Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The Anthropocene Epoch Humanity Essay - 1384 Words

The Anthropocene Epoch Humanity is confronted by multiple environmental challenges which threaten to undermine the advances in health achieved over recent decades. The Rockefeller Foundation/Lancet Commission on Planetary Health showed how climate change, loss of biodiversity, land use change, ocean acidification and overfishing, nitrogen and phosphorus loading and environmental pollution more generally all have the potential to adversely affect health through a range of pathways1. A recent joint publication by WHO and Convention on Biological Diversity articulated the myriad connections between biodiversity and health and the threats to both posed by environmental change2. The dramatic changes in the global environment have led many scientists to conclude that we are living in a new geological epoch – the Anthropocene – in which the activities of one species – homo sapiens -have become the dominant driving force transforming the Earth’s natural systems3. These natural systems provide food, clean water and air and modulate the global temperature within limits in which humanity has been able to flourish for around 11,500 years during the preceding Holocene epoch. The scale and pace of change is dramatic; for example, the extinction of species is occurring at around 100-fold pre-human rates4. The population sizes of vertebrate species have, on average, declined by half over the last 45 years5. More than 2.3 million km2 of primary forest has been felled since 20006. AboutShow MoreRelatedThe Nature Of Sustainability : A Human Nature Hybridity Essay1820 Words   |  8 Pagesphilosophy that aims to protect and improve the health of the environment. While humans have accepted this view of environmentalism for living in the Holocene epoch, political environmentalist Paul Wapner proposes a renewed definition of environmentalism that has emerged in the Anthropocene epoch. Wapner sees the Anthropocene as an epoch of human geological influence, where humans have inflicted a signature on the earth leaving it â€Å"independent of human experience† (2). That is to say, humans haveRead MoreEnvironmentalism Is Not A New Concept Essay1809 Words   |   8 PagesIt is a social movement that aims to protect and improve the health of the environment. While humans have accepted this view of environmentalism for the Holocene epoch, political environmentalist Paul Wapner proposes a renewed definition of environmentalism that has emerged in the Anthropocene epoch. Wapner sees the Anthropocene as an epoch of human geological influence, where humans have inflicted a signature on the earth, leaving it â€Å"independent of human experience† (37). That is to say, humans haveRead MoreThe World s Terrifying Impact On Earth Justifies New Anthropocene Epoch1752 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"Humanity’s terrifying impact on Earth justifies new Anthropocene epoch† is the title of an article published in the Guardian newspaper in October 2014, the purpose of this essay is to assess if this statement was and is true. The geologic timescale comprises of Eons, Eras, Periods, Epochs and Ages, all of which fit into each other with Eon being the largest. Key geological events in the life of the planet are used to mark the transition from one of these chapters to another. Fig 1 has been createdRead MoreEffects Of The Columbian Exchange1121 Words   |  5 Pageshad some environmental impacts, such as the loss of wetlands, deforestation, and both air and water pollution. Thus being the â€Å"birth of the Anthropocene.† The Anthropocene is â€Å"the idea that humanity has driven the planet into a new geological epoch has been around for a century or more. But recently, it has begun to gain momentum† (Anthropocene). The Anthropocene and the Great Acceleration tie together in some aspects, since they are both a product since the Columbian Exchange and the Industrial RevolutionRead MoreThe Capitalist Neo Liberal System Essay1839 Words   |  8 PagesThe anthropogenic circumstance of Climate Change engenders the phenomenon whereby humanity must attempt to save itself from the problems of its own doing. As global conditions destabilise, drastic international action is required to mitigate climate change (Bierman, 2014). This essay will analyse the current capitalist neo-liberal system to determine its capacity to facilitate collective international action. Such analysis will draw upon examples of the Kyoto Protocol and China’s integration intoRead MoreThe Role Of Contemporary Education On A Sustainable Global Society2006 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction (519 words) The 21st century has marked the importance of bringing up urgent, but complex problems involving significant threats to all humanity, such as global warming, pollution, and ozone depletion. Never before had it been so critical to analyse the environmental degradation and to join all the nations’ forces in order to build a sustainable global society which is meant to be based on â€Å"respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace† (The EarthRead MoreAnalyzing Anthropocentrism Ethic : A Case Study Of Climate Change1209 Words   |  5 Pagespollution make our mother planet- the earth changed sharply in such a short period (Markham, 2009). The philosophy of anthropocentrism guides people’s mind within a long history, especially become a consensus after industrialization period. In the anthropocene, the human beings are more likely to be treated as the subject of nature, and force nature to get the raw material for the survival and development of human society (Hamilton et al. 2015). As there is an argument, should anthropocentrism be responsibleRead MoreOur Solar System For Colonization1198 Words   |  5 PagesAs humanity continues to progress and drain the Earth’s resources, the planet has started a downfall of degradation--something that should have taken millions of years under natural conditions. Species are going extinct and the greenhouse gas levels are reaching high levels because of advanced civilization. The current sustainability projects humans possess are neither long term nor effective. As resources decrease and greenhouse gases increase, many scientists are looking for alternative placesRead MoreThe Is The Noble Pursuit Of Human Life1861 Words   |  8 Pagesposit to you that engineering is the noble pursuit to sustain human life and therefore is inherently an anthropological endeavour and humanistic effort to nurture humanity and manifest its glory. Were we to give rise to the cla ssical connotations engineering carries of cold and pure problem-solving-uninterested in issues of the humanities - indeed it would betray the magnitude of our existence as a species. It is this very facet that has brought us to the magnificence this day. Now with encroachingRead MoreThe Great White Shark, By Paul J. Crutzen And Eugene F. Stoermer2022 Words   |  9 PagesIn the early 2000s, the ‘Anthropocene’ emerged as a widespread term to represent the current era of Earth’s history. According to Paul J. Crutzen and Eugene F. Stoermer, the ‘Anthopocene’ represents a â€Å"geologic epoch† characterized by human activities that profoundly transform the environment, threaten ecosystems, and cause unparalleled disruptions on earth’s natural processes. (Ogden et al. 2013: 341) Unfortunately, humanity in the period of the ‘Anthropocene’ has contributed to a range of environmental

