Category: Mission

The words of Neil Armstrong echoed around the world when he took those first steps off Apollo 11, and onto the surface of the moon, untouched by man, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” This quote amplifies the exact reason for space exploration, as it shows our ever growing desire to push the bounds of humanity. Humans have an innate desire to explain the unknown, therefore space has always been an intriguing topic for discovery, dating back to ancient civilizations. Space exploration is a necessity because it is a benefit to humanity. We need space exploration because it has led to developments in technology, it expands our scientific knowledge, and it increases our quality of life.

Space exploration is a gateway into learning about the natural laws and physical properties of our universe. Humans want to explain the unknown. Early humans looked out at the sky and had a natural desire to explain what they could not understand. To be curious is to be human, and NASA supports this statement. “Humans are driven to explore the unknown, discover new worlds, push the boundaries of our scientific and technical limits, and then push further. The intangible desire to explore and challenge the boundaries of what we know and where we have been has provided benefits to our society for centuries.” (NASA). Throughout human history, we seek to explain what we cannot understand. Humans made up stories to explain the way things work. Greek mythology is a perfect example of this, as greek mythology is made up of stories that explain the origins of the universe and celestial bodies. Every culture, just like the Greeks, have myths, legends, and stories to explain the universe. The human brain’s physiology and psychology demands that we give an explanation to the observable universe in the skies above. Our self awareness requires an answer to the fundamental question: why are we here? The desire to observe, to learn, and to make discoveries in science is a natural part of the human existence. Not knowing the unexplainable in space hinders our own existence, as not possessing that knowledge is seen as a failure to the human race. Being human means that you are an explorer, and we have been for centuries. As technology has progressed, we were able to visit new places, measure, and apply the scientific method to make new discoveries. These scientific advancements propel us to replace fiction with fact.

The steady increase of technology allowed us to further explore and visit space making science and truth the ultimate goal. Space exploration has led to new technology that has been repurposed to benefit our lives on Earth. Going into space requires technology, and space exploration has led to the development of new inventions used to increase our quality of life. The most important technology we got from space exploration was the satellite. The satellite Sputnik, the first object launched into Earth’s orbit, was designed to, “provide information on the density of the atmosphere by calculating its lifetime in orbit; test radio and optical methods of orbital tracking; determine the effects of radio wave propagation through the atmosphere; and, check principles of pressurization used on the satellites.” (NASA). This technology has been further developed, and is used for many beneficial purposes. These purposes help us reach goals for the people of our planet. Some of these goals, explained by Will Marshall from the world Economic Forum, include ending hunger, getting access to clean water, find early indications of climate change, and providing good health, well-being, and quality education. We are currently using satellites for navigation, weather forecasts, data on climate change, telephones, and most importantly, the internet. This technology is an extremely important tool for humans, especially in the time we live in today. If we never tried to explore space, this technology would never have been created. Space exploration drives creativity, which is a necessity for finding ways to improve issues most of the planet faces on a daily basis.

According to scientists, 99.9% of the population would believe anything that is said with “ According to scientists, ”So I’m going to use that. According to scientists, Space exploration is dangerous in many ways and I’d give you some good reasons, It’s just sending a tin can to space, have you asked yourself is it worth it? The idea of space exploration probably sparked you as a kid. It’s not as bright and fun as you all think. As soon as astronauts board a huge control panel will be in front of them they will have to know which buttons to press, what happens if they forget?

First off, just sending one rocket ship/spacecraft to space can cost millions to billions of dollars. Most of the organizations are government funded, and where does the government get their money? Our own pockets. They get it from the taxes we pay each year. The Apollo program itself cost $25.4 billion in 1973 and in 2016 it cost $107 billion. It only lasted from 1961 – 1975. What I’m saying here is that it is not the government funding it but, it is typically us funding it.

All that hard work that we put into working is being put into making a tin can that goes to space. So not worth it. Ever thought of what you leave behind? You probably littered in your life. If you’re an astronaut and you said you’ve never littered, no one’s gonna believe you after this. When a rocket ship enters space, it leaves a trail of debris behind. How? Space already has a lot of debris there it floats around, it can chip off paint from the rocketship. Even small pieces of space rock can hit the rocketship and get small pieces of paint and small screws to chip off the shuttle. Space is already littered with many small pieces of space debris from satellites that don’t work anymore. Do you really wanna add more to it? Have you ever thought about it? Doesn’t the government want a cleaner community? Why are you adding to it?All these people that went to space probably thought about if they’ll ever see their family or loved ones after this trip.

After all, you’re not the one going to space so your life is not the one in crisis. You don’t know them, so it’ll be easy for you to push their life into crisis.Would you volunteer to risk your life to only find out that Mars have ice?Well, some of you would, but that’s not the point. My point is that space exploration is dangerous in general. All your cartoons probably make it seem so safe and fun. If you don’t make it back in time your space ship will run out of fuel and probably break down.You’re going to be stranded and probably die like that.

The experimentation and research in space explorations require huge amount of investments and the money for government funded projects come from the taxpayers. Thus, it is important to look at the advantages and the disadvantages to ensure that this is the right use of the taxpayer’s money. One of the advantages that has been already mentioned in the dissertation is that it aids in job creation. People should keep in mind that a big part of the money invested in space exploration is used to pay salaries of thousands of employees and with space programs getting bigger each year this going to help reduce the employment problems that a lot of countries face.

In my opinion, the biggest advantage is that it helps us understand more about our planet and our universe. Without question, space exploration has helped us answer some of the biggest conundrums that have been debated for decades or even centuries. Questions such as whether the Earth is round or flat or does our planet revolves around the Sun (or the other way around) or even to extent it has explained the origin of our universe out of nothing. Space exploration has given us a deeper insight into our universe and helped us realize how vast the universe is and how insignificant we might be in the grander scheme of things. Thus, in the process making us more grateful for being fortunate enough to be living on this planet.

