Tom Clancy Essay Example for Free

Tom Clancy Essay Last month as I was browsing through a used bookstore, I came across a dog-eared copy of Red Storm Rising. Tom Clancy, being one of my favorite writers, I decided to pick it up and read through the book. What surprised me was not the author’s attention to detail which he is known for, but the depth of the scenarios which take place on the global landscape and development of each scenario on the overall picture. One of the facets of the novel is the journey made by a USAF meteorological officer stationed in Iceland when the Soviets decided to invade. Lt. Mike Edwards as described in the book is a scholarly looking weatherman for the base he works at. Although nerdy looking, he was a quickly liked by his comrades for his humorous outlook and no-nonsense approach to life. When the Russians attacked he and three other marines were forced to retreat and execute partisan activities against the invading force. Armed with light weapons and a satellite radio, they began their trek from Keflavik airbase pondering on how best to hamper their enemies with what little they had. The invaders already quelled most of the armed resistance in the country and had the edge in numbers and equipment. Their best contribution would be in the form of real time intelligence to their allies. Their first goal was to reach a hill a couple of kilometers from the fallen base where they could establish communications and find out what was going on. The marines Edwards was teamed up with did not know him very well since they were from different services but they passed judgment on him based on his bookish features. Priding themselves with their physical prowess (the USMC has one of the toughest training programs) they strove to exhaust their â€Å"pencil pushing† officer into the ground. Mike matched them stride for stride much to the surprise of the hardened soldiers. Through flat terrain and mountainous crags, he kept up with their pace, never slacking, never complaining. In one of their layovers, the sergeant he was with asked him how he could keep up. Mike simply answered that he used to run the marathon foe the Air Force Academy in Colorado. After that the marines treated him with a newfound respect stemming from embarrassment at having misjudged their leader. Another important event in their journey was meeting Vigdis Augustdottir, a local who lived in an isolated farm with her parents. The group came across her in their trek when a squad of garrison soldiers decided to cure their boredom by raping and pillaging the farm she lived in. This was another surprise for the marines when they immediately found out what was going on. Edwards usually an easygoing guy who avoided confrontation with the enemy immediately gave orders to fan out and engage with minimal casualties. The encounter was short and ugly. All of the Soviets had to be eliminated to prevent them from reporting back and both of Vigdis’ parents were killed by the Russians. They had no choice but to take the girl with them as survivors would most likely be questioned and dumped the dead soldiers to make it look like an accident. Vigdis provided them with comfort though not at first. As an attempted rape victim, the Americans tried their best to keep her mind away from what had happened by keeping the strenuous pace previous to the meeting. Ever mindful of their fragile companion, they each took turns looking out for her and responded to her little cries for help. On and on they trekked without a goal. They just did what they were told by the person on the other end of the radio. Go to this hill and report on the number and type of Soviet aircraft taking off and landing. Get to coordinated positions to verify destruction of target by bombers. Keep out of sight and reestablish contact at prescribed time. These were just some of the things they were ordered to do while walking between 15-20 kilometers a day and kept in the dark on their ultimate goal. The physical journey of this small group might have seemed insignificant but hiking almost 200 miles through enemy territory while surviving off the land is no small feat. Given a less significant task, some people might have folded and gone their own way to await the outcome without doing their share. The information this group provided paved the way for the retaking of Iceland which is a critical point of the G-I-UK line. It is s an array of sonar sensors which allows tracking and early warning of submarines trying to enter the Atlantic and hamper the shipping lanes into Europe. Without this supplies and arms could not be ferried into mainland Europe where the center of the conflict was being waged. The symbolism of a hard journey in order to attain one’s goals although not yet clear was beautifully captured. It also provided a personal and lighter perspective on the war which was being waged. The beautiful and accurate descriptions of the Icelandic landscape and relationships of the group gave meaning to what they were fighting for in the book. Like a corner jigsaw piece, the role of Mike Edwards and his group was essential in painting the big picture. Through their trials and travels, they added another piece to the whole by sending data to allied command which could be utilized in driving the Russians back.

The Spanish Waste Water Environmental Sciences Essay

The Spanish Waste Water Environmental Sciences Essay Aznalcollar, a town in the region of Andalusia, is located in the south west of Spain. The region of Andalusia is the second largest region of Spain, and it is the countrys highest populated region. Andalusia is known to be an economically poor region with the majority of growth in its industry and service sectors. The region can be divided into two major sub regions; in the north, the Sierra Morena Mountains can be found and below this in the south is the valley of the Guadalquivir. This valley is home to the regions most fertile land, which is found along the banks of the river Guadalquivir and its tributaries. One of these tributaries is the river Guadiamar which flows through the town of Aznalcollar. The flow of the Guadiamar River is very seasonal; however it still sustains agricultural activity throughout the area. 45 percent of the Andalusia region is responsible for agriculture. Agriculture is mainly located around the fertile banks of the regions Rivers such as the river Guadiamar. The main agriculture in this area is made up dry land farming of cereals such as barley and oats. Other cereals grown in the area use irrigation. These cereals include maize, cotton, olives and rice. Only 17 percent of Spains cultivated land is irrigated, proving that this region is of great importance to Spains primary sector. Taking the type of crop into account, this land could also allow for the harvest of two successive crops in the same year proving its benefits to the area. Other primary sectors in the region include: fishing and mining which are all located around the Guadiamar River. The Guadiamar River is a valuable source to the population of Aznalcollar, providing a source of food, materials and employment. Fish is the main source of protein in the Spanish diet and it is commonly found in traditional Spanish dishes. Fishing not only provides a source of food to the area but also employment due to its demands. Mining still holds a great level of importance to the Andalusia region. The region is responsible for producing half of Spains mining product by value. The product comes from different provinces of the region including Seville, where various metals are extracted from the mine at Aznalcollar. The Los Frailes mine at Aznalcollar produces around 125000 tons of zinc and 2.9 million ounces of led per year. This mine offers a great source of employment and income to the area from raw materials which are exported. Tourism is also a major beneficial source to the tertiary sector of the region. The coast of Andalusia offers a very