The Effects of Meat-Based Diets on the Environment Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Meat-Based Diets on the Environment Essay According to study, around 2.5 million years ago, humans abandoned their vegetarian habits and adopted a more omnivorous diet in the era of the genus Homo. In 1999, researchers were not sure whether the bite marks they found on 2.5 million year old animal bones were made by humans or not. Peter Ungar (2003) of the University of Arkansas made an analysis that concluded the bite marks were indeed from the first members of the Homo generation (1). Eating meat has developed into a necessary part of human culture over the course of the millions of years. Although, consuming meat also has a big impact on the environment. One of the biggest impacts done by eating meat is the depletion of resources, especially because a generous amount of water is used for livestock. With more than 1.7 billion farm animals in the world, it is approximately triple the amount of humans (4). Research shows that it takes 441 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, on the other hand, it only takes 14 gallons of water to produce one pound of wheat. The meat industry is one of the major reasons why we are depleting in fresh water. Ed Ayres (1999) of the World Watch Institute found the following: Around the world, as more water is diverted to raising pigs and chickens instead of producing crops for direct consumption, millions of wells are going dry. India, China, North Africa and the U.S. are all running freshwater deficits, pumping more from their aquifers than rain can replenish (2). Raising cattle is also very damaging; they create wreckage to the environment through over-grazing, soil erosion, desertification, natu ral waste, and tropical deforestation to make room for farms and soy fields for feed (8). Dr. David Brubaker, PhD, at Johns Hopkins Universitys Center for a Livable Future, states that, The way that we breed animals for food is a threat to the planet. It pollutes our environment while consuming huge amounts of water, grain, petroleum, pesticides and drugs. The results are disastrous (2).† Manure from cattle can also cause pollution in groundwater and drinking streams. This affects many ecosystems, including humans. In 1995, 25 million gallons of manure and urine spilt into a lagoon in the New River in North Carolina. Over 10 million fish were affected and killed, and 264,000 acres of land were closed due to poisoning (4). Officials in California identify that cows are the major source of nitrate pollution in approximately 100,000 square miles of groundwater. When drunk by humans, depending on the level of nitrate in the drinking water, the effects can range from severe illnesses to even death. Research proves that high levels of nitrate in water can also increase th e risk of methemoglobinemia, or â€Å"blue-baby syndrome†. It has the ability to kill infants and children. Furthermore, the waste from animals contains other harmful pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Cryptosporidium. Based on past events, if not dealt with properly, manure spills are proven to be very hazardous to animals’ habitats, for they take long to clean up and replenish what has been destroyed. For example, a spill of the excess waste of livestock from factory farms in Maryland and North Carolina is proven to be linked to a case with Pfiesteria piscicida, a disease that wiped out millions of fish in the area and caused many symptoms to the local people, such as skin irritation and short-term memory loss. Nutrients found in manure also cause algal blooms in water, which eat up all the oxygen. When there is no oxygen in the water, it is called a â€Å"dead zone† and this area cannot support aquatic life, meaning that bio-diversity is lowered in that ecosystem (3) (6). Not only does raising livestock harm natural resources, it also uses a lot of fossil fuels. It is found that the United States uses ten percent of their energy every year just to produce meat for their consumers. In other words, 40 calories of fossil fuel are needed to make only one calories of protein provided from eating beef (4). Many of the CO2 released in the air are directly related to livestock. A lot of energy is used to heat the buildings that hold the animals, to produce all the crops, to feed the animals, to import and export, and to refrigerator to keep the meat from going bad. An ecologist David Pimentel states that â€Å"Animal protein demands about eight times as much fossil fuel as for a comparable amount of plant protein (2).† Emissions from factory farms release harmful toxins into the air, such as ammonia, methane, and hydrogen sulfide. Coincidentally, when ammonia is released in the air, it can cause smog or acid rain. On people, the effects could be breathing difficulty and unclean air. Methane is a big contribution to global warming. Research shows that the meat industry is the largest source of methane production in the world, releasing around 100 million tons a year. So theoretically, global warming can be slowed down a portion by stopping the emission of methane into the atmosphere (4). In recent attempts, the PETA organization the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals – have used several innovations to get the message out about meat-based diets and how it is greener to become vegetarian. In Europe, the response was surprising; to illustrate, the number of vegetarians doubled in Great Britain, the number upped in Germany to eight million vegetarians, and similar results in other countries. Unfortunately, the citizens of the United States were still unmoved and not motivated to take action because the consequences were not happening at the present moment. Especially due to the fact that Americans have been growing up surrounded by the culture of meat-eating for billions of years now, it is almost impossible to divert Americans to see that becoming a vegetarian is for a good reason and that it is a very healthier alternative for both humans and the environment (5). In my opinion, I think that becoming vegetarian is one of the main solutions of our world environment problems today. Because our demand for meat has risen so much the past years, partly due to overpopulation and how now more people can afford eating quality meat, we are willing to sacrifice other precious resources (such as water, land, and forests) to make sure that our demands are met in the economy. I think as humans, we are glutinous to think that any kind of food is available without a cost to us because we are at the top of the food chain in the entire world. By depleting our natural resources just to raise livestock for slaughter and consumerism when there are other alternatives to human diets, even if we make enough meat to last us a while, overall it is a short term accomplishment, not long-term, and over time this temporary solution will wear off, leaving us with no meat source, and also no resources because they are all used up. In order to motivate people to adopt the vegetarian lifestyle, people will have to find a good reason to how it will benefit them, such as having a stronger, healthier body (8). Adding in the appeal of a chance to survive longer, we humans as naturally selfish people will try and pick the best choice (in this case, being a vegetarian) if it means we will be able to live longer than everyone else. It is disappointing how people in our world today are very ignorant to the world issues and problems affecting our welfare in the future, because people are so caught up in their everyday lives to worry about what will come in the future due to the actions unknowingly made by our own hands. What needs to be down is to educate humans about the environmental benefits of living a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, in relation to all the environmental impacts that a meat-based diet brings onto the Earth. In conclusion, meat-eating is of nature to humans. Although, in order to maintain our Earth in a liveable state for the near future, meat-eating may soon be out of the question. In our desperate moments, we will look to becoming vegetarian in hopes to continue our human generation on this Earth because all our other meat sources will have run out due to the high demands. It may not be obvious now, but I can guarantee that if we do not change our eating habits soon, our world will soon spiral into economic collapse, finishing in the destruction of the environment, and maybe even the end to the human generation.

