Relief Efforts And Policing Of New Orleans After Hurricane...

There is no question that relief efforts and policing of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina should have been handled much differently and that most of the problems that occurred after the storm were man made. Though the political realm of the aftermath created more problems for those truly in need than it helped, Abdulrahman Zeitoun managed to become a hero in a time of desperation. He was able to not only save himself, but helped in keeping those around him alive too. In the face of sheer tragedy and political corruption, Zeitoun became a hero through various individual feats. With his relentless need to help others and intense desire to stay in New Orleans knowing that the storm was coming, Zeitoun managed to have a profound impact on the lives of many. Zeitoun, the hardworking family man from Syria, has an unbelievably altruistic personality, which is one of the reasons that he found himself in such a dire situation later in the book. When news of the storms growth reaches him, Z eitoun is faced with a decision to either stay in New Orleans or go with his family to Baton Rouge in hopes of finding safety. With very little doubt, he decides to stay to make sure that his home as well as the various worksites throughout the city are safe and ready for Katrina. Knowing the magnitude of the storm, Zeitoun decides to attempt to preserve it as best as he can, but ultimately it would not matter. On Monday, August 29th, just after the initial landfall of the storm, Zeitoun putShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of Naomi Klein’s book, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism1683 Words   |  7 Pagesthat a person was, take their mind back to infancy, and rebuild it as the doctor wished. There were many uses for this technique, if it was proven possible, such as getting information from a suspect or curing psychological disorders like depression. After many trials it was proven that it is possible to erode a person, but none of the subjects had their minds succe ssfully reconstructed again. Test subjects had terrible debilitations for the rest of their lives, ranging from memory loss to full psychologicalRead MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pagesfurniture giant News Corporation – corporate logic and corporate management in a worldwide media business. CRH – impressive international growth of an Irish company driven from a ‘lean’ corporate centre. Numico – difficulties with diversification for a Dutch nutritional products company. AIB – competing in the global banking industry: the challenges for a mid-size bank. SABMiller – an African brewer takes on the world: learning to thrive in difficult circumstances. MacPac – from a New Zealand start-up

In Our Society, There Has Been Several Issues But One Of

In our society, there has been several issues but one of the main concerns is what has been going on in the African American community. Police Brutality is a major problem that many African Americans fear dealing with racial divides but some believe minorities cause higher crime rates. In the dictionary of law, Police brutality, is the use of excessive and/or unnecessary force by police when dealing with civilians. Many Americans have gone through many situations where they were excessively force by the police. But few American’s were racial profiled, discriminated, or beat brutality for no appointed reason. In the world, we used music as a way of connecting to our daily lives but over the years we have had music shown express violence†¦show more content†¦After, police brutality incidents it was shown that most of these cases were due to racism. Black Americans, have an image that is been depicted as thugs, hoodlums, and violent. 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Waste Manageemnt in Namibia free essay sample