obvious source of tourism however The Donana National Park located along the bank of the Guadiamar River, is thought to be a Mecca for bird watchers. The national Park covers 543km ²(337.41  mi ²) of which 135  km ² (83.89  mi ²) is a protected area. It is made up of marsh, shallow streams and sand dunes. In 1963 the park was established as a nature reserve when the World Wildlife Fund joined with the Spanish government and purchased a section of marshes to protect it. Donana National Park is one of Europe most important wetland reserves and a major site for migrating birds. The park itself is internationally recognized for its great ecological wealth and has become a key center in the world of tourism. It has become very popular due to its enormous variety of bird species, permanent residents, winter visitors from north and central Europe or summer visit ors from Africa, such as its numerous types of geese and colorful colonies of flamingo. The park is also home to one of the worlds largest colonies of Spanish imperial eagles. As a whole, the park offers three distinct types of ecosystems: the marismas, the Mediterranean scrublands and the coastal mobile dunes with their beaches. The park attracts a vast amount of tourists annually, which in turn benefit the economy of the area. The park is also used by pilgrims taking part in the Romeria de El Rocio. This event alone can attract up to one million pilgrims each year. It is visible from the information above that the area surrounding the Guadiamar River is extremely dependent on its sourrouding natural sources. The town of Aznalcollar is reliant on the following; agriculture, fishing, mining and tourism. However in April 1998 when the dam of the mining residual tank of a pyrite mine in the locality ruptured, releasing sludge and contaminated waste water. The wastewater entered the Agrio River and the Guadiamar River. Both these rivers had low water levels due to a spring drought. In turn the rivers flooded nearby cultivated fields and threatened to flood the Donana National Park further downstream. This had an enormous affects on the population of Aznalcollar. Initially families living near the river were physically threatened. They had to flee their homes immediately, not only due to rising flood levels, but the fact that the water had been polluted with toxic heavy metals. These families lost vast amounts of their belongings in the flood and the polluted water threatened their health. Fortunately there were no initial fatalities, just a small number of people injured. However it was not recorded but these families were at the greatest risk of contacting terminal disease from the toxic water. PUT IN WHAT AOIFE SAID http://fuentesdeciencia.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/hungria-aznalcollar.jpg?w=480h=268 Initial affects to the area surrounding the Guadiamar River. The cultivated lands along the banks of the River Guadiamar were also destroyed. As the toxic waste water entered the river the level rose and flooded the cultivated land along the river banks. Not only were the crops damaged by the polluted water but by the residual mud. Any of the crops that had little water damage still could not be harvest due to fears of toxic contamination, so all harvest had to be destroyed. This occurrence lead to a great economic loss, believed to estimate at $10million. Not only is this a very large sum of money for a poor region, but it was spread mainly among 2,000 small farmers who had a great dependence on agriculture. This in turn also increased the price of rice, cotton and olives (main crops grown) in the area as they had to be bought and transported from other areas. However not only were harvest effected in 1998, due to the pollution of soils, crops could not be grown for a least another five years, until analysis had deemed the land safe for culti vation. This caused great loss for the farming community in the area as they had to abandon farming for this period and find another source of employment. Pasture farmers were also affected in a similar way. When the area flooded rapidly farmers had to abandon their farms, without any time to bring their animals to higher ground. These animals either drowned from high flood levels or were poisoned from drinking the contaminated water. When farmers could return to the area, their herds had been killed and no vegetation would grow for years after due to level of pollution in the soil. These farmers also had to seek different forms of employment, which deemed very difficult in this poor region. images.jpg Fishing in the area was a great source of income for the community as there was a great demand. However once the contaminated wastewater entered the river all fish stocks were killed by the toxins. Fears also remained within the community years after the incident of how clean the river really was and was it safe to consume fish from the river. Mining was another great source of income for Aznalcollar, as a poor region it depended greatly on its natural resources. However when the incident occurred at the Los Frailes Mine, the mine was closed down instantly due to further risk of contamination to the area. This impacted the area greatly as the mine employed 500 people and an estimated 1800 people indirectly. The employment of the area had a great dependency on the mine. Once the mine closed there were more that 2000 people in the area left unemployed. Also the material extracted from the mine when sold brought a source of income to the area, which was lost due to the closure of the mine. As visible from above the Donana National Park is Aznalcollar main source of tourism and bring in a great source income to the area. The park was not directly affected by the incident however it was under threat from the toxic flood water entering the site. The sand and dirt dikes which were constructed to control the flow of the contaminated water prevented the park from begin affected. However the surrounding areas were covered in a thick toxic sludge. This area was then covered with dead fish, frogs, crabs etc which had been killed by the contaminated water in the river and were then washed up in this area of sludge. Although the park was not directly affected, the birds in the park were attracted to these poisoned animals on the sludge. When the bird consumed these poisons creatures they were poisoned themselves. The number of birds in the park decreased dramatically. Also these birds spread disease from these dead creatures to other creatures inside the park, creating a continuo ue negative affect within the park. The national parks main water source was cut off as it was sourced from the contaminated river Guadiamar. This also created difficulty in the running to the park as a new water supply had to be sourced immediately. The park was closed for a short occasion; so that staff could help assist in the cleanup operation outside the park and so that a new water supply could be sourced. When the park did reopen there was a report in a drop of numbers of tourist visiting the park. The local association for tourism ACETA reported that in 1998 about 40 percent of reservations for tourist visits were cancelled, within the national park which calculated to a loss of approximately à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬480,000. This was possibly due to health fears in the areas. One of the most prominent human impacts from the disaster was its affect on human health. Short term health problems resulted in a small number of minor casualties recorded. However the long term health effects were most feared. The toxins found in the water consisted of heavy metals such as lead, zinc, arsenic, cyanide and other heavy metals from the mines reservoir. The fear was that these toxic metals could be consumed by humans through drinking water. Even after the area was cleaned, trace elements of these metals could still remain in water pipes etc. Also the soil which may also