Category: Environment

During the month of December 2010, the available data was fed into the system to analyze the various reports generated and the different information that it can store. Currently, the Waste Data Collection System analyzes different types of waste, tonnages of the wastes, Kilometers of street swept, and identifies various assets where the waste is transferred or disposed such as the transfer station and the landfill.

The CMS Team does not have the authority to verify the data provided to the center by the Landfill and Transfer station operator, therefore the figures mentioned in this section are as reported. The CMS Team is working with the Landfill and Transfer Station Operator to improve the quality of data being input into the MCS. Figure 4.5 shows the Waste data page on the MCS.

The analysis and interpretation of the data fall under each of the charts given below. The interpretation is given with a view that CMS (company) will continue its operation beyond the month of December. Moreover, it is only intended to facilitate better management of the team in the future. It will also assist the team while strategizing and planning. It is also written to enable the team to focus and concentrate its resources towards the most profitable and promising areas. It is also worthwhile to note that this analysis is solely intended to facilitate continuance of the CMS team. The analysis and interpretation brings into light the many factors that affect waste collection. This will help CMS to understand and interpret data availed to them deeper and better than before.

The dispersion of tonnages of waste collected by lot 1 were as follows , 72% house hold waste,13% Bulky waste, 5% Market waste, 9% slaughter house waste, basket waste and Islamic waste averaged less than 1% of the total 17282.3 tons of wastes collected during the month. It is evident that the amount of waste collected in the second to through the fourth week of the month remained constant at 4375 tons. The festivities in the middle of weeks the month December explain this sharp increase. The largest size of waste in areas visited and serviced by lot 1 were household waste. Markets places were also very busy in the middle weeks of the month evidenced by the increase in market waste from 149.5 tons to 208 tons over the second to the fourth week, thus wastes are seasonal and follows events. Basket wastes and Islamic scriptures waste were the same from the first to the fifth week. Bulky waste may have increased probably due to increased production of fast consumer in industries. The festivities also influenced the increase in slaughter house waste, this implies that the amount of meat consumed over the middle three weeks rose, resulting to the increase.

Figure 4.6 and Table 4.7 are the tonnages and trip of waste collected in Lot 1 in the month of December 2010.

During the month of December 2010 the trips undertaken to correct Household waste contributed more than 55 % , Bulky waste 20%, market waste 19%, slaughter house waste 6 % while basket waste and Islamic scriptures contributed to under 5 % of the total trips undertaken during the month of December. The trips made to collect various wastes were evenly distributed with the mode of trips being 284 for house hold waste, 100 for bulky waste, 96 for market waste, 30 for slaughter house waste and 1 trip per week for basket waste and Islamic scriptures respectively. This implies that there were more trips undertaken towards collection of house hold waste mainly due to the fact that December is month of festivities. On the other hand, this implies more than half of transport costs attributed to lot 1 were constituted mostly by house hold waste. These big differences may have been brought about by the fact that there is high frequency of waste among house holds since they have chores like cooking and washing which have to be undertaken often unlike basket waste, market waste that which occurs occasionally as opposed to rarely. There are no or few basket waste and Islamic waste in the regions covered by this lot. As a result few transportation costs were attributed to these wastes.

Figure 4.8 and Table 4.9 are the tonnages and trip of waste collected in Lot 2 in the month of December 2010.

The total tons of waste collected by lot 2 were 17457.94 tons, whereby 86% of the total tonnages collected which amounts to 14937 tons while the other types of waste contributed 14 % of the wastes. The mode for tons collected relating to house hold wastes were 3373.5 tons, and that of the other wastes were 630 tons a week. Clearly these areas have more of house hold waste than the other types of wastes this is because week in week out they exceed the other types by more than five times in total.
This may have been because of the nature of the living styles, their beliefs and political and religious influences. This implies that the areas serviced by this lot probably are residential and there are no big markets and industries. The highest number of staff should be made available and assigned in the collection of household wastes to facilitate effective and efficient waste collection. It is likely that due to the nature of portability of household wastes and the easiness to dispose may be the causes of the high tons were collected unlike the bulk wastes. Thus, because of the nature of the type of waste being disposed it may create a challenge on the collecting and disposing team.

Trips taken by lot two were evenly distributed with trips for household waste averaging to 560 trips a week while the rest had mode of 63 trips per week. The mode for trips during the month was 623 trips. The total trips undertaken towards waste collection were 2732, of which 91 % that is 2480 of them were for collection of House hold wastes, and the rest were for the other types of waste which were 252 in total. This is brought about by the specialization of the vehicles in use towards certain forms of wastes and the nature of waste being collected. This implies that there is a hindrance and a barrier towards the mode and means of transport that can be used to dispose and collect the wastes.

The total cost of carrying or transportation costs were attributed to household wastes. CMS should look in investing more of its capacities towards household waste since it is the number one source of income and again in expenditures. It is again worthy to note that waste are affected by seasons since in the month of December during the festive weeks there are increases in trips which consequently translates to large sizes of wastes. This increase in house hold wastes again is attributable to the fact the life style during this period is lavish and extravagant. Thus the high volumes of house hold wastes compared to the other wastes.

Charts 4.10 and 4.11 are the trips of waste collected Vehicle and Area wise in Lot 3 in the month of December 2010.

Lot three undertook their waste collection in seven areas which were Baniyas, Shahama, Musaffah, Al Wathba, Samha, Al Khatim, and Camel Race. They undertook 4087 trips during their duties of which 68 % were for Baniyas, 18% Shahama, 20 % Musaffah, 10 % Al Wathba, , 6% Samha, 7 % for Al Khatim and Camel Race respectively. Baniyas is the dirtiest areas among those cleaned by lot three, followed by Musaffah, Shahama, Al Wathba, Al Khatim and Samha respectively. It is also important to note that, distances, accessibility of an area, lifestyles, population sizes are some of the factors that may have influenced the differences noticed in the trips taken to different areas.
There is also a sharp increase in waste during the middle weeks as noted in the other lots data.this goes to show that waste collection are affected by seasons, probably if it were on a month of no feastivities like January we would not have seen this increase. The company should assign a large number of staff of lot 3 to Baniyas this is necessitated by the trips taken to collect waste in this area. This reflects that there are larger sizes of waste to be collected in this area, which can be attributed probably to the area population structure and infrastructure accessibility. The biggest shares of costs of transport allocated to lot 3 were applied in collecting wastes in Baniyas. It is also imperative for the team to take into consideration the above in staff allocation, expenditure budgeting in future.

There are five vehicles in use by lot 3 which are Compactor, Tipper, Crane, JMC, and Hook lift. Vehicle usage in the month rated according to the trips undertaken during the month were as indicated below, compactor took 1889 trips, Tipper 1074 trips, crane 274 trips , JMC 847 trips and finally Hook lift which took only 11 trips. In total there were 4087 vehicle trips. The compactor was the most active vehicle in the month with 46 % of the total vehicle trips in the month followed closely by Tipper with 25% while the rest of the vehicles took less than 10 % combined. Hook lift is the most underutilized vehicle by the lot, while compactor is the over utilized vehicle. This difference in usage may be due to the compatibly in terms of specifications in usage and capacity of the vehicle in undertaking the tasks.

The expenses incurred on compactor and tipper mainly increased transportation and fuel costs relating to the group. More of vehicle maintenance costs should have or in future be directed towards maintenance of the compactor, and this vehicle together with the tipper should be serviced more often. This is to prevent any go-slow in case they broke down and they are the main vehicles in operation. Moreover, a higher depreciation charge should be attributed to the two vehicles. The company should also consider quality and reliability while purchasing a new compactor and tipper. As noted above there are still increases in trips during the festive weeks at the middle of the month.

Charts 4.12 and 4.13 are the tonnages of waste collected Vehicle and Area wise in Lot 4 in the month of December 2010.

They undertook their waste collection in Madinat Zayed, Gayathi, Al-Sila, Marfa, Dalma and Liwa. They collected 11403 tons of waste of which 28% was of Madinat Zayed, , 17 % Gayathi, 16 % Al-Sila, 13 % Marfa, 4 % Dalma and 2 % Liwa. The group was more active during the fifth week in which they collected 3220 tons of waste collectively in all the areas, and were not very active during the first week. Liwa is likely to be the least populated area followed by Dalma, Marfa, Al-Sila, Gayathi and Madinat Zayed respectively. As witnessed in the other lots data there is still the increase from week two through week five. Madinat Zayed is the dirtiest area and most of the staff of lot 5 to this area since it is the most populated and has the largest size of wastes. Furthermore, it is also likely that the areas with the least tons of waste collection may probably have been caused by longer distances from the disposing sites. In addition, most likely the areas may have been in accessible.

The lot used four vehicles Compactor, Tipper, JMC, Crane, and Dumper to facilitate smooth performance of the assigned duties. The total tons of waste collected by the lot totaled to 11404 tons. The vehicle usage in terms of tonnages loaded were as follows 5611 tons Compactor, 3945 tons Tipper, 1352 tons JMC, 467 tons Crane, and 30 tons for Dumper. Thus compactor facilitated almost 50 % of the groups tasks as compared to 34 % of Tipper, 12 % JMC, 4 % Crane and less than one percent of Dumper. This is an indicator of how the team consider mode of transport and vehicles in waste transportation. Again the dumper may have been underutilized since it is not designed for such types of wastes. The vehicle usage should indicate the costs of depreciation, vehicle maintenance and fuel costs.

