The Clod & The Pebble Essays - Songs Of Innocence And Of Experience

The Clod & The Pebble Innocence & Experience In The Clod The Clod and the Pebble represents two contrasting points of view between a little clod of clay and a pebble of the brook. The poem expresses symbolic references towards innocence and experience with light and dark imagery. The two contrasting points of view on love are revealed through generous and unselfish tones in the first part and greedy and selfish tones in the second part. In the first stanza of the free verse poem, Blake uses the Clod of Clay to highlight the positive aspects of love. Through the eyes of the Clod, love is revealed to us as graceful, pure and everlasting. The heavenly tone marks how elegant and passionate love can grow to become. In the third stanza, the pebble of the brook explains the negative visions that love is or will eventually become in future experiences. The pebble describes love as harsh and selfish by only considering what is best for itself and having no real concern for the individuals trapped in the addicted passion. The Pebble also reveals a negative and harsh tone through its conception that love will turn a sweet chocolate bitter and a mighty warrior frail. The Clod of Clay symbolizes the soft, tender and innocent nature of love. It is easily formed and shaped into the figure that fits the given situation at hand. The Clod is flexible to change and tolerates an abundance of stress towards its soft form. The Clod represents how a relationship has to be in order to for love to work and the relationship last. The relationship must be flexible to change and tolerant of imposed differences and changes over time. The Pebble symbolizes the rough, hard and stern nature of love. It is unable to bend, flex or compromise change in a relationship. It remains solid and closed minded with no optimistic vision to improve the relationship that exits. The Pebble represents the clearly unstable foundation of a loving relationship. A relationship that highlights the negative experiences and will surely never last. Blake imposes vivid imagery to convey loves unselfishness. Love seeketh not If self to please in reference to the vision that Love is selfless and humble. Love in the Clods eyes only seeks to please others and not itself. The Clod gives its ease for another in reference to the innocence is complemented by grace. The gentle nature love imposes upon the hearts of others is clam with ease and gracious in delight. The Clod also builds a heaven in hells despair, which reveals an image where the passion and grace of love cleanses the soul of evil and purifies bad decisions. The imagery in the 3rd stanza is more dark and deceitful. The Pebble views love as seeketh only Self to please. This reveals the pebbles view of love being selfish as Self is capitalized to also signify that love consumes all life and emotion from everything. Love is also characterized as having joys in anothers loss of ease referring to how insensitive and impenitent love is in the pebbles eyes. The Pebble closes the poem off with a counter action from the Clod by expressing that love builds a Hell in Heavens despite. This revealing that the pebble believes that love corrupts purity, trust, honesty, and true emotion. Blakes revealing diction fine-tunes the poems central meaning as the pebble uses bind in line 10 to express that love restrains an individual's ability to be open and free. And the Clod expressing the smooth nature of love that is an exciting and enjoyable feeling in which everyone should be able to experience. In contrasting the basic elements and points of view of the Clod and the Pebble, reveal to the reader that even a beautiful thing like love can also dramatically affect a persons emotions and life in general when the experience shows either the negative or positive aspects of love. Bibliography The extremes of Poetry Poetry Essays

My First Resident †Creative Writing Essay

My First Resident – Creative Writing Essay Free Online Research Papers My First Resident Creative Writing Essay Listening to the clock ticking on the wall, I started to feel the burgeoning uneasiness. Over the quiet but melodious play of the strings in the cafeteria, cackling giggles of janitors, prattling chats of nurses, and chuckling laughs of doctors overlapped scenes with sweating doctors and overloaded nurses from Grey’s Anatomy. About ten minutes later, I was walking down a long and dark hallway with other volunteers and was stunned by a sudden contrast. The fastidious-looking volunteer manager parroted, â€Å"This side of the hospital is where all four of you will be volunteering,† over clattering noise of her hills. As glancing around the tranquil complex, I saw the dusty sign by the main door: Welcome to the Eagle Ridge Manor. When I skimmed through the list of offered volunteer positions, my heart palpitated wildly. I envisioned assisting nurses with their paperwork and doctors at special occasions; however, the offered task from the hospital disappointed me deeply. Feeding. The hackneyed term did not appeal to me. But I learned that my perception was very different. At five forty-five sharp, residents’ dinner trays were delivered to the dining room. I looked at the white board to check the appropriate resident whom volunteers were allowed to feed. My first resident was Marguerite. She was sitting erectly in her wheel chair at the very first corner of the dining table. â€Å"Marguerite,† I called her quietly as putting her tray down on the table, but she seemed not to hear me. I carefully tabbed her arm and introduced myself. She did not respond me. Suffering from Alzheimer for ten years, Marguerite had already lost the track of time, place and people. Smiling awkwardly at