contain trace elements of these toxins could transfer the toxins from the soil into crops and contaminate the food chain. The fear behind long term human health effects is the high risks of cancer and neurological disease which can be caused by these toxins. The final human impact caused by the catastrophe at Aznalcollar was the large scale cost involved. It is estimated that over all cost for the Boliden company came to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 89 million, these were figures given out by the Boliden. This figure included the cost of cleaning up the northern sector of the Guadiamar à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬27 million, the acquisition of the harvest of 1998 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 11 million, the operations of decommissioning of the tailings lagoon à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 41 million and the loss due to the stop of the mining activity in 1998. The regional government of Andalusia provided à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 145 million for the disaster remediation. This budget was mainly used for cleaning up operations, the acquisition of the polluted land à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 48 million and restoration à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 90 million. The Ministry for Environment provided a budget of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 136.7 million. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 13 million was used in the removal of the tailings; à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 15 million was used for the treatment of toxic water accumulation in the marshlands. The Ministry for Environment has also approved to provide à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 93.7 million for a hydric regeneration plan for Donana National Park and the Guadiamar riverbed. The overall cost of the whole devastation amounted to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 377.7 million, which impacted humans as this was mainly funded by tax payers money. http://awsassets.wwf.es/downloads/mining_in_donana_english.pdf http://www.fhs.se/Documents/Externwebben/forskning/centrumbildningar/Crismart/Forskning/Fallbanken/BOLIDEN_.PDF http://countrystudies.us/spain/57.htm Aznalcollars spilling from IES Gustavo Adolfo Bà ©cquer Lessons Learned Although the disaster resulted in great negative affects for the region, positivity can be taken from the tragedy by learning from mistakes and putting systems in place to prevent a toxic spill of such size from occurring again. There were four main lessons learned: Need to know the possible environmental threats from mining lagoons in further detail and the post implementation to prevent these actions. Nessesity to strengthen the mine legistration due to the inappropriate environmental management of Aznalcollar mine before and after the incident. The good practices in cleaning up activities techniques of the sludge have reduced the pollution levels of the affected area. Oppurtunity to create new restoration projects and to implement the Ramsar Convention recommendations. Need to know the possible environmental threats from mining lagoons in further detail and the post implementation to prevent these actions. The good practices in cleaning up activities techniques of the sludge have reduced the pollution levels of the affected area. The cleanup activities of the emergency were rapid and efficient since the area was flooded by contaminated wastewater. On the 25th of April 1998 in Aznalcollar, Spain, the Los Frailes tailings dam, ruptured. It contained tailings from the mining of arsenic, silver, cadmium, copper, zinc and lead. The Los Frailes mine had a mining rate of approximately 4 million tones per year. The ruptured dam released about 5-7 million cubic meters of toxic tailings sludge and contaminated wastewater into Agrio River, which is a tributary to Guadiamar River. Cause of the Los Frailes tailings dam failure: The actual cause of the Los Frailes tailings dam failure is still to this day exactly 100% clear as the final report has yet to be published and released. The authorities blamed the Swedish-Canadian operator of the mine, Boliden Ltd, and Boliden Ltd claimed instantaneously after this terrible incident occurred that they were not at fault. Immediately after the accident happened it was suspected that a foundation failure occurred in the separation dam thats located between two parts of the impoundments, e.g.: the soil underneath the base of the Los Frailes dam lost its mechanical strength. The separation dam is positioned among the basins, which are filled with tailings from pyroclastic rock and pyritic rock and the foundation failure of this lead to the breaking of the main dam. The Swedish-Canadian operator of the mine, Boliden Ltd, has assured the authorities and the people of Aznalcollar that there was no possible way of foreseeing the foundation failure. There have been many different reports and opinions given as to why the dam failure occurred. The company Boliden Ltd stated at the start, that the cause of the dam rupturing was a landslide, which resulted in the movement of a part of the wall. However, the authorities stated that the damn was not of adequate construction and also that any signs of a probable break were ignored by the company in charge. Three independent investigations were carried out into the cause of the dam failure. One investigation was commissioned by Boliden Ltd and carried out by EPTISA, another was commissioned by the regional authorities and carried out by CEDEX and the 3rd investigation was commissioned by the judge who was in charge of leading the legal proceedings of the accident and was carried out by the University of Bar celona. From the findings of the three investigations it was agreed that the cause of the dam failure was from the formation of sliding surfaces in the marl beneath the foundation. The foundation failure occurred because of the chemical attack of the impounded acidic pyritic sludge on the marl. Marl contains calcium carbonate and clay. The attack of acid on the marl decomposed the calcium carbonate present, which resulted in the deterioration of the mechanical stability of the soil. Fig 1: The breaking of the dam: A large part of soil, which was located underneath the dam, moved towards Rà ­o Agrio (approx. 1 metre). The front part of the moving soil was approx. 20 metres wide and positioned where the junction of the two impoundments. This caused the dam to crack and break suddenly causing the wall to collapse move forward along the separation dam, between the two impoundments. Approximately 5 million cubic metres of toxic tailings sludge and contaminated wastewater seeped through the opening. The bed of Rà ­o Agrio increased by roughly 3 metres and changed its course. Fig 2: Detailed diagram showing before the displacement had occurred and after the displacement had occurred. The Los Frailes dam is approximately 25 meters in height and lies on 4 meters of alluvium, which is situated under 70 meters of blue marl. By the overstressing of the blue marl, it resulted in the dam, alluvium and the marl to slide. This sliding caused the pyrite tailings to liquefy, which then resulted in increasing the loading on the dam while the foundation resistance was decreased. These various processes were the result of the 60 meters of horizontal displacement of the Los Frailes dam. Various other factors were ruled out as being contributing factors to the failure of the dam, e.g.: blasting, earthquakes etc. Fig 3: Actual photograph of the Los Frailes tailings dam failure showing a total of approximately 60 meters of displacement. In the beginning of November 1998, Boliden sent a report to the judge who was in charge of the case. In the report it stated that a new displacement (3 millimetres) of the dam had taken place since the spill. The Government