Effects Of Consumerism And Pollution - 808 Words

Consumerism plays an intricate role in the daily lives of many people around the world. Those who affected by consumerism include those who are the buyers, the producers of goods, owners of the production company, and those affected by the pollution that can result because of production. Reducing consumerism would be beneficial for many, as well as for the environment. But what further steps can be taken to address the issue of consumerism and the pollution that comes along with it? One important way is through having better regulations concerning the production of goods, through owners, but more specifically, through governmental roles. High levels of consumption is not unusual in many countries around the world, but for the purposes of†¦show more content†¦There is little concern for the workers, the concern lies in profits. Other than the possibility that the workers are not being paid livable wages, they may face issues of working extremely long hours, and/or working in unsafe environments. People who work producing these goods are also less likely to afford the goods that they are producing, this being particularly true of those working overseas. But these are things that businesses don’t want us to know, or want us to overlook for the sake our goods. Truth is we are all affected by consumerism. It is an unfortunate truth that the production of goods often comes at the price of the environment and the people who dwell here on planet Earth. We take on ever increasing amounts of pollution due to bad practices surrounding production. Although we are all affected by consumerism and pollution, above all others those hit the hardest are the poor and/or people of color. They are most often the people working to produce the products that we buy. They are quite commonly not paid fair, living wages for the work that is being done, as well as for the hours worked. The poor and/or people of color are most often the ones who have pollution causing factories built where they live. They have the least say about the practices that are affecting them, and the least ability to negate the negative effects of pollution and climate change. The poor and/or people of color are the most likely to lackShow MoreRelatedConsumerism and Environment783 Words   |  4 PagesHOW CONSUMERISM AFFECTS THE ENVIRONMENT 1. Firstly, I will give an introduction about consumerism and its evolution throughout time and, to get a general picture of the subject, I will try to present different views on consumption, that is to say, advantages /disadvantages or pros and cons of consumerism 2. Afterwards, Ill focus on problems of over-consumption, concerning the environment†¦ 3. And finally, I ´ll give some ideas about what we can do (these are†¦solutions) as wellRead MoreFood Waste By Tristram Stuart1273 Words   |  6 Pagestheir good amount of money on consumerism. When buying groceries on Sundays we buy so much every time and think that we will store it. But food gets rotten and ends up in garbage. Working in a grocery store, I see every day customers saying that they have bought a lot than they need. Even it happens in my own home, so many things get rotten and I have to throw them. By looking at the concept of consumerism making food waste a problem, I totally agree that consumerism in American culture has madeRead MoreAnalysis Of The Lorax By Dr. Seuss1322 Words   |  6 Pagesjoyful, colorful, book for toddlers and kids that was read before bedtime was far more controversial than someone who just cuts down trees. It has a secret message that goes right over the readers’ heads - concern about the environment through consume rism. The Lorax is about a preteen, Ted, who lives in an urbanized neighborhood where there is no vegetation except for inflatable bushes. The girl he likes wants a tree for her birthday, and he searches for a seed. Ted ends up leaving the town limitsRead MoreGreed And Consumerism810 Words   |  4 Pages‘Wall Street’ says that whilst greed is good, our environment conjectures otherwise. The rise of greed and modern human culture has helped facilitate aspects of consumerism by creating a desperation for more. More friends, more food, more clothes, more money, more dreams. Entirely based around the concept of lust, selfishness and envy, consumerism helps appeal to the mass’s most primal desires, exchanging a person’s rationality for emotional investment. Experts now aver that all of human history has comeRead MoreThe Marketing Of Green Marketing Theory Essay1660 Words   |  7 Pagesstrategy would be considered as environmentally irresponsible. In the competiti ve market, these enterprises would eventually loss customers and will be pushed out of the market. file:///Users/Melody/Desktop/social%20responsibilities.pdf The snow effect of the process demand for more environmentally products and process and constitutes to rebuilding of a more sustainable market system. Green marketing increased monitoring at all levels and drives environmental change through the whole supply chainRead MoreIs Consumerism Worth The Degradation Of Our Planet? Essay1639 Words   |  7 Pageslcala, Anay Salazar Dr. Lucio English 1301 3 Nov. 2016 Is consumerism worth the degradation of our planet? There is no question that planet earth has dealt with countless obstacles. Nonetheless, global warming is a problem that is becoming more evident as the years pass. Global warming is an undeniable epidemic affecting our planet due to the fact that human mortality rates are increasing, and more species are becoming endangered or extinct. It has become such a significant topic worldwideRead MoreNegative Effects of Consumerism Essay1753 Words   |  8 PagesNegative Effects of Consumerism on North American Society Consumerism is damaging to our society, in our North American society consumerism is often portrayed to be a negative aspect of people’s lives. However, one can also argue positive effects that result from consumerism, or emphasize on the negative effects of consumerism and how it can be a constraining force in one’s own life. Consumerism is an idea of an economic policy that the market is shaped by the choice of the consumer and continuesRead MoreIs Consumerism Affecting The Way We Live2494 Words   |  10 Pages How is consumerism affecting the way we live in Britain? For my reflective project I have decided to follow-on to an ethical issue that I believe has effects to the society we live in, locally and globally. My question discusses consumerism and how it affects Britain in aspects such as environment, education, economy and health. The reason for my choice of this question was because I am interested in it; this is because it is the main effect of disturbances in the environment and it affects everyoneRead MoreEthical Implications Of Ethical Consumerism1552 Words   |  7 Pages â€Æ' 1.0 Ethical Consumerism 1.1 Definition The term Ethical consumerism, means that more customers prefer to purchase goods that are obtained ethically, made ethically and distributed ethically. According to Jacqueline Payne (2012), â€Å"An ethical consumer is someone who buys things that are produced ethically. Depending on the context, ethical production may mean producing something that is recycled, using labour that is produced in facilities without the use of slavery and child labour, or processingRead MoreThe Impact of Capitalism on the Individual651 Words   |  3 Pagesand I can only compare it with the stories of the older generations, who also came across other regimes. With their stories in mind, as well as the life I lead (as opposed to the life I would want to lead), I can say that capitalism has a negative effect upon the development of the individual. We all pursue financial objectives and we work too hard to attain them, yet the satisfaction obtained is limited. We invest too much time and energy in our material pursuits, but these do not give us a sense