her, I opened up her tray. Tomato soup, roasted chicken with carrots, a raspberry yogurt, and a cup of tea were nicely sealed in scaled containers. Looking down at her tray confusingly, I started with a spoonful of her chicken meal, but she did not swallow it. Paranoid by impending mistakes, I tried to recall instructions from training sessions, but I ended up loo king at a nurse with a confused look on my face. She told me to wait. However, waiting for Marguerite was not the right answer, I thought. Puzzled by an unexpected dilemma, I began to massage her back to alleviate her tension, but she began to pour tomato soup on her dried chicken. She spilled the soup on the table and on her pants, but, suddenly, a burst of compassion emerged inside me. I could not stop her. My long journey resumed, and she seemed to forget that she was eating her dinner at every second spoon. I gently patted her arm or called her tenderly to remind her. Suddenly, I realized that I might have been one of strangers to her after all. I started talking about my day at school and promised her to take her out to the garden as soon as it stopped raining, and I was struck in awe. She smiled at me. Container after container, we started to empty her tray more quickly. Every Monday, I still visit her. Although my manager rotated volunteers to other complexes, I reminisce the very day when I had grabbed a fragile but warm hand. She taught me how I can make others smile. She taught me how I can be a trustworthy friend in a long journey. And she taught me how to love myself. Research Papers on My First Resident - Creative Writing EssayThe Hockey GameLifes What IfsThe Spring and AutumnQuebec and CanadaWhere Wild and West Meet19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenHip-Hop is ArtAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Standardized Testing

Trojan Asteroids and their Places in the Solar System

Trojan Asteroids and their Places in the Solar System Asteroids are hot properties of the solar system these days. Space agencies are interested in exploring them, mining companies may soon be taking them apart for their minerals, and planetary scientists are interested in the role they played in the early solar system. It turns out that Earth and nearly all the other planets owe a large part of their existence to asteroids, which contributed to the process of planetary formation. Understanding Asteroids Asteroids are rocky objects too small to be planets or moons, but orbit in various parts of the solar system. When astronomers or planetary scientists discuss ​asteroids, they usually think about the region in the solar system where many of them exist; its called the Asteroid Belt and  lies  between Mars and Jupiter. While the majority of the asteroids in our solar system seem to orbit in the Asteroid Belt, there are other groups that orbit the Sun at various distances in both the inner and outer solar system. Among these are the so-called Trojan Asteroids, which are individually named after figures in the legendary Trojan Wars from Greek myths. Nowadays, planetary scientists simply refer to them as trojans.   The Trojan Asteroids First discovered in 1906, the Trojan asteroids orbit the Sun along the same orbital path of a planet or a  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹moon. Specifically, they either lead or follow the planet or moon by 60 degrees. These positions are known as the L4 and L5 Lagrange points. (LaGrange points are positions where the gravitational effects from two larger objects, the Sun and a planet, in this case, will hold a small object like an asteroid in a stable orbit.)  There are Trojans orbiting Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune.   Jupiters Trojans Trojan asteroids were suspected to exist as far back as 1772 but werent observed for some time. The mathematical justification for the existence of Trojan asteroids was developed in 1772 by Joseph-Louis Lagrange. The  application of the theory he developed led to his name being attached to it.   However, it was not until 1906 that asteroids were found at the L4 and L5 Lagrange points along Jupiters orbit.  Recently, researchers have found that there may be a very large number of Trojan asteroids around Jupiter. This makes sense since Jupiter has a very strong gravitational pull and likely captured more asteroids into its area of influence.  Some say there are could be as many around Jupiter as there are in the Asteroid Belt. However, recent studies have found that there may be systems of Trojan asteroids elsewhere in our solar system. These may actually outnumber the asteroids in both the Asteroid Belt and Jupiters Lagrange points by an order of magnitude (i.e. there could be at least more than 10 times more). Additional Trojan Asteroids In one sense, Trojan asteroids should be easy to find. After all, if they orbit at the L4 and L5 Lagrange points around planets, so observers know exactly where to look for them. However, since most of the planets in our solar system are very far away from Earth and because asteroids can be very tiny and incredibly hard to detect, the process of finding them, and then measuring their orbits, is not very simple. In fact, it can be very difficult!   As evidence of this, consider that the ONLY Trojan asteroid is known to orbit along Earths path - 60 degrees in front of us - was just  confirmed to exist in 2011!  There are also seven confirmed Mars Trojan asteroids. So, the process of finding these objects in their predicted orbits around other worlds requires painstaking work and a great many observations at different times of the year to get a direct and accurate measure of their orbital periods.   