confronted the public, as there was an increased risk of a new spill. Mid-November 1998, the Environmental Protection Department warned that there was still a higher amount of tailings than what was lost when the dam ruptured in April, and if it rains and the dam fills with the rainwater then it would apply even more pressure to the walls of the dam. In February 1999, Boliden Ltd finally admitted for the first time that the tailings dam was not properly designed. They directed the blame entirely on the contractor (Dragados y Construcciones) and the two engineering firms used by them. Interventions: Emergency measures put in place in order to minimize the social, economic and environmental impact of the Aznalcollar spill. An emergency operation had to be put in place in order to minimize the damaged caused by the spill. The Spanish Authorities, the Regional Government of Andalusia and also Boliden Ltd (Apirsa) were involved in the clean up. On the 1st of May 1998, the different administrations created a Mixed Commission of Coordination. The 1st task that was carried out was the immediate removal of the tailings, which were found at the old part of the mine. Removing the tailings was spread out over two operations, in 1998 and 1999. Approximately 99% of the tailings were recovered as a result. According to the Regional Government of Andalusia, the collection of nearly all the tailings means that around 7000 million litres of soil and tailings have been recovered. In 1999, Boliden Ltd was granted the licensing of stabilization works for the dam as it was found that there was a significant movement after the initial spill (17 centimeters) and was a cause for major concern. Another campaign was then undertaken by the Mixed Commission of Coordination, which involved treating the soil. The soil was treated using a chemical procedure, which would result in immobilizing the various heavy metals that remained in the soil. The construction of the Entremuros dike caused the retention of 2 billion litres of acid water. In order to allow the Guadalquivir River Basin Authority to purify the dammed waters, a water treatment plant was constructed beside the Entremuros dike. After the purification process, it would then discharge the purified water to the estuary of Guadalquivir. Another drastic measure was put in place in order to control the environmental quality in the surface waters, the air, the subterranean waters, the estuary, and also a sanitary control program of the people living in the surrounding area who were affected by the Aznalcollar spill. The entire process was established in a series of published laws, decrees and also orders between May 5th 1998 and 1999. Also in May 1998, the Council of Ministers of the Regional Government of Andalusia had approved the various actions that were necessary for carrying out a project of regeneration and adaption for public use. This was called the Guadiamar Green Corridor. The Guadiamar Green Corridor project was developed in 1999. The reason it was developed was to restore the Guadiamar basin and its surrounding ecosystems. The plan of action of the project was described in the Guadiamar Green Corridor Strategy, which was supported by the International Seminary on Ecological Corridors in March 1999. The Guadiamar Green Corridor project is also reveled in the results of an investigation program, which is known as PICOVER. PICOVER was developed between the years of 1998 and 2002. The Regional Government of Andalusia published the conclusions found as a result of this program. The estimated total amount of the PICOVER was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 5.8 million. It was divided down into 2 different stages. The 1st stage was developed between 1998 and 2001. The effects of the Aznalcollar spill were studied (on organisms and ecosystems) and the necessary guidelines for the restoration were set out. The 2nd stage was developed between the years of 2002 and 2003. The ob jective of the 2nd stage was to control the factors that were most effected by the spill, which were soil and water. Attention was also given to the species that were considered to be the most important bio indicators e.g. plants, fish, etc. The Green Corridors objectives and the plan of action: To decontaminate the water, soil and also organisms of the riverbed. Also the decontamination of the flooded plains and the marsh that was damaged by the acid water and tailings. Water: The Green Corridor has a technical office, which had set up stations. These stations were put in place to control the surface water (17 stations). From all 17 stations, only one of them has had an increased value (El Guijo). A study that was carried out by the Guadalquivir River Basin Authority back in 2003 concluded that the El Guijo station, which was situated in the Guadiamar River, had continued to present an increased level of zinc, cadmium and copper metals. The El Guijo station, out of the 17 stations, is one of the closest to the Los Frailes mine. It is 2.5 km beneath water. All of the remaining 16 stations are within the legal limits and fit for human consumption. The Guadalquivir estuary was tested after the spill and it showed an increase in the level of contamination. This problem solved itself after a few short months as the contamination level returned to what it was before the spill occurred. Soil: Since the Aznalcollar spill, the process of decontaminating the soil had been successfully carried out for the most part. The monitoring of the soil to ensure the contamination level remains low has continually been followed up, especially focusing on the main affected area (the Aznalcollar mine and the bridge of Doblas). The reason this area was the main affected area was because of its closeness to the disastrous lagoon. This resulted in high levels of zinc, arsenic and lead contamination. Since 2002, the majority of soil areas that were affected were cleaned. The cleaning process eliminated central points of contamination but in some particular stains of the land, minuet residual contamination still remains. Fauna: One of the main populations affected were fish and amphibians. Since the Aznalcollar spill, the riverbed has been recolonized with fish and amphibians and they have survived without any problems. In 2004, it was detected that 6 different species of fish had laid eggs. It was the 1st year since the spill that different species of fish laying eggs was detected. Flora: The contamination of metals in plants has decreased with time. 2.5 million plants have been planted in order to restore the affected area. The majority were planted between the Entremuros marsh and the Los Frailes mine. The Entremuros area was restored by replanting in small plots. This method allowed the ecosystem to improve naturally. To restore the functioning of the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems which were damaged or ruined by the Aznalcollar spill. The large amount of area that was affected, from the mine to the entrance to the Entremuros swamp, has now been restored. The aim is to create a fluvial ecological corridor. The gravel extractions, or the agricultural occupation has caused the Guadiamar riverbed to suffer extreme transformations. When the riverbed was being restored it was thought that it was more critical to recover the processes for fluvial dynamics, which had been modified, rather than recreate the original morphology of the river. In 2004, it had been noted that the natural dynamic of the river, particularly the flood plains, had been recuperated. Also, non-indigenous vegetation had been removed as instructed. Since the spill, there used to be many gravel exploitations found on the bed of the river of the Guadiamar, between the upper and middle branches. These were reformed serving two purposes. One use is environmental recuperation and the other is for the use of the public. Entremuros marshes: The main reasoning behind the activities was to ensure