Biodiversity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Biodiversity - Research Paper Example On a more lofty plane of analysis, proponents of biotechnology, laud it as a triumph of human innovation, an example of humankind’s superior knowledge over other organisms in the eco-system. Some even argue that â€Å"sustainable agriculture is possible only with biotechnology and imaginative chemistry.† (Schneiderman and Carpenter, 1990). Environmental advocates, on the other hand, warn of the hazards of biotechnology on biodiversity and other life-forms. For example, environmentalists assert that the corn that is keeping pests away is also killing the Monarch butterfly. According to Wilson (1992), â€Å"the race is on to develop methods, to draw more income from the wildlands without killing them, and so to give the invisible hand of the free market a green thumb.† the central debate that underpins the biotechnology discourse: balancing the WTO principles on liberalization and the environmental concerns of biotechnology. To quote Herdegen (2010): Biotechnology on the international level, is covered by the said Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), which build their judicial content upon a precautionary approach. On the other hand, WTO trade law is deemed to focus on the abolition of trade barriers and the combating of protectionism and unjustified discrimination. Therefore there is a potential for conflict between trade law and MEAs, especially in the field of biotechnology. It is this conflict that has made the crafting of an international legal framework for biotechnology so fraught with tensions, and the road to Cartagena so bumpy. The proposal for the international regulation of biotechnology was spawned by a 1986 incident, wherein the United States tested a genetically-modified rabies vaccine in Argentina, without having informed, much less obtained consent, from the Argentine government. This raised fears that with without an international legal framework for biotechnology, developed countries would use developing countries as laboratories, thus putting citizens of the latter at great risk. (Gupta, 2000: 24). There was a pre-existing Convention on Biological Diversity that could be used to serve as a framework for the creation of a convention particularly and specifically addressing biotechnology concerns and issues. Article 8 of the CBD called on Parties to â€Å"establish or maintain means to regulate, manage or control the risks associated with the use and release of living modified organisms resulting from biotechnology which are likely to have adverse environmental impacts that could affect the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, taking also into account the risks to human health.† On the basis of Article 8, the parties to the Convention decided to form a working group to hammer out a protocol acceptable by all. Delegates from 170 nations locked heads in Cartagena to work through the contentious issues being raised and the various points of divergence between nations and stake holders. In a press release by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in 1999, Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the program, was quoted as saying: â€Å"we need a widely accepted protocol that protects the environment, strengthens the capacity of developing countries to ensure biosafety, complements existing national regulations, and promotes public confidence in biotechnology and all the benefits it can offer.† This, however, proved to be easier said than done. Countries from Europe and from the developing world found themselves forming an