Most interesting though is the presence of Neptunian Trojan asteroids. While there around a dozen confirmed, there are many more candidates. If confirmed, they would significantly outnumber the combined asteroid count of the Asteroid Belt and Jupiter Trojans. This is a very good reason for continuing to study this distant region of the solar system.   There still could be additional groups of Trojan asteroids orbiting various objects in our solar system, but as yet these are the sum total of what we have found. More surveys of the solar system, particularly using infrared observatories, could turn up many additional Trojans orbiting among the planets.   Edited and revised by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Negotiations Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Negotiations - Coursework Example This requires an in-depth research on the various cars available that will suit my preference. After some critical research online I have narrowed down the possibilities and there is particularly one that has interested me the most. It is a Subaru and after some extensive research on Subarus in relation to performance and the general lifespan, it is seemingly the best option for me at the moment. Additionally, the dealer selling the car allows for a trade in and also payment in instalments with a significant down payment depending on the car. Therefore, there seems to be several available options for me from the dealer hence prompting the need to go and check it out and have a further discussion with the dealer regarding the Subaru. After a relatively long talk with the dealer on the available deals regarding the Subaru and also other available cars in the yard, I have decided to buy the new Subaru I had earlier on spotted during my search. In the course of our talk, the dealer presented the current offers available ranging from cash to a trade in to paying in instalments after a down payment. Based on my current financial position the only offers suitable are either a trade in or paying in instalments. In both options I have to part with the Jetta, which is a decision I had already made. If I settle for a trade in the dealer has agreed to give me $8800 for the Jetta and paying in instalments requires me to first pay a down payment of $9400. With the down payment, I will get a loan with some manageable though steep monthly payments. However, with this option I have to settle for a buyer of the Jetta from among those who had been contacting me in order to give the down payment failure to which I will be forced t o take the loan at prime with an increment of 5% interest. From among the earlier calls there is particularly one seemingly good prospect with whom I have agreed to meet for a discussion on the Jetta sale at 1300 hrs. On meeting with the

Mobile Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mobile Technology - Essay Example Smart phones such as the iPhone do not support SIM cards that have not been activated for the specific phone as at the time of its acquisition, and this implies that it is often impossible to share the phone with any other person who has not registered the SIM card with the phone. The buyers of this smart phone are also restricted by some limitations slapped on them by the manufacturers, which unnecessarily bind them on how they operate the phones. For example Apple users are required to subscribe to them for two years and. Moreover, the iPhone lacks applications that can be applied by third parties or what is usually known as third-party applications as it only has web-based applications. This makes it difficult for parties to install the applications on their own. The power requirements of smart phones are also higher as compared to other conventional phones in the data market. The extra power requirement translates to large batteries which are bulky for the phones thus shorter per iods of usage and also added expenses on electricity bill.The sustained use of smart phones has been found to be the major cause of eye strain to individuals especially teenagers. The daily use of mobile technology gadgets such as the smart phones and e-readers causes the muscles in the eyes to tighten up and dry. The cause of this is because smart phones have smaller screens as compared to other devices like laptops and thus have smaller sizes of font leading to squinting in order to get the best view of what is written on the screen of the phone. The other cause of eye strains is failure by the users of the mobile technology to adopt the recommended screen distance when using the mobile devices making the eyes to work harder than it should leading to the strain. In addition, as already stated at the introduction, the major challenge on the use of smart phones is the lack of security of data and privacy in their use. This stems from the fact that smart phones can easily be compromised through attacks from the internet that may come in the form of viruses, worms and Trojans (Newman 29). This infection may also come from compromised personal computers at the time of synchronizing data while other forms can infect similar phones through Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPAN). Smart phones that have been attacked become sources of malicious attacks to the telecommunication sectors, for example, the smart phones can be used to manipulate smart phone zombies to send marketing or junk messages through short messaging as spams. The compromised phone spams free of any costs thus irritating owners who may not desire to receive such messages (Miller 228). Furthermore, mobile phone technology has been used to steal identities or conduct what is usually known as spoofing. Identity theft through smart phones is easy as once a smart phone has been compromised, the attacker uses the owner’s identity to conduct any activity in the stolen name or identity. An attacker who has stolen the identity of a smart phone owner can use Voice-Over-Internet Protocol from the internet and make use of a smart phone zombie to pretend to be the owner of the calls made. Additionally, smart phones have also been used for remote wiretapping where a smart phone zombie records the conversation of the real owner and report to those that are spying on the actual

Greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change

Greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change Introduction Climate change is the consequence of any kind of adjustments in the climate system. Change in climate is caused by fluctuations in the factors that influence climatic patterns. This phenomenon has become one of the greatest environmental threats and risks that the world is facing. Persistent human activities such as driving cars, farming, deforestation, and industrialization result into production of greenhouse gases. These gases gather in the atmospheric space, and trap the heat from the sun. This is what causes climate change manifested through global warming and other processes. The effects of disruptive changes have led to catastrophic events like storms, droughts, rise in the sea levels, and floods (Kammen Casillas 2010, p. 1181). Climate change is majorly caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Most of the intervention efforts meant to mitigate the impacts of climate change thus target human activities that contribute to additional emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (Letcher ScienceDirect 2009, p. 67). Therefore, renewable energy has been considered as one of the leading solutions to climate change. Provision of ‘carbon-neutral sources of power, heat, transport fuels and renewable energy options has been considered by environmental scientists as a great move in the right direction. The objective is to enact a transition from high to low carbon economy. Although the renewable energy sector is quickly changing, climate change crises dictate that the energy system be drastically transformed. This will help in combating the dangers that are associated with global warming that threatens to slump the global economy in the face of globalization and industrialization. Roggema (2009, p. 211) cited air pollution caused by transport and power sectors of the economy have been a great threat not only to the human health but have also shifted the climate systems. Prospective Interventions to Address Climate Change Crisis Climate change as an environmental problem is essentially a problem caused by the extreme utilization of fossil energy. Agriculture, changes in land use, cement production and use of chemicals all contribute to the emission of the greenhouse gases (Roggema 2009, p. 234). However, 70% of the global warming/climate change problems is caused by unsustainable use of fossil fuels. Therefore, in order to deal with the problems related to climate change, there has to be a shift from use of fossil fuels at home, in the industries, transport and generally the entire sectors of the economy (Roggema 2009, p. 203). In order to avert the challenges associated with climate change, saving of energy is essential. Electricity, automobiles and carbon emissions are the main causes of problems related to climate change. The regular incandescent light bulbs should thus be changed and replaced with the energy saving compact fluorescent bulbs which are more efficient and energy saving. The emissions that result from automobiles like motor vehicles, motorcycles should also be reduced (Letcher ScienceDirect 2009, p. 154). Climate change has been caused by human activities such as deforestation in search of more space for agricultural activities. Therefore carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere continues to rise. Being a greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide has contributed to the rise of global temperatures. Roggema (2009, p. 183) cited that human activities that encroach to the environment should thus be limited to prevent further crises associated with global warming. Traditional methods of conservation of forest ecosystems should be embraced to preserve the ecosystem and mitigate the effects of climate change (Tracy 2010, p.353). Therefore reforestation should be encouraged so that the greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide are reduced from the atmosphere. Farming activities that promote environmental hazards such as soil erosion should thus be limited and replaced with farming approaches that are environmentally custodial. Industrialization is the major contributor to climate change. This is because of the emission of the greenhouse gases like Nitrous Oxide and Carbon dioxide (Tracy 2010, p. 354). In order to avert climate change challenges there should be focus on change in the energy used in the industries from the dirty to clean energy. Climate change scientists have advocated for the use of renewable energy as the solution to the climate change problems that are caused by the use of environmentally hazardous fuels like coal and nuclear energy in the industries in the global economy (Tracy 2010, p. 355). Climate Change and the options for Renewable Energy Human activities and natural environmental processes are all responsible for climate change. Natural causes include volcanic eruptions, ocean currents, changes in the earths orbit and solar variations. An eruption of volcanoes throws out great volumes of sulphur dioxide, water vapor, dust, and ash into the atmosphere (Wengenmayr 2008, p. 141). The large volumes of gases and ash have the ability to influence climatic patterns by increasing the planetary reflectivity leading to atmospheric cooling. The aerosols are