Thai Labour Law on Employment Termination

â€Å"If the parties have not fixed the duration of the contract either party can terminate it by giving notice at or before any time of payment to take effect at the following time of payment. But no more than three-month notice need be given. ?†The employer can, on giving such notice, immediately dispense with the services of the employee by paying him his remuneration up to the expiration of the notice† Section 17, paragraph two – of the Labour Protection Act: Where the employment contract is of no specific duration, the employer or the employee may terminate the employment contract by giving an advance notice in writing to the other party on or before the date fixed for a payment of wages so that the termination of the employment contract takes effect on the date fixed for the next succeeding payment of wages, provided that the advance notice need not be of a period exceeding three months. Compensation for Termination of Employment: Upon terminating an employe e, the employer is required to pay compensation to the employee whose amount depends on the length of the employee's service towards the employer. Periods of employmentAmounts of severance payment An employee who has consecutively completed 120 days, but less than one (1) year, of work:a payment of not less than 30 days of his or her last wages, or, in the case of an employee who works on a piecemeal basis, not less than the wages of his or her last 30 days of work. Before the termination of an employment is to take effect, the employer needs to notify his employee in writing on or prior to a wage payment date so that the termination takes effect on the succeeding wage payment date. However, the period of an advance notice need not be more than three (3) months. Unfair Termination 5. 1 Section 49 – Act on the Establishment of the Labour Court and Labour Procedure, B. E. 2522 (A. D. 1979) Besides the payment of severance pay, an employer may be ordered by the labour court, upon the employee's request to t pursuant to Section 49, either to reinstate the dismissed employee or to pay damages to him or her if it is found that the dismissal is unfair Section 49 provides: â€Å"In the trial of a case of dismissal of an employee by an employer, if the labour court is of the opinion that such a dismissal is not fair to the employee, the labour court may order the employer to accept the said employee to work at the rate of wage payable at the time of dismissal. If the labour court is of the opinion that the employer and the employee cannot work together any longer, the labour court shall fix the amount of damages as compensation to be paid by the employer by taking into consideration the age of the employee, the length of employment of the employee, the hardship of the employee at the time of dismissal, cause of the dismissal and the compensation to which the employee is entitled. † Thai Supreme Court Judgment No. 574/2526 An employee had committed 11 counts of wrongdoings some of which warranted a dismissal by the employer and denied the wrongdoer necessary protection under the labour law. The employer did not dismiss the employee in question by reason of the wrongdoing, but elected to impose a lighter disciplinary action against him. Subsequently, the employer decided to dismiss the employee after he failed to report to work for one day. Apparently, the dismissal was also made in reliance on the employee's previous wrongdoings. The court held the dismissal as an unfair termination of employment because the employer was believed to have no intention in penalising (i. e. dismissing) the employee at the times the past wrongdoings occurred. Therefore, the employer could no longer rely on the past wrongdoings to dismiss the employee again. Summary of What Constitutes an Unfair Termination. In addition, on the basis of court judgments, an unfair termination of employment may be summarised to include (i) a dismissal without cause, or with cause but such cause is unreasonable, or (ii) it is not to such an extent as to warrant a dismissal, or (iii) it lies outside a company's work rules or an employment contract, or (iv) a dismissal in which an alleged offence of an employee cannot be proved or in which an employee has committed no offence, or (v) a dismissal which is intended to harass or persecute an employee.

Noir of Chinatown Essay

Film noir is generally associated with a ‘dark’ type of film in the era following WWII. Film’s that are categorized in this genre are marked by a style that generally contains certain distinguishing elements – dark rooms with Venetian blinds, dark alleys, rain-slicked streets, dark offices and low key lighting. The plot usually deals with the dark aspects of humanity-greed, murder, deceit and paranoia. There are also distinguishing characters, the main character a detective or an investigator usually portrayed as a loner; a beautiful sensual femme-fatale who will use and eventually destroy the main character seducing him into crime. Although classic film noir generally is in reference to a style of film from the 40’s and 50’s, film noir form and style can be found in some contemporary films. One of those being Roman Polanski’s Chinatown. Although Chinatown breaks certain rules of film noir – it was filmed in 1974 and is in COLOR (black and white film is a traditional element of Film Noir) it models itself with formal elements of Film Noir genre including the sexy femme-fatale (with a twist), a protagonist main character seeking truth, and the plot laced with deceit, murder and greed. The film uses many shadows and dark and light contrasts. The low key soft lighting keeps the scenes dark and gloomy and projects the air of suspense. The viewer is told the story through the central character, Gittes, a hard-nosed detective in 1930’s LA, after he takes a case investigating adultery gets caught up in the middle of murder, lies and conspiracy- entangled into the dark side of humanity. When he meets the ‘real’ Evelyn, who comes across as mysterious, sensual and troubled, Gittes falls further into this web of corruption and complication as well as falling for Evelyn. The films keep the rhythm and pace slow seducing the viewer deep into the story. As in classic film noir Chinatown has a confrontational ending but with Chinatown there are surprising twists. We find the femme fatale has been a victim and is again a victim as she is shot. Gittes revelation that he has been wrong about Evelyn’s deceit also loses ending up with nothing. He loses the girl, and the crimes go unpunished. As the movie referenced

Macbeth: A Failure As King? Essay

To be regarded as a great king involves many important factors such as being honorable, gracious, and fair. It is far more difficult to regard a king as being great than as being a failure. In Macbeth there are examples of great kings as well as failures as kings. Duncan is a fair and gracious king who is kind to all of his subjects, and Malcolm has the potential to be a great king through the way in which he fights to overthrow Macbeth. Macbeth, however, through his lack of noble qualities is another story. Through arrogance, actions, and cowardice versus bravery Macbeth emerges as the only true failure as a king. Arrogance surfaces in Macbeth because the protagonist believes that he knows better about everything than anyone else. For example, Macbeth is arrogant to his own thoughts and feelings. He easily lets Lady Macbeth manipulate him into killing Duncan by questioning his manhood. Again, Macbeth is just as arrogant when he quickly dismisses Macduff as a threat because an apparition tells him that â€Å"none of a woman born shall harm Macbeth† (IV. i 86-87). Only after a short while does Macbeth decide to kill Macduff, and only as a precaution in case Macduff was actually not born of a woman, which Macbeth does not know, and does not even plan on finding out. Finally, Macbeth is very arrogant when an apparition tells him that he will be overthrown when Birnam wood comes to him: That will never be: Who can impress the forest, bid the tree Unfix his earth † bound root? Sweet bodements! Good! Rebellious dead, rise near till the wood Of Birnam rise, and our high plac’d Macbeth Shall live the lease of nature, pay his breath To time and mortal custom (IV. i 103-109) Macbeth feels very secure in his position as king of Scotland, and that he has absolutely nothing to worry about. He does not even attempt to decipher the riddle. Macbeth’s arrogance is brought on by the seeming sureness of his position and by excess pride, and it is a huge cause of his downfall. Actions reflect largely upon the type of person one is and whether one will be a success or a failure. To begin with, Macbeth kills Duncan, who is also a king. The only reason he kills Duncan is that Macbeth has ambition to become the king. Subsequently, Macbeth kills Banquo because he is a threat to him, and he, or his sons, could take the throne away from Macbeth at any  time, or so Macbeth believes: To be thus, is nothing, But to be safely thus: our fears in Banquo Stick deep; and in his royalty of nature Reigns that which would be fear’d: â€Å"tis much he dares, And, to that dauntless temper of his mind, He hath a wisdom that doth guide his valour To act in safety. There is none but he Whose being I do fear; and under him My genius is rebuked, as it is said Mark Anthony’s was by Caesar. He chid the sisters, When first they put the name of king upon me, And bade them speak to him; then prophet like They hail’d him father to a line of kings: Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown, And a barren scepter in my gripe, Thence to be wrench’d with an unlineal hand (III. i 52-67) This heartless murder demonstrates Macbeth’s ruthless actions which cause chaos, since the Great Chain of Being has been disturbed. Last of all, Macbeth once again shows his cruelty with the murders of McDuff’s family. Macbeth originally set out only to kill McDuff, and only slaughters McDuff’s family just to make sure that in the future none of them will be able to harm him. Macbeth is not remorseful in any way for any of his actions, and is a cold-blooded killer. Cowardice and bravery determine whether a character will become a success or a failure in life. If one is a coward, one cannot properly rule a country because one will not be able to stand up to any opposition, and be a guide to doing the right things for others. In fact, Macbeth fulfills his own destiny knowingly when he and Lady Macbeth plot to murder Duncan. Even though Macbeth wants to become king desperately, right before the murder he becomes a coward and tries to back out: We will proceed no further in this business: He hath honour’d me of late; and I have bought Golden opinions from all sorts of people, Which would be worn now in their newest gloss, Not cast aside so soon. (I. vii 33-37) Only after Lady Macbeth’s persuasion and manipulation does Macbeth regain a bit of bravery to proceed with the murder. In addition, Macbeth is a coward because he manipulates others into doing his â€Å"dirty work† for him, as for example, arranging the murder of Banquo: Do you find your patience so predominant in your nature, That you can let this go? Are you so gospell’d, To pray for this good man and for his issue, Whose heavy hand hath bow’d you to the grave And beggar’d yours for ever? (III.i 93-98) Macbeth is not involved in any of the killings, other than Duncan’s, and he cowardly hides behind murderers to avoid any guilt he  may have. In comparison, Macbeth shows bravery at the end of the play. Macbeth shows that he is capable of bravery when he does not give up without a fight: I will not yield, To kiss the ground before young Malcolm’s feet, And to be baited with the rabble’s curse. Though Birnam wood be come to Dunsinane, And thou oppos’d, being of no woman born, Yet I will try the last. Before my body I will throw my warlike shield: lay on, Macduff, (V.viii 32-38) Macbeth knows that he will be overthrown since everything the apparitions said would have to happen for him to be overthrown actually happened, but he still has faith in himself, and continues fighting. Though Macbeth demonstrates both cowardice and bravery, his cowardice far more apparent and intentional, and his bravery is only self beneficial and, therefore, selfish. Through arrogance, actions and cowardice versus bravery, the protagonist in Macbeth , is regarded as a failure because of his selfishness, and utter lack of remorse for his actions. While other kings strive to do good, Macbeth dwells further and further into evilness and makes it apparent he is the only true failure as a king.

