Sustainable Use of Natural Resources

Sustainable Use of Natural Resources Yaroslav Gromov In present time, the question about sustainable use of natural resources has become very important all over the world. People start to realize that nature cannot provide more resources that it has, and that the natural resources consumed a lot. Therefore, there should be found a way how to solve this particular problem energy crisis. Consequently, we should answer the question if the widespread of renewable energy is as serious alternative to the use of fossil fuels or not. There is no correct answer to this question, but if we definitely want to say ‘yes or ‘no, it will be better to weighting up the pro at contra. So let us find out the causes why renewable energy is a serious alternative to the fossil fuels. First of all, fossil fuels are non-renewable. Natural gas, coal and oil are the most common example of fossil fuels, and they are the three main types of fuel that people mostly use and depend on. Seitz (2008) states that ‘according to many analysts the world would not run out of oil, but in a few decades shortages will become prevalent. According to the Energy Information Agency, approximately 93% of the worlds energy sources are fossil fuels, and renewable energy is just about 7%. (2, 2008) Also burning fossil fuels creates carbon dioxide, which is the greenhouse gas that leads to global warming and seriously damages our planet. Secondly, renewable energy sources, such as hydropower energy, solar energy and wind energy are renewable, efficient and non-polluting or causing little pollution. They are simple: all you need is sunlight, running water and blowing wind. Lastly, expanding the use of renewable energy will have a positive impact on employment, according to more than a dozen independent studies analyzing the impact of clean energy on the economy. Greater reliance on renewable energy would have large, positive impacts on economy, creating significant numbers of new jobs, driving major capital investment, stabilizing energy prices, and reducing consumer costs. (Flavin C. 2006, p.10). By contrast, employment in the fossil fuel industries has been in steady decline for decades, in large measure due to growing automation of coal mining and other processes. (Flavin C. 2006, p.10). As these three types of renewable energy were mentioned let us discuss them more specific. Hydropower energy is the most developed technology for renewable energy. The main potential that this type of energy has is that it can be used in multipurpose area. For example, benefits of hydropower are flooding control, irrigation and public water supplies. (6) Hydropower energy is usually generated form falling water, causing little pollution and it is a type of clean energy. Hydropower resources are usually divided into two main categories. As it is mentioned, the first category is resources that require man-made dam structure with high hydraulic heads; the second one is a â€Å"run-of-river† system that require minimum dam structure and with low hydraulic heads. (4, 2000, p.44-45). Similarly, World Bank (2004) believes that hydropower can play significant role ‘in poverty reduction in developing countries. In addition, World Bank (2004) also claims that ‘currently about 19 percent of the worlds electricity is produced from hydropower and that the greenhouse gas emissions ‘from most hydropower plants are relatively low. It is also important to weight the facts about advantages and disadvantages of hydropower energy. On the one hand, hydropower is a clean energy source. It does not pollute the air like fossil fuels do. (6) Hydropower plays a major role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The maintain cost is relatively low. It is renewable. The technology is reliable and proven over time. (7). On the other hand, if water is not available, the hydropower plants will not produce electricity. (6) USGS (7) reports that hydropower energy is not perfect and has some disadvantages. For example, ‘high investment cost, inundation of land and wildlife habitat, changes in reservoir and stream water quality, displacement of local populations. Solar energy is the second type of renewable energy that was mentioned in this essay. Solar energy is the second most common type of renewable energy. Basically solar energy is the energy of sun. It helps us to survive on our planet, it heats us, it makes threes grow up, and, mostly everything on our planet depends on solar energy. It is possible that ‘our current life cannot continue if we remain economically dependent on fossil fuels, as Hermanns (2004, p.4) claims, but as for me, we cannot predict the future and we do not know what will happen tomorrow. So Hermann claims that something is unlikely to happen./p> It is not so easy to talk about advantages and disadvantages of solar energy. Speaking about advantages of solar energy it is necessary to mention some of them. Firstly, solar cells can be used almost any place around the world. Secondly, solar cells silent and non-polluting. In addition, they require little maintenance and have log lifetime. Finally, solar cells can be easily used in places where there is no main electricity. Now let us move on to the disadvantages of solar energy. The main and most important disadvantage is initial cost. Lastly, solar cells are totally depends on weather, and can be used just during