I am further extending my appreciation to my siblings for their support and encouragement. I would also like to give thanks to my friends for support and encouragement, and to give special thanks to Mr Leonard Haindongo for his assistance with data collection. Many thanks to my respondents from the following town municipalities and councils for their valuable contributions to my research: Luderitz Town Council, Mariental Town Municipality, Ongwediva Town Council, Ondangwa Town Council, Oshakati Town Council, Otjiwarongo Municipality, Swakopmund Municipality, Windhoek Municipality, as well as the Oranjemund Town Management Company. At the national level, the environment is threatened by unsafe waste disposal, which is detrimental to the environmental integrity and posing health hazards. Waste management is important aspect of environmental management in Namibia, due to the fact that waste is a threat to the integrity of the environment. Waste is among the so called ‘brown problems’, which strongly affects poor people in urban areas. Challenges for managing waste in Namibia are: lack of institutional capacities in some towns to deal with some of the serious waste problems, limited capacity to manage waste and to control pollution, and financial constraints. The disposal of solid and liquid wastes is a concern in Namibia, especially that waste has some implications in sustainable development. Therefore waste management has become a concern for the Namibian government. The study presented herein has investigated the current status of municipal waste management in Namibia, using Windhoek as a case study. Namibian towns, especially Windhoek are challenged by the increasing population, the link between waste and socio-economic development, as well as increasing amounts of waste generated which puts pressure on disposal facilities. At the moment, some town management systems seem to be ineffective in addressing waste management for the purpose of preventing and minimizing waste in order to reduce environmental impacts that may result due to increasing waste volumes. It was deemed necessary to develop a waste management system that could be implemented by 10 all towns. Moreover, sound waste management needs to be encouraged in Namibia. The overall aim of this research was to investigate how waste is being managed at the municipal level in Namibia, in order to recommend a possible system for handling waste across urban Namibia in future. The methodology employed for this research comprised of: literature survey, use of questionnaire, personal interviews, on-site data gathering and data analysis. The researcher worked closely with various town municipalities in Namibia in order to get an idea of how waste is being managed at the municipal level. The towns where the surveys were conducted Oranjemund, are: Luderitz, Mariental, Oshakati, and Ongwediva, The Ondangwa, researcher Otjiwarongo, Swakopmund Windhoek. conducted an empirical research that is both qualitative and quantitative, presenting original research findings. As part of the design, a case study research was used as an approach to establish an understanding of the concerned situation (waste management at the municipal level) by being focused on Windhoek instead of generalizing. Primary data were collected for this research; however, secondary data from past studies were also used for the purpose of quantification. For the purpose of selecting the study population, the stratified purposive sampling method was used. Out of 31 towns of Namibia, 11 (35. 5%) were selected, of which only 9 (29. 03%) actively participated in the research. Such a proportion was deemed valid because it gave an idea of how waste is managed in Namibia in general, particularly because a case study research design was also involved, which presented a broader view on waste management systems. This helped the researcher to achieve the research aim. To analyze the data, the researcher summarized the qualitative data collected from various towns, which helped to understand them better and interpret them. In terms of quantitative data, the researcher gathered numerical data, particularly with respect to waste generation, from which waste indicators were calculated. This information helped the researcher to propose a waste management system for Namibia and to answer the research question. 11 However, the researcher could not obtain data on industrial and commercial waste, since they are handled by private companies. Such information is not publicly shared. Overall, waste is handled by a wide range of stakeholders i. e. those individuals, authorities, institutions and organizations that have a stake in waste production and management. It is also important to realize that handling of waste is a legal issue as far as waste management is concerned. Therefore policies, laws are regulations are developed to regulate waste management at the national, regional and international levels The definitions of waste as a single term vary from country to country. In the Namibian context, waste is referred to as any matter whether gaseous, solid or liquid or any combination thereof, which is from time to time listed by the Minister by notice in the Gazette or by regulation as an undesirable or superfluous byproduct, emission, residue or a remainder of any process or activity (EMA, 2007). The following waste management strategies are implemented in efforts to manage waste and for the purpose of reducing the environmental impacts of waste: 1) prevention of waste generation, 2) waste recovery (recycling, re-use and waste treatment) and 3) disposal of waste in an environmentally safe manner. This is referred to as the waste management hierarchy, and it emphasizes that waste prevention should be an ultimate goal for any approach to waste management; after which the other options (recycling, re-use and treatment) can follow. Waste management being one of the approaches to environmental management should be aiming towards sustainable development, the development that aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs through sustainable use of natural resources. The management of waste is now moving towards a more holistic and sustainable approach, with much emphasis being placed on the environmental impacts of waste materials and products throughout their lifetimes. Sustainable use of 12 resources as an approach to waste management is promoted by the Namibian Environmental Management Act No. 7 of 2007. As a result of this approach, volumes of waste generated are reduced through improved waste prevention measures, improved resource efficiency and a shift to more sustainable consumption patterns. With responsible waste management stakeholders and legal frameworks in place, implementation of waste management strategies can be a success story. Municipal waste is the waste collected by municipalities independently of the source of waste. It includes waste originated from households, small businesses, institutions and communities. Knowing the statistics on municipal waste being produced and managed from various sources of origin is therefore essential for the purpose of monitoring, decision-making as well as for the development of waste policies. In terms of recycling, at least 88. 9% of the towns that were surveyed practice recycling of waste materials. Those are mainly the towns that have recycling companies or projects. The towns that do not have recycling companies do a local collection of waste materials that are sent to other towns or abroad for recycling. Although re-use is one of the waste recovery strategies, not all towns use it. Treatment of waste as a waste management principle is practiced in all the towns that were contacted for this study. The common type of waste being treated is wastewater/sewage. Apart from wastewater treatment, medical waste is also treated in Oranjemund and Windhoek through incineration. In Windhoek, incineration of medical waste is done by the Ministry of Health and Social Services, after which the Windhoek Municipality takes care of the residue. In all the towns that were contacted, there are organized methods of collecting waste from households, which are transported to landfill sites for disposal. Noteworthy, the landfills differ in types, sizes and in potentials to threaten the 13 environment. Waste materials being disposed of at the disposal sites in various towns include: household waste, building rubbles, garden refuse, industrial waste, hospital waste and general waste. Hazardous waste is disposed of at specially engineered landfill sites. Given the fact that handling of waste is a legal issue, the Environmental Management Act of Namibia has set a law that no waste should be discarded at any waste disposal site that has not been declared or approved by the Minister of Environment and Tourism. Namibia? s economy depends largely on the wealth and exploitation of natural resources. Thus it is important to promote sound environmental management, which is essential for the protection of resources. South environmental management is also necessary for reducing negative environmental impacts and in fact for economic growth. In terms of the socio-economy, high unemployment, poverty, income inequality, pandemic HIV and AIDS, and lack of skills are the major challenges in Namibia. In essence, waste should be managed in Namibia in order to reduce waste generation and to avoid negative environmental impacts. This is mainly due to the increasing population and economic activities, which play a role in waste generation. Waste management in Namibia is a responsibility of all residents, local authorities, government ministries, private sector and businesses. This study has identified a number of waste management stakeholders identified in different towns of Namibia. Nevertheless, waste management remains a priority for the government, with different government ministries being involved in formulating policies and strategies for dealing with waste and its management. The municipal waste is handled by town municipalities and councils, with support from private contractors. The Division of Solid Waste Management within the City of Windhoek is acknowledged for keeping Windhoek the cleanest town in Africa. It ensures that 14 all waste generated is collected, transported and disposed of. Waste generated from households is collected by this division. Business waste is collected by both the Solid Waste Management Division and private companies, while the waste generated from industrial areas and from open spaces is specifically collected by individual contractors and private companies. In terms of waste disposal in Windhoek, there are six general landfill sites that are referred to as ‘satellite sites’. Garden refuse and building rubbles are disposed of at those sites. The satellite sites located in various locations within the Windhoek municipal area, namely: Havana, Khomasdal, Pioneerspark, Eros, Olympia and Ludwigsdorf. Approximately 169,915. 4 tons (84,957. 2 m3) of building rubbles and 26,442. 23 tons (88,170. 75 m3) of garden refuse were disposed of at the satellite sites in 2008. On average approximately 14,159. 54 tons (7079. 7 m3) of building rubbles and 2,204. 27 tons (7347. 56 m3) of garden refuse were disposed of per month. In addition, approximately 119,916 tons (59,958 m3) of sand and fill were disposed there in 2008, with an average of 10,970 tons (5,485 m3) disposed per month. Apart from the disposal of garden waste and building rubbles, general and hazardous wastes are disposed of at a specially engineered landfill site known as Kupfer berg that is located about 11 km from the city centre. At this site, two separate cells are used for the purpose of waste disposal. The general wastes generated from households, commercial and industrial activities are disposed of in the general cell; while the hazardous wastes are disposed of in the hazardous cell. In order to prevent any leakage of leachate from contaminating the soil and ground water, the site is lined with some layers. This study has found that roughly an amount of 229. 48 kg of the general waste was disposed per capita per year in 2008, while the amount of hazardous waste disposed per capita per year was 16. 8 kg. 15 Recycling as a waste management strategy is practiced in Windhoek. Various recyclable materials are collected from the landfill sites, including: papers, cartons, plastics, glasses and cans. These are compacted and weighed, then transported to the recycling companies. The recycling companies have to ensure that all recyclable materials are semi-processed, after which they are packaged and send to South Africa for recycling, since there is currently no recycling plant in Namibia. The recyclable materials collected at the Kupferberg landfill site have been divided into fractions as shown in the diagram below. Approximately 55% of the general waste is made up of non-recyclable materials, however, there is a potential for recycling other types of waste, for example, garden refuse that is accidentally disposed there. The diagram below presents the fractions of the recyclable materials being disposed of at Kupferberg, compared with the amount of nonrecyclable materials. 9% 14% Paper 4% 55% 6% 4% 7% 1% Glass Metal Carton Plastics (hard) Plastics (soft) Wood Non-recyclables Recently a recycling initiative has been started in Windhoek, that is being managed by the private sector. Such an initiative could potentially be replicated in other towns, however challenges associated with costs and transport have been experienced. Wastewater treatment in Windhoek is essential, particularly because water is a scarce commodity. For this reason, the City of Windhoek has adopted a policy of treating wastewater in order to meet the water demand needs. Currently there are 16 three water treatment plants in Windhoek, which are used to treat wastewater for consumption. At least 35% of drinking water in Windhoek is reclaimed. Waste auditing is one of the important practical aspects of waste management. The City of Windhoek conducts waste audits a bi-annual basis. Based on the household waste audits performed in 2004 and 2008, the average amount of waste generated per person per day was 0. 37 kg and 0. 49 kg respectively. However, according to the waste data collected from Windhoek households between July 2006 and March 2007, the amount of waste generated per person per day ranges between 0. 604 – 0. 813 kg, which is quite high and is expected to increase. Such an amount needs to be reduced. The audits conducted in 2004 and 2008 were compared, after which not so much difference was found. This led to a recommendation that waste audits should be performed every 5 years. This study identified some weaknesses concerning waste management in the towns of Namibia. Such weaknesses can be used as opportunities for improvement. In addition, reliable waste data need to be provided, as they play a significant role in waste management. Availability of such data contributes to decision-making processes, as well as to the implementation of waste management strategies. Waste indicators such as waste generated per capita need to be determined, as they are necessary to point out the problematic areas and possibilities of improvement. This study has come up with a waste indicator model, based on different waste streams in Windhoek in 2008 (see Table below). Based on this model, the amount of waste that was disposed per capita per year in Windhoek was 1,315. 51kg. This indicator was used to extrapolate the amounts disposed in other towns, as well as the total amount of waste disposed in overall urban Namibia. Given the high estimates of waste disposed per year, recycling was recommended as the best strategy for reducing such amounts. 17 Waste indicator General waste per year General waste per month General waste per capita Hazardous waste per year Hazardous waste per month Hazardous waste per capita Construction waste per year Construction waste per month Construction waste per capita Garden refuse per year Garden refuse per month Garden refuse per capita Sand fill per year Sand fill per month Sand fill per capita Estimates 67,925. 52 5,660. 46 Estimated indicators Units tonnes 230 4,970. 58 414. 22 17 169,914 14,160. 0 574. 03 26,451. 30 2204. 4 89. 36 119,916 10,970 405. 12 kg/capita/year tonnes kg/capita/year tones tones kg/capita/year tones tones kg/capita/year tones Kg/capita/year Capita Total waste per capita and year 296000 1315. 51 kg/capita/year The findings of this study suggest that the waste management system currently being used in Windhoek can be used as a model for the e ntire Namibia, as it has made it the cleanest city in Africa. Such system still have a potential to be further improved, however, it can still be considered the best-practice waste management system in Namibia. 