Recent orders
Environmental issues prevailing in the society include soil degradation, climate change and lack of environment conservation
Name
Professor
Course
Date of Submission
Environmental Philosophy
Environmental issues prevailing in the society include soil degradation, climate change and lack of environment conservation. Crisis within the society contributes towards environmental degradation and damage of natural resources within the environment. Kent use philosophy of considering change in the environment and that ecological transformation may lead into addressing the undermined features of the environment (Kent par 2). The communities however are ignorant on environmental changes. Encouragement and empowerment of people within the community enhances the improvement of environment and its conservation. For example, place-making involves use of common knowledge in sustaining human values. Reinventing environmental policies will ensure that the goals of the government in environmental conservation get achieved within the stipulated period. Kent uses environmental philosophy in winning the people towards his ways of thinking (Zimmerer 63).
Based on the essay, the environmental philosophy involves converting environmental problems into technical problems that have technical solutions. Environmental problems are due to culture and individual behaviour. Kent philosophy explains the changes are likely to occur in the society if they have a positive effect (Fazey, and Steve, 3). Changes in the society follow the agenda of the Green Movement agenda of maximizing quality of life and the environment. Creation of awareness is essential in bringing change towards the community and its residents. Kent aims at creating awareness is to enhance creativity and innovative ideas of sustaining the ecosystem. Environmentalist and government agencies like Project for Public Spaces (PPS) aim at reducing pollution in the environment. Ultimate change may be difficult to achieve because most of the environmental changes are due to human activities. Some of the human activities are due to cultural effects that are difficult to change (Kent par 5).
Kent’s essay gives answers ways of converting environmental problems into ecological capital. Ecological capital enhances improvement of personal lives and visible changes within the community. Taking the example of Mississippi community, agriculture is the main economic activity of the region. Environmental conservation is essential towards achieving good farm produce. Kent poses questions on the environmentalist and the community residents for consideration of the places they live and think about the future community. In addition, Kent gives advice to the community residents to avoid a crisis that may lead in damage of the environment. Crisis led in the creation of movements that help in empowering people in order to avoid environmental degradation. The major movement in Kent’s essay is Project for Public Spaces (PPS) that shapes all the actions that take place in the environment (Kent par 8). PPS also solves problems related to human dissatisfaction in a relationship with the environment. Environmental transformations from the PPS are present in over forty countries (Zimmerer 64).
The failures of the community residents in conserving environment are due ignorance and lack of awareness. Place-making under PPS ensures that the community in Mississippi has encouragement and empowerment in conservation of the environment in order to avoid environmental crisis. Helping members in the community also contributes towards reinventing the environment (Kent par 10). Collaborating with members of the community and government agencies is essential in offering the best services towards environment conservation. Discovery of new ways of environmental conservation ensures little damage on the people’s life. Caring for the environment is a difficult job that requires innovative ideas. The main agenda in environmental conservation is to avoid an increase of carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere. Practicing new environmental strengths from the Green Movements will be essential in protecting the environment and celebrate the happiness of nature (Fazey, and Steve, 7).
Work Cited:
Fazey, I. O. A. N., John A. Fazey, Janet G. Salisbury, David B. Lindenmayer, and Steve Dovers.
“The Nature And Role Of Experiential Knowledge For Environmental
Conservation.” Environmental Conservation 33.01 (2006): 1-10. Print.
Kent, Ethan “Placemaking as a New Environmentalism: Reinvigorating the Environmental
Movement in the 21st Century,” Project For Public Spaces 01 Jan. 2014. Web. 01 May 2014. HYPERLINK “http://www.pps.org/reference/placemaking-as-a-new-environmentalism/” http://www.pps.org/reference/placemaking-as-a-new-environmentalism/
Zimmerer, Karl S. “Cultural Ecology: At The Interface With Political Ecology-The New
Geographies Of Environmental Conservation And Globalization.” Progress in Human Geography 30.1 (2006): 63-72. Print.
Environmental Issues in Packaging
Environmental Issues in Packaging
Author
Institution
Introduction
Global warming is an issue that has triggered varied reactions from the various quarters. It refers to the increase in the average surface temperature of the earth as a result of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases trap hot air in the atmosphere and prevent it from escaping from the earth, a process that is referred to as the greenhouse effect.
As expected, the problem of global warming has attracted a lot of attention and elicited numerous questions on its various aspects. However, the key question has mainly revolved around its causes. While numerous explanations have been put forward as to the occurrence of global warming, there has been contention as to the role of human beings on the problem.