daytime and sun hours. It is because the only time when cells can generate electricity. (9) The last and possibly most interesting type of renewable energy is wind energy. There is an interesting point about wind energy. Wind is a form of solar energy; it is ‘caused by the heating of the atmosphere by the sun, the rotation of the earth, and the earths surface irregularities (11). Seitz (2008, 141) reports that wind as an energy source was generally used for power as well as for the cooling houses, adding that wind energy source started to gain respect all around the world. In recent years the widespread of wind energy has been extremely rapid, but, for example, ‘despite that rapid growth, wind energy amounted to less than 1% of U.S. electricity generation (10, p.15). But as any other type of energy wind energy also has advantages and disadvantages. According to the Committee on Environmental Impacts one of the advantages is that ‘wind energy has the potential to reduce environmental impacts, because it does not result in the generation of atmospheric contaminants or thermal pollution (10, p.15). Another good point about wind energy is that it is ‘one of lowest-priced renewable energy available today (11). In conclusion there is a very serious question if the widespread of renewable energy is as serious alternative to the use of fossil fuels or not. Three main types of renewable energy were considered. So there is a chance in the nearest future that renewable energy sources will fully displace fossil fuels. It may happen, but not very soon and probably just when there is nothing to extract or mine. Now both renewable and non-renewable energy will be used simultaneously. People are not ready yet to abandon fossil fuels, and are not ready for spending huge amount of money for renewable energy. References Christopher Flavin. (2006, September). American Energy. The Renewable Path to Energy Security. Worldwatch Institute. Energy information administration. Renewable Energy Consumption and Electricity Preliminary Statistics 2008. http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/alternate/page/renew_energy_consump/rea_prereport.html John L. Seitz. (2008). Global issues: an introduction. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Committee on Programmatic Review of the U. S. Department of Energys Office of Power Technologies. (2000). Renewable Power Pathways : A Review of the U. S. Department of Energys Renewable Energy Programs. National Academic Press. World Bank Staff. (2004). Water Resources Sector Strategy: Strategic Directions for World Bank Engagement. World Bank Publications. U.S. Department Of Energy. Energy efficiency and renewable energy. Advantages and disadvantages of Hydropower. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/hydro_ad.html USGS (U.S. Geological Survey). Water use: hydro electronic power. http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wuhy.html Scheer, Hermann. (2004). Solar Economy: Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Global Future. Earthscan Publications Ltd. Bristol University. Advantages of solar energy. http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2003/ledlie/advantages_of_solar_energy.htm Committee on Environmental Impacts of Wind Energy Projects. National Research Council. (2007). National Academies Press U.S. Department Of Energy. Energy efficiency and renewable energy. Advantages and disadvantages of Wind Energy. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/wind_ad.html

Money and Happiness Essay

It is often noticed that people with a higher income live a more relaxed life while the truth of the matter is their money allows them to easily take care of the necessities in life such as food and clothing that other people may not be able to maintain. Therefore, in comparison to those types of people, the ones with more money generally appear more fulfilled because they are able to purchase other desires without the worry of not sustaining a steady lifestyle. Having more money provides relief for the person rather than happiness because of their ability to obtain new possessions. Giving is better than receiving is a commonly used phrase that shows the generosity among different people; however, when it used as an argument debating happiness, it is proven to be too vague to fit the modern day definition. A recent study by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton explains that the â€Å"most satisfying way of using money is to invest in others†¦donating to a charity†¦buying lunch for a friend† (Can Money Buy Happiness?). Their argument demonstrates that putting their money towards other people rather than themselves brings an even greater joy, but how does that differ from paying taxes? Taxes are provided for many reasons such as donating to shelters, paying for government workers, and maintaining roads, so why are the citizens upset about the requirement of investing a portion of their income to the government when the investment in others brings happiness? Consequently, the satisfaction of giving money to others does not always apply to all even if it is for charities. Because happiness is based on an individual’s perspective, a person’s outlook on what makes them happy may vary from someone else’s. Happiness is something compared to everyone else; some people appear happier than others. It is an individual perception, and it is influence by a variety of factors such as society, family, relationship status, health, occupation, love, and even income. Read more:  Does Money Bring Happiness Essay