Ethics In The Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics In The Workplace - Essay Example The worst thing about Bob’s act in cheating the old man is lowering the belief in the basic nature of a fellow human being. Part C: Yes, it is very important to keep a word of promise, irrespective of whether the promisee is known or not or whether we see that person again or not. Failure to keep a promise is an act of cheating that is violating the other person’s right not to be abused. For the person indulging in cheating, it also involves living with that guilt feeling forever and consequently suffering a loss of self-esteem. While deciding on the policy with its ethical implications, I would be guided by not sentimental or political considerations but by the consequential results of my action. The larger question would then be: Will doing business in China, albeit with censored version of services, lead to opening a window of opportunity, however small an opening it may be, for the people of China? Most certainly it does. According to Google’s policy, politically unacceptable information would be blocked out and the viewer informed of the same. This act by itself and the frequency with which such blockades take place are most likely to be a source of embarrassment to the authorities who can be expected to slacken the controls – in other words, open the window a little more. Thus, Google’s policy, while being Utilitarian morally, also has the desirable objective of contributing to the common good of the customers in the longer run. iii). ‘Ends do not always justify means’ is my new perception, after the lessons. In personal life or professional life, even when difficult decisions are to be taken, I would act in as transparent a manner as possible to make my objective clear and ethically

Abandoned Vehicle Problem Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Abandoned Vehicle Problem - Assignment Example This research paper explores statistical information and data to provide an overview of the situation by focusing on the information gathered from various cities across the Kingdom. Proposed recommendations provided in the research focus on the placement of environmental regulations, Environmental Management Systems (EMS), government policies and vehicle recycling systems to garner desired results. Furthermore, the negative effects of abandoned vehicles are also discussed and the environmental and economic sustainability of proposed recommendations is examined to draw appropriate conclusions. Introduction The issue of abandoned vehicles that are often left by their owners on a plethora of public sites has been a cause of major concern for law enforcement agencies and city administrations across the globe. This problem is most prevalent and its environmental, economic and social impact most visible in numerous developed nations. Much of the abandoned vehicles do not carry any sources of identification thereby, making it an impossible task for concerned authorities to trace back their owners. According to a report submitted to the UK parliament by the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee (2004: p46) the quantity of automobiles abandoned by their owners in the United Kingdom increased from 1500 to 2000 in period lasting from 2001 to 2003. However, it can be rightfully stated that the existing situation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with regards to the problem under discussion is much worse. As per the statistics presented by Lt. Col. Zaid Al-Hamzi of Jeddah traffic department for 2011, the number of abandoned vehicles taken away from the streets of Jeddah during the year amounted to a staggering 2,836 automobiles (Arabia MSN). The gravity of the situation is defined by assessing the costs of vehicle abandonment that have to be paid for by society, which can be examined in the light of economic and environmental impacts of vehicle abandonment. Joyce and Milner (2005: p139) note that extensive ramifications of this issue include critical concerns regarding the safety of general public and the occurrence of criminal activities. Additionally, the difficulties associated with disposing abandoned vehicles must also be highlighted. These issues involve aspects related to the costs incurred on repair of roads and highways that are damaged due to the presence of abandoned motor vehicles and the expenses borne by administrative and law enforcement authorities in transporting said vehicles to designated locations or junkyards. In order to examine the problem of abandoned vehicles in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a comprehensive manner, this research undertakes the assessment of the topic by highlighting its core aspects. Therefore, the succeeding sections of the paper present a statistical overview of the issue in the nation, possibilities of resolving the problem, analysis of vehicle recycling systems, a thorough discussion of the negative effects of abandoned vehicles and the sustainability of proposed recommendations. Moreover, the concluding remarks of the study provide guidelines for directing the course of subsequent researches on the issue. Abandoned Vehicles in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – A Statistical Overview As identified in the preceding section of the paper, instances of motor vehicle abandonment are on the rise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with 2,836 vehicles removed by the Jeddah traffic department in 2011 (Arabia MSN). An analysis of this statistic indicates

Stem Cells Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Stem Cells Research - Essay Example In the attempt to bring some semblance of civility from both opposing camps, many articles have been written both for general readership and for the scientific community. The discourses have been tackled from different angles of argument yet it is still difficult to find middle ground. There are significant differences between a scholarly and popular publication. Academic publication aims to provide the scientific community and academe theoretically based arguments that would capture their attention. Popular publications on the other hand aim to educate the general public on the contentious issues without venturing into technical terminologies that may cloud the issue further. Writers for popular publications should consider the limitations of readers when it comes to explaining relevant facts. The academic and scientific community would not accept simple explanations for the issues. They would consider the validity of the arguments if they were well grounded and anchored on accepted theories. Both mediums aim to inform but they carry different weights. In examining some examples of the two types of publications, it is but appropriate to consider the audience each of the publications was intended for. Ultimately, the intention of the writers is to educate the publ ic. At first glance, without delving into details, academic pub... If one would require fast facts, then it is more practical to turn to popular publications. The strategy of this paper is to pair up two articles from each type with similar issues discussed. This would give the readers two presentations for the same issue. The Regulation Argument Popular Publication Article Title: To create, or not to create Author: Bernadine Healy, M.D. Publication: U.S. News & World Report. Washington Academic Publication Article: Navigating the quagmire: the regulation of human embryonic stem cell research Author/s: D.G.Jones and C.R.Towns Publication: Human Reproduction Dr. Healy, writing on the necessity of having ground rules set before pursuing stem cell research further, attempted to influence her readers through her more emotional contentions about the issue. There was no attempt to elaborate on details. The writer dealt with simple facts that the public can easily relate and understand. She did give a brief background on the progress of legislation but very little detail. Healy presented one position on banning the continuance of stem cell research. She wrote, "A Swiss law that took effect earlier this month is typical of laws in most European countries: It bans embryo creation outright."1 Jones and Towns elaborated on four different positions. Position A advocated complete ban of stem cell research; Position B called for status quo; Position C allowed continued research within the 14-day limit for embryo extraction; and Position D permitted the creation of human embryo for research purposes in addition to the other current research initiatives.2 Comparing the intentions of the two articles, both are informative but the writers of the scholarly publication allowed the readers to form their opinions after having

Hospitality Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

Hospitality Management - Essay Example The other important thing that I have learnt from this course is that managers have a very important role to foster organizational commitment among the members of the company. This significantly helps the members to identify with the company. There are various steps that can be taken in order to create commitment among the employees. It is important to motivate them as well as to create a flexible working environment where they are also in a position to fulfil their work-life goals. In the hospitality industry, the employees need to be motivated so that they can create an identity with the company they work for. This also helps to improve their performance. The other thing that I have acquired from this course is related to the aspect of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is just the same as internal motivation towards your own work. If you work in the hospitality industry, you ought to have internal motivation so that you can also be in a position to set your own goals in relation to your work. As individuals, we all have our own goals and aspirations to achieve to achieve at our workplace as well as personal goals. A fine balance between the two should be created so that we can develop that internal motivation that helps us to put more effort in our operations. I have also learnt that personal values are very important when operating in the hospitality industry. These are comprised of beliefs which shape our behaviour in the workplace. When dealing with other people especially in the hospitality industry, it is essential to be honest and truthful. I have realised that this personal value helps to create mutual trust with the clients. I have also noted that responsibility is another personal value that should always shape our behaviour in the hospitality industry since we should all be accountable for our actions. Above all, teamwork is very important in the hospitality industry. Through teamwork, members are

Ethical dilemma about the same sex marriage Research Paper

Ethical dilemma about the same sex marriage - Research Paper Example text, the â€Å"Firm Balk at Gay Wedding† can be viewed as demonstrative of both ethical dilemmas raised by gay marriages and the way it can make interests of people clash. To start with, the gist of the article is a controversy concerning the human rights and religious views of a person as far as gay marriages often make these considerations collide. For instance, as it was explained in the article â€Å"Firms Balk on Gay Weddings† by Nathan Koppel and Ashby Johnes, people refused to serve wedding ceremonies of gay couples as it would insult their religious convictions. (Koppel & Johnes) Subsequently, there raises the dilemma of whether it is ethically right to deny gay couples services due to personal views. Obviously, there could be various opinions on this question, depending on the approach one uses. From the duty-based ethics, a person who denies services to a gay couple is right as far as he/she does it due to believing in immorality of such relationships. The basics of the given theory are found in the works of Immanuel Kant, one of the most influential proponents of deontology. According to it, a person is morally obliged to act accordingly to a set of principle and rules, regardless of whether an outcome would be good or bad. (Shakil) Putting it in other words, the only criterion to evaluate the ethics or morality of a decision or action is this action or decision itself. Subsequently, applying this theory to the situation described in the article, it is right to allow people to deny serving a gay couple if they act in accordance with their religious beliefs. In contrast, the given situation can be regarded as wrong when appealing to the outcome-based ethics that obliges to evaluate the degree of morality of an action or intention on the basis of the consequences it will bring. ("Consequentialism," 2014) Subsequently, the fact that business owners denied gay people an access to the services, such as â€Å"baking cakes for the ceremonies† is wrong