Environmental Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental Health - Essay Example Environmental Protection Agency, 2012). The definition of medical waste was effectively provided in the Medical Waste tracking Act of 1988 which aptly states its meaning as â€Å""any solid waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in the production or testing of biologicals." This definition includes, but is not limited to: blood-soaked bandages; culture dishes and other glassware; discarded surgical gloves; discarded surgical instruments; discarded needles used to give shots or draw blood (e.g., medical sharps); cultures, stocks, swabs used to inoculate cultures; removed body organs (e.g., tonsils, appendices, limbs); and discarded lancets† (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2012, p. 1). 2. Describe the factors that contribute to its toxicity. Information from the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that as much as 20% of medical wastes are classified as hazardous which â€Å" may be infectious, toxic or radioactive† (WHO, 2011). The factors that allegedly contribute to its toxicity include presence of micro-organisms, as well as preponderance of specifically identified drug-resistant micro-organisms. Likewise, disposing of these medical wastes improperly could pose indirect risks in terms of release of toxic pollutants. As emphasized, â€Å"incinerated materials containing chlorine can generate dioxins and furans2, which are human carcinogens and have been associated with a range of adverse health effects. Incineration of heavy metals or materials with high metal content (in particular lead, mercury and cadmium) can lead to the spread of toxic metals in the environment† (WHO, 2011, p. 1). 3. Name the environmental and occupational sources of exposure to it. The environmental and occupational sources of exposure to medical wastes include landfills, which â€Å"can contaminate drinking-water if they not properly constructed. Occupational risk s exist at disposal facilities that are not well designed, run, or maintained† (WHO, 2011, p. 1). Likewise, medical wastes which are not properly incinerated pose significant hazards. 4. How is it evaluated and treated? According to the Healthcare Environment Resource Center, medical wastes were previously monitored and regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency; but currently, various states have allegedly taken control and governance. The different regulations that stipulate guidelines and monitor, evaluate and treat medical wastes include: the State Medical Waste Regulations, OSHA Regulations, the US EPA Regulations, as well as the Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulations (Healthcare Environment Resource Center, n.d.). 5. What action could you, the nurse, take to reduce exposure of yourself, your co-workers, patients, and the community? As a nurse, the action that must be taken to reduce exposure to medical wastes include adherence to safety procedures as prescr ibed by OSHA and infection control. Likewise, proper disposal in designated waste receptacles must be followed. In addition, the role of nurses in educating other health care practitioners on its hazard and possible effects, if contaminated, should be enforced as a firm advocate for promoting a safe and secure environment. 6. List at least three web sources about it. References Healthcare Enviro

Globalization in the Context of Ghana Development Prospects Essay

Globalization in the Context of Ghana Development Prospects - Essay Example Ghana’s story, like many African and South American countries, is a story characterized by a mixed fortune of charismatic leadership with a determination to bring economic prosperity within their soil. With a dream of development prospects to the western standards, the original desire of Ghana’s leadership after independence was a state of parity in a record time of ten years under ideological stewardship of Kwame Nkrumah. Even though development was never fully achieved within the period, international political influences remained fully ingrained in the country’s undertakings. From independence upfront, Ghana adopted foreign policy principles and ideals of nonalignment and Pan-Africanism enunciated by Kwame Nkrumah’s tenure. Accordingly, the adoption of nonalignment stand was a counter-strategy measure against the infiltration of antagonistic policies perpetuated by alliances of both the East and West power blocs. On the other end, Pan-Africanism was a c ooperative visionary policy aimed at liberating the continent from Western colonialism and uniting it for a more consolidated economic and political independence (Ofusu par 33). The country’s active participation in the various organizations such as the United Nations, African Union, and ECOWAS is a clear indication of its commitment to the maintenance of friendly relations and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and noninterference from other countries irrespective of ideological differences.Taking colonialism off their shoulders, the post-independence national reconstruction placed Ghana as a middle-income country by the 1960s, with its citizenry enjoying relatively stable socio-economic standards of living. As fate would have it, political instability coupled with economic mismanagement by the military juntas in the 1970s eroded the positive economic gains at independence, eventually plunging the country into severe socio-economic crisis. As the wee hours of the 197 0s approached, the country’s gross domestic product’s declining rate was alarming, pushing every sector