Monday, December 16, 2019

The End or The Journey Free Essays

The road awards my future goal would be able to modify my personality. The Journey would allow myself to understand my personality even further. Also, the passage towards my future would grant myself the privilege of discovering who I am. We will write a custom essay sample on The End or The Journey or any similar topic only for you Order Now I do not understand myself, but a part of the journey is discovering what your intentions, dreams, actions, paths are. The goal would still be at the end. However, the journey is a never-ending adventure. The initial goal would waiver with each action, decision, made. The future is full of different paths, experiencing the different paths would transform a person into a new being. A person is similar to a caterpillar, a transforming creature. The caterpillar changes from a helpless creature into a powerful butterfly and humans grow with each experience they encounter. For example, each day that goes by, science is evolving by the scientists who encounter new Ideas, experiments, and results. Each day passes with change from within. As a future is full of different paths, dreams are full of different results and mindsets. In the life Vive experienced so far, Vive been through many dreams and career paths, the journey towards my future is a never-ending experience. My first dream started as an artist during my elementary school days; that ended when I realized there were other people who were more talented in the arts. However, I continued to sketch as a hobby. My second career path was through history as an anthropologist; that career went down the drain because of money issues. My third dream was a preschool teacher. That dream began with my love for children and is still a possible career selection for my future. My fourth career choice Is a pedantically. Although the choice of continuing school for a long time will probably backfire on me, the desire to alp children has kept that dream alive. My fifth dream Is to be an accountant, my current dream. All the different dreams I’ve had over the years has set myself towards different results, but my ever-changing demeanor has confused my end result. The future Is unclear and the path Is cloudy, the end Is a mystery and the Journey Is a challenge. People will grow as they move forward. However, there Is no guarantee of growth at the end of the road. The obstacles before a challenger calls for mistakes and growth, not perfection. The end is perfection, but the trek towards he end is full of mistakes, errors, and progress. That is why I believe that the journey is greater than the goal. The End or The Journey By Cindy â€Å"The Journey is far greater than the inn. † I am a sixteen year old girl. As a child, there is a long Journey towards adulthood. There is the pleasure of the Journey taken and the Joy of the end. Some people may more impact on the person. During Journeys, there are obstacles that the Journeyer has to overcome. The road understand myself, but a part of the Journey is discovering what your intentions, dreams, actions, paths are. The goal would still be at the end. However, the Journey is new ideas, experiments, and results. Each day passes with change from within. As a selection for my future. My fourth career choice is a petrifaction. Although the help children has kept that dream alive. My fifth dream is to be an accountant, my current dream. All the different dreams Vive had over the years has set myself result. The future is unclear and the path is cloudy, the end is a mystery and the journey is a challenge. People will grow as they move forward. However, there is no the end is full of mistakes, errors, and progress. That is why I believe that the Journey How to cite The End or The Journey, Papers

