Role of Religion in Environmental Conservation Essay Example

Role of Religion in Environmental Conservation Paper Some things may be considered as holy while some may be attributed as unholy. This categorization may also be termed as sacred and profane. There are also certain socio-religious taboos in the societies around the world. Socio- religious taboos exist in most cultures, both Western and non-Western. They are good examples of informal institutions, where norms, rather than governmental juridical laws and rules, determine human behavior. In many traditional societies throughout the world, taboos frequently guide human conduct toward the natural environment. Environment comprises of both the paving and non-living objects around the human beings. This may include natural resources like forests, water, soil, mountains, herbs, air and living organisms. Different religions guide the people to utilize these natural resources as well as these religions put some limitations in the utilization of environment. Religion and Environmental Conservation: The major religions of the world like; Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism have certain doctrines about the relationship of human being and environment. These religions guide its followers about the utilization Of trial resources and about the conservation of environment. In the Buddhist tradition, environmental responsibility is a result of the natural interaction between humans and nature. One of the misconceptions that prevent humans for reaching happiness is the false consideration of their own importance. As a consequence, humans lose their links with nature, destroying valuable resources as a result of their greed. Overcoming greed will provide a better internal equilibrium, as well as a better preservation of natural resources. We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Religion in Environmental Conservation specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Religion in Environmental Conservation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Role of Religion in Environmental Conservation specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Humans should be like bees that take the nectar of flowers without destroying them. Buddhist culture also acknowledges a moral communion between humans and nature. The land will produce proper fruits when humans deal properly with her. Human greed causes division and ownership conflicts, which implies violence and destruction. Susan M. Darlington in his article, The Ordination of a Tree: The Buddhist Ecology Movement in Thailand tells about a Buddhist ecology movement which is started by Buddhist Monks. These monks are popularly known as Ecology Monks. This movement is developing in Thailand and other Buddhist countries. It is focusing on the local and national problems of deforestation ND ecological destruction. The Buddhist involved in this movement see their religion as critical for providing practical as well as moral guidelines for ecological conservation. The major aim of Buddhism is to relieve suffering, the root causes of which are greed, ignorance and hatred. The monks who are involved in this movement see the deforestation, pollution of the air and water, and other environmental problems as caused by people acting through these evils, motivated by economic gain and the material benefits Of development and industrialization. These monks forbid the people from imaging the natural resources which have a good impact on the environment of Thailand. Islam has provided different texts that support the environmental responsibility of human beings. Islam has divided the things for human use into hall (lawful or permissible according to Islamic law) and harm (sinful). Many species of organisms are harm according to Islam like; lions, dogs, pigs, monkeys, cats, bear, jackal, parrots, crow, eagle, etc. The Muslims avoid eating these organisms due to which they are protected and constitute a major portion of the environment. Some widths include sayings f Prophet Mohammad prohibiting the wasteful use of resources, most importantly of water, which is a very valuable resource in Arab lands. A significant width in this regard includes an admonition by a God Messenger to a devout Muslim who is wasting water in holy ablutions. This implies a clear condemnation of sumptuous attitudes with regard to natural resources, since the carelessness deserves a reproach even when the water is wasted during worship. Another width emphasizing the plantation of trees says that; to plant a tree is SAA-e-Carla (keep on getting rewarded). Islam also forbids he cutting of trees in graveyards and the use of graveyard trees are harm for Muslims. The Earth is green and beautiful, and Allah has appointed you his stewards over it. The whole earth has been created a place of worship pure and clean. Whoever plants a tree and diligently looks after it until it matures and bears fruit is rewarded. If a Muslim plants a tree or sows a field and humans and beasts and birds eat from it, all of it is counted as charity on his part. (Width) In the Quern, Muslims are taught to look after the environment and not to damage it. Devote thyself single-minded to the Faith, and thus follow the nature designed by Allah, the nature to which he has fashioned mankind. There is no altering the creation of Allah. (Sarah 30 ; 30) Allah is he who raised the Heavens without any pillars that ye can see. It is He who setup the Earth, and set thereon mountains standing firm, and flowing rivers. All this is Gods creation and Muslims should therefore seek to protect and preserve environment. Moreover by doing so they protect Gods creatures. Quern 24 and Quern 17:4) Hinduism is also very relevant to the environmental responsibility of humans, especially in rural communities, which have a strong conviction about caring for the land. Ancient Hindus felt the Supreme Beings presence in everything around them. Since these heavenly forces sustained all living creatures and organic things on this earth, to please God, they felt they must live in harmony with His creation including earth, rivers, forests, sun and air. Hinduism is a way of living according to one understands of principles of Veda and pinheads. Veda is revealed knowledge. The Veda traditionally believed to have been written around 3000 B. C. ( as accepted by German scholar Max Mueller) and considered cared in Hinduism contain one thousand and twenty-eight hymns dedicated to thirty-three different Gods out Of which most Often addressed Gods are nature Gods. Usury (Sun God), Indri (Rain God and King of Heavens), Again (Fire God). Anon Buddha: Critic Yankton Visitations (Prayer in devotion to nature for the fulfillment of mankind. ) Do not cut trees because they remove pollution. (Rig Veda 6:48:1 7) Do not disturb the sky and do not pollute the atmosphere. (Hajji Veda 5:43) We invoke all supporting Earth on which trees, lords of forests, stand ever firm. (Athwart Veda 12:1 :27 ) Dont destroy rest with Tigers and dont make forest devoid of tigers. Forests cant be saved without tigers and tigers cant live without forests because forests protect tigers and tigers protect forests. (Viral Parr 5. 45-46) Humans should avoid any form of pollution and alteration of the natural balance. For instance, when somebody needs to dig the ground, they should fill the hole afterwards to repair the land and keep the original balance. Human care is especially critical with trees, which are the main reservoirs of life. Forests are considered sources of life and protectors of the land against soil degradation. This caring for trees has recently been manifested in two environmental movements, very active in India in the last decades: Chips and Pokka. Both try to protect the forests from industrial exploitation and are a clear manifestation of this close relation with the land. Hindu religion has prohibited the prey and killing Of animals, especially the cow (a sacred animal) and its followers are vegetarians. This results in the protection of biodiversity and conservation of nature. In Hindu culture, the moral relations between humans and nature can be found in some sacred texts. The earth answers as living organism to the humans ways of using its resources, being gentle and fertile when they take proper care of her, and violent and cruel otherwise. Therefore, humans have a moral responsibility not to harm the earth in any way, avoiding pollution and using natural resources properly. Reed L. Waddle and Carol l. Pierce Cooler in their article Sacred Forest, Hunting, and Conservation in West Claimant, Indonesia tell that sacred how forest sites play an important role in conservation and local livelihoods of Ban community. Such sacred sites mark important historical and mythical events, roving the Ban with meaningful connections to the local landscape. They also provide important forest products such as fruit crops and rattan and may function as sources of forest regeneration. Bruce A. Byers, Robert N. Continue, and Andrew T. Had in their article, Linking the Conservation of Culture and Nature: A Case Study of Sacred Forests in Zombie tell about the role of traditional religious beliefs and traditional leaders in conserving remnant patches of a unique type of dry forest in the Zambia Valley of northern Zombie. In these areas forest loss is dramatically less in forests hat are now considered sacred, or were in the past connected to sacred forests. This shows that how religion plays an important role in the preservation of environment. Christian religious doctrines emphasize respect for nature and emphasize that humans are the stewards of Gods creation. Christians imbued with an ethic Of environmental stewardship may have access to religious resources that could facilitate pro-environmental behaviors. Many liberal and moderate Protestant denominations have made explicit statements supporting not only conservation, but even broader social hangs to limit human degradation of the environment. To conclude we can say that the different religions all around the world has certain doctrines which tells about the protection of the biodiversity. These religious teachings have a significant impact on the preservation of environment.

