Art as a Form of Creative Expression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art as a Form of Creative Expression - Essay Example The most interesting thing about art is that it is culture-specific and it tells its own story from a certain cultural perspective. People belonging to different cultures use art to express themselves and it shapes their behavior. For instance, sculpture or paintings can be used to express the way of life of a group of people who share the same culture and values. In most cases, people who belong to a particular culture identify with a particular type of art. The same applies to music and dance. The type of music played by people belonging to different cultural groups varies from place to place since they have different cultures. In order to understand the culture of other people, this can be simply done through the consumption of their art products. The other important aspect about art is that it is a unique creation of something that depicts the lives of the people involved. Music, for example, is used to communicate different aspects of the life of a certain group of people. The m usic genre of people belonging to a certain group is shared by all members and it usually communicates important messages about the way of life of these people. Art can also be regarded as a form of entertainment in different sectors of society. Through music and dance, people are entertained while at the same time learning something very important about the way of life of a certain group of people.  Just like any other academic subject, it can be seen that art is learned and the courses offered to differ depending on the type of art being taught at a specific institution. Art lessons can be offered through different stages and individuals can choose the area of specialization from a lower level. There are also colleges and universities that offer various professional qualifications in art studies. Art is widely recognized as a professional qualification in different sectors of society. It is a source of livelihood for many artists who engage in creating different artifacts. As su ch, there are various measures that are put in place in different countries to protect the work of the artists so that they can enjoy the benefits of their creativity. Copyright laws are enforced in different countries so as to protect the products of the artists. This is also meant to ensure that the artists continue to be creative if they are assured of getting rewards from their hard work. Ownership of artifacts is very important since this helps to prevent unscrupulous people from enjoying the benefits of other people’s work. This also helps to develop the art industry which is seen as a source of employment in different societies. The welfare of many individuals is improved through the creation of different artifacts that in turn are used as a form of expression by different groups of people. Basically, it can be concluded that the understanding of art is very important since it has a bearing on the lives of people in different societies. Art is culture-specific and it h elps to distinguish one group of people from the other. Art is also used as a unique way of creating a cultural identity among different people.

Use of hydrocarbons as fuels Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Use of hydrocarbons as fuels - Essay Example The early man’s industries included mining and smelting of ores, and a later transition from Stone Age to Metal Age. This resulted to not only wastage, but also potential spread of carbon monoxide, toxic elements of mercury, and lead among others. However, with Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century, the introduction of the steam engine saw the industrial growth due to possible transportation of industrial goods hence more pollution due to higher industrial demands (Khopkar 2004 p.16). These industries pollute the environment through sulfur dioxide, dioxin, and other toxic substances. The pollutants are in form of liquid, gas, and other solid forms that seriously damage the bio system. Air pollution is inevitable within the industrial process although industrial ecology aims at harmonizing the industrial sector and the biosphere as a solution to this growing problem. The chemistry involved in this industrial process includes production of emissions like SO2, Nitrogen Oxides, and particulate emissions. Sulfur dioxide a content of fuel gases is one-quarter depending on the fuel. A coal-fired power plant produces 2.5million of fuel gas per hour if its output is 700MW, and emits 2.5 tons of sulfur per hour. However, the sulfur emissions are lower in industrial sources compared to power plants and occur where heating reactors use sulfur fuels. Oxidation of dust and soot particles with heavy metals due to presence of water droplets can result to acid smog that has deleterious effects on respiratory system. During combustion of nitric acids, the combustion process forms nitrogen oxides that are common air pollutants. Once Nitrogen oxide and the molecular oxygen or other radicals oxidate they form nitrogen dioxide. A good example is the use of sulfuric acid that contains nitrous elements during super phosphate production, because the process emits over 50% of nitrogen oxide gases. The

Money in Marriage Essay Example for Free