Recorded Music a Paradigm in Transition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Recorded Music a Paradigm in Transition - Essay Example Music has been a part of human civilization since the earliest times of human existence. The evolution of music over the centuries has made it an almost integral part of human life to the extent that music stars become heroes of a country and are immortalized in memory, stamps, or statues and by their very own work. From the classical producers of music like Beethoven and Bach, the rock stars of the 60s to the boy band fever of the 90s, music has been an essential aspect of art and culture for our society. However, while music is treated as art and entertainment by the majority of the public, it is also a very serious business with costs of production, marketing, distribution and development running into the billions of dollars. At the same time, there are huge profits to be made if a music venture is successful and things like concerts, videos, CDs, mp3s and several other means of accessing music mean that artists and record labels have many different avenues of making money (Daley, 1999). Undoubtedly, while other industries like the automobile manufacturing sector has been affected by technology, the music industry has possibly got the worst shock and the rude awakening of the digital age has forced the music makers to rush into a transition (Bruno, 2006).

Ways promoting efficiency in a business Essay Example for Free

Ways promoting efficiency in a business Essay Talking an example of production industries, promoting a culture of open communication will enhance the skill of helping people. This skill will aid in problem solving. still under helping people skill patience as a skill will apply in that in case of delays of salaries workers will not feel that they are being subjected to kind of punishment (Richards, 2011). Another way of ensuring efficiency is encouraging communication, collaboration and feedback between departments and the management staff this will promote stream of ideas resulting to a more productive team overall. Positive perspective way of looking at your business as a worker increases output thus promoting efficiency. Computer survey as a skill enhances adoption of modern technology that put your business in front line towards more effective procedures. This creates better quality experience for employers’ and clients resulting to a stronger bottom hold. Being focused as an entrepreneur sets a good role model to your workers. In trying to be like, they put in enough effort which in return encourages efficiency. An outgoing business man sees to it that he is trending with current technology. The skill of being obsessive and compulsive aids you as a manager to make certain decision that will have an impact on your workers which in a way promotes efficiency for example punishing indiscipline. Lastly getting to know your workers better is a key point in promoting efficiency. This can be achieved by analysing employee process to their overall efficiency. Flexibility or the skill of adopting to change promotes efficiency in that no time is wastage trying to deny changes introduced in the business. After that is done achievable goals should be set. These realistic tangible goals provides motivation needed to achieve them which in turn enhances efficiency. Reference Richards, G. (2011). Warehouse management: A complete guide to improving efficiency and minimizing costs in the modern warehouse. London: Kogan Page. Source document