If-Then and If-Then-Else Conditional Statements in Java

If-Then and If-Then-Else Conditional Statements in Java The if-then and if-then-elseconditional statements let a Java program make simple decisions about what to do next. They work in the same logical way as we do when making decisions in real life. For example, when making a plan with a friend, you could say If Mike gets home before 5:00 PM, then well go out for an early dinner. When 5:00 PM arrives, the condition (i.e., Mike is home), which determines whether everyone goes out for an early dinner, will either be true or false. It works exactly the same in Java. The if-then Statement   Lets say part of a program were writing needs to calculate if the purchaser of a ticket is eligible for a childs discount. Anyone under the age of 16 gets a 10% discount on the ticket price. We can let our program make this decision by using an if-then statement: if (age 16) isChild true; In our program, an integer variable called age holds the age of the ticket purchaser. The condition (i.e., is the ticket purchaser under 16) is placed inside the brackets. If this condition is true, then the statement beneath the if statement is executed in this case a boolean variable isChild is set to true. The syntax follows the same pattern every time. The if keyword followed by a condition in brackets, with the statement to execute underneath: if (condition is true) execute this statement The key thing to remember is the condition must equate to a boolean value (i.e., true or false). Often, a Java program needs to execute more than one statement if a condition is true. This is achieved by using a block  (i.e., enclosing the statements in curly brackets): if (age 16)​{ isChild true; discount 10;} This form of the if-then statement is the most commonly used, and its  recommended to use curly brackets even when there is only one statement to execute. It improves the readability of the code and leads to fewer programming mistakes. Without the curly brackets, its easy to overlook the effect of the decision being made or to come back later and add another statement to execute but forget to also add the curly brackets. The if-then-else Statement The if-then statement can be extended to have statements that are executed when the condition is false. The if-then-else statement executes the first set of statements if the condition is true, otherwise, the second set of statements are executed: if (condition) { execute statement(s) if condition is true}else{ execute statement(s) if condition is false} In the ticket program,  lets say we need to make sure the discount is equal to 0 if the ticket purchaser is not a child: if (age 16){ isChild true; discount 10;}else{ discount 0;} The if-then-else statement also allows the nesting of if-then statements. This allows decisions to follow a path of conditions. For example, the ticket program might have several discounts. We might first test to see if the ticket purchaser is a child, then if theyre a pensioner, then if theyre a student and so on: if (age 16){ isChild true; discount 10;}else if (age 65){ isPensioner true; discount 15;}else if (isStudent true){ discount 5;} As you can see, the if-then-else statement pattern just repeats itself. If at any time the condition is true  , then the relevant statements are executed and any conditions beneath are not tested to see whether they are true or false. For example, if the age of the ticket purchaser is 67, then the highlighted statements are executed and the (isStudent true) condition is never tested and the program just continues on. There is something worth noting about the (isStudent true) condition. The condition is written to make it clear that were testing whether isStudent has a value of true, but because it is a boolean variable, we can actually write: else if (isStudent){ discount 5;} If this is confusing, the way to think about it is like this we know a condition is tested to be true or false. For integer variables like age, we have to write an expression that can be evaluated to true or false (e.g., age 12, age 35, etc..). However, boolean variables already evaluate to be true or false. We dont need to write an expression to prove it because if (isStudent) is already saying if isStudent is true... If you want to test that a boolean variable is false, just use the unary operator!. It inverts a boolean value, therefore if (!isStudent) is essentially saying if isStudent is false.