Women Serving On the Front Line of Battlefield Research Paper

Women Serving On the Front Line of Battlefield - Research Paper Example This is based on the limited barriers that currently limit the presence and roles of women in the field. In as much as women should be accorded similar roles in the military, as their male counterparts, it is necessary to acknowledge their limitations that significantly depart from the roles of men. Summary and explanation of issue Women have begun playing an increasingly fundamental role on especially on the frontline during battles. It is fundamental to acknowledge that the need to attain gender parity in Pentagon has led to the enacting of laws that exalt the position of women working in the military sections. Previously, American women were barred from participating in direct combat roles. However, the changes in the nature and characteristics of the war have made the soldiers to be constantly in war. This means that women are always forced to participate in direct combat regardless of the ensuing challenges. This has made pentagon to advocate for additional roles for women in th e frontline of the battles. For example, congress has been recommending the introduction of close to 14,000 jobs for women serving in the frontline during battleground. According to Gass & John (4) â€Å"persuasion is powerful, and often positive social force†. ... These leaders would eventually their concerns to congress with the intention of contributing to the policy process. It is equally fundamental to acknowledge that the women have been advancing to the front of the battle lines by themselves to assert their authority. This has been vital to their empowerment and progress. The pentagon is equally a major stakeholder because it advises the congress concerning fundamental issues affecting women fighting at the front line in the battlefields. According to Gass & John (5) these are opinion leaders are influential who shape information and ideas through persuasion. It is evident that the pentagon initiates the policies formulated by congress. Consequently, it advertises the available positions within the military and allocates several roles. It is evident that the strategies that the entity has used to advance its persuasion process include formal announcements, advertisements and holding meetings with the women working in the military. The P entagon plays a neutral position in the entire occasion because it attempts to attain the highest degree of professionalism. Furthermore, it represents the needs of several persons who are not necessarily women in the front line. This means that it has to be extremely balanced in its approach. The final category incorporates congress that formulates laws determining whether women should participate in battles at the front line. According to Gass & John (23) purse persuasion seems to apply to the congress because it assumes a neutral position by allowing various personnel to voice their concerns. However, it ultimately represents the needs of the

Linear Programming essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Linear Programming - Essay Example The applications of linear programming span providing solutions to problems involving economics, computer science, and practically any other industry that requires a production schedule or an actual scheduling process. Moreover, the optimizing feature of linear programming makes it a necessity for people in the management circle to be familiar with. Simplex algorithm A linear programming model is typically solved using a simplex algorithm, or sometimes also referred to as the linear solver (Powell & Baker, 2010). The simplex algorithm involves a series of steps which employs the use of slack and basic variables to change the inequality constraints to equations so that the derived system of equations may be solved to find a feasible solution area. The extreme points of this feasible solution area are then tested by plugging them in to the objective function in order to find out which gives the optimal solution (Singiresu, 2009). Linear Programming Models There are a number of models t hat may be used to generate the solution to a linear programming model. ... Such models are generally used in manufacturing companies or supply chain networks. Another kind of linear programming model involves the blending of a number of resources to produce desired results, hence the term blending model (Baker, 2011). A typical example of this model is the â€Å"diet problem† wherein one aims to find the optimum mix of food products that will produce the maximum nutritional value. The covering model of linear programming is quite different from the first two models in such that it aims to minimize the objective function and is presented with â€Å"greater than constraints† (Powell & Baker, 2010, p. 79). This model is commonly used when minimizing a cost function and requiring the contributions to be greater than a particular value. Finally, the network model is quite unique in nature as it â€Å"describes configurations of flow in a connected system† (Baker, 2011, p. 71). Typically, a network model would require the use of a diagram whi ch aids in the finding of the optimal solution of a given problem. In all these types of linear programming models, spreadsheets may be used to provide assistance in finding the optimal solution. Excel has a built in Solver application which allows the user to simply input the coefficients of the objective function and constraints, and automatically generates values for the feasible region and the corresponding optimal solution. Sensitivity Analysis It should be noted that the task is not yet done when the optimal solution is found. It is also necessary to conduct a corresponding sensitivity analysis on the solution generated. Sensitivity analysis provides information on how instantaneous changes in the parameters of the problem would affect the optimal solution