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Essay About The Big Bang To Today Example For Students

Essay About The Big Bang To Today It is always a mystery about how the universe began, whether if and when it will end. Astronomers construct hypotheses called cosmological models that try to find the answer. There are two types of models: Big Bang and Steady State. However, through many observational evidences, the Big Bang theory can best explain the creation of the universe. The Big Bang model postulates that about 15 to 20 billion years ago, the universe violently exploded into being, in an event called the Big Bang. Before the Big Bang, all of the matter and radiation of our present universe were packed together in the primeval fireballan extremely hot dense state from which the universe rapidly expanded.1 The Big Bang was the start of time and space. The matter and radiation of that early stage rapidly expanded and cooled. Several million years later, it condensed into galaxies. The universe has continued to expand, and the galaxies have continued moving away from each other ever since. Today the universe is st ill expanding, as astronomers have observed. The Steady State model says that the universe does not evolve or change in time. There was no beginning in the past, nor will there be change in the future. This model assumes the perfect cosmological principle. This principle says that the universe is the same everywhere on the large scale, at all times.2 It maintains the same average density of matter forever. There are observational evidences found that can prove the Big Bang model is more reasonable than the Steady State model. First, the redshifts of distant galaxies. Redshift is a Doppler effect which states that if a galaxy is moving away, the spectral line of that galaxy observed will have a shift to the red end. The faster the galaxy moves, the more shift it has. If the galaxy is moving closer, the spectral line will show a blue shift. If the galaxy is not moving, there is no shift at all. However, as astronomers observed, the more distance a galaxy is located from Earth, the mor e redshift it shows on the spectrum. This means the further a galaxy is, the faster it moves. Therefore, the universe is expanding, and the Big Bang model seems more reasonable than the Steady State model. The second observational evidence is the radiation produced by the Big Bang. The Big Bang model predicts that the universe should still be filled with a small remnant of radiation left over from the original violent explosion of the primeval fireball in the past. The primeval fireball would have sent strong shortwave radiation in all directions into space. In time, that radiation would spread out, cool, and fill the expanding universe uniformly. By now it would strike Earth as microwave radiation. In 1965 physicists Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson detected microwave radiation coming equally from all directions in the sky, day and night, all year.3 And so it appears that astronomers have detected the fireball radiation that was produced by the Big Bang. This casts serious doubt on t he Steady State model. The Steady State could not explain the existence of this radiation, so the model cannot best explain the beginning of the universe. Since the Big Bang model is the better model, the existence and the future of the universe can also be explained. Around 15 to 20 billion years ago, time began. The points that were to become the universe exploded in the primeval fireball called the Big Bang. The exact nature of this explosion may never be known. However, recent theoretical breakthroughs, based on the principles of quantum theory, have suggested that space, and the matter within it, masks an infinitesimal realm of utter chaos, where events happen randomly, in a state called quantum weirdness.4 Before the universe began, this chaos was all there was. At some time, a portion of this randomness happened to form a bubble, with a temperature in excess of 10 to the power of 34 degrees Kelvin. Being that hot, naturally it expanded. For an extremely brief and short period , billionths of billionths of a second, it inflated. At the end of the period of inflation, the universe may have a diameter of a few centimetres. The temperature had cooled enough for particles of matter and