Dtlls - Enabling Learning and Assessment Essay Example for Free

Dtlls Enabling Learning and Assessment Essay Coursework 1 – Reflective Account of Peer Assessment Activity Within this piece of work I will be reflecting on an assessment activity used by a peer whilst I was observing their lesson for A-level psychology. The learners were all aged 17-19 and the lesson was on theories of depression and was a revision session for learners before their exams the following month. The assessment activity was an informal formative assessment where the students were placed into groups of two or three learners and were then given an area of the subject matter, the learners then had to create revision notes as a group on a piece of flipchart paper using their own notes and text books. The learners were then given 15 minutes to revise these notes, once this time was up the tutor then asked the learners to all find a new partner and then teach their revised notes to their peer. The ‘tutor’ peer would try to give all their key notes without looking at the flipchart, but some learners were allowed when they got stuck on certain points. The ‘student’ peer would have to take written notes to aid with their revision. The learners would then swap in their pairs and the roles would be reversed, after both learners had shared their revision notes they would then swap again to find a new learner to pair with, this process continued until all learners had a full set of revision notes for the subject. Brown et al on the subject of assessment ‘validity’ state ‘It is often described as the match between what is intended to be measured and what is measured.’ (Brown et al., 1997, p.239). I believe this activity was very valid as it allowed the tutor to assess the notes the learners would be revising from for a summative exam in the future. The aims of this assessment were explained in full detail and the learners understood what was expected of them from this activity. The point of the activity was for peer learning to take place to aid revision in the subject of theories of depression; this was definitely achieved by the end of the lesson as every learner had a full set of revision notes on each aspect of the subject confirming the validity of the assessment. The students were in charge of creating their own notes in each group and then passing these notes onto their peers, this does cause some reliability issues as with all learners some students may have put more effort into their revision notes than others. Therefore you may get a learner who has put as much information into his or hers notes as possible giving a vast amount of knowledge on a certain area of the subject and they may then  receive from a peer basic knowledge of another area of the subject. Reece and Walker talk of ‘reliability’ as ‘the ability of a test to consistently measure what it is supposed to measure.’ (Reece and Walker, 2007, p.348), I believe this method of assessment does not consistently measure but the tutor did circulate the classroom at all times aiding learners if they were finding it hard to put key points down on paper. This method does however aid differentiation as less able learners were given the chance to gain knowledge of the subject from more able learners. The more able learners also had the chance to practice and develop their subject knowledge aiding revision in the class. Word Count: 520 References Brown, G., Bull, J. and Pendlebury, M. (1997) Assessing Students Learning in Higher Education. Oxon, p.239. Reece, I. and Walker, S. (2007) Teaching, Training and Learning: A Practical Guide. 6th ed. Sunderland: Business Education Publishers Ltd, p.321. Coursework 2 Assessment Information within own Organisation Assessment information within my own organisation is recorded from the beginning of a learner joining the college. Every potential student as part of the interview stage takes part in a minimum core assessment; this is a basic screening test to assess the student’s literacy and numeracy skills. This initial assessment allows us to correctly place the learner on the right level of course. These results are placed in the college database, following the enrolment of each learner the minimum core results form a group differentiation profile for each class; put together by the course leader. This profile is used by the tutor so they can differentiate learning tasks and understand individual learner’s needs from the very beginning. Once the course commences formative assessments are created by the tutor and used in each lesson. Each learner receives feedback from these assessments and if needed, targets can be set so the learner is clear on what is expected of them. Validity and reliability of assessments used during a course are checked at regular standardisation meetings within curriculum teams, these take place to sample marking of formative and summative theory assessments. Allowing tutors to internally verify samples of learners work so all tutors  in the department are consistent in their marking. Reece and Walker explain ‘validity’ as ‘how well the test measures what it is supposed to measure† (Reece and Walker, 2007, p.321). Within these meetings the team will also evaluate and create formative and summative assessments for future use; a chance to share good practice. The meetings are also used to discuss practical assessments as different tutors can have differing views on as sessment criteria; this aids the reliability of the assessments. Summative assessments are entered on a standardised tracking document which every tutor in the department can access. Updating this tracking document then enables each tutor or the head of department to see the progress of every learner helping to identify any ‘at risk’ students who may need more attention or end up not completing the course. This document is shared with the learners; they can see what still needs to be achieved to gain their qualification and how far they have come in terms of progression, this aids motivation in the classroom and also a sense of achievement to see how much they have already completed. The learners have logbooks provided by the awarding body VTCT, this is where