The Current Citibank Status Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Current Citibank Status - Essay Example One day the Dow Jones is up, the next day it plunges down. Those who are holding out for economic stability seem to be optimistic that the highly controversial and recent national cash infusion of $3.5 trillion approved by Congress is going to put at least a mild set of spare brakes on the ride. Its primary purpose is to move working people in to more updated and viable industries based on changes in today's world; and hopefully, to get them spending and borrowing again. The government is also underwriting the virtual flotation devices for lending money to cash-strapped small businesses until a stalled economy can get moving. The only remaining question is in whether or not the average consumer is going to risk borrowing (or spending freely) in order to restart the flow once a checked economy makes its next move. What was "up slightly" on March 31 became a "multi-year low" on April 1. The high road seems to be a willingness to take the middle ground approach and state that consumer confidence is "relatively pessimistic," according to Scott Andron of the Miami Herald.[1] Most important in the consideration are the investors, national and global individuals and smaller corporate conglomerates who put up the money that underwrites the tangible assets so that loans can be withdrawn and used to sustain the economy. Without them, no one wins. U.S. officials have pressed their European counterparts to spend substantially more public money in an attempt to revive economic growth and global trade. Some countries, led by Germany, have strongly resisted, predicting that such a path could lead to unsustainable debts and runaway inflation. Luxembourg's prime minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, who heads a coordinating body of countries that use the euro currency, said European countries had already spent enough to jumpstart their economies. "The European stimulus plans are muscular, they are demanding, they are important in volume and in quality," Juncker said Wednesday in an interview with France's Europe 1 Radio. He said there was "no question" that the European Union would reject requests from Obama to spend more.[2] As recently as March of 2009, Citibank began to predict its own demise.[3] Michael Shedlock, a registered Investment Adviser for SitkaPacific stated [paraphrased] "Citigroup is essentially telling investors to bet against thema whole slew of financial stocks have been smashed to smithereens."[4] It is hard news to bear for a company that was once considered eternally solvent, particularly with all of the assets (and debts) that it acquired

Chinese Economic Revolution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Chinese Economic Revolution - Research Paper Example As a result there was a wide variety of goods and services to choose from. Chinese producers were also able to export their goods and expand their businesses overseas. By the late 1980’s these reforms had accomplished extraordinary results: incomes increased, more consumer products, food and housing was made available and the country experienced high growth rates. The economic reforms were Chinese government’s way to emphasize an increase production, consumption and people’s income as well as advancement in technology without it having an adverse impact on budget deficits, inflation and unemployment. The first of these economic reforms were introduced in the agricultural sector. Under the agricultural reforms, agricultural land was divided among farmers who became owners of the lands they worked on. The farmers were allowed to keep the agricultural output if they agreed to give a small share of it to the government. This was a popular move among the farmers who f ound a way to increase their incomes. The result of these reforms was a dramatic increase in production of agricultural goods and this move stimulated the growth in the agricultural industry. Farmers were also able improve their standard of living as the reforms allowed them to increase their income by producing more goods (Myers 1991). Foreign trade played a significant role to boost China’s economy once the new economic reforms were introduced. In the years preceding the economic revolution foreign trade rarely contributed more than 10% to China’s GDP as the country mostly relied on self-sufficiency. However after the reforms the contribution increased significantly and by 1986 foreign trade contributed to 36% of the... The modern world has become familiar with the phrase ‘Made in China’. Chinese goods and services are being sold all over the world. There is clearly a shift in economic power from the developed West to China and India. The remarkable growth of China can be credited greatly to the Chinese Economic Revolution that occurred in the late 1970’s. The remarkable growth of China can be credited greatly to the Chinese Economic Revolution that occurred in the late 1970’s. In 1978 Deng Xiaoping introduced economic reforms in China. There were two phases to the reforms. In the first phases focus was on the countryside. A ‘Household Responsibility System’ was introduced which made peasants, working on farms, owners of those lands. The second phase of these reforms focused on industrialization and worker welfare as well as on enterprises. One of the key changes as a result of these reforms was that control was shifted from state-owned to private enterprise. These reforms were against the communist philosophy as they supported a free-market system. These reforms helped arouse a sleeping economic giant from its slumber and take the world’s economic stage by storm. The reforms encouraged private entrepreneurship, foreign investment and foreign trade, reduced government control with focus on free-market and education of the labor force among others. The Chinese economy will continue to grow and maintain its average growth rates of 10% per annum till 2020.