Next, as mentioned before in the literature review space exploration has paved way for many new technologies and most of these technologies have become a part of our daily life considering how everything is wireless these days thus making the use of satellites essential in almost everything we do. I feel that the critics of space exploration do not have enough awareness about all the byproducts that have come out of this or some just choose to ignore it just to prove their point. I feel they should keep in mind that all the money spent on this is not only helping us learn about life outside our planet but also making our life significantly easier. Apart from making our lives more comfortable, some of these technologies have saved many lives due to their use in medical science (the use of Ventricular Assist Device discussed in literature review). I feel that in the coming future, the list of spin-off technologies as by product of space exploration is only going to increase as new innovations in space technology will lead to even more innovative by-products.

On the other hand, one of the biggest disadvantages of space exploration is the amount of cost involved. In my opinion, this is one of the main reasons why space exploration faces so much criticism sometimes. The amount of money involved has been discussed in detail and governments seem to justify these huge figures, but a big part of the public remains unconvinced that this is the way to go. These expenses will only go up as more ambitious projects are being planned, and this will make it even harder for those against space exploration to change their mind with so many problems of our own planet that remain unresolved as mentioned in the dissertation before. A lot of people may believe that the money should instead be spent on solving issues such as world hunger, illiteracy and health issues as these issues lead to deaths specially in developing countries.

Apart from that, another disadvantage of space exploration is the detrimental impacts it has on the environment.

Ever feel like your taxes are being put to a waste? Millions of dollars could, and are being wasted right now, especially on interstellar travel, also known as space exploration. Although it has it many benefits, I strongly think space exploration is dangerous, expensive, creates space debris and is especially not worth the risks it!

Firstly, space exploration is very expensive, yet not everything astronauts build is or will be successful. Millions of dollars can be wasted on a single project that may never work. A good example of this is the Mars Climate Orbiter. Before it could obtain any information about Mars, this probe got burned to ashes, because it was given incorrect and inaccurate coordinates. Over 120 million of dollars were wasted on that single probe. Just think about, how many things could you do with 120 million dollars? According to the University of Florida, it costs around $500 million to launch a single space shuttle! These expenses will only skyrocket as missions to travel further into space start and resources essential to building rockets increase in demand. However, in the end, most of the money used to fund these useless projects will be wasted on failed experiments.

Secondly, our earth is surrounded with millions of pieces of space debris, and the quantity of space debris will just grow as we continue to travel. This can be a huge problem in the future of space exploration, as soon it may not even be possible to go up into space without crashing into some sort of object and completely obliterating your rocket. You might think”what’s so dangerous about tiny chunks of metal,carelessly floating around our solar system?” Well, debris about the size of a pea can travel 10 times faster than the speed of a bullet. If you really need more specification it will literally tear a giant hole through your rocket without skipping a beat. These tiny pieces can also slash right through satellites, rendering them useless and causing even more debris at the exact same time. For the past few decades we have been going through a endless cycle of sending satellites up into space, only to have them destroyed a while later by other defective satellites. If we stopped sending satellites, and instead focused on getting those defective satellite remains out of space, in the future our earth’s atmosphere would be less dangerous and more easier to leave.

Lastly, space exploration is very risky, and can sometimes cost lives. For example in 1986, The space shuttle Challenger exploded during launch, immediately killing seven astronauts. Another time something similar happened was the space shuttle Colombia. It exploded coming back to earth in 2003, also killing seven people. You might say,” space exploration gives us resources and technology, which are very important! However, do you value those simple luxuries over your loved ones?. What if someone you knew was a astronaut? Would you trade them for a new phone? Another one of the many dangers up in space is radiation from the sun.. It can cause cancer, nausea, vomiting and even death. Another problem is that if there were a dilemma in space, the astronauts couldn’t go back to earth immediately for help. For example, if they ran out of fuel, they would only be able to uselessly float in space, starving to death. In space there are hundreds of things that could cost people’s lives that should be considered before scientists ship them off on a rocket that could go wrong in a hundred ways.

In conclusion, space exploration can cost lives, it does cost a lot of money, and it surrounds our planet with space debris. Space exploration doesn’t always work out and it would be better if we focused on what’s going on inside of our planet instead of outside.

Introduction:

The daily use of shoes cannot be overemphasized, most times getting a new shoe is expensive and this makes the idea of used shoes a very good alternative. Used shoes will boost the idea of recycling as the government of Greece is encouraging the idea of making use of already-used products. Many countries especially in Africa venture into the business of using used shoes for many purposes this has many economic implications, it helps to reduce a lot of pollution in the environment hence these shoes if not properly used will constitute land pollution, also it makes the general consumer gets the shoes at a very affordable price. Opening a used shoe business is very a very lucrative venture but requires the following skills to pull through

1. Patience: The person opening the business must be very willing to be patient and grow the business. It is not a get-rich-quick business as it requires a lot of patience to be able to break even in the first year.
2. Hard work: Diligence is highly needed in such a business, it requires a lot of strength and tenacity to be able to pull through
3. Capital: It requires a good sum of capital to start up in other to meet up at a large scale.
4. Manpower: The person starting must know that it is not a business one can do alone, so the entrepreneur has to employ other people to help him pull through the rigor of the business.
5. Site of the business: This is a very imperative factor to consider when starting such a business, this is because the site of the business determines the level o patronage one gets from his clients. If the business is sighted poorly it would lead to very poor sales and the business will collapse in a short while.

These above factors are needed by the entrepreneur who needs to start up a used shoe business. The overall used shoe business is very lucrative and it boosts the economic strength of a country if the owner of the business chooses to export it to other countries.

Preview

Vintage footwear appeals to a fairly large segment of consumers. In recent years, vintage clothing sales have exploded. Vintage footwear is needed to complete the ensemble. Used shoe retailers also market high-end designer brands that most consumers can’t afford to buy new. Designer marketing is especially effective for women’s footwear with minimal wear and a must-have brand name on its label.

Families have several reasons for shopping at used shoe retailers. Kids and teens outgrow shoes quickly, so budget-minded families are more than willing to explore used footwear, as long as the shoes are in good condition. Likewise, sports footwear (e.g. soccer cleats) is a staple of used shoe retail stores because sports shoes are expensive and quickly outgrown.