Money in Marriage Essay Money is a vital component for a sustainable and harmony life. Knowing the main function of money in marriage is important for a successful marriage. According to (Loh,2012) a research by Smart Money magazine, cited by shows that 70% of spouses surveyed discuss about money no less than one weekly while 36% of men and 40% of women confess that they lied to their couple about their spending. Many couples do not aware about the importance of money. The ability to pay household and utility bills, the tendency to ensure the children get their rights as well as the chance to have a comfortable and sustainable living are therefore, the importance of money in marriage. One of the reasons why money is important in marriage is to pay household and utility bills. Just like how organizations have their organization’s financial details each year to trace how they spend their money to pay for things married couples also need to record their expenditure and examined them monthly. (Eugene, 2009). A couples need to distribute their money to pay the energy, electrical and telecommunication bills. Electricity is necessary to run all home utilities such as refrigerator, television, radio, including hot water heaters and water pump that allow toilet to work. Besides electrical bills a telecommunication bills also need to be managed well so that we can ensure smooth communication between a family members. The example of communication utilities is such as encompass telephone, satellite television service and Internet service. For instance communication utilities such as internet can be used by the family members especially children who are still study to find information, communicate with their friend, and sharing their opinion. A married couple also need to allocate their money for the household food budget. The monthly budget for the food and groceries of the house should be managed accurately. â€Å"It is significant to give them with a healthy-balanced diet and encourage them to work out frequently† (Vijaindren, 2012). Parents should aware that your child needs a variety of food to fuel his growth, strengthen his immune system and support his brain and nervous system. So it can be conclude that money is important in marriage to have a healthy lifestyle because an apple a day can keep a doctor away. Another importance of money in marriage is to ensure children get their rights. A beneficial education is a necessary for children (Rosmah, 2010). Every child should have an adequate education to secure their future. Money can be used to pay necessary fees regarding the education or study. For example, money can be used to pay an education fees for children who studying at primary, secondary or even children at the college. As an example, money is useful for buying a basic need for children education such as school uniform, stationeries, and of course a books. Every child deserved an additional education such as home tutor or tuition. With money, tuition fees and additional books can be paid consistently. According to Rosmah (2010, as cited in Lim (2010) a marriage that has consistency in money should give their children a well-nourished life. Every parent can make their children more valuable and comfortable with money. For example provide a comfortable shelter such as personal room for their uses. Furthermore with money parents will have the tendency to ensure that children get their rights. As an example, children nowadays will request for an up-to-date gadgets, such as smart phone, tablet, or even an android phone. This can be fulfilled with money. Thus, money is important not only for an adult, but can be very useful for a sustainable in children’s life. One of the other reasons why money is important in marriage is to have comfortable and sustainable life. Najib(2012, as cited in Shuman, 2012) â€Å"My feverent wish is to ensure that each and every one of our young productive adults and, indeed the future generation of Malaysian will have enough savings and financial assets to enjoy their retirement to the fullest†. This pension scheme is one of the ways to have a sustainable life. Many of young married couple do not aware about the importance of this pension scheme it is to persuade and influence people to set aside money for the upcoming and urgent situation. For instance one of the family members having any major health problem such as cancer or heart problem that need to spend a lot of money to heal at least this scheme can support it. Another importance of money is to keep away the future cohort to cope with difficulty and struggle to have a sustainable and comfortable life. Life insurance gives a person chance to propose a consistent financial for his or her family in the event of disaster or poor health problem happen to the family members (Morris, 2010). With the power of money a couple can buy a life insurance for their house, vehicle and family member. For example when a giant Tsunami hits Japan on 2012 many facilities and infrastructure has been demolished, at the same time many victim had lost their family members. So the reason why you need to take out an insurance policy is to look after who’s left behind you especially the ones that you loved. In a nutshell, the importance of money in marriage include chance to have a comfortable and sustainable life, the tendency to ensure the children get their rights as well as the ability to pay household and utility bills. Money is vital asset that are useful for a long time, and can secure the future. Thus, money must be managed well to ensure that the flow of money will run smoothly and can lead to a sustainable life and harmony marriage. Everyone must have their own budget so we can prepare for the unpredictable thing that may occur. Tracking your money expenses, create a monthly budget, prepare for unexpected emergencies, and plan for big expenses are few steps that can be made to managed money well. This can educate a person to become a discipline and independent in his life.