Health And Safety In Metal Workshops Environmental Sciences Essay

Health And Safety In Metal Workshops Environmental Sciences Essay According to the ILO, some 2.3 million workers around the world die due to work-related accidents or diseases every year. That is an average of around 6000 deaths daily. There are also around 340 million cases of occupational accidents and 160 million victims of work-related illnesses each year and frequent estimates have show an increase of accidents and ill health. 1.1 Health and safety in metal workshops Metal works has proved to be a necessity in the manufacturing, construction and other such industries. Since prehistoric times till this modern era, metalwork has evolved into a massive industry and gained a large influence on the global economy. Metals are used in a huge range of products in this modern time. Their use is largely dependent on their properties. For example aluminium is used in manufacturing of automobiles, whereas iron is used in the construction sector. In this modern world, no one can say that he does not have a piece of metal at home or has never been in need for some metal work at any occasion. Metal consumption in the world, as the other resources is rising rapidly. This is due to the growth in population and rising wealth (Norgate T.E and Rankin W.J, 2002). This increase in demand has led to an increase in the number of metal workshops around the globe. Its effect can also be felt in Mauritius. Metal workshops have grown up like mushrooms all around the island, to meet the demand of the market for more metal works. How many people have ever wondered how and in what conditions metal work is being performed? Most formal enterprises abide by the current legislations governing the health and safety in Mauritius, the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2005 also known as the OSHA-2005 and its other relevant regulations. The employers make use of good safety and health practices and this has been proved to be an enriching experience. The has been considerable decrease in the number of absenteeism and number of accidents, resulting in less money loss in terms of non-payment of injury leaves, compensation, work days lost and any other legal suits. In Mauritius, there are many small metal workshops. Those are operated by people having little or no concept of health and safety at work. The workers are often working alone and in some cases students are employed to work during school holidays. The people working therein are more concerned about having their salary at the end of the month with giving much attention to their personal safety, but what would happen if the latter is injured or if they become so ill due to exposure to any substance that become bed ridden or even die? What would be the impact on the latters family? 1.2 Wastes in metal workshops During machining in a metal workshop waste is generated. Most of the waste is from the raw material which is the metal being fabricated. The metal wastes that are generated vary greatly in form. They have different shapes and sizes ranging from large unusable pieces of metal to dust particles. Other sources of wastes are used oil, grease, wood, chemicals, paint containers, grinding discs, used electrodes (from arc-welding), solvents and other office products such as paper. Accumulation of these may pose as a hazard to health and safety of the workers present in the workshop and also affect the environment. 1.3 Problem statement: The alarming rise in the number of accidents in working environment shows some lacking in the management of health and safety at the workplace. A metal workshop is a place full of hazards and if precautionary measures are not taken, these may result in incidents or accidents. Also if wastes are not being managed properly, it may cause harm to the environment and for the enterprise itself it is money lost in terms of unused material and it requires a place to be disposed of. Some employers have no idea about how to dispose of the materials and in informal sectors some enterprises dump all the wastes that are not taken by the municipal waste carriers. 1.4 Aims: The study will firstly provide an analysis of how health and safety is being managed in metal workshops and will provide remedial measures so as to decrease the number of accidents. The second purpose of the study is to give an understanding of how wastes from metal workshops are being managed and to provide recommendations so as to improve the efficiency in the waste management practices. It will focus mainly on the wastes generated in the metal workshops only. 1.5 Objectives: Identify the sources of health and safety hazards, wastes Identify the impacts of health and safety hazards on the employees and, waste on the environment Identify how the health and safety and, wastes are being managed Assess the level of awareness related to Health and safety, and Waste management Evaluation of health and safety management and, waste management Provide recommendation on better ways to manage health and safety and, waste management Chapter two 2.0 Literature review 2.1 What is health and safety? Health and safety is basically the provision and maintenance of a safe and sound working environment. 2.2 Health and safety in the informal sector For this study, safety and health in metal workshops can be classified as part of the informal sector. The ILO introduced the concept of informal sector around 25 years ago. In 1972, an ILO employment mission report in Kenya found that migration from countryside to cities resulted in urban unemployment. This is the reason why rural migrants and urban dwellers find employment in the small scale and micro-level production and distribution of goods and services. These largely unrecognised, unrecorded and unregulated small-scale activities constitute the informal sector. According to the ILO, the informal can be characterised as a range of economic units in the urban areas, which are mainly operated and owned either in partnership with members of the same family or by individuals alone. It employs one or more employees on a continuous basis in addition to unpaid family worker and/or casual workers. The employer-employee relationship is often not in written and informal with no or little appreciation of workers rights industrial relations. The works performed are mainly labour intensive and require low-level skills. Typically they operate on a small-scale with no or very little level of organisation. They are engaged in the production and distribution of goods and services with main objective of generating employment and basic income. In Mauritius, all organisations that are known and registered as forming part of the formal sector, have to comply with the norms and procedures established for them by the different authorities. They are subjected to regular inspections by the various institutes to monitor their level of compliance and in case of abnormalities; they may subjected to fines and other types of penalties. On the other hand, unregistered organisations form part of the informal sector. So, you can imagine that the small metal workshop at the corner of the street where you live forms part of the informal sector and its existence may not even be known to the authorities. Have you ever thought about how many such workshops are in Mauritius? The number of persons working therein and the level of safety? 2.3 The norms Section 5 of the OSHA-2005 stipulates that an employer has the responsibility to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable the safety, health and welfare at work of all his employees. It also includes the following; The employer shall provide and maintain a working environment and any plant or system of work and ensure that any place of work is under his control, including access and egress therein. He should ensure the safety and health of the workers during use, handling, storage or transportation or materials and substances. He should provide and maintain facilities and arrangements for the welfare at work of his employees. He should ensure the provision of information, instruction, training and supervision as required for the safety and health of the employees. He shall also ensure that any person not in his employment is not exposed to any risk to his safety and health. Section 13 of the OSHA-2005 stipulates that any self-employed person shall conduct his work in such a way so as to ensure the health and safety of his workers and any other persons who may be affected. 2.4 Compliance with the norms The creation of a safe working environment starts by oneself. Health and safety is present in Mauritius but was not paid a heed few years ago because many persons were not even aware of its existence. It is now that people are becoming more aware about it. Non-compliance with OSHA-2005 means contravention and is an offence which is punishable by Law. According to the Act, any offence under the Act may be punished by a fine of not more than Rs.75, 000 and an imprisonment of not more than one year. Although the terms of the Act are set out in simple English, it is very difficult to implement it as requires heavy investments and the employer become less willing to invest because they find it annoying and not profitable to abide by set standards. The registered enterprises are frequently visited by relevant authorities that see to it that the norms are being respected. 2.5 Metal fabrication process Metal fabrication processes involve raw materials and range of tools to give shape to desired metal products. These processes can be categorized into cold, warm and hot working based on the temperature they are being processed. Hot working is the process that depends on control heat applied to change the physical properties of the metal piece and cold working is the application of direct physical pressure (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 1995). Metals are present in the daily basic objects such as paper clips, computers, bolts, nails, and automobile parts, parts used for instruments and machinery and numerous other products and to transform metals in these objects, metals pass through a series of manufacturing procedures such as cutting, forming, and finishing, bending, punching, drilling, turning, grinding and threading. (Johnson, 2008) The main procedures in metal fabrication are as follows: 2.5.1 Metal Forming Forging: is the process of working metal with applying force to give shape to the metal, this include the use of forging hammer or drop hammer, press forging, forging machine such as drop hammer, screw press, crank press, hydraulic press. Rolling: is the process whereby compressive force is applied on long metalwork to reduce the thickness its cross section, this cane be done either by hot rolling or cold rolling procedures. Extrusion: is the process where high pressure is used to force a metal block or billet to flow through o die orifice whereby the metal is reduced in cross section. Extrusion is used to give cylindrical shaped or hollow bars of metal. The amount of forced required during the process is huge so metals are generally hot extruded. Bending: is a flexible process to deform metal changing its shape, the metal is stressed beyond the yield force but lesser than its tensile strength which is done by of applying force through hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical machines.   Spinning: is a process that produces rotationally symmetrical hollow parts, hemispheres, cones and cylinders shapes. Generally metal spinning is a cold process done by manual, automated or hydraulic equipment. 2.5.2 Shearing Conventional shearing: is the process used to cut straight lines on flat metal sheet stock. Turret Punching: is a Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) process use to make hole in metal sheet. This is a cold process where the metal properties are unchanged since they are not exposed to thermal impact. 2.5.3 Material Removal Sawing: is the process whereby a tool with tooth blade is use to cut metal. This is a basic way of cutting metals into desired pieces and with time the simple handsaw has been designed into different saws such as horizontal band saws, vertical band saws, pivot arm band saws, plate/block band saws, steel circular saws, non ferrous circular saws, and power hacksaws. Turning: is the process where the diameter is reduced by removal of the outer part of a rotating metal work piece. Drilling: is the process to pierce hole in metal work piece n accordance to the specification of the desired bore or ream. Milling: is the process where a rotating cutter is use to cut the metal which is fed against the rotating cutter. Grinding: is the process whereby there is removal of metal by abrasion from bar or billet stock surfaces. 2.5.4 Advance Methods Laser cutting: is the process where metal is vaporized in a well defined area; the cutting source is very small which allows small cut widths. The laser beam can be use to cut very hard or abrasive metals and is very cost effective since there is a low operating and maintenance cost. Waterjet Machining: in this process a water jet cutter is used as tool to slice metal with a jet of water under a high velocity and pressure. The cutter is generally place at the nozzle where water will be ejected under high pressure, bombarding the metal cutting it with the high water speed. Electrical Discharge Machining(EMD): is the process which is also known as spark erosion, whereby electrical energy is used to remove metal this result in shapes that cannot be produced by other machining process on thin metal piece. Wire Discharge Machining (WEMD): is a more precise process of cutting metal where electrical energy and a small diameter cooper or brass wire is used. Generally it is a computer numerically controlled (CNC) process. 2.5.5 Welding and Joining Arc Welding: is the process where a welding power is established between an electrode the metal that need to be welded. During welding a shielding gas (inert or semi inert gases) or filler metals are used as a protection. The fusion process takes place to bond the desired parts of metals by high intense heat, whereby the metals melt on heating to mix together and on cooling they solidify to form a metallurgical bond. Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW): in this process a stick welding is used which is coated whit flux that produces the gas shield as protection. Here also the fusion of the metal is done by melting produced by the heat of the arc between the coated electrode and the metal piece. Laser Beam Welding (LBW): is the process whereby metals are radiated by a concentrated beam of coherent light to melt the desired parts. As in arc welding it is protected by inert gases. Gas-metal Arc welding(GMAW)or (MIG) : a process which is mostly known as Metal Inert Gas welding done with the use of a wire and electrode where a an electric arc is generated to melt the wire to feed the weld puddle. A flow of inert gas is use as shield. Fluxed cored Arc welding (FCWA): the process commonly known as fluxed cored uses a long continuous solid wire incorporated in the welding gun. The wire is coated with flux that produces the arc, additives to weld and slag. The shield is a mixture of carbon dioxide and inert gas and large amount of fume is produced. Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW): the process involve the use of tungsten electrode to produce the electric arc. In this process the electrode is not consumed as in (SMAW). The gas shielding is a mixture of argon and helium and no metal filler may be use. Electroslag Welding (ESW): in this process the joining of the metal is done by passing electric current in a molten conductive slag that heat up the filler and metal. This process is generally use to join very thick metal 2.6 Health effects Hazardous materials are likely to be found in a metal fabrication. These can directly or indirectly affect the health of the workers either by contact or absorption in the body. Moreover when assessing the potential health effects with those materials that the workers are exposed to, it is important to understand the difference between toxicity and hazards. 2.6.1 Toxicity: Toxicity is the ability of a particular substance to produce an unwanted effect when the chemical has reached a sufficient concentration at a certain part of the body. 2.6.2 Hazards: Hazards is the possibility that this concentration of the chemical in the body will likely to occur. However, a material can be very dangerous but not hazardous to its exposure. It all depend whether it is properly handled and not contacting with the body. On the other side, a material can be low toxic but very hazardous to health and safety. 2.7 Routes of entry: The four common routes of entry are as follows: Inhalation via respiratory track Skin contact via dermal contact Ingestion through the digestive system Injection 2.7.1 Inhalation via respiratory track: It is a situation where the body is taking materials in the body by breathing. This is the most common mean by which chemical particles enter the body. These contaminants are likely to have both acute and chronic effects. Breathing in of these toxic substances in most cases is likely to cause damage to the mucous membrane of the mouth, throat, lungs and circulatory system. These can happen for example during welding where fumes are generated. 2.7.2 Skin contact via dermal contact: The skin is known to be the largest organ of the human body and provides protection against radiation, heat and abrasion and acts as a barrier to chemicals and bacteria. Skin contact is known as the primary route of entry into the body. Contact with hazardous substances may damage the skin. There are a number of conditions that may be caused by exposure to the different substances ranging from minor irritations to ulceration and cancer. 2.7.3 Ingestion through the digestive system: This is the least common type of exposure in occupational environment, but can happen as a due to carelessness or poor personal hygiene i.e. when the workers eat or drink in the workplace or without washing their hands. In metal workshops the workers are likely to ingest the metal particles that can be found on their hands or deposited on their food. 2.7.4 Injection: This occurs when substances are absorbed directly through cuts or injury with contaminated sharp objects. In metal workshops cuts and bruises are most likely to happen during handling of the materials. In most cases, these small incidents are normally not taken into consideration due to its nature as the works are not affected by it, but the danger is that by not taking care of it, an infection may occur having significant impact on the workers health, hence affecting work as well. 2.8 Physical hazards 2.8.1 Noise Sound is a vibration that can be perceived by ear similarly noise is perceived by the ear but as an unwanted sound. A more appropriate definition noise is any disturbance produced within a range of frequency (NIOSH, 1991). Noise arises during most activity done by human, when measuring the impact on human health noise is categorized under occupational noise or environmental noise (WHO, 2004). Noise is generated by almost every equipment, machine or tool used in metal fabrication industry example motors, gears, belts and pulleys, point of operation during cutting, welding and vibrations of footing and equipments or piece of metal being worked. Noise can be controlled by being in line to the hierarchy of control, in first instance by good maintenance of machines, equipments and tools and by applying engineering controlled such as isolation, stabilizing and damping. To further reduce noise segregation control may be opted so that a minimum number of employees may be affected, the equipments may be enclosed so as much of noise is absorbed or reflected within barriers. Hearing protection equipment may be provided to employees depending on the nature of the operations such as protection for metal grinder, welding and sheet metal fabrication. Last but not the least it is the management responsibility to ensure and implement an effective hearing conservation program. ( AmTrust Fi nancial, n.d) 2.8.2 Heat stress Heat stress is said to be a serious type of physical hazard that should be considered in metal workshops especially during summer seasons. It occurs when workers do some operations in high air temperatures, high humidity or when they are having physical contact with hot objects. While working in these conditions, workers have to wear protective clothing which is likely to cause heat stress. (Reese, C.D, 2001) 2.8.3 Cold stress According to NIOSH, cold stress arises when workers who are expose to cold or working in a cold environment. When temperature goes down, thus the body maintains its temperature by reducing blood flow through the skin. The most extreme effect that the workers may get is on the extremities (fingers, toes, earlobes and nose).when fingers become cold they become numb and insensitive and this may increased the possibility of having accidents in the workplace.(Reese,C.D,2001) 2.8.4 Radiation Radiation can be classified according to the effects that it produced to the matter. There two types of radiation which are ionizing and non ionizing. (ILO, n.d)Ionizing radiation is produced by high voltage devices which can be present in metal workshops which can affect the workers. (NIOSH.n.d). Non ionizing radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation that can have various effect on the body, which depend on the on the particular wavelength of the radiation being involved. (Reese, C.D, 2001) 2.8.5Vibration Vibrating tools and the equipment that are being used at frequencies between 40 and 90 hertz can cause damage to the circulatory and the nervous systems. One of the most common Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs) results from vibration is the Raynauds Syndrome. It is the most common symptoms leading to numbness and tingling in the finger that is the skin turns pale, ashen and cold, and thus this leads to eventual loss of sensation and the control in the fingers and hands. (Reese, C.D, 2001) 2.8.6 Confine space In 1979, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published a Criteria Document providing recommendations for working in confined spaces where it defines confine space as a space where the design has limited openings for the entry as well as for the exit. The examples of confine space are tunnel, manhole, utility vaults, storage tanks and silos. There are different fatalities that may occur in a confine space where death may occur from different causes such as asphyxiation, the inhalation of toxic gases or vapors, drowning, falling, from explosions, or contact with either mechanical or electrical energy. 2.9 Ergonomic hazards Working posture is very important when workers are doing their jobs in a workplace. Poor working posture is said to be an ergonomic hazards as it can cause fatigue, discomfort and injury risk in the working environment when workers are doing repetitive work, the use of force and also the duration of the work. Some examples are outstretched arms, twisting, and fixed postures. (HSE, n.d). 2.10 Biological hazards Biological hazards include vermin, insects, molds, fungi, viruses, and bacterial contaminants. Workers may get infections and parasitic diseases when they are exposed to insects or by drinking contaminated water. Dusts present in the metal workshops may contain many kinds of allergenic materials that can affect their health. (Reese, C.D, 2001) 2.11 Chemical hazards Chemical hazards arise from the excessive airborne concentrations of mists, vapors, gases or solids that are present in the form of dusts and fumes. These can be source of danger to the body for example these materials may act as skin irritants or may be toxic by absorption through the skin.(Reese,C.D,2001) In metal workshops there are metal fluids that are used for some kind of processes. There are different kinds of oil product which are used in metal workshops. 2.12 Other types of hazards 2.12.1 Electrical hazards Electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard, exposing employees to electric shock, electrocution, burns, fires, and explosions. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States, in 1999, 278 workers died from electrocutions at work, which accounts for almost 5 percent of all on-the-job fatalities that year. Thus, they relate that most of these fatalities could have been easily avoided. 2.12.2 Mechanical hazards Mechanical hazards are created by the powered operation of apparatus or tools. The applied power which is applied can be of either electrical or human.( Holt, Rinehart and Winston, n.d) Machinery, its parts, tools, objects and materials processed or used in the work process are often said to be a source of mechanical hazards leading to severe injuries. Machinery, along with power supply systems, can also create electrical hazards, leading to severe or fatal accidents. 2.13 Hierarchy of control The occupational safety and health administration requires employers to protect their employees from workplace hazards such as machines, work procedures, and hazardous substances that can cause injury or illnesses. There are different ways that are used to control hazards. 2.13.1 Elimination Elimination of the hazard is the most effective means to control the hazard in the workplace. Thus, in the workplace it is important to remove the dangerous machines to ensure a proper working environment for the workers. (Work Cover NSW, 2010) 2.13.2 Substitution It is the second most effective way to control the hazard present in the workplace by replacing the dangerous equipment with a safer one. If there is an existing process, major changes in equipment and procedures may be required to eliminate or substitute for a hazard. (NIOSH, n.d) 2.13.3 Engineering control Engineering controls are used to remove a hazard present in the workplace or place a barrier between the worker and the hazard. (NIOSH, n.d).There is safety guards that are present to protect the workers while using dangerous machines. (Work Cover NSW, 2010) 2.13.4 Administrative control It is used to control the hazard through the administrative directives. (Reese C.D, 2001). In the workplace the workers are trained how to use the machines safely and precautions need to be taken when operating dangerous machinery. 2.13.4 Personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) is the last resort that can be used in the workplace. There are variety of devices and garments that are used to protect the workers from injuries. There are PPE that are designed to protect the eyes, face, head, ears, feet, hands ,arms and the whole body.(Reese,C.D,2001) 3.0 What is waste? According to the Basel Convention, waste is any substance or material that is disposed or which is intended or required to be disposed of. The material in itself is of no use for the generator. Wastes may be produced during extraction and processing of raw materials into final products and also during the use of the final products and other human activities. (United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), n.d) Hence from the above definitions we can say that materials which are of no use to us can be considered as being waste. 3.1 Waste management in metal workshop In metal workshops, as in the other industries, waste is likely to be produced. Improper management of these wastes may result in problems. According to the Environment Protection Act 2002, all metal workshops need to have a Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) license which clearly states the processes being undertaken and the direct and indirect impact on the environment and any action which they propose to minimize, mitigate or control the impacts. Once they have obtained the license, the workshop is visited on a regular basis by the relevant authority to ensure compliance with the terms in the EIA license. As mentioned earlier in this study, there are various sources of waste in metal workshops. The most considerable waste is from the material being used for processing, which is the metal itself. In Mauritius, all waste except the metals are sent in the municipal solid waste management system. The metal are collected by scrap metal carriers and sent for recycling. The sad part is that this is not the case for all the metal workshops. The formal sector abides by this practice but the informal sector sometimes indulges in dumping activities to dispose of the metal waste. Metal is a natural resource which is undergoing heavy extraction. The Club Report and other energy crisis have lead to the fear of not being able to cope with the need in worlds metal demand (Radezki, 1975). It is important to make a distinction between resource and reserve. A resource is a naturally occurring material in the earths crust whereas a reserve is the part of an identified resource which can be extracted or produced at the time of determination. World reserves of aluminium and iron are estimated at 3,910 and 65,000 Mt respectively, while the world resources of these metals are estimated at 11,000 and 230,000 Mt respectively (Norgate T.E and Rankin W.J, 2002 cited Dzioubinski and Chipman, 1999; US Bureau of Mines, 1995). According to the World Bank document, the reserves for iron ore would last for around 50 years and for copper and bauxite 29 years (Dr. Diederen A.M, 2009;Radetzki, 1975). This has led to an increasing concern for resource conservation and also environmental protection as the waste tends to pollute the environment. Thus, the concept of recyclability of materials is used to recycle the metal. It is to be noted that no study has been carried out so far to evaluate how waste is being managed in metal workshops in Mauritius. Hence, we dont have much information available in this field; this is among one of the reasons why we chose this study. This research can also be used as a foundation for other people conducting research in the same field. CHAPTER 4 Methodology Research methods are the different modus-operandi that is used in a research. (Rajasekar et al, 2006). They include theoretical procedures and experimental studies among many others. Choosing and applying a proper research method is vital as it will help to evaluate and use the research results which can be valuable to local or international organisation or countries as well as its the method chosen that will help us to meet with our objectives and consequently come up with vital discussions which may improve things. Research Approach and Design: According to Burns and Grove (1993: 777), a quantitative research can be defined as a formal and systematic process to describe the test relationships and examine cause and their interactions on variables. Furthermore, a survey is used to collect data from a large populat

