Potential Applications Of Nanotechnology In Maritime Environment

Potential Applications Of Nanotechnology In Maritime Environment

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 :: Conservation Biology Wildlife Essays

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the most powerful tools that environmentally concerned citizens have to preserve biodiversity. Specific categories that the Endangered Species Act (ESA) includes are the listing of "Threatened species", "Endangered species", and the designation of "critical habitat". When these categories are identified, it is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) which assumes the responsibility of enforcement. Development of recovery plans, Biological or Environmental Assessments, and the development of Habitat Conservation Plans are just some of the tasks for USFWS (Smallwood, et al,). This act which was originally enacted in 1973, and its’ reauthorization, is now going through quite a bit of debate. The ESA has actually been awaiting reauthorization from Congress since 1995 (Reid, 1995). There are two main "ideas" for bills to effect the ESA. There are bills that will strengthen the Act by emphasizing endangered species recovery over extinc tion risk. The other bills will weaken the Act by bringing more attention to the needs of businesses and landowners (Brown, et al). The main controversy seems to arise from economic and social concerns. There is also a great deal of scientific concern about the accurate implementation of this "species-saving" act. I was recently alerted to the economic ramifications of this Act through a local issue I have been "looking into". My frustrations mounted when I learned the USFWS gave an "OK" to developers, to bulldoze through a pristine habitat in my community. Seeing that six threatened and endangered species make their home here, I couldn’t understand why the USFWS had backed down. The answer, which seems all too common was, the USFWS simply doesn’t have enough money to effectively protect these species at this time. Consequently the majority of my paper will focus on some of the economic issues the ESA is faced with. Question number one is "How effective has the ESA been?" This question is difficult for both scientists and government officials to answer. Most agree that the amount of time since the ESA was enacted is really too short of a time period to impartially answer this question. I will attempt to point out some of the facts. "Since the inception of the Act in 1973, 11 species of more than 1,000 listed have recovered and have been removed from the list, including the eastern states brown pelican, Utah’s Rydberg milk-vetch, and the California gray whale" (Brown, et al, 1998).