Socio Cultural Environment Line With Its Sustainability Drive Marketing Essay

Socio Cultural Environment Line With Its Sustainability Drive Marketing Essay Abstract This is a case study on Unilever business strategy. It would seek to analyze the strategic position of the group with the help of SWOT, PEST and BCG Matrix models. The paper would critically assess the competitive situation of the company in relation to other major product based companies in the market and companys financial performance and key issues. In the end it would submit few recommendations. The case study is my first effort towards analyzing the business strategy of Unilever and its success in the market. Since Unilever is so famous and its products so widely used all over the world, it is of great interest for me to carry out a case study on its business strategy. The paper would greatly help me and the readers to understand some key issues concerning Unilever in todays business world. Introduction 2.1. About Unilever Unilever is a multi-national corporation, formed of Anglo-Dutch parentage that owns many of the worlds consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products. Unilever employs nearly 180,000 people and had worldwide revenue of almost à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬40 billion in 2005. Unilever is a dual-listed company consisting of Unilever NV in Rotterdam, Netherlands and Unilever PLC in London, England. This arrangement is similar to that of Reed Elsevier and that of Royal Dutch Shell prior to their unified structure. Both Unilever companies have the same directors and effectively operate as a single business. The current non-executive Chairman of Unilever N.V. and PLC is Michael Treschow while P Mr Paul Polman is the Group Chief Executive. The company is widely listed on the worlds stock exchanges (About Unilever: 2008). 2.2. History Unilever was founded in 1930 through merger by the British, Lever Brother; and the Dutch, Margarine Unie; now Unilever PLC in London, U.K and Unilever N.V in Rotterdam, Netherlands respectively. In 1872 before the merger, Jurgens and Van den Bergh, the Dutch, built factory in Netherlands for the production of Margarine made from milk and fact. In 1927, they formed Margarine Unie (margarine Union) together with two European Businesses, Centre and Schicht. Lever Co on the other hand was founded in 1884 by British William Hesketh Lever and his brother, James, and was producing soap Sunlight soap for people in England especially for women. William Lever wrote: to make cleanliness commonplace; to lessen work for women; to foster health and contribute to personal attractiveness, that life may be more enjoyable and rewarding for the people who use our products. In 1890, Lever Co become limited company known as Lever Brothers (Uhomhoabhi, Fredrick Albert: 2008) Unilever, Unilever N.V and Unilever PLC comprise Unilever group. Both companies have the same directors. Its annual turnover in 2005 was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬39.672 billion and employs206, 000 employees around the world.1 Unilever brands consist of Food, Beverage, and Home and Personal Care. Some of these products are Knorr, Breyers and Magnum, Lipton, Omo (detergent) etc. Knorr has the biggest sales of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2.3 billon in 2005.In May 2007 it became the first tea company to commit to sourcing all its tea in a sustainable manner, asking the Rainforest Alliance, an international environmental NGO, to start certifying its tea estates in East Africa. It declared its aim to have all Lipton Yellow Label and PG Tips tea bags sold in Western Europe certified by 2010, followed by all Lipton tea bags globally by 2015. Covalence, an ethical reputation ranking agency, placed Unilever at the top of its ranking based on positive versus negative news coverage for 2007. In 2008 Unilever was honor ed at the 59th Annual Technology Engineering Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for Creation and Distribution of Interactive Commercial Advertising Delivered through Digital Set Top Boxes for its program Axe. Strategic position of the company The strategic position of the company shall be analyzed through following techniques: 3.1. S.W.O.T Analysis The overall evaluation of a companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is called SWOT analysis. In general, a business unit has to monitor key macro environment forces (demographic-economic, technological, political-legal, and social-cultural) and significant microenvironment actors (customers, competitors, distributors, suppliers) that affect its ability to earn profits. The business unit should set up a marketing intelligence system to track tends and important developments. For each trend or development, management needs to identify the associated opportunities and threats. Strengths Recognized as a global company. Strong brand portfolio. Strong relationship with retailers Economies of scale. Corporate social behavior Variety of products Weaknesses Dual leadership Limited costumer connection Inefficient management of brands Inability to maximize acquisitions Lack of control in the market Reduced spending on RD Opportunities Changing consumer preferences Increasing need for healthy products Low income consumers Rapid increase in population Threats Decrease in revenue Strong competition(PG) Tougher business climate Exchange rates Economic crisis Increase in production and labor cost 3.2. BCG Matrix Stars(High market growth share) Lux Sunsilk Walls ice cream Fair lovely Rafhan Energile AXE Vasline PG tips Dogs(Low market growth share) Wheel detergent Supreme tea Lifebuoy shampoo Cash cows(Low growth High share) Surf excel Ponds Lipton Close up Blue band Dove soap Rexona Knorr Question marks(High growth low share) Clear shampoo Rin Comfort Ben Jerrys Persil 3.3. PESTEL Analysis 3.3.1. Political/Legal environment Unilever, as a matter of policy, set a standard as to the way