outside bodies qualified to assist with special problem Safety Promotion We should have regularly meeting to the worker on site to promote the safety construction. Also we can establish the award and penalty system e.g. pay safety. If they can fulfill the safety requirement, they can get extra money. Otherwise, it will be reverse. Using the posters, magazines, newsletters, accident statistics displays video to increase the safety awareness of the worker. Health Assurance Programme We should provide some system such as pre-employment and medical examination programme for monitoring the exposure of labour. Noise control and provide suitable ear protector to the worker if they need to work in high noise area. Provide enough toilet facilities, hand washing, drinking water, resting and eating place and facilities for storage of personal protective equipment. Evaluation selection and control of subcontractor Means of communication and coordination with subcontractors and their employees and appropriate sub-contractor control. We must provide properly test system to check that all tools, materials and substances used by the subcontractors comply with statutory requirements. Establish some systems for reviewing subcontractors performance. For example if the sub-contractor cannot fulfill the standard, they will be exchanged. Process control programme Arrangement and procedures for ensuring that safety rules, and working sequence have been established and implemented for all safety and health aspects, and in particular a safe system of work, safe working method statement and permit-to-work system for highly risky operations, including but not limited to the following: Management of the Place of Work Fire Arrangements including precautions and firefighting equipment Work in confined spaces Working at height House keeping Protection against falling objects Management of Tasks and Operations Excavations Lifting operations Mechanical materials handling Temporary works Management of Equipment, Plant, Materials and Services Compressed air tools Electricity supply system Electrical works Portable tools Two main hurdles for the implementation of safety plan I think the money and labour safety awareness are two main hurdles. Since the money is the main domino of the whole project. Provide the safety training to the worker will spend extra time in the whole construction project. Some clients will argue that why dont we spend the time to work to speed up the whole project. Also, we need to use some human resource to supervise the construction process. Since the main purpose of the construction company is making profits. Even the project manager knows that the higher quality and standard of the personal protective equipment will be more safety. However, it will pay more money and increase the total construction cost. From the above reason, the project manager will do the minimize things of the statutory requirement; they will not do the best about the safety, so that they can have maximum return in the construction project. The other hurdle for the implementation of safety is the safety awareness of the worker. The labour will think that the personal protective equipment is very inconvenient for work. For example, they think that wear safety rope work in height will disturb their working. It is because the safety rope will limit the working area. And if they only work for few minutes at height, they will not wear them due to require extra work. Also, the worker cannot correctly use the PPE, so they cannot function properly. http://www.ab.ust.hk/hseo/esst/Const-notes2001.PDF http://www.polb.com/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=2527 http://www.safetypartnering.com/smd/pdf/pfss.pdf http://www.qbuild.qld.gov.au/00_downloads/whs_construc-safe-plan_all.pdf Quality plan The main elements of the quality are the following things: Management responsibility We need to define different quality duty of different position of Executive Committee, Project Manager, Construction Quality Assurance Manager, Design Quality Assurance Manager, Sampling and Testing Personnel, Staff Inspectors, Testing Technician, Geotechnical Engineer Pile Driving Analyst, QA Surveyor and Construction Manager. For example the duty of the Project Manager is responsible for organization and maintenance of a document control system for all quality data, coordinate quality check point in quality control programme reviews, and ensure reviews coordinated with outside entities. Objective of the quality plan Consistency meets the standard and requirement of the client To deliver the project on time with agree quality and prize To maintain and continually improve the quality of management systems To maintain and continually improve the quality of whole project Establish the quality policy To achieve the highest standard and quality of the project, it should be provided highly professional construction team. Establish the long term relationship between supplier and sub-contractor Follow the standard of