The Hunters; Scarce Resources in the Kalahari

The Kung bushmen of the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa are one of the few bands of hunter-gatherers left in the world. They survive by foraging for their meals while traveling, never settling in one specific area. Hunting and gathering was the primary mode of survival until about ten thousand years ago. Anthropologists have made assumptions about the hunting and gathering lifestyle of current populations because it seems like a precarious method of living. Moreover, the Kalahari area where the ! Kung live in was perceived to be baron because it is a desert.However, a study done over a period of years beginning in 1960 led by Richard Lee disproved the common misconception of the life of these foragers, proving that they were not the uncultivated society that they were perceived to be. The ! Kung people live in the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa where there is minimal rainfall, and they are physically isolated from any agricultural societies in the area. They do their fieldwork in an area with eight permanent waterholes that were about 125 miles away from a river. They do not cultivate agriculture, nor do they have livestock nor are under any heavy government authority.The ! Kung people rely solely on hunting and gathering for their survival because in the area that they live in, there is no other logical means of survival. Because of all of these observed setbacks, anthropologists of the 1960’s saw these bush people as a group living solely to find food for survival. This was not the case however. When anthropologists of the 1960’s went to study these people, they found that their perceptions were wrong. Although the people lived far away from other societies, and although they did not cultivate the land, they lived meaningful lives.Despite not having close neighbors from other societies, there was a relatively large population of other camps of hunter-gatherers that were associated with the waterholes. In addition, although the desert is a rid, there are many sources of vegetables that the people live consume. Despite what anthropologists believed, the author proved that the people did not have to live for the sole purpose of finding food. There was a six-mile radius near each of the waterholes that had copious vegetation and an assorted source of meat. This suggests that in order to obtain food, the people only needed to go a certain walking distance.It was not necessary to travel for long periods to get a small portion of food, as anthropologists thought. However, there was never a surplus of food, which could allude to the fact that there was not enough food for a surplus. This was a misconception because the bush people had more than enough food to live off, so there was no need to obtain a surplus because there was no need to store food when it was readily available. Another misconception anthropologists had was that the bush people had to hunt often for sustenance but this was invalidated.The Bushmen go out to c ollect food around every third day throughout the year. Anthropologists thought when they went out to get food, the ! Kung people went hunting. This was not the case. It was proven that around 60 to 80 percent of their diets were comprised of vegetation from the area surrounding the camp. This can be partially attributed to the fact that the men are not always successful when they go to hunt, and it also involves the fact that there is a large variety of vegetation available to the people.Previously, anthropologists thought that in a hunter-gatherer society, there was primarily hunting done to sustain the population because not much waste was found in the camps, however, the primary types of animals hunted are small and vegetation does not leave much waste. There is never a shortage of food for the ! Kung, they have their pick of what types of vegetation they wish to consume, partially based on the season, and they occasionally eat meat. The people do not have to scour for food and settle for whatever they can find, as anthropologists thought.There is actually an assorted variety of foods the ! Kung people choose from. And not every type of edible food is consumed. The people are selective in the types of food they want to eat, and sometimes settle for certain unpopular foods due to reasons such as drought. There is always food for the people to consume, but during certain times of year, the bush people have to travel farther to get to it. There is a shorter commute in the summer while in the spring, there is much more distance that needs to be covered to get food.The mongogo nut is a staple in the diet of these people because of its good nutritional value. This nut is attributed to around 50 percent of their diet of vegetation based on weight. This is a staple to the bush people, compared to rice or corn of other societies. The nut is hardy and drought resistant so it is always abundant throughout the year, and only of a fraction of it is actually cultivated. This is because of how selective the ! Kung people are with the types of food they consume. The more favorable fruits are usually consumed first, and then staples such as the mongongo nut are eaten.Anthropologists and others also believe these people eat animals such as rodent and insects because they are included in literature about the people, but the bushman actually despise these animals as food and do not consume them. Moreover, gathering never results in all of the available vegetations’ depletion. There is always food available, so the bush people do not go long without food. It was once thought that the people were malnourished because of their location, but that was not true. The bushmen eat relatively balanced diets that include enough of each food group to be healthy individuals.It was believed that the hunting and gathering way of life was harsh and rigorous, so the people who followed this lifestyle were quickly worn out and died at an early age. Some anthropolo gists even assumed that the average age a bush person would reach before they died was around 45. This was definitely not the case after research was conducted. It was also perceived that the bush people abandoned their old and sick members because they cannot provide for themselves or for the camp therefore were deemed useless. The ! Kung bush people do not adhere to any of these prior assumptions.In the population of bush people, there were a percentage of people over the age of sixty that was comparable to the percentage of those over sixty in industrialized societies. Elders were respected and were considered leaders of the camp, they were not abandoned and considered futile as once thought. Senile individuals were rare but they, along with crippled and disabled individuals were cared for and valued for skills they had. The elderly were taken care of by their children when they could no longer provide by hunting or gathering.Anthropologists also had the notion that people began hunting and gathering at a young age, so that enough food could be provided. It was discovered however, that there is a late age of assumption of adult responsibility, and that young people were not expected to provide until marriage. There was a large portion of the population that does not provide food by hunting and gathering, and there was a small population that provide for themselves and those that do not work. It was discovered that children and the elderly lead considerably simple lives.Although there is a small population of people that actually search for and gather the food, their time is not completely preoccupied with finding food. It is true that finding food is the most important activity, but that is also important to most other societies, especially agricultural societies. The people devote around twelve to nineteen hours of a traditional seven day week in search for food. The other time is used for leisure and recreation. As stated earlier, the Bushmen do not have a surplus of food, so there is no need to have rigorous seasons of work in search for food because it is usually always readily available.They obtain food to appease their necessary caloric intake and after that, their time is used for other purposes besides the search for food. Woman spend their time doing activities such as embroidery, resting, taking care of her children, visiting other camps, or entertaining visitors. A woman would also be required to take care of the home and kitchen routines. These activities include cooking, or collecting water. Men usually are involved in visiting, entertaining guests or dancing. Hunting is irregular and it is influenced by the hunter’s luck.For example, if a hunter is having bad luck for a certain period of time, they could stop hunting and participate in leisurely activities. It was assumed that everyone has to go out to get food, but that is not the case because some men can go longer than a month without hunting if their luck does not get better. Although they have large periods of time devoted to leisure, there is usually always a steady supply of vegetation and meat. Based on prior assumptions of a hunting and gathering lifestyle, anthropologists of the 1960’s thought hunter-gatherers lived â€Å"brutish† lives where all they did was search for food.With Richard Lee’s research of the ! Kung through the 1960’s he disproved these assumptions. Foragers were not barbaric individuals that lived solely off of meat and they lived for more than just finding food. Lee suggest that the â€Å"view of both modern and ancient hunters ought to be reconsidered. † And that hunting and gathering was â€Å"a persistent and well-adapted way of life. † The ! Kung of the Kalahari were an example of a set of foragers who lived lives with more meaning than just to survive through hunting.