Essay on “Ethics and Leadership Analysis and Application”

Essay on â€Å"Ethics and Leadership Analysis and Application† Introduction Ethics refers to standards and norms that govern people’s behavior in given setting (Ciulla, 2008). Individuals are given direction on how to act in response to various issues and circumstances. This means that ethics are determined and governed by the society. However, ethics require self-monitoring and willingness as the society does not pressure adherence to individuals. To be at peace with the society, individuals ought to follow and adhere to the set norms and values (Verderber, Verderber Sellnow, 2007). This is because they are formulated to be adhered to by all individuals in the society. If everyone adhered to them, then there would be a one happy society with limited chances of conflicts. Almost activity or actions that affect several people require ethical guidelines. Nevertheless, there are individuals who cannot be ethical due to their lack of self-respect. Such individuals include, but not limited to illegal downloader’s of music. Facts Illegal downloading of music is very common in the current world (Verderber, Verderber Sellnow, 2007). This behavior has advanced to greater height especially in the developing countries. Illegal music downloads involves the transfer of music either audio or visual from the internet to own own/local computer without payments or permission. Music downloading is entrusted on specific online stores that authorize the transfer process after charges are deducted. Also, downloading is facilitated by artists who allow customers to access short previews or low quality samples from their websites or online music stores. Unfortunately, the illegal downloading of music is faced by challenges that affect consumer experience negatively. These challenges are brought about by record labels, artists and Recording Industry Association of America. One of the challenge emerged when Universal Music Group failed to renew their contract with iTunes. They based their decision on the issues of song pricing . The Universal group wanted to charge a little bit more or less depending on the artist. This was different from iTunes, which had a pricing standard of 99 cents per song. This was seen as one of the many future show-downs of legal music downloading. Illegal downloading of music is opted by many because of low costs. Individuals who download songs illegally do it at no price. This is more of counterfeiting and piracy, which subjects loses to the artists and online music stores. Artists incur loses and their efforts are taken for granted as people acquire counterfeited or free music. Individuals involved in illegal music downloading argue that the tiresome process involved during song downloading puts them off. These situations are evident when the charges are deducted, but the song ails to download which is non-refundable. Another situation is when downloading involves many complicated steps before a song is transferred to the clients computer or phone. These issues are among the reason why individuals prefer illegal downloading. There is also need to identify reasons why individuals prefer cheap products while avoiding the original ones. This would help the industry in understanding consumer behavior and adjust their selling as well as marketing mechanisms accordingly (Ledlow Coppola, 2011). Legality and company leadership Illegal music downloading is a legal issue meaning it violates set standards and laws (Verderber, Verderber Sellnow, 2007). It also goes against set societal ethical standards and therefore, punishable. However, apart from being illegal, it is more efficient that legal downloading. Individuals turn to it due to its convenience as well as efficiency. This is because legal downloading involved a series of steps and a tiresome procedure before a song is transferred to client’s gadgets. Universal Music Group and American association of music recording both have a leadership role on music downloading. They sell music to online purchasers according to their requests and their ability to make payments. They price the songs either according to the opinion of the artists or their own price setting. Theirs is to attract clients across the world by the use internet and company websites. However, their conflicts with artists brought numerous challenges on legal music downloading (Cohen, 2009). This made individuals to adopt illegal ways of song transfers, which are cheap and efficient. The whole process can never be complete without the cooperation of artists, online music stores and associations of music recording. This means that decisions have t be agreed upon by all these stakeholders before there are initiated. Such decision includes song pricing and process of payments. The outcomes of illegal music downloads is enjoyed by the consumer in terms of efficiency and cost effectiveness at the expense of the artist. The illegal downloading has attracted companies that facilitate this kind of behavior. The consumer satisfaction takes precedence as far as any business venture is concerned (Shapiro Stefkovich, 2010). However, it does not guarantee illegality and violation of values to please the client.