ISO9001_2008. The construction work must under the supervision and inspection by authorize people. Provide training to the worker who is the first time come on the site. When any problems arise, the solving method should not be downgraded the target quality. Communicate the expectations of this Policy to all employees and stakeholders. Fulfill the client requirement Treating all our employees with respect, equality and fairness Resource management For human resource, we need to provide training to teach them how to properly use the equipments. Also demonstrate the require standard for them to reach the require quality. For material purchase and selection, we need to choose a properly material with suitable budget. Since the prize will directly affect the quality, so the budget arrangement is very important. Well-known and reputation supplier company should be selected to ensure the material quality. Inspection testing and quality audit We should establish the acceptable standard to the worker like accepted level of defection. After the standard is published, we need to provide suitable testing to ensure that they can reach the require standard. Then, it will be recorded for future improvement. An internal quality audit system will introduce in this project and it will be implemented during each phase of the project. Document control Establish the recording system and process to control Project Documents at each Project Phase. Ensure that the latest information is provided to the all staff and workers, so they shall use the update information to process the construction work. Two main hurdles for the implementation of quality plan http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/NR/rdonlyres/27A54B86-9825-4E81-9DEE-138823B4ED86/56842/QMPOutline050409.pdf http://www.suzlon.com/pdf/SEA_Quality_Policy.pdf The Purpose of a Project Quality Plan https://stdmail.cityu.edu.hk/attach/BSI%20BS%20EN%20ISO9001_2008.pdf Task 2 Social obligations and professional responsibilities of legal and ethical issues According to the Hong Kong Institute of Construction Management, the project manager shall: in fulfilling their professional responsibilities and the duties which they undertake, have full regard to the public interest. demonstrate a level of competence consistent with their professional. ensure, when undertaking any other construction related activity, that all such work is in accordance with good practice and current standards and complies with all statutory and contractual requirements; at no time improperly offer or accept gifts or favors which would be affect the client to obtain preferential treatment; keep them informed of current thinking and developments appropriate to the type and level of their responsibility. They should be able to provide evidence that they have undertaken sufficient study and personal development to fulfill their professional obligations in accordance with the current guidelines not offer or provide whether to a prospective Client or a third party any gift or favor whether in money or otherwise designed to secure instructions for work not undertake work for which they knowingly lack sufficient professional or technical competence, or the adequate resources to meet their obligation Social obligations and professional responsibilities of client protection The project manager shall: not divulge to any person, firm or company any information of a confidential nature relating to the business activities or processes of their Employer or Client acquired during the course of their work; not, without the permission of their Employer or Client, render any services, with or without remuneration, which conflicts with the interests of their Employer or Client; ensure, when providing an advisory service, that the advice given is fair and unbiased; if undertaking any other construction related activity be required to maintain insurances and indemnify their Client against the risks for which insurance is commonly effected arising out of the works in respect of workmen, third parties and adjoining properties; when acting for a Client or when in contemplation of acting for a prospective Client whose interests conflict or may conflict with his own, or those of any of his associates to disclose the relevant facts forthwith to the Client or prospective Client and to the associate and where such disclosure is oral to confirm the same in writing at the earliest opportunity and inform the Client that he shall be unable to act or continue to act unless the Client requests him to do so; keep in one or more bank accounts separate from his own, his firms or his companys bank account (as the case may be) any Clients money held by or entrusted to him, his firm or his company in any capacity other than that of beneficial owner; account at the due time for all moneys held, paid or received on behalf of or from any person (whether a Client or not) entitled to such account and whether or not after the taking of such account any payment is due to such person.