Child spanking free essay sample

According to an analysis, Julie Crandall confirms â€Å"that sixty-five percent of Americans approve of spanking children, a rate that has been steady since 1990. † As time goes by all you hear is how spanking fixes the problem, how you set your kids straight with a little spank, or how spanking and abuse are totally the opposite, or how a spank shapes your kids into good character, but what if spanking is not really the solution to your kids misbehavior, what if spanking actually makes things worse for you and your child, how bout if a harmless little spank can turn into an abuse, how bout if spanking actually effects you child’s character and being, and you, as a parent, are the one to blame. The cases for and against spanking of young children are many and diverse. But the main issue is the level of correctness that the act of spanking can reach. The issue with spanking is that many Americans do think it is needed to raise a child the â€Å"right way†, and some believe it is an act of abuse. There are controversies that say that spanking is one of the most destructive things a parent can do to their kids, and there are those who say that spanking can sometimes be a good thing because it builds up strong character. There are other ways to correct an unacceptable behavior from a child. A parent must decide if spanking is an option. There are long-term effects that spanking can do to your child, a study at Tulane University shows that parents that spanked their kids at the age of three become more aggressive when they enter the age five. Signs of aggression included behaviors such as arguing or screaming; cruelty, bullying or meanness to others; destroys things; fighting and frequently threatening others. The study asked about 2,500 mothers how often they spanked their child in the past month and they also asked questions about their kids balanced of aggression, and eight parenting risk factors. Almost half of the mothers said no spanking in the previous month, while 27. 9 percent informed spanking one or two times, and 26. 5 percent reported spanking more than twice. Mothers with more parenting risk factors were more likely to spank repeatedly. This study also shows that even the littlest of physical punishment can still increase in aggression in the kid’s behavior. Other studies show that spanking is needed to discipline a child because without it, a child knows he or she has gotten away with misbehavior. On the other hand, there are psychologist like Marjorie Gunnoe that says â€Å"kids who get the occasional smack on the rump before the age of 6 grow up to be more successful adults† and a child-development specialists, who contend that â€Å"a parent who uses physical punishment is a parent who has failed. † Although there are numerous ways to discipline children, spanking is included in the different ways. There have been numerous articles and political debates about the affects of spanking. Spanking is considered a form of corporal punishment. Although there is several ways to discipline children, spanking is included in the different ways. I believe that there are several other ways a parent can approach their child without any physical contact. However, I am not saying that spanking shouldn’t be part of the parent’s discipline choices, but it should be the last option on the list. The issue of physical punishment is an existing issue. The issue strikes an emotional effect for many who were or weren’t punished by spanking during their childhood. Spanking usually focuses on the effect or other discipline ways it will have on children. Spanking has been going on probably since parents needed to find a way to punish their children in a â€Å"civilized† way. Hitting a child causes more behavioral problems than it solves. Spanking is well known all over the universe, parents use this as a strategy to stop the child from misbehaving. Spanking can be a serious issue that can lead into abuse. In Michael J Marshall book, he states â€Å"Spanking has been found to increase aggression in children. Cases of poor self-image and depression have been traced to childhood corporal punishment. † Instead of solving the issue with your child being disobedience, you are actually building up conflict in your child’s life as they grow up. On the other hand, Daniel Dessinger claims, â€Å"After instructing and reaffirming your child, a spanking is payment. It teaches the child about sowing and reaping. It teaches the child that decisions have consequences†. In other words spanking is still necessary to show the child that there are still consequences for their actions. The issue is such a problem not only because view is divided on the argument. Fewer people are admitting to the act because they are embarrassed or for person reasons. This is leading to biased statistics that spreads the idea that spanking is a bad thing. Polls show that the use of some light physical punishment is acceptable to most people. However less people are admitting to spanking their children. Dr. Robert Murray, a professional in the medical field, says the social disapproval surrounding spanking is healthy. â€Å"When there was a social norm of spanking, it shielded abuse,† he says. This being possible because parents don’t want to admit to spanking, that means that they are less likely to do it. The possibility that is most striking is that the parents casually punishing their kids may be in for some legal activity in the form of child abuse lawsuits. Many people still believe that it is perfectly normal to spank a child lightly and with good discipline procedures. This is most probably correct because polls show that most people would discipline their children physically in â€Å"self-control†. A sociologist named Murray Straus who’s been studying the corporal punishment found out that kids who were spanked, or had any physical punishment had a five-point lower IQ score. There was also a study that Straus took to the United States, he evaluated numbers of children between the ages of 2-9 who were spanked and not spanked. Then later on he found out that those kids who were not spanked scored better on achievement test then those who were spanked. The problem with spanking is that many parents believe it is the only way to make kids listen and change their behavior. Dessigner states, â€Å"Despite its common acceptance, spanking is a less effective strategy than timeout or removal of privileges for reducing undesired behavior in children. † In other words, spanking is only going to stop the child from misbehaving at that very moment it isn’t going to stop them from misbehaving all the time, so then that is when spanking becomes familiar with the parent and child. I strongly consider that spanking is not necessary, at all. As a child growing up, I’ve been spanked here and there. I think we all have been but there are other ways other than laying a hand on your child. However, Spanking can lead to abuse which is very common, especially in a child lives. The main problem with spanking is that it may increase the child’s belief that violence is a good way to solve problems or the spanking will instill the child with feelings of rebelliousness and anger towards the parent. I believe that if parents will use spanking as a discipline method they should first include right learning with love before and after the spanking. Several people believe that a quick will send their child a clear message and is powerful discipline when included with loving comments. I disagree that disciplining a child with spanking is all right when nothing else will work, or when the parent has had enough. This could lead to abuse and/or psychosocially damaging discipline periods. Unfortunately, lots of parents have inherited unwise discipline methods that rely too much on force and not on proper approach. It is of the greatest importance that parents consider their children’s emotional, intellectual, and physical state of being especially near the time the spanking happens.