Northern Arizona University Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores, GPA

Northern Arizona University is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 83%. Founded in 1899, Northern Arizona University is located on a 738-acre campus in  Flagstaff, Arizona. Students can choose from 93 undergraduate degree programs offered through the universitys seven colleges. Biomedical science, criminology and criminal justice, and nursing majors are popular among undergraduates. In athletics, the NAU Lumberjacks compete in the NCAA Division I  Big Sky and Western Athletic conferences. Considering applying to Northern Arizona University? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students. Acceptance Rate During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, Northern Arizona University had an acceptance rate of 83%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 83 students were admitted, making Northern Arizonas admissions process somewhat competitive. Admissions Statistics (2017-18) Number of Applicants 36,831 Percent Admitted 83% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 19% SAT Scores and Requirements Northern Arizona University has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to Northern Arizona may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required for all applicants. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 32% of admitted students submitted SAT scores. SAT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile ERW 520 620 Math 510 610 ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing This admissions data tells us that of those students who submitted scores during the 2017-18 admissions cycle, most of  Northern Arizonas admitted students fall within the  top 35% nationally  on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Northern Arizona scored between 520 and 620, while 25% scored below 520 and 25% scored above 620. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 510 and 610, while 25% scored below 510 and 25% scored above 610. While the SAT is not required, this data tells us that a composite SAT score of 1230 or higher is competitive for Northern Arizona. Requirements Northern Arizona University does not require SAT scores for admission for some applicants. For students who choose to submit scores, note that Northern Arizona participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. Northern Arizona does not require the essay section of the SAT. At Northern Arizona, SAT Subject test scores may be used to substitute for required coursework. ACT Scores and Requirements Northern Arizona has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to Northern Arizona may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required for all applicants. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 46% of admitted students submitted ACT scores. ACT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile English 18 24 Math 18 25 Composite 19 25 This admissions data tells us that of those who submitted scores during the 2017-18 admissions cycle, most of Northern Arizonas admitted students fall within the  top 48% nationally  on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Northern Arizona received a composite ACT score between 19 and 25, while 25% scored above 25 and 25% scored below 19. Requirements Note that Northern Arizona does not require ACT scores for admission for some applicants. For students who choose to submit scores, Northern Arizona participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all ACT test dates. Northern Arizona does not require the ACT writing section. GPA In 2018, the average high school GPA of Northern Arizona Universitys incoming freshmen class was 3.61, and 44% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.75 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Northern Arizona University have primarily A grades. Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph Northern Arizona University Applicants Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex. The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Northern Arizona University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in  with a free Cappex account. Admissions Chances Northern Arizona University, which accepts over three-quarters of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. If your GPA in minimum required coursework falls within the schools range, you have a strong chance of being accepted. For guaranteed admission, youll need a 3.0 or higher GPA in core academic subjects including four years of English and math, three years of laboratory science, two years of social science and a foreign language, and one year of fine arts. You can also be considered for admission if you have a 2.5 GPA in core courses and have no more than one deficiency in the required academic subjects. Note that the course requirements for admission can also be fulfilled with standardized test scores. The university does not have  a holistic admissions process, so essays and extracurricular activities do not play a role in the admissions process. In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent students who were admitted to Northern Arizona University. You can see that the great majority had combined SAT scores (ERWM) of 850 or higher, ACT composite scores of 16 or higher, and a high school GPA of a B- or higher. Note that Northern Arizona University has test-optional admissions for some applicants. If You Like Northern Arizona University, You May Also Like These Schools University of ArizonaArizona State UniversityUniversity of OregonUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Nevada Las VegasColorado State UniversitySan Diego State UniversityWashington State UniversityCSU Long Beach All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Northern Arizona University Undergraduate Admissions Office. Northern Arizona University Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores, GPA Northern Arizona University is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 83%. Founded in 1899, Northern Arizona University is located on a 738-acre campus in  Flagstaff, Arizona. Students can choose from 93 undergraduate degree programs offered through the universitys seven colleges. Biomedical science, criminology and criminal justice, and nursing majors are popular among undergraduates. In athletics, the NAU Lumberjacks compete in the NCAA Division I  Big Sky and Western Athletic conferences. Considering applying to Northern Arizona University? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students. Acceptance Rate During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, Northern Arizona University had an acceptance rate of 83%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 83 students were admitted, making Northern Arizonas admissions process somewhat competitive. Admissions Statistics (2017-18) Number of Applicants 36,831 Percent Admitted 83% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 19% SAT Scores and Requirements Northern Arizona University has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to Northern Arizona may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required for all applicants. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 32% of admitted students submitted SAT scores. SAT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile ERW 520 620 Math 510 610 ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing This admissions data tells us that of those students who submitted scores during the 2017-18 admissions cycle, most of  Northern Arizonas admitted students fall within the  top 35% nationally  on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Northern Arizona scored between 520 and 620, while 25% scored below 520 and 25% scored above 620. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 510 and 610, while 25% scored below 510 and 25% scored above 610. While the SAT is not required, this data tells us that a composite SAT score of 1230 or higher is competitive for Northern Arizona. Requirements Northern Arizona University does not require SAT scores for admission for some applicants. For students who choose to submit scores, note that Northern Arizona participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. Northern Arizona does not require the essay section of the SAT. At Northern Arizona, SAT Subject test scores may be used to substitute for required coursework. ACT Scores and Requirements Northern Arizona has a test-optional standardized testing policy. Applicants to Northern Arizona may submit SAT or ACT scores to the school, but they are not required for all applicants. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 46% of admitted students submitted ACT scores. ACT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile English 18 24 Math 18 25 Composite 19 25 This admissions data tells us that of those who submitted scores during the 2017-18 admissions cycle, most of Northern Arizonas admitted students fall within the  top 48% nationally  on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Northern Arizona received a composite ACT score between 19 and 25, while 25% scored above 25 and 25% scored below 19. Requirements Note that Northern Arizona does not require ACT scores for admission for some applicants. For students who choose to submit scores, Northern Arizona participates in the scorechoice program, meaning that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all ACT test dates. Northern Arizona does not require the ACT writing section. GPA In 2018, the average high school GPA of Northern Arizona Universitys incoming freshmen class was 3.61, and 44% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.75 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Northern Arizona University have primarily A grades. Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph Northern Arizona University Applicants Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex. The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Northern Arizona University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in  with a free Cappex account. Admissions Chances Northern Arizona University, which accepts over three-quarters of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. If your GPA in minimum required coursework falls within the schools range, you have a strong chance of being accepted. For guaranteed admission, youll need a 3.0 or higher GPA in core academic subjects including four years of English and math, three years of laboratory science, two years of social science and a foreign language, and one year of fine arts. You can also be considered for admission if you have a 2.5 GPA in core courses and have no more than one deficiency in the required academic subjects. Note that the course requirements for admission can also be fulfilled with standardized test scores. The university does not have  a holistic admissions process, so essays and extracurricular activities do not play a role in the admissions process. In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent students who were admitted to Northern Arizona University. You can see that the great majority had combined SAT scores (ERWM) of 850 or higher, ACT composite scores of 16 or higher, and a high school GPA of a B- or higher. Note that Northern Arizona University has test-optional admissions for some applicants. If You Like Northern Arizona University, You May Also Like These Schools University of ArizonaArizona State UniversityUniversity of OregonUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Nevada Las VegasColorado State UniversitySan Diego State UniversityWashington State UniversityCSU Long Beach All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Northern Arizona University Undergraduate Admissions Office.