Chart 4.14 and Table 4.15 are the tonnages and trips of waste collected in Lot 5 in the month of December 2010.

The number of tons collected by lot three was 7443.48 during the month of December. House hold waste still was the largest in size in the areas covered by lot 5. This amounted to 87 % of the total 7443.48 tons collected, and only 13 % of it, was attributed to the other wastes collectively. The total waste tons collected over the weeks were 721.8 tons the first week, 1680.42 tons for the second, third and fourth week and finally the fifth week respectively. The average size of waste in terms of tons collected were 1680 tons for house hold wastes and 210 tons for the other wastes. As noted above the increase in middle weeks is also evident in the tonnages collection for lot 5. It is most likely that the cities serviced by this group were residential areas.

The total number of trips undertaken by lot 5 to facilitate waste collection was 1178 trips for collecting house hold wastes and 155 to the other types of waste. The numbers of trips undertaken were 1333 trips for the month of December 2010. The trips taken towards collecting household costs were more than seven times the trips taken to collect other wastes. The number of trips as evident in lot 2 was constant, such that trips taken the trips taken for collecting house hold wastes were 266 and 35 trips for other wastes. The number of trips to collect the wastes increased during the middle weeks of the month of December again. In addition, this implies that most of the transportation costs were attributed to household waste collection.

General Interpretation

In general, most of the waste collected by the company and lots were composed of the household waste. The highest percentages of trips undertaken were towards their collection. The company in assigning and staff planning should put more emphasis on the number and types of staff assigned to collect house hold wastes. The largest shares of companys costs are attributable to these wastes and as result house hold costs are the main cash cow or largest source of income to the company. Moreover, the main expenses of the company are transport costs. The largest share of these expense is attributed to Compactor which has evidently been the most preferred vehicle owing to the many trips undertaken using it.

The company should look into the idea of setting up collection points around areas with high tonnages of waste. This will facilitate fast delivery of services to customers and in addition, enhance efficient modes of collecting wastes. The team should use the number of trips to assess the vehicle usage to allocate and in future budget for maintenance, fuel and provisions for depreciation costs for vehicles. It is also worthwhile to note that waste collection is affected by many factors such as location, nature of machinery in use, nature of waste being collected, seasons, the bulkiness or weight of wastes staff allocated and probably distances.

There are also other considerations to take into account while performing waste disposal. These include mode of transport that is if its easier and faster to work with, like it is more efficient to work with a Compactor rather than a Hooklift , i.e. waste machineries for transport are specialized to handle certain types of wastes. Finally it is my belief that this analysis will be of benefit in making the team to be in a position to better manage and come up with better strategic plans aimed at making the waste collection effective and efficient.

Note: The above Waste Data is derived from weekly reports submitted by the service providers.

Due to the ongoing climate crisis, some aspects of the environment are undergoing inevitable changes, such as oceanic temperatures rising to harmful levels. As a consequence, low-lying landmasses are disappearing into the water. This causes catastrophic damage to the villages occupying the islands and loss of livelihood for the dwellers. Individuals and governments can find both short and long-term solutions to this growing global problem.

Currently, some nations are donating to the affected countries to help their citizens. However, stable governments of foreign states can do more to help the situation. In the short-term, they can help in the relocation efforts of the affected populations. These people need humanitarian help because the rising waters displace them from their homes and leave them without any means of sustenance (Davenport & Haner, 2015). The authorities can provide transportation means to higher grounds, temporary shelter, and food. Additionally, countries can open their borders to the homeless individuals, as the rising ocean levels, threatening to submerge significant portions of land, may necessitate them to move away, abandoning their homes. Governments should enact immigration policies that permit people pushed out by the rising waters to seek refuge in their countries.

Individuals are also responsible for helping to solve this environmental crisis. They should strive to reduce their carbon footprint, for instance, by recycling whenever possible. This, in turn, reduces the speed and impact of climate change, which would be a long-term solution to the problem of disappearing lowlands. People can also donate both their money and time to help individuals displaced from their homes. Finally, citizens should push their leaders to take action towards helping countries found in low-lying lands such as the Marshall Islands. Temporary and permanent solutions for the problem can be realized through collective efforts.

Reference

Davenport, C., & Haner, J. (2015). The Marshall Islands are disappearing.The New York Times. Web.

Introduction

Standards on carbon emissions are regulations that create specific cut-offs for the number of gaseous pollutants that can be released into the environment. Most of the practices employed by different countries focus on controlling the pollutants produced by automobiles, power plants, industries, and small equipment, for example, generators. Apart from policy measures set in place to control carbon emissions, technological initiatives are also used to achieve the same (Lomborg 2010).

United States regulations on carbon emissions

The Environmental Protection Agency is the one that regulates carbon emissions in the United States. Mercedes is one of the major automobile companies with a great share of the automobile market. The regulatory measures put in place regarding carbon emissions by automobiles have largely affected it. The current administration has adopted some parts of the Kyoto protocol to regulate these emissions (Bishop 2008).

This has occurred at the state level, local, and regional governments. The regulations in America consist of two groups: near term; and long term measures. Near term, measures apply in the residential and commercial sectors, the industrial sector, energy supply sector, agriculture, transport, forestry, and waste management. An example of a near term measures in the transport sector is the corporate average fuel economy program (CAFE). The new regulation in this program consists of varying fuel economy standards that correlate to the size of a vehicle (Honey & Barry 2000).

EU regulations on carbon emissions

The sets of laws that are enforced in the EU are unique to it. The standards put in place currently apply to barges, trains, and all motor vehicles. No standards existed before for carbon emissions, but there arose a push to introduce mandatory standards to replace the voluntary initiatives by motor companies. The EU is planning to introduce Euro 5 in 2012 to regulate carbon emissions from cars (Sollish & Semanik 2011).

China regulations on carbon emissions

Chinas State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) is the regulatory body that oversees carbon emission. On the 1^st of July 2007, SEPA brought into effect the National standard III. This has similarities to the EURO III standards and is stricter than the previous one. At the start of 2008, Beijing became the first city to implement the EURO IV standard (Price et al. 2008).

India regulations on carbon emissions

From the year 2000, India put in place the European emission and fuel regulation which applied to heavy dc, and four-wheeled light-duty vehicles. Two and three-wheeled vehicles are still under Indias emission regulation. New laws require yearly renewal of certificates for every car in a bid to regulate carbon emissions. In the year 2010, Bharat stage III Emission standards were implemented. They applied to 4 wheelers in the whole country. Bharat stage IV only applies to large cities (Peter et al. 2007).

Third world countries regulations on carbon emissions

Many of the developing countries are unable to fully regulate carbon emissions. Few third world countries have implemented technological measures to curb carbon emissions in their country. Most of these countries are signatories to the Kyoto protocol. Countries that are part of the treaty use flexible mechanisms like joint implementation, clean development mechanism, and emission trading. These are some of the current mechanisms employed by third world countries to cap on carbon emissions (Nancy 2007).

References

Bishop, A 2008, How to reduce your carbon footprint, Crabtree Pub, St. Catharines.

Honey, M & Barry, T 2000, Global focus: U.S. foreign policy at the turn of the millennium, St. Martins Press, New York.

Lomborg, B 2010, Smart solutions to climate change: comparing costs and benefits, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Nancy, TR 2007, Managing the next wave of globalization, IBRD, Washington, DC.

Peter, GP, Weber, CL, Guan, D & Hubacek, K 2007, Indias Growing CO2Emissions: A Race between Increasing Consumption and Efficiency Gains, Wiley, New Jersey.

Price, L, Wang, X & Yun, J 2008, Reducing Energy Consumption in the 1000 Larges Industrial Enterprises in China, Lawrence Berkeley, North Carolina.

Sollish, F & Semanik, J 2011, Strategic global sourcing best practices, Wiley, New Jersey.

Man is considered the dominant specie among all animals. The domination of man is evidenced from activities that affect the environment and other animals. Consequently, these activities trigger environmental degradation and pollution. In addition, there is evidence relating poor environmental care to the increased emergence of diseases that affect man.

However, the analysis on the different cycles of life associates human beings with the environmental hazards. The link between environmental degradation and human beings explains the consequences of the same in relation to the emergence of modern-age diseases.

The following discussion emphasizes on the role of man in environmental degradation and modern-age diseases.

First, farming practices such as clearing land and chemical use have a negative effect on the environment (Lappe 854). Land use systems and relevant changes of the same have been associated with environmental pollution for many years (Lappe 855). The use of land for agricultural and industrial reasons has led to deforestation, pollution and emission of dangerous gases and chemicals into the environment.

An emerging concern is pollution of the air, water, and the environment as causative agents and triggers for modern-age diseases (Lappe 858). Emissions from food, transportation systems and carbon-dioxide into the atmosphere are the highest contributor to the greenhouse effect (Lappe 859). A significant amount of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) gases are emitted into the atmosphere from households, industries and factories (Lappe 859).

CFCs and greenhouse gases contribute to the continued destruction of the ozone layer, therefore, leading to the penetration of radiation rays into the earth surface. The element of ignorance by man in engaging in activities that contribute to the increased amount of the CFCs and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere has become a norm in the 21^st century (Lappe 859). Interventions to limit these activities have not had a significant effect on environmental conservation. In fact, people are yet to adopt alternative sources of energy.