produced by volcanoes also affects the purity of air in the atmosphere. These contribute greatly to climate change. The oceans currents are considered a great threat to the climate stability. The currents release great amounts of heat across the planet. Besides, the interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere can produce El Nino. The oceans determine the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide. This implies that changes in the ocean circulation greatly affects climate and significantly contributes to the climate (Wengenmayr 2008, p. 231). Climate change has been caused by human activities. MacZulak (2010, p. 9) cited that this is majorly through the burning of fossil fuels, changes in the land use, and industrialization. With industrial revolution of the 19th century, fossil fuels have been used to support industrial processes. Fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas have been great energy supplies for the industrialized economies. However, these sources of energy have contributed to great emissions of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These are responsible for climate change (MacZulak 2010, p. 8). Carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has increased because of human activities such as deforestation and agriculture. Methane is released through oil drilling, mining of coal, leaking gas pipelines, landfills and waste dumps (MacZulak 2010, p. 9). These greenhouse gases cause great increase in the climate change and are significantly responsible for global warming. The greatest cause of climate change and global warming however is the burning of the fossil fuels. These fuels cause emission of greenhouse gases into the earths atmosphere leading to depletion of the ozone layer and global warming (Twidell Weir 2006, p. 143). Options for Renewable Energy The term renewable energy is used in reference to the energy resources that occur naturally in the environment and can always be re-used after the initial function. Examples of this energy are the solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal energy.   Rivers, biomass and garbage are also considered as renewable energies (Abid, Crawford Davoudi 2009, p.167). Renewable energy is the future of the earths energy needs. However, in order to effectively combat climate change-related challenges, the global mean temperatures have to be kept below two degrees Celsius. This calls for prior planning and transformation of the industrial sectors use of energy. Renewable energy has the potential decreasing the use of fossil fuels that are to blame for most of the problems associated with climate change (Abid et al 2009, p. 169). Renewable energy sources such as wind energy, solar energy, and the bio-fuels are increasingly being used as energy alternatives. With the climate change and its crises, such form of energy has the advantage of energy security since the fossil fuels will be depleted as a result of climate change. Climate change is largely a consequence of anthropogenic activities such as burning of the fossil fuels, industrial processes, deforestation and the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It is estimated that the power sector by itself contributes about 40% of the total carbon emissions (Abid et al 2009, p. 297). This can only be altered by shifting to the use of renewable energy. Climatic impacts such as tsunamis, droughts, wildfires, floods, storms, heat waves and tornados are consequences of climate change (MacZulak 2010, p. 8). However, according to the climate change specialists, clean air policy that includes use of renewable energy can substantially mitigate the negative impacts of climate change caused by fossil fuels. Renewable energy technologies are considered to be the most potential mitigation for greenhouse gases. In the steadily growing awareness on the importance of environmental protection priorities, renewable energy is considered appropriate in the mitigation of climate change effects (Chiras 2007, p. 67). Renewable energy is the alternative to the climate change crises since it does not produce greenhouse gas emissions and pollute the air as is the case with the fossil fuels. Chiras (2007, p. 17) indicated that biomass energy for example, has been used as an alternative for fossil fuels so as to conserve the environment. It is considered a greenhouse gas neutral since its combustion releases no more carbon dioxide than was absorbed during growth period of the organic material. Biomass fuel also contain little sulphur and low combustion temperatures. This limits the formation of nitrogen oxide which is a greenhouse gas dangerous to the environment (Abid et al 2009, p. 269). Responding to Climate Change The transport industry is driven mostly by petrol. This causes emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide combines with other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and cause global warming. In order to deal with this menace, there is need for countries to invest in energy efficient technologies like plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and new technologies such as hydrogen cars (Abid et al 2009, p. 297). This has the potential of reducing petroleum emissions of greenhouse gases into the air. Further, there is need to shift from air and truck transports to electric rail transport that reduces emissions significantly. Industries should shift from the fossil fuels to use of bio-fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel fuels should be used in the gasoline engines in the industrial economies. Abid et al (2009, p. 169) cited that electric vehicles can contribute into reduction of dangerous gases into the atmosphere especially if the energy is produced through the