the riverbed was recuperated by the removal of the impacts that hindered the natural functioning. The results have shown to be considerably good. The fauna and flora have quickly colonized the area. To promote a model for the management of the various uses of the region so that ecological heterogeneity could be promoted in order to reinstate the different species and natural processes among the mountain range and the coast. Positive results were found on the movement of land animals through the Corridor, in the middle course of the Guadiamar River. There are many communities that began to become established in the Corridor, such as the eagle, rabbit, and the lynx. As a result it has aided the purpose of the ecological corridor of the Guadiamar River. The Corridor has needed to be attached through the northern part as this restored the river basin of the Guadiamar River and the mining region in its upper course. The restoration continues to be followed up, even today, as it ensures its function as a fluvial ecological corridor and the future tendencies of the river. To improve and promote the quality of life of the many people living in the area through the strategies of development fitting with the conservation of the functions of their natural systems. Public use: The Green Corridor is now recognized as a tourist destination. It has tails that can be used for walking, biking and horse riding. A variety of infrastructures have been constructed including recreational areas, a botanical garden, visitor centers, etc. There has been sign posts put up of the area, and also the roads. There have also been guides produced on the infrastructures and programs in the Green Corridor (for public use). Other uses: In the Green Corridor there are many kind of acts prohibited which include hunting, fishing, and raising livestock. Also, on the grounds of the old mine an environmental services site has been constructed. Relations with the surrounding population: Many environmental educational activities were developed in order to educate the population, but mostly for schoolchildren. A lot of the people living in the surrounding area were not aware of the many activities in the Green Corridor and its ideas. To make it clear to the population, it was necessary to cover the wildlife values, historical, landscape etc of the Green Corridor. To contribute to the conversion of the Network of Protected Natural Areas of Andalusia as an arrangement of areas, which are connected by ecological corridors and which fluvial ones stand out the most. The Green Corridor had to be declared as a Protected landscape in order to comply with this objective. The Green Corridor does not reach up to the north of Aznalcollar therefore it is not connected as an ecological corridor with the coast and mountain range. To operate as a model of integrated planning of a Mediterranean basin with could be extrapolated to other regions. The WWF has recognized that the Guadiamar Green Corridor operates as a model of basin restoration. The office for the Mediterranean selected one of its projects to be a model of management and restoration of Mediterranean wetlands. The WWF gave the lessons learned of the Guadiamar to Romania to help them after the mine accident of Baia Mare.

Stem Cell Research and a Ban on Human Cloning :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Stem Cell Research and a Ban on Human Cloning    Some biotechnology companies claim that a ban on producing human embryos through cloning would stall important research in generating "stem cells" to cure a variety of diseases [Cong. Record, 2/5/98, S425]. To put this claim in perspective:    1. Cloning is desired as a source of "customized stem cell lines" which would be an exact genetic match to each individual patient with a given disease. But this would require each individual patient to undergo somatic cell nuclear transfer to produce one or many living human embryos who genetically are the patient's identical twin sisters or brothers. These embryos would then be destroyed to provide embryonic stem cells.    Two methods of obtaining the cells have been described. In one, the embryo is allowed to develop normally for a week or two to the blastocyst stage, at or after the usual time of implantation in the mother's womb; then this embryo, consisting of hundreds of cells, is dissected for its stem cells. The other method is to introduce molecular signals into the embryo's environment to "trick" its cells into departing from normal development and instead producing "a mass of undifferentiated tissue," which can then be reprogrammed into various kinds of cells [Lee Silver, Remaking Eden: Cloning and Beyond in a Brave New World (Avon Books 1997), p. 128]. In either case, the living embryo is destroyed.    2. This avenue for providing medical benefits has been described even by supporters as "largely conjectural" (J. Kassirer and N. Rosenthal, in New England Journal of Medicine, March 26, 1998, p. 905). President Clinton's National Bioethics Advisory Commission called it "a rather expensive and far-fetched scenario." The Commission observed: "Because of ethical and moral concerns raised by the use of embryos for research purposes it would be far more desirable to explore the direct use of human cells of adult origin to produce specialized cells or tissues for transplantation into patients." The Commission outlined three alternative avenues for promising research using stem cells that do not involve human cloning, two of which do not use human embryos at all (Cloning Human Beings: Report and Recommendations of the National Bioethics Advisory Commission, June 1997, pp. 30-31).    The Commission's Alternatives    The alternatives outlined by President Clinton's Commission are as follows:    1. Generating "a few, widely used and well characterized human embryonic stem cell lines, genetically altered to prevent graft rejection in all possible recipients.

spanking children :: essays research papers

Reaction Paper: Spanking   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I was a child, I could not remember a time when my parents spanked me. I asked my mom how she and my dad disciplined my three brothers and I, and she said she never spanked us. When we got into trouble we were sent to our room, and had privileges taken away. My mom also said that she can remember spanking my younger brother once, but left a bruise on his bottom, and she felt so bad that she never did it again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I personally do not advocate spanking. I could not imagine losing my temper to a point where I thought I needed to spank my child. While I do anticipate that having children will be a real test of patience, I do not expect that I will lose my patience so much that I will spank my children. I find spanking to be a real contradiction to what most parents tell their children. Most parents do not allow their children to hit, whether they are angry or not. Even when kids think another kid did something wrong, or bad, they are still not allowed to hit. If a parent tells a kid this, and then turns around and spanks the kid when they do something wrong, how will the kid ever learn that hitting is wrong? In my opinion, there has to be a better way to discipline children. I think that sending a child to a room where they cannot interact with anyone else, and then taking away a privilege would be a better way of handling discipline. Also, when I was a child, I can remember t hat when I was angry, my dad would come in to my room after I had time to cool down and talk to me about why I was angry. I can remember these as really fond times with my dad. It helped me identify why I was so angry, and most of the time it was at my mom for not letting me have my way. When I could identify why I was angry, my dad and I could come up with a solution to solve the problem. I think that rather than spanking, this is a good way to discipline children.