Keys to Success

The key to success is consumers based as the business is focused on meeting the needs of consumers and giving them satisfaction at a very affordable rate. This will in turn make them bring referrals and boost the image of the business. Also due to our purpose-driven mechanism, it will compete favorably with other used shoe stores locally and internationally.

Objectives

The objectives for the first three years of operation include:

1. To create a product-based retail store whose primary goal is to exceed customer’s expectations and demands
2. Increasing the number of clients served in this industry, will, in turn, increase customers satisfaction and good customer care
3. To establish a business that can stand the taste of time, have the future in check, and improve the lives of the consumers.

Mission

“Walk Again Shoes” mission is to be the best-used shoe-producing company in Athens and Greece at large, this will be achieved by providing quality customer-based satisfaction and quality products in other to maintain a good pattern of durable men’s and women’s shoes over a long period of time. Also, we hope that in the next 5 years to create a strong sense of market base where people will prefer to use ‘Walk Again shoes to readymade shoes.

Company Summary

“Walk Again Shoes” is an upscale or quality used shoe store that will be located in Athens city Centre. Walk Again shoes will be able to offer a wide selection because they will typically only have all sizes available per style. We also upgrade our packaging in other the meet the trending and sophisticated fashion that exists in terms of footwear in Athens

Company Ownership

“Walk Again Shoes” is a sole proprietorship that will be owned by Egbon Michael. Micheal Egbon is a determined young and vibrant entrepreneur who has the passion to make sure any business he engages in meets the demand of time.

Start-up Summary

“Walk Again Shoes” will incur the following start-up costs:

• Rent
• Computer system with CD-RW, printer, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks Pro, and POS software.
• POS terminal/cash register.
• Back office desk and chair.
• Front of store counter.
• Shelving racks.
• Display racks.
• Chairs, mirrors.
• Assorted halogen track lighting.

Start-up funding

• Start-up Expenses to Fund $600
• Start-up Assets to Fund $29,400
• Total funding required $30,000

Assets

• Non-cash Assets from Start-up $14,368
• Cash Requirements from Start-up $20,032
• Additional Cash Raised $0
• Cash Balance on Starting Date $20,032
• Total assets $34,400

N: B These above figures might vary at the actual take-off point as they are only assumed figures.

Products

“Walk Again Shoes” will sell high-quality women’s shoes, men’s shoes, as well as kids’ shoes.

The general categories of shoes that will be sold are:

• Sandals
• Stylish work shoes
• Loafers
• Dress shoes
• Casual shoes
• Sports shoes
• Canvas athletic/stylish shoes

“Walk Again Shoes” will strive to have one of the largest selections of used shoes in Athens to help it satisfy customer needs. “Walk Again Shoes” will accomplish this by having one per style on display as a demonstration model. “Walk Again Shoes” will then order the style in the needed size and it will arrive within the quickest possible time. We also have a futuristic plan to make sure that these shoes are distributed to many countries in the nearby future. This will be accomplished through a special relationship with the wholesaler who is able to send out the right size in the right style on demand. Often a wholesaler will be unwilling to ship out individual shoes, but “Walk Again Shoes” will try to secure an exclusive arrangement with its wholesaler to meet this need.

Market Analysis Summary

“Walk Again Shoes” will be targeting two distinct groups of fashion-conscious female shoppers–professional workers and housewives. While both groups are interested in dress shoes, the professionals will also be looking for fashionable shoes they are able to wear with their business attire. Housewives might be looking for fashionable but more casual shoes. This attempt if accomplished will help us satisfy the female clients more.

“Walk Again Shoes” will also carry out a deep selection of men’s collections as well to meet the varying demands also for kids too.

Market Segmentation

“Walk Again Shoes” is targeting three (3) different population segments in the broad category of fashion-conscious males and females with disposable income.

• Men used shoe
• Women used shoes
• Kids used shoes

Target Market Segment Strategy

These markets will be targeted through an attractive, eye-catching storefront in a popular walk and drive past the street. Most people who are either going to or coming from work will be able to walk through and glance at our collections also people who are barely taking a walk with friends and family will also enjoy the gaze. By just having a visible storefront on a well-traveled street, “Walk Again Shoes” will receive walk-through customers.

Also, we intend to create social network pages and an advert system where people can see our collections and do ordering online or also come to pick up products in the outlets.

Industry Analysis

The used shoe retail industry is made up of several different types of companies:

• Shoe-only stores: As the name implies, these stores only sell shoes. Generally, the shoe-only stores will either sell athletic shoes for men and women or dress shoes for only one sex.
• Large department stores: these types of stores sell everything, including shoes.
• Small women’s retail stores: these types of stores cater to women by only selling women’s clothing and shoes.

Competition and Buying Patterns

“Walk Again Shoes” has only a few direct competitors in Athens:

Most second-hand businesses are mostly focused on second-hand clothing, while others tend to just pack things all up therefore offering everything mixed with clothing, shoes handbags, and school bags all second-hand and all in one small shop. Therefore, there are just a handful of direct competitors who specialized only in second-hand shoes. This is the driving force on which the desire to open up such a business is based and also it was built on the passion to make people have durable foot wears at an affordable rate.

There are a few shops in town which tend to offer these same services some of which are listed below but names shall not be mentioned though.

• (name omitted). This is located on Patissia Street, This is a shoe store. They have a nice selection but never seem to have enough stocks. The shoe styles are not cutting edge. The price point for the shoes is 20-110 euros
• (name omitted). this is located around Plattea Kaningos. This is a large, complete, department store. The store, however, suffers from cluttered displays and a general sense of disorganization. The shoes here are 25-100 euros.

An indirect competitor is a shoe smith that will dye shoes and repair shoes, and sometimes people don’t feel the need to get a used shoe since they can bring their old ones back to life. The shoes are typically dyed to match a specific dress. Not all colors can be dyed, and dying in general is not the ideal situation. Dying shoes creates a new shoe color that is acceptable only 20% of the time.

Strategy and Implementation Summary

“Walk Again Shoes” will leverage its competitive edge of the extensive selection to drive sales. This is indeed a competitive edge.