renewable energy sources. In order to deal with climate change and environmental crises associated with it, elimination of waste methane is required. Methane is considered to be one of the strongest greenhouse gases that are responsible for the climate change problems. Waste methane should thus be dealt with responsibly. This is through careful handling of oil wells, landfills, coal mines and the waste treatment plants (Chiras 2007, p. 17). This will provide a net greenhouse gas emission benefits. Biomass as a source of bio-energy can be used to capture carbon. Biomass traps carbon dioxide in the atmosphere through photosynthesis. When biomass is decomposed through combustion, carbon is released as carbon dioxide. This is the process involved in the carbon cycle. Biomass fuelled power plants result into a net-negative carbon dioxide emission. This implies that there will be less carbon in the atmosphere will be trapped through the technology and reduce greenhouse gases that are a threat to the environment (Abid et al 2009, p. 169). The adoption of renewable energy technologies is strategic in addressing the problems associated with climate change and global warming (Ehrfeld 2009, p. 113). From 1970s and 80s, development agencies have promoted small-scale renewable energy technologies. This includes the use of biogas, cooking stoves, the wind turbines and solar heaters in the industrializing countries. In the large scale developing countries have responded to climate change through the use of ethanol in the transport sector. This is especially the case in Brazil. In India, biogas is being used in households for lighting and cooking. Grid connected power in India and hydropower are being used in India and Nepal respectively as renewable sources of energy and safe energy for environmental conservation (Ehrfeld 2009, p. 119). Naturally Sustainable Renewable Energy As oil reservoirs and oil wells in the world run dry due to extensive exploitation and use in the energy sector, there is also an outcry in the environment that is caused by their consequences. Renewable energy sources include geothermal energy, solar, hydroelectric, biomass and wind energy (Chiras 2007, p. 233). These forms of energy have been considered to be the most environmental friendly because they dont produce high levels of greenhouse gases and other substances that are not environmentally friendly. The challenge that these forms of renewable energy have is sustainable use. Hydroelectric power uses the movement of falling water to run the turbines. Unlike other sources of energy, hydroelectricity does not depend on the fuels like natural gas or petrol to run the engines. This makes it more environmentally friendly. Besides, it is more sustainable with the sustainability of the environment so that water capacity of the dams is not interfered with. It uses the natural progression nature to generate electricity (Chiras 2007, p. 117). Hydroelectric power does not produce direct waste that pollutes the environment. It is thus considered to be environmentally sustainable (Ehrfeld 2009, p. 114). The carbon dioxide levels produced by hydroelectric power plants are considerably very low. This is however only produced during the construction stage of the plants and not in the operational phase of the plants making it environmentally friendly. As a renewable source of energy, hydroelectric power does not need the use of fuels to run the turbines. The use of petrol in the production of hydroelectric energy is not existent. This implies that when the price of the fossil fuels rises, the hydroelectric plants are often not affected. This makes it a sustainable and reliable source of energy when compared to other sources of energy (Ehrfeld 2009, p. 116). It also means that the consumer price of this form of renewable energy is fairly constant. In terms of sustainability, hydroelectric power stations last longer than the energy plant stations that are powered by fossil fuels. They are generally easy to maintain and pose no much threat to human life and property. Hydroelectric energy plants contribute to conservation of the environment. In the countries where great investments have been done in the hydropower such as Bhutan, environmental stewardship and custodianship is encouraged. Ehrfeld (2009, p. 119) cited that since it depends on water, a lot of forest conservation and reforestation is encouraged. This helps in the reduction of the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. The human activities that contribute environmental degradation are also reduced through investment in the hydroelectric power plants. Climate change is caused by human activities that tamper with the environment. However, when a country invests in the hydroelectric plants, environmental conservations efforts are boosted. With the conservation of the water catchment areas and the forests, hydroelectricity becomes a very sustainable and reliable source of renewable energy. As it produces clean energy through environmentally friendly approaches, it also helps in the protection of Mother Nature (Ehrfeld 2009, p.121). International Agreements and Government Interventions in Climate Change Various intervention efforts have been made at the community and individual levels to combat climate change and to reduce the negative effects of human activities on the environment. However, much is still needed to be done especially at the inter-state and governmental level. One of the efforts that the governments from the industrialized countries are making in the mitigating climate change is through the Kyoto Protocol. The focus of the protocol is in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions especially from the industrialized countries by 2012. The developed