The Role of Human Activities in Causing Climate Change Essay Example for Free

The Role of Human Activities in Causing Climate Change Essay To begin with, climate change is a tangible problem and its existence can no longer be denied. It would be self-deception to believe that humans had nothing to do with it. Human activities along with natural influences continuously alter the climate of the Earth. However, the fact that near-surface temperature has rapidly increased on the global scale in the past few decades can hardly be accounted for by natural processes. In reality global warming is to a great extent caused by human activity, which has been proven by extensive scientific research (UN Environment Program). By burning coal, natural gas and oil, introducing harmful agricultural practices and destroying forests people make a significant negative impact on the state of the atmosphere, altering its composition irreparably. Reckless and irrational human activities caused the increase in the concentration of the so-called greenhouse gases, such as methane, carbon dioxide, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons and nitrous oxide, in the atmosphere (AGU Statement). Nowadays, the humanity fully depends on the energy provided by fossil fuels, such as oil, natural gas and coal. This energy feeds the industries, the transportation, generates electricity. However, obsequious use of fossil fuel leads to substantial emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Agricultural needs condition changes in the landscape, deforestation, which in its turn leads to more carbon dioxide being emitted, as dead vegetation is never replaced by new growth that would counteract the emission. Currently deforestation is mostly characteristic of the tropical regions whereas re-growth in the northern hemisphere decreases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (UN Environment Program). There is reliable evidence of the fact that carbon dioxide buildup is due to human influences. Naturally emitted carbon dioxide differs in the nuclei structure from that produced by burning natural gas, oil and coal. Moreover, non-radioactive carbon dioxide emitted as a result of burning fossil fuels dilutes radioactive carbon dioxide naturally present in the atmosphere. Scientific research clearly shows that total carbon dioxide emission has increased steadily each year and is in direct relation with the human activities. The fact that the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is greater in the Northern hemisphere can serve as evidence of it being human-induced, as most of the activities involving carbon dioxide emission are conducted in the Northern hemisphere. The fact that a certain amount of carbon dioxide has been added into the atmosphere every year has led to its present concentration, which exceeds pre-industrial level by 30% (AGU Climate Change Position). Besides carbon dioxide, human activities lead to the emission of another greenhouse gas – methane. Its emission results from cattle ranching, rice cultivation and decay in the landfills. An alarming 145% increase of methane content in the atmosphere was caused by human activities. The emission of chlorofluorocarbons used to be triggered by air conditioning and refrigeration, but since it was proved that these gases deplete the ozone layer of the stratosphere, their usage was nearly eliminated. Industrial and agricultural activities lead to the production of nitrous oxide, the concentration of which is currently 15% over the norm. Tropospheric ozone, formed naturally as a reaction to the greenhouse gas emissions, enhances the greenhouse effect dramatically (BBC News). The abovementioned human activities are extremely detrimental to the atmosphere as they create a multitude of tiny airborne particles, which change the energy absorbing and reflecting properties of the atmosphere. Unfortunately, according to the scientific research the increased concentration of carbon dioxide is likely to stay in the atmosphere for many years or even centuries.   Human-induced climate change is reality and the predictions of the scientists are such that it will produce a substantial impact on the climate system, being reflected in the melting of polar ice, changing of the sea levels as well as drought patterns (UN Environment Program). Anthropogenic interference seems to have reached unprecedented extent in the past few decades. According to AGU, the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere enhanced by negative influence of other human activities presents serious grounds for concern (AGU Statement). The positive tendency nowadays is such that climate scientists possess deeper knowledge of the climate system, which allows to take more effective climate policy decisions.   Profound climate research, objective observations, improved modeling and computation have led to tangible progress in addressing the problem of climate change. The communication of scientific discoveries to organizations authorized to make decisions regarding climate change and their wise implementation are sure to decrease the adverse effects of human-induced disaster. In conclusion, there’s no denying the fact that climate change is largely due to human influences. The following human activities have contributed greatly to the alternation of the climate: air pollution, usage of fossil fuels and land alteration. However, now that the problem is obvious and so is its detrimental effect on the humanity, various measures are taken in order to decrease negative impact produced on nature and alleviate its harmful consequences. It is within the human powers to mitigate the climate change effects by cutting emissions of greenhouse gases, introducing rational land management and environmentally friendly technology. Works Cited How Do We Know that the Atmospheric Build-up of Greenhouse Gases Is Due to Human Activity? Common Questions about Climate Change. United Nations Environment Program World Meteorological Organization, 1997 http://www.gcrio.org/ipcc/qa/05.html Human Impacts on Climate. Adopted by Council December, 2003 http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/climate_change_position.html Statement supporting AGU statement on human-induced climate change, American Astronomical Society, 2004 http://www.aas.org/governance/council/resolutions.php#climate Warming â€Å"very likely† human made. BBC News, BBC, 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6321351.stm What Human Activities Contribute to Climate Change? Common Questions about Climate Change. United Nations Environment Program World Meteorological Organization, 1997 http://www.gcrio.org/ipcc/qa/04.html