Writing a Research Paper

Writing a Research Paper Writing a Research Paper Writing a Research Paper   Research paper is a long essay which should include results of conducted research, discussion section, and conclusions.   Research paper writing is a part of university education. If you do not know how to write a research paper, how to conduct a research, what style to use, you should think about your audience, their knowledge, needs and wants.   While writing a research paper, you should organize research paper ideas, collect relevant information, analyze gathered information, and start writing a research paper.   Research paper topic should not be too broad, stay focus on some aspect of the topic.   The sources for research paper writing can be very different; however, you should use only reliable publications (journal and magazine articles, books, etc.). You are welcome to gather primary data - through interviews and experiments, for example. Primary data and your ideas should be supported with information gathered through secondary research. It is not a good idea to leave research paper writing until the last day because you will not manage to write a good paper within one day, unless you are a professional writer. It takes a lot of time to collect information and organize your ideas, while most of the students do not have enough time. If you are not sure how to write an introduction, start writing with the chapter you feel comfortable with. It is wise to begin writing with some topic section which is of interest to you.   Leave introduction and abstract writing till the last stage. It is vital to use word processor which allows you to modify and rearrange whatever you've written. It is easy to go back and make changes as your ideas develop or as new information is discovered.  You should understand that writing a research paper is a long process and ideas will change. Research Paper Help Many students experience problems with starting research paper writing.   Do not wait until the last minute!   Good research papers are not written in a rush!   Set a deadline for yourself, create a timetable, and plan your time.   If research paper writing is too difficult for you, you may request professional writing help at our site. We are experienced in research paper writing and we are able to conduct a good research for you on any topic!   writers are educated and promote professional approach to writing.   Every research paper we deliver is 100% plagiarism free and meets your expectations.

From Victim to Vicious - Column by Charles Blow Essay

From Victim to Vicious - Column by Charles Blow - Essay Example It is quite possible that Romney is attempting to divert attention from the weak points of his campaign such as his unwillingness to make information about his tax returns public, among others. These claims by Romney may just work against his favor especially considering that he is accusing a relatively popular president of making vicious attacks against him. This might not go very well with the public because of the fact that Obama’s controversial issues have already been dealt with and accepted by the public during the previous elections and raising these issues further will only help the Obama campaign. Recent polls asking who had better personal character to assume the presidency showed that Obama would more likely be elected than Romney. Furthermore, Romney’s complete refusal to reveal his income tax returns may lead to the continued distrust of the electorate and ruin his chances of getting elected. Voter Suppression and Political Polls – Column by Charles Blow Polls are used to determine the trend, which voters are most likely to follow during an election but these polls are becoming insignificant due to the new voter registration laws, which are being put in place especially in vote swinging states such as Pennsylvania. Many likely voters in the swing states intend to vote for President Obama but it is these who are most likely to be excluded from the voting roles due to their ineligibility to vote under the new laws. Both presidential candidates have made numerous visits to swing states in an attempt to get a larger share of votes within these states than their opponents. Moreover, some governors, especially in Florida, have made it harder for former felons to vote and since most of these ex-felons are either of Latino or African American descent who tend to vote Democrat, it means that Obama will most likely lose crucial votes in these states. It is not known exactly how many voters are aware of these new electoral rules due to th e fact that not many people follow news about the upcoming elections and the changes which have been made to electoral laws. It is suspected that many people who are expected to vote for their preferred candidates (in this case President Obama) might be turned away due to the fact of their ineligibility. The new election laws have been pushed by Republicans in order to suppress the ability of Democratic voters to vote in large numbers, thus ensuring Republican victories in these states. Anglo-Saxon Heritage, Multicultural Future – Column by Charles Blow An article on The Daily Telegraph in July quoted and advisor to Mitt Romney as saying that the special relationship between Britain and the United States existed mainly because of a shared Anglo-Saxon heritage and that the current administration does not appreciate it. This remark can be taken by some to be extremely racist because only a minority of Americans identifies their ancestry to be English. Such comments from an advi sor to a presidential candidate may clearly display the real attitudes of that particular candidate and the negative influences that will be a part of his administration. The Romney campaign did not completely deny or retract that particular statement nor did they make an apology for

Carpetright plc (Audit and Assurance) Assignment

Carpetright plc (Audit and Assurance) - Assignment Example The external auditor’s judgment at this level will be very important which reduces the likelihood that the auditor will miss some necessary information in the company. Other essential things that the external auditor need to understand include; competitors, the structure of the company, the nature of the firm, industry in which it operates in, internal control system and financial reporting processes that are key to the company. This information could be derived from enquiry from relevant authorities, performing analytical procedures, important financial and non-financial information, and inspection and through observation of processes within the organization and documentation. The second step the auditor will take into account in carpet right plc. Is identifying and assessing potential risks that are in the company. This includes risk that affect individual transactions, disclosures, account balances and overall annual report. The auditor’s professional skills and judgment will be relevant on assessing how the potential risks have an impact on the measurement, accuracy, occurrence, completeness. Presentation and disclosure in the annual report of the company. The potential risk within the company will also determine how the auditor designs the audit program. The risk within a company is either significant or normal. Where significant is likely to occur while normal has a possibility of occurring. The third level will involve responding to the potential risk in the company. This requires the auditor to acquire substantial amount of evidence in the company. The auditor will be required to relate any risk identified on its impact in the financial report of the company, the individual transactions, disclosure and account balances. In concluding his report, the auditor will be required to provide a report whether he obtained all the information necessary deemed for the audit and whether the risk contains material misstatement in the company. The gearing