antimatter to form, and they instantly destroy each other, producing fire and a thin haze of matter-apparently because slightly more matter than antimatter was formed.5 The fireball, and the smoke of its burning, was the universe at an age of trillionth of a second. The temperature of the expanding fireball dropped rapidly, cooling to a few billion degrees in few minutes. Matter continued to condense out of energy, first protons and neutrons, then electrons, and finally neutrinos. After about an hour, the temperature had dropped below a billion degrees, and protons and neutrons combined and formed hydrogen, deuterium, helium. In a billion years, this cloud of energy, atoms, and neutrinos had cooled enough for galaxies to form. The expanding cloud cooled still further until toda y, its temperature is a couple of degrees above absolute zero. In the future, the universe may end up in two possible situations. From the initial Big Bang, the universe attained a speed of expansion. If that speed is greater than the universes own escape velocity, then the universe will not stop its expansion. Such a universe is said to be open. If the velocity of expansion is slower than the escape velocity, the universe will eventually reach the limit of its outward thrust, just like a ball thrown in the air comes to the top of its arc, slows, stops, and starts to fall. The crash of the long fall may be the Big Bang to the beginning of another universe, as the fireball formed at the end of the contraction leaps outward in another great expansion.6 Such a universe is said to be closed, and pulsating. If the universe has achieved escape velocity, it will continue to expand forever. The stars will redden and die, the universe will be like a limitless empty haze, expanding infinitely into the darkness. This space will become even emptier, as the fundamental particles of matter age, and decay through time. As the years stretch on into infinity, nothing will remain. A few primitive atoms such as positrons and electrons will be orbiting each other at distances of hundreds of astronomical units.7 These particles will spiral slowly toward each other until touching, and they will vanish in the last flash of light. After all, the Big Bang model is only an assumption. No one knows for sure that exactly how the universe began and how it will end. However, the Big Bang model is the most logical and reasonable theory to explain the universe in modern science. ENDNOTES 1. Dinah L. Mache, Astronomy, New York: John Wiley ; Sons, Inc., 1987. p. 128. 2. Ibid., p. 130. 3. Joseph Silk, The Big Bang, New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1989. p. 60. 4. Terry Holt, The Universe Next Door, New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1985. p. 326. 5. Ibid., p. 327. 6. Charles J. Caes, Cosmolog y, The Search For The Order Of The Universe, USA: Tab Books Inc., 1986. p. 72. 7. John Gribbin, In Search Of The Big Bang, New York: Bantam Books, 1986. p. 273. BIBLIOGRAPHY Boslough, John. Stephen Hawkings Universe. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1980. Caes, J. Charles. Cosmology, The Search For The Order Of The Universe. USA: Tab Books Inc., 1986. Gribbin, John. In Search Of The Big Bang. New York: Bantam Books, 1986. Holt, Terry. The Universe Next Door. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1985. Kaufmann, J. William III. Astronomy: The Structure Of The Universe. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1977. Mache, L. Dinah. Astronomy. New York: John Wiley Sons, Inc., 1987. Silk, Joseph. The Big Bang. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company, 1989. .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668 , .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668 .postImageUrl , .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668 , .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668:hover , .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668:visited , .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668:active { border:0!important; } .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668:active , .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668 .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc2280406ff40c33d2644fb835edae668:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Media Deprivation Sample Essay