Sales Strategy

The “Walk Again Shoes” sales strategy will be based on display and visibility. A highly visible store with attractive product displays located in the busy street will get a high percentage of foot traffic. This is especially the case for a used shoe store. Women love to shop for shoes. Some women even use shoe shopping as a form of therapy, similar to eating chocolate. These activities can make them feel better. Men as well like to look good on nice brands even though it’s second hand, it helps with a confidence boost.

The sales strategy will simply be to have the most complete selection of shoes. Assuming the prices are reasonable, having an extensive selection will drive sales because we believe our target markets of fashion-conscious shoe lovers are always looking for the perfect pair of shoes to coordinate with their fashion style.

Sales Forecast

The first month will be used to set up the storefront. The first employee will be hired and display inventory will be purchased. There will be no sales activity during the first month. The second month will begin to see sales activity, and it is forecasted that around month four sales will really begin to pick up. The reason for this is that word will get out about “Walk Again Shoes” and more and more people will be coming in to check out the extensive selection. A third employee will be hired in December or most pre-holidays and festive times for extra help during the rush.

“Walk Again Shoes” will have several milestones early on:

• Business plan completion. This will be done as a road map for the organization. This will be an indispensable tool for the ongoing performance and improvement of the company.
• Set up the storefront.
• Profitability.

Competitive Edge

“Walk Again Shoes” competitive edge is an unmatched selection of used shoes. This selection will be achieved in two ways. The first way is a very specific effort to carry as many styles of shoes as possible. “Walk Again Shoes” recognizes that Athens currently does not have a single store that offers a wide selection of decent quality shoes for fashion-conscious buyers. The competitive edge is the recognition of this unserved niche and the serving of this demand.

Management Summary

The initiator/owner/manager (Egbon Michael) has a bachelor’s degree in Library and information science from Delta State University, Nigeria, and a diploma certificate in crisis management from City Unity College Athens and presently undergoing a Masters’s Degree in Human Resources Management in City Unity College Athens. He has actively participated and worked in the department of sales and marketing for various companies in the past 8 years and has gathered a wide level of experience in marketing and sales. These give him the intense managerial ability to handle and promote the business to a high level of Eldorado.

Personnel Plan

Egbon Michael will be working full-time at “Walk Again Shoes”. He will be in charge of all administrative details, hiring, inventory management, etc. Beginning with month two, Egbon Michael will hire a full-time sales clerk to help him at the store. By December or during peak periods, he will hire an additional full-time/or part-time employee in time for the holiday season.

Legal and Regulatory Framework

The project observed such legal responsibilities as taxes and registration to avoid embarrassment from a government agency

Project Risk Analysis

Certain risk will pose to the business which includes, a high supply rate, bad government policies, and high-interest rate. The promoter and entrepreneur has been trained to manage and promote the business, he has been trained to manage the risk.

Summary and conclusions

Walk Again shoes will indeed create a business land light in Athens, it will go a long way in achieving the following

1. Create Employment: Unemployment indeed has been a reoccurring decimal in any nation’s economy and Athens is not an exception. These used shoe businesses will help to create a lot of jobs ranging from skilled labor, sales, and marketers to managerial positions on expansion.
2. On exportation and taxation, it will help to boost the revenue of the nation
3. It will give consumers good satisfaction as they will get to wear durable products at a very cheap rate

In conclusion, I have a desire to bring to fruition this idea and I hope that upon take off the above details will be enough to summarize the venture both from start to finish.

I am hoping to venture into this business because I believe that the level of competition is not as severe as it is with the second-hand clothing aspect.

For most, shoes are easy to obtain and dispose of, but for some that is not the case. Toms’s shoe brand engages with people around the globe to bring shoes to those in need. Toms give their shoes to people that do not have access to shoes or can not afford them. This action is just one aspect of sustainability that this company covers. The founder of Toms, Blake Mycoskie, saw a problem children around the world did not have shoes; he saw this firsthand in Argentina in 2006 (Naeini 1). He then decided to start a company that would change many lives, but he did not stop with the people. The company moved to also benefit the environment through their decisions on constructing a company based on helping. Toms’s website displays their mission of making their company truly sustainable; working for the belief that “a thriving humanity means a thriving planet” (Mycoskie 2006). Tom’s Shoes help the environment, provide an affordable price through a for-profit business, and are showing support for their efforts to improve people’s lives.

Toms demonstrates sustainability through their line of vegan shoes. The Lowell Center describes sustainability as a product’s ability to “ minimize environmental and social costs throughout the product lifecycle and aim to maximize environmental and social benefits to communities while remaining economically viable” (Edwards 10). Toms is truly sustainable and actively conducts all three aspects. Through different aspects of the company, Toms makes it a priority to help the environment. Toms continues to go beyond expectations to support the earth. From their website, Toms claims to use recycled polyester, chemical-free plant dye, “Eco fibers,” “Ortholite insole,” and many more sustainable aspects that benefit the environment (Mycoskie 2006). They continue to make each detail of the shoe specifically made from recycled goods. The website provides more information about their plans to make their company more “green” in the future. These plans include using “100% sustainable cotton by 2025” in their shoes, and continuing to measure their carbon footprints at the end of every year in the hopes of improving it (Mycoskie 2006). The company’s research and findings of new ways to create sustainable shoes were not put to waste.

The sustainable efforts that Toms implements in their company to help the environment are seen in their line of vegan shoes. Starting with the core, or in this case, the sole is made out of recycled rubber. This series of shoes is made up of approximately half hemp and the other recycled polyester (“Sustainability: Buzz”). Toms not only creates a shoe consisting of recycled and natural products, but the company also avoids using any leather or animal-based materials in its vegan line of shoes. In an issue of the Environmental Magazine, Toms is recognized for their success in the “enormous popularity of the casual, comfortable shoes” that sends “both the message and the look” (Downey 1). The success of Tom’s helping the environment is not overlooked. The environmental aspect of sustainability is achieved when a product is shown to have increased “benefits” to the environment while reducing the “cost” the product causes to the environment (Edwards 8). Toms is aiding the environment through their use of recycled materials and caution against harmful ones. The framework of the shoe is productively made to benefit the earth and is not meant to produce stress on the consumer’s finances.