The Andes essays

The Andes essays The Andes are undoubtedly one of the greatest mountain systems in the world. The Andes contain some of the worlds highest peaks and more than 50 of them rise 6 000m above sea level. One of them being the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere, Aconcagua which rises approximately 6 960m above sea level. The Andes are located on the western edge of the South American continent and extend in a narrow belt for more than 8 000km. They are situated at the longitude of 70Â ° W-80Â ° E and the latitude of 10Â ° N and 57Â ° S. The Andes run from the Caribbean Sea to the southern island, Tierra del Fuego. The mountains intersect into seven countries, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Processes Forming the Mountain Environment The earths interior is composed of several layers, the outer layer being the crust. The crust is divided into eight vast plates as well as smaller ones. Each year theses vast plates slowly travel across the earth. The movement is caused by currents deep within the mantle, known as convection currents. This process is know as Plate Tectonics and lead to the formation of the Andes. As a result of the convection current, the plates move in several directions. All of the worlds greatest landforms were formed as a result of the collision of plates. For example, mountains are formed as two continental plates press against each other and thicken the crust. This results in layers of rock compressing upwards. There are three main types of mountains. Fault mountains, Fold Mountains and dome mountains. The Andes were formed by the process of Fold Mountains. Fold mountains are formed at plate boundaries where one plate is subducted. As a result, one plate buckles, where another plate is forced down into the magma. The Andes were formed during the Cenozoic Era about 138-65 million years ago. The Nazca Plate collided with the South American Plate and was subducted under the wes...

iliad books 1 and 2 essays

iliad books 1 and 2 essays The first book begins with the description of the Danaans situation. It is the tenth year of the war, and an important incident occurs: Achilles decides to give up fighting against the Trojans, because of the way he was treated by Agamemnon. The reader is informed for what led to this position, through narrations and flash backs: after a battle at Thebe, the sacred city of Eetion, the Achaians took prophets Chryses daughter to offer as a gift to Agamemnon. Chryses begged the Achaians to give him his daughter back but they wouldnt. So he begged the god Apollo for his help, and the god, being extremely fond to the prophet, listened to his prayers and cursed the Achaians who suddenly were infected by plague. Gods informed them that this happened because of the terrible way Agamemnon answered Chryses requests. If the Achaians decided to give Chrysies back to her father, then the plague and all their other problems would disappear instantly. Agamemnon, quite bothered by this news decide d to do so for the sake of his men, in condition that he would be offered another girl replacing Chrysies, and he asked specifically for the one accompanying Achilles. Achilles is informed by the Gods that if he does so, all the problems of the Danaans will disappear. Although he obeys, he decides not to fight anymore. Briseis, the girl accompanying Achilles at first, holds an important role. She is both the solution to the problems between the Achaians and the God Apollo, and the motive for the terrible fight between two of the main characters and heroes of the Achaian army, Agamemnon and Achilles. After her donation to Agamemnon, Achilles makes up his mind: he was abused and shall not fight anymore. If the terms good guy bad guy can be used, then we may say that Agamemnon is the bad guy. He is acting as if he is god, he wants his will to be always heard and obeye ...