In modern times, cancer is considered a major cause of deaths in many countries. In the contemporary world, many of the cancer patients do not have a history of the same in the family lineage (Tarter 823). Apparently, this explains why cancer is considered a modern-age ailment. Research on the causative agents has associated the environment as a major trigger for cancer, and not just genetics (Tarter 825). Exposure of man to chemicals derived from the environmental pollution is a common finding among majority of the cancer patients.

Environmentalists argue that some of the harmful chemicals are not easily absorbed into the plants system. Therefore, chemical traces are transferred to the water systems, which are ingested by man if not properly treated. Organic pollutants and other genetically modified foods have become an important part of the diet in the contemporary homesteads. As a result, the accumulation of the chemicals in the body takes time before they attack the immune system rendering an individuals body unable to defend itself from the disease (Tarter 832).

In conclusion, there are various systems in the environment that are linked to the continued deterioration of health in the society. In a bid to develop effective interventions for environmental degradation and modern-age diseases, it is important to address factors that contribute to the prevalence of the same. Although it is a burden to conserve the environment, it is relatively important to protect the same for mutual benefit. Therefore, making the environment a safe habitat for man and animals is a moral duty (Tarter 827).

Works Cited

Lappe, Anna. The climate crisis at the end of our fork. From inquiry to academic writing: A text and reader. Ed. Greene Stuart and Lidinsky April. Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 2012. 852-865. Print.

Tarter, Jim. Some live more downstream than others: cancer, gender, and environmental justice. From inquiry to academic writing: A text and reader. Ed. Greene Stuart and Lidinsky April. Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 2012. 822-835. Print.

Natural resources are those resources which exist naturally and include air, land, water, forest, wildlife, minerals etc. The value of a natural resource is in what it can produce and what people are willing to pay for it. While natural resources exist naturally, it needs to be harvested or produced before it can be consumed. Human resources are the skills and knowledge which humans have which are helpful in production. The more educated and skilled humans are the more value they have. In its raw form, both natural resource and human resource is of not much use. Land is a natural resource, but in order to be useful, it needs to be cultivated.

Similarly, a human who does not have any skills has very low value. Both these resources have to be worked upon so that they can be productive. However, there is only a finite value which can be added to a natural resource by working on it. Some natural resources may have more value than others but how much a resource is worth is determined by how much someone is willing to pay for it. On the other hand, the value of human resource progressively increases as humans acquire more skills. The more educated and skilled humans are the more value they have and there is no limit to the value of human resource.

Countries, like Japan, which have a highly skilled work force, are much more advanced than countries where humans have low levels of education, even though they may be extremely rich in natural resources. So human resource is more important for a countrys future because the value of human resource can be increased indefinitely but there is only a finite value of natural resources. The facet that Japan, which has no natural resources is one of the richest country, while many African countries which are rich in diamonds are still extremely poor, proves that human resource is more important than natural resource.

In the 21^st century, the less developed regions of world will see the maximum population growth. The South-east Asia, Indian subcontinent and Sub-Saharan Africa will see the maximum population growth in the coming years.

There are several reasons for this high population growth rate in these regions. One of the biggest reasons is the demographics of these countries which have a large population young people. Since women can bear children only for a limited number of years, a younger population will see a higher birth rate than an older population.

Another problem is that fertility rate remains high in these countries, as high as 4 children per woman in Africa. Because of lack of access to health care infant mortality rate remains high and so people are likely to have more children to compensate for this. Even when families want to have fewer children they do not have access to proper family planning methods. Also lack of education means that many people are not aware of the negative impacts of a large family and continue to be guided by outdated traditions.

Very high rates of poverty also lead to people having more children because more children means more people who can work and contribute to family income. Children in such families often start working at a very young age. Thus poverty, lack of education and lack of access to good medical care in developing countries is the reason why these regions are expected to see maximum population growth in the 21^st century.

Dependency ratio is the ratio of the people who are too old or too young to work and those who are in the working age. Dependency ratio is arrived at by dividing the number of people who are below sixteen and above sixty four by the number of people aged 16 to 64. The dependency ratio is expressed as a percentage. A rising dependency ratio means that more people are dependent on lesser number of people who are able to support them. This is a cause of concern because it becomes difficult to provide pension and social security facilities to the older non-working population.

In the United States, the population is gradually becoming older and as the baby-boomers are nearing their retirement age, there is real fear of the dependency ratio rising beyond sustainable limits. As population ages, an increasing number of people become dependent on a smaller number of working adults as fewer people enter the workforce. In the US, the social security program is funded by the working population. As the number of working people decreases and the number of retirees increases, governments revenues go down and it becomes more and more difficult to support the elderly. As a result, there is a fear in the US that the social security funds will go bankrupt in a few years.

A scientific study to determine the effectiveness of different approaches to population stabilization would have to use empirical methods. This would require conducting scientifically developed surveys in various parts of the countries where the various family planning schemes have been implemented. In order to be accurate, the survey would need to have adequate representations of both the rural and urban populations, educated and illiterates and men and women.

It would need to include people from various socio-economic backgrounds and religions. Since unmarried motherhood is a taboo in India, the survey could be limited to married people. The survey questions would have to be carefully worded to avoid hurting the sentiments of the more conservative people. Since many Indians have deep reservations about discussing sex and contraception, the survey could be carried out anonymously. Survey questions should take into account all the available family planning methods. Once the survey results are available, they need to be analyzed mathematically to understand the success of various population stabilization approaches adopted by the government.

Carrying capacity of a species is the maximum population size that can be sustained by the environment in the long term given that the resources are limited. It is very difficult to calculate the carrying capacity of the humans. If we take into account only the very basic human needs of food, air, water and shelter, the Earth could carry a lot more humans than it presently does. However, if we consider the all the facilities and needs of a modern human, the Earth could carry a much fewer number of humans. An optimum carrying capacity of the humans would be one in which all humans have access to all the facilities available. Since, in the current world, a large number of humans living in the developing world do not even have access to the basic needs of food and water, we can say that the current population of 6 billion is way above the optimum carrying capacity of humans.

Answering the question of the maximum and the optimum carrying capacity for humans becomes much more difficult than it is for other species because for humans scientists must also take into account things such as sanitation, medical care and quality of life. Unlike other species, humans cannot survive on just food, air, water and shelter. They need a certain amount of infrastructure. Yet while humans can survive on much less than what an average American is used to, it is difficult to calculate what is the minimum every human must have in order to have a good life.

This uncertainty about the needs of humans and the wide range of conditions in which humans can survive, makes it difficult to design an experiment to study human demography which would accurately represent all humans living all over the world.

In 1995, wolves were re-introduced into the Yellowstone Park after almost three decades of lobbying by ecologists. The reason why ecologists wanted to reintroduce wolves into the Yellowstone Park habitat was that the absence of wolves had led to instability of the ecosystem. It was argued that wolves are a keystone predator. The absence of wolves from the Yellowstone Park had led to a rise in the eke population in the Park.

With the eke population going out of control, overgrazing led to a crash of the Aspen species. This, in turn, affected other species in the ecosystem. Wolves helped the ecosystem in other ways also. After wolves had killed a prey, they left behind the carcass, which provided food to a host of other animals and insects. Thus, removing the wolves led to instability in the ecosystem and severely affected the diversity of plants and animals. The ecologists hoped to restore this stability by reintroducing wolves into the Yellowstone Park.

In the few years following the re-introduction of wolves in Yellowstone, positive changes are already visible. With ekes population being kept under check, the trees are free to grow and there are many more trees and shrubs in the Yellowstone today than there were before 1995. The lack of trees was also leading to erosion. With the trees growing back in the forest, erosion will also stop. It is hoped that overtime, this step will help restore the stability of the ecosystem.

The different variety of plants and animals found in the nature constitutes biodiversity. Biodiversity measures the health of an ecosystem as the greater the variety of plants and animals in an ecosystem, the healthier it is. Biodiversity is of three types, species diversity, genetic diversity and ecosystem diversity. A region which has a large number of endemic species can be considered a biodiversity hot-spot.

Biodiversity is extremely essential for preserving the ecological systems and functions. For example, Forests and grasslands prevent soil from erosion, loss of nutrients and landslides. This helps more variety of plants to grow. A variety of plants are able to support more animals and insects. More fauna makes the soil more fertile with their activities, which in turn supports a diverse flora. Thus biodiversity has a circular impact of preserving ecology of forests and grasslands.

Diversity of insects, bees, birds etc. helps in pollination which helps plants reproduce. Many animal species have evolved to perform the additional function of helping plants reproduce. If these animals were removed from an ecosystem, it could prove disastrous for the plants of the region.

Wetlands absorb and recycle essential nutrients while in estuaries, mollusks remove access nutrients from water to prevent over-enrichment which can lead to other problems such as eutrophication. Thus biodiversity of wetlands and estuaries help maintain the water quality and prevent problems which can hurt the ecosystem.

A flagship or umbrella species is a species that has been selected for conservation because protecting that species automatically extends protection to a number of other species. Protecting a flagship species means protecting its habitat and with the habitat, a number of other species in the habitat are also protected. Traditionally, umbrella species are relatively large bodied species of higher vertebrates. They are often chosen to represent an entire ecosystem. Even though conservation of umbrella species is very costly, it is important because these species are often spread over large areas and the effort made to protect them also protects their habitat and a number of other species which are also supported by their habitat.

