It should already be a red flag that there is a well-known term in the fashion/consumer industry called “fast fashion”. Similar to the concepts found in the fast food industry (and literally McDonald’s), fast fashion is there to keep up with the demand of American consumers and their ever changing tastes.
As for efficiency, defined as “the minimization of time as the optimal method for accomplishing a task”, in fast fashion, many of the clothing articles and accessories are being created in large factories overseas where products are quickly churned out by either machines or large staffs of workers (Boundless, 2016). This mechanization of goods production allows companies such as Forever 21, H&M, and Charlotte Russe to be able to keep up with trends and get products on the shelf as quickly as possible; sometimes and literally days after a runway show will feature its new trends for the season. The second component, calculability or “the quantifiable objectives of fast-food chains, seeing quantity as quality” can also apply to the fast fashion industry (Boundless, 2016). Similar to the point I made before in reference to the last component, the fast fashion industry is all about churning out goods in mass quantities. They do not care if the machines they use make the stitching on shirts and dresses produce weak and short lasting because the consumer buying these sorts of goods is more concerned with their immediate needs. For the industry, it is more important that they make as much as possible so more consumers can buy more product. I’m sure they also make poor quality clothing too so consumers come back to just buy a replacement a month later.
The third component, predictability, seen through a company or industry being able to provide “the same service and the same product every time they interact” can also apply to fast fashion (Boundless, 2016). Yes, for the most part, the exact clothing piece is not going to be the same style and design each time, which is expected in the fast fashion industry, but consumers know going into these stores exactly what they are going to get. They know that they are buying cheap, fashionable/trendy clothing, that is most likely not going to last a couple washes in the washing machine. In a more literal comparison, you could also argue that many of these fast fashion stores are also known for their basics (i.e. in women’s clothing, solid colored, polyester tank tops, t shirts, jeans). Consumers depend on these brands for carrying wardrobe staples time and time again. Every now and then, a consumer may get lucky and may purchase a well-made piece, but ultimately, they have a set expectation for the worst quality of the product they could be buying.
Lastly, for the last component, control, or “employees become standardized and replaced by non-human technologies” (Boundless, 2016). This component varies from brand to brand depending on how they chose to manufacture their goods, but it can be strongly agreed upon that most of the fast fashion clothing articles or even the textiles they are created from are made by machines and rarely by humans and even more rarely within the United States. Companies will easily outsource their manufacturing to countries that can provide cheap (and even inhumane and unethical) labor. Stepping away from the manufacturing side of fast fashion, you could also mention that fast fashion companies are starting to “control” the customer service sides of things. Automated responses and systems are used to deal with the large quantities of consumers flocking in with questions to the company as well I am sure
The definition of irrationality of rationality, or “the fifth aspect of McDonalization”, being “they deny the basic humanity… of the people who work within or are served by them” completely sums up the sad reality of the fast fashion industry as well (Boundless, 2016). The fast fashion industry has taken away all artistry associated with the beautiful world of garments and fashion and design that can be associated with Haute Couture and even high fashion. It strips away the creativity and creates a consumer monster machine. It has created an industry built on the dehumanization and unfair treatment of laborers, “low quality work”, and awful working conditions. It is completely an all for profit business with no one’s best interests at hand except for the top tier of the company profiting from it.
Fast fashion is a term used to describe inexpensive clothing produced rapidly in response to new trends. With exponentially increasing demand by consumer-driven production of cheap clothing, such prices are kept low through outsourcing manufacturing in low-income countries. Unsustainable garments are produced in a complicated process that requires an inordinate amount of resources. Due to the poor quality of mass-produced clothing, consumers are likely to wear the attire just a few times before throwing it away, and various facets in the clothing production process harm the environment, such as chemicals used to bleach, dye, and print on fabric. This issue is omnipresent, however, the process many people’s current clothing go through is not one widely publicized. I find it crucial that people start being informed on environmental issues impacting the health of each individual and their world. Being aware of fast fashion will aid communities as shoppers towards making choices to best avail them and others long term and individually. How does fast fashion affect the environment, and how can people assist in preventing the negative effects?
Textile waste generates numerous issues affecting the environment. Fabrics of garments are thrown away to landfills in accelerating numbers, worsening the health of the environment as detrimental materials are released. According to Solveig Fellows’ article, the fashion industry is responsible for most of the 2.5 billion pounds of clothing that end up in landfills every year. With fast fashion brands’ quality of clothing dwindling to keep up with trends, consumers are encouraged to view apparel as disposable. As stated in fast fashion expert Elizabeth Cline’s article, the lowest prices and trendiest styles of clothing are paramount as quantity is valued over quality, and clothes are being consumed similar to single-use goods. The demand for more mass-produced clothing transforms into a cycle to replace what is thrown away in shoppers’ closets. Tasha Lewis, a Ph.D. and assistant professor of Fiber Science, stated in an article that the U.S. generated over 14 million tons of textile waste in 2012 alone. The increasing textile waste added to landfills each year has adverse effects on the earth. The materials going into cheaply produced garments play a consequential effect on the environment as well. Petroleum-based materials pollute the environment by wastewater and oxygen-depleting materials. According to authors Marta Mae and Sara Victoria, synthetic textiles form a toxic and non-biodegradable waste at the end of their life cycle. Textile waste continues to present a significant issue exacerbating the condition of the environment.
The direct effects of the fast fashion industry on the environment are inimical. According to Solveig Fellows’ article, the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of the world’s carbon footprint. Producing a single piece of clothing takes up an immense quantity of resources and raw materials. Many fibers such as raw cotton, raw wool, and polyester contaminate ecosystems with chemicals from coloring processes using dye through runoff. According to Jessie O’Driscoll’s article, fibers such as nylon require water usage of up to 3,860 liters per kilograms and 150 megajoules per kilogram with several million tons of demand. Toxic wastewater and effluent are formed from the manufacturing process and produce high levels of air pollution. Untreated wastewater from dyes is often discharged into local water systems, releasing toxicants harmful to nearby residents and animals. Heavy pesticides and fertilizer used in resources to make certain fibers lead to reduced soil fertility and a loss of biodiversity.
While the fast fashion industry possesses a great threat to the health of the environment, there are numerous ways consumers can choose to shop smarter and lessen their support to environmentally unfriendly practices. One method that would make an impact is reducing purchases for clothing. According to the Oxfam charitable organization, the emissions from all the new clothes bought in the UK each month are greater than those from flying a plane around the world 900 times. Limiting purchases of attire to necessities of sustainable quality and timeless styles allows shoppers to save money and reduce their carbon footprint. Another alternative for consumers is to thrift. Second-hand garments provide an inexpensive option for people to recycle clothing and prevent having to purchase new, unsustainable garments. Alternatives remain present to fibers that are environmentally unfriendly as well. In Jessie O’Driscoll’s article, looking for fibers organically grown, degummed in factories with strict effluent treatment protocols, choosing recycled fabrics without catalytic agents, or substituting harmful fabric materials such as nylon and acrylic with natural fibers such as wool are all beneficial solutions to buttress slow fashion.