YOU Be the Judge Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

YOU Be the Judge - Assignment Example He knew well that he was headed for the large pond in the Newark Country Club (Barks n.d). The children slid through a hole in the trail-fence country club, where there was a sign posted â€Å"no trespasser†. The arising argument is why the country club failed to stop these children from playing over there, and why the country club did not say there was a deep pond(Barks n.d). Many claim that the country club has a duty to safeguard its pond, while children are are known to play close by. According to a country club employee, David Cox, he has told the children repeatedly to leave from that place because trail fence and signs cannot keep them away. However, this pond has certain best features that make it an attraction for kids (Smith, and Lee, n.d). During their free time, kids play on the ice, especially skating, meaning that these children have enough experience to realize the dangers associated with the pond. Jeremiah’s mother had cautioned her kids severally to stay away. After the death of the child, the club said that Jeremiah death is accidental, but also denied responsibilities. His mother reported the incident to the court, claiming that it was careless for â€Å"failing to childproof the pond† during its expansion (Sith, and Lee, n.d). Jeremiah’s mother’s lawyer said to the court that the club was so attractive that children could not identify danger. She claimed that the death of her son was a result of the attractive setting of the golf course pond, and her son could never understand what was in there. The incident at Newark Country Club left many people arguing about why the country club owner did not put up signs that told the children where they were supposed to be playing. The country club employee, David Cox stated that he has been warning the children against playing near the pond, that there are a split-trail fence and the signs (Smith, and Lee, n.d). However, the two

Have sanctions achieved their political and economic goals in Zimbabwe Dissertation

Have sanctions achieved their political and economic goals in Zimbabwe - Dissertation Example It cannot be denied that the given policies have to some extent helped in stabilizing the strongly sanctioned economy by preventing a total collapse of the economic systems of a country that was once considered very successful. It is known that sanctions do not generally serve a positive role because they mostly lead to outcomes that are negative. Governments are known to develop contingency plans that aim at countering the adverse impact of sanctions. It is also evident that the sanctions imposed by the West are more reflective of thei...r own interests instead of what they purport to affect. Because of the different varieties of sanctions that have been imposed on Zimbabwe in its different sectors, this paper has mainly examined the economic and political impacts of the sanctions on the country and its people. This paper has found that after the imposition of sanctions in Zimbabwe, a number of sectors have deteriorated and put the lives of citizens to immense risk in view of the co llapse of health, education and water supply systems. Thus, the sanctions have worked in aggravating the conditions of people because the country’s relations with western countries have been soured and it has been virtually isolated in having only negligible influence amongst powerful nations. 1. Introduction It has been observed that states that have been known to violate human rights were invariably imposed with sanctions in different ways. Simply understood, sanctions are forms of punishments imposed on such states in order to make them comply with the given provisions of law. It is known historically that economic sanctions have been often used as an alternative to armed conflicts in making states to comply with given requirements. Zimbabwe has been under the grip of economic sanctions for over a decade, which has been imposed by the USA, the European Union, New Zealand, Switzerland and Australia on account of alleged human rights violations by the government. The US and the EU believe that the sanctions are measures to restrict the activities of President Mugabe and some officials of his government that are supportive of his policies. In contrast, the ZANU PF, Mugabe’ political party, has viewed the sanctions as being targeted against the entire nation. This paper will analyze the issue of whether the sanctions have achieved their political goals in Zimbabwe. The paper will make a critical appraisal of the effectiveness of the sanctions regime imposed on Zimbabwe The major crisis situations that led to the imposition of sanctions will be outlined after which the positive and negative impact of the sanctions will be examined by determining the effectiveness of the sanctions regime. In order to understand the issue thoroughly, it is important to briefly examine the historical patterns of sanctions. Essentially, sanctions are a means available to the UN Security Council under provisions of chapter 7