Thesis statement: Human beings are largely responsible for global warming.
In examining the role that human beings have played in global warming, it is imperative that one examines the causes of global warming. As stated, greenhouse gases are the key causes of global warming. It is worth noting that the key greenhouse gasses are water vapor and carbon dioxide. Of course, human beings do not produce water vapor in significant amounts. The key characteristic that makes these gases have the greenhouse effect is the fact that they both have internal vibrational modes, which have the capacity to absorb, as well as radiate the infrared radiation thereby causing the greenhouse effects (Böhringer et al, 2002). However, carbon dioxide is recognized as the key cause of the greenhouse effect. This is because it remains in the atmosphere for an extremely long time, running to hundreds of years. On the other hand, water vapor is known to evaporate or easily condense in line with the local conditions. The levels of water vapor, therefore, adjust extremely quickly to the existing conditions in which case the balance between the flow of energy from the sun and its subsequent reradiation from the surface of the earth is achieved. Carbon dioxide, on the other hand, remains fairly constant in the atmosphere, in which case it becomes the controlling factor instead of a reacting factor. In this case, an increase in Carbon Dioxide means that the balance is achieved at relatively higher temperatures than usual (Houghton, 1997).
The question, in this case, is whether human beings are solely responsible for the increased carbon dioxide. It is worth noting that this carbon dioxide results from both natural and manmade causes. Natural processes that produce carbon dioxide include volcanic eruptions, animals and cosmic rays, as well as solar cycles (Singer & Avery, 2007). However, studies have shown that there are extremely slim chances that cosmic rays and solar cycles account for more than 14 percent of the global warming. In fact, studies show that natural processes account for much less than human causes (Houghton, 1997).
There are various ways in which human beings are responsible for the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.
First, commercialization and industrialization have played a key role in increasing amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide. This is especially when considering that the highest percentage of emissions industrial emissions is composed of carbon dioxide. Research shows that industries account for not less than 20 percent of the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (Böhringer et al, 2002). This mainly results from the fact that most power plants use natural gas, oil, coal and other fossil fuels, all of which are known to release vast amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide (Böhringer et al, 2002). It is worth noting that global temperatures have increased temperatures since the start of industrialization. This, therefore, underlines the importance of relooking the processes through which energy is produced both in the industries and for homes. Numerous stakeholders have been investing heavily on technologies that involve the emission of low levels of carbon.
On the same note, transportation has been one of the largest emitters of carbon dioxide. This is because motor vehicles rely on fuel that is processed from fossil fuels, especially oil. A study conducted in 2006 showed that there was approximately 830 million vehicles in the entire world (Archer, 2007). This number was projected to increase by 16 million vehicles every year. In essence, millions of oil barrels are burn every day so as to fuel these motor vehicles. Moreover, airplanes have been seen to contribute immense amounts of carbon dioxide. In fact, the aviation industry accounts for approximately 3.5 percent of the global carbon dioxide, while industrial and commercial buildings account for not less than 12 percent of the world carbon dioxide emissions (Böhringer et al, 2002).
Third, human beings have been responsible for tremendous deforestation. Simple science explains that forests are responsible for the absorption of vast amounts of carbon dioxide, which they convert into oxygen (Archer, 2007). Unfortunately, human beings have cleared vast sizes of land for settlement and commercial purposes. Studies show that deforestation accounts for between 25 and 30 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide. Presently, 34 million acres of forest are destroyed every year (Archer, 2007). It is worth noting that the destruction is two-pronged. First, there is tremendous burning of the trees, which adds vast amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Second, there is the reduction in the amount or levels of carbon dioxide that the existing forests can clear from the atmosphere.
Of course, there have been arguments that global warming is a natural cycle that occurs once in several centuries. After all, human beings have been responsible for ONLY 30 percent increase in the atmospheric carbon dioxide (Singer & Avery, 2007). However, this increase is extremely significant even when considering interglacial timescales. In addition, it is noteworthy that the increase in global temperatures has been shown to be directly correlated to increased combustion of fossil fuels, as well as variations or differences in the ratios of carbon isotopes in the carbon dioxide found in the atmosphere (Singer & Avery, 2007). These variations have been found to be consistent with human-caused or anthropogenic emissions.