Hello 9th Grade Essay Example for Free

Hello 9th Grade Essay School experiences are helpful for the development from child to young adult. Students grow together and experience the good, the bad, and learn from one another. School is all about change and growth. Especially when moving up a new grade. When entering the hall of high school it is time to say â€Å"hello 9th grade†. In high school you have AP classes so; in my AP class I will learn difficult lessons. Even with AP class I still need to try my best so, this year I will push myself even harder. Lastly, I want 9th grade to change me and set goals for my life. To start off, AP classes are a valuable tool for students. There are so many AP classes such as, World History, U. S. History, Biology, Physics, Calculus, and Spanish Language. For students, they provide an opportunity to earn college credits early, and demonstrate that a student is ready to take on a challenge. AP classes require a high level of critical thinking and in order for me to pass I will need to concentrate and understand my lessons. As a high school student, I have academic areas that I am weak in, but this does not mean that I will not improve my weaknesses. Normally, I do not read or push myself in something that seems too hard, but now with AP classes and new courses, I am more liable to feel the need to excel in everything. Therefore, by showing teachers I am ready to do great they will know I am a serious scholar. Personally, being able to obtain a higher education gives me an opportunity to be better in many ways. Everyone should have any personal goals in life in order to survive and succeed in every journey that life gives. As for me, being a scholar at Albany Early College, I hope to achieve all of my goals on which I have been trying to pursue and obtain through the years. With each year that passes I hope to grow in maturity and learn to not take life for granted. I want 9th grade to teach me to be more precise and more open to stepping outside of my comfort zone. To sum up, My personality and views on life have changed immensely over the past few years. I think differently and assess situations with more thought than I use to. The experiences I had in elementary and middle school changed the way I am. I am ready to say goodbye middle school and hello high school freshman. â€Å" To take little steps that make a big one is a great gift that can prepare yourself for the real deal † Charlie Baker

The Subtle Art of Feminism Essay -- Film Analysis India

Bapsi Sidhwa’s novel, Water, realistically presents the circumstances of women and, in particular, widows in 1938 Colonial India. It exposes the gender inequality and double standards that govern that society for no other reason than that is what tradition dictates. Sidhwa presents complexities in her characters, which make them very human and very real, and the widows’ reactions to each other and to the world outside of the ashram create a feminist message. Water poses the problem of gender inequality in India by presenting a realistic and typical situation, and it allows the readers to draw their own conclusions while experiencing the intricacies of the Indian culture. The most obvious example of inequality or mistreatment of women is Chuyia’s situation of becoming a bride and soon after a widow at age eight. By becoming a widow she is forced into the ashram and into isolation from the rest of society. This is a situation that is common in India due to the fact that tradition dictates â€Å"a woman is recognized as a person only when she is one with her husband† (Sidhwa 14). It shows that society views women as worthless unless they are under the control and service of a man. Furthermore, this tradition means that women are married off as soon as possible as to secure their future and purpose in life, while men are able to wait longer to marry. In Indian culture, men are worth more than women, and the novel shows this fact by contrasting Chuyia’s marriage situation with Narayan’s situation. Chuyia has no say in who she must marry because she is female, and her marriage is entirely dependent on her father, who mar ries off six-year-old Chuyia to a forty year old man. Even though Chuyia’s mother tries to stop the marriage a... ...t â€Å"By drifting almost unnoticeably from the commonplace to the horrific, Water implicates the reader† (Jaiarjun). It does more than rant about a feminist agenda; it calls the readers to action by deeply involving them first-hand in the atrocities that are taking place against women. Works Cited Arora, Kamal, Saydia Kamal, and Usamah Ahmad. "Water: Drenched in colonial benevolence." Seven Oaks. 05 Oct 2005. Web. 13 Apr 2010. . Seton, Nora. "Honoring the abandoned." Houston Chronicle (2006). Web. 5 Apr 2010. . Sidhwa, Bapsi. Water. Toronto, Canada: Key Porter Books Limited, 2006. Print. Singh, Jaiarjun. "Whirlpools on the Ghats." Indian Express (2006). Web. 5 Apr 2010. .