The Debate On Pornography Media Essay

The Debate On Pornography Media Essay The circumstances surrounding the debate on pornography cross ethical, social, religious, psychological, and cultural boundaries. It is argued that pornography decreases the desire and appeal for long-term traditional relationships. Judaism requires women to dress modestly while the ancient Hindu text, the Kama Sutra, depicts sexual behavior in ways considered today to be porn. Feminists argue that it is a violent exploitation of women and promotes chauvinism, and that it leads to abusive relationships and makes men more likely to rape women. This essay will discuss possible answers to the posed question by illustrating the arguments for and against pornography. Pornography is often defined pejoratively: words like violent, degrading, and humiliating may be used with no acknowledgement that such descriptions are subjective and contextually relative (Ciclitira 286). A common view is that pornography is degrading to women. This statement is an opinion. Ones perception of pornographys depiction of sex is related to their own sexual experiences and their views on sex. Some women might say that porn is degrading if their own sexual experiences have left them feeling objectified or used or if they have been sexually assaulted. In this case, the idea of sex itself might be the issue and therefore the depiction of sex might remind that woman of her own negative experiences. Other women who have had positive sexual experiences and frequently enjoy sex might be excited by porn and see the depiction of sex as a reminder of their own positive and satisfying experiences. Not all pornography portrays females as being passive participants or simple sex objects. In many cases, the woman is not just giving pleasure, she is receiving it. The presentation of women enjoying sex and orgasming shows sex to be natural, healthy, and pleasurable not something to be ashamed of. Pornography can depict sex as something romantic and emotional or as an act between adults who love each other. The view that pornography is degrading to women disregards the views of women who create porn whether by writing it, producing it, or acting in it. It also disregards the pornography that illustrates a womans perspective of sex and porn that is aimed at female audiences. Many women willingly participate in the production of pornography whether for mass distribution or for private viewing. Many women also enjoy watching pornography alone or with their partner(s). Pornography is harmful to relationships is another view. The Flood article (393-394) states, US studies find that a consistent minority of female partners of male regular pornography users find it damaging both for their relationships and themselves. They see their male partners pornography use as a kind of infidelity, feel betrayal and loss, feel less desirable, and describe other negative effects on their relationships, sex lives and themselves (Bridges et al., 2003). First, this is a minority of females and the article does not state how low that minority is. The minority could be 10% of Latino or 3% of Caucasian females. A perception of porn use harming a relationship may point to fundamental flaws in the relationship that are only made more visible through porn use but do not exist because of the porn use. For example, the woman might believe her sex life is floundering because her partner is using porn rather than her to satisfy his sexual needs, but the man might be using porn because he is dissatisfied with the woman or disinterested in her. In this case, it is not the porn that is harming the relationship; it is the lack of communication between the partners: the man isnt open about his dissatisfaction so the woman sees the porn as causing the mans disinterest in her rather than being a result of the disinterest. On the other hand, the man may be interested and sexually attracted to the woman, but pornography offers a form of arousal that cannot be found elsewhere. A relationship could be sexually vibrant but the introduction of pornography may illicit unique sensations that overwhelms the male and makes the woman feel less valuable. Pornography may benefit relationships, as sex can be a very important aspect of a relationship establishing and maintaining closeness, giving each other pleasure, satisfying each others sexual desires, expressing affection, etc. A couple (married or dating) might watch porn in order to get aroused prior to engaging in intercourse. But one may argue why a healthy couple would need to watch something to illicit arousal. Pornography can be used to spice things up for the couple giving them ideas of new positions to try or inspiring role-playing scenarios. The statement that porn harms relationships is too broad. The information available on the harmful effects of pornography on relationships seems to be focused on heterosexual relationships while ignoring homosexual relationships. Another view is that pornography makes men more likely to rape women. The Flood article (393) talks about studies that show a correlation between teenage boys frequency of consumption of porn and their agreement with the idea that it is acceptable to hold down and force a girl to have sex. However, the ability of parents to block their children who are minors from viewing porn on the internet or TV while at home may diminish the frequency of porn. Even though minors can acquire pornography from outside the home (from friends, on a different computer, etc), if adults teach children starting from a young age about sex, its need to be consensual, its consequences, and the importance of respecting women and people in general, then young boys attitudes toward sex and females may very well be unaffected by pornography. Nevertheless, even if all young boys were taught in this way, they would not all absorb the important lesson. Other factors such as peer or media influences play large roles in young boys attitudes towards sex and the treatment of women and those would need to be controlled as well. Flood (392) also states that men who frequently use violent or rape porn are more likely to report that they would rape a woman if they could get away with it. This does not necessarily mean that the porn is planting the desire to rape a woman. Perhaps the man who would rape a woman watches the porn in order to see a fantasy that he cannot realize. In this case might the porn be somewhat satisfying the mans desire to rape and preventing him from doing so in reality. However, violent porn can give violent or sexual offenders venues to act out their fantasies. The watchers of violent porn may gain inspiration to go and act out their fantasies on innocent women. Flood cites Malamuths writing that men at high risk for sexual aggression are more likely aroused by it and more likely influenced by it (392). But what percentage of men are at high risk for sexual aggression? Does the predisposition to sexual aggression guarantee that the man will rape or assault a woman ONLY if he watches porn? Or does watching porn create sexual aggression and violent feelings towards women? This view is also strewn forth in the media. Barongan and Hall conducted a study where males listened to neutral or misogynous rap music before viewing sexually violent and neutral vignettes (196). They would then choose a vignette to show to a female. Their reasoning for the study is that misogynous messages appear in the media and they can contribute to negative attitudes or behaviors towards women. And pornography has been defined, by some, as sexually explicit materials that can evoke sexually abusive and degrading treatment of women. Some men may believe that their own sexual aggression against women is justified because it is seen or heard in the media, and if so, their actions are not wrong because they are common. The study showed that of males that listened to misogynous rap music 30% showed the violent vignette to their female. Surprisingly only 7% of the males who listened to neutral rap music showed the assaultive vignette. Viewing pornography that glorifies sexual coercion is particularly degrading and harmful. Is sexual coercion degrading to women? If you use random association with this statement, it can easily lead you to agree with the statement. Coercion is to force, compel, or persuade. If women are coerced into sex in pornography, it seems easy. Who is persuaded easily? Unintelligent people? Children? Therefore, women are stupid or as ignorant as a child for being coerced into sex. Non-normative sexual activities falling into the sexual coercion category such as BDSM (Bondage/Domination/Sadism/Masochism) are practiced by both women and men. To say that depiction of sexual coercion is degrading and harmful is to pass judgment on those people who participate in BDSM. Why shouldnt people with non-normative (but still legal) sexual desires have pornography available to them that is suited to their desires? BDSM can be viewed as strange or weird. Why not judge them for being weird? If only a small ma jority of people participate in BDSM, why are their views of sex important to the rest of the population. Sexual coercion and even rape are common themes of sexual role-play among consenting sexual partners. To depict sexual coercion in pornography is to depict a real life scenario within consensual sex. I believe that pornography has beneficial effects for some and harmful effects for others. Do I believe that pornography is degrading to women? Generally speaking, no. However, films that are violent or disturbing in nature, depicting women enjoying these acts that probably no one would enjoy taking part it, I feel is degrading to women. I think that sexually there are things that no woman would want to be involved in, and to show that some people would do so can humiliate and lessen the value of such person. Pornography that that simply depicts intimate and erotic acts, I do not think is degrading. As for pornography creating a prevalence of violence in men or having influences that compel someone to commit rape, I think it is very possible, but it is a person to person issue. I think men who through watching porn think it is okay to force intercourse upon someone will eventually think that regardless of if they have viewed porn. Some people are predisposed to being violent towards women in many other ways than pornography, and although pornography is not the route cause, it can definitely attribute. Non-violent men who respect women and have had meaningful relationship will not have suddenly commit rape after seeing pornography. I think it could evoke thoughts or fantasies similar to acts depicted in the porn they watch, but they will not go out and rape or take a life. I do believe that pornography can damage relationships, but once again, it can have the opposite effect depending on the individuals. I have heard of problems that pornography has caused in friends relationships. I have seen it stem from the fact that women in pornography have physical attributes that are exaggerated to increase sex appeal. I understand that women can feel subpar to the women in the films because they dont look a certain way or compare to these women in societys opinion. I believe the adult entertainment industry can be a contributor to self-esteem or image problems of young women today. Moreover, self-esteem and confidence issues play a huge role in the successfulness of a relationship. On the contrary, I have heard of pornography helping relationships by adding something new to a fading love life. Pornography can spice up a love life, or ruin one. It can illicit arousal for intimacy or to commit a sexually violent crime. Pornography involves acts that are very instinctual to us and therefore can evoke strong judgment towards both ends of the spectrum. Similar to abortion or euthanasia, it is important to find middle ground, and to encourage imaginative thinking where people will not rush to say pornography destroys relationships or causes rape, but it can destroy relationships and may give someone the idea to rape.

Spectroscopy: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life Essay -- Astronomy

Throughout history humanity has been fascinated by the existence of extraterrestrial life. Today such ventures are in the development process and the discovery of life beyond our solar system, no matter how primitive, may soon become a huge(important?) scientific breakthrough. The three basic things that are required to consider a place even remotely habitable are water, a source of energy, and organic materials. Habitability also depends on other factors that must also be taken into consideration such as how close the planet is to its star (in the case of our solar system, the sun), how long the water and organic materials existed there, and the size and mass of the planet. One must not confuse habitable with inhabited. The term habitable suggests only that there is a possibility that life could exist, not necessarily that life was present or still is. For more than a decade the interest of searching for exoplanets (planets beyond our solar system) that are Earth-like has grown. At present, NASA’s Kepler mission is searching almost 170,000 stars for orbiting planets. (Astronomy, April 2011, p.31). Only recently have discoveries of exoplanets been confirmed, although astronomers have been searching for such planets for centuries. One method employed by astronomers for planetary discovery, that uses data collected by the Kepler spacecraft, is the transit method. A transiting planet is a planet that passes in front of its host star as seen from Earth. (Wolf, 2007) In essence, what is detected is a slight dimming in the host star’s light. Astronomers then determine whether the planet in the habitable zone of its star. The habitable zone (HZ) is the area around a star where it is possible for water to remain liquid on the surf... ... expensive venture. What is possible now is to pinpoint the planets with the best odds in supporting life. For now, perhaps the best approach is to stay close to home and explore the planets in our solar system. Works Cited Villard, R. (2011, April). Hunting for earthlike planets. Astronomy, 39(4), 28-33. Johnson, J. A. (2011, April). The stars that host planets. Sky & Telescope, 121(4), 22-27. Field, T. (2011, August). Spectroscopy for everyone. Sky & Telescope, 122(2), 68-71. What is spectroscopy?. (2004, August 7). Retrieved from http://kicp-yerkes.uchicago.edu/2004-summer/pdf/ysi2004-spectroscopy.pdf Wolf, P. (2007, August). Extrasolar planets. Retrieved from http://lasp.colorado.edu/education/outerplanets/exoplanets.php Smith, A. W., & Cooper, J. N. (1979). Elements of physics. (9th ed., pp. 373-376). Toronto: McGraw-Hill.