Alfred! Essays (3546 words) - Alfred The Great, House Of Wessex

Alfred! Alfred the Great is the only English king ever to achieve that remarkable title. And yet recent scholarship seems determined to prove that he did not perhaps deserve such a title. Though there is little question of Alfreds military prowess, his contributions to education and scholarship often come under fire. Accusations of incorrect authorship are the most common and are generally used in an effort to show that Alfred was not a special as England would like to think. In fact scholars seem to go out of their way to show that Alfred was nothing more than a strong military leader. This type of scrutiny and derision is really rather foolish. Despite the fact that a few (and only a few!) of the translations attributed to Alfred have been proven as belonging to another author, several of his greatest contributions are still very much uncontested. The pillar of his translations, The Consolation of Philosophy is thus far unquestionably Alfreds. The next accusation that comes is that most of the work was done by scribes and not Alfred. There is not a great deal of evidence for or against this statement, but even so there is little question that Alfred was very much involved in the process. This can clearly be seen by his remarkable prefaces and commentary within his translations. Today, his translations are used in many colleges by students learning Old English, evidence that even today Alfred makes a difference. Finally, even without the translations Alfred still contributed in remarkable ways to scholarship and education. He welcomed scholars into his realm and worked to achieve literacy in his kingdom. Despite the efforts to debunk Alfred and his title, the fact of the matter is that Alfred more than deserves his title and fame. Because of Alfred, England achieved a period of piece, new military practices, and the increase of literacy throughout the kingdom. His translations made several important works accessible to his people and provided future generations with e xcellent examples of Old English through the lens of a highly intelligent man. Even setting aside the many contributions that he made, Alfred was great because of the kind of person and king that he was. Highly intelligent, deeply spiritual, and an excellent military commander; Alfreds achievements, personality, and passion for his people far outweigh any evidence current scholars attempt to throw at them. As a person, Alfred is generally seen as exemplary. As a child and later in life he is usually described as thoughtful, sensitive and with an eager curiosity, and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Similar epithets are often used, especially thoughtful. Clearly Alfred was a very intelligent person from the very beginning. How his contemporaries may have seen him is a bit hazy. A letter from Pope John VIII stating Alfred as wronging the house of the Lord and ignoring Canterburys privileges has been cited as a possible continental view. This is a letter that is only mentioned by one source and is a letter that is rather difficult to believe in the face of Alfreds own piety. Perhaps this letter only pertains to that moment in time, when Alfred was in some debate with Canterbury. It is an interesting letter to have, but one that is likely an isolated incident as Alfreds piety is well known and was to his contemporaries as well. In other aspects Alfred was somewhat ignored on the Conti nent (according to Janet Turner) and later historians were the ones who pointed out his similarities to Charlemagne and his similar attempts for literacy on the Continent. Given the bishops and scholars that he was able to call to his side, it is more likely that his Continental contemporaries saw him as a good and intelligent man as well. The Vikings eventually came to respect him and form the Danelaw with him. To his own people though (and really their opinion is the most important), Alfred was a good and strong king, with a great deal of military might. Alfreds contributions to his military is generally accepted. Surprisingly, the actual battles that Alfred fought were often defeats. The image of the warrior king nonetheless stands. The reason for this is the fact that while Alfred may not

Internationel Communication essays

Internationel Communication essays Culture shaping our values, priorities and practises influence the communication in a significant way.Since people communicate in different ways because they are raised in a particular culture , the impact of culture would be the first to examine.The ways to enhance the effectiveness of intercultural communication should be highlighted. Intercultural communication which arises from the interaction of different cultures can occur in many fields in life. Regarding social life, which problems intercultural communicatio brings to our lives and what contributes to our socio-culture structure are critical aspects to investigate. Interculturel issues gain much more importance in business, as companies become increasingly dependent on other companies from different cultures. In education life also yhe importance of communication among various cultures cant be ignored. In this report; the importance of communicatig interculturally , the concept of culture , international marriages, immigrants, cultural differences in work-related values , cultural variables in the business communication process , exchange students , foreign teachers, obstacles against intercultural communication and the affective ways to communicate interculturally were discussed. Since the number of from different cultures that we is limited, there was no opportunity for us to conduct a survey. Instead we supplemented our report with in-depth interwiews. As the world becomes a global village communicating with people from different cultures has become a daily necessity.Increasing technological advances and a widening market place are the most evidences for our assumption of an increasing intercultural dependency. We utilized both secondary and primary data collection methods.For secondary dta collection we used library sources and for primary data collection we cond ...