Report: Sustainability in Audi AG

Personal Development & Careers Task 7 Environmental Sustainability in Audi AG By 1213666 To: Romas Malevicius 22. 11. 2012 Table of contents List of Figures Summary Introduction 1 Audi AG Sustainability Procedures 1. 1 Technologies 1. 2 Waste & water management 2. Sustainability as a part of Audi’s CSR 2. 1 Audi Environmental Foundation 2. 2 Environmental Pact for Bavaria & EMAS 2. 4 Recognition 3. Criticism 3. 1 General criticism towards the automobile industry 3. 2 â€Å"Greenwashing† Conclusions Bibliography List of figures * Figure 1. 3 p. 7 From: http://wip. audi. no/photoalbum/view/? ize=org&id=15902&type=1 (Accessed 21. 11. 2012) Summary This report covers Audi AG’s current operational and strategic procedures for environmental sustainability. It looks at sustainability as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility and views critical analysis of the automobile industry to enable making balanced conclusions. Introduction A report by the Un ited Nations entitled Our Common Future (1987) defined sustainable development as ‘development, which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In addition to this, so called ‘intergenerational equity’ has remained a theme in defining environmental sustainability. Essentially it means seeking the minimization of any adverse (long-term) impacts on future generations. The aim of this report is to investigate the actualizations of the aforesaid principles in the corporate actions of Audi AG. Audi AG is a motor vehicle manufacturer, which comprises of the brands Audi, Ducati and Lamborghini. It is a multinational company (MNE) that employs some 46,000 people and has an annual output of over 1,3 million units.Audi AG is part of Volkswagen Group, headquartered from Ingolstadt, Germany. 1. Audi AG Sustainability Procedures 1. 1 Technologies Audi admits that a car manufacturer can never claim to have a p ositive impact on the environment. They are, however, investing billions of pounds in responsible technologies. These include lightweight space frames, diesel engines and Start-Stop technologies. The purpose of these is to reduce fuel consumption and hence cut CO2 emissions. 1. 2 Waste & water management Audi’s slogan ‘Advancement Through Technology’ essentially outlines the company’s principle of constant innovation.The brand values also state that corporate activities are â€Å"shaped by the desire to preserve resources and take a responsible approach to the environment†. They have undertaken numerous actions to introduce these principles. For instance, assembly line waste is separated & sorted on-site and packaging is optimised in the planning stage, which reduce transport needs substantially. Audi uses various sources of energy, such as a local waste processing plant and the Combined Heat, Cooling and Power production facility (CHCP) in the Ingo lstadt factory.Together they save the company 37,000 tonnes of CO2 a year. For car production the company collects rainwater. They also feed 96. 3 per cent of total water into a closed-loop system, so only a very small amount of water is lost. Moreover, Audi encourages recycling vehicle parts and batteries. As a result their production output has substantially increased in the last two decades but overall energy use has remained virtually the same. Figure 1. 3. Figure 1. 3 illustrates the decrease in waste water volume per vehicle in Audi’d main production plants in Germany between the years 1990 and 1999.The total decrease is 4,5m3/vehicle in Neckarsulm and correspondingly 2,3m3/vehicle in Ingolstadt. 2. Sustainability as a part of Audi’s CSR 2. 1 Audi Environmental Foundation Audi’s commitment to the environment and society is an integral part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The most compelling evindence is the Audi Environmental Foundation Ltd . , which takes voluntary action in environmental, social and economic issues by conducting and funding research projects. 2. 2 Environmental Pact for Bavaria & EMASAudi was a founder member of the Environmental Pact for Bavaria, which now includes around 1,350 companies. The Pact was formed in 1995 as a voluntary agreement between the Bavarian industry and government to do more for the environment. The Pact includes Audi’s European plants participating in the EC Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). The purpose of this is to introduce an environmental management system, which helps improve operational environmental protection on site. 2. 4 RecognitionBased on the above-mentioned policies it can be stated that as a car manufacturer Audi is advanced in promoting sustainability. Audi has also received recognition for this, such as the 2012 Logistics Sustainability Prize. Audi works diligently to improve its image as a â€Å"green† company. Audi of America President Joh an de Nysschen’s spoke at the company’s 100th Anniversary celebration in 2009 (Audi MediaServices, 2009): â€Å"We and our consumers (also) want to drive at something better – a more sustainable future.   The company also published a commercial for the 2010 Super Bowl entitled â€Å"Green Police† where they track down Americans who stick to carbon-unfriendly practices. This was seen as a change of marketing strategy and it received mixed reviews. 3. Criticism 3. 1 General criticism towards the automobile industry The arrival of thousands of motor vehicles in large cities has given the pollution problem completely new dimensions. Research shows that car exhaust contributes half of the (atmospheric) pollutants in large cities and contributes to the â€Å"Greenhouse effect† raising the Earth’s temperature.Among other manufacturers, Audi has hence carried out developments of alternative power sources such as electric and internal combustion e ngines, which gives them a competitive edge. 3. 2 â€Å"Greenwashing† Greenwashing  is a form of propaganda in Public Relations (PR) where green marketing is misleadingly used to create an illusion of an organization's aims and policies being environmentally friendly. After publishing their 2010 Super Bowl commercial â€Å"Green Police† Audi was accused of greenwashing. Creating what is perceived as a genuinely environmentally friendly strategy in all their functional areas is one of their largest current challenges.A quote from Jamey Boiter's  Brand Innovatr blog (Fast Company, 2010): â€Å"†¦Audi are evolving – – They must commit to this evolution in everything about their brands, from product development to communications to industry involvement, to prove they are not greenwashing. † One of Audi’s strengths is that they have been involved in responsible projects for years, dating back to as long as 1960. That being said, their mo st significant competitors such as BMW & Mercedes Benz are increasingly starting to embrace sustainable strategies, which forms a possible threat to Audi.Conclusions The automotive industry is still perceived as one of the largest agents of adverse effects to the environment. As a result of consumers becoming more sophisticated and educated on environmental sustainability, the competition in the industry gets more intense. It can be recommended for Audi to shift their marketing strategy even more towards sustainability and practice product differentiation to this direction whenever possible. Audi should try shaking off the â€Å"greenwashing† claims and coming across as a genuinely responsible corporation.Taking advantage of the decades’ worth of experience and data that they have gathered could do this and possibly gain them a head start from their competitors. Word count: 1000 Bibliography Abuelsamid, S. 2009. Autobloggreen: Audi to add solar power to Ingolstadt fact ory,(online) Available at: http://green. autoblog. com/2009/12/16/audi-to-add-solar-power-to-ingolstadt-headquarters-factory/ (Accessed 21. 11. 2012) Audi AG, 2012. Audi Environmental Foundation Ltd. , (online) Available at: http://www. audi-umweltstiftung. de/auws/brand/de. html (Accessed 22. 11. 2012)Audi AG, 2012. Encounter: The Audi Sustainability Magazine, (online) Available at: http://www. audi-journals. de/eJournals/mz3/2. 0. 7/index_dialoge_en_2010. html#/0 (Accessed 22. 11. 2012) Audi AG, 2000. Interim Review: Environment Report of AUDI AG, (online) Available at: http://wip. audi. no/photoalbum/view/? size=org&id=15902&type=1 (Accessed 22. 11. 2012) Audi AG, 2012. Vorsprung Durch Technik: Environmental Protection at Audi, (online) Available at: http://www. audi. com/com/brand/en/company/environmental_protection/products/recycling. html#source=http://www. audi. om/com/brand/en/company/environmental_protection/environmental_protection_at_audi. html&container=page (Accessed 22 . 11. 2012) Audi MediaServices, 2012. Press release: Audi awarded the 2012 Logistics Sustainability Prize, (online) Available at: https://www. audi-mediaservices. com/publish/ms/content/en/public/pressemitteilungen/2012/03/16/audi_awarded_the_2012. html (Accessed 21. 11. 2012)   Audi United Kingdom, 2012. : Environment, (online) Available at: http://www. audi. co. uk/about-audi/environment. html (Accessed 22. 11. 2012) Audi United Kingdom, 2012. Audi ‘green’ issues and sustainability, (online) Available at: http://www. udi. co. uk/content/dam/audi/production/PDF/Fleet/FleetSalesPDF231209/Audi_Green_issues_and_Sustainability_Jan2010. pdf (Accessed 21. 11. 2012) Boiter, J. 2010. Fast Company: Can Brands Launch Sustainable Campaigns Without Being Accused of Greenwashing? , (online) Available at: http://www. fastcompany. com/1563389/can-brands-launch-sustainable-campaigns-without-being-accused-greenwashing (Accessed 21. 11. 2012) Britannica Encyclopedia, 2012. Automotive Industry, (online) Available at: http://www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/45050/automotive-industry/65791/Adv