Psychological Conflicts In Literature(1) :: essays research papers

We all experience psychological conflicts, knowingly or unknowingly. They involve psychological conflicts among our thoughts, emotions, and rational thinking. It may be the most dangerous conflict of all due to the battleground in which it take place in -- our mind. There are many examples of psychological conflicts in the stories we have read. In "Leiningen Versus the Ants" by Carl Stephenson, Leiningen battled not only on his South American plantation, but in his mind. He struggled with the issue of running away and letting the ants take over his plantation. He wasn't a quitter and enjoys the mental aspects of things. But when the ants and the reality of death came, he had to resolve the conflict whether to stay or flee. This was especially true when he ran to the dam wheel. He could of fled then or died, but he chose to try to save the plantation and workers. He was faced with the conflict living or, perhaps the greatest psychological conflict, which he resolved when he chose to run to the wheel. In "The Contents of the Dead Man's Pockets" by Jack Finney, Tom also faced a psychological conflict. The story was mainly focused on his physical conflict, but near the end he experienced psychological conflict. As with Leiningen, Tom faced the choice to die or to live, and he realized with that conflict how much his wife meant to him. He overcame the conflict when, as we read, the yellow paper flew out the window again, but he left to be with his wife. In "Blues Ain't No Mockin'bird" by Toni Cade Bambara, Granny experienced a psychological conflict with her past treatment and her current conflict with Smiley and Camera. She struggled to break and maybe actually kill them or fall into depression, but she was successful in winning the conflict.

A Home Depot Analysis

Final Exam Questions 1a. The way that Nardelli laid out his plan for change was one of the reasons I think it was so successful. He came in and addressed the problems that were easy to point out and also the ones that weren’t apparent to other employees. Nardelli needed to rebuild an organization that could easily compete with other big names, and this was relatively easy because the people at Home Depot knew the importance of taking advantage of its growing size. Nardelli did this by implementing a three strategy plan that involved enhancing the core, extending the business, and expanding the market.Nardelli’s first step in the process was enhancing the core. This involved improving the profitability of current and future stores, as well as in existing markets. From the article Heart of Change, I think that Kotter’s first step, increase urgency, relates the most to Nardelli’s first step. Kotter describes his first step like this; â€Å"A sense of urgency , sometimes developed by very creative means, gets people off the couch, out of the bunker, and ready to move† (Cohen and Kotter 690) essay writer life hacks. I think that this is what Nardelli was trying to make happen in his first step for change.He needed the people of the company to see what the issues were, and make a point to say that if we stay where are now, we will fall behind in a few years. This sense of urgency and improvement was the right step to getting Home Depot employees to care and start to make the best change for the company. The first step leads right into Nardelli’s second step which was, extend the business. Nardelli’s purpose with this step was to get employees to come up with ways to better serve the customers. This was to not only enhance customer service, but to become a standout figure among competitors.This was probably one of the most important steps and I think that Nardelli implemented it very well. I related this step to Kotterâ €™s fifth step of empowering action. I chose this because Kotter outlines this step as â€Å"Key obstacles that stop people from acting on the vision are removed† (Cohen and Kotter 697). The obstacle that Nardelli needed to remove was the similarities between his company and competitors. He did this by offering related home improvement services such as tool rental and home installation of products. This set them apart and allowed them to overcome that â€Å"obstacle† and continue to move forward.I think that this was the most important step because it represents the major ‘bump in the road’ that Home Depot needed to overcome in order to continue to keep growing. The final step in Nardelli’s plan was expanding the market. This was one of the easiest steps to correlate to Kotter because I think that it made the most sense, without specifically saying that same thing. Kotter’s seventh step of don’t let up is described as this; â€Å" a change effort will have direction and momentum†¦ build on this momentum and make a vision a reality†. (Cohen and Kotter 700).The whole point of Nardelli’s third step is to take what they have learned and implemented in the company thus far and expand geographically, even serve new kinds of customers. This was his way of carrying the momentum of success out as far as it could go, and making sure that Home Depot didn’t let their success slip through their fingers. This a very good move on Nardelli’s part, and attracting new customers such as commercial contractors and even women, made a huge impact on the overall morale, and success of the store. The only thing that I would have suggested Kotter adds to his plan, was the implementation of metrics.The Home Depot article talks about how in the beginning there was some harsh resistance to the change, â€Å"Resistance to the changes was fierce, particularly from managers: Much of the top executive team l eft during Nardelli’s first year† (Charan 64). Nardelli did use metrics, and they did make a difference. However, I think that if he had made them a part of his plan and used them earlier in the process they would have made an impression on the executives that did end up leaving. If Nardelli had used metrics I think that they would have correlated with Kotter’s fourth step, communicate for buy-in.This is described as â€Å"simple heartfelt messages sent through many unclogged channels† (Cohen and Kotter 697). Those metrics were the heartfelt messages that needed to be expressed to get people motivated even sooner. With my suggestion Nardelli’s plan should have looked like the following: Enhance the Core, Express Metrics, Extend the Business and Expand the market. Overall, I think that Nardelli did an excellent job, and that taking my advice, would have only yielded better results. 1b. When Nardelli first arrived at Home Depot, the culture was one th at was very close-knit and family oriented.I chose this term to describe the culture because the former CEO and chairman were often thought of as father figures by other employees; â€Å"Many employees simply couldn’t picture this company without these father figures† (Charan 63). When reading the article about Home Depot, there was one specific sentence that stood out to me because it described the pre-Nardelli culture very well, â€Å"It was marked by and entrepreneurial high-spiritedness, a willingness to take risks; a passionate commitment to customers, colleagues, the company, and to the community; and an aversion to anything that felt bureaucratic or hierarchical† (Charan 62-63).Looking specifically at this description of the culture, I can find characteristics that relate directly to low-context cultures, as well as to O’Reily, Chatman and Caldwell’s Cultural Characteristics. I came to the conclusion that the culture at Home Depot was a low- context culture specifically because high-context cultures are based largely on hierarchy. According to our class notes on culture low-context cultures are described as â€Å"cultures that focus on that which is explicit. People are specific and clear in their communication† (Culture Notes 1).This description fits the culture of Home Depot, not only because it strays away from hierarchy, but also because it was very much based on entrepreneurship; which requires specific and clear communication. I believe