Toms shoes not only help the environment, but are affordable to consumers. In most cases when a product is good for the environment it is not affordable for the middle-class consumer. Most people come to the conclusion that when a product is profitable to the company then the environment is suffering, but that is not the case for Toms. Toms is an affordable price that the average American can choose over other shoes. The variety of sustainable shoes from Toms cost only $50 (“Sustainability: Buzz”). This affordable price does not only buy one pair of shoes but two. The price for the shoes that are donated to a child in need is included in the price the consumer pays for their own shoes (Naeini 2). This allows for the company to be profitable while providing a way for their consumer to give conveniently. Their concern for the earth does not hurt the profit the business makes from being a “green” company. The Lowell Center discusses the results of two different surveys conducted on the people’s view of the environmental impacts of the product. Both surveys show that over half of the consumers are altering their shopping habits to buy earth-friendly products (Edwards 5). The results go against most business leaders’ misconception that consumers are not willing to pay a little more for products that will help the environment. Toms has surprised many with their results of being for-profit and the amount of change they have done.

Toms has done what most see as close to impossible; they have created a great amount of change for people around the world and the environment by being a for-profit company with an affordable product. This company continues to be recognized for the impact it has on the world. Marketing News featured Toms in their article “For-profits Are The New Non-profits;” This article describes the marketing advantages that for-profits have in reaching consumers (Soat 15). Most people label companies that produce change as non-profits, but now the truth is revealed that this is not always the case. The profits that come from the shoes sold have the potential to increase the trust that consumers have in the product and reduce the cost that the environment can take from not investing in it (Edwards 16). The company’s choice to obtain a profit or not does reveal its true intentions, but it is the change they implement with its profit that reveals its intentions. This company continues to provide evidence that they are directly changing the world; this change includes proof that a business can help people and thrive off of it. Once people see that the quality and price of the product are the same, they then look to see the reason for which the product was created (Soat 15). Toms is successful in creating shoes made with good quality material, affordable, and have a purpose people are willing to support.

Many people support the actions that this for-profit company is doing to affect people around the world. Support can be shown through many things: gifts, and verbal praise, but the most effective of them all is action. Action shows that a person does not only agree with the aspects of the company but believes in them and wants them to be conducted to the fullest. Toms has received a lot of “free” publicity through famous influencers. The company did not ask the celebrities to advertise, but they did it on their own through social media. Anne Hathaway, and Julia Roberts, along with many more celebrities have used the power of social media to spread Tom’s story by “adopting the brand” (Naeni 2). This awareness that the famous advocates for Toms created allowed for a huge ripple effect of people becoming aware of Toms and their mission. This led to many different magazines, including ones that promoted sustainability and well living, supporting Toms. The Organic Spa magazine featured Toms in their “Living Well” issue and discusses the mission of Toms and concludes by suggesting to the readers to “get yourself grounded- literally and spiritually” with these shoes (“Relax 12). The support is strengthened through different social media influencers promoting the brand, and targeting the younger population. This fraction of the population most likely does not read magazines about living well or have read the book that the founder of the company wrote: Start Something That Matters (Naeini 2). The youth is reached through their source of influence- social media. The support is shown through many forms of media and advocates for Toms. The support that is given to the company is produced by the support the company gives others.

Toms has not only had the interest of the environment and an affordable price but also the interest of the people. Toms has built their brand off of helping people, and this urge to help has led to helping other aspects of the world. After only a few years of starting the company, there have been two million shoes provided to impoverished children around the globe (Saller 19). This donation is led by the customers: they see the need for change and they pursue it by purchasing a pair of shoes with Toms. Once they purchase Tom’s shoes, a pair of shoes will be sent to one of the 70 countries that they help around the world. Now, there have been over 35 million shoes given to children in need (Naeini 1). This business that started in Argentina is now helping a vast number of regions around the globe. Toms is helping children by providing them with shoes to lower their health risks and to ensure their risk of injuring themselves is minimized (Downey 40). The impact that this one pair of shoes can make on this child is the source of the donation. Toms is not just creating change in the impoverished children, but also the consumer themselves.

Toms is creating awareness among the people who come in contact with this company. They show how convenient it is to support a cause like Tom’s. This hopefully causes a ripple effect into their other purchases and gives them the concern of finding the best and most affordable product that can benefit the environment and the people in it. Toms continues to supply consumers with a responsive way to give back to the environment through materials that are friendly to the earth. This company does not only provide shoes to consumers at an affordable price but also provides a purpose. Their purpose is to give a pair of shoes to a child in need with every pair of shoes purchased. Tom’s shoes are truly a sustainable product that leaves consumers thinking about how they can shop responsibly to help the environment and society.

A short-term mission trip can be defined as a trip in which volunteers travel to a new location for one to three weeks to serve communities and often share their religious beliefs. On a mission trip, teams may partake in activities like painting or building houses, hosting clothing giveaways, or simply building relationships with residents and teammates. Mission trips are becoming increasingly popular in churches across the United States and have come to be a central activity for evangelical teams and youth groups. My own life has been influenced by a mission trip in which my parents took part in 2006. After traveling to Honduras with a church group, my parents discovered a love for Latin America and the service of others. They immediately began to sponsor the education of disadvantaged children, embarked on the adoption process of a girl who would become my sister, and planned future trips to return to Honduras and spend time with people they loved. Their love for missions spilled into my own life, and I went on my first trip to Honduras in 2016 as a freshman in high school. I left this trip with a new perspective, feeling in awe of the planet and more compassionate for my friends in Honduras and my own community. I have seen short-term mission trips as beneficial for most of my life, but I have learned that not everyone feels the same way. A few years ago, I started to hear opinions from mission trip opponents about the damage of missions and the money wasted by self-righteous Americans. These arguments gave me discomfort about trips I had once regarded as life-changing. Consequently, I set out to answer a question: What are the impacts of short-term mission trips? My research revealed both their positive and negative potential consequences, such as the infusion of hopeful energy into a community and the global perspective experienced by volunteers but also the perpetuation of ignorance and unsustainable donations. Overall, I found that short-term missions can have a net beneficial impact when approached mindfully.