The Debate on How Urban Middle-Class Identities Have Changed Essay

The Debate on How Urban Middle-Class Identities Have Changed â€Å"Materialism is the new karma†. (Pavan K Varma, 2005) Whilst numerical estimates of the Indian middle classes vary drastically, media images contribute to their portrayal as affluent consumers- participants in the IT boom in urban centres such as Hyderabad and those revelling in India’s status as a call centre â€Å"superpower†, particularly thought to symbolise a new urban middle-class. Varma’s quote encapsulates the astonishing effect mass culture is thought to have had upon Indian identity, especially those who occupy this middle ground of consumption. This spectrum ranges from the lower middle-class youth, such as the aforementioned call-centre workers whose parents often experience a very different lifestyle, to the upper middle classes whose educational heritage has enabled them to maintain their class status over a longer period. Hence it is clear that the notion of an â€Å"urban middle class† within the Indian context is uniquely problematic, being internally differentiated- encompassing great variet y in factors such as culture, language and religious belief, while of course attempting to reconcile the existence of the caste system as a further, but importantly distinctive form of hierarchy to class. As Fernandes notes, the very question of defining what Beteille termed the â€Å"most polymorphous middle class in the world†, itself represents a site of political debate in both academic and public discourses. Additionally there is a marked transition between what is considered the â€Å"old middle-classes† and the â€Å"new middle-class.† Whereas the former has its origins in the â€Å"colonial encounter†, the latter, since liberalisation policies initiated by Rajiv Gandhi in the 1980s came to fruition, has become increasingly defined by its consumption patterns, most apparent in an era of a global economy. Fernandes writes that this overwhelming focus on consumption has somewhat neglected the impact of structural socioeconomic changes in the middle classes.(Fernandes, 2000). At various points these intersect with shifting economic conditions, such as kinship changes affecting the upwardly mobile, however they are not always resultant of the status jock eying of these newly prosperous classes. (Vatuk, 1972). Thus while the transformative effects of liberalisation may appear to have directly visible effects upon t... ...m Press. (Forthcoming) L. Fernandes, Nationalizing 'the Global': Media Images, Cultural Politics and the Middle-Class in India. Media, Culture & Society, vol 22, no 5 (2000) L. Fernandes, Restructuring the Middle-Classes in Liberalizing India. Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle-East vol xx, nos.1&2 (2000) J. Harriss, The Great Tradition Globalizes: Reflections on Two Studies of "The Industrial Leaders" of Madras. Modern Asian Studies, vol 37, no 2 (2003) pp 327-362. W. Mazzarella, Shovelling Smoke: Advertising and Globalization in Contemporary India (2003) S.Nanda, Arranging a Marriage in India (1992) F. Osella and C. Osella, Social Mobility in Kerala (2000) Chapter 4 Michael Reder (Editor), Conversations with Salman Rushdie (2000) S. Tharoor, Charlis and I in India: from Midnight to the Millennium (1997) M. Van Wessel, 2004. Talking About Consumption: How an Indian Middle Class Dissociates from Middle-Class Life. Cultural Dynamics, vol 16, no 1 (2004) P. Varma, Being Indian: The Truth about Why the 21st Century Will Be India's (2005) S. Vatuk, Kinship and Urbanization in India: Kinship and in India. (1972) Chapters 5 and 6.