that the entrepreneurial high-spiritedness that is described above contributes to the feeling of a family oriented and close knit company. Relating the culture to the cultural characteristics of O’Reily, Chatman and Caldwell was relatively easy as well. Specifically there were three characteristics that stood out to me: innovation and risk taking, attention to detail, and people orientation.I chose these because of the way the culture is described. Innovation and risk taking is described as the degree to which employees are encouraged to be innovative and take risks. Not only was it said outright that this was a characteristic of the company, but I feel as though the close-knit environment promoted this kind of thinking; making everyone feel comfortable and open to sharing their ideas. Attention to detail was not as direct as the previous example, but I related this to the description of entrepreneurial high-spiritedness.Attention to detail is described as the degree to which employees are expected to exhibit precision, analysis and attention to detail. This definition drew me to lean towards entrepreneurship because I thought that all of the qualities listed are qualities that would be necessary to be a successful entrepreneur. Again, these are all characteristics that thrive in a close-knit family style culture. Finally, I chose people orientation. This is described as the degree to which management decisions take into consideration the effect of outcomes on people within the organization.This definition not only relates to the passionate commitment to customers, colleagues, the company, and to the community part of the description, but it also relates to the definition of low context culture. I know that specifically people orientation talks about people within the company, but I think that part of the reason Home Depot was so successful was that it reached outside of the company to impact people’s lives. Lastly, a major part of the low-context culture definition is that people are specific and clear in their communication, and I believe that people orientation would not be successful if this were not a major factor.The pre-Nardelli culture was very easy to define, and point out specific aspects that made it easy to describe and compare. When talking about the post-Nardelli culture, the only thing that really stood out to me was a difference in the feel of the culture. By this I mean specifically it went from a c lose-knit, family style culture, to a big corporation style that is highly focused on building the organization to take advantage of its outrageous growth. Instead of focusing specifically on the people in and outside of the community, this post culture was a focus on merchandising and collaboration between regional and store operators.Everything was on a larger scale, and even little thinks such as shelf organization and signage were standardized and enhanced, so they were able to stay on the playing field with competitors such as Wal-Mart. While I think that this doesn’t change the fact that it is a low-context culture, because there is still a focus on people and communication and an avoidance of hierarchy, I do think that it changes some of the relatable characteristics of O’Reily, Chatman, and Caldwell’s cultural characteristics.I do not think that they lost innovation and risk taking, attention to detail and people orientation, but simply that the focus wa s significantly diminished. Instead a focus on team orientation and aggressiveness was emphasized. Team orientation is defined in our notes as the degree to which work activities are organized around teams rather than individuals. While the pre culture wasn’t so individually focused that it was everyman for himself, it’s that the post culture needed teams to make sure that all of the new projects like, merchandizing and reevaluation of the store environment, were successful.Finally for the post culture, there was a definite lean toward aggressiveness, which is defined in our notes as the degree to which people are aggressive and competitive rather than easygoing. I do not think that in the pre culture that they were quite on the level of stability from our culture notes, but that Nardelli promoted an environment that allowed people to be assertive and aggressive towards achieving more growth. For the most part I thought that pre- and post-Nardelli cultures were very si milar, minus the shift in focus from family business, to large corporation.

Environmental Law in New Zealand

Environmental Law in New Zealand Introduction New Zealand is in an enviable position as it has been able to learn from the mistakes of other nations, however this does not mean disasterous environmental issues cannot arise here. Fortunately New Zealand has well established environmental laws with several legislative statutes and governmental authorities. Following international trends and heightened awareness of environmental issues throughout the years the legislation has become increasingly integrated.Arising from international research and public concern new statutes have also been created the most significant of which is the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). Contributing Factors and Benefits Before the RMA, New Zealand environmental law and its administration was similar to that of many other countries, consisting of an assortment of uncoordinated and overlapping statutes, regulations and practices. The Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941 was the first of such legisla tive statutes centred on use of the land and resources.Social change in the 1960's spurred awareness of environmental issues in New Zealand with events such as the Save Manapouri Campaign (1959-1972) opposing the development of the hydro-electric scheme planned for Lake Manapouri. During this period several statutes were created, the Nature Conservation Council Act 1962 and the Environment Council in 1970 acknowledging that economic interests can often override environmental concerns.The Save Manapori Campaign culminated in 1972 with a change of government, the newly elected Labour Government set about fulfilling it's election promise of environmental reform creating the Commision for the Environment. The agency later became the Office of the Parliamentary Commisioner for the Environment after the creation of the Environment Act 1986 establishing the Ministry for the Environment. The Department of Conservation, the Ministry of Conservation and Fish and Game were formed shortly after with the implementation of the Conservation Act 1987.In January 1988, Deputy Prime Minister Geoffrey announced a comprehensive review of the many environment and resource acts in place, as well as the procedures for assessing environmental effects. This Resource Mangagement Law Review (RMLR) was established to address concerns by environmentalists and Maori who both believed the public lacked access to information and the government had too much power.Along with inadequate protection of resources and little attention to Maori and environmental values in economic decisions. The review was managed by the Ministry for the Environment encompassing Maori ideas of stewardship and sustainability it focused on existing New Zealand resource law and public reaction to deficiencies within those laws. The RMLR was drafted and the subsequent Resource Management Bill was put before parliament but not passed into law before the 1990 general election.The victorious National Party decided to contin ue the process of resource management reform. Minister for the Environment Simon Upton reviewed the bill and to the surprise of many made it greener, changing the bill from its original objective of balancing economics and environment to constraining economical objectives to suit the environment, embracing the approach of sustainable management.Upton addressed parliament on his re-written RMA stating that its purpose was not one of contolling and planning economic activity but one of sustaining, rectifying and mitigating the effects on the use of natural resources. The bill was passed in 1991 and has become the preeminant legislation concerning the management of the environment in New Zealand replacing 69 Acts and 19 regulations, it describes sustainable management as: (1) The purpose of this Act is to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources. 