Unsustainable clothing instigates excessive amounts of issues towards the environment due to several causes. Large amounts of clothing are thrown away to landfills annually, and fabrics may take up to several hundred years to degrade, polluting water and air with toxic chemicals from bleach and carbon dioxide releasing chemicals. The environment is directly impacted as ecosystems perish from high emissions of carbon dioxide affecting climate and habitat conditions. Staying informed and educated on substantial issues such as fast fashion’s influence through an environmental aspect guides shoppers to make wholesome choices. Shopping sustainably aids in preventing pernicious effects towards the quality and survival of people’s lives. Every individual as a shopper can use information known about pollution from the fast fashion industry to stay aware of the consequences of specific purchases from various sources.
The clothing and textile industry accounts for 10% of the world’s carbon emissions, and only second to oil is the largest polluter in the world. The rate that we are producing, consuming and discarding clothing has already had a monumental environmental impact, and if action isn’t taken, one-quarter of our total impact on climate change will be due to clothing consumption alone by 2050. The essence of fast fashion is to make clothes cheaply and quickly, to get new trends and styles into stores and online as soon as possible, and it comes at a high social and environmental cost. Keeping production costs low means they can make their garments cheap and advertising campaigns big, using cheap labour in unsafe working conditions, and in countries with bad environmental regulations so that they also avoid repercussions.
Throw away culture is deeply rooted in our society, three in five of our clothing pieces end up in landfills or incinerators within a year. Fast fashion brands keep the consumer hungry and feeling like they need more by tempting them with newness and convincing you that you need what they’re selling. This only results in increasing textile waste as people will not even donate or recycle the clothing they no longer want but throw it away, a staggering three-quarters of Britons throw their unwanted clothes into landfills.
Criticisms of the fast fashion industry include its negative environmental impact, water pollution, the use of toxic chemicals and increasing levels of textile waste. Textile dyeing is the second largest polluter of clean water globally, after agriculture. Fast fashion companies rely on their products being made cheaply and quickly, and so cut corners when it comes to being conscious of their impact on the environment. Greenpeace’s recent Detox campaign revealed that many brands use toxic and hazardous chemicals in their supply chains, many of these chemicals are either banned or strictly regulated in lots of countries as they are toxic, bioaccumulative, disruptive to hormones and carcinogenic.
Growing cotton on a global scale requires lots of water, in countries already at risk of drought, and pesticides to avert crop failure. Some of the chemicals used in cotton agriculture are highly toxic and can have a devastating impact on livestock and humans, in one case, awful birth defects in Indian cotton farmers’ children. Although there is an increasing interest in organic and sustainable cotton, its use accounts for less than one percent of the entire world’s cotton crop, not nearly enough considering the cotton industry’s destructive nature.
In conclusion, the fast fashion industry has a detrimental effect on our environment through their unecological and unethical practices and only continues to perpetuate the problem through extreme consumerist culture. In order for change to happen, the masses need to open their eyes and stop the cycle. However, for significant change to happen, it’s, unfortunately, the companies that need to change their ways when it comes to their production lines, manufacturing, and their sell, sell, sell philosophy, which is unlikely to happen unless the consumer makes them.
In today’s day and age, websites are brimming with online catalogs. Stores like Forever 21, Zara and even H&M are all affordable places where people can get fashionable and trendy clothing at a low cost. This low cost, up to date, clothing is made possible by fast fashion. Fast fashion is a term used to describe affordable clothing produced rapidly in response to the newest trends. Although it may be argued that fast fashion is necessary for developing countries to be lifted out of poverty through employment in the fashion industry, ultimately fast fashion is unethical and society should replace it with other ethical alternatives such as secondhand shopping and eco-friendly laundry due to the detrimental impacts on the environment and the exploitation of workers.
To begin with, some say fast fashion aids second world countries in becoming more developed. Fast fashion often relies on sweatshops where workers in low developing countries work for long hours accompanied by low wages oftentimes in hazardous conditions. Most of the time, agricultural countries attempt to industrialize by constructing more factories that help to provide jobs that contribute to economic development. Brittany Hunter a writer for the Foundation for Economic Education cites Stephan Spath in her article “Banning sweatshops only hurts the poor” that when millions of people move away from subsistence living and into urban areas where factories are able to provide wages that allow for individuals to produce surpluses which can then be invested and spent, nations are able to rise out of poverty. However, although fast fashion does provide jobs ultimately fast fashion exploits workers by paying extremely low wages in dangerous conditions leaving laborers better off working at home rather than in these abysmal factories. This is because laborers are at less risk of getting injured from home while working, rather than working in these factories. Further proving the idea that sweatshops do not care for their workers. In another article titled “Clothing made for Next to Nothing. Worn by You?” by Elizabeth Paton, Paton investigates a new report by the University of California, Berkley where many women and children were interviewed about the exploitative conditions of workers. The report found“ninety-nine percent were paid less than the minimum wage under Indian law which varies from 39 cents per hour to $1.05 per hour”. Thus illustrating the money that these women acquire is not enough to make a living off of. Part of the reason for this is the government does not regulate wages allowing for companies to profit by underpaying their workers. Ultimately resulting in citizens of developing countries not economically progressing since wages are simply not enough to make a living off of, hence citizens are not able to earn the extra cash needed to be invested since they must fend for themselves first. Additionally, the horrendous working conditions of individuals has been proven to be deadly. Gloria Matheson recounts in her article ‘Fast Fashion Culture Repeatedly Proven to be Dangerous’ of the 2013 collapse of the Rana building in Bangladesh where over one thousand garment workers died and thousands more were injured. The incident would have been prevented had the company listened to workers who noticed cracks on the walls the day before, yet were still told to come in the next day which was “a clear signal that the company valued its profit as opposed to its workers’ lives”. In attempts to prevent hazardous working conditions, many factories have attempted to fix these precarious circumstances by following standard government codes, yet this only recently became the case due to fast fashion companies receiving backlash after the 2013 collapse. Regardless there is still risk involved since a vast majority of multinational corporations’ interests lie at creating profit for their brand name, consequently, in order to do this, they must resort to unscrupulous actions such as providing cheap working conditions that ultimately harm people.