Short-term mission trips seem to have some indisputably positive effects. When energetic, well-intentioned people travel to an unfamiliar place, they bring positive energy to the area and the people they visit. Even Jennifer Sutherland-Miller, a long-term missionary and opponent of short-term mission trips, acknowledges that “the missionaries… have a sincere belief in their philosophy and a genuine desire to do good in the world” (Sutherland-Miller). This desire enhances trips and helps needy communities in multiple ways. First, many short-term missionaries want to provide material support to the communities they visit. When mission trip participants are aware of and humble about their fortune, they can utilize their money in ways that meet the specific needs of impoverished people. I had the opportunity to talk to my father, Joel Booher, to learn more about the support he has provided to friends in Honduras over the years. Mission trips awakened his desire to help people in ways that would directly impact their lives. He said, “Our church is the primary supporter of a children’s home for thirty to thirty-five kids which currently has limited financial support, and we are paying for the full college education of three impoverished young women” (Booher). If spent carelessly, donations may be wasteful, but they can contribute to radical change when spent “in the most efficient and sustainable manner possible” (Sutherland-Miller).

Another benefit I found is that when missionaries assist existing projects and organizations, their enthusiasm can be contagious. There are a number of charitable organizations that exist in underprivileged countries and are staffed by long-term employees. These employees long to serve the communities in which they work, but according to Micha Odenheimer, director of a Haitian/Nepali NGO, “however dedicated they are, local staff cannot keep up this level of excitement about development work” (86). Staff may be more focused on steadily achieving the long-term goals of their organizations, but this comes at the expense of enthusiasm and, sometimes, motivation. On the other hand, short-term volunteers recognize that they only have a short period of time to serve, so they want to make the most of it. Odenheimer says that “an important contribution of the volunteers is to keep the staff motivated and enriched through their infectious desire to make the most out of their stints of service” (86). When well-intentioned, volunteers use their short time to work diligently. Their vivacity encourages staff members and can significantly enhance and contribute to the progress of organizations that serve local communities.

The infectious enthusiasm of volunteers on short-term mission trips also benefits and encourages the residents of the areas they visit. Residents are generally “excited and curious about the volunteers and appreciative of how far they have come to share their knowledge” (Odenheimer 85). Because people look forward to seeing the volunteers, they can bring hope to destitute communities and positively influence the spirit of areas they reach. Relationship-building is also typically a very important part of short-term mission trips. I examined a study conducted on a mission team visiting Haiti, which analyzed the reactions of the volunteers throughout the duration of their trip. According to the study, “building relationships also proved to be an important factor in the participant’s experiences and the connection with the children deepened over time” (Bennett, Eberts 323). Even after mission teams leave, the relationships between residents and visitors can enhance the self-esteem of community members and leave them with cherished memories and friendships. These relationships also have a lasting effect on the visitors, who benefit from the trips as well.

Another positive impact of mission trips is that volunteers experience a new culture, which allows them to see the world in ways they are not used to. American culture can be very fast-paced, materialized, and individualistic, and according to the study on the Haitian mission team, “participants had the perspective that having an abundance of material comforts allowed one to be happy. Their experiences in Haiti proved the opposite to be true in this culture” (Bennett, Eberts 325). Being immersed in a different culture can allow participants to return home with a better understanding of what they consider important, as well as a mature perspective of the diversity and beauty of the world. I frequently think about the beauty of Honduras and miss the ease and simplicity of living there, and my experience has made me better appreciate my own community. Booher also says that his experience traveling to Honduras helped him “to become more loving, more understanding, more thankful, more connected, and having more purpose in life” (Booher). When missionaries approach their trips with a humble and open mind, they can return home with a changed heart and a desire to do good, in addition to the benefits explained above.

However, I found that short-term mission trips can cripple communities and perpetuate inequality when done with poor attitudes. Sutherland-Miller says that “almost every mission trip is centered around going to fix something, solve something, teach something, or provide something” (Sutherland-Miller). If this objective is unchecked, mission teams may develop a sense of superiority, giving the trip an overtone of “‘us’ the wealthy, privileged, enlightened, first worlders, going to ‘help’ ‘them,’ the poor, underprivileged, people of the ‘dark places of the world’” (Sutherland-Miller). I found that volunteers tend to see everything from a privileged perspective unless they work to understand the culture of the community they visit. When people go on a mission trip thinking that they have all of the solutions to the plight of the “poor people”, they certainly do not learn anything from the trip, and their arrogance is felt by the residents. This arrogance is fueled by the “white-savior complex”, the idea that white Western people need to “save” and impose their lifestyles on the people of less-developed nations. The white-savior complex, even if subtle, taints the trip and deepens the divide between participants and the people they are trying to “reach”. Participants with this attitude return home feeling accomplished and proud, but the people they served feel inferior and invaluable.

Mission trips can also be harmful when their primary form of service is handing out food and supplies. Teams like to “be glad that they accomplished something tangible”, so they bring supplies like vitamins, clothing, or food, and distribute them in poor communities (Radecke 23). This model of missions is unsustainable. Mark Radecke says that the distribution of perishable handouts “is undignified… It casts the Norteamericanos in the role of beneficient givers and the recipients in the role of charity cases”(Radecke 23). It’s natural to want to help people in poverty, but handouts create dependency and do nothing to solve the underlying issue. Handouts, especially meals, may alleviate a person’s suffering for a few hours or days, but when supplies are depleted and the missionaries leave, the person finds themselves with the hunger they had before, and their only hope is to wait for someone to come help them again. Of handouts, Sutherland-Miller says that “if there isn’t also a solution to the underlying and long-term problem, then they [handouts] aren’t really helping either” (Sutherland-Miller). Handouts cannot be treated as a long-term solution, but they are popular because “team members have only the perspective of their two weeks” and they want to see results (Radecke 23). Additionally, because some mission teams want to see the physical results of their work, they may be assigned to construction projects that have no purpose and contribute nothing to the well-being of the communities they spend time in. For example, a team may be assigned to paint a wall for a few days. The team “has no idea what the wall will ever be or become, but it keeps the visiting teams busy… and at the end of their time they can rejoice and be glad that they accomplished something tangible” (Radecke 23). Encouraging teams to work on meaningless projects prevents real progress from occurring and allows them to feel proud of the “work” they’ve done. These issues contribute to the detriment of communities and the perpetuation of the White-Savior complex.