The New Land Of New Ideas :: essays research papers

The New Land of New Ideas   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 18th century Americans turned their backs on the old ideas of the Puritans. The Puritans believed in the population acting within the religious ways of the times. The 18th century population turned their lifestyles to a lifestyle of self interest. This lifestyle was dedicated to the goal of obtaining wealth and prestige among the community. DeCrevecouer writes: He is arrived on a new continent; a modern society offers itself to his contemptation, different from what he had hitherto seen. It is not composed, as in Europe, of great lords who possess every thing and of a herd of people who have nothing. Here are no aristocratical families, no courts, no kings, no bishops, no ecclesiastical dominion, no invisible power giving to a few a very visible one; no great manufacturers employing thousands, no great refinements of luxury. The rich and the poor are not so far removed from each other as they are in Europe. In the old mother land, one could work all day and still not produce very much. However, in the new land there was more opportunity for entrepreneurship. This led to a increase in the self-interest principle and a decrease in the principles of religion. In Old England, it was believed that the few that had the wealth were blessed. Even the King was viewed as the Lord's represantive on Earth. In the new land one had to work to gain faith. Wealth that the individual created was viewed as being faithful to the Lord. The new America gives birth to a true entrepreneurship among the races, if they are going to have anything at all they are going to have to work for it. DeCrevecouer explains this: Men are like plants; the goodness and flavour of the fruit proceeds from the peculiar soil and exposition in which they grow. We are nothing but what we derive from the air we breathe, the climate we inhabit, the government we obey, the system of religion we profess, and the nature of our employment This was not the land where wealth would be left to you in a will, this was the