Moreover, fast fashion hurts the already decaying planet by coaxing consumers to throw away their old clothes for more trendier ones. Fast fashion revolves around its ability to create clothing at an almost inhuman speed. By producing clothes almost weekly, consumers are tempted to buy new clothing, meaning older clothing is more likely to get tossed in the trash. Kamal Baher states in his article “All what Your Jeans can (and do) Hide!” that the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles is dumped into a landfill or burned every second. There is no question fast fashion contributes to the effects of climate change through the burning of articles of clothing. Owing to the fact that setting fire to anything leads to carbon emissions in the atmosphere which in turn prompts climate change or the long term rise in the average temperature of the earths’ climate thus, fast fashion aids in destroying the environment. Additionally albeit clothing is recyclable, the amount produced has outstripped people’s capacity to recycle it. Booth Moore quotes Andrew Morgan in his article’Unnatural Fit; ‘the True Cost’ Documentary Tallies the Devastating..’ how the average American discards “eighty-one pounds” of clothing every year and only ten percent of what gets donated is sold in thrift shops. Nevertheless millions of people still buy new clothes every day despite not needing them. Hence why fast fashion should be regarded with contempt. Moreover, oftentimes when looking at the tags of clothing the first material seen is polyester, which according to Hodakel Boris in his article titled “What is polyester fabric” polyester is a type of plastic which requires fossil fuels to create. As a result, this contributes to the global plastic problem and depletes the already finite number of non-renewable resources. Additionally Baher states when people wash their clothes, almost seventy thousand microscopic fibers often find their way into the ocean. Meaning all kinds of animals including turtles are being intoxicated and dying, leading to less biodiversity in the environment and the disruption of food chains as wholes. This disruption in the food chain directly affects humans especially fish and sushi lovers. Because fish use water for oxygen, and that water contains microscopic fibers, fish will consume them, resulting in humans also consuming them. Finally, fast fashion leads to millions of toxins being dumped out into rivers as stated by Kelly Drennan:
On average, it takes 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton t-shirt. That is enough water for one person for 900 days. An estimated 17 to 20 percent of total industrial water pollution comes from textile dyeing and treatment — and approximately 8,000 synthetic chemicals are used throughout the world to turn raw materials into textiles.
This validates the idea of fast fashion polluting the already limited fresh water supply. In many developing countries, freshwater is limited and is used carefully, yet for Americans, water is at the tip of their hands and they do not have to worry about where their water supply is going to come from. Moreover, the water developing countries do have is limited meaning whatever they receive, they receive. So if that means the water is polluted they’re going to have to make do with what they have. Which costs lives since developing countries can not afford to buy purifying water machines that will make the water safe to drink. Further proving the point that fast fashion should be reevaluated since it creates more pollution, and endangers animal and human lives.
Last but not least there are alternate methods to alleviate the environmental costs by being more eco-friendly when doing the laundry, as well as criticizing the unethical behavior of sweatshops through the consumption of secondhand clothing. In American elementary schools children are taught to use the three R’s or to reduce, reuse and recycle. Drennan states “…of the eighty-five percent of clothing dumped into landfills only fifteen is collected and reused”. Thus demonstrating if more people were to buy second-hand clothing then the pollution footprint of clothing would drastically decrease. Moreover, if society second-hand shops more often even if it means buying clothes that were initially made in sweatshops, people are not directly oiling the machine that runs fast-fashion retailers since most thrift stores donate their profits to charities. Secondly taking care of clothes in a more eco-friendly way leads to an extended time in which clothes can be worn. For example, by doing full loads of laundry and hanging clothes to dry, less water is wasted and more clothes are washed. This leads to less pollution of the oceans by microscopic plastic fibers. Moreover, hanging clothes to dry helps to extend the warranty of clothes especially jeans. The matter of the fact is there are more sustainable methods of acquiring clothes without buying from fast-fashion retailers which are overall immoral and unscrupulous.
Affordable and trendy clothes are at the tip of society’s fingers. Computers allow people to shop online at fashion brands like H&M, yet these tycoons are often the cause of millions of people exploited in sweatshops. Although it may be argued fast fashion is a necessity to raise developing countries out of poverty ultimately it is unethical and society should regard it with contempt through the use of other more sustainable alternatives in particular by doing laundry in an ecofriendly way and by shopping at second-hand stores.
Fast-fashion is ‘an approach to the design, creation, and marketing of clothing fashions,’ that skyrocketed at the start of the 21st century. This strategy combines three main ideologies: Quick response, frequent-assortment of changes, fashionable designs at affordable prices.
There has been a fundamental shift within the clothes industry, resulting in a transformation in manufacturing to mainly developing in Asian countries in the pursuit of lower production costs. Sull and Turnconi (2008) indicate that Zara, H&M, Uniqlo, and other international retailers have transformed the fashion industry by embracing and pioneering fast-fashion. This method centers on quick response manufacturing designed to knock off a design quickly, keep raw materials on hand, only make more if it is successful, and streamline the distribution of affordable items to the masses. Hayes and Jones (2006) cite this fast response tactic as the source of unparalleled commercial profit and have elevated consumer participation.
Retailers such as Zara searching for an updated and more profitable approach, popularised fast-fashion with help from widespread globalization (Sull and Turconi, 2008). Fast-fashion has produced a sequence of rising trend turnovers and employing marketing skills to captivate consumers’ impulse behavior in an attempt to increase consumption and maximize profits. Choi (2016) suggests that the strategy pushed fast-fashion brands into the forefront of the fashion industry, suddenly becoming the exemplar. Comparatively, the womenswear industry average rose by 1% from 2001 to 2005, while fash-fashion sales rose 31%.
Moreover, Forbes (2016) ranked Zara 53rd in the World’s Most Valuable Brands worth $10.7 Billion and stated that H&M was worth $60.8 Billion, with 3,716 stores worldwide. These brands profit from these tactics; however, these retailers rely on additional intake to maintain their progress. Accordingly, fast-fashion brands frequently restock and apply techniques to feed the ‘must-have’ consumerist lifestyle to continuously increase profits. By creating a need to stay on-trend, retailers influence consumers to purchase items regularly to consolidate a disposable culture that discards articles of clothing often too regularly.
Moreover, this argument posits that capitalism favors commodities and profit while disregarding human and environmental assets (Hudson and Hudson, 2003). Regarding fast-fashion, retailers focus on profit, decreasing response time, and boosting production, without consideration of the social and ecological harm caused. Under capitalism, it fits easier to seek these appealing pieces than to examine the environmental effects of their production. Hudson and Hudson (2003) note that the logic behind the bourgeoisie’s peaceful bliss of capitalism covers the social and the environmental features of production. Debatably there is disunion between consumers buying clothes and the broader ecological results as the consumerist culture shields itself from seeing the cost. Furthermore, Marxism would suggest that the indulgence of commodity fetishism and need-satisfaction consumption can exacerbate the costs and, in this case, harm to the environment.