Calculate the Total Asset Turnover

Question 4: Calculate the total asset turnover, the P, P, & E Turnover, and the intangible asset turnover for each of the past two years. Are these turnover ratios increasing or decreasing? What might explain these trends? Total Asset Turnover is a financial ratio that measures the efficiency of company’s use of its assets to product sales. It is a measure of how efficiently management is using the assets at its disposal to promote sales.The ratio helps to measure the productivity of a company’s assets. Total Asset Turnover is calculated by Net Sales divided by Total Assets. We had to calculate the Total Asset Turnover, the Property, Plant, and Equipment Turnover, and the Intangible Asset Turnover Ratios in 2010 and 2011 for Johnson and Johnson Company. The below table shows the above ratios in 2010 and 2011. |2010 |2011 | |Total Asset Turnover = |61,587 = |60% |65,030 = |57% | | |102,908 | |113,644 | | | | | | | | |P, P, & E Turnover = |61,587 = |4. 3x |65,030 = |4. 41 x | | |14,553 | |14,739 | | | | | | | | |Intangible Asset Turnover = |61,587 = |1. 92x |65,030 = |1. 89x | | |32,010 | |34,276 | |For the Total Asset Turnover, there is a decrease from 60% in 2010 to 57% in 2011. For the Property, Plant, and Equipment Turnover, there is an increase from 4. 23 in 2010 to 4. 41 in 2011. For the Intangible Asset Turnover, there is a decrease from 1. 92 in 2010 to 1. 89 in 2011. Increases in the asset turnover ratio over time may indicate a company is growing into its capacity. A decreasing ratio may indicate the opposite. Asset purchases made in anticipation of coming growth (or the sale of unnecessary assets in anticipation of declining growth) can suddenly and somewhat artificially change a company's asset turnover ratio.