Uses of Scientific Methods in Business

Uses of Scientific Methods in Business Uses of Scientific methods in Business An Overview: Scientific research serves us to comprehend the world around us, how things work and why certain things look or act the way they do. Scientific research consists of intrusiveness, observations, experiments and evaluations. It attempts to use these to answer questions about what causes differing phenomena. It is important to note that scientific research does not provide absolute solutions to questions, but preferably gives apparent answers based on, evidence gathered and contemporary knowledge.New information can lead to the denial of ideas previously believed to be true. This article is about applications of scientific methods in Business. Research has been investigated to play a very essential role not only in the general management but also in the various functional fields related to the Business. Understandably, by improving the efficiency of a company, profitability is increased, and this can be achieved through proper research adaptation. Scientific Methods and Business World:The scientific method is an organised method of making considerations and conducting experiments to answer specific questions. But is it limited to science projects? Of course not! Most of the managerial tactics and conclusions, however, affect human beings. An individual’s behaviour differs considerably from that of another from time to time, place to place and environment to environment and it cannot be placed under complete control, for it is very uncertain to exercise the scientific method in the practice of business.Despite the development of vital methods of management information systems, many decision areas, such as those of employees effectiveness, materials handling, labour productivity, product planning and consumer behaviour, require complex data to be analyzed as a part of the scientific method which may not be convenient in quick managerial decisions. The greater the comple xity of the data, the lesser is the possibility of accuracy and the lesser is its utility in the business. As a result, the scope of the scientific method in business is thoroughly affected.However, the scientific method does not find approval with many organizations and functional executives because of the heavy demand it makes on their time, exposure, resources and manpower. Despite of these above declared facts, every business has hundreds of hypothesis that are used to make decisions. Some of those may be valid, but many of them will be at fault. 1 Uses of Scientific Methods in Business Using the scientific method in your business can help you validate your considerations, provide clarity about why certain things are happening, and help you quickly understand what adaptation you need to make.How Scientific methods can be helpful in Business: Business research programs are progressively popular way for companies to train and educate their managers and other employees in a broader array of different fields. Business research education can be relevant to economics, marketing, management, finance, human resource, business strategy and ethics. In fact, anything related to modern business and trade. In a corporate world that is apparently more relentless than ever, company executives must study whether their staff members can really fulfil their jobs effectively without specialist education or not.Business research is a field of practical consideration in which a company gathers data and analyzes it in order to better accommodate the company. Business research can include financial data, consumer feedback and product research, employee’s behavioural study and competitive analysis. Executives and managers who use business research methods are able to better understand their company, the position it holds in the market and how to improve that position. Scientific methods can be applied in Business in many dimensions. And they can flourish business in number of ways. Few of them are as follows ? Improving standards of competition:The fundamental way to keep ahead of competition is through exceptional thinking; perpetual innovation; entrepreneurship; creativity; and more complete problem solving and decision making. Through which entrepreneurs can meet global challenges with more complete problem solving and decision making skills. Organizations productivity can be enhanced by encouraging employees to learn and use scientific methods. ? Provides training for change and innovation: It encourages entrepreneurs to re-establish their thoughts, ends aimless wandering, helps ideas transforming shape, motivates self-confidence and helps them to avoid snap judgments.It provides tracks for change and innovation, etc. ? Improving performance chart: It enables how to manage and how to plan basic problems. Thus the better your managers are trained in the use of scientific methodologies, the better job they will do. If senior managers are all offici ally educated and certified in the field of management they will be able to drive a workforce on using effective motivational drivers. Information technology can relate to using software in management, marketing, production, accounting or even 2 Uses of Scientific Methods in Business nvoicing but as the use of the internet and online trade grows, educating staff in the ways to take advantage of this new media is an advisable course of action. ? Choosing the right thing: Its use will lead to more new ideas, innovations, and challenge of changes. By adopting scientific methods entrepreneurs can be sure that they are applying right and practical approaches for their organization. For sure sales techniques will differ depending upon the services or products being sold however there are certain general rules that should be followed.By having a well trained and informed sales workforce, they will be able to bring more trade, and hence improve the credibility and profits of the company. ? Coping with environmental changes: There are numerous claims being made about the changing environment. Apply scientific methods to the problem help in resolving this issue, entrepreneurs can get a clear and broader image of changing’s and they can find the true answer of how to cope with them. For company directors who are on the brink of enlarging their operations beyond their national boundaries, are highly recommended to conduct scientific researches to understand the changing’s. Improving personal standards: By adopting scientific methods in business entrepreneurs can learn some better understandings about the health concerns. It will also support them in solving their own personal problems, being less distracted from their occupational duties, can accommodate the time pressure this increases business profits. Conclusion: Most professional services firms place little value on research. They firmly believe, â€Å"I know my job well. † So what's the point? Wh at you don't know could be costing you some real loss. Having a well educated and learned staff means that operations will run that more competently.Professional firms that do casual research grow faster and are more profitable than those who do not do any systematic research. Those firms that do perpetual research grow even faster and are even more profitable. The bottom line is that professional services firms that do systematic, organised research on their objective grow faster and are more advantageous. Having the knowledge of how to take benefits of the new developments and remain at the forefront of any industry sector is naturally an essential part of any strategy. In brief, research will help you grow your firm. 3

Development Of Aging Or Mid Life Crisis - 863 Words

There will come a time when one has to come to terms of aging or mid-life crisis. According to Weaver (2009) the major psychological changes occur in childhood. The author also noted that Freud also mentioned that all stages of the psychosexual development are also completed in early childhood (pp.69). Freud and Freud also had differences when it referred to coming of age (Weaver, 2009). Jung saw mid-life not as a crisis, but put the emphasis on growth and maturation (pp.70). Most of the clients that Freudians seen were experiencing neurosis, this put a different perspective on their adjustment to life, while Jung’s patients were socially adaptable (Weaver, 2009). Jung did not see mid- life crisis of balancing the self, social world with a deepening meaning. Jung thought that people of mid-life, were developed, one side, of their life, and now lacks meaning (Weaver, 2009). Now the existentialist view was in contrast with the psychodynamic view and believed that people in this stage of life gravitating towards meanings and values (Frankl, 1967). This was evident of a study done in the 1960 at a Vienna Hospital; it showed that 55% existential frustration and half expressed life are meaningless (Frankl, 1967). Carl Rodgers had some similarities with Frankl’s perspective on mid-life crisis (pp.73). Rodgers looked at it from a humanistic approach, while asking existential question such as; What is my purpose? (pp. 73). Rodgers noted that the process of the coming of self isShow MoreRelatedMidlife Crisis1180 Words   |  5 Pageswe see the world mature. It is a commonly held view that the mid-life crisis is caused by the realization that ones life is half over. It is typically an emotional state of doubt and anxiety. Typically lasting between 3 and 10 years, it occurs between the ages of 35 and 50. 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