18 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS AIDS BAT BATNEEC CBD CBO COBA COD DEA EEuP EIA ELVs EU GDP GWTP HIV ISWM ICT MAWF MDG MET MFMR MME MOHSS MRLGH MTI MWTC NBL NDP NEWS NGO NGRP Acquired Immuno deficiency Syndrome Best Available Techniques Best Available Technology Not Entailing Excessive Costs Central Business District Community Based Organisation Cost-Benefit-Analysis Chemical Oxygen Demand Directorate of Environmental Affairs Eco-design of Energy-using Products Environmental Impact Assessment End-of-Life Vehicles European Union Gross Domestic Product Gammams Wastewater Treatment Plant Human Immuno deficiency Virus Integrated Sustainable Waste Management Information Communication Technology Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry Millenium Development Goal Ministry of Environment and Tourism Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Ministry of Mines and Energy Ministry of Health and Social Services Ministry of Regional, Local Government and Housing Ministry of Trade and Industry Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication Namibia Breweries Limited National Development Plan Namibia Environment and Wildlife Society Non-Governmental Organisation New Goreangab Reclamation Plant 19 NMA NPC OECD OGRP OWTP REB RoHS UWTP WEEE Namibia Manufacturing Association National Planning Commission Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Old Goreangab Reclamation Plant Otjomuise Wastewater Treatment Plant Responsible Environmental Behaviour Restriction of the Use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment Ujams Water Treatment Plant Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment 20 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1. . 1. 1. Background Waste management is one of the important aspects of environmental management in Namibia (EMA, 2007). Waste on its own is a threat to the integrity of the environment, as it can have negative environmental impacts which result from environmental threats such as air pollution, illegal dumping of waste, littering, poor sanitation, emission of green house gases, urbanization and poverty (Moningka, 2000; Henry et al. , 2006; Hope Lerokwe, 1999; UNCHS, 1996a). Negative environmental impacts that may result include groundwater contamination, health hazards, smell nuisance and environmental degradation (Moningka, 2000; WBG, 1998a). In addition, factors such as increasing population and human activities contribute to environmental problems such as poor access to safe water, poor waste management practices, poor health and environmental degradation (Henry et al. , 2006; Hope Lerokwe, 1999; UNCHS, 1996a; Walmsley Bottem, 1994). Such problems can be a consequence of increasing waste volumes. According to Hope Lerokwe (1999), the above are referred to as ‘brown problems’, and are said to be strongly affecting current generations, more especially the poor people living in urban areas. Living in such conditions threaten people’s standards of health, security and even life itself (UNCHS, 1996b). Despite the necessity to address the environmental problems, challenges are often experienced, particularly because some towns are lacking institutional capacities to deal with some of the serious problems, for example, controlling of hazardous waste (SoER, 2001; UNCHS, 1996a). The degree of environmental impacts of waste as a result of increasing populations in urban areas is a matter of concern. Of particular concern is the disposal of solid and liquid wastes, which can have negative environmental impacts such as pollution and diseases (UNCHS, 1996a). Waste products in general have negative effects on natural resources and the environment at large, 21 nd may constitute health hazards (CSA Smith, 2007; Walmsley Bottem, 1994). Consequently, waste has some implications in sustainable development. In terms of development, nations across the globe nowadays are aiming towards sustainability, whereby the concept of sustainable development needs to be applied in all aspects of developmen t, including environmental management. Namibia is not an exception to this (EMA, 2007). In the view of urban development, the concept being promoted is ‘urban sustainability’, herein defined as the level of urban development reached in an approach to development, whereby the natural and social urban environments are not compromised (Camagni et al. , 1998; Hope Lerokwe, 1999). Given its high importance and the severity of its need, waste management has become a concern for the Namibian government. For this reason, local authorities are placing increasing efforts in the management of waste across the country. To ensure urban sustainability in the towns of Namibia, various measures need to be in place, in response to the challenges posed by environmental threats, one of which is the increasing waste volumes. In the view of development, the following elements are considered as being of essence in the developmental approaches: use of policies and legal frameworks, stakeholder involvement as well as all relevant principles (Anschutzi, 1996; Aziegbe, 2007; Camagni et al. , 1998; EMA, 2007; Thomas-Hope, 1995; UNCHS, 1996a). Such elements involve actions needed to reduce the most serious problems, for example the handling of hazardous wastes from dangerous sites. They also contribute to strategies required to promote healthy and safe environments, as well as dealing with specific environmental aspects of concern in general. It is important to note that the environmental problems resulting from specific towns do not only impact those towns alone, they also affect other areas at different levels, for example at the regional and global levels (Camagni et al. , 1998). 22 The study presented herein has investigated the current status of municipal waste management in Namibia, using Windhoek as a case study. 1. 2. Problem Statement Namibia is still in its early stages of development, therefore all its developmental efforts should be considered crucial. As part of environmental management in Namibia, waste management should be placed as a priority in order to reduce negative environmental impacts. However, capacity to manage waste and to control pollution is limited (SoER, 2001). Apart from the management capacity, financial constraints are some of the limiting factors to effective waste management across the country. Namibia is arid to semi-arid, with variable rainfall, and has limited water sources; mainly ground and surface water (Dirkx et al. , 2008; Menge, 2006). These sources are at risk of contamination as a result of uncontrolled pollution and poor waste management practices. At the national level, the environment is threatened by unsafe waste disposal, which can be detrimental to the environmental integrity and can pose health hazards (CoW, 2008a; CSA Smith, 2007; SoER, 2001; UN, 2002). Not only health and environmental damage can result, unattended waste can present poor aesthetic view, causing the environment to be less visually appealing despite the fact that Namibia is a tourist destination. Furthermore, poor waste management is a threat to sustainable development and can have long-term impacts if no improvement is made (SoER, 2001). The Namibian towns, especially Windhoek are challenged by the increasing population, mostly because of people from rural areas who are searching for better standards of living (CoW, 2008a). Urban population growth in Namibia is also influenced by the migration of people from other countries, for example, the neighbouring countries of Angola and Zimbabwe, and other countries such as China that invest in business. It is clear that there is a link between waste and socio-economic development; therefore as the population increases, the amount of waste generated increases too (Henry et al. , 2006; SoER, 2001; SWMD, 2008). 23 This further puts pressure on the disposal facilities (CSA Smith, 2007). There are a number of relevant waste management principles that contribute to reduced waste volumes (Christiansen, 1999; EMA, 2007; Fatta Moll, 2003; Guiao, 2008; Jacobsen Kristofferson, 2002; STC, 2008; NEMWA, 2008; SoER, 2001; Vito Reibstein, 2008; Winchester et al. , 2002). However, it is questionable whether their values have been realized. And if so, it is questioned as to whether they are being implemented in Namibia, particularly because some town management systems seem to be ineffective when it comes to addressing waste. Individual towns need to place more efforts in the management of waste in order to prevent and minimize waste for the purpose of reducing environmental impacts that may result due to increasing waste volumes (Jacobsen Kristoffersen, 2002; WGB, 1998a). If at all possible, a waste management system that could be implemented by all towns needs to be developed. After all, Namibia can only be a better place to live provided that sound waste management is encouraged. This research attempted to answer the following question: How can Namibia maintain a well-managed system for municipal waste management in future? 1. 3. Research Aim The overall aim of this research was to investigate how waste is being managed at the municipal level in Namibia, in order to recommend a possible system for handling waste across urban Namibia in future. 1. 4. Objectives The specific objectives were to: 1. identify the principles of waste management being used in Namibia; 2. identify the stakeholders of waste management in Namibia; 24 3. establish an understanding of the waste management system in Windhoek; 4. identify areas of improvement in terms of waste management in Namibia. 1. 6. 1. 6. Methodology The researcher worked closely with various town municipalities in Namibia in order to get an idea of how waste is being managed at the municipal level. The towns where the surveys were conducted are: Luderitz, Mariental, Oshakati, Ongwediva, Ondangwa, Oranjemund, Otjiwarongo, Swakopmund and Windhoek. 1. 6. 1. 1. 6. 1. Research Design The researcher conducted an empirical research that is both qualitative and quantitative, which presented original research findings (Maree, 2008; Mouton, 2001). It is qualitative in the sense that it aimed to explore the real situation concerning waste management in various towns of Namibia. Two types of qualitative research designs were involved: action research and case study research. Action research is acknowledged as a research method that is collaborative and participatory, focusing on a practical problem experienced by participants for whom a practical solution is sought (Maree, 2008). The action research is qualitative particularly because it strongly focuses on understanding the problem and is explicitly committed to the empowerment of the participants, and will in the end contribute to changing their current situation (Mouton, 2001). The case study research was used as an approach to establish an understanding of the concerned situation (waste management at the municipal level) by focusing on a specific town instead of being general. Windhoek was selected as a case study for this research. Such an approach aimed to investigate, describe and explain the phenomenon of interest through obtaining different view points as the researcher interacted with various participants (Maree, 2008). This approach helped the researcher to develop an understanding of the dynamics of waste management systems for Windhoek, and in general. 25 Apart from obtaining the qualitative data, the research also involved an objective process, which aimed to collect numerical data from a focal population (Windhoek), in order to generalize them at a broader scale i. e. for the entire country; hence quantitative. This type of research was non-experimental since it only aimed to describe the situation at hand without being manipulative (Maree, 2008). 1. 6. 2. Data Collection Strategy Primary data were collected for this research. These are new/original data collected through the self-administered questionnaire, interviews (face-to-face and telephonically) and through personal observations as described by Maree (2008) and Newman (1999). However, secondary data from past studies were also used for the purpose of quantification. Each of the surveyed town was provided with a self-administered questionnaire that presented questions concerning the required information. These were shared with respondents electronically. When necessary, follow up questions were asked through emails or over the phone. Prior to the development of the questionnaire, the researcher approached the selected towns with a question: How is waste being managed in your town? This question was rather broad, which caused many people to find it difficult to respond. As a result, the researcher rather simplified the main question, by breaking it down to many different questions that were rather straight to the point (see Annex I). The interviews aimed to obtain rich descriptive data that helped the researcher to get broader inputs based on the participants’ knowledge (Maree, 2008). Direct observations also helped the researcher to gain some insight on the issues of interest concerning waste management, for example, how waste is collected, transported, recycled, treated and disposed. This included on-site visits. Such an approach helped to validate the data collected through other methods (Mouton, 2001). 26 1. 6. 3. Sampling Design For the purpose of selecting the study population, the stratified purposive sampling method was used. This method was used because the researcher was interested to work with participants who are knowledgeable about the waste management systems in their respective towns at the municipal level (Maree, 2008). Given their equal selection probabilities, the surveyed towns were randomly selected in order to provide the required data. Out of 31 towns of Namibia, 11 (35. %) were selected, of which only 9 (29. 03%) actively participated in the research. The researcher therefore used a proportion of 29. 0% as a representative sample to generali ze its results to the entire population. Such a proportion was deemed valid because it gave an idea of how waste is managed in Namibia in general, particularly because a case study research design was also involved, which presented a broader view on waste management systems. This helped the researcher to achieve the research aim. 1. 6. 4. Data Analysis The qualitative data collected from various towns were summarized to help the researcher to understand and interpret what could be deduced from them. With such data the researcher was able to get an insight of how waste is being handled as well as to identify the areas that need improvement. In terms of the quantitative data, the researcher gathered numerical data, particularly with respect to waste generation, from which waste indicators were calculated. This information helped the researcher to propose a waste management system for Namibia and to answer the research question. 1. 7. 1. 7. Limitations to the Research Getting an overview of waste data from different sources such as industrial waste, commercial waste and household waste, particularly the quantities of wastes generated, treated, recycled or disposed of would have added value to the findings of this study. However, the researcher could not obtain data on industrial and commercial waste, since they are handled by private companies. Such information is not publicly shared. 27 1. 8. Research Ethics . 8. This research was conducted as response to the current situation of the need to effectively manage waste as an approach to promoting urban sustainability in Namibia. The research attempted to collect all the relevant data regarding waste management in Namibia, and specifically in Windhoek which was used as a case study. The aim was to come up with recommendations on a possible system that can be applied across Namibia in future. In the end, the research findings will be shared with all relevant waste management stakeholders. The ethical issues of consideration for this research are: †¢ †¢ the identities of the questionnaire respondents have not be revealed; the dissertation has not revealed the towns that have demonstrated some weaknesses in terms of waste management practices, instead, statistics were used to present the proportions of those towns; †¢ †¢ most relevant stakeholders were consulted; and the use of other people’s work has been acknowledged (Maree, 2008; Mouton, 2001). 28 2: CHAPTER 2: THEORIES OF WASTE MANAGEMENT 2. 1. 2. 