Shrimp farms are labor intensive and help alleviate poverty in the regions where they are located. However, the benefits from shrimp farming, though high is not as high as 1000 times to that of intact mangrove forests. Various studies have put the benefits of shrimp farms to local workers at around 1.5 to 3 times what they would have earned otherwise. In poor countries, even this small increase is enough to improve the living standards of the population. Besides, many countries are now adopting more sustainable farming practices which have much lesser impact on the environment.

However, despite these benefits, the harm due to shrimp farming on the coastal ecosystem is too grave to be ignored. In the last couple of decades, about 35% of the mangrove forests have vanished. Mangroves offer extremely rich biodiversity. The roots of mangrove plants provide habitat for a large number of species including oysters, snails, algae, sponges, shrimps and lobsters. The roots of mangrove trees also help prevent erosion and enhance the deposition of sediment in the area. This sediment usually traps heavy metals and when mangroves are removed, these heavy metals cause contamination of sea water.

Mangroves also protect from a number of natural disasters such as hurricanes and tsunamis. Because of the huge biodiversity offered by mangroves, and the benefits they provide in protection against erosion and natural disasters, it makes a lot more sense to conserve mangroves. A clinching argument in favor of mangroves is that a natural disaster like a tsunami can be a huge drain to a countrys resources and since mangroves prevent such disasters, in the long run, a mangrove forest may be more beneficial in the long run.

Ecologists and resource scientists would best serve the public by sticking to pure science rather than trying to support political positions of democratically elected representatives. This is because politicians need huge funds in order to get elected and these funds are often provided by rich businesses whose interests are contrary to what is beneficial for the public. Rich businesses are only interested in making money, no matter what the cost. They are often not bothered by the fact their actions may be hurting the environment and the ecosystems. When these businesses fund political parties, they usually expect something in return.

These favors include support for their business activities, which may be harmful to the ecosystem. When politicians are under pressure from the rich businessman, they need scientific studies to support their decisions to the general public and may put undue pressure on scientists to come up with conclusions which may support the businesses. Such pressure can result in scientists coming up with recommendations which harm the ecosystems rather than benefit them.

The benefits which the general public can derive from a successful business are limited and short term. However, a rich and thriving ecosystem has long term benefits. So if scientists want to serve the public better, they should stick to pure science because politicians find it difficult to go against the recommendations of scientists and if science supports ecosystems than policy makers are left with no choice but to conserve these ecosystems for the benefit of mankind.

In Africa, forest loss is mainly due to conversion of forest land into small-scale permanent agriculture. Africas population is growing at the rate of about 2.5% and between 1980 and 2006 it grew from 472 million to 943 million and is expected to reach 1.2 billion by 2020. This growing population needs food and so more and more forests are being cleared for agriculture purposes. At present, deforestation in Africa is mainly to carry out small scale permanent agriculture and it accounted for 60% of land use change.

In Latin America, deforestation is attributed mainly to large scale permanent agriculture and unsustainable harvesting of timber. About 45% of land use change in Africa can be attributed to conversion of forests to large scale permanent agriculture.

In Asia, as in the case of Latin America, deforestation is mainly attributed to large scale permanent agriculture, which accounts for about 30% change in land use. However, in Asia, unsustainable harvesting also plays a major role. Also, in Asia, the same land is often used for a number of competing interests such as farms, timber plantation and residential areas.

Debt-for-nature swaps are transactions in which a part of outstanding debt of developing countries is forgiven in exchange for making local investments in conservation measures. The concept was first conceived by Thomas Lovejoy of the World Wildlife Fund to solve the twin problem of indebtedness of developing nations and its negative consequences on the environment. Debt-for-nature swaps may be commercial or bilateral. In commercial debt-for-nature swap, a non-governmental organization (NGO) purchases the debt title from a commercial bank and transfers it to the debtor country in exchange for the country agreeing to enact certain environmental policies. Bilateral debt-for-nature swaps take place between two countries with one country forgiving the debt in return for some environmental commitments on the part of the debtor nation.

A biosphere reserve is a cooperative, conservative reserve created to protect the biological and cultural diversity of a region while promoting sustainable economic development. Biosphere reserves are established under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Program on Man and the Biosphere established in 1974. In order to be designated a biosphere reserve, the ecosystem must be nominated by the national government and approved by the UNESCO. A biosphere reserve must have three elements: Core Areas, Buffer Zones and Transition or Co-operation Zones.

The core area is the securely protected site for conserving the biological diversity. The buffer zones surround the core areas and may be used for cooperative activities compatible with the ecosystem. The transition zone is the area which contains towns, farms, fisheries and other local communities. There are 368 biosphere reserves in 19 countries.

A wildlife preserve, on the other hand, is an area of land or water set aside from development or recreational use to protect wildlife and their habitats. Wildlife preserves may be established by federal, provincial or local governments as well as by private organizations and individuals to protect rare species from extinction. Wildlife preserves also serve other functions such as education, landscape protection and recreation. Wildlife preserves can be found under varied conditions in virtually all countries.

The argument in favor of as well as against cutting forest made by the conservationist and the timber companies are both trying to emphasize the economic benefits of their stands. Hence, as a judge, the only way I can decide whose argument is stronger is by seeing the actual figures which support either of the claims. The conservationist would have to come up with figures on how by protecting the ecology the forests contribute to the economy of a region and what is absolute numbers this benefit is going to be. Similarly, timber companies will have to come up with figures to show the economic benefits derived from production of timber.

Finding the exact figures for either of these is not very easy. The timber companies will not only have to factor in the direct jobs resulting from felling of trees and production of timber but also other jobs it could help create indirectly such as for carpenters, furniture stores etc. The conservationists would have to come up with figures on the loss to the economy by cutting down the forests. This is difficult, because the losses incurred by deforestation are not visible immediately but accrue over the years. I would need the services of a panel of economists to come up with these figures to help me decide which of the two options is economically more viable.

Oil and gas companies should never be allowed to drill in parks, monuments or wildlife refuges. These places serve several functions besides preserving the ecosystem and by allowing commercial oil and gas companies to drill in this places Earths ecosystem would be damaged even further. Oil can be very dangerous to the ecosystem of any place if it is allowed to spill on land or water. Oil spills in sea water have been known to cause deaths of many species and there is always a very real danger of fires. Oil spills on land would also prevent rain water from being absorbed by the land, thus affecting the water table of the area. Irrespective of how careful a drilling company is, a few spills are unavoidable and these could hurt the fragile ecosystem irreversibly. Also, parks, monuments and wildlife reserves serve as education and tourist hot spots.

By allowing commercial companies in such places, their educational and tourism value will be lost forever. Keeping all this in view, there are no circumstances under which any oil and gas company should be allowed to drill in parks or wildlife preserves.

Introduction

Production and consumption of material resources attract positive and negative externalities, which ultimately affect the environment. Contemporary environmental issues encompass the need for a safer, comfortable and able surrounding in light of biodiversity, pollution as well as population growth. The past of humanity is marked by the ability of humans to adapt to changes in the environment and lifestyle. Today contemporary global issues come with innovation and sustainability, which shape the production and consumption of material resources. The need for materials in todays industrial economies are immeasurable that reflects to the huge effects to the environment from consumption. Therefore, this paper touches on production and consumption of environmental resources to unveil the need for better lifestyle while reducing pollution.

Production of all types of consumer goods

A society that produces materials corresponds to at least one person consuming tons of raw materials annually. Environmental footmark of the highly producing industries is large comprising of manufacturing, processing and beyond consumption. The persistent trend on production that leads to consumption affects the global world. For instance, production of paper leads to escalating use of paper over the years, not to mention of increased wastes of paper polluting the environment. Consumption of material in the USA consists of an internal system of material flow brought about by production. Resources undergo mining, manufacturing, harvesting and processing to produce consumable products. The top in the list of these effects in is Japan and the United States of America. Due to globalization, the effects in these countries extend to developing countries due to imported goods (World Resource Institute 2010). Deforestation is pronounced in Malaysia, which causes high release of carbon IV oxide. This corresponds to high demand for goods from America and Europe.

Consumption by the household class accounts to high environment pollution of as fossil fuels released by cars. The household class consumes more than what they gain. Full life cycle of consumption unveils the high levels of direct emissions to the environment, which call for quick intervention to save the ecosystem.

Consumption of environmental resources

Consumption habits are caused by the environmental orientation of increasing demand and supply for products. Again, modifications in the industry and innovation of production methods call for a change in consumption habit. For instance, the production and consumption of coffee have undergone a revolution over the years. Over the years, coffee has been found in mixed forest agricultural environments that offer habitat for migratory birds. Nevertheless, the newly invented intensive technique to cultivate coffee in many places has led to minimizing forest canopies.

Increasing international wealth spells tragedies in our environment draining economic growth. The quest for a resource-effective green economy is fundamental in an environment defined by fossil fuels and pollution in the agricultural sector. Carbon IV Oxide released through production leads to 75% increase in environmental pressure. Such escalating affluence leads consumers to change their diets to meat and dairy foodstuffs. As such, livestock is heavily consumed affecting seventy percent of fresh water and reduced crops. This has a fundamental effect to increased fertilizer pollution and poor drainage systems. Environmental effects of consumption and production are directly related. These are priority products as well as resource materials such as meat diet, and agriculture. The ultimate impact of such activities is increased carbon IV oxide and land pollution.