countries have the responsibility to reduce their emission of greenhouse gases from their large industries. These gases contribute to global warming and climate change. The Kyoto Protocol intervention targets reduction of carbon in the atmosphere (Karlsson, Lund, Mathiesen 2010, p. 488). This is through emission trading, clean development mechanism and the joint implementation. These strategies target reductions of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The countries that are signatories are thus investing in renewable energy technology options in the industries. The UK government considers climate change as a priority. Its approaches include targeting households to help in energy saving and strengthen renewable energy adoption. Civil society, community and private organizations are also strengthened through grants to help in generation of renewable heat from the renewable sources (Ehrfeld 2009, p. 115). The industrialized countries are re-focusing investments towards generation of renewable energies that are environmentally friendly and are sustainable. There is thus need to encourage less use of fossil fuels and more investment in the bio-fuels. Improvement of energy efficiency is a good government strategy for dealing with the climate change problems. Reduced use of energy implies reduced production of carbon dioxide. Karlsson et al (2010 p. 501) cited that this calls for more efficient vehicles, motors, appliances and industrial processes. Besides, development of renewable energy sources such as solar, geothermal, hydroelectricity, and biomass should be encouraged to reduce the consequences of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The transport sector should reduce gasoline consumption. The trucks, cars and buses use almost half of the oil in the United States. There is therefore urgent need for investment in electric and fuel-celled vehicles so as to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide. Transport policies should also encourage less driving of single-passenger vehicles in order to reduce greenhouse emissions (Ehrfeld 2009, p. 115). Human activities that involve land use are largely to blame for destruction of the environment. Governments should focus on developing agricultural policies that discourage environmentally hazardous practices and activities such deforestation and other human activities that are dangerous to the environment. Climate change has negatively impacted on food security. In order to therefore fight poverty, climate change must be addressed through agricultural activities and policies that are environmentally friendly (Kammen Casillas 2010, p. 1181-1182). Conclusion Climate change is greatly caused by human activities more than the natural processes. Industrialization and agricultural activities are largely responsible for the production of greenhouse gases that promote global warming and other consequences. These threaten wildlife and human existence and as such should be addressed. Renewable energy is the potential rescue of the environment from the negative effects of human activities. Governments and countries thus need to use less of fossil fuels and invest more in renewable energy technology options. These include hydropower, geothermal, wind energy and other reliable sources of environmentally friendly renewable energy sources.

Purchasing and Supply Organization Department

I contacted a consultant for Mansell Ltd. and a great deal of information was gathered and analyzed. The following advice would be given for ways of improving their purchasing and supply organization. Currently, Mansell Ltd. Operates from six sites and has a central purchasing and stock control department in the North of England. Upon an analysis of the company, it has been found that orders for production materials have been placed with over 6000 different companies during the last four years. There are many benefits to be gained from buying from a smaller number of suppliers. The purchasing and supply department would be better organized and thus more efficient if less supply companies were used. Purchasing supplies from fewer companies would result in better pricing of supplies. For example, if the company purchased the same items from several different companies, it is probably getting charged more. Purchasing the same item from only one company will result in savings for the number of items bought because many companies give a discount for large quantities of items purchased. When using the same companies for purchasing, a rapport between the two is possible. When a supplier knows that his/her products will be needed by a certain company, he/she will be more likely to have those products more readily available. For example, if the seller knows that the buyer needs a thousand items each week, the seller will make sure that those items are in stock and will save them for the purchaser instead of selling them to another company. The more sellers, the more confusion there will be. Even with computer technology, having so many sellers presents a logistical problem. A purchasing and supply organization should follow certain business fundamentals. Low cost, quality, and timeless are fundamental to the business. Planning is required. Buying from fewer companies results in fewer persons to deal with. Six thousand suppliers are a large number to be dealing with. Those are far too many suppliers involved. Keeping up with that great a number of suppliers would keep several people in the purchasing department busy. In order to become more efficient and use fewer numbers of man-hours, using fewer suppliers is the answer. Diversity is good in some instances. However, the purchasing and supply organization is not one of them. In fact, diversity only caused