19-64 underinsured final paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

19-64 underinsured final paper - Essay Example ublic policy must take account of these cultural sensitivities, a willingness to recognize priorities and set limits seems to be proportional to the level of frustration with ever-increasing costs. A much-cited example of rational priorities for medical care comes from the state of Oregon, where a commission was appointed in 1989 to make recommendations to the state legislature on how to expand coverage and set priorities in the Medicaid program. Underinsured people were to be added to the Medicaid list to cover every resident whose income was below a certain level, but this could be afforded only by reductions in the benefit package. After much consultation with health professionals and public hearings and community meetings held throughout the state, the commission produced a list of almost 700 condition-treatment pairs grouped in 17 categories and ranked according to priority. According to the plan the Medicaid program would pay only for items above a certain cutoff point on the l ist, to be determined from time to time by the legislature. The plan was implemented in 1994 and has been politically popular among the general public and with Medicare recipients. As of 1998 it is limited to relatively poorer persons eligible for the state Medicaid program, and has not been extended to the general public. â€Å"Managed care has been the single most dominant force which has fundamentally transformed the delivery of health care in United States since the 1990s† (Shi, L. & Singh, D., 2004, p. 324). Once each year there is a major conference of representatives of the funds, the regional associations of physicians, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies, to work out the contribution rate and other details for the underinsured. The government does not provide any funding to the system but is very active in regulating and monitoring it. The basic features of the social-insurance-based health system have been adopted in many parts of the country. The welfare-oriented

An Evaluation of Sun Microsystems Consolidated Balance Sheet Essay

An Evaluation of Sun Microsystems Consolidated Balance Sheet - Essay Example On one hand this shows a healthy sign. However the lower profitability has offset the advantage resulting from the reduced debts. This trend indicates that the company will face liquidity problem in the near future if necessary steps are not taken to improve the profitability. The current ratio for the year 2001 is showing an increasing trend. This is due to the increased inventory level the company is holding. When the quick ratios is compared between the years 2000 and 2001 it can be observed that there is a sharp decline in this ratio implying that the short term liquidity position of the company has deteriorated over the year as most of the funds are locked up in inventory. This can also be seen from the reduction in the inventory turnover ratio which has decline from 28.22 in the year 2000 to 17.40 in the year 2001. This means that the company has locked up more liquid funds in inventory which is affecting the liquidity of the company. It is observed that there is a sharp decline in all the profitability ratios. The operating income of the company has declined from 15.22% in the year2000 to 7.18% in the year 2001. This is due to the increase in the cost of sales which is at 55% for the year 2001 (48% for 2000). Further the increase in the expenses like amortization of goodwill and research and development expenses have also contributed to the lower operating and net income. Since the profitability of the company is less during the year 2001 it has resulted in a lower ROA and ROE. The company has issued additional common stock in the year 2001 which has increased the equity and when the lower profitability applied on higher shareholder equity the ROE has shown a sharp decline from 25.37% in the year 2000 to 8.76% in the year 2001. There is no decrease in the long term liabilities of the company in the year 2001. This implies the company has