Cook and Yurchisin (2017) argue that today’s consumers are considerably more fashion-orientated and demanding, which forces brands to cycle their stock more frequently. For brands to capture the profit, they need to predict trends and implement a fast preroll-times to satisfy customers’ developing demand. A ‘musthave’ nature has developed from need-satisfaction consumption, prompting fastfashion to refresh their products quicker year after year (Claudio, 2007). This ‘musthave’ attitude also confirms Marx’s theory of commodity fetishism as fast-fashion is arguably driven by the passion of consumers as they converge on following the latest style, rather than basing purchases on need (Carrier, 2010). Thus, manufacturers ignore the condition of the social and environmental impression to produce commodities. Therefore, the fast-fashion industry is only reacting to consumers’ demands, which previously existed, instead of compelling buyers to consume more. This review will accordingly examine whether consumers buy articles of clothing out of necessity or to remain in style.
In the wake of developments in technological, a socio-cultural shift has occurred in the industry’s landscape, in which consumers have become aware of breaking trends and request them in a low-cost, effective way. Nevertheless, Solomon and Rabolt (2009) specify that there can be adverse facets to these buyer responses to individuals and corporations. Some buyer responses are innate in cultural influences and the social significance set on wealth. Expression through style websites, social media, and a celebrity lifestyle may produce an unachievable notion of beauty and prosperity. However, frequently buyers strive towards the way of life exhibited in social media, ending in buyers pursuing trends and overconsumption. Fast-fashion retailers best reflect this in their practice of regularly cycling their products at inexpensive rates. It might even be disputed that young adults are most influenced by this societal shift, as social media is rooted in their culture.
This research review has presented data that global apparel intake standards have expanded within the 21st century, parallel to the rise of fast-fashion. Therefore, it would be useful to recognize what intake standards are demographically intrinsic to promote or dispute the research. The research produces two distinct hypotheses for the increased intake. Firstly, it can be to fast-fashion brands’ focus on expanding earnings and globally growing their businesses. Still, a different contention proposes that brands are only satisfying buyer desires for rising fashion turnover. Buyer hopes and habits have evolved due to technological progress and the societal changes that ensued.
The effects and tensions need to be recognized so the environment can be valued and preserved. Sensitizing environmental concerns is a necessary means of correcting these concerns. Nevertheless, the fashion industry will also require changes. A two-pronged approach is necessary to promote understanding so the environment can be valued and preserved.
The needs of seniors are critical as provided by Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA). This is because environment affects people’s behaviours, health, feelings and productivity. Designing senior environments process should consider human-environmental interactions. As such, it involves maintenance, protection and restoration of environments to promote proper behaviours and good health.
In addition, the environment should suit a diverse range of seniors such as those with Alzheimer’s and physical disabilities (Boyer 58). Based on Philadelphia reports, it is essential to consider facilities that can address the rising needs of seniors in the society. Therefore, the facilities should offer seniors an ideal environment to live through enhancement of health and well-being.
Seniors have different needs in urban areas like Philadelphia. Initially, it is necessary to understand that seniors’ requirements are unique. In this case, seniors should have access to specific desires and spaces for social interactions. This implies that the environment should promote a sense of social relations between seniors and caregivers.
Throuwgh this effort, seniors enjoy the convenience of a comfortable environment. Furthermore, the specifications of residential units are vital in maintaining safety of the seniors. Meanwhile, seniors desire to live in a serene environment.
In this regard, seniors desire accessibility to natural daylight, attractive aesthetic colours, minimal noises and rough-textured floors. Such factors will enhance safety of the seniors, which boosts their health conditions (Cekic 63).
It is important to improve the level of seniors’ privacy and dignity within the facility. The facility should offer residents their own rooms. In addition, the rooms should be installed with sinks, tubs, toilets and showers. On the other hand, spa-facilities should be included if they are feasible.
This makes the facility Spartan, which serves the needs of the residents. Moreover, the residents feel a sense of privacy because of reduction in crowding. This is caused by the minimal interference of one’s activities. At the same time, this simulates the nature of privacy witnessed in homes.
Seniors desire homelike settings in the facilities. This involves provision of facilities that are smaller but contain all the essential necessities. Unlike the traditional nursing homes with immense utilities, the facility should mimic the normal home setup. This is because seniors despise living in secluded institutions. Furthermore, the facility should not have large common dining rooms and living rooms.
This implies that residents should relate in the facility as neighbours compared to admitted patients. As a result, the facility in the urban area will consider economies of scale while offering homelike conditions (Boyer 152).
It is vital to introduce cordial design concepts amongst seniors. This creates a feeling of being at home rather than an institution. The facility that hosts seniors should be attractive and conducive. It is essential to utilize creativity to provide a healthy and conducive environment.
This involves the physical appearance of walls, floors and other utilities. In addition, the number of utilities within the facility influences the behaviour and health of seniors. Most seniors prefer additional dining rooms, spacious resting utilities, and safe floors (Cekic 96). In addition, the furniture within the facility should be convenient for use by all residents.
The services offered within the facility should be diverse. In this case, seniors will have the flexibility to choose. Some of the elements within a facility that determines the level of care include the number of expertise available, programs used and other benefits directed to seniors.
Additionally, the process of offering rentals and skilled care should incorporate technology because technology increases the flexibility of seniors to make choices. Moreover, there are technological facilities that can be used to monitor and provide basic services to seniors. This will promote the lifespan of residents since it reduces the level of restrictions.
As the seniors get older, they desire to be offered nursing needs. In this regard, the facility should provide skilled care and nursing to both retirees and old-aged. This implies that the facility should provide adequate care for healthy and feeble seniors.
Through this process, the feeble seniors will not feel discarded once they are too old. Since they will not be discharged, they will get motivated to live without interference caused by change in environment. This is a security for their long-term care (Cooper and Barnes 96).
Since the facility is to be developed around the park in Philadelphia, it implies that seniors will be able to continue with their normal lives because they can still contribute to the economic activities within their residence. In addition, it will prompt more seniors to move to the facility because they cannot drop their normal lives.
Therefore, living in the facility will just be a change of lifestyle rather than a store where the old-aged are dumped. This will encourage them to participate in cultural activities, sports and social responsibilities. Consequently, it will boost their health and fitness making them active over a long period.
The location of the facility within Philadelphia implies that seniors will be able to continue with their urban lifestyles. This will boost accessibility to social amenities. Since the urban area is densely populated, it implies that seniors will not feel secluded. As a result, they can live longer and feel comfortable in the facility (Cooper and Barnes 196). This will also add value because their relations can visit them conveniently.
The senior’s environment should incorporate issues of sustainability. This implies that the facility should be environmental-friendly. Therefore, green design concepts should be incorporated in maintaining the seniors’ facility. Such concepts include energy and water conservation, efficient lighting, day lighting and gardens.
In addition, the facility should be able to accommodate multiple utilities that address human needs. This implies that the facility should be spacious where meetings and conference can be organized. As such, the facility becomes reusable even if the venture becomes infeasible (FitzSimons et al. 148).
The nature of spacing in the organization and apartment layout contributes significantly to the lives of the seniors. Considering that seniors are feeble in the society and demand extra attention, a spacious facility will be important. In this regard, they will have maximum freedom to engage in any event.