In conclusion, global warming has been arguably one of the most contentious issues in the recent times. This is especially as far as its causes are concerned. As much as there is agreement that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are the main causes of global warming, there is still contention as to the role of human beings in all these. Many people argue that global warming is a cyclic phenomenon that occurs once in several centuries. However, it is evident that human beings have played a key role in increasing levels or amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide. This is especially due to their wide usage of fossil fuels in their industries, as well as for transportation. In addition, human beings have been responsible for deforestation of large tracts of land. Trees are known to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide and convert it into oxygen. Deforestation, therefore, increases the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide via the burning of these trees, as well as through decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide that the forests are able to absorb from the atmosphere. In essence, human beings are mainly responsible for global warming.
References
Houghton, J. T. (1997). Global Warming: The Complete Briefing. New York: Cambridge University Press
Böhringer, C, Michael Finus, M & Vogt, C (2002). “Controlling Global Warming: Perspectives from Economics, Game Theory, and Public Choice”. New York: Edward Elgar Publishing
Archer, D. (2007). Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast. New York: John Wiley & Sons
Singer, SF & Avery, DT (2007). Unstoppable Global Warming: Every 1,500 Years. New York: Rowman & Littlefield
(Archer, 2007) (Singer & Avery, 2007) (Böhringer et al, 2002) (Houghton, 1997)
Environmental Issues Faced by Business and Society
Environmental Issues Faced by Business and Society
Name
Institution
Environmental Issues Faced by Business and Society
Businesses face various challenges while in operation and environmental factors constitute some of the hurdles. The law requires that businesses adjust their production methods and equipment in order to meet the set standards. These changes are costly to the business, but they have to be implemented. In the course of production, air emissions and industrial wastes are some of the challenges that businesses have to cope with because they pose a challenge to the environment. In an attempt to protect the environment and implement an environmentally friendly policy, businesses try to recoup the costs incurred in the process through consumer goodwill (Williams, 2013). The essay will point out some of the issues and discuss possible solutions businesses provide to overcome the challenges.
Industrial wastes are one of the challenges that businesses have to overcome because any business produces waste products. Therefore, they have to find a way of disposing it sans harming the environment. Governmental laws and good citizenship practice forbid businesses from indiscriminately disposing their byproducts, and businesses have to come up with ways of dispensing with the waste. It is the ultimate aim of any business to reduce costs of production and maximize on profits, so they take on recycling programs as one of the ways of getting rid of the waste (Pierre & Savage, 2010). Businesses also sell the waste to other businesses that use the waste as raw materials in their production. The process of dealing with the waste products costs the business in terms of handling, procedures, man-hours, and equipment, and this could reduce the business profitability.
Businesses also have to take care of the gas emissions that find their way into the environment through the air or water run-off. The emissions are in the form of dust particles, smoke, chemicals, and ash, which are all harmful to the health of both plants and animals. It is the mandate of the law that businesses protect the environment from harmful emission, some of which are toxic, for example, benzene and carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gases cause global warming and depletion of the ozone layer, which is undesirable for humans and animals (Carroll & Buchholtz, 2011). Consequently, businesses have come up with measures to counter the problem. For instance, they have placed screens of specified gauges over smoke chimneys and stacks to trap emissions; wastewater is filtered before releasing it to the system, and lined retention ponds with poly and clay liners to prevent seepage into the ground. Implementation of these regulations in a bid to protect the environment is a costly venture to the business and may affect its profitability.
Sustainable development of raw materials is also a hurdle that businesses have to overcome. The law requires that businesses replace the natural raw materials used in production, for example, wood. Businesses that use wood or wood products should replace them in order to prevent depletion; thus, protecting the environment. This process is costly to the business, and it affects it in the end.
The aforementioned are some of the environmental factors that affect businesses and the society. It is unlikely that an operational business will not emit gases or wastes during production. Thus, businesses face the challenge of overcoming the environmental issues that turn out to be costly ventures that affect businesses enormously. If the issues are not addressed appropriately, they affect the society especially the health of the community. When the emissions and wastes are released to the air or water sources, they pollute the natural resources; thus, affecting the people utilizing the resources. It is, therefore, essential to curb the problems before they affect the society although they have an impact on the business, as well. Unfortunately, businesses have to shoulder the responsibility because they are the source of the issues (Williams, 2013).
References
Carroll, A. B. & Buchholtz, A. K. (2011). Business and Society: Ethics: Ethics, Sustainability, and Stakeholder Management. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Pierre, K. & Savage, D. E. (2010). Environmental issues faced by companies. An Introduction to Environmental Management Accounting. Retrieved on 7 Nov. 2013 from http://www.newmoa.org/prevention/cwm/pr/pdf/KrisPierre.pdf
Williams, J. (2013). Environmental issues that affect business. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved on 7 Nov. 2013 from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/environmental-issues-affect-business-4175.html