1. Introduction On a global scale, waste management is a serious environmental concern. This is due to the fact that waste is a threat to the environment, as it can have negative impacts when not managed. In fact, most cities in Southern Africa are challenged by the increasing volumes of waste (Hope Lerokwe, 1999). Waste can cause health hazards, smell nuisance, pests, diseases and other environmental problems if not well managed (Moningka, 2000). Waste from various sources such as sewers, septic tanks, pit latrines and disposal sites can also contaminate surface and groundwater, and this can adversely affect public health (CoW, undated; DWAF, 2004; Henry et al. , 2006; Winblad Simpso-Hebert, 2004). Consequently, it has become crucial for waste management to be placed as a priority especially that it is an environmental, social and economic issue (Aziegbe, 2007). Responsible waste management promotes environmental quality, contributes to sustainability and provides support to economic productions (Henry et al. , 2006). It involves implementation of measures that afford protection of human health and the environment at large, including: collection, transportation, processing, recycling, disposal, onsite handling, storage, treatment and monitoring of waste (Starkey, 1998). Waste management also involves prevention and minimization of waste (Jacobsen Kristoffersen, 2002). Furthermore it involves handling of solid, liquid, gaseous or radioactive substances that may originate from domestic, commercial or industrial activities. Overall, waste is handled by a wide range of stakeholders i. e. those individuals, authorities, institutions and organizations that have a stake in waste production and management (Anschutzi, 1996; Aziegbe, 2007; Berchtold, 2002; STC, 2008). It is also important to note that handling of waste is a legal issue as far waste management is concerned. Eventually, handling of waste has been placed as a priority by legal frameworks at the national and international levels. 29 The definitions of waste as a single term vary from country to country. For the European Union (EU), waste is regarded as all items that people deem no longer have any use for them, which they either intend to get rid of or already discarded (Anon a. , undated). Waste in the EU also refers to all items which people are required to discard, for example by law because of their hazardous properties. According to the South African Environmental Management Waste Act 59 of 2008, waste means any substance, whether or not that substance can be reduced, reused, recycled and recovered that is surplus, unwanted, rejected, iscarded, abandoned or disposed of; which the generator has no further use of for the purposes of production; that must be treated or disposed of; or that is identified as a waste by the Minister by notice in the Gazette, and includes waste generated by the mining, medical or other sector, but a by-product is not considered waste; and any portion of waste, once re-used, recycled and recovered, ceases to be waste (NEMWA, 2008). In the Namibian context, waste is referred to as any matter whether gaseous, solid or liquid or any combination thereof, which is from time to time listed by the Minister by notice in the Gazette or by regulation as an undesirable or superfluous by-product, emission, residue or a remainder of any process or activity (EMA, 2007). More other definitions exist in individual countries; however, they are all making a common point, that waste is unwanted, and should therefore be managed. Different types of wastes are produced by day-to-day human activities. Such waste can be classified as: municipal waste, commercial waste, industrial waste, household waste, hazardous waste, radioactive waste and other wastes. These are all in dire need of effective management. For the purpose of this dissertation, some waste management terminologies have been defined for clarification (see Table 2. 1). 30 Table 2. 1. Waste management terminologies definitions TERM Municipal waste Industrial waste TYPES OF WASTE Household waste Commercial waste Hazardous waste Radioactive waste Other wastes Waste reduction Waste minimization Waste prevention Waste treatment WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES DEFINITION Waste collected by municipalities independently of the source of waste. Type of waste produced by industrial activities. Waste normally generated from houses. Waste generated by commercial activities. Waste that could be an immediate threat to either human health or the environment. Waste containing radioactive elements. Unclassified discarded materials that have no value to the user. Reducing waste in terms of quantity. Reducing waste at its source, before it is even generated and through environmentally sound management practices. Measures aiming at reducing the quantity and the harmfulness of wastes to the environment. Processes (physical, thermal, chemical or biological) that change the characteristics of waste in order to reduce its volume or hazardous nature, facilitate its handling or enhance recovery. Waste disposal Any waste management operation serving or carrying out the final treatment and disposal of waste without any intention to negatively impact the environment. Recycling Re-use Reprocessing of waste materials for the original purpose or for other purposes. Any operation by which products are used on more than one occasions for the same purpose for which they were conceived or for other purposes, without the need for reprocessing. 2. 2. 2. 2. Fundamental Principles of Waste Management In order to avoid adverse impacts of waste in the environment, various waste management strategies that afford the protection of human health and the environment are implemented. Such strategies present the waste managers with challenges and opportunities of handling waste, as each strategy is applied based on the nature and amount of waste being handled (Christiansen, 1999). Waste management strategies are prioritized by individual choices, and this contributes to 31 achieving other priorities such as issues related to health, urban governance, employment, tourism development and resource recovery (RMG, undated; Soni, 2005). Moreover, responsible waste management requires a development of legal frameworks that set out laws and regulations specifically geared towards responsible implementation of the waste management strategies. The following waste management strategies are implemented in efforts to manage waste and for the purpose of reducing the environmental impacts of waste: 1) prevention of waste generation, 2) waste recovery (recycling, re-use and waste treatment) and 3) disposal of waste in an environmentally safe manner. In fact, this is the waste management hierarchy. In essence, the principles of waste management aim to promote sound environmental management. Consequently, if applied appropriately, important issues of concern such as protection of human health, protection of the environment at large, protection of resources for future generations as well as reduction of burdens for future generations will be addressed (Christiansen, 1999; Fatta Moll, 2003; Jacobsen Kristoffersen, 2002; STC, 2008) . Apart from the waste management strategies highlighted above, more other principles for responsible waste management have been developed, including: 1) the â€Å"polluter pays principle†, which requires the waste producers to pay for the waste generated or the damage caused; 2) the â€Å"user pays principle†, which requires the user of resources to pay the service providers for services offered on the management of the resources; 3) the â€Å"product-stewardship principle†, which requires the waste producer or importer of a waste product to take responsible steps towards the minimization of environmental impacts of the product; 4) awareness raising principle, which alerts the public of the consequences of irresponsible waste management and promotes the reduction of waste; and 5) the sustainable use of resources principle, which contributes to the reduction of waste in the environment (Vito Reibstein, 2008; EMA, 2007; Guiao, 2008; NEMWA, 2008; SoER, 2001; Winches ter et al. , 2002). Such principles, along with the waste management 32 hierarchy are implemented as efforts to fight the increasing waste volumes, wasting of resources and the negative environmental impacts. 2. 2. 1. 2. 2. 1. Waste Management Hierarchy The waste management hierarchy (as shown in Figure 2. 1) emphasizes that waste prevention should be an ultimate goal for any approach to waste management; after which the other options (recycling, re-use and treatment) can follow (STC, 2008). Thus if the hierarchy is effectively implemented, the waste to be disposed of after the first three hierarchical levels will be minimal. 2. 1. Figure 2. 1. Waste management hierarchy The waste management strategies presented in Figure 2. 1 should be viewed as being interconnected. Ultimately their hierarchy can be compared to the web of life where the members of species communities are interconnected within ecosystems (Capra, 1996; Capra, 1999). Communities operate as networks and are well organized. According to 33 Capra’s interpretation, ecosystems do not generate any waste. One species’ waste is another species’ food. This relationship can be related to the hierarchy of waste management, in which waste is passed between different hierarchy levels. What is discarded as waste in the first level is regarded as a resource in the second hierarchy level, while what is produced as waste from material recovery is fed into the third level for treatment; whereas the residue resulting from waste treatment is finally disposed of in the fourth level. Waste that cannot be treated or recycled can as well be disposed (Rousta, 2008). . 2. 1. 1. 2. 2. 1. 1. Waste Prevention In general, good waste management should start with preventing waste from being generated (Jacobsen Kristoffersen, 2002). This waste management strategy is a crucial aspect of sustainable urban management, as it reduces the amount of waste being pr oduced, while at the same time providing environmental protection. Reduction of waste is essential, given the fact that waste causes some pressure on the environment, including; leaching of nutrients, use of land for landfills, emission of greenhouse gases, air pollution, water pollution and secondary waste streams (Christiansen, 1999; STC, 2008; SWMD, 2008). According to Jacobsen Kristoffersen (2002), waste prevention should be placed as a high priority in waste management, particularly because it is the best way to stop the accumulation of waste and to reduce loss of resources. Preventing waste can be made possible through implementation of legal frameworks. However, forecasting the accuracy of such frameworks, for example policies is not possible (Christiansen, 1999). It is advisable that waste prevention should start at the source; which includes changing the mindset of handling waste, for example, shifting to cleaner production processes, using fewer resources in products and influencing consumer choice and demand in the market place in favor of less wasteful products and services (CEC, 2001). Berchtold (1995) has demonstrated proven profits from clean technologies for production industries. Responsibility over this waste management strategy lies in the hands of governments, local authorities and businesses (Botten Walmsley, 1994). 34 Re2. 2. 1. 2. Recycling and Re-use of Waste Materials Waste materials can be recovered through recycling and re-use processes. Recycling is a strategy used to recover value from waste for consumption (Starkey, 1998). Re-use refers to making use of discarded waste material products. These are waste minimization strategies that are implemented in order to reduce the amount of waste being generated (Jacobsen Kristoffersen, 2002). They are essential, particularly for the fact that they reduce the impact of waste in the environment. Even so, they are not 100% efficient. Recycling for example causes negative impacts on the environment through emissions as a result of waste material processing (Christiansen, 1999). As a strategy to reduce the life-cycle impacts of products, the use of materials that can easily be recycled is practiced (STC, 2008). Practically, recycling benefits the environment by reducing the use of virgin materials as well as toxicity in some instances (Rousta, 2008). In addition, recycling recovers a lot of waste while causing less waste to be disposed (Lorek et al. , 2001). In the view of re-using waste materials, discarding of materials to the waste stream is avoided, as this strategy does not require processing. As a result, re-use of waste materials can be of environmental benefit. Nevertheless, in any case the reuse of non-hazardous waste should consider the potential risk to human health and the environment at large (Townsend Carlson, 1997). 2. 2. 1. 3. 2. 2. 1. 3. Waste Treatment Third ranking in the waste management hierarchy, waste treatment is considered for the purpose of reducing the waste volume or its hazardous nature (Jacobsen Kristoffersen, 2002; Menge, 2009; WIP, 2009). Such a waste management strategy enhances energy recovery from waste through physical, chemical, biological or thermal processes. Any waste management method or technique that has been designed to change the physical, biological or chemical character of waste composition or recover/reduce the toxicity of waste in order to minimize the impacts of waste in the environment plays a role in waste treatment (WIP, 2009). 35 Treatment of waste is made possible through the use of various technologies, one of which is incineration. In this technique, waste is converted to gases or residues by thermal means. Incineration has been acknowledged as a useful way of recovering energy, while at the same time reducing the negative environmental impacts components, for example methane (Farah, 2002). According to Farah, approximately 70% of waste mass can be reduced, while about 90% of waste volume can be reduced through incineration. Despite its positive impacts, incineration can have negative environmental impacts, which can result from the emissions and solid residues produced and through the utilization of solid residues (Lorek et al. , 2001). Apart from incineration, other waste treatment means can also have negative impacts on the environment for example soil pollution, which can cause groundwater pollution in the end. In situations where water is scarce, wastewater can be treated and re-used to meet the water shortage and increasing needs (du Pisani, 2006; FAO, 2003; Menge, 2006). Wastewater treatment is a process through which contaminants are removed from wastewater and household sewage. Such a process may involve physical, chemical and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants (Menge, 2006; Wikipedia, 2009a). Through various stages of treatment, floating materials such as grease and oil are skimmed off; while the biological contents, for example, those derived from human waste, food waste, soaps and detergent are degraded. The organic materials and suspended solids are also removed. In the end, a liquid sludge is produced, which is further treated before the final disposal (Oaeb pers. comm. , 2009). So far there is no process that completely eliminates the need to dispose of solid residues/biosolids. In fact, wastewater treatment without residues would break the web of life, as described earlier, based on Capra’s interpretation of the web of life. Biosolids can be of advantage because they can be used for other purposes, such as fertilizer or as energy carrier for incineration. Some wastewater treatment plants also use biogas from anaerobic treatment for plant operations or electricity production or both (Berchtold pers. comm. , 2009). 36 Treated water can then be used for some purposes such as domestic consumption or for irrigation (du Pisani, 2006; FAO, 2003; Menge, 2009). If well managed, wastewater can have positive impacts on the environment and health. All the same, waste water can also have adverse effects on the environment and can have negative effects on soil, ground water, surface water bodies, crops and animal health (Mara Cairncross, 1989). 2. 2. 1. 4. 2. 2. 1. 4. Waste Disposal The least prioritized strategy of waste management is waste disposal. In this method, waste is buried, deposited, discharged, dumped or released in places where they remain for the long-term. In many cases, urban solid or hazardous wastes are deposited or dumped in specially engineered landfills (DWAF, 1998). This method is used as a final step to dispose the waste that cannot be recycled or treated, together with the residue that comes from the