Singapore Banking and Finance Services Sector

Singapore Banking and Finance Services Sector Introduction What is the banking and finance services sector? Definition of banking and finance gives information of definition of banking and definition of finance. Finance means circulation of capital such as money and currency, or procurement and management of the capital, in connections with financing activities. Finance and banking service is Services and products provided to consumers and businesses by financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies, brokerage firms, consumer finance companies, and investment companies all of which comprise the financial services industry (InvestorWords, 2015). Two of both sectors are related to each other. What does this sector mean to the Singapore economy? Banking and Finance of Singapore economy is finance and banking services. In recent years, Asian countries are receiving attention from the world because they have an infinite of possibilities and capabilities such as enormous number of population, geographical position and abundant natural resources. Most of all, Singapore have grown up and developed rapidly. Since 1970’s, Singapore was called ‘four Asian dragons’ with several Asian countries, which are Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea because Singapore and those countries could become rapidly industrialized by cheap and plentiful labor and active export policy. Especially, Singapore have been developed by finance and banking services. Contribution of these sectors to the national economy Singapore economy could be developed by contributions of finance and banking services sector such as Job market and Financial Hub and attracting foreign direct investment and so on. Especially, the reasons of developing is that Singapore is a huge financial hub and attracting foreign direct investment. Early Singapore was limited land space and natural resources. To overcome those disadvantages, Singapore pursued trade liberalization. And to make the best use of a geographic benefit, this country intermediated trade. Therefore, Singapore is able to be a finance hub and attract foreign direct investment. Nowadays, Singapore is an international major financial trading hub to lift up its head in dealings of foreign exchange and the domain of asset management. Foreign-exchange market of Singapore is ranked top five in the world after London, New York, Zurich and Tokyo. And then, there is 110 number of foreign banks. The scale of asset management is about S$ 1trillion. Recently, Singapore is pushing forward a business of Islam finance. For attracting foreign direct investment, Singapore is a trade liberalization because there is a transport center by its conditions of a location. Because of using this benefit, there is total 5 container terminals and 45 berths. This container port processes one-fifth amount of international transhipment. Moreover, Singapore airport ‘Chang-I’ is connecting with 200 cities in 60 countries. There is 85 airlines. Second contribution is Job Market. According to improving Singapore’s finance and banking services, there is the number of foreign banks and businesses. It means that getting job in Singapore is able to be easy. And then, GDP per capita in Singapore also will increase. Below graph is GDP per capita in Singapore from 1960 to 2013. -GDP per capita of Singapore (GDP of Singapore, bln. Dollar, 1970-2013) According GDP per capita in Singapore line graph, the GDP per capita was rising steadily from 1970 to 2013. In 1960, the GDP per capita is only 925 USD. It is the lowest GDP per capita from 1970 to 2013, ranked 74th in the world. For example, the figure measured lower than GDP per capita of Indonesia (86 USD) and Malaysia (343 USD), which are Singapore’s neighbor countries, and then one of developing countries in the Asia currently. On the contrary, the highest GDP per capita was a near 54,649 USD in 2013. The measured value of GDP (54,649 USD) per capita is higher than some developed countries such as U.S.A (5126 USD) in about 6 times, Japan (2016 USD) in 2 times, and Germany (2712 USD) in 3 times. Generally, this graph is drawn by upward curve. (Kushnir, n,d) Challenges facing by this sector in the future Singapore economy has been improved by banking and finance services. However, the sector is able to face challenges such as dependency of global economy and other regional financial hub in the future. Singapore is the biggest Asia finance hub. Thus, economy of Singapore is exposed and influenced by global economic conditions. And then, it is shown by GDP of Singapore. GDP of Singapore, 1970 to 2013 (GDP per capita in Singapore, bln. Dollar, 1970-2013) The Above line graph illustrates GDP of Singapore from 1970 to 2013. Generally, GDP of Singapore draws upward curve. In 1970, GDP of Singapore was an estimation of 1.9 billion USD (United States Dollar). It is ranked 74th in the world. By 1980, the GDP slowly increased to about 12.08 billion USD. Moreover, after 1980, the GDP took a sharp increased from to 1997. However, from 1997 to 2004, the graph of GDP is generally decreasing by Asia economic crisis. The issue appeared from South Korea. Some of Asian countries tried to be capital decontrol. But without capital, the countries should take out a loan from IMF (International Monetary Fund). Thus, Singapore economy was also affected from Asia economic crisis. Eventually, most companies in Singapore ought to restructure with layoff, and is under threat of bankrupt. Nevertheless, once again, it steadily increased to the year 2013. In 2013, the GDP was about 297.94 billion USD. (Kushnir, n,d) According to