Chi Mei Optoelectronics Essay

1. What prompted CMO to diversify from its core petrochemical base? What were the risks involved? In the late 1980s, Ho started to think that the future for petrochemicals in Taiwan was not very bright. At that time, he made the first visit to the nascent Hsinchu Science-Based Park where he found that everybody was doing pretty well. Then he began to think diversifying into something. Ho’s good friend Wu had been the principal investigator on the first TFT-LCD research project at the Electronics Research Service Organization (ERSO), part of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI). ITRI had been responsible for the original technology transfer of RCA’s CMOS semiconductor process from New Jersey to Taiwan. Under Wu, ITRI had begun an investigation of small TFT-LCDs in 1989 and had moved on to three- to six-inch technology in 1990. But unlike what happened with TSMC, the Taiwanese government suddenly cut the budget, leaving ITRI without enough capital to comple te the plant’s construction. Wu suggested to Ho and Shi that manufacturing color filter arrays for LCD flat panels would be a very good move for Chi Mei, but Shi disagreed. But in 1997, the petrochemical industry suffered a severe contraction due to the Asian economic crisis. They asked Mitsubishi who said color filter was good. So Dr. Wu stayed outside for almost one and a half years until the founder decided to approve the plan. In fact, Chi Mei had been tracking the TFT-LCD industry since 1996, as many of the key ingredients used in fabricating TFT-LCD panels were based on materials derived from petrochemicals and were therefore closely related to CMC’s core products. But Shi was skeptical of direct investment because he was not sure whether his company could get a grasp on the core technologies. Shi soon recognized TFT-LCD as a â€Å"once in 100-year opportunity for Taiwan.† But the TFT-LCD industry counted only Japan, Korea, and Taiwan as major producers, and most of the demand at the time was coming from Taiwanese notebook computer manufactures. Japanese manufacturers supplied most of the color filters which was a lucrative business. Ho explained that by moving to become a full-line TFT-LCD producer, the company would be able to address a much larger market. Another consideration in the decision to enter the TFT-LCD industry was that TFT process technologies were not entirely new territory for CMC. CMC already possessed many chemical processing and mechanical technologies. Although CMC  was privately held, profitability from its petrochemicals operations made it cash-rich, with almost all of its credit lines unused. But Ho and Wu realized the importance of being a public company in order to attract the right talent, and they were able to convince Shi. CMO’s 2006 Annual Report detailed a long line of fund-raising activities to finance what subsequently turned into a huge string of investments. The risks involved were relying on the technical, financial and merchandising resources of the original product line and the company need acquiring new lines and markets, skills, techniques and facilities. 2. How did CMO implement its strategy of being a leading LCD manufacturer? Ho realized that CMO need a different organizational structure with different resources, processes, and priorities, so he opted for a separate subsidiary, with an independent structure and compensation model as well. He redesigned the pay structure by enlarging the compensation differential across various rankings and put in a larger performance bonus component.   They all recognized the importance of attracting key talent and the value such talent placed on an autonomous unit structure with decentralized management and the flexibility to act quickly. From the start, CMO’s strategy was different from other Taiwanese panel makers. CMO licensed the basic technology from ERSO, and then modified the licensed TFT structured and developed a new structure in Fujitsu’s fab. Since this new TFT structure was their own design, they could modify the process by themselves as needed. CMO was able to take advantage of one of the industry downturn cycles to enter the industry. The pioneering Japanese manufacturers were thus able to extend their window of profitability by generating licensing income. So CMO was able to test out some new, experimental cell structure designs using Fujitsu’s equipment and develop its internal processed as it was building its own factory. CMO also agreed to work as a Fujitsu supplier for LCD panels. In essence, they exchanged their production capacity for Fujitsu’s technical support. One of the key philosophies that CMO has is that it doesn’t outright purchase a complete technology package. It tries to develop what it needs to and it may put in some basic technology or hire an outside consultant to develop its proprietary, internal technology. What that allows it to do is to understand that technology much better and it’s much quicker for it to improve the technology. In mid-1999, in addition to becoming a fo undry supplier to  Fujitsu, CMO licensed Fujitsu’s MVA technology, which enabled wide viewing angles for large-size TV panels. CMO’s R&D team subsequently achieved several breakthroughs while working with the original MVA technology, developing its own proprietary â€Å"Omniview Color,† which significantly reduced the color shift of skin tones when viewing the panel from wide angles. In 2002, along with other Taiwanese LCD peers, CMO licensed a set of common TFT-LCD patents from the ERSO unit of ITRI. As CMO developed its capabilities, it sometimes took some major technological risks. While Fab 1 was still under construction, Shi realized that the accelerating rate of competition in the LCD industry necessitated bold investment decisions, so he approved the construction of Fab 2, a Gen 4 facility. By this time, Ho and Wu had become convinced that the key to the market was going to be flat-panel televisions, which meant larger panel sizes than were used in notebook computers and computer monitors. At that time, Fujitsu VLSI was developing an experimental technology called one-drop fill, in which many, many micropipette dispensers would each place a single drop of liquid crystal material between the two pieces of glass before they were sandwiched. CMO had sent a senior R&D team to evaluate the ODF equipment. Implementing a completely new technology like this in production entailed enormous risks. Ultimately, CMO made the decision to make it work and CMO not only became an industry pioneer in suing ODF but also filed many ODF-related patents. 3. Why did CMO vertically integrate? Was this a sound move? Though Chi Mei had originally intended to make only color filters, it had quickly moved into making the TFT-LCD sandwich. From 2003 to 2004 alone, as many as 15 Gen 5 fabs came onstream across Asia, driving finished panel pricing down. In the early part of the decade, display drivers could make up 15%to 20% of the overall production cost of an LCD display. CMO relied exclusively on Texas Instruments for it supply. Strategically, CMO management felt that to be successful over the longer term, the IC design team needed to have exposure to a more balanced customer portfolio, instead of supplying CMO exclusively. Therefore, management decided to spin off the team into a separate entity, Himax, so that it could engage other customers without conflict. CMO was able to move into photomasks, polarizer films, and many other key components by simply leveraging its expertise in chemical manufacturing. With the Himax model as a successful first step in upstream  integration, over the years CMO formed a web of tightly linked subsidiaries across its supply chain. These efforts at vertical integration helped alleviate some of the concerns about the availability of critical components. All these efforts made CMO one of the most vertically integrated of Taiwan’s TFT-LCD manufacturers. CMO created an environment that people come to them, whether internally or externally. 4. How did CMO’s leadership and culture impact the company’s performance? Shi espoused three credos as his guiding principles: (1) business was a way to pursue fulfillment, (2) people-oriented management was important, and (3) harmonious relationships were valuable. These credos set a very powerful tone within the company. A highly decentralized decision-making model enhanced this management philosophy. This made the company a very attractive place to work, allowing it to draw personnel from many quarters of Taiwanese industry when new initiatives were launched. One of the strengths of Chi Mei’s culture is the entrepreneurship and flexibility. The power to attract talent would later turn out to be a key enabler, as the company expanded into areas that required specialized technical expertise. Chi Mei didn’t lure people away from other companies; it just built a good environment and set up â€Å"stages† for people to develop businesses. In fact, all CMO did was build a good environment and everything else followed.