of tackling political issues. Unilever has its tactical way of handling political issues. First, in the 1960s, many countries began to nationalize foreign firms which also affected Unilever. This was a call for local equity participation in foreign firms. Thus, so many companies were subject to local control on prices, imports, employment of expatriates and so on. As a result of the adverse effect of nationalization policy, in the 1970, many US companies e.g. IBM and coca cola left India. There was fear by foreign companies uncertain issues such as knowledge leakage, loss of trademark etc. this was also hazardous for Unilever as its control over operation in the market was reduced. For example UAC, a subsidiary of Unilever, whose operation was in many African countries (Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, etc.), was focused on as its profit margin and rate of easy remittance of profit to its Anglo-Dutch parent was enorm ous. Nationalizing UA Chambered Unilevers control over the market where UAC operates. However, Unilever uses its experience and goodwill to make contacts in many countries to bargain with government so as to modify their regulations. In central and south America, Unilever only engaged in lobbying rather than active politicking. In other words, Unilever never get involved in sponsoring political parties. Today, Unilever has gained political ground using its tactical strategy and experience. Unilever is a member of many organizations all over the world. The aim is to create favorable business environment, and also facilitate corporate reputation management. 3.3.2. Economic environment Unilever market environment is becoming highly competitive especially in the Western Europe. Procter Gamble (PG) is one of the major competitors in the European market. More so, there are so many discounters in the European market resulting from EU free trade policy. This has had adverse effect on Unilevers profit potentials. Retailers are pressurizing FMCG producers to reduce prices of their products. Consumers on the other hand would not want to buy expensive product or brands due to current economic tide. Competition in EU has grown so strong that Unilever is facing difficulties in places like France, Netherlands. In the developing countries and the emerging economies (Asia and Africa), where there are political instability, Unilever has adopted its company strategy to ensure that its profitability drive is sustained. Some Products are packaged in small size for low or regular income earner, for affordability. In some developing countries, Nigeria to be precise, there was uncertainty about duties to be paid by companies due to inflation and fluctuation of currency. The effect on Unilever was a decrease in profit in 2005 compared to 2004, though there was increase in turnover. 3.3.3. Socio-cultural environment Unilever has continued to maintain momentum in its socio-cultural environment in line with its sustainability drive. The company is working relentlessly to bring improve hygiene and better nutrition to people in Asia, Africa and Latin America, especially the poor and obesity. Over 30% of Africa population lives on less than $1 per day. By this, Unilever strengthens it goodwill. However, the low literacy of consumers affects marketing vehicles such as advertisement in print media. This therefore requires employment of more resources, for instance to enhance face-to-face communication. Besides, Unilever employs about 100 nationalities. It ensures that diversity works for everybody both employees and consumer alike. In order to achieve and ensure that diversity works amongst employees, Unilever employed the strategy of so as to manage and leverage diversity. Unilever is focused on building an exclusive culture and embracing difference, which resulted in high demand of its products in th e developing and emerging markets. 3.3.4. Technological environment Right in the 1930s, Unilever continue to diversify. Business continue to boom in the1950s with new technology being invented to boast production and enhance quality products for consumer, competitors improving their products using new inventions. Unilever did not give up its effort in RD. Since 2000, Unilever has been spending on IT to improve its business especially in the area of e-business so as to improve brands communication and market through internet, making transaction simple along chain. Today, Unilever is trying to minimize cost through IT efficiencies at global level. In addition, Unilever Technology Venture works in collaboration with Unilever RD group to help Unilever meet consumers needs. Area of concern is genomics, advanced bioscience, advanced materials science and nanotechnology. In 2003, Unilever installed and commissioned pallet live storage system from Bitto Storage System Ltd. This was meant to store its frozen products. The facilities include: pallet live storage systems, carton live storage systems, pallet racking, boltless shelving, plastic bins and containers, wide span and heavy load shelving, cantilever racking, and multi-tier shelving systems. 