2) In this Act, sustainable management means managing the use, development, and protection of natural and physica l resources in a way, or at a rate, which enables people and communities to provide for their social, economic, and cultural well-being and for their health and safety while— (a) sustaining the potential of natural and physical resources (excluding minerals) to meet the reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations; and (b) safeguarding the life-supporting capacity of air, water, soil, and ecosystems; and (c) avoiding, remedying, or mitigating any adverse effects of activities on the environment. Ministry for the Environment, 2011). 2011 has also seen a further addition to the RMA and environmental law in New Zealand with the implementation of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The EPA will perform tasks once performed by the Ministry for the Environment, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Environmental Risk Management Authority. International Influences The 1970's was a time of increased international conce rn for the environment, this spawned the first United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972.Representatives from 113 countries met for the first time to discuss the state of the global environment. The conference culminated with the signing of a declaration containing 26 principles concerning the environment and development, an action plan with 109 recommendations, and a resolution (Baylis ; Smith, 2005). This action is widely seen as the beginning of modern political and public awareness of global environmental issues, paving the way for further international collaborations such as the Kyoto Protocol of which New Zealand is a signatory and the World Commission on Environment and Development .The Brundtland Commision previously known as the World Commission on Environment and Development is perhaps the biggest international influence on the creation of the RMA, convened by the United Nations in 1983 the commision focused on the degredation of the environment and natura l resources and the resulting consequences. In 1987 the commision released a report on the matter, titled Our Common Future the report centres on the concept of sustainable development and the political changes required to achieve it.New Zealand's response to the report was that of agreeance, a report consisting of a step-by-step response to 12 areas of concern highlighted by the Commission was submitted to the United Nations General Assembly (McChesney, 1991). The Newly formed Ministry for the Environment was tasked with following up the Brundtland Report which it did by means of RMLR resulting in the RMA in 1991. Role of the RMA in New Zealand The RMA is built on the idea of sustainable resource management, it encourages communities and individuals to become involved in planning for the future environment.The RMA provides the guidelines for how the environment should be managed especially how the environmental effects of our activities should be managed. In accordance with the RMA , regional and district councils are to monitor activities, and respond to complaints about those activities that the public believe are negatively affecting the environment. It is important to realise that the RMA is largely effects based, if the applicant can prove that the effects of the development on the environment are unproblematic, then they may be allowed to continue.The RMA however has not absolved the Conservation Act 1987 and the Environment Act 1986, the authorities created by these Acts such as Fish and Game and the Department of Conservation also play an active part in supporting or appealing resource consents. Any proposed plans to use or develop natural resources that are not permitted by the rules of the RMA require the authorisation of a resource consent from the local council.Five different consents types exist, defined by the RMA as: (a) a consent to do something that otherwise would contravene section 9 or section 13 (in this Act called a land use consent): (b) a consent to do something that otherwise would contravene section 11 (in this Act called a subdivision consent): (c) a consent to do something in a coastal marine area that otherwise would contravene any of sections 12, 14, 15, 15A, and 15B (in this Act called a coastal permit): (d) a consent to do something (other than in a coastal marine area) that otherwise would contravene section 14 (in this Act called a water permit): (e) a consent to do something (other than in a coastal marine area) that otherwise would contravene section 15 (in this Act called a discharge permit). (Ministry for the Environment, 2011). An application must be submitted to the local council containing a description of the planned activity along with an assessment of the effects on the environment. If the activity is not prohibited by the local and regional plan the resource consent will be processed and the application may be publicly notified (not all are publicly notified) whereby anyone can make a submissi on on the application.Organisations such as the Department of Conservation, Fish and Game and Forest and Bird have become key proponents of the submission process, opposing consents that harm flora and fauna. After receipt of all information required from the applicant and subsequent public submissions and public hearings the decision is made. Anyone who has made a submission and is dissatisfied with the outcome can appeal to the Environment Court. The resource consent process (Ministry for the Environment, 2009) The Environment Court previously know as the Planning Tribunal came to fruition in 1996 after ammendments to the RMA (Environment Court, 2007), among other things the court arbitrates RMA appeals.The court hears appeals on resource consent decisions, however it does not review the decision made by local authorities instead it hears any evidence it requires and makes its own decision overriding or upholding the original decision. The court does not belong to the regular New Zealand judicial hierarchy (District, Supreme, High Court) although it carries the powers of a District Court allowing it to enforce the RMA and conduct criminal or civil proceedings. Conclusion Environmental Law in New Zealand has been significantly overhauled throughout the years from barely existent to now having three key pieces of legislation enabling conservation and sustainable management.The RMA is a hugely important perhaps revolutionary piece of legislation, largely focused on the issue of sustainable management, a relatively new concept at the time. Unlike previous legislative statutes the RMA ambitiously incorporates management of the land, air, sea and fresh water into a single piece of legislation. It has effectively decentralised the governments power on the use of natural resources. Local and district authorities now make the decisions themselves following the principle that the decisions should be made closest to the resources affected.References Baylis, J. , & Smit h, S. (2005). The Globalization of World Politics (3rd ed). Oxford University Press, p. 454-455. Environment Court of New Zealand (2007). Environment Court. Retrieved from http://www. justice. govt. nz/courts/environment-court McChesney , I (1991). The Brundtland Report and sustainable development in New Zealand . Centre for Resource Management Lincoln University and University of Canterbury , p. 22. Ministry for the Environment (2009). An Everyday Guide to the Resource Management Act Series 2. 1: Applying for a Resource Consent. Retrieved from http://www. mfe. govt. nz/publications/rma/everyday/consent-apply/ Ministry for the Environment (2011). New Zealand Legislation: Acts. Retrieved from http://www. legislation. govt. nz/act/public/1991/0069/latest/DLM230265. html