Efforts that must be considered on production and consumption habits to sustain the global population

Production and consumption of material resources attract positive and negative externalities, which ultimately affect the environment. Focus on pollution regulations, quest by the public and an escalating awareness aims at improved environmental performance that proves profitable to consumers and agricultural industry. Invented technologies, innovated products and reconfigured ways of production improve the effectiveness of resource utilization and reduce wastes. Many organizations are undertaking management practices that point to corporate social responsibilities to deliver products that positively influence the ecosystem (Michael 2009).

However, much has to be done in achieving a sustainably growing industrial environment. This encompasses the ecological and economical productions that will deliver success in business and ensure the environment is safe. Therefore, building sewerage system, having clean water and pollution free air is significant in having healthy ecosystem. Such endeavors contribute to the public good while improving business in terms of shareholder value and return on assets.

Conclusion

Viability of these strategies and recommendations are based on the cost benefit principle while reclining wastes or preventing pollution. For instance, USA undertakes landfill space to dump wastes, which demands over sixteen hundred square miles. Such landfill will contain United States wastes for a millennium.

Ultimately, observing inter-generation equity and intra-generation equity in production and consumption habits to sustain the global population is important in globalized world. The need for materials in todays industrial economies are immeasurable that reflects to the huge effects to the environment from consumption. Since production and consumption is a vicious cycle, sustainability needs one to consider measures from the two aspects.

References

Michael, C., (2009). Contemporary Environmental Issues. New York: Kendall/Hunt Pub.

World Resource Institute (2010). Global environmental trends: Production and consumption. Web.

Introduction

To ensure the continuity of humanity, we have to develop a sustainable world. Sustainability is divided into environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Environmental sustainability is attained through ensuring that the processes that people are involved with use up the natural resources at a rate at which they can be replaced naturally. Economic sustainability involves distributing and allocating the natural resources fairly to ensure economic growth while ensuring that we do not exhaust the resources.

Social sustainability ensures that the well-being of individuals and the environment in which they live in are upheld (Ekins 48). This paper explores ways through which we can develop sustainable world both for ourselves and for future generations.

A sustainable world

I am living in a sustainable world. At home I use sustainable appliances that are energy-efficient. The source of energy for cooking, lighting, heating water and space and supporting other appliances is renewable and emits less harmful gases into the atmosphere. This energy is generated from renewable sources such as solar panels that use nanotechnology, geothermal power, hydroelectricity and wind, ocean energy. These sources provide energy which can be replenished and does little harm to the environment. To save on water, I use sound-wave showers and washing machines

When going to wok every morning and I use sustainable means of transport. I can walk, cycle, drive, or use the car sharing service. My car is electricity powered and does not emit harmful gases into the atmosphere. When I come back home after a long day, I relax and get some entertainment. The entertainment gadgets are eco-friendly, mostly using solar energy. The music and audiovisual systems are all sustainable and energy-efficient.

The cities have grown very big and most people live in them. The world is interconnected fully due to developments in information and communication technologies. Communication is greatly advanced and interaction with people is easy through GPS technology, internet, teleconferencing, and mobile phones. Everyone has access to a computer and the internet in their homes. Human intelligence can be enhanced through implanting computer chips into the brain. Contents of a human brain can be read by uploading them to a computer.

In education, topics that encourage people to work towards maintaining sustainability have been incorporated in the curriculums. There are topics about global warming, globalization, healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, importance of using renewable energy and efficient consumption of energy. The home designs and the materials used in the construction of houses are also sustainable. Sustainable homes are built with renewable raw materials such as bamboo, hemp, natural rubber, linoleum, among others.

Both land and air transports are greatly advanced. People are using sustainable means of transport like cycling, walking, sailing hybrid vehicles, solar and hydrogen powered vehicles. Air transportation is also sustainable. The aviation industry is able to meet the high air transportation demand and has reduced negative effects on the environment. Air transportation is efficient because of adoption of the mechanism where several planes fly together while being directed by one leader.

The planes do not make any noise and emit less carbon dioxide into the environment. The cost of travel is also very low as the airplanes use sustainable and cost-effective fuel such as nuclear energy, liquid methane and liquid hydrogen. The traveling experience is now more personalized, fun and convenient. Road transportation is also safe, cost-effective, and environmental friendly. The vehicles use less energy and fuels from renewable sources such as hydrogen and electricity. There is reduced congestion on the road due to the adoption of the car sharing service.

An example of an innovative eco-friendly model is the car sharing program. Car sharing provides access to vehicles for hire for short periods of time. Cars in this network are located in different locations where clients can easily access them. The clients make reservations and are charged according to the miles that they cover. This program contributes to social, economic and environmental sustainability in various ways. The number of cars is reduced on the road because the clients who use this mode of transport leave their cars at home.

Fewer cars on the road means that the amount of emissions from vehicles such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and soot released into the environment are also reduced. Car sharing programs also use smaller cars and with better standards of carbon emissions. Reduction of cars on the roads leads to decongestion and therefore convenience in travel. This program also reduces the number of miles that are driven by vehicles because of the incentive of paying as you drive. This service also saves on energy consumption.

In a future sustainable world, car sharing is the most widely used mode of transport. Almost all people leave their cars at home and adopt this eco-friendly transport service. Therefore there are no traffic hold ups on the roads and people get to their destinations on time. The cars used in this service are eco-friendly. The cars are electricity powered and therefore they do not contribute to environmental degradation.

They do not emit any harmful gases and the engines produce less noise. These vehicles also use less energy and the transportation costs are very low. The vehicles use green electricity sources which are renewable and therefore, the environmental resources can not be depleted. The services are efficient and the cars can be availed at the clients doorsteps. The car sharing services are interconnected with other mass means of transport like trains and this has led to increased efficiency in transportation. There is improved safety, less environmental degradation, increased comfort and less consumption of fuel.

These cars are also independent as they can drive themselves. All a client does is to key in details of the destination and the car takes him/ her there. The cars also have installed sensors that locate a parking space and park themselves. In addition, when the vehicle gets scratched, it gets repaired through a self-repairing mechanism. The cars also have sensors to detect heavily congested routes and therefore avoid them. Moreover, the vehicles have the capability to detect the possibility of an accident and therefore, they automatically slow down.

According to McDonough and Braungart, the current product designs are negatively impacting on the environment and therefore, we need to come up with more creative eco-friendly designs to remedy the situation. Products designers need to look at the natural organization and create products that do not affect the environment. Industrialization has led to the creation of products, buildings and other equipment that are detrimental to the ecosystem (McDonough and Braungart 18). The current measures aimed at attaining a sustainable world such as reducing carbon and greenhouse emissions and recycling products can not effectively protect the ecosystem.

Developing products while bearing in mind the environmental safety can help in combating the problem of environmental degradation. We need to develop products that do not leave any waste. Remedies like recycling are not effective since they result in products of lower quality than the original. Such strategies only reduce environmental degradation instead of getting rid of it completely. The processes of manufacturing and environmental preservation do not need to conflict but can complement each other. This can happen if products that are manufactured do not negatively impact on the environment but contribute to its preservation (McDonough and Braungart 6).

The suggestions of McDonough and Braungart are very practical in attaining a sustainable world. This is because their adoption can help to avoid environmental degradation before it occurs, instead of allowing it to happen and then trying to remedy it, as is the case with the current strategies. This strategy can help to develop a sustainable future where the environmental resources are not depleted.

According to Goleman (12), many consumers are ignorant of the environmental impacts of the products that they purchase. Many products contain chemicals that are harmful to us and the environment. Providing information on exactly how every product is made, its contents and the impact of the production process to the environment will enable consumers to make informed choices on the things that they buy. They will avoid buying products that have devastating effects on the environment.

Ensuring that customers are fully aware of the environmental implications of products is very sensible. Implementing this suggestion by Goleman will lead to the development of a sustainable world. This is because the enlightened consumers will refuse to buy products with harmful environmental effects and consequently, the manufacturers will have to adjust their manufacturing methods to produce eco-friendly products. This will lead to reduced environmental degradation and thus, a sustainable world.

Working towards Sustainability

In order to achieve the dream of a sustainable world, I am taking some steps. I am using solar power for cooking, heating and lighting, which is a renewable source of energy so as to ensure that the natural sources are not depleted. I also consume locally grown food to reduce the amount of emissions that are produced by vehicles in transporting the food. I have planted a vegetable garden from where I get my food. Moreover, I eat less meat and more vegetables to reduce my carbon imprint on the environment. I have also adopted sustainable means of transport. I walk, ride a bicycle or use the car sharing services.

This reduces the carbon emissions into the environment and also reduces congestion on the roads. It also saves on fuel consumption (Tolley 138). I also use water sparingly and recycle it. I also water my vegetable garden in the morning or evening when little evaporation takes place. I also harvest rain water and use it in the house. In addition, I reuse materials to reduce the amount of waste as it pollutes the environment.

Conclusion

The natural environment has been seriously degraded and if steps are not taken to remedy the situation, our planet might be unable to support human life. If the environment is completely degraded, it will be unable to sustain humanity, and therefore human beings risk getting extinct. Sources of energy have been depleted and the environment has been polluted. That is why everyone should take a personal initiative to work towards developing a sustainable world. People should adopt sustainable lifestyles in order to save our ecosystem and leave a better world for future generations.