3.3.5. Environment In recognition of local legislation and to keep its corporate responsibilities, Unilever designed management system. Unilever has respect for consumer health and safety. This policy is to ensure all Unilever operators establish a formal environmental management system. Training programs are being arranged in various regions/business groups to ensure compliance with the company Standard for Occupational Health and Safety Environmental Care (SHE). This framework is based on the ISO 14001 management standard. Unilever had also worked in conjunction with government of countries of its operation as regards waste management. For instance in Ghana, 2004, over 21 tones of wastes were supplied to small and medium size recycling businesses in Accra, Ghana, by Unilever to reduce the amount of plastic waste sent to landfill. Financial performance Underlying sales growth of 7.4% was partly offset by movements in exchange rates (4.8%) and the net impact of disposals and acquisitions (1.4%). Including these effects, turnover was à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬40,523 million for the full year, increasing by 0.8%. Operating profit increased by à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1,922 million to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬7,167 million, including a higher level of profits on business disposals. These generated a pre-tax profit of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2,190 million in 2008, compared with à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬297 million in 2007. Net profit was 28% higher than last year, boosted by the profits on disposals. Earnings per share were à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.79, including a net gain of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬0.36 from RDIs. This compared with à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.35 last year, which included a net loss of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬0.07 from RDIs.Net cash flow from operations at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬3.9 billion was in line with last year. Total cash returns to shareholders in the year wereà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬3.6 billion, made up of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2.1 billion of dividends and à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.5 billion of share buy-backs. 4.1. Consolidated income statement (Highlights for the year ended 31 December) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ Million 2008 2007 Turnover 40 523 40 187 Operating profit 7 167 5 245 Profit before taxation 7 129 5 184 Taxation (1 844) (1 128) Net profit from continuing operations 5 285 4 056 Net profit 5 285 4 136 Combined earnings per share from total operations à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.79 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.35 4.2. Consolidated balance sheet (As at 31 December) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ Million 2008 2007 Non-current assets 24 967 27 374 Current assets 11 175 9 928 Current liabilities (13 800) (13 559) Total assets less current liabilities 22 342 23 743 Non-current liabilities 11 970 10 924 Shareholders equity 9 948 12 387 Minority interests 424 432 Total capital employed 22 342 23 743 4.3. Consolidated cash flow statement (For the year ended 31 December) à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ Million 2008 2007 Net cash flow from operating activities 3 871 3 876 Net cash flow from/ (used in) investing activities 1 415 (623) Net cash flow from/ (used in) financing activities (3 130) (3 009) Net increase/ (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 2 156 244 Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January 901 710 Effect of foreign exchange rate changes (697) (53) Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December 2 360 901 4.4. Financial Objectives Unilevers ambition is to top Third Total Shareholder Return, over a 3 year rolling period out of peer group of 20 other companies. Its outlook for year 2010 is: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Un-geared free cash flow in the period 2005-2010 to be à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬25-30bn. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Improvement in Return on Invested Capital. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Underlying sales growth of 3-5% p.a. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Operating margin of over 15% by 2010 after normal restructuring. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Improved capital and tax efficiency. Market share and competition 5.1. Top Unilever Competitors Company Location Proctor Gamble Cincinnati,OH Kraft Foods Northfield, IL Nestle Vevey, Switzerland 5.2. Competitor Comparison Unilever P G Kraft Nestle Top Segment C/G Foods Consumer Care Food Food Top Brand Dove Tide Mac Cheese KitKat CEO A.Burgmans A.G.Lefley R.Deromedi P.Letmathe Stock per share $66.03 $53.76 $30.70 $66.90 Growth 15.55% 9.25% 8.2% 11.23% Revenues $42.942m $28.2BL $31,010m $69.BL Revenue Growth -11.93% 19% 4.3% -1.93% International 100+ 42 150+ 86 Business Segments 3 5 5 6 Employees 234000 110000 10600 253000 (Source: Hoovers business Intelligence guide) 5.3. Category position in the market Strategic Issues Following are some of the key strategic issues which Unilever faces today: 6.1. Leadership Unilever maintains two business entities i.e. Unilever PLC and Unilever N.V. Due to dual chairperson approach; it faces following problems in their business strategy: List stock separately Shared board of directors Typical management; wear two, three hats Conflict in Board and Business responsibilities Company remains fragmented Reduced effectiveness Slow decision making process( Bureaucracy) Unilever believer (believe in Unilever) Unilever should create a sense of belief amongst its consumers. It should try and focus on program that focuses on brand initiative to the consumers. Use advertising that connects with consumer needs: Consumers demand high quality products that are both convenient and delicious Consumers look for new ways to use the product Large population of single parent house hold More females are working full-time jobs Increase consumer focus on health and nutrition Strategy Justification 7.1. Recommendation 1 Make an initiative to create an overall umbrella brand across all Unilevers brands that will eventually consolidate various businesses under one name. Unilever Plc Unilever NV One Unilever Provides a greater clarity of leadership, responsibility, and accountability Allows Unilever to focus on the needs of their customers and consumers thus reigniting growth and increasing sales potential Provides the ability to leverage scale of operations Create a strategic platform for brand management Recommendation 2 It should implement Unilever Believer product and brand extensions. The related example in this case is of Lipton tea. It should try and create an extension to this famous brand by focusing on energy drinks. Justifications are: Energy drinks jumped 56% in sales last year Market has exceed $100 million in the recent years Main Competitor: Red Bull Positioning Statement: A Healthier Alternative to Energy Drinks Unilever should cash in this opportunity by: Target Market: Young adults 18-32 Uses: stay up all night and/or start a night out Main Ingredients: Caffeine, Vitamin B, Guarana Advertisements: Highlight healthier ingredients of the product while showcasing its ability to give energy and revitalize body