Guide on How to Write Philosophy Essay

Guide on How to Write Philosophy Essay Is there a meaning to life? Do we have a free will? Is there a God? These are some of the so-called â€Å"Big Questions† that often motivated philosophers of the past, are intriguing to academically trained philosophers of the present and will be stimulating intellectual discussions among a more general audience in the future. Such questions may become a topic for your philosophy essay assigned at the university. For many students, writing a philosophy essay is something of a new experience and you might be a little unsure of what you should expect, or of what is expected of you. In this philosophy essay writing guide, you will find some preliminary advice about writing philosophy essays at the university that will help you determine where you should direct your efforts to achieve the best result. What Is a Philosophy Essay? First of all, you should realize that philosophical essays are different from essays in most other subjects. Wondering why? Philosophy essays are not written for the sake of literary self-expression and they can’t be approached like ordinary research papers. They don’t summarize that different scholars have had to say on a certain topic. They don’t present the latest findings of scientific experiments, tests or surveys. And they don’t present your personal impressions, opinions, feelings. Instead, a philosophy essay is a reasoned defense of a thesis. When writing assignments in your philosophy classes, you have to be doing philosophy. You need to ask insightful questions about fundamental ideas and concepts and provide reasoned, well-argued responses to these questions. You need to establish logical relations between your thoughts. Your task is to convince your reader that your thesis is correct so you have to use the method of rational persuasion. To write a strong philosophy essay, you should demonstrate your ability to think critically about certain issues and present your independent thought by offering new analogies, new examples, and counter-examples of familiar points or even a novel argument. What Do You Do in a Philosophy Essay? Your philosophy essay can’t consist of a simple report of your opinions on a particular topic or present a report of the opinions of other philosophers, it must present an argument. Your task is to defend the points you claim in your essay so you must offer convincing reasons to believe your claims. That’s why you can’t merely state: â€Å"My view is that S.† Instead, you must write something like: â€Å"My view is S. I believe it is true because†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or â€Å"I think the following ideas †¦ provide a convincing argument for S.† Typically, you should start with your thesis and then make one of the following steps: Provide reasons to believe your thesis; Give counter-example to your thesis; Provide examples that may help to explain your thesis; Criticize the thesis; Defend your thesis against someone’s criticism; Explain the consequences that the essay’s thesis would have if it were true; Revise the thesis. No matter what purpose for the essay you set, you need to present convincing reasons to accept the claims you make and try to persuade other people to believe you. Philosophy Essay Topics Typically, a list of philosophy essay topics you can choose from is provided by your instructor. The topics are usually designed to invite you to deal with some specific philosophical issue or problem. They might be challenging but they give you a good chance to demonstrate how you understand a certain philosophical issue or problem and show your own skills in doing philosophy that is doing analysis, providing argumentation etc. You may be asked to respond to a certain philosophical statement, provide the explanation of a concept or a theory, give the detailed interpretation of a certain text, critically evaluate a philosophical theory or present your own answers to fundamental philosophical questions. Such philosophical questions may concern ethics and morality, science and technology, the universe and reality, human nature and human consciousness etc. Here are some examples of such philosophical questions that you are free to use as topics for your philosophy essays. Is Human Society Moving in the Right or Wrong Direction? Is There any Purpose in Life? Are There any Limits to What Human Mind Can Comprehend the Nature of Reality? Does Math Accurately Represent the Reality? Can Rational Thinking Exist Without Language? How Would You Define Human Creativity? Does It Have any Limits? Do Animals Have Morals? What is Your Definition of Morality? Is Poverty Inevitable? What is the Biggest Threat to Our Society? Before you start writing, you should make sure you understand the assignment. If you were given a longer prompt, pay attention to such words as â€Å"compare†, â€Å"evaluate†, â€Å"explain† or â€Å"outline†. You should present your own answers, give reasons, answer objections, and critically evaluate alternative approaches. Make an Outline and Structure Your Essay You should start with organizing your thoughts on the given topic. A good outline will increase your chances to make your philosophy essay logical, clear, and coherent. Besides, you will be able to see if you miss some elements in your argument. Your outline may look like this one: Introduction – draft your thesis statement; Analysis – provide a summary of your evaluation of the key points of your topic; Arguments – make a bulleted list of the major arguments you are going to make to defend your thesis; Counter-arguments – think about at least one objection to your argument; Summary – summarize your key points in response to your topic. Your next step is to think about a clear structure of your essay that will help your audience follow your argument and reduce the chances that your readers may get confused. Typically, your essay should follow the outline we have presented above and consist of the introduction, body paragraphs where you present your arguments and counterarguments, and the conclusion that summarizes your key points. Write a Draft Philosophical problems are complex and writing a philosophy essay requires careful and extended reflection. You can’t do it during the night before your essay is due so it’s important to start thinking about your topic as early as possible. Most likely, you will need to write more than one draft and make a lot of revisions to ensure that your essay is logical, clear, and concise. So it’s best to start working on your essay as soon as it is assigned to you. When writing your essay, you should use simple, straightforward words and keep your paragraphs and sentences short. Try to avoid complicated language when you can find simple ways to communicate the same idea exactly. Introduction Begin your introduction with formulating your thesis. You inform your reader what your essay sets to achieve – what your thesis is and how you are going to support your point of view. e.g. In this essay, I will argue that Mr. Smith †¦ I will use the following approach †¦ You should also explain some technical terms that you use in your argument to avoid ambiguity and help your readers grasp your ideas. Besides, you can provide motivation for your reader to read your essay to the end and explain why your argument is important and why your readers should care about it. If necessary, you should clarify how you are going to present your argument and lay out the structural plan for your essay to make the structure of your essay obvious to your readers and help them follow it. If your task is to critically evaluate someone’s argument, you will need first to explain this argument to your audience and only after that you should provide your critique. Keep in mind that you will need to present the argument in your own words and make your explanation concise and precise. Body Paragraphs In the body of your essay, you need to give your own argument on a specific essay topic and use plenty of examples and definitions. Philosophic claims are very abstract and difficult to understand and examples may help to make those claims clearer to the audience. You should write as many paragraphs as you have the key points and devote one paragraph to one point of your argument. It’s the most critical part of your essay because it will actually show your understanding of the subject and your ability to make your points concisely, thoroughly, and coherently. When discussing views of other people, you can use direct quotations or paraphrases and reference them properly according to the citation style specified by your instructor. But you should quotations and paraphrases to the minimum because it’s your essay and your instructor is interested to see your own words. Your argument will be stronger if you anticipate possible objections to it and respond to them. Very often this is an essential part of your philosophy essay. It actually provides support to your main argument and makes your key points more compelling. There can be different objections to your thesis but you should always think about the strongest objections and reply to them. Don’t take the unconvincing objections you can easier respond to. If you can’t formulate a decisive reply to these objections, you should admit it as well. Sometimes, your assignment may be to think about and provide several objections to your thesis and defend it against them. When presenting your argument and providing objections, you should to be very precise and state exactly what you mean. In this way, you will minimize the chances of being misunderstood. Commonly, you should expect to complete a short essay of about 3 double-spaced pages so you should avoid using too many arguments because too many arguments will confuse your readers. Keep your structure simple, focus on your topic, and stick to your thesis and arguments. Keep in mind that your essays in philosophy don’t necessarily have to provide a straight affirmative or negative answer to your question or a definite solution to a problem. It’s OK to ask questions in your essay even if you can’t answer them. You can use the following structure for your essay to make it flow smoothly. Thesis statement Argument 1 a. Counter-argument 1 Reply Argument 2 a. Counter-argument 2 Reply Conclusion Conclusion Your conclusion should be brief. Tell your audience what you think your argument has established. You should restate your thesis statement and give a short summary of your argument. You should be creative and don’t copy your introduction. In this part of your essay, you want to emphasize the most important limitations and implications of your own argument. Don’t provide any new information. Revise Your Draft, Edit, and Proofread: Tips from Experts When you finish your rough draft, put it aside for a couple of days and then revise it several times, considering the structure of your argument and your word choice as well. Typically, you will need to revise your draft several times and you should save all your drafts as you go along. That will allow you to go back if you decide to change your mind. Your final draft should provide the clearest version of your final argument. When revising your draft, you can make the following steps: Revise your introductory and concluding paragraphs to ensure that you have a clear thesis and that both the paragraphs support each other. Revise the structure to ensure that your argument is clear and logical. Delete any unnecessary sentences and words that don’t bring value to your argument. You may also need to add some sentences or words to make your argument clear but in this case, you should be very brief. When you are satisfied with the structure and content and are sure you won’t need any such changes anymore, you need to check spelling, grammar, and punctuation and fix mistakes if there are any. You can use some grammar and spell checking tools online. You should proofread your philosophy essay very carefully to fix minor mistakes and typos. A good idea is to find someone to read your essay. Your family member or a friend may notice some mistakes that you may overlook on your own because of the typical writer’s blindness. Before you submit your essay, make sure you have done everything possible to make it the best it can be.