Works Cited

Ekins, Paul. Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability: The Prospects for Green Growth. New York: Routledge, 2000. Print.

Goleman, Daniel. Ecological Intelligence: The Hidden Impacts of What We Buy. New York: Broadway Books, 2010. Print.

McDonough, William, and Braungart Michael. Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. New York: North Point Press, 2002. Print.

Tolley, Rodney. Sustainable Transport: Planning For Walking and Cycling In Urban Environments. USA: Woodhead Publishing, 2003. Print.

Introduction

China has numerous environmental issues that have severe impacts on the biophysical environment of the country as well as on the human health (Chen, Zhao, & Kan, 2013). The major contributors of these environmental issues include the lax environmental oversight as well as the countrys rapid industrialization. A review of the state of pollution in China shows that the country has the highest level of pollution in the majority of its cities (Streets et al., 2007). The situation has been worse such that the Chinese government has taken the responsibility towards the mitigation of the environmental issues affecting the country. Significantly, there has been some progress as far as the reduction of the level of pollution in the country is concerned despite the government being criticized for having not done much. Such criticism has been seen in citizens activism to compel the government to ensure that environmental pollution decreases by making sound decisions that are focused on the reduction of the damages currently witnessed on the environment (Sun et al., 2004). One of the significant environmental problems in China nowadays is Smog. This problem has had enormous effects that warrant investigation (Zhang, Song, & Cai, 2007).

Sun et al. (2004) pointed out that smog has adverse impacts on the human health as well as on plants and vegetation. Since smog results from the accumulation of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere, it is more likely that places that are highly populated are vulnerable to smog occurrence. This is attributed to the fact that high population increases the probability of smog formation due to numerous industrial processes. China is one of the top countries in the world in terms of air population. As such, this research focuses on the analysis of the casual factors of smog and its effects in Beijing, China.

Background information

Smog refers to a combination of various air pollutants such as volatile organic elements, and nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight to form ozone. The origin of smog can be traced back in 1900s when it was used in the description of fog and smoke combination that was experienced in London blanketing the entire city. However, in the modern reference to smog, it is considered to be a more complex mixture of a number of air pollutants that are responsible for the formation of ground-level ozone. In most of the cases, smog occurs in most cities of industrialized nations. This is based on the fact that most of the smog-forming pollutants originate from numerous consumer products, factories, power plants and automobile exhausts. Major urban areas contribute to the formation of smog due to increased use of boats, trucks, buses, industries, and cars

Towards the start of the year 2013, Beijing experienced a form of air pollution that had never been witnessed in the city before. It included the combination of haze and fog and caused respiratory problems to residents of the city. Over the past years, Beijing has been undergoing rapid urbanization. Normally, urbanization involves the expansion of citys scale which attracts the growth of population, environmental pollution, traffic congestion, as well as the emergence of other types of urban problems. In the case of Beijing, achieving the objectives of urbanization has not been without numerous problems following the call for extraneous population. Based on the high rate of population growth in the city, excessive resources have to be consumed, which are more likely to increase the percentage of pollutants in the atmosphere. For this reason, the high level of air pollution in this city can be attributed to increased population, urbanization, as well as industrialization.

Causes of Smog

Most of the causal factors of smog include vehicles, factories, and consumer products. In fact, almost 50% of all smog is as a result of emissions by vehicles. The relationship between such factors and weather patterns is highly associated with the occurrences of smog. The most common types of smog are two, and include photochemical and sulfur smog. The photochemical smog is mostly formed in urban areas and it is caused by an increase in the level of nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbon vapors in the atmosphere when exposed to sunlight. On the other hand, sulfur smog forms due to the presence of high sulfur oxide levels in the atmosphere. The other causal factors are as discussed below;

1. 1. Coal

The utilization of coal in some power-producing plants leads to the formation of sulfur smog. This is because the process involves the discharge of high sulfur oxide concentrations. The effects may be worse if the level of dampness and air suspended has a high percentage of particulate matter. In addition, if coal is burnt, it leads to the generation of high amounts of smoke which increase the prevalence of smog occurrence. According to Zhou (2014), the effects of smog in China and other countries often lead to the closure of schools, airports, and roads.

2. 2. Vehicular and Industrial Emissions

The transport sector is known for high emission of pollutants due to the utilization of fossil fuels for use as sources of energy in buses, cars, trucks, boats, and motorbikes. Such emissions contribute a large percentage to the formation of smog. Industries also produce high levels of gaseous fumes and matter, which contribute to smog formation (Zhou, 2014). As a result, most of the smog that is witnessed in urban cities is due to the vehicular emissions. The primary components that contribute to smog formation are sulfur oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and other volatile organic compounds. These components react with heat, sunlight, ammonia, and moisture leading to the formation of toxic particulates, vapors and other ozone components that constitute smog.

3. 3. Natural Causes

There are also some natural causes of smog such volcanic eruptions (Hu, Xu, & Jia, 2011). Volcanic eruptions lead to the emission of sulfur oxide, concentrated discharges, and particulate matter to the atmosphere which are the main components for the formation of smog. The percentage of radiocarbons in some plant lives is among the highest causes of smog in some areas, especially those with different types of trees.

The rate of industrialization in China is high, and has contributed largely to various forms of pollution that the country is experiencing nowadays. For example, air pollution in China is a significant health and environmental problem. The high level of air pollution in China is attributable to various pollution agents and activities such as the combustion of fossil fuels that result in the emission of harmful gases to the atmosphere alongside other particulate matter. Smog forms one of the major air pollutants in Beijing, which has caused enormous health challenges and environmental problems (Zhang, Song, & Cai, 2007). While the government of China is working hard to ensure that there are necessary measures to curb the increased level of air pollution and smog occurrences in the country, such objective cannot be achieved without understanding the specific causes of smog. This is attributable to the fact that any remedy and measures taken should focus on permanently dealing with the problem rather than just a temporal remedy. Thus, the major question is what causes smog in China and specifically in Beijing.

The increased level of air pollution and specifically smog can be blamed on the high rate of population growth in Beijing. For example, in 2012, Beijing had a population of 19,720,000 people. According to the recent estimates, the citys population grows at a rate of more than 500,000 people each year. Such a high population strains the existing resources while at the same time increasing the consumption of compounds that emit gases that are harmful to the atmosphere. The major sources of energy in China include natural gas, electricity, gas, and goal (Hao et al., 2007). The combustion of coal gas has significant impact on the amount of harmful emissions released to the air. Such assertion is based on the fact that coal gas contains carbon monoxide, methane, and hydrogen gases (Sun et al., 2004). In addition, in case the coal gas undergoes incomplete purification, hydrogen sulfide gas, a major source of sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide, will be present.

On the other hand, the growth in the population of Beijing has greatly increased the number of automobiles in the city as well as their use. As noted above, cars, boat, and trucks contribute a considerable percentage of the total air pollution in China. The implication in the case of Beijing, is that the high use of automobiles contributes greatly to the increased air pollution in the city and specifically, the occurrence of smog. In spite of the fact that the government of Beijing has taken a number of initiatives towards controlling automobiles growth in the city, there has been an enormous growth of cars and trucks in the China since 2011. For example, in 2012 alone, the number of automobiles in Beijing was more than 5,000,000 units. Given the high contribution of automobiles exhausts to air pollution, it is more likely that the air pollution in Beijing will continue to increase with increasing automobiles and peoples population (Wang et al., 2013). Such argument can be backed up by the fact that about 30-60% of air pollution during the beginning of the twenty-first century came from emissions of automobile exhaust.

Smog occurrence in Beijing is also caused by the high percentage of emissions from the industries within the city and its neighbors (Shao, Tang, Zhang, & Li, 2006). When Beijing applied to host the Olympics Games in 2008, numerous policies were implemented that ensured that there was reduced rate of air pollution during the Olympics (Streets et al., 2007). Such approaches included an arrangement of the industrial structure in the city during which the Beijing coking plant was shut down and operations moved to Tangshan. During the period of the entire period of the Olympics, the city recorded an improvement of 60% in terms of the reduction in air pollution (Streets et al., 2007). In spite of this, everything changed after the games were over.

Additionally, the areas surrounding the city highly consume coal which is a major source of air pollution (Ma, Xu, Zhao, & Yan, 2012). The location of Beijing is in the neighborhood of Inner Mongolia and Sahnxi province, which are known for the production of coal in China. For this reason, much of the air around the city is polluted with various particulate matters that are significant for the formation of smog. Furthermore, Beijing is located in the midst of Yanshan Mountain and Taihang Mountain. As such, the citys terrain is suitable for Heat Island Effect. Its low-lying terrain makes it hard for air pollutants from the neighboring areas to diffuse out (Sun et al., 2004). For this reason, Beijing has a high percentage of air pollutants which trigger the occurrence of smog.

The major challenge as far as the problem of smog and general air pollution in China is concerned is the fact that the country relies heavily on the production of steel which is burned using coal. The implication is that it can be significantly difficult to eliminate the use of coal in the country as it currently stands as Chinas major source of energy. For this reason, solving the problem of smog in Beijing would call for robust measures to reduce the consumption of coal in the country.