Biography of Brian Cox, Physicist

Physics has had a number of figures who have not only advanced scientists understanding of the universe but also pushed forward a greater understanding of complex scientific questions among the general population. Think of Albert Einstein, Richard Feynman, and Stephen Hawking, all of whom stood out from among the crowd of stereotypical physicists to present physics to the world in their distinctive styles and found an audience of non-scientists for whom their presentations strongly resonated. Though not yet as accomplished as these iconic physicists, British particle physicist Brian Cox certainly fits the profile of the celebrity scientist. He rose to prominence first as a member of British rock bands in the early 1990s before ultimately transitioning to work as an experimental physicist, exploring the cutting edge of particle physics. Though well-respected among physicists, it is his work as an advocate for science communication and education in which he really stands out from the crowd. He is a popular figure in British (and worldwide) media discussing matters of scientific importance, not only in the realm of physics but also more broadly on subjects of public policy and embracing secular principles of rationality. General Information Birthdate: March 3, 1968 Nationality: English Spouse: Gia Milinovich Music Career Brian Cox was a member of the rock band Dare in 1989 until the band split up in 1992. In 1993, he joined the UK rock band D:Ream, which had a number of hits, including the number one Things Can Only Get Better, which went on to be used as a political election anthem in England. D:Ream disbanded in 1997, at which point Cox (who had been studying physics all along and earned his Ph.D.) went on to practicing physics full time. Physics Work Brian Cox received his doctorate in physics from the University of Manchester, completing his thesis in 1998. In 2005, he was awarded a Royal Society University Research Fellowship. He splits his time between work at the University of Manchester and at the CERN facility in Geneva, Switzerland, home of the Large Hadron Collider. Coxs work is on both the ATLAS experiment  and the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment. Popularizing Science Brian Cox has not only performed extensive research, but has also worked hard to help popularize science to lay audiences, especially through repeated appearances on the BBC programs such as The Big Bang Machine. In 2014, Brian Cox hosted a BBC Two 5-part television miniseries,  The Human Universe, which explored humanitys place in the universe by exploring the history of our growth as a species and also tackling existential questions such as Why are we here? and What is our future? He also released a book, called  The Human Universe  (co-authored with Andrew Cohen), in 2014. Two of his speeches are available as TED lectures, where he explains the physics being performed (or not being performed) at the Large Hadron Collider. He has co-authored the following books with fellow British physicist Jeff Forshaw: Why Does Emc2 (And Why Do We Care?) (2009)The Quantum Universe (And Why Anything That Can Happen, Does) (2011) He is also a co-host of the popular BBC radio program Infinite Monkey Cage, which is released worldwide as a podcast. In this program, Brian Cox joins with British actor Robin Ince and other guests of renown (and sometimes scientific expertise) to discuss subjects of scientific interest with a comedic twist. Awards and Recognition International Fellow of The Explorers Club, 2002Lord Kelvin prize from the British Association (for his work popularizing science), 2006Institute of Physics Kelvin Prize, 2010Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), 2010Institute of Physics Presidents medal, 2012Royal Societys Michael Faraday Prize, 2012 In addition to the above awards, Brian Cox has been recognized with a variety of honorary degrees.