This will promote their mental and physical strength. As such, it will minimise crowding. Through this act, they will have a quiet and conducive environment. As a result, they will interact with their counterparts and challenge one another. All these vital elements of the facility will influence positively their health and welfare.
The specifications of the seniors differ considerably with those of the population as a whole caused by the difference in the physical strengths and health of individuals. In most cases, seniors are made up of retirees and the old-aged. Therefore, they do not have adequate strength to engage in active exercises. In addition, most seniors have health issues that have to be handled considerably.
In this case, they have to be provided with special treatment, which widens their lifespan. As such, many issues have to be considered when offering services at their new homes. These new homes should offer essential facilities that consider their needs.
An environment where the seniors’ facility is located is different from where other populations can reside. The seniors already had their active life during the early period, and for that reason, they demand a serene environment with minimal disturbances.
This nature of the environment should be quiet, friendly and spacious. Through such a system, they can interact, relax and participate in physical fitness exercises. All these factors contribute to longer lifespan and health of the seniors.
The urban parks will contribute significantly to the lives of the seniors. Initially, the parks will serve as a relaxing point. In this case, they can interact with one another. Through this act, they will encourage and support one another. At the same time, they will not engage in strenuous activities as to affect their health. When the weather is favourable, parks offer an ideal environment to undertake physical exercises.
These exercises will boost the conditions of their health. Notably, parks have a green environment that offers fresh air and room for other activities. In this case, they will be out of trouble caused by air pollutions when relaxing (FitzSimons et al. 157).
Parks also offer additional area to visit during times of indoor boredom. In this case, seniors will feel comfortable due to the variety of places they can visit because the parks will offer additional homelike settings. Through this process, the individuals will improve the status of their health conditions.
Similarly, spacious environment within the parks gives them a chance to participate in teamwork. In such incidence, they offer one another motivation through life experience. As a result, they will live longer while their welfare is catered.
Another critical element about parks is the interaction that seniors have with other population members. Since the facility is going to be established close to a park, it implies that seniors will have a close relationship with other members of the society. In this regard, parks always group people from all works of life. In addition, it offers people the right to undertake their own activities.
Through this act, the seniors will feel as part of the society. This will be enhanced by the frequent interactions they will have with other people. Moreover, they will be able to contribute back to the community through sharing experience of their childhood and early adulthood. In this case, they will be kept active and healthy for long (Gilster and Margarette 52).
The assistance received from the neighbours at park plays a crucial role towards the lives of the seniors. When seniors are at the parks, they will interact with people from other age groups. In this scenario, they will be assisted on issues they do not understand.
In addition, they can be provided with the necessary support and skilled care from third parties. This process will reduce the boredom caused by monotony within the residential. Consequently, their lives will be the centre of everyone when they are aging. This will boost their level of significance in the society.
Works Cited
Boyer, M Christine. The City of Collective Memory. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1994. Print.
Cekic, Milosav. “Why I Designed Cancer Parks.” Landscape Architecture 93.5 (2003): 62-100. Print.
Cooper , Marcus, and Barnes Marni. Gardens in Healthcare Facilities: Uses, Therapeutic Benefits, and Design Recommendations. Martinez, CA: The Center for Health Design, 1995. Print.
FitzSimons, J., S Barnhart, and N Perkins. “Behavioural and Setting Preferences at a Psychiatric Hospital.” Landscape and Urban Planning 42.3 (1998): 147-157. Print.
Gilster, Susan D., and Margarette E Beckwith. “The Paradise Garden: A Model for Designing for Those with Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.” Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, 8.1 (1997): 45-52. Print.
This paper responds to a directive by the newly elected governor to discontinue all the educational and vocational programs for the inmates serving their term in the prison. It examines the possible tougher inmate programs which could be implemented in place of the correctional and rehabilitation programs in place.
It also examines the offices and institutions which can provide support to provision of educational and vocational programs as a way of empowering and improving the skills of prisoners. Finally, it reviews the success of these programs and policies.
Response to the governor
In my response to the governor, I will request for more time to allow the prison management to review its educational and vocational programs in consultation with the experts, the state prisons department, and other relevant authorities.
The prison needs to fulfill all the purposes of incarceration, which are retribution, deterrence, incapacitation as well as rehabilitation. By eliminating the educational and vocational training programs in the institution, the prison will be violating the prisoners’ rights provided for in the Literacy, Educational and Rehabilitation Act (H. R. 4752).
This would also mean that the purpose of the prison will be partially achieved, even though tightening security and implementing tougher inmate programs would highly contribute towards retribution, incapacitation as well as deterrence. The vocational programs in this institution were implemented in line with the recommendations of the American Jail Association.
In my opinion, these programs need not be discontinued; instead more, tougher security programs should be implemented to complement the already existing programs which seek to achieve the purpose of prisons. Educational and vocational programs do not cost the state much considering that the programs enable former prisoners gain employment or obtain alternative source of income.
The time offenders spend in the prison worsens their financial position, and therefore the possible way of reducing their likelihood of committing another crime while looking for alternative means of survival is through providing education and vocational training (Fritsch & Gerber, 1993). This means that re-entry is reduced significantly.
Besides, these programs are cheaper to manage since the prison assigns other prisoners with technical competence and higher levels of education to provide educational, vocational, and other developmental programs as they gain credit in their sentences. The length of stay for these incarcerated trainers is reduced and the rate of recidivism is also reduced.
In turn, this increases public safety and improves the economy of the state. Besides, these programs enhance post release integration of former prisoners who leave this institution to rejoin their community. According to Peak (2009) prisoners have always encountered adjustment problems as they rejoin their community.
Available options
As the director of the prison, I’m charged with the responsibility of the prison’s management and providing information to the governor and the department of corrections. This means that before taking any action as regards to the directive of the governor, I can always negotiate the terms of policy proposals with all the stakeholders including the governor to ensure that the new policies and programs are enacted in the best interest of the public and the state.
As a means of trade-offs with the governor’s position and as a way of complementing the correctional programs in the institutions, I would; increase the inmates involvement in prison industries to reduce their idleness and supply companies with readily available labor; engage inmates in community service projects; implement body cavity searches of prisoners after every contact visit as well as searches of inmates’ cells by guards whenever they are out of the cells; and implement GPS monitoring of inmates’ activities.
Finally, the prison will also ensure that inmates who are deemed to pose security risks to the public if released complete their full sentence, and are released on parole after the end of their sentence.
This will also apply to inmates serving sentences of drug related offenses. Under the same rule, non-violent offenders will be required to serve 85% of their jail terms before being released on parole, while violent offenders will be required to serve more than 90% of their jail terms before being released on parole (Colorado Indymedia, 2010).
The inmates will work within a 100-mile radius of the prison as they do manual work and skilled labour in areas such as park maintenance, building and construction, forestry work, clean-up, painting and roofing and other in government projects, and projects of private organizations.