Effects of Smog in Beijing

The fact that smog formation involves harmful air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide is enough conviction that smog can have disastrous impacts on the environment, property, as well as human health (Wang, Zhuang, Xu, & An, 2007). Some of the health consequences of smog include respiratory problems, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma (Zhang, Song, & Cai, 2007).

Smog has adverse impacts on different aspects of peoples health. For example, high levels of smog can cause irritation of the throat, chest, eyes, and nose. These effects are caused by the increased ozone levels that affect the respiratory system, leading to wheezing and coughing. Even though the irritation and coughing can disappear after a few days, smog can still damage the lungs, leading to permanent breathing difficulties. Damaging of the lung brings the conditions of pneumonia, emphysema, and bronchitis, due to the adverse effects of smog to the lining of the lungs. According to Sun et al. (2004), most of the respiratory problems lead to premature deaths or cancer diseases. According to empirical evidence, swallowing of smog particles can lead to premature deaths as evidenced in countries like Europe, USA, and Asia. This is attributable to the fact that some of these particles have the cancer causing carcinogens that may include benzene and butadiene. Exposure of asthmatic people to smog can worsen their conditions and lead to regular asthma attacks.

On the human health, more effects include low birth weights and birth defects. Exposure of pregnant women to smog leads to birth of children with various defects (Zhou, 2014). For instance, such women are likely to bear children with spinal column malformations and anencephaly. This is a condition of total absence or underdevelopment of brain parts. As a result, such babies have lower chances of survival or if they survive, they live with several abnormalities. In addition, exposure to smog puts people at the risk of rickets development. The victims develop rickets because smog blocks UV rays from reaching the service of the earth. As a result, the amount of Vitamin D produced is low due to the slow rate of metabolism of phosphorus and calcium available in the bone marrow.

The last effect on human health is that people are at a risk of plane crashes and road accidents. Such accidents are due to the interference caused on the natural visibility as well as the irritation caused by smog to the eyes (Sun et al., 2004). The drivers or pilots are then barred from seeing important signals or signs, therefore causing accidents. The effects of smog are very severe on human health since human bodies do not have adequate immunity against smogs harmful effects. Highly populated areas are likely to engage in numerous industrial processes that lead to the emission of the particulate matter appropriate for smog formation. As a result, smog is common in such areas. In spite of the fact that smog may cover large areas, most of the people who are affected are kids, old people, and those with respiratory and cardiac complications.

On the other hand, smog also causes several negative effects to the plants and vegetation (Wang et al., 2013). For instance, crops, trees, and vegetables that are exposed to smog may have slow or no grow while others are damaged. In addition, exposure of such vegetables and crops like wheat, tomatoes, cotton, kales, peanuts, and soybeans to smog interferes with their infections fighting ability. This weakness makes them more susceptible to diseases. Due to poisoning of the natural environment which is the habitat or most animals, some of the animals end up dying. For instance, photochemical smog is known to cause irritation of sensitive plant and animal tissues thus, leading to the destruction of plants life and death of animals.

Concerns have been raised over the occurrence of smog and the increased air pollution in Beijing, as well as the effects of such pollution. As noted earlier, smog comprises of harmful gases including sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and dust (Sun et al., 2004). The 2013 smog occurrence had adverse health impacts on residents of Beijing. For example, there were high cases of cancer following the presence of minuscule cancer-causing particles following the smog (Zhang, Song, & Cai, 2007). In addition, smog occurrence causes heavy fog whether that can go for a number of days and can lead to death of people and destruction of vegetation and property.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The current problem that Beijing and the rest of China face with respect to the smog occurrence and general air pollution can be blamed on existing problems with the environmental supervision and management in the country. Over the past years, the government of China was actively-involved in the control of environment. For example, the enactment of several laws was a significant step towards the conservation and management of the environment. In spite of such achievements in terms of setting up environmental regulations, reportedly, the implementation and supervision of these laws has been slow. In addition, the environmental monitoring agencies have funding challenges which implies that the efficiency of such bodies regarding the supervision and management of environment is low. For this reason, there is a need for improved supervision and management of the environment in China. Such improvement should take consideration of the important aspects such as source for funds to ensure that the environment regulatory bodies are efficient in their monitory services. Such an approach will not only reduce smog pollution but also the consumption of coal.

Considering the adverse impacts of smog to the environment and the health of individuals, the government of china ought to come up with appropriate measures to deal with the caudal factors of smog, and other air pollutants. As such, cleaning the air is the only appropriate approach that can safe Beijing from future smog. Even though the smog occurrence of 2013 led to the adoption of a number of measures by the government, there is still the need for more actions. For example, to specifically address the impacts brought about by air pollution on the health of individuals, the government should increase its advocacy for clean energy transformation as well as the use of alternative sources of energy. This can be achieved by advocating for the use of natural gas in most of the areas that require energy rather than coal. Additionally, old automobiles that have high emissions should be banned from operations.

Lastly, the initiatives already started regarding environmental supervision and management such as the control of dust pollution ought to be strengthened. Such initiatives can be successful if a lot of emphasis is put on strict adherence to set laws and regulations on environmental protection. However, there is the need to put consider future urbanization cases while developing any environmental protection laws.

References

Chen, R., Zhao, Z., & Kan, H. (2013). Heavy smog and hospital visits in Beijing, China. American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 188(9), 1170-1171.

Hao, J., Wang, L., Shen, M., Li, L., & Hu, J. (2007). Air quality impacts of power plant emissions in Beijing. Environmental Pollution, 147(2), 401-408.

Hu, G., Xu, Y., & Jia, L. (2011). Effects of relative humidity on the characterization of a photochemical smog chamber. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 23(12), 2013-2018.

Ma, J., Xu, X., Zhao, C., & Yan, P. (2012). A review of atmospheric chemistry research in China: Photochemical smog, haze pollution, and gas-aerosol interactions. Advances in atmospheric sciences, 29(1), 1006-1026.

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Zhou, W. (2014). Smog in China: Trends, Causes and Countermeasures. AMR, 1010-1012, 311- 314.

Introduction

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) consists of 7 Emirates, namely, Ajman, Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah, and Fujairah (Abu Dhabi Government, 2012). Commercial exploitation owing to a burgeoning human population, along with extremes of heat has combined to put a strain on the environment. This has now threatened the marine environment, wildlife, and the human population as well. The UAE government treats the issue of environmental sustainability with a lot of seriousness.

As a way of affirming its seriousness in addressing environmental issues, the UAE government has assumed the crucial responsibility of sponsoring massive campaigns aimed at promoting green projects in tall of the seven Emirate states of the UAE. One of these environmental sustainability projects that have received the support of the UAE government is Masdar City, located in the UAE.

The essay below aims to research the Masdar City with a view to determining its aims and objectives, vision and mission, as well as the kind of impact that it would have on society, the environment, and the people of Abu Dhabi. Specifically, the research shall seek to explore the major benefits that the project hopes to achieve the economy and in creating an eco-friendly environment. Finally, the researcher shall also endeavor to evaluate the project in terms of credit worthiness to society and its relevance if established.

The UAE government happens to be the main sponsor of Masdar City. On the other hand, the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company has been charged with the responsibility of building this mega project. The Abu Dhabi Energy Company is part of the larger Mubadala Development Company. The fundamental designing principle of Masdar City is aimed at ensuring that the design is eco-friendly (Ling & Pearson, 2012).

The project is also expected to be executed in 7 phases, with the completion period anticipated within a decade. The first phase of the Masdar City project is anticipated to be completed early next year (2013). Masdar is an Arabic term that when translated becomes City, which is also said to mean The source in Arabic, is said to have a total cost amount of Dhs 18 Billion upon its completion.

Aims and Objectives of the project

By initiating the Masdar City project, the UAE hopes to achieve several aims and objectives. It is important to note that one of the reasons why Masdar City was established was so that the project could help to promote sustainable development not just in the US, but the world over as well.

To start with, the Masdar City project is meant to foster sustainable development in the United Arab Emirates, especially in the state of Abu Dhabi. This is because, at the moment, energy generation happens to be one of the most marketable ventures in the global economy (Carvalho, Hardy & Gunna, 2009). As such, by venturing into a green project of this kind, the Abu Dhabi government wishes to be a pioneer in green energy solutions not just in the Middle East, but in the world as well.

Another aim of the Masdar City project is to trigger economic diversification by developing an alternative energy sector, over and above the conventional energy sector. What this means is that besides irrigation and other income generating economic activities, Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates as a whole will be able to create more avenues for earning revenue. Also, the project hopes to employ a variety of renewable power sources, among them being the construction of a 40-60 megawatt solar power plant, to supply power for all other construction activity and also to host the worlds largest hydrogen power plant (Carvalho et al., 2009).

There is also the issue of hosting the Institute of Science and Technology. It is important to note that the Institute of Science and Technology uses 70% less power and water in comparison with other normal buildings. The Abu Dhabi government is optimistic that the emirate will be converted into the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy (IRENA) (Meray, 2010).

This is an important move, as it would enable Abu Dhabi to foster total reliance on solar energy and other renewable energy sources, with an aim to promoting zero carbon emissions, and zero waste ecology, et cetera. Furthermore, the project is also aimed at ensuring that Abu Dhabi becomes the best place globally about environmental protection. In an attempt to depict the level of seriousness of the Abu Dhabi government in tackling environmental issues, the Masdar City project is also projected to help reduce to zero any biological waste and industrial waste is to be recycled for other purposes.