The History of 911 Emergency Calls

The History of 911 Emergency Calls Who designed and installed the first 911 emergency telephone call system in the United States? Alabama Telephone Company 911 Pioneers The race to be first will always be part of human nature as long as a bridge remains to be crossed, mountains to be climbed, or a telephone exchange to be cut-over, with a team working together as Alabama Telephone had. B.W. (Bob) Gallagher - President of the Alabama Telephone Company a subsidiary of Continental Telephone. Initiated and directed the overall 911 effort.Robert (Bob) Fitzgerald - Inside State Plant Manager. Designed and engineered the needed circuitry for the first U.S. 911 system.Jimmy White - Technician on 911 installation team.Glenn Johnston - Technician on 911installation team.Al Bush - Technician on 911 installation team.Pete Gosa - Technician on 911 installation team. Need for a Universal Number Emergency Call System The ability to dial a single number to report emergencies was first used in Great Britain, in 1937. The British could dial 999 to call for police, medical or fire departments, from anywhere in the country. In 1958, the American Congress first investigated a universal emergency number for the United States and finally passed the legal mandate in 1967. The very first American 911 call was placed on February 16, 1968, in Haleyville, Alabama made by Alabama Speaker of the House, Rankin Fite and answered by Congressman Tom Bevill.   The new emergency number had to be three numbers that were not in use in the United States or Canada as the first three numbers of any phone number or area code, and the numbers had to be easy to use. The Federal Trade Commission along with ATT (which held a monopoly on phone services at that time) originally announced the plans to build the first 911 system in Huntington, Indiana. Alabama Telephone Company Takes the Initiative Bob Gallagher, President of the Alabama Telephone, was annoyed that the independent phone industry had not been consulted. Gallagher decided to beat ATT to the punch line and have the first 911 emergency service built in Haleyville, Alabama.   Gallagher consulted with Bob Fitzgerald, his state inside-plant manager. Fitzgerald let Gallagher know that he could do it. Gallagher moved quickly getting approvals from Continental Telephone and the Alabama Public Service commissioner and releasing a press release on February 9 announcing that the Alabama Telephone Company would be making history. Fitzgerald examined all twenty-seven Alabama exchanges choosing the Haleyville location, and then engineered the new circuitry and made the modifications needed for the existing equipment. Fitzgerald and his team worked around the clock to install the first 911 emergency system in under one week. The team worked their regular day jobs in Fayette, traveling each night to Haleyville to do the 911 work during off-peak hours. The work was completed on February 16, 1968, at exactly 2 p.m. celebrated with a team cheer of Bingo! Details of this story were provided by Reba Fitzgerald, wife of Robert Fitzgerald.

Take Home Exam on U.S. Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Take Home Exam on U.S. Economy - Essay Example As an economy deed it recognized that the whole nation drawing out from Mississippi Valley, Maine to Atlantic Ocean and Georgia was a common market. There were taxes or tariffs imposed on intestate commerce. The American constitution stipulated that the federal government was responsible in controlling trade with foreign nations and amid the states. Furthermore, the constitution too gave the government the power to set up uniform bankruptcy laws, create money and control its value, fix values of weight and measures (Fogel 100). The industrial growth of the United States, which first began in Europe between 18th and 19th century, also played a crucial role in the development of North America. By the time Abraham Lincoln was elected president, nearly 17 percent of the US populace lived in urban areas, and most of their income emanated from manufacturing. The up-and-coming North America was wrought by the territorial development of the United States. After the insurrection, the US integ rated only thirteen ex- British colonies in the Northeast and the Southeast (Stanley 24). Government involvement in the United States played a critical role in North America economic affairs. The early years of American history, nearly all political leaders were unwilling to include the federal government too deeply on the economic segment. ... The government engagement in business gained its momentum most importantly throughout the New Agreement of 1930s (Fogel 112). On the same length, all most all significant institutions and laws that distinct America’s today’s economy can be rooted to the New Agreement ear. New Agreement legislation prolonged federal power in agriculture, banking, and public sector. The legislation enacted laws which set up minimum standards for wages and how long one should work in a day. Plans and agencies that in our day appear essential to the operation of United States modern economy was produced. This on the whole acted as catalyst for the development of upper North America economy (Stanley 89). According to Fogel, as United States of America was expanding saw the population of Native Americans, and Africa Americans increase. These Native Americans included Asians, Mexicans and Cubans. United States assimilated these people into the society. Ideally, these group infiltrated America with new cultures and customs. As result, this lead to the development of upper North America social affairs which some have even been adapted. The Spanish cuisine was adopted by most American communities (140). According to Stanley, the relationship between United States and Canada has extended more than two centuries. This integrates a collective British colonial heritage, warfare during the 1779s and 1812, and the ultimate growth of one of the most victorious global relationships in the modern world. Both United States and Canada are main economic partners. Moreover, the comprehensive association between the two nations has increased the comparisons. However, the most serious dent on the relationship between the two allies was the war of 1812. This war