This would ensure that inmates work hard to cover for their upkeep in the prison. The assignments will be assessed on a case by case basis. This means that the inmates in the prison will be fully engaged in on-the-job-training or work (Oregon Department of Corrections, 2010).
Seeking internal and external support
In order to provide adequate response to the governor’s directive, it is important to get the views from different departments and offices within the organization, and the department of corrections as well as other correction agencies.
I will have to consult with the legal advisers (the legal division), the correctional program division, the internal affairs division, the office of public affairs, wardens and deputy wardens, the correctional security department and the education department.
I will seek external support from the state’s department of corrections, the administration division, and the department of prison industries as well as other government and non-governmental agencies which provide correctional services, and facilitate successful reintegration of offenders.
Consultations with these offices and organizations will enable me evaluate the support for the current policies and programs. As a result, I will be able to determine whether to discontinue the programs or implement other correctional programs to complement them.
Demonstrating the success of the policies
Response to the governor will require accurate information of the situation and the programs in place. I will therefore provide statistical data showing the success of the educational and vocational programs that have been implemented in this prison. This means that I have to initiate research to examine the success of the programs on the former offenders who acquired employment related skills from this institution.
The research will also examine whether the programs have enabled the former offenders to stay out of trouble or not, and the degree at which it has reduced re-entry of first time offenders (Mentor, 2003). The response will also include the opinions of inmates collected through interviews and public via the prison’s website.
I will also present the level of satisfaction and opinions of the staff who are either directly or indirectly responsible for implementing the correctional programs in place. In addition, I will also present the perceived benefits; tested and theorized to defend the continuation of the programs.
Conclusion
Political interference could sometimes affect policy implementation, however, it is important to consult with the interested political office, and present your side explaining the real situation and the reasons for implementing such programs. Changes to policies and programs in the prison should involve all stakeholders.
Demonstrating the success of the programs could help change the views of the interfering political office and stakeholders. This would enable proper adjustment of policies and programs of the prison.
Reference List
Colorado Indymedia. (2010). DOC rule change means longer sentences for prisoners. Web.
Fritsch, E. & Gerber, J. (1993). Prison Education and Offender Behavior: A Review of the Scientific Literature. Huntsville, TX: Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division.
This is a research for the ongoing development in DEWA industry. This research aims at proving the limitation in the current DEWA issues and gives the final solution to the problems within the industry. The research increases the knowledge of the industry and proves that the limitation can be solved. Due to the increased related issues in the water and electricity sector in the whole world, it found it right to relate the worldwide issues together with the related factors in the DEWA industry (Murthy et al. 21).
Findings
The following are the problems related to health in the DEWA region. The research found that the area around the region of UAE has a lot of hard water. The research indicated that hard water needs close attention when boiling it. In addition, most of the breakdown related problems within the past years related to the increase in water hardness. Most of the cases of water hardness can result to higher damage cost within the company or even within the staffs of the Dubai electricity and water authority. With the compensation of workers being high, there is efficiency when people receive training on the risks facing them within the company to decrease the rate of breakdown. This reduced the rate of compensation that the insurance companies will ask for from the related survey conducted with the America Water Works Association (World Bank 5).
The research found out that water related industries have a higher occurrence of injuries than that of the other companies. Hence, the fact that as an organization dealing with the water project as a background should be part of reducing the injuries. There are many ways of doing this such as starting or establishing prevention programs within the industry that evaluates the injury cost. The other related means of reducing such kind of injuries is by establishing a technique that will prevent back injuries.
The research found out that most of the people tend to have back injuries when they are working for water industry (Finkelstein and Greenberg 33). The other proposal was to come up with different kinds of mechanisms within the industry that will understand various ways of integrity within the water system. With regard to the design of working within the water industry, it found it better to come up with new operations. The new technologies would reduce the working posture of a man within the industry and hence reduce such cases. This is to change the old way of technology in the water design within DEWA. From the research, most of the people working within the water industries mostly had symptoms related to the spinal cord (Block 27).
From my research, I have found out that most of the cases result from industrial injuries. The likely injuries to be stated are like cervical, thoracic and lastly lumbar (Oakley et al. 47). From the medical point of view the Penn state medical centre advices from his research and gives the following results.
Any injury related to the spine requires urgent attention from the organization. Regular scan on every staff in the organization done on weekly or monthly basis to determine the condition of the staff after and before the work in order to keep the staff from any health related issue in future. With the provision of early treatment of any staff that have any spinal trauma it reduce the chance of one having a long-term problem in his/her health. The other way to reduce such kind of occurrence was to establish an agency that will be teaching the staffs on good ways of operating within the premises of water. I found out that it would be very essential for the people working in DEWA to receive training from the team doctors of the industry about the symptoms related to spine trauma to reduce the health problem (Mazelike and Raman 35).
Below Is a SWOT Table.
Strength This will reduce DEWA staffs from having long term back injuries
It will also reduce cost of DEWA on its long-term injured staffs when detected early enough.
This will ensure that the cost of production increase because there are few injuries among the staff of DEWA. Hence, achieve their vision of 2030.
Weakness
There is lack of regular checkups for injuries.
Most of the policies require UAE to check them and put them into place
Opportunity
This gives the DEWA an opportunity to be among the regionally known as a staff loving industry.
This will provide DEWA with good policies to ensure that they keep their staffs healthy.
By putting such policies related to static fields. It will show the World Health Organization it is among its partners.
This assists them in preventing lawsuits from staffs for injuries.
Threats
Completion from other stake holders
Recession
Recommendations
The budget cost for this when implemented will assist in the provision of work within DEWA. This is because; mostly the services offered to the company will be good as compared to when a staff is injured (Fountoulakis 47). Putting this in place assists the budget cost of DEWA because; it will reduce the cost of insurance treating a staff of DEWA in a long term injury and save the cost of operation by nearly half. This is because; it is expensive to treat a staff in DEWA for a long-term injury than to prevent him from such injuries.
The policy review of the medical of DEWA needs changes to accommodate such findings. With regard to the UAE findings, it takes a third percent of the world water per capita. (Murthy et al. 55) This means that there are many employees in the water sector that have such kind of problem considering that, we have already seen it in the above research.
The other problem affecting the various industries operating in electricity was the exposure to magnetic fields and electric fields. With regard to the DEWA staff, they all risk exposure to the so-called electric fields. In fact, research by world organization health in recent surveys shows this. It found out that most of the people who get exposure to such kind of fields end up having ventricular fibrillation.
This is just not the case because; it indicated in its research that the persons exposed to such kind of fields could also have arrhythmia also referred as irregular heart beat. This kind of health cases have been seen to be life threatening in other countries. Static field threatens the life of people and animals with people taking research seriously in the past few years (Greenberg et al. 17). Research found out that the exposure to static electricity affected people having implants in their bodies such as pacemakers. This affected the people who were wearing ferromagnetic or even electronic implants (Dillon and Lyndon 27).