Organization Development Essays - Change Management,

Organization Development Organization Development (OD) is the application of behavioral science knowledge to improve an organization's health and effectiveness through it's ability to cope with environmental changes, improve internal relationship and increase problem-solving capabilities. OD is an effort of planned, organizationwide, and managed from the top, to increase organization effectiveness and health through planned interventions in the organization process's using behavioral science. It must be managed from the top. Top management must have commitment to and knowledge about the goals of the program and must actively participate in the management of the effort. OD focuses on the entire organization; plant, firm or work group to attain the set intended goals. OD is both a professional field of social action and an area of scientific inquiry. It involves the creation and the subsequent reinforcement of change by using four major interventions: technostructural, human process, human resource management and strategic intervention. Some OD programs focuses more heavily on different kinds of change than others. The intent is to get a company to attain it's full potential in productivity and profits, to be able to solve it's own problems, and to manage change. This process is divided into three steps: entry, normative change, and structural change. In the entry stage the aim is to establish a felt need for change using three approaches, interviewing, survey information or other means to give the organization inharmonious information in what people wants and what actually happen. The second approach is used to demonstrate the value of OD through particular projects in one or more subsystems of the client's organization. The final approach is a direct attempt to change values through the use of T-groups or similar technique. Normative change step is directed at targeting as many organization members as possible to expose them to the new social norms. The intent is to change the climate of the organization. The final step is structural change; it involves placing advocates of OD in position where they have the power, prestige, and flexibility to conduct further OD projects. Technology change relates to the organization's way of doing its work. Technology changes were designed to make the production of product or service more efficient. A good example of technological change is the adoption of robotics to improve production efficiency in the automobile industry. Technological changes are more effectively implemented from the bottom up. The lower-level technology experts act as idea champions. Almost any change in the management of the organization falls under the structural change category. The implementation of new pay incentives, an affirmative action program, and a move from functional to product structure are all examples of structural changes. Successful structural changes are accomplished from the top down. The experts of administrative or structural improvement originate at upper middle to top managers. Organizations have traditionally structured themselves into three forms: functional departments that are task specialized, self-contained units that are oriented to specific products, customers, or regions and matrix structures that combine both functional specialization and self-containment. The basic hierarchical structure is probably the most widely used in organizations today. The management structure organized with, top management at the top and middle to lower employees spread out in a descending order. The organization more often than not would be divided into different departments or functional units, for example accounting, advertising, marketing, human