GDP, after 2004, Singapore economy has been grown. However, from 1997 to 2004, had been decreasing because of Asia economic crisis in the period. It means that the same economic condition will be happened by global and regional economy in the future. Other challenge in Singapore is competitive from other regional financial hub. The number of Asian international financial centers (IFCs) such as Seoul in South Korea, Tokyo in Japan and Shanghai in China want to become international financial hub. Nowadays, the international financial centers of those cities are developing and making an effort, and then each cities are competitors of Singapore financial center. For example, one of the competitor, Seoul in South Korea, establish the Korea National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation (KOPEC). In 2007, KOPEC had a convention of an international conference in Seoul with 3 Asian countries such financial centers (Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, Tokyo and Singapore). Another microeconomic challenge is a ‘Shortage of skilled talent’. In Singapore, is already international financial hub, there is the number of business and banks are having competitions. If employees in organization have shortages of skill and talent, they would not survive in the rapidly changing world economic situation. For example, ‘Accounting and writing skills are crucial’, ‘International talent in High demand at money-center banks’, ‘Marketing types wanted’, ‘Days of easy hours long gone’ and then ‘MBA optional’. They should develop their own skills and talents, and then may follow the economic flow. (Hean Hoo, 2015) Strategic planning by this sector in the present and the future In Singapore’s finance and banking services sector, there is the number of competitors such as banks and businesses as well as financial centers from other Asian cities. Singapore should have strategic planning such as training and education, and global innovation. Training and Education Most of organizations should train and educate their employees for the rapidly changing world economic situation for employees’ effective, accurate and practical performance of tasks. After training and education, the employees would be more developed. One of way in effective training and education is E-learning by developed technology. When organizations open online lecture, the employees may get the organization’s training and education through their Smart-Phone and Tablet PC. This kind of training for adults looks helpful and effective for them that they can be able to learn all of the necessary things that they need in improving their skills and techniques. (Stephanie, 2014) Stress testing and risk management Stress testing for risk management is one of the useful method for identifying how a portfolio would be fair during a period of financial crisis. One of the most general used ways of stress testing is ‘The Monte Carlo’ simulation. Moreover, this simulation technique is also used to be aware of how several risks will influence an organization and industry. Before an economic a financial crisis, using the simulation is able to detect and predict future economic crisis with solutions. Therefore, countries and organizations ought to do stress testing and manage future risks. Conclusion How the MAS supports this sector? The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is a Singapore central bank, a kind of Singapore government department. MAS has authority of regulation and supervision of Singapore finance and banking, and then it issues money and drafts a law of financial and banking policy. This department focuses on exchange rate rather than interest rate otherwise other central banks. According to developing Singapore, Singapore is complicated by the number of bank works with finance, so the government established ‘Monetary Authority of Singapore Act’ in January, 1991. (Monetary Authority of Singapore, 2014) What is the outlook for the future of this sector in Singapore? Nowadays, Singapore is one of the most developed countries in the world, as well as in Asia because of the finance and banking services. Through the GDP and the GDP per capita from 1970 to 2013, the graphs are illustrated that it has increased and grown up in the future. In the end, Singapore finance and banking services will be more by several contributions. However, Singapore will also face several challenges in the future, so the country should have strategic planning of the sector, and predict and manage future risks. References InvestorWords (2015) InvestorWords. Availanle at: http://www.investorwords.com/19080/financial_services.html [Accessed 15 May 2015]. Kushnir, I. (n.d) World macroeconomic research, 1970-2013. Available at: http://kushnirs.org/macroeconomics/gdp/gdp_singapore.html [Accessed 15 May 2015]. Kushnir, I. (n.d) GDP of Singapore, bln. Dollar, 1970-2013. Available at: http://kushnirs.org/macroeconomics/gdp/gdp_singapore.html [Accessed 16 May 2015] Kushnir, I. (n.d) GDP per capita in Singapore, bln. Dollar, 1970-2013. Available at: http://kushnirs.org/macroeconomics/gdp/gdp_singapore.html [Accessed 16 May 2015]. Hean Hoo, W. (2015) Economics Policy and the Global Environment LECTURE SLIDES. Kaplan/Dublin: Veritas. Stephanie, R. (2014) ‘Workplace Training and Education: Effective Methods for Training Adults’, Human Resources Blog, 17 Feburary. Available at: http://tribehr.com/blog/workplace-training-and-education-effective-methods-for-training-adults [Accessed 18 May 2015]. Monetary Authority of Singapore. (2014). Monetary Authority of Singapore. Available at: http://www.mas.gov.sg/about-mas/overview.aspx [Accessed 17 May 2015].