unnecessary confusion, and too many chances for problems. Purchasing is one of the vital parts of any company. The products acquired enable the business to create or generate its product. There are a diverse number of potential suppliers, as evidenced by the 6,000 suppliers that have been utilized in the past. This number makes purchasing a chore instead of an easy adventure. The purchasing department needs as few challenges as possible. Eliminating a number of suppliers cuts down on the challenge they pose. With insight into the management of the purchasing and supply department's inner workings, many of the sellers can be eliminated. It would not be prudent to reduce the number to a handful of suppliers, what with the market what it is, but there is certainly no need for a great number of suppliers. Purchasers and buyers have a specific function. â€Å"Purchasers and buyers seek to obtain the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible purchase cost for their employers. (In general, purchasers buy goods and services for the use of their company or organization whereas buyers buy items for resale.) They determine which commodities or services are best, choose the suppliers of the product or service, negotiate the lowest price, and award contracts that ensure the correct amount of the product or service is received at the appropriate time. In order to accomplish these tasks successfully, purchasers and buyers study sales records and inventory levels of current stock, identify foreign and domestic suppliers, and keep abreast of changes affecting both the supply of and demand for products and materials for which they are responsible† (Anonymous, 1998, PG). The way to reduce the number of suppliers would be as follows. An analysis of past purchases is required. Decide which companies have the best products for the lowest price. This is not the only factor to consider, however. Other issues, such as ability to get the product to Mansell Ltd. in a timely fashion is also important. Lower prices do not matter if the product does not get there when it is According to Steele and Court (1996), the understanding of purchasing is critical to a company's long-term ability to profit, and its survival as a company. Understanding of purchasing includes the knowledge of how best to buy resources. This includes the sellers from whom the product is purchased as well as the amount of supplies that are purchased and when they are purchased (Steele & Court, 1996). Check out the competition. Ask for samples. Make sure that the seller can deliver when he/she says he/she will, the amount of product that was agreed upon, and at or below the agreed upon cost. Proper training for the purchasing staff is vital. Regular meetings must be held. All purchasers must know the guidelines of the company. Training programs that teach the purchasers about the best manner in which to perform their jobs is important. A typical training program should include instruction by trained personnel that covers specified goals and only lasts for a day or two. Not a great deal of time should be taken up with training, but the training is vital. The proper changes must be implemented as soon as it is possible. Negotiation with potential suppliers is important. Having a good rapport between the buyer and the seller is also important. The buyer should travel to the prospective seller's company and see what the company has to offer. One-on-one meetings are still important. By getting out there and getting to know the seller, the buyer will become more than a faceless person in the North of England. He/she becomes a ‘real' person. Making acquaintances is important for business. A bond should be created between the buyer and the seller. Together the two can have a working relationship that is beneficial to the both of them. According to Killen and Kamauff (1995), purchasing is a planning process. The purchaser should determine both short and long-term needs for business operation. The purchasing function must be controlled. By doing this, its conformance to expectation levels can be ensured. Evaluations are important on a cyclic basis (Killen; Kamauff, 1995). The buyer should be able to negotiate with the seller. Prospective sellers should be able to give better prices for larger quantities. This allows the purchaser to make better decisions. The seller should be able to meet the needs of the buyer. If he/she does not, then that is not the company to deal with. The buyer does not need added stress; he/she needs products as they are required. When a seller is given the lion's share of purchases, he/she can more readily fill the orders. A purchaser must have certain tactics. Those tactics include such items as vulnerability management, supply positioning, and suppliers' preferences. He/she must be able to work with others. Communication is vital for the purchaser. Teamwork is a necessary element of purchasing. Constant reevaluation is necessary (Steele & Court, 1996). According to Malley (1998), the Internet is a viable tool for purchasing departments. Barbara Chilson is the vice president and general manager of Internet commerce for her company, which is W. W. Grainger. In Chilson's opinion, â€Å"the advent of purchasing supplies electronically, increasingly referred to as paperless purchasing, can be attributed to a variety of factors and emerging technology† (Malley, 1998). Purchasing is vital to Mansell Ltd. The purchasing department must streamline and make changes in order to make Mansell Ltd. be as profitable as possible. Having too many suppliers results in chaos. This can be resolved by reducing the number of suppliers. Technology is another important consideration. Purchasing of some items can be done online, which saves time and money.