Vision

The developers of this project had the vision of creating an eco-friendly city that will foster energy solutions and to foster prosperity and economic growth and development of both the people and the environment.

Mission

The mission of this project is to be the worlds center for future energy solutions.

The impact of the Masdar city on the people and Environment of Abu Dhabi

The Masdar City project is expected to have a huge impact on the environment, people, as well as the economy of Abu Dhabi and the UAE as well. First, the use of solar panels shall result in the generation of both electricity and cooling effects, and this will have an impact on the lives of thousands of Abu Dhabi residents. Also, there is the issue of reducing water wastage by ensuring that waste water is first treated then used to irrigate plants on the landscape.

This is extremely necessary because there are no renewable sources of fresh water in the United Arab Emirates; most of its water comes from desalinization of the plants. In this perspective, therefore, the water treatment plant is highly essential to ensure that safe drinking water and sanitation services can be accessed by all residents (Dilworth, 2007).

Moreover, the project will result in easy transportation network by ensuring the design of walking and cycling lanes on the roads. This will help to ease traffic congestion. It will also lead to decreased wastes by ensuring that biological wastes have been recycled to create nutrient-rich soil and fertilizers. The energy site being developed in an eco-friendly manner will lead to the attainment of carbon-neutral levels of pollution.

We should also not forget that the project is bound to result in the creation of employment opportunities for the natives of the area, due to investments taking place. Also, there is a dire need for cheap labors by the recycling plants which help generate energy and power. It is important to note that Masdar City has attracted retailers and various companies in the area, therefore, creating a one-stop shopping zone for the residents of the place (Meray, 2010).

Many companies have also been established in the area and are keen on doing business in the region. Generally, the United Arab Economy as a whole seeks to benefit from the Masdar project and not just Abu Dhabi. This is because the generated energy is a source of income, and also the investments attracted help to boost the economy. The retail shops in the area have a certain tax level to pay to the government, and in return, the government uses the tax revenue earned to develop infrastructure in other zones that are not as developed.

Evaluation of the program

The program is done in phases to enable the systematic completion of a strategic phase before another phase begins. Overall, the Masdar project has been more positive than negative. Its success rate can already be placed at a marginal value of more than 70%. The people living in the area are set to attain more benefits from the project basing on the fact that major benefits and accessibility to facilities are made more easily.

For instance, Water will be made more accessible, and therefore, proper sanitation fostered and encouraged. The fact that the area is to host the headquarters of the renewable energy agency makes the location an industrial area prone to high investments thus benefiting the people with access to employment in the plants, as these plants seek to obtain cheap labor from the inhabitants of the city.

Is that the city is planned to meet environmentally friendly regulations, health hazards that accrue to exposure to dangerous gases like carbon gases and other dangerous gases prone to industrial zones are reduced. It is due to the existence of the Masdar city project that the hotels inside and outside the city have continued to thrive.

Transportation has also improved immensely by the use of the rail system to transport people from one place to another. This is especially so because no automobiles are allowed inside the city, no wonder the large parking constructed outside the city to facilitate parking of the vehicles.

The project can also be said to be one of the biggest and globally challenging since even the energy renewable plant has already accrued a status of being the most environmentally friendly. This, therefore, means that it is very competitive about other energy renewable sources like those in Saudi Arabia and about other globally set environmental standards.

Conclusion

The Abu Dhabi government is committed to ensuring that it provides its residents with one of the most sustainable environments in the world. At the moment, the government is spearheading the development of Masdar City, a sustainable green city that is expected to benefit the locals immensely in terms of reducing traffic congestion, minimizing the use of fossil fuels, and most of all, acting as an ideal model for the development of green urban technology. Since the carbon mandate in Masdar City is comparatively low, the onus is on the retailers to ensure that they provide shared benefits.

Reference List

Abu Dhabi Government. (2012). Environment Conservation in the UAE.

Carvalho, S., Hardy, W., & Gunna, D. (2009). First Solar to help power Masdar, UAEs green city. Web.

Dilworth, D. (2007). Zero carbon; Zero waste in Abu Dhabi.

Ling, J., & Pearson, B. (2012). How do we make green megacities?

Meray, A. (2010). Inauguration of Masdar Institute Campus at Masdar City underscores Abu Dhabis commitment to build a knowledge-based economy.

Introduction

Many times people wake up to find the surrounding covered with a mass of water droplets which impairs human visibility and to a certain extent forms due on objects and surfaces. Among the causes of this kind of situation is fog. Fog is a low-lying condensed water droplet from the air which are heavy enough to lie near the earths surface. Fog is denser than mist which has the same characteristics and can reduce visibility to less than a kilometer, as opposed to mist where visibility is clear further than a kilometer. Though they are less the same, fog and cloud can be differentiated due to the place of hanging in that clouds hang up high in the sky while fog hangs near the earths surface (Jacobson, 2005).

Fog is formed when there is a difference in temperature between two air masses and mostly when the cold air mass is trapped below a warmer air mass and relative humidity is or nears 100%. When relative humidity is 100%, it means that additional water vapor to the atmosphere cannot be handled and any addition of water vapor causes the formation of fog. Fog can also be formed as a result of a warm air current passing over a relatively cold surface area e.g. snow or ice. The density of fog to a greater extent depends on the height above sea level of the inversion boundary (Ackerman, S. Ackerman & Knox, 2011). Depending on where and how the cooling effect takes place, the appearance and lasting duration of fog are affected and using this scientists have been able to categorize fog into various groups namely steaming fog, radiation fog, freezing fog, ice fog, advection fog, evaporation fog, hail fog and sea fog.

Preference Places

Fog frequents areas, where warm currents and cold currents meet since here, is where the temperature difference usually occurs. The meeting of the warm Gulf Stream and the north cold Labrador Current makes the Grand Banks of Newfoundland the worlds foggiest place. Some other places in the world where fog occurrence is common to include California, Argentina, Newfoundland and Point Reyes. Fog also occurs in other relatively warmer areas which include; Tiber valleys in Italy, the Swiss plateau coastal Chile and coastal Namibia (Smithson, Addison & Atkinson, 2002).

Chemistry Explanation

It is the temperature fluctuations that cause the formation of fog when the difference between outdoor temperature and due point reduces significantly, becoming equal or nearly equal then fog forms. Because of this, the air mass becomes saturated and unable to contain additional moisture leading to the formation of water droplets (Moller, 2010). Dew point is the given level of temperature to which water vapor should be subjected in order to turn into a liquid. If dew point and temperature remain equal for long or temperature reduces while dew point remains constant the fog lasts for long before disappearing. If the temperature is equal or lower than the dew point and the temperature is increasing, the fog lasts for a shorter period of time sometimes, fog disappearing significantly fast depending on how fast the temperature is increasing (Moller, 2010). It is also important to note that the dew point depends on pressure which has to remain constant for the dew point to be measured at a specific level. On the other hand, if both temperature and pressure decrease, the dew point will decrease hence relative humidity will increase and this will cause fog.

Environmental Hazards

Research has shown that fog water contains a lot of mineral irons like H⁺, NH₄⁺, NO₃^, and SO₄^2- which have different consequences to the environment. Also due to the fact that fog formation takes place close to the earths surface, its water is contaminated with the products from various emissions that take place daily making these water acidic and unfit for living organisms (Cotton, Bryan & Heever, 2010). Fog reduces visibility considerably impairing transport and leading to various problems including flight delays, airplane crashes, road accidents and shipwrecks. Fog also contains aerosols which due to decreased insulation harm agriculture productivity causing economic impacts. Black carbon which has been found in large quantities in fog is a cause of high radiative forcing and causes atmospheric warming (Guttepe, 2007).

Respiration and Gaseous Exchange Effect

Due to much humidity associated with fog, it has been noted that patients with asthma cough when they inhale fog. Fog causes diffuse radiation which enhances gaseous exchange by increasing carbon uptake. It has also been found through research that foggy conditions lead to an increase In particulates load which eventually causes rising in depression, respiratory and heart ailments (Cotton & Pielke, 2007). At the low temperatures where fog forms oxygen concentration is a high and decreased rate of metabolism reduces the respiration in animals.

Conclusion

Fog formation is an inevitable natural phenomenon that has negative environmental impacts on our community and what we can only do is to learn how to be prepared for it. Though fog is associated with many negative effects man has used it for beneficial purposes, for example, extraction of moisture in places where groundwater and rainwater are inadequate among other positive effects. It causes massive economical losses and should therefore be given enough attention in studying it and coming up with ways of coping with it.

References

Ackerman, Ackerman, S., & Knox, J. (2011). Meteorology. Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Cotton, R. W., Bryan, G., & Heever, V. S. (2010). Storm and Cloud Dynamics. Waltharn: Academic press.

Cotton, R. W., & Pielke, A. R. (2007). Human Impacts on Weather and Climate. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Guttepe, I. (2007). Fog and Boundary Layer Clouds: Fog Visibility and Forecasting. New York: Springer

Jacobson, Z. M. (2005). Fundamentals of Atmospheric Modeling. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Moller, D. (2010). Chemistry of the Climate System. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.

Smithson, P., Addison K., & Atkinson, K. (2002). Fundamentals of Physical Environment. New York: Routledge.