Dillard and Thoreau Comparison :: Essays Papers

Dillard and Thoreau Comparison From the lone hiker on the Appalachian Trail to the environmental lobby groups in Washington D.C., nature evokes strong feelings in each and every one of us. We often struggle with and are ultimately shaped by our relationship with nature. The relationship we forge with nature reflects our fundamental beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. The works of timeless authors, including Henry David Thoreau and Annie Dillard, are centered around their relationship to nature. The love for nature is one that is formed when young. Thoreau shows evidence of early development of a lifelong love for nature that he would carry with him in everything that he did. As a young boy of ten he was fond of walking deep into the woods that surrounded his home in Concord in search of solitude (Salt 18). Thoreau expressed an interest in living at Walden Pond at the age of ten (Salt 19). His love of nature can largely be credited to qualities inherited from his mother (Salt 22). It would rightfully be his love of nature that he would be remembered for. Thoreau after graduating from Harvard College began to keep a journal that he filled with the many thoughts and observations that came to him on his daily walks about Concord (Richardson 7). These Journals would spawn into the many books that he wrote, the most prominent being Walden. Thoreau was a self-taught naturalist, who spent much of his time systematically studying the natural phenomena almost exclusively around Concord (Witherell and Dubrulle). His Journal contains these careful observations, such as the cycles of plants, of local water levels, and many other natural phenomena (Witherell and Dubrulle). These Journals help to impress the love that he held for nature. It is this feeling that has propelled him to be considered by many to be the leader of the environmental movement (Buell 171). Thoreau himself cared little for group activities, religious or political, and even avoided organized reform movements (Gougeon 195). The abolitionist movement did however bring Thoreau out and into the public forum (Salt 140). As he became further involved with his Journal and his examination of nature he began to develop into an environmentalist and natural historian (Buell 172). This is evident by his views represented in Walden regarding the progress that was taking place in Concord at the time (Witherell and Dubrulle).

The Purpose of Vegetarianism :: Healthy Lifestyle Essay

Being a strict vegetarian means making the choice to eat absolutely no meat, poultry, or fish. The health risks of being a vegetarian was a major concern, but it has been proven that non-meat foods can provide all the nutrients necessary for a healthy, complete diet. Jeanne Peters, R.D., the former nutrition specialist to Pritikin Systems, argues that Ascience has proved that a plant-based diet is the healthiest@ (Finn 1). Many scientific studies have also proven that meat dramatically raises blood pressure and increases health risks such as heart attacks and cancers. Also, growing concerns over environmental protection, personal health, and moral and ethical beliefs often lead to vegetarianism. According to national polls, in the U.S. alone Athere are 12.5 million vegetariansB 7 percent of the population@ (Finn 1). Concerns are rising about the relationship between meat production and our environment. Beef production is a very inefficient way to produce protein. The amount of grain which is needed to Aprovide four people with one serving of hamburgers could feed one person for over a week@ (R.F.B.V. 1). In Alberta Amore than 50% of the grain grown is fed to livestock@ (R.F.B.V. 3). This 50% of grain could definitely be put to much better uses in a world where people starve to death every day. In fact, Aproduction of the least energy-efficient plant foods are nearly ten times more efficient as the production of the most energy-efficient animal foods@ (Finn 2). For example, one acre of land planted with legumes yields ten times more available protein than if that same acre was used for meat production. Furthermore, the production of meat wastes massive amounts of water: AIt takes an average of 10 tons of waterBthe amount a small town uses for all purposes in a month. An average chicken processing plant uses 100 million gallons of water in just one day; enough to provide a community of 25,000 people for one day@ (R.F.B.V. 3). Not only is meat production wasting valuable production means, but it is also polluting our air. Cattle are a main source of methane gas, which is rapidly destroying our ozone layer. Vegetarians often replace meat and dairy foods with soy products. These foods are highly nutritional and contain disease-fighting properties. The National Cancer Institute has Aidentified specific substances in soy products called phytochemical that have anticancer properties@ (Finn 7). In 1994, the British Medical Journal announced that:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   researchers have examined 12-year mortality rates of non-meat eaters and meat-eating control groups and found that cancer deaths were 40 percent less common among vegetarians then meat eaters.