College Writing Essay -- Communication Education Essays

College Writing Writing is the ability to express yourself and to communicate with others. College writing courses strive to provide students with the ability to do this. In the following quote, AOur greatest multicultural resource, one that is authentic, rich, and truly diverse,@ Maxine Hairston, is obviously speaking about today=s student. How can we give all students who have different values, language, and cultural background the ability to express themselves, to communicate, and to contribute in significant ways to the relationship with others locally and globally? Do we strictly emphasize correct grammar and usage? Do we focus on critical thinking skills or personal expression? I am sure that this has obviously been a very controversial topic amongst educators at least in this century. I know that there is no easy answer. Educators will continue to debate this issue for years to come. What I will do is try to provide some insight on the writing process from the eyes of an eighteen year old. The quest for excellence is a life long process. To become a good writer - communicator, is also a life long process. AIn order to communicate with others, we must learn to see through their lenses as well as to try to explain to them what we see through ours@ (qdt. in Hairston). This process begins at a very early age. The building blocks which start in our earliest ages help us develop speech. From kindergarten on, phonics plays a key role. As we grow older and progress through the levels of schooling, we encounter many different ways to communicate. Telephone conversations, passing notes, writing essays, and e-mailing are many different forms of communication that we use to express our thoughts and feelings. When you stop an... ...r not having an opinion on who my favorite teacher was and why. As high school progressed, I realized that it was easier for me to put my words on paper. What I have discovered while writing this essay is that writing forces me to focus my thinking and succinctly express a specific point. As a young person discovering a larger universe than the 130 student high school I graduated from, I am constantly embracing varying thoughts and allowing them to flow freely without structure. Writing forces me to limit my thoughts and focus, just long enough to get specific points on paper. Educators will continuously debate form, substance, grammar, style, and thinking skills giving little attention to the fact that young peoples minds just need to focus. Whatever methodology applied, as long as students are asked to write, they will continue to progress. This has helped me.