Do Schools Kill Creativity Essay Essay Example

Do Schools Kill Creativity Essay Essay Example Do Schools Kill Creativity Essay Paper Do Schools Kill Creativity Essay Paper When we were kids turning up our imaginativenesss run rampantly. As we would play on the resort area. edifice friendly relationships. and work out jobs that show us things in a different manner. Even though everybody endowments are pushed away others believe that the public instruction system is incorrect. I was told to sum up the picture on â€Å"Do Schools Kill Creativity† by Sir Ken Robinson. As he talks in the picture I do hold with some of the thoughts. In the picture â€Å"Do Schools Kill Creativity† by Sir Ken Robinson. he mentions how the public instruction system are oppressing the children’s endowments. He besides mentions how categories are being cut such as play and music. Due to those categories. are non that of import. such as your typical math and English categories. Having creativeness in are education system helps are kids become who they are as an grownup. I agree that math and English categories are more of import. but I don’t agree we should merely cut everything else out. Are kids need to be able to show themselves in other activities. Not all kids are the best in school. but giving them the other activities will assist them allow steam off. maintain them active and bask traveling to school. Not all endowments are being celebrated in something. but people are talented in their major topics such as English. math. history. etc. As Robinson provinces in the picture that a simple college grade is non deserving much any longer. Jobs are desiring future and current employees to travel back to a university to acquire a higher grade ; such as university philosophers. Jobs are desiring to see how far employees will travel into school. Before the 1900’s we hardly had an instruction system. but our whole system has been ordering since the system has adapted. Our instruction is unpredictable on what to anticipate. I agree that our instruction is non deserving every bit much like it used to be when. it had merely begun. Having more instruction is forcing us to make a higher end. It may take longer. but its assisting us to go a better individual for the hereafter. It besides prepared us for what is to come. Thingss are altering more and more every month it neer stays the same. Look at this illustration: Pluto usage to be a planet now Pluto is merely about a star. How do you explicate this? In the talk â€Å"Do Schools Kill Creativity† Robinson says â€Å"if your neer incorrect you will neer come up with anything original. if your non prepared to be incorrect. † ( Robinson. 2007 ) Our childs now are even more keen so when we were childs. we use to state our childs non to pull and to travel to school to larn. Now we are stating them to force harder to accomplish their ends and acquire an instruction. I do hold our childs are being pushed harder. but its demoing how originative they can be. In the terminal this is traveling to assist them go something. Stating childs that you’re traveling to take out play and music. is merely traveling to do them halt seeking. Our childs should be pushed more now than of all time with the harder course of study in the public schools. Besides allowing the childs have more creativeness in certain categories like play and music. which may be where the kids show most of their creativeness and endowments. These childs have so much competition for what their acquisition and devising of themselves. As Sir Ken Robinson has made a batch of great points on creativeness. instruction. and kids endowments. our instruction degree is higher than it has of all time been. I do believe our instruction is more of import when covering with nucleus categories such as math and English. but you shouldn’t penalize the childs and take out their clip to be originative and demo their endowment. So what if these childs are pushed a small harder in the instruction system they may see who they will go in the hereafter. Are instruction system is ordering the cognition of the pupils and are incorrect for taking the originative categories out of the schools. MentionsRobinson Sir. Ken: Do Schools Kill Creativity ( Jan. 6. 2007 ) Retrieved: July 15. 2014 hypertext transfer protocol: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=iG9CE55wbtY

History and Definition of Human Rights in the U.S.

History and Definition of Human Rights in the U.S. The term human rights refers to rights that are considered universal to humanity regardless of citizenship, residency status, ethnicity, gender or other considerations.  The phrase first became widely used due to the abolitionist movement, which drew on the common humanity of slaves and free persons. As William Lloyd Garrison wrote in the first issue of The Liberator,  In defending the great cause of human rights, I wish to derive the assistance of all religions and of all parties. The Idea Behind Human Rights   The idea behind human rights is much older, and its much harder to trace. Rights declarations such as the Magna Carta  have historically taken the form of a benevolent monarch granting rights to his or her subjects. This idea progressed in a Western cultural context toward the idea that God is the ultimate monarch and God grants rights that all earthly leaders should respect. This was the philosophical basis of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, which begins: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Far from self-evident, this was a fairly radical idea at the time. But the alternative was to accept that God works through earthly leaders, a view that seemed increasingly naive as literacy rates increased and knowledge of corrupt rulers grew. The enlightened view of God as a cosmic sovereign who grants the same basic rights to everyone with no need for earthly intermediaries still anchored human rights to the idea of power - but at least it didnt place the power in the hands of earthly rulers. Human Rights Today   Human rights are more commonly viewed today as basic to our identities as human beings. Theyre no longer typically framed in monarchical or theological terms, and theyre mutually agreed upon on a more flexible basis. Theyre not dictated by a permanent authority. This allows for a great deal of disagreement regarding what human rights are, and whether basic quality-of-life concerns such as housing and health care should be considered part of the human rights framework. Human Rights vs. Civil Liberties   Differences between human rights and civil liberties are not always particularly clear. I had the opportunity to meet with several visiting Indonesian womens rights activists in 2010 who asked me why the U.S. does not use the terminology of human rights to address domestic concerns. One might speak of civil rights or civil liberties when discussing an issue like free speech or the rights of the homeless, but its rare for the U.S. policy debate to incorporate the terminology of human rights when discussing things that happen within the boundaries of this country. Its my feeling that this comes from the U.S. tradition of rugged individualism - conceding that the U.S. can have a human rights problem implies that there are entities outside the U.S. to which our country is accountable. This is an idea that our political and cultural leaders tend to resist, although its likely to change over time due to the long-term effects of globalization. But in the short term, applying the principles of human rights to U.S. controversies may provoke more fundamental arguments about the relevance of human rights principles to the U.S.There are nine fundamental human rights treaties to which all signatories - including the United States - have agreed to hold themselves accountable under the auspices of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. In practice, there is no fully-binding enforcement mechanism for these treaties. Theyre aspirational, much as the Bill of Rights was prior to the adoption of the incorporation doctrine. And, much like the Bill of Righ ts, they may gain power over time. The phrase fundamental rights is sometimes used interchangeably with human rights, but it can also refer specifically to civil liberties.

Personal Statement for law admission Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

For law admission - Personal Statement Example Unfortunately, the government of Nepal is a highly repressive force and there were few opportunities for me to utilise the skills I learned in the academic realm. While working as a trekking guide in the Himalayans I met my future wife, the most wonderful and steady influence of my adult life. As she was an Australian citizen, I found the strength to leave the people and mountains that had structured my life for twenty-four years to enter into an uncertain future. Finding myself in a foreign land, with my language skills stretched and only a few hundred dollars in savings, we shared a small room in the outskirts of Perth and began the tremendously challenging yet rewarding task of building a life together. Within three weeks, I earned a position as a food and beverage attendant at Burswood Casino and Resort, where I am still employed. Eventually our hard work resulted in financial stability, and I began to consider the future. Wishing to take advantage of the freedom of expression and action available to me as a legal resident of Australia, I decided to dedicate myself to the goal of entering the legal profession. With that in mind, I passed the Education Institution University Board exam and submitted the application in your hands. Although I am Although I am only twenty-eight years old, I have learned much through my varied life experiences. Born and raised in Nepal, I comprehend the fundamental challenges of life and how a government can disregard what many see as fundamental human rights. My undergraduate experience in social science and humanities trained me in logically accessing issues and solving problems effectively. Never one to limit myself to a classroom, I also led tourists from around the world on challenging treks through the mountains and glaciers of Nepal. When I found love, I embraced the situation and was able to establish myself in a new country. Excited and committed to my life in Australia with my wife, I am still the son of Bal Bahadur and Laxmi Thapa and dedicated to individual justice and making a difference both here and in my homeland. For me, this opportunity transcends the simple considerations of financial renumeration on a growing field. In addition to the great benefits of further understanding varied aspects of the legal profession, eventually I want to enter the realm of investigating and protesting international human rights violations, especially in the highly conflicted regions of Rolpa and Rukum. In order to accomplish the ultimate goal of my life I need a strong and challenging education in law. I believe your university, with its excellent professors, extensive library and esteemed reputation, would provide the best home for me. I long to make a difference and I want the opportunity to dedicate myself to bettering the life of others. Please give me the opportunity to demonstrate that my intellectual capacity, real world experience and personal courage will lead to success at your institution. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you in the