Just Cause, Just War Essay

Fighting among tribes, clans, and nations have occurred all throughout history. Civilizations have engaged in warfare to conquer new territories or defend their lands. Debates concerning the justness of war have been going on for many years. While some assert that a just cause is reason enough to engage in war, others believe that nothing can justify war. For my part, to know whether war is just is to understand its cause. In other words, to declare war against another is necessary when it seeks to protect rather than destroy. Based on the just war theory, or jus ad bellum, nations can wage wars when certain circumstances happen. For instance, the bombing of the Pearl Harbor and the threat presented to the nation during World War II were very justifiable reasons to involve the nation in war against Japan and its allies. It retaliation, the U. S. attacked enemy troops and enemy lands. If the United States did not actively participate in neutralizing the enemies, then, it probably would have fallen under the control of foreign troops. On Japan’s side, it attacked the U. S. naval base because it wanted control of a particular route. Its reason for starting a fighting with the U. S. is not justifiable because it sought to destroy and take control of something that does not belong to them. The roots of jus ad bellum came from St. Thomas Aquinas’ writings, which dealt with the moral side of war. Hugo Grotius, a Dutch jurist and philosopher of the seventeenth century, identified three instances wherein war can be considered just. First, it has to done as self-defense. A state attacked by enemies should arm itself and ward off the attackers. Leaders of countries who do not challenge invading forces should be held morally responsible for the fate of their citizens. Those who easily succumb to the will of foreign troops do not remain faithful to their duties of protecting their nations’ commerce, sovereignty, and the life of their people. Second, war is permissible in order to restore what has been lost, which implies that lands or properties taken by force by a foreign army should be retrieved using warfare. And lastly, war can be made against another state to exact punishment. In the case of Germany and its allies during the Second World War, they received punishment when the allied forces attacked their countries in order to make them pay for having started the war. Notable people since ancient times have believed that war is just. According to Cicero, war should have a clear goal by determining who and when to fight the enemies. Immanuel Kant notes that war is an important element of humanity. Without it, Kant thinks that people won’t reach their perfect state. On another note, Jihad is ideally fought to expand and protect Islamic states. It has to be conducted in such a way that it won’t kill women and children, nor destroy residences. Some extremists have used the Jihad as a means to incite war versus Christians. In this sense, the Jihad postulated by Saddam Hussein was wrong because it resulted to indiscriminate killings. Just like the Jihad, Christians too have their own religious warfare against heretics, Muslims, and pagans, among others. These wars are called crusades, which aimed to defend Christian lands from getting conquered by foreign armies and to recover territories that have been conquered by non-Christians. To conclude, despite the loss of lives as a result of fighting in large scales, it’s unavoidable for men to engage in war due of differences in cultures, goals, and values.However, war should only happen as a last course to resolve conflicts. References Grotius, Hugo. On the Law of War and Peace De Jure Belli ac Pacis. 11 April 2008, http://www. constitution. org/gro/djbp_101. htm Maiese, Michelle. Jus Ad Bellum. June 2003. Beyond Intractability. org. 11 April 2008, http://www. beyondintractability. org/essay/jus_ad_bellum/ Why War Home Page. Kant, Hegel and Deleuze on War. 11 April 13, 2008, http://www. why-war. com/commentary/2004/12/kant_hegel_deleuze_war. html