My research has led me to realize that the issue of mission trips is very complex and nuanced. Every trip is carried out with different attitudes and objectives, which lead to various results. I’ve learned about how some mission teams successfully foster long-lasting relationships, while others patronize communities. Volunteers may waste money and resources on short-sighted projects, but I’ve seen first-hand how my father has attempted to break the cycle of poverty by paying to sustain orphanages and college educations. All of these trips and acts have the same intention, to travel and serve. Ultimately, it seems to be the attitude and heart of the participants that determine the effect of each trip. For all mission trips to have a positive impact, “there is a need to travel and educate oneself and then go home and put our resources to the best possible use” (Sutherland-Miller). We need to be educated and willing to serve in a way that fits the specific needs of the place being visited, which usually does not consist of painting a wall or taking photos for social media. It looks like I have a lot of learning to do before I head back down to Honduras in January.

1.6 billion people are homeless in the world (“As Cities Grow, So Do the Numbers of Homeless.”). Something happened the other day that I can’t ever get out of my head. There was this guy that was probably in the war, he had one arm and one leg, he was a black man and he was very hungry. We were waiting on the sidewalk to catch the bus when this homeless guy who asked for money. I thought to myself, where did all the money go? Then it came to me, space. I think that we should spend no more money on space exploration.

The first reason is that I think that money on space exploration is very misspent. In January of 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia was launched for what would be its final journey into space. Columbia, the oldest space shuttle to go into space. This was her 28th mission when it got damaged right after launch. The damage was not noticed until she broke apart well trying to come back to earth prior to the landing on February 1, 2003. All people on the shuttle died in what was the worst space-related accident since the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on take-off in 1986 (Joyce Dejoie). As you can see, yes it was a somewhat good space shuttle that has gone into space a bunch of times, but it also killed everyone on it and it was an example of misspent money because it was destroyed. This was a lot of money misspent and killed all the people and the shuttle. As Wallace Fowler said, “ NASA’s 2015 budget is $17.5 billion”. It is estimated that the total economic benefit of each dollar spent on the space program has been between $8 and $10. (Wallace Fowler). The reason is that we spend too much money on space exploration which I think is true because as you can see we spend so much time and money on space when we could be spending it on poor hungry people.

Next, I think we are spending so much time and money on space when there are homeless people. We could take all the money misspent on space that we could spend on homeless people. People will say that if we can find another place to live we could take them up there, but they can’t afford to get up there. The needs of humanity should always come first. While there are people on Earth who need help, they should be helped, rather than seeing money spent on sending robots onto other planets (“Space Exploration Is a Waste of Money.”). This tells you that Hhumans should come first way before we even think about going to space. It also said that as there are millions around the world who are starving to death when people spend more and more money on space technology they should realize they are the killers (“Space Exploration Is a Waste of Money.”). This shows you that people that are spending money on space are real killers because they are spending so much money on space that we don’t have enough money to even make the earth a happy rich planet.

We should not spend valuable resources on space exploration because there are homeless people that are starving on the street, and the money that we use for space is misspent. Therefore, we should not donate any of our time or money to space programs.

The United States has spent $601.31 billion on NASA since its inception. The total estimate is $1.32 trillion when adjusted for inflation, an average of $22.03 billion annually over its entire history. The budget for fiscal year 2020 for the National Aeronautic Space Administration is $21 billion. It is an increase of 1.4 percent compared to FY 2019(Amadeo). There is a steady increase over the years; these numbers will go further and further up. Though this seems like a lot of money this number is only 0.05% of the total U.S. Federal Tax Budget (Kerns). By encouraging public-private partnerships, the Trump administration plans to increase funding (Amadeo). There is much more than just going out to space and exploring. There are many things that happen in the background that must happen in order to even plan it. Space exploration should be funded because it creates millions of jobs, it boosts the economy, and it expands our knowledge and horizons.

There are many ways that the space industry has created many jobs. For example the solar panel industry alone employs 209,000 people. The solar panel industry is steadily increasing as it is more efficient and environmentally friendly than other sources. The space industry also hires tens of thousands of staff and contractors, NASA is liable for all the employment generated by its research and development. NASA does not work by themselves they partner up with many other industries to help them get materials and information. That means that everyone who works for those industries also contribute to the space industry (Kerns). NASA invested in 15 businesses and they got advantages of $1.5 billion in return. The workers in those businesses benefited from this investment and received recognition for not being a big well-known business, but still contributing (Amadeo). You want space exploration if you want employment (Kerns).

Another key point as to why space exploration should be funded is how it boosts our economy. A foundation report estimated that space-related activities contributed $180 billion in 2005 to the economy. That number has since then grew, which in terms contributes much more to our modern day economy. More than 60% of the $180 billion came from commercial products and services produced by space technology firms. NASA has developed 1,400 inventions since 1976, which subsequently became goods or services and even started Startup NASA (Amadeo). Startup NASA is a technology transfer program to help start-ups raise capital and secure intellectual property rights. This is a benefit that comes from funding the NASA program to help other companies that help the economy (Kerns). To add on to this $180 billion, every dollar spent by NASA is a catalyst for a financial advantage of $10 to the economy (Amadeo). The government has got $7 to $14 for every dollar spent as far as investing in NASA is concerned. Either way someone wins whether it’s the government or the economy (Kerns). There has never been a space programme that has not been a good economic stimulus (Tenison, Robin, and Bizony).