Professionalism in Nursing Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Professionalism in Nursing - Coursework Example From this report it is clear that  clothing and conduct for students and practicing nurses were dictated strongly by dress codes and strict disciplinary protocols developed by hospital administrators in charge of nurses. Here, personality traits may have had negligible chance to emerge from the starch white uniforms and pulled back hair donned in a white cap. On the other hand, times have changed and most nursing students today are thrilled with the independence and career opportunities that have evolved for them at numerous levels, as well as those in advanced practice nursing. As the professional nursing arena expands and new roles develop, the professional nurse is expected to demonstrate respect for the faculty by continuing to don the traditional dress.  This study declares that  there should be awareness to nurses that appearance makes a lasting impression on patients, contemporaries, and the general public. Although dress and appearance alone cannot guarantee success in a nursing job, they can at the same time assure letdown.  This is because patients do have their own expectations of a professional, including their personal preferences and generational influences. Since health care is a form of business, successful professionals must therefore attract a steady, growing patient population in order to survive. The professional nurse should therefore demonstrate respect for patients by developing relationships with them and projecting a positive public image that will help build a deep founded practice.... But these have become loosely adhered to. As a result, one finds nurses simply abandoning their traditional trade mark white uniform and substituting it with scrub suits and colorful jackets. Since nursing is becoming a professional practice, I will demonstrate respect to my peers by becoming more aware of how my appearance, behavior, and communication can influence the first impressions of others about me. I will therefore try to follow the dress code and the behavior expected of me as a professional nurse to the letter. Faculty In the past, clothing and conduct for students and practicing nurses were dictated strongly by dress codes and strict disciplinary protocols developed by hospital administrators in charge of nurses (Jacob, 1999). Here, personality traits may have had negligible chance to emerge from the starch white uniforms and pulled back hair donned in a white cap. On the other hand, times have changed and most nursing students today are thrilled with the independence and career opportunities that have evolved for them at numerous levels, as well as those in advanced practice nursing. As the professional nursing arena expands and new roles develop, the professional nurse is expected to demonstrate respect for the faculty by continuing to don the traditional dress. This is essentially because the professional dress and appearance continue to be very important facets of the nursing image especially within the faculty (Jacob, 1999). Patients As it has already been established, there should be awareness to nurses that appearance makes a lasting impression on patients, contemporaries, and the general public. Although dress and appearance alone cannot guarantee success in a nursing job, they can at the same time assure letdown

English Technology Essay Essay Example for Free

English Technology Essay Essay The amazing thing about cell phones is that they are no longer just used for calling or texting. They have become an indispensable multi-tool wonder. Today’s cell phone is cutting-edge technology at your fingertips. With this in mind, should students be permitted to use cell phones in school? I believe they should not just be permitted to use cell phones; they should be required to use them. Cell phones don’t just allow students to stay connected with family and friends, they are also an excellent learning resource, and they encourage the responsible use of technology. To begin with, cell phones make it possible for students to stay in touch with family and friends. A student can call home and ask a family member to bring them a forgotten assignment or lunch money or to come pick them up if they are sick. Also, cell phones allow parents to keep track of their children’s whereabouts before, during, and after school. And, of course, there’s always the possibility of a student needing to contact a parent because of a dangerous situation. Thus, having a cell phone is like having a guardian angel. Students can also connect with friends, but not just because it’s a fun thing to do; A teacher can ask to text or email friends when they are absent to let them know what’s going on in class and to inform them of any homework. When used responsibly, a cell phone can be an excellent communication tool. Also, cell phones – especially smart phones are a great learning resource. Students can use tools such as the calculator, a map finder, and the calendar. You can use cell phones for all classes to keep track of homework. Instead of having to go to the computer lab teachers can let students use their smart phones to do research when doing group work, or working on a project. For example, if you have to study for ecology you can research on local jobs having to do with protecting the environment right from your classroom seat. Plus there are lots of great learning websites – including essay-writing websites – we can use to supplement the learning in classes like English. Cell phones are a quick and easy way to incorporate technology in the classroom. Finally, cell phones encourage the responsible use of technology. Students can learn when and how to use their cell phones to enhance their learning. They will become more independent in their work and more motivated to learn. Students like being allowed to make choices, and they understand consequences. If a student is texting when he/she should be paying attention to the teacher, the teacher should take the cell phone temporarily away. No big deal. Before a test, all cell phones should be placed on the teacher’s desk with no problems. By allowing the uses of cell phones, students will feel like they are being treated like responsible young adults, and they will appreciate that. If teachers are patient, understanding, and consistent, students will surely become responsible users of technology in schools. In conclusion, people who oppose the use of cell phones in school do it because of the disruptions and distractions cell phones can cause. But we must accept that we live in a world of technology and that cell phones are an important and very useful part of that world. We miss out if we fail to take advantage of the educational power of the cell phone. All in all, cell phones improve communication, provide learning resources, and encourage appropriate use of technology. Teachers and administrators must find ways to incorporate this excellent multi-tool in our schools. As you’ve learned from this essay, it’s really not that difficult. Let’s make the most of the day and age we are living in.

J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter Series :: Harry Potter Series

Thus far in Rowling’s predicted seven book series, all four books can be found to have a number of shared themes that are rather evident in all of them. The most evident, however, would be that things in the land of Harry Potter are not always what they seem, and in order to get along well in this land, you must accept the differences of others. Harry’s life for his first few years could be categorized under both of these themes. Harry, after all, is always having bizarre things happen at the most inopportune moments; his aunt, uncle, and cousin (the Dursleys) are definitely less than accepting of this, resulting in a very poor relationship between Harry and them (The Sorcerer’s Stone 18-24). Throughout the other four books this inacceptance of Harry’s differences by the Dursleys always leaves Harry with a burning desire to get back to Hogwarts. Harry, as a result of this poor home life, adjusts rather easily to his newly found life of wizardry. For him it is finally an explanation for the odd occurrences of before, and gives him a chance to be among others like him. The themes present themselves in a variety of other characters and situations as well. The character of Hagrid, for example, which upon first description should lead one to believe he is the fiercest creature alive; he is definitely to be avoided (The Sorcerer’s Stone 14, 46-47). On the contrary though, Harry, Ron, and Hermione look past this and find a friend and protector. Harry’s godfather is also believed to be a creature, of sorts, â€Å"out to get† Harry. However, he turns out to be there to protect him, as well. As for situations, each book revolves around a mystery with so many twists and turns, that the final solution for it is almost always a surprise. In The Sorcerer’s Stone, for example, the reader is lead to believe that Professor Snape is the one helping the dark lord, Voldemort, do harm to Harry and steal the stone; in the end, the reader finds the guilty party in the most unlikely character, meek, stuttering Professor Quirrell (288). In The Chamber of Secrets, Hogwarts is suddenly plagued by students turning to stone. The initial belief is that Draco Malfoy is the culprit, then the blame shifts to Hagrid, and even Harry becomes a suspect.

The Reasonable Winners and Emotional Loser’s of the Miller’s Tale

In many stories we are accustomed to, the â€Å"good† characters that are kind and affectionate triumph over the â€Å"evil†, who manipulate the weak through trickery. However, in Chaucer’s Miller’s Tale, the winner has qualities of a villain while the loser has benign qualities of winners. The three male characters, John, Absolon and Nicholas, who all have great affections for Alisoun, face different ends. Absolon who is able to get a hold of his emotions after his struggle with Alisoun, meets a victory while John meets a bitter end because of his great love for her.Nicholas, despite his great success in trickery loses focus and gets burnt harshly by Absolon. In the Miller’s Tale, the character’s ability to reason and overcome their emotions determines their final victory. In the Miller’s Tale, John is the epitome of a man who is overcome by his emotions. John, despite his wealth, is a carpenter who is highly uneducated for he is peas ant. Because he is uneducated, he has no choice but to depend on his emotions in making his judgements. He must decide the right and wrong based from his feelings.Unfortunately, this leaves him vulnerable to those that can notice his inablity to think for himself. Nicholas and Aliouson is very aware of John’s weaknesses. Knowning Johns devoted love for Alisoun, the two easily tricks him into thinking that a flood greater than that of Noah’s is coming. Greatly overcome by emotinos and fear that Alisoun might die John fools even the most ridiculous instructions given to him. Never once does John question Nicholas’s motives or words. Poor John, however, does not only care for Alisoun but even for Nicholas as well.He shows his worries for Nicholas saying â€Å"Me reweth soore of hende Nicholas† and visits his room to check up on him (Chaucer 276). Of course, John again, cannot see that Nicholas is acting and tricking him. He is too succumbed to his emotions b y the time Nicholas talks about Alisoun’s danger, John forgets to ask nicholas the reliability of his words. John’s reliance on emotions caused by lack of education, leads him to a disaster. Not only does he gets physically hurt falling from the roof, but faces mental pain, rejected and tricked by his love.Absolon is also another character who has great love for Alisoun. Although he is a clerk, he lacks the experience and knowlegde of real love and has fantastical image of courtly love. Therefore, he serenades to Alisoun every night and asks for her love continously, even after rejects him. Because he is so overcome by his emotions, it seems that his ability to reason is disabled; he does not stop and wonder what he can do to win Alisoun’s heart. Instead, he persists on Alisoun, to fulfill his desire to get her love.Then when he kisses Alisoun’s ass and is humiliated greatly, he is cure of his love sickness. He is finally able to use his intelligence to d evise a plan to revenge Alisoun. Absolon is finally able to realize the reality of Alisoun’s absent love. He makes a logical decision to get his pride back by trying to burn her with a hot rod. It is interesting how now he is able to foresee other characters’ actions. Although it was Nicholas rather than Alisoun that gets burnt, Absolon is able to detect and foresee that someone will try to trick him again by putting their ass out the window.With his new knowledge and realizaion of reality of love, Absolon is able to plan ahead of those who tricked him. Finally, in control of his emotions, Absolon meets a victory and is the winner. The tale’s most devious character, Nicholas who devises and beings the trickery, does not have a clear stance in being the winner or the loser. In the beginnning of the tale, Nicholas is a character who is driven by his intellect and reasoning. He is only character who succeeds in charming Alisoun. Unlike John and Absolon, he does not pour out all his affection to her but uses few sweet words to express his love.He is also not as emotionally attached to Alisoun and values the plan and method of getting with Alisoun more. Even when he as the chance to sleep with her and John is away, he does not, proving that he enjoys using his intellect and does not simply given into his momentairly emotions. Therefore, Nicholas is an acute character who uses his knowledge effectively to create a plan to fool John. He succeeds in doing so by manipulating John’s love. He is aware that John, who is controlled by his emotions, would be easily duped and exploits it.However, after his great success intricking John without much effort, Nicholas loses much of his focus and becomes lazy. Overcome by pride and cockyness, he lets his guard down, allowing his emotions to take over. When Absolon comes back for another kiss, he sticks his ass out the window, definitely putting his logic aside and not thinking. The image of him presen ting his ass also symbolizes his vulnerability and lack of reasoning. Nicholas, although victorious in the beginning, gets duped, beding both the winner and the loser.The three characters, John, Absolon and Nicholas all get tricked at one point. Whether it is their love or pride, the three men is overcome by their emotions eventually. This might make one questions the intent. It might be possible that Chucer in the Miller’s Tale, might be doing so to prove that all classes are influenced by their emotions. No man, whether he is a clerk or a peasant, can fully control his emotions at all times. Therefore, he might making an underlying claim that all men are vulnerable and equal in some extent.