Sunday, December 1, 2019

US Social Security vs. Canadian Social Security

Introduction The increasing challenge posed by an increase in the elderly population creates the need to deploy social security services. Demographic patterns on the provision of social services are estimated to increase drastically in the future.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on US Social Security vs. Canadian Social Security specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the United States, the notable demographic trends that are likely to impose significant pressures on social security includes the anticipated retirement of the baby boomers cohort, a reduction in the fertility rates and increases in life expectancy are estimated to pose a large increase in the old-age dependency ratio (Feldstein Liebman, 2002). The main purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the United States with the Canadian social security system. The paper provides an overview of the United States and Canadian social security system , after which the paper discusses the objective similarities and differences between the two systems. In addition the paper also provides a subjective analysis that is based on the current evaluation of the United States social security system against the Canadian system. Basing on the research, the paper provides recommendations for improving the United States social security system. Introduction to the United States Social Security system In the US, social security mainly involves the Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) scheme that is administered by the federal government. Social Security in the United States was first adopted during 1935; subsequent amendments have resulted to the inclusion of social welfare and social insurance. Major components of the United States social security also include the Supplemental Security Income, various unemployment benefits, offering aid to the needy families, grants issued to the states by the federal government for the purpose s of Medical Assistance Programs (Medicaid), Health Insurance for the Aged and Disabled (Medicare) and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Giles, 2005). Social security in the United States is mainly financed using dedicated payroll taxes that are referred to as the Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax. Social security in the United States is largely concerned with the benefits associated with retirement, unemployment, cases of disability, death and survivorship (Hyman, 2010).Advertising Looking for research paper on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Social Security in the United States is considered as the largest government program in the globe that takes a significant portion of the federal budget. In addition, social security is the biggest social insurance program in the United States. It is estimated that social security in the United States has helped to keep 40 percent of people aged over 65 years out of poverty. Introduction to Canadian social security Canadian social security comprises of approximately 2.3 percent of the Gross Domestic product, the Pay-as-you-go component Canadian social security is relatively small compared to the United States. Old Age Security (OAS) program is one of the core elements of elderly income transfers in Canada. The Guaranteed Income Supplement is used to increase the income levels for aged individuals in Canada. Another important element of Canadian social security is the Canadian Pension Plan and the Quebec Pension plan, which are mainly funded by the joint monetary contributions from employers and employees. Canadians contribute 4.95 percent tax on their income from USD 3500 to USD 41000 (Orszag Diamond, 2005). Social security in Canada mainly involves the government programs that are adopted with the main objective of offering assistance to its citizens and covers diverse programs that are mostly run by the provinces. In Ca nada, the social safety net is mainly concerned with the transfer payments that are directed at low income citizens only. It does not incorporate expenditures associated with healthcare services and education (Weisbrot Baker, 2001). Similarities between the United States and Canadian security services In the US, social security denotes the funds that the individuals pay during their working life, which mainly comprises of the retirement benefits during old age. This is a similar approach under the Canadian social security that is implemented using the Canadian Pension Plan. In the United States, employees contribute 5.65 percent of their earnings towards their social security and Medicare, which is used for offering medical insurance for aged and retired people.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on US Social Security vs. Canadian Social Security specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The social security premiums in the US are capped at earnings of USD 106,800 while there is no capping of the premiums for Medicare (Hyman, 2010). Canadians contribute 4.95 percent of their total earnings towards the CPP. Socialized healthcare plan in Canada are somewhat similar to the Medicare program in the context of the United States (Orszag Diamond, 2005). Another similarity between the United States and Canadian social security systems is that they both make use of the pay-as-you-go scheme, although the United States system is relatively high compared to the Canadian system. Bo the social security systems can be considered to a hybrid between the PAYGO plan and a fully financed program (Hyman, 2010). Differences between the United States and Canadian social security system A notable difference between the two systems is the scope of coverage of social security. In this context, the Canadian social security system does not have provisions for education and healthcare expenditure, which are provided in the social security system in the United States (Giles, 2005). The second difference between the two systems is that the United States expenditures on social security are relatively higher compared to the Canadian expenditure on social security. For instance, the Old Age and Survivors comprise of 6 percent of the United States GDP, compared to Canada that allocate 4.2 percent of its GDP. In addition, Canada spends relatively twice as much as the amount that the United States spends on unemployment benefits (Hyman, 2010). Another difference between the two systems is that the CPP is a reserve fund that is invested in the market; this is contrary to the social security funds that are invested in government securities and bonds. Investing the CPP in the market resulted to 5 percent marginal difference between the returns in the United States and Canada. Evaluation of current US system against the Canadian system It is arguably evident that Canadian social security has a better establishme nt compared to the United States social security system. There is a potential that the Canada Pension Plan fund will grow since it is invested in the market, making significant contributions towards its future sustainability compared to the United States social security funds that are invested in government bonds. Another reason that contributes to the effectiveness of the Canadian pension Plan when compared with the US social security system is that the benefits of the CPP are relatively lower compared to the benefits of the United States social security. The generosity of the United States social security questions its sustainability in meeting the future demands posed by the aging population (Weisbrot Baker, 2001).Advertising Looking for research paper on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Recommendations to improve the United States social security system Improving the efficiency of the United States social security requires the reinforcement of insurance and financing. With regard to insurance, it is important to maintain an appropriate balance in terms of social and individual responsibility. With regard to financing, establishing a suitable balance between pre-retirement funding and the use of the common PAYGO method will serve to address the potential challenges imposed by the demographic trends in the United States. References Feldstein, M., Liebman, J. (2002). The Distributional Aspects of Social Security and Social Security Reform. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Giles, C. (2005). US social security is among least generous. Web. Hyman, D. (2010). Public Finance: A Contemporary Application of Theory to Policy. New York: Cengage Learning. Orszag, P., Diamond, P. (2005). Saving Social Security-A Balanced Approach. Washington DC: Brookings Institution Pres s. Weisbrot, M., Baker, D. (2001). Social Security: The Phony Crisis. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. This research paper on US Social Security vs. Canadian Social Security was written and submitted by user Silas Richards to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.