Conclusion
The www.dewa.gov should put in place policies that will reduce static exposure to its staffs and the environment in particular. Following the standard that the World Health Organization has already set in the policy to reduce static electricity (Murthy et al. 74). This can also be done in DEWA to reduce the effect of static fields from affecting the people within the industry. This can be implemented right know before time goes. Implementation of this will mean that there will be reduction in the death of people within the industries. In addition, concerning the research, it found that 97% of the people working in the area of electricity have died. With this kind of statics in place, it shows that the staffs of DEWA might also experience the same thing. Hence, the power to introduce safety measures in the industry.
The aim of this research is to reduce the accidents in the industry and reduce the insurance profits towards the organization. With the increase in population as indicated in the UAE statistics (Adair et al. 57); the expectation is that the population is going to increase in the next few years hence need for water and electricity. Concerning this increase in population, I expect the rise in workers in the DEWA industry.
With this in view I expect that the workers will have the same risks if the measures are not considered. The conclusion is that the DEWA management will increase the policies within the industry to reduce such kind of deaths. This can be put in place early enough to prevent such incidences in future. In view that many people employed in the DEWA, pose a risk (Oakley et al. 20). It is in the UAE statistics that UAE takes like a third of the world water per capita. With this, the expectation is that water should be clean and magnesium and calcium void (Afifi et al. 25).
Works Cited
Adair, Clay, Boyer Reuben, Lesage Arnold and Vasiliadis Meyer. Service Use for Mental Health Reasons: Cross-Provincial Differences in Rates, Determinants, and Equity of Access. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, Toronto, 2005. Print.
Afifi, Oscar, Clara Isabel, Cox Jones and Sateen Jack. Perceived Need for Mental Health Treatment in a National Representative Canadian Sample. New York: Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2005. Print.
Block, Raymond, Jacobs Paul, Jim Reuben and Ohinmaa Arnold and Stomp Murray. Expenditures on Mental Health and Addictions for Canadian Provinces in 2003 and 2004. Toronto: Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2008. Print.
Dillon, Harrison and Lyndon, Philip. Health Promotion and Community Action for Health in Developing Countries. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1999. Print.
Finkelstein, Steve and Greenberg, Stigler. Depression: A neglected major illness. New York: Journal of clinical psychiatry, 1993. Print.
Fountoulakis, Kotch and Leucht, Sammy. Improvement of the Physical Health of People with Mental Illness. Medical Morbidity. London: Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 2006. Print.
Mazelike, Justus and Raman, Phillips. No Health without Mental Health. Dubai: Lancet, 2007. Print.
Murthy, Stephen et al. The World Health Report 2001: Mental Health: New Understanding, New Hope. Geneva: WHO,.2001. Print.
Oakley, Browne, Scott Wells and Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey. Wellington: Ministry of Health, New Zealand, 2006. Print.
World Bank. World Development Report: Investing in Health. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. Print.
“Humans are 10,000 times more common than we should be” (McMahon 361). This is a statement uttered by Steve Jones (from the University College of London) who noted that, human beings are quickly overpopulating the earth, thereby creating a population time bomb which our natural habitat cannot sustain (McMahon 361).
The human population has been steadily increasing over the last few decades. This increase has been attributed to advancements in medicine and agricultural revolutions which have facilitated an increase in food production.
One such revolution is the “green” revolution which has multiplied food production in the last century (McMahon 361). A steady population increase (over the last two centuries) has increased concerns that the steady population growth is going to cause a strain on nature’s resources. This strain is witnessed in several forms, including a strain on fresh water, food resources, land (among other factors of production).
Hardin explains that, people should stop viewing the world as an infinite wealth of resources because it is not (Hardin 3). He notes that, since the world’s resources are obviously finite, an infinitely growing population would translate to a catastrophe because once the earth’s resources are depleted; there would be no more energy to support life.
Hardin further makes reference to human growth as being subject to energy production because we burn a specific number of calories per day, and these calories are often sourced from food (Hardin 3).
Food is supported by nature, and nature is finite (in the number of resources it can provide to sustain food production). From this understanding, an uncontrolled population growth poses as a strong environmental issue. However, the solution to fixing this problem lies in a controlled population growth. This argument forms the framework for this paper.
Conceptual Analysis
The concept of overpopulation has not been in existence for a long time. In fact, before the industrial revolution, there was no concern for overpopulation because the world’s population hardly increased (Brawley 203).
It is only after the industrial revolution that the world’s population reached a billion people and scholars started to predict that, soon, the world’s population will cause a strain on the world’s resources because a finite set of resources cannot support an endlessly growing population.
The concept of overpopulation is not limited to the number of people on the earths’ surface, or the size of the earth’s surface alone; it is also subject to the availability of resources that support life. Scientists note that, the concept of overpopulation is also subject to the use of resources and its distribution across various population groups (Brawley 203).
This argument started another debate regarding whether the earth is indeed overpopulated or not. Some scientists differ with people who hold the view that, the world is overpopulated because they believe the current situation (overpopulation) is not informed by a strain on resources but rather, a misuse of resources (over consumption and waste) by the world’s wealthy nations (Brawley 203).
The concept of overpopulation is normally subject to several factors, including an increase in births, depletion of resources, income variations (and the likes) because even a sparsely populated region may still be deemed to be overpopulated since available resources may fail to sustain life for the existing population.
Traditionally, overpopulation was subject to a few factors, such as the availability of clean water, clean air, good housing (and the likes). However, in today’s society where standards of living are vital in assessing population figures; the emphasis on availability of healthcare, education, proper sewage disposal systems (and the likes) are also critical in assessing if a region is overpopulated or not. Comprehensively, the concept of overpopulation grew from the strain of populations on the existing resources.
Economic Disaster
An overpopulation of the earth is obviously a waiting time bomb. However, with the development and entrenchment of capitalism across the globe, there has been an imbalance in the distribution of resources.
In most regions of the world, there is a consensus among many economists that most of the world’s resources are controlled by the minority (wealthy), and a small portion of the world’s wealth is controlled by the majority (the world’s poor) (McMahon 361).
This imbalance traces its root to the industrial revolution period where there was a scramble for the world’s resources that saw the western world scramble to secure the world’s resources for industrial processes.
This scramble gave birth to colonial powers that traveled around the globe to secure economic resources, thereby creating colonies. This scramble for resources also led to the colonization of Africa, America, India and similar regions where there were vast resources for economic production.
The industrial revolution created a capitalistic economy where most of the world’s resources were controlled by few western powers. Many people therefore worked for wealthy nations, making them vulnerable to their masters. Today, poor people still go through the same motions of unequal wealth distribution because most of the world’s resources are still controlled by the wealthy and many people are left to struggle for the few remaining resources.