EPC Plant Equipment Maintenance Process

Man-hours of Planned WOW Standby Man-hours ratio 0 No. Of Standby Man-hours / No. Of total Man-hours Mean work-order execution time (Days) Maintenance cost and cost ratio 0 Total maintenance cost per month / Total equipment book value 0 Differentiated values for man-hours and spare-parts 0 Divided in separated categories of equipment (rotary, fixed, facilities, etc. ) Measured monthly Level 1 cross-functional map of the current processWe at EPIC have been able to produce and deliver high quality, high-value chemicals to our customers through modern process technologies and hallucinated equipment and facilities. However, The ever increasing competition in the market requires us to reduce our plant maintenance costs and improve maintenance productivity by reducing non-value-adding activities and idle times, optimizing our manpower and machinery resource allocation, reducing spare-parts inventories, and minimizing the equipment idle-time and maintenance/procurement delays. These objecti ves may not be achieved unless we review, assess, and improve our maintenance planning and execution processes.To achieve an acceptable level of maintenance quality and productivity aimed at increasing production reliability and continuation, we have proposed to initiate a comprehensive analysis of maintenance processes, targeted at 50% reduction in maintenance costs and time, 30% reduction in spare parts inventory, and an average inter-overhaul period of at least 8 years. Implementing the above initiative will hopefully enable us to maintain our cost leadership and remain at the top of the domestic chemicals market. Review/analysis of the current state and its problems/issues As cited in the section n symptoms/problems and the root cause analysis chart, The most basic symptoms of the maintenance process which are manifested in the internal customer's dissatisfaction are delayed execution and poor quality of maintenance work.These are mainly attributed to unskilled maintenance worke rs, poor coordination and cooperation between production and maintenance workers, and long procurement procedures, which result in several losses: 0 Downtime from breakdown and changeover times 0 Speed losses (when equipment fails to operate at its optimum speed) 0 Idling and minor stoppages due to the abnormal operation of sensors, blockage of work on hates, etc. 0 Process defects due to scrap and quality defects to be repaired 0 Reduced yield in the period from machine start-up to stable production. But the ultimate cause of all these inefficiencies lies in the non-optimized function-oriented hierarchical organization within the maintenance and other company-wide departments. In fact, this last phenomenon is the cause of fragmented processes and unnecessary control and inspection, which in turn hinder employees' motivation and empowerment as well as cause very long cycles of spare-parts procurement. Initial improvements- Streamlining

A critical approach to Barn Burning (by William Faulkner)

A critical approach to Barn Burning (by William Faulkner) "Barn Burning" is a sad story because it very clearly shows the classical struggle between the "privileged" and the "underprivileged" classes. Time after time emotions of despair surface from both the protagonist and the antagonist involved in the story.This story outlines two distinct protagonists and two distinct antagonists. The first two are Colonel Sartoris Snopes ("Sarty") and his father Abner Snopes ("Ab"). Sarty is the protagonist surrounded by his father antagonism whereas Ab is the protagonist antagonized by the social structure and the struggle that is imposed on him and his family.The economic status of the main characters is poor, without hope of improving their condition, and at the mercy of a quasi-feudal system in North America during the late 1800's. Being a sharecropper, Ab and his family had to share half or two-thirds of the harvest with the landowner and out of their share pay for the necessities of life.English: Uncle Ab's House See 15225.As a result of this sta tus, Ab and his family know from the start what the future will hold hard work for their landlord and mere survival for them.No hope for advancement prevails throughout the story. Sarty, his brother and the twin sisters have no access to education, as they must spend their time working in the fields or at home performing familial duties. Nutrition is lacking "He could smell the coffee from the room where they would presently eat the cold food remaining from the mid-afternoon meal" (PARA. 55). As a consequence, poor health combined with inadequate opportunity results in low morale. A morale which the writer is identifying with the middle class of his times "that same quality which in later years would cause his descendants to over-run the engine before putting a motor car into motion" (PARA. 20)...

Improve Business Writing Skills to Increase Productivity and Revenue

Improve Business Writing Skills to Increase Productivity and Revenue Current Business Writing Skills Scenario Your employees’ abilities to write and rewrite, clearly and concisely, goes a long way in establishing a competitive advantage for your business. If you want to make the best first impression on all your customers, clients, vendors, other transacting parties, and anyone who comes in contact with your business, then your employees need to master the art of effective business writing skills. Because most employees spend a substantial part of each workday writing whether it's email, reports, briefings, presentations, or requirements summaries improving business writing skills willsave your company money and increase employee productivity. Good writing skills lead to improved productivity and cost savings for the business. When employees spend a lot of time writing reports and end up producing error-prone documents, your business is likely to lose goodwill. Another issue with poor business writing skills is that it leads to wasted hours of editing and proofreading. This negatively affects your business productivity, since the time spent to make corrections could have been utilized for profit-making activities. Additionally, you might need to hire experienced editors orproofreaders for key business documents, adding more expense to your payroll. Drasticallyimprove your employees’ business writing skills by conducting business writing training. This will lead to improved productivity and by reducingthe average time spent on a single business writing task. Here is empirical proof: Current Business Writing Skills Scenario Suppose that your organization has a work unit of 30 workers. Each worker earns $60,000 per year. Similarly, each writer spends 3.2 hours a day on writing. Within an average 40-hour working week, 40% of the time is therefore devoted towards writing. Current Costs to your Company Under the current scenario, your company is paying $1,800,000 ($60,000*30) to workers on an annual basis. As already mentioned, each worker spends 40% of his or her time every day in writing. This means that, currently, your business is spending $720,000 ($1,800,000*40%) on an annual basis on youremployees’ business writing efforts. Assuming that there are 240 working days in a year, the total annual employee writing hours are 23040 (240days* 3.2 hours/day* 30 workers). This means that you are currently paying $31.25 per hour ($720,000/23040 hours) as the average annual costs per hour on business writing. Staff Training - Revised Scenario Now, let’s consider an alternative. Suppose you train your staff how to improve their business writing skills. Through our 6-step proven business writing methodology, you can reduce your staff’s average time spent on writing by 30%. Keeping all other factors constant, it means that each writer now spends 2.24 hours a day (3.2 hours* 70%) on writing. Revised Costs to your Company Even from a quick glance, you can clearly see that improving your staff’s business writing skills will have a strong positive impact on time and money saved. Keeping the number of employees (30), the total annual salary ($1,800,000) and the total working days per year (240) constant, here are new results: Total employee writing costs for the year will reduce to $504,000 (1,800,000*28%) Total annual employee writing hours will decrease to 16,128 (240 days* 2.24 hours* 30 workers) These simple empirical calculations prove that you can save on your total writing costs by more than $100,000 and total writing hours by 6,912 hours annually. The resources saved can be invested in other business activities to generate profits. The benefits of an effective business writing skills improvement program are far reaching. They lead to improved information flow, better coordination, and manyother growth and branding incentives for a business. To learn more about the power of business writing and how to improve business writing skills for your employees, download my guide, Four Ways to improve your Team’s Business Writing Skillstoday!