Green School Initiatives Essay

Introduction – Kate The idea of â€Å"Green Initiatives† in schools at any age level is a positive step towards installing sustainability in the minds of future generations. To reduce the amount of energy needed, recycle rain water, lessen landfill space and cut the barrels of oil used by Americans daily; can insure that our natural resource will be intact for many years to come. However, obstacles to Green Initiatives are costs, program management and proper data collection. Is it possible to initiate Green Methods in schools and really save cash as a result? It is possible. Let us examine which eco-friendly ideas work for institutions and which do not. Relevant Facts – Mandy, Miranda, Kate, Tomika & Alicia Why should schools â€Å"go green? † When a school â€Å"goes green,† that school is making the choice and the commitment to make their school more environmentally friendly. This includes doing things â€Å"to reduce carbon footprint, or the amount of carbon dioxide emissions produced† (Whelan, 2007). More and more, taking care of the environment is becoming an issue among people. They all want to know what they can do to make their environment safer and cleaner. Schools are becoming no exception to this endeavor. It does not take much for a school to make a difference. It can be something as simple as recycling plastic water bottles or something more complex such as installing energy-efficient solar panels in the roofing. Today’s schools have become more environmentally aware and many would like to incorporate green learning and living into their school systems. The definition of a green school is â€Å"a school building or facility that creates a healthy environment that is conducive to learning while saving energy, resources, and money† (www. greenschool-buildings. org). A school can be green in many ways; primarily this paper focuses on how a school can best go green. Much of what is discussed is school construction and renovation; however we also highlight some other areas in which schools can initiate green methods. The nation’s schools are currently built to code and meet government health and safety standards; is this enough or is there a better way? A study was performed of 30 green schools built 2001 – 2006 in 10 states. Some highlights from that study include: ? Green school construction costs less than two percent more compared to conventional schools, at about $3 per square foot. ?Direct and in-direct financial savings to the school and community were about $70 per square foot – 20 times as high as the cost of going green. ?Green schools, on average, use 33% less energy than convention schools. ?Reduction of average water use by 32%. Because of the process of water storage the school created with their green design, the city of Dedham, MA valued the improvement at $400,000. ?Highly reflective green roofs life expectancy to last 30 – 50 years or longer. ?An average reduction of 38. 5% in asthma, over five separate buildings, due to improved air quality. ?Today asthma rates are rising 20-50% every ten years throughout the world (Holguin 2004) There are some other reasons that schools choose to get on the good side of the environment by going green. An important reason behind this decision is in an effort to â€Å"provide a healthy, productive, comfortable environment for students and staff† (Lafee, 2010). This is because going green calls for cleaner air If a school is more environmentally sound, it is more likely that there will actually be a decrease in students being absent because of the cleaner air. Building green is especially beneficial to those students that have breathing problems. Many schools, as they are going green, are beginning to install solar panels in an effort to conserve energy and create clean energy. What are the benefits of using solar panels? They range from â€Å"economic, health, environmental, and financial benefits† (What Are the Benefits of Solar Power? , 2010). By using solar panels in schools, the schools are saving money on their electric bills. Solar panels are allowing schools to cut down on air pollution. Rather than cleaning them every month, solar panels only have to be cleaned once a year. Solar energy panels also allow for the demise of deadly fumes from fuels such as kerosene and gasoline. This makes for cleaner air indoors, which leads to a decrease in respiratory issues. The use of solar energy panels does not put out carbon monoxide, so they improve the quality of air. Finally, using solar panels in schools will allow â€Å"children to understand the significance of green architecture and renewable sources of energy† (Solar Energy Finally†¦, 2010). Wind power is used through the use of wind turbines that are installed inside the school grounds. By installing wind turbines on school land we bring other benefits to the school. As with solar panels, wind power also decreases a school’s electric bills. Using wind turbines give schools certain tax breaks. Having a wind turbine also â€Å"adds an experiential dimension to the schools’ science, math, and civic classes† (The Benefits of Wind Power, 2010). There is a program called the Wind for Schools Project whose purpose is to â€Å"install small wind turbines at rural elementary and secondary schools while developing Wind Application Centers at higher education institutions† (Wind for Schools Project, 2010). The program basically educates schools on the use, as well as the benefits of, wind power. One of the biggest ways that schools are going green is by having the students recycle their empty plastic milk and beverage containers after lunch. Schools put recycling bins in their cafeterias in an effort to encourage students to put their containers in them rather than a garbage can. What are the benefits? Doing this â€Å"conserves resources, helps the environment, saves schools money on disposal costs, creates the volume needed to have a viable recycling program, and teaches children social responsibility† (Why Recycle Plastic Milk and Beverage Bottles? , 2010). An additional benefit of recycling plastic beverage containers is that leaks and odors are decreased because the plastic containers have caps on them, and the students are encouraged to replace the caps on the empty containers. The types of containers that are recyclable are â€Å"all plastic beverage bottles (i. e. milk, soda, water, juice) and aluminum cans† (Recycling Plastic Milk Bottles At School, 2010). While it is true that recycling in schools is dependent upon the school district, most school districts are on board with this form of going green. They are willing to make the accommodations that are needed for this endeavor. The concept of a school going green may be better understood by its students if they are a part. If they feel that they are part of something, it will make them want to try harder. Green schools offer other advantages that might not be immediately apparent. The school is actually a teaching tool. Think about it. High school students could actively learn about renewable energy from the school’s solar panels. The middle school students could study ecosystems in their own wetland. The elementary students could grow organic vegetables and eat them for lunch. The student(s) would receive the full green experience. An additional way students are applying these concepts in the classroom are in art classes, instead of having students use recyclable materials, allowing them to use materials from nature. This can include making projects with leaves, sticks, sand, or any other outside objects. Not only is this fun for the students, but it is also environmentally-friendly. â€Å"There are different ways to create a work of art using found objects† (Kauffman, 2009). Students who use natural objects are more likely to be inspired. And using natural materials is very cost-effective for the schools. This type of art is especially rewarding to smaller children. This is because they get to â€Å"play† with stuff. Normally would not have the chance to. Some elementary schools have started implementing â€Å"garbage art. † Garbage art supplies include â€Å"beans, rice, buttons, fabric, string, dry pasta, yogurt, dryer lint, pencil shavings, etc. † (Pedersen, 2010). For younger students, this type of art is more likely to be more fun than any of the aforementioned options. The opportunity that â€Å"green building† in schools provide to the students, teachers, and the community is substantial. Along with the health benefits, there are cost savings to the school and to the city the school is located in. Continued growth within the green initiatives and design benefit the country and the world environment overall. (www. greenschoolbuildings. org) When students are involved their moral is up, if student morale is up, the desire for students to learn also increases. A school that is more environmentally conscious benefits because their students will not only be learning how to help the environment, they will be implementing that knowledge as well. Schools that go green will positively impact student health in other areas than just cleaner air. Cleaner air results in higher test scores and teacher retention. Green buildings are designed with proper acoustics so the teachers can be heard and have more control of the classroom environment. Students are exposed to more natural daylight helping them perform at their individual best and avoid seasonal depression due to lack of sunlight. Another more energy-efficient practice is softer lighting in the classrooms. If a school has inadequate lighting, whether it is too bright or too dim, it can actually cause students to have headaches due to possible straining to read. If a school decides to go green in the way of softer lighting, it will be easier for students to see and cause less straining for them. On top of all these benefits to the children and staff there are operational cost savings with utilizing daylight, reducing energy and recycling water. Going green means that building repairs, upgrades, and system replacements will assist in lowering utility costs from renewal efforts. (www. greenschoolbuildings. org) Green schools generally do not cost more than a conventional school to operate. The costs are much less to operate a green school due to the efficient use of water and energy. A green school can typically save $100,000 in, in-direct costs in a given year. An estimated $20 billion could be saved over the next 10 years if all schools performed green renovations and all new schools were built green. (www. greenschoolbuildings. org) Other areas where schools can and are â€Å"going green† are as follows: †¢Recycling Programs – working with recycling brokers to recycle glass, plastic and paper †¢Using old material such as cardboard boxes as art supplies †¢Going â€Å"IT Green† – recycling computers, putting computers on standby when not in use and scanning copies instead of producing paper ones. Many schools are switching to low voltage IT servers. At the University of Buffalo’s Center for Computational Research they are switching to energy-thrifty supercomputer servers and saving $150,000 annually. (Carter 2009) †¢Taking advantage of assistance from organizations like the â€Å"Go Green Initiative. org† that helps train school staff in green teaching methods so they can teach their students. They also assists in obtaining grants for schools; give quarterly progress reports to schools and give tools to track and quantify your green savings. Clearly one of the biggest benefits of going green within the school systems is That it teaches our children how to live better and make the world a better place in which to reside. These are life lessons that people carry along with them into adulthood. So, in addition to saving the planet, saving money, and having healthier children; this concept will be carried on into the future. Incorporating â€Å"going green† into the lives of our children would install very much needed values and morals that they can live by as adults. Problem Components/Root Problem – Mandy & Kate Some green initiatives like recycling water or material require very little investment; however construction can be another matter. Building a new school or renovating an existing school to go green, one must look at the big picture not only individual costs. In lean times like these many communities do not have extra funds to invest, so a common barrier to green projects is initial cost. There have been many green projects through the years that have not worked out due to prohibitive upfront costs. There are groups that believe that the government should aid in jumpstarting these projects to make the initial investment more affordable. (â€Å"Green economy,† 2010) However in recent years these costs are going down as green building becomes more commonplace and supplies become more plentiful. In reality the cost of going green is not much higher than it is to stay conventional. Going green may take some project management and innovative thinking, but is not off budget. Perhaps the biggest complication regarding cost comes in when schools are converting an existing structure. â€Å"Green schools cost a little more to build – generally 1% to 2% extra – than conventional schools† (King, 2010). Another drawback for new green school construction lies in what can occur during the whole â€Å"going green† process, especially if the â€Å"green school† is being built from the ground up. â€Å"Permits, zoning requirements, and other bureaucratic obstacles imposed by planning commissions, school boards or other government agencies† (Kennedy, 2010). Whether it is a new school going up or a current school being re-modified, money plays a huge part in just how green a school can go. For example, a school may have the funding for more energy-efficient lighting, but not have the money for better and more efficient air ducts. Not having enough funding can put the halt to preventing a school from becoming more environmentally sound in a heartbeat. Another hindrance to a school going green is that often not everyone involved is on board with the idea. â€Å"The problem with America’s public education system is it’s failed to empower our communities, parents and teachers with the tools and authority they need to provide the quality educational experience our children need, expect and deserve† (King, 2010). This is basically saying that if the parents and teachers are not given what they need to provide a good, sound education for their children, in and out of school, then no amount of environmentally-correct changes to the school are going to be effective. In many areas of the country, the design requirements are not an additional burden in the price of the bids. There are many financial benefits to new green construction or renovating. Some benefits that accrue over the life of the building are reduced energy and operating costs, improved well-being and more cost effective insurance prices. (www. eda. gov) The US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – LEED, sets standards for green initiatives. LEED rates projects based on the materials used and how they are sourced, the design, construction, and efficiency of systems to include water, energy, air quality, lighting, acoustics, waste and transportation. (www. ecoliteracy. org) Generating and Evaluation of Alternatives – Miranda & Kate Like any large project this puts schools in the position of determining what best suits their specific needs. By setting up specific â€Å"implementation plans† based on needs and monetary ability we can simplify a schools decision. We can also allow them to make more gradual steps. In a perfect world with abundant funding all schools would be free to immediately make the necessary changes; unfortunately that is not a reality for most. Schools could choose to make their decision in the following ways: †¢Low investment – green initiatives taken independently- Analyze possible areas of immediate change on their own. Make changes in their everyday routine such as recycling or reusing bottles, paper, glass and plastics. Building a rain water catch system for water reuse. They can estimate the cost savings to the school and savings to the environment. This will expose the children to the concept of recycling and reuse while helping to teach them. †¢Medium initial investment – green initiatives taken independently – schools can independently address the low initiatives outlined in option one while also investing in larger improvements. These improvements could include low voltage servers, schedules for electrical output and using computers that go to â€Å"low power† usage when on standby mode. This requires more of an initial investment by the school but allows the school to see greater return in their investment in the form of cost savings. †¢High initial investment – green initiatives taken on independently – schools can independently address both medium initial investment items and renovations to existing structures (like solar panels) or the building of new structures. Ultimately this would bring the greatest cost savings to schools and would have the greatest impact to the student’s environment and green experience. †¢High initial investment – green initiatives taken on with assistance – schools can work with organizations like the â€Å"Go Green Initiative† from start to finish. Instead of â€Å"reinventing the wheel† and learning through experience schools can use the opportunity of organizations that are established just to help them. These types of initiatives provide communication with other schools about their â€Å"green† projects, educate schools staff to â€Å"teach green methods†, provide information on green building, provide data tracking and even educate the community. Schools can make changes at any level they desire and on their own time schedule. Chosen Alternative – Tomika & Kate We believe that schools and the environment would benefit most from a High initial investment – green initiatives taken on with assistance option. Schools can get assistance from many of these organizations for absolutely free and initiatives don’t have to start as high investment. You can make small changes like recycling and using the cost savings to fund student activities. You can reduce your energy waste by conserving water and turning off computers when not in use. Representatives from organizations like the Go Green Initiative can help you communicate the â€Å"why† to your community. They can help explain why green changes with be profitable to the school in the long term. Once the community has seen the short term savings they will be more open to more long term green projects. You need community support and open communication to successfully incorporate change into any public structure. Having an outside source will also give you vast data from other school districts that have gone through the same changes you are tackling. These organizations can assist you with measurements for your green savings, but more importantly they can also measure your savings to the environment; this is a huge tool that motivates entire communities and makes your school more marketable to new families. Implementation Plan – Tomika & Kate 1. Determine what your schools objectives are, what do you wish to achieve? 2. Speak with the school board and the community about their ideas, concerns and involvement with any potential project. 3. Contact several organizations like â€Å"Go Green Initiative† and get information on each of them to present to your board. 4. Discuss the different organizations with your board and the community and pick one to work with. 5. Convey to the organization assisting you what your goals and objects are, your budget concerns and specifications. Ask for ideas to implement immediately that will show short term return on investment and improve the school environment. 6. Have a training session and meeting to review all aspects with the school board, superintendent and any interested party. Establish six month goals that are specific, measurable, attainable and timely. Determine who is responsible for data collection and programs implemented. 7. Obtain data and review progress in six months. Proceed from there. Alternative Choice – Tomika The alternative choice would be to have schools manage the projects themselves, beginning with small. They could conduct their own research and check with other local schools to see what green plans have been successful for them. Most of the steps would remain the same as the chosen alternative but there would be more â€Å"legwork† to be done by the schools themselves. From finding green materials and contractors to studying alternatives it would simply be more difficult to get information. It would however be possible. There may be some people in the immediate community with experience that could assist the school with their green initiatives. Either way schools have to start somewhere and any changes are better than none at all when it comes to the environment. Conclusion-Alicia Going green is very crucial and relevant to the future of the children as well as the planet. Starting the green system within schools is the best thing to do in order to educate the children on the importance of saving the planet, keeping everyone healthy, preserving energy, and saving money. This allows the practice of â€Å"going green† while learning and living it at the same time. Today’s funding in schools is mostly low. Therefore having the option to transition from small changes and then building up to larger more substantial changes is vastly important. Even more important is communication within a community to reach a greater common goal and seeking assistance from an outside source can be a huge benefit when trying to better your community. References Benefits of Wind Power. (2010). Retrieved November 20, 2010, from http://www. northernpower. com/wind-power-basics/benefits-of-wind-power. php. Green school buildings. (n. d. ). Retrieved November 18, 2010, from U. S. green building council website: http://www. greenschoolbuildings. org/gs101. aspx Green school design: cost-effective, healthy, and better, for eduction. (n. d. ). Retrieved November 18, 2010, from Center for Eco literacy website: http://www. ecoliteracy. org/essays/green- school-design-cost-effective-healthy-and-better-education. Green economy. (2010). Economy Watch, Retrieved from http://www. economywatch. com/market/market-types/green-economy. html Kauffman, Rachel. (2009, July 13). Lesson Plans Using Objects Found In Nature. Retrieved November 21, 2010, from http://www. lessonplanet. com/directory_articles/art_lesson_plans/13_July_2009/48/lesson_plans_using_objects_found_in_nature. Kennedy, Mike. (2010, February 10). Overcoming Obstacles to Going Green. Retrieved November 19, 2010, from http://asumag. com/green/overcoming-sustainability-obstacles-201002/. King, Ledyard. (2008, July 31). Costs, Concerns Push Schools To Use Eco-Friendly Elements. 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Solar Energy Finally In The School Yards. (2010, October 25). Retrieved November 30, 2010, from http://www. renewablepowernews. com/archives/1914. Solar Panel Cost. Retrieved December 5, 2010 from http://www. solarpanelsedge. com/ar/solar-panels-cost. php The New Era in Solar Energy. Retrieved December 5, 2010 from http://greenfieldsolar. com/industry. php What Are The Benefits of Solar Power? (2010, February 9). Retrieved November 21, 2010, from http://www. alternativeenergyhq. com/what-are-the-benefits-of-solar-power. php. Whelan, Debra Lau. (2007, September 1). Going Green: Eco-Friendly Schools. Retrieved November 20, 2010 from http://www. schoollibraryjournal. com/article/CA647263. html. Go green initiative. (n. d. ) Retrieved November 17, 2010 from http://www. gogreeninitiative. org.