From this understanding, there is a clear imbalance of wealth distribution in the world. The situation is already bad enough, considering the world’s population is already growing at an unsustainable rate and still, the existing socio-economic structures do not support the equal distribution of scarce resources. This artificial scarcity of the world’s resources has further exacerbated concerns about the disasters of a growing population.
Psychological Influences
The strain on the world’s resources, emanating from an increase in population, is further worsened by the psychological influences of population growth. These psychological influences are normally fueled by different cultural ideologies regarding population growth. The differences in cultural influences are attributed to be the main reason behind the varied rates of population growth in different parts of the world (Brawley 203).
For instance, in some cultures, children are seen as a blessing, and the more children one has, the more blessings one gets. Such perceptions exist in certain parts of the world such as Africa and Asia (Brawley 203). With such ideologies in existence, people fail to look at the impact such cultural influences have on population sustainability and standards of living. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to argue against such cultures because they have existed for centuries, and they vary a lot.
Changing such ideologies is therefore a difficult task that cannot be easily overcome. This dynamic has further fueled population growth rates, and made it more difficult to solve the problem of an overpopulated earth (at least by viewing population control as an effective remedy to the problem of overpopulation) (Clemagami 1).
Discussion
The question of world overpopulation can be analyzed from Leopold’s point of view regarding land ethics. He explains that, land is the mother of all resources because rivers, lakes, plants, soil, animals (and other resources) are supported by land (Leopold 2). In fact, arguments by Hardin, regarding the tragedy of the commons, is subject to Leopold’s arguments on land.
For instance, Hardin’s argument that, the world’s resources are finite, is an apposition of Leopold’s analysis of land because land is the main finite factor of production on earth. Scientific developments have seen the replication of certain factors of production such energy, food (green energy) and the likes, but it is impossible to replicate land.
Therefore, land is the main factor of production that is finite. In solving the problem of overpopulation, emphasis should therefore be laid on controlling the world’s population so that it does not surpass the capability of land to sustain human life. In essence, the world population should be kept at minimum (or at par) with land productivity.
This measure should be free from all cultural or economic influences on overpopulation. Though this strategy may seem as a long shot towards the realization of sustainable human life, it is the only long-term strategy that solves overpopulation problems.
Conclusion
Weighing the arguments regarding overpopulation, we can agree that, there is an impending human disaster which is caused by a strain on the world’s resources. Though this paper acknowledges the economic and psychological influences of unequal resource distribution (and over population), it identifies a control in population as the main long-term strategy that can be implemented if sustainable human existence is to be realized.
Works Cited
Brawley, Sean. The White Peril: Foreign Relations and Asian Immigration To Australasia and North America, 1919-1978. New York: UNSW Press, 1995. Print.
Clemagami, Lucas, dir. Our Overpopulated World. YouTube, 2008. Film.
Hardin, Garrett. The Tragedy of the Commons. 1968. Web.
Leopold, Aldo. The Land Ethic. Nd. 1948. Web.
McMahon, Robin. On the Origin of Diversity: Celebrating Our Uniqueness and the Variety of Life. London: FilamentPublishing Ltd, 2011. Print.
Environmental issues have been on the global agenda for a while (Clay & Fong 2011). The issue in question has been addressed in a variety of ways, from reducing the number of fumes exhausted by car and industry owners to the reinforcement of the concept of sustainability (Gupta & Tuochy 2012). The use of alternative energy is viewed as one of the ways of managing environmental problems (Maltitz & Stafford 2011).
Definition
The use of biofuel can be viewed as one of the safest and the cleanest ways of improving the current environmental issues and promoting the concept of sustainability as the foundation for the change on a global scale. Biofuel is defined as the biomass that was converted into fuel. Among the key components, organic waste needs to be mentioned (Pandey 2012). By incorporating organic waste into the process of biofuel creation, one makes sure that the process of its consumption will not trigger any side effects that will cause harm to the environment, such as the emission of CO2, etc.
Key Argument
Biofuel has a range of advantages compared to other types of fuel. First and most obvious, the amount of greenhouse gas that the identified type of fuel produces is much lower than the one exhausted by cars run on other fuel types (Borowitzka & Moheimani 2013). The opportunities for economic growth that the usage of biofuel opens for developing countries should also be mentioned as one of the greatest advantages thereof. Finally, biofuel is sustainable, which means that it provides a flexible approach to the use of resources. In other words, biofuel helps reduce waste greatly (Marshall 2014).
Counterargument
It should be borne in mind, though, that, when produced incorrectly, biofuel can also emit CO2 and, therefore, cause even greater environmental issues. Therefore, when investing in the production and the further consumption of biofuel, one must bear in mind that the specified phenomenon is not a silver bullet but, instead, a complex tool for reducing the harm done to the environment. While not harmful, it may be misused, which means that the strategy for managing the emergent environmental issues must be well thought out and perfectly out together.
Additional Considerations
More importantly, the components of biofuel may be the cause of an even greater threat to the environment. Particularly, when using the biofuel as a product of waste that is harmful to the environment, one subverts the very concept of sustainable use of resources (Lee & Sfon-Boatee 2013). It is essential to make sure that biofuel should contain only natural products. Thus, the chances for reducing the harm to the environment can rise significantly and, more importantly, remain consistent throughout the application of the corresponding measures.
Rebuttal
Nevertheless, one must admit that the use of biofuel can be deemed as one of the greatest breakthroughs in environmentalist so far. When using the abandoned areas, one creates premises for incurring little to no carbon debt; moreover, the immediate GHC opportunities can be expected once the framework is applied (Diamandis & Kotler 2012).
Conclusion
Promoting sustainable use of resources and contributing to a reduction in waste are two primary goals that environmentalists are facing at present. By focusing on the promotion of the concepts such a biofuel, the proponents of the environmentalism philosophy will be able to address the current issues.
Reference List
Borowitzka, M A, & Moheimani, N R 2013, Algae for biofuels and energy, Springer, New York.
Clay, S M, & Fong S S 2011, Developing biofuel bioprocesses using systems and synthetic biology, Springer, New York.
Diamandis, F H, & Kotler, D 2012, Abundance: the future is better than you think, Simon and Schuster, New York.
Gupta, V K, & Tuochy M G 2012, Biofuel technologies: recent developments, Springer, New York.
Lee, K, & Sfon-Boatee, C 2013, Sustainability of biofuel production from oil palm biomass, Springer, New York.
Maltitz, A, & Stafford, N S 2011, Assessing opportunities and constraints for biofuel development in sub-Saharan Africa, CIFOR, Indonesia.
Marshall, E 2014, Measuring the indirect land-use change associated with increased biofuel feedstock production: A review of modeling efforts: Congressional teport, DIANE Publishing, Washington, DC.
Pandey, S 2012, Biofuels: Alternative feedstocks and conversion processes, Academic Press, Washington, DC.