Space exploration expands our knowledge and horizons. As we go to space we are collecting samples and always finding new alien substances. These clues help us get more knowledge about what’s out there then just what is here on Earth. The 1958 Space Act calls for all research and technological development, not just astronauts, to benefit everyone (Kerns). Take the Hubble Space Telescope for example it helps us see the depths of space. We are learning everyday more and more about our own galaxy and thousands of others. NASA is currently planning a trip to mars that costs $2.4 billion, but it is worth it to see if it can one day be habitable to humans (Neville). Some people do not think it is really worth it to go out to space, because no piece of space can be claimed as a countries own (Progress in Human Geography). With this remark a lot of people ask themselves if there’s even a space race to begin with, because what is the prize? Space will always remain uncharted territory because there is always a certain limit we will reach as humans whether it is financial or physically. Others are worried about the samples from space contaminating our planet and causing unknown reactions to happen to our ecosystems and lives. If our planet did get contaminated by samples brought from space it could alter our ecosystems to a point of no return (Neville). There is no need for worry NASA is very careful and takes many precautions to protect us from these catastrophic situations. NASA is not going to risk everything they worked for after spending billions of dollars and hours on perfecting a single mission.

The money that is funded into space exploration could be used in numerous other ways. The annual budget for NASA in 2018 was $19.3 billion with all that money the U.S could send 1.94 million people to a public 4-year university. Also with that money the government could give 1.87 million people health care (Neville). Many people would argue that the money should be used on ourselves instead of an unknown void. There are many current problems happening on our own planet today. The government could be using the funded money to help work out the problem of climate change. The planet as a whole is witnessing climate change, famine, drought, warfare, and we are investing the necessary cash to fix these in space exploration. The government could be looking for ways of managing the planet’s resources in order to make how we live more sustainable (Tenison, Robin, and Bizony). Space exploration is actually helping these problems, because this planet is not everlasting with space exploration we can find new planets that are habitable. No one knows when we will have to leave this planet it may not be in the next 20 years, but it may happen soon.

Though all these problems are happening right now, space exploration is uniting us as a nation. The whole nation can get behind one major mission for one big end result. Space exploration has always brought us together as a nation since the July 20, 1969 mission to the moon. Everyone watched that mission live from their homes. The nation felt like they were all in it as one to get that spacecraft to the moon.

Billions of dollars have been invested in space research and it has achieved very little other than some improvement on technology that would’ve probably been improved anyways (Tenison, Robin, and Bizony). Many people think some of the inventions that were invented are useless. Take frozen foods for example or comfortable running shoes. Not everyone uses these goods everyday. NASA has also invented much technology that is used everyday like weather and communication satellites. That allowed ATM machines to provide an immediate satellite-based electronic response. It also allows GPS, developed for military applications by the Air Force. Many technologies that have been developed to explore space are now being used to increase crop yields or to find good fishing regions (Amadeo). However the truth is this, these technologies do help our everyday life whether we use them everyday or not. Everyone uses these goods at least once in their lives, especially if they are adults who need to cash their checks at the ATM. These inventions have also contributed to the medical field as NASA also invented kidney dialysis and CAT scanners to help astronauts, but it ended up benefiting the world also (Amadeo). These machines have saved many people’s lives or at least kept them alive long enough to live their life a little more.

These reasons should be more than enough reasons for the government to keep funding space exploration. Through just one organization millions of jobs are created, the economy is flourishing, and our knowledge of space is at its peak. Space exploration is such a small amount of the total U.S. Federal tax budget that it will not affect the government or our society. NASA has benefited the United States with tons of knowledge, and it has helped America get its place among the elite in space exploration. As humans we are always going to want more than just our standard knowledge. Humans have the kean instinct to explore what is unknown to us. Space is such an unusual and different place than what we know, so why not get to know it a little more. NASA will fund a supersonic X-plane and increase hypersonics research funding. It will also improve air traffic management systems and strengthen cybersecurity capabilities with the money we fund them (Amadeo). Space exploration helps us in many aspects that some people do not even have a clue about. NASA is not just one big organization it is many that come together as one to help us get the knowledge we need to survive and strive forward as a nation. This information broadens our horizons and makes our self surroundings much more clearer. With space exploration the skies are no longer the limit for the people of Earth.

1.6 billion people are homeless in the world (“As Cities Grow, So Do the Numbers of Homeless.”). Something happened the other day that I can’t ever get out of my head. There was this guy that was probably in the war, he had one arm and one leg, he was a black man and he was very hungry. We were waiting on the sidewalk to catch the bus when this homeless guy who asked for money. I thought to myself, where did all the money go? Then it came to me, space. I think that we should spend no more money on space exploration.

The first reason is that I think that money on space exploration is very misspent. In January of 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia was launched for what would be its final journey into space. Columbia, the oldest space shuttle to go into space. This was her 28th mission when it got damaged right after launch. The damage was not noticed until she broke apart well trying to come back to earth prior to the landing on February 1, 2003. All people on the shuttle died in what was the worst space-related accident since the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on take-off in 1986 (Joyce Dejoie). As you can see, yes it was a somewhat good space shuttle that has gone into space a bunch of times, but it also killed everyone on it and it was an example of misspent money because it was destroyed. This was a lot of money misspent and killed all the people and the shuttle. As Wallace Fowler said, “ NASA’s 2015 budget is $17.5 billion”. It is estimated that the total economic benefit of each dollar spent on the space program has been between $8 and $10. (Wallace Fowler). The reason is that we spend too much money on space exploration which I think is true because as you can see we spend so much time and money on space when we could be spending it on poor hungry people.

Next, I think we are spending so much time and money on space when there are homeless people. We could take all the money misspent on space that we could spend on homeless people. People will say that if we can find another place to live we could take them up there, but they can’t afford to get up there. The needs of humanity should always come first. While there are people on Earth who need help, they should be helped, rather than seeing money spent on sending robots onto other planets (“Space Exploration Is a Waste of Money.”). This tells you that Hhumans should come first way before we even think about going to space. It also said that as there are millions around the world who are starving to death when people spend more and more money on space technology they should realize they are the killers (“Space Exploration Is a Waste of Money.”). This shows you that people that are spending money on space are real killers because they are spending so much money on space that we don’t have enough money to even make the earth a happy rich planet.

We should not spend valuable resources on space exploration because there are homeless people that are starving on the street, and the money that we use for space is misspent. Therefore, we should not donate any of our time or money to space programs.