Efficient managers and effective managers

Efficient managers and effective managers Difference between efficient managers and effective managers Effectiveness and efficiency are mutually exclusive things. For a manager, they are both fundamental preconditions. Being effective means that one is able to properly analyse the evolving environment and selecting the right things as the areas of strategic focus for the enterprise. On the other hand, being efficient requires a carefully carved cultural and operational framework which helps the manager to achieve a particular degree of success, given the level of resources applied to a particular objective. In any business, an efficient manager is one who uses limited resources available viz., time, material and men to get the job done in a more professional manner. This includes securing productive and profitable results in a short span, using funds allotted for a business more legibly yet smartly, and appraising employee performance etc., In other words, an efficient manager would keep the business running even in dire circumstances. An effective manager, on the other hand, is slightly different from the efficient one. The effective manager focuses on productivity rather than increased/balanced profitability. Effective management has various layers in its setup such as motivation, teamwork, communication and objectives. An effective manager is someone who leads, coordinates and filters various activities of the sub-ordinates and decides an appropriate mechanism to work upon. An effective manager usually works without any constraints such as funds, manpower etc. The focus always implies on better management practices and in turn, better output. Effectiveness is a precondition for the success of any manager; however that depends more upon the uncontrollable variables dictated to the manager by the operational environment and his ability to come up with the right choices that would suit his resources built over time. It may be appreciated that a firms resources in terms of manpower and technology as well as capital would have been built up over time and they have a great degree of rigidity. Once you become effective, efficiency can be an easier thing to bring into operation. The two things are in fact complimentary. Efficiency in fact depends upon the lower level managerial abilities and culture while effectiveness is almost always a top management variable. In management, operating in efficient and in effective ways is a key to good performance and to successfully reaching the goals set for the business. While efficiency and effectiveness are similarly desirable characteristics of business behavior, either one is often seen as attainable only at the expense of the other. Looking at the interplay of the two characteristics can give a clear insight into the ideal behavior for a manager when faced with tasks which must be completed quickly, but also completed in such a way that the key goals are attained. Luther Gulick advocates seven elements which make up common management in any organization. He calls it the POSDCORB. Planning a strategy to accomplish the objectives set for an enterprise. Organizing a formal structure of authority, arranged and defined for specific jobs. Staffing / Recruiting and training personnel. Directing/ Decision making and embodying rules, instructions etc., Co-ordinating various parts of work. Reporting through records, research and inspection. Budgeting in form of fiscal planning, accounting and control. These make up the common administrative tasks managers perform in an organization. The effectiveness of each element makes up both an efficient and effective management system. The following make up management behavior. Management of human resources is a social phenomenon. An effective communication channel is always imperative in any kind of an organization. James Pfiffner calls it the heart of management. Chester Barnard remarks it as the foundation of co-operative group activity. For an effective communication, the information passed on must be clear, consistent, adequate, timely, uniform, flexible and acceptable. A manager must make sure that a proper communication channel is present in an organization. This includes avoiding semantic and ideological barriers, two-valued thinking (Halo effect), stereotyping and dogmatism among the employees. Decision-making is a vital part of an efficient management system. Robert Tannenbaum says decision-making involves a conscious choice or selection of one behavior alternative from a group of two or more behavior alternative. A behavior alternative may simply be known as a decision. Decision-making, in more ways or the other, is a singular function of the manager. It is thus very important in an organization. Herbert Simon came up with the fact that every decision has two basic premises a factual premise and a value premise. A fact is a statement of reality while a value is an expression of preference. A manager would go by decisions based on these only. An effective manager goes in for the factual premise because it can be measured empirically, while the value premise, which may determine efficient factors such as profit, loss, employee satisfaction, cost-cutting etc., would be more preferred by efficient managers. Rensis Likert calls motivation as the core of management. Motivation is a psychological process which energizes and activates an individual to achieve formulated objectives. A manager thus plays a vital role as a driving force behind motivation. On this part, both effective and efficient managers must be good motivators, so as to bring about the best in the employees. Classical and modern management thinkers have listed money and a variety of socio-psychological factors as a source of motivation. Motivation also helps to build teams and perform better. Teamwork is another essential part of management. A manager is the undisputed leader of a team. He delegates work to his sub-ordinates, assigns tasks, creates plans and makes decisions. An autocratic manager would do all the above functions by himself. It is not desirable in an effective organizational system. On the other hand, an efficient manager would tend to be a little autocratic in his functions, because of the limited resources available and some other constraints. It is however better for an organization to be more democratic for proper functioning. Importance Managing effectively and efficiently is the way to go about in business. Efficient business tactics would help to know how to deal with finance and personnel in a more productive way. Most successful businesses in the world today are rather efficient than effective. Efficient management practices provide increased sustainability and stability in an organization. It involves novelty in management practices and output. An effective management system takes a long time to fully materialize. It has more to do with the long-term vision of an organization than its present objectives. Effective management also involves setting time benchmarks within the organization, so that a given objective gets completed within a set time. Traditional management practices are usually followed, and the manager sets up an instructional framework within which the sub-ordinates are expected to follow. An effective management system, summarily can be defined as, one which Raises productivity Increases work output from sub-ordinates Functions within a set of rules and regulations Works in a more democratic manner Builds teamwork and effective communication channels A good manager, therefore is one who works both efficiently and effectively simultaneously. It is imperative that he does work in a more systematic manner and adapts himself depending on the organizational situation and environment. What an organization / business would need is an effective mechanism and an efficient output.