tutors record all practical summative assessment and sign off to say they have met the criteria set by VTCT. The logbook is used by the learner to build a portfolio of consultations forms and photographs from practical’s, written assignments and any online tests the learner has to complete during the course. The college also uses Pro-Monitor a computerised package which tutors can record individual learner progress and set targets for learners to achieve by a certain time. Learners can access Pro-Monitor and input individual targets they wish to achieve, it can also show them graphs and visual aids on how much of their qualification they have achieved, this is brilliant for more visual learners who may find written feedback harder to understand. These different ways of recording assessment information are vital in enabling tutors to identify when students are falling behind and planning for future development, a side effect of not using these implements could be learners nearing the end of their course without completing assessments that are mandatory. References Reece, I. and Walker, S. (2007) Teaching, Training and Learning- a Practical Guide. 6th ed. Sunderland: Business Edition Publishers, p.321. Coursework 3 – Evaluation of Assessment Activities Assessment is defined by Gravells and Simpson as ‘a measure of learning, at a given point in time. Relevant skills, knowledge and/or attitudes can be measured towards a subject or qualification.’ (Gravells and Simpson, 2008). There are three main types of assessment; initial, formative and summative; these types of assessment can then be informal in the way of crosswords, gapped hand-outs, quizzes, discussions and journals or they can be formal in the way of exams, assignments, tests and observations. Formative assessment, used properly, is such an integral part of the teaching and learning process that it could be argued that it shouldn’t even be called assessment. When we consider teaching and learning methods, many of them – questioning, case studies, and projects – are also assessment methods used as learning checks. Scales states ‘Assessment for learning is based on the belief that everyone can learn and formative assessment is a key strat egy to help learners improve and develop’ (Scales, 2010) With this in mind the first assessment activity to be evaluated is a crossword used as an informal summative assessment. Crosswords are a simple and easy way of assessing learner’s knowledge during a unit. Crosswords can be uploaded to the college interactive website ‘cloud’, learners can then download the activity as a form of homework or as an extension task during directed studies. These can then be handed in to the tutor for marking. A more effective method is to use a crossword as learning check during a lesson; once the learners have completed the crossword they can then discuss as a group the answers. The tutor can also use extended questioning, asking more able learners to explain in more depth an answer to help aid differentiation. Feedback from learners suggests that crosswords are a challenging way of testing knowledge and encourages the learners to look at subject matter in different ways without having to sit tests all the time, which can be very daunting for certain learners. Something gained from feedback from a group of level 1’s, is that because a majority of the learners have learning needs which affects their literacy; they find the crossword in itself challenging to complete. To overcome this it has been noted that providing learners with a word bank of key words for each unit has helped in completing such tasks as  crosswords, as the learner still needs to know which word they are looking for but aids in developing their spelling for the future. Feedback is the most important part of formative assessment; research suggests that immediate oral feedback is the most effective, whether this is done by one on ones or as a group discussion. The feedback provided should be developmental and make the learners extend their thinking and learning to a higher level and should also focus on positive points first before moving onto more ‘developmental’ area’s for the learner to consider. By conducting formative assessment it can ensure that the teacher gains a full understanding of the learners existing capabilities so that realistic goals can then be set and additional support if needed can be organised. With this feedback individual targets can then be created for each learner and placed on the college Pro-Monitor system where the learners can access their targets as and when needed to see how they are developing in the course. Learners are also encouraged to create their own personal targets on Pro-Monitor, using feedback from formative assessments it allows learners to realise key strengths and weaknesses to help in creating these targets. The use of this feedback is very much like the idea of ‘scaffolding’, Bruner (Wood et al., 1976) coined this term in the 1950’s and believed using a more knowledgeable other to challenge the learner to achieve more by providing ‘scaffolding’ to help them climb to higher levels. Learners in dialogue with teachers can see where they want to reach but initially may need help in the form of questions, prompts and pointers to get there. Summative assessment is the assessment of learning and it leads to the gaining of qualifications and grades. Weeden suggests ‘Summative assessment is a snapshot judgement that records what a learner can do at a particular time.’ (Weeden et al., 2002, p.19) This process of qualification is important for learners and it is good to keep in mind the emotional aspects and design of assessment in relation to validity and reliability. With this in mind the second assessment activity to be evaluated is a practical observation used as a formal summative assessment. Practical observations are used throughout all 3 NVQ levels in beauty therapy as the subject is extremely vocationally based. Beauty therapy NVQ’s are broken down into units, for each unit there will be practical assessments that have to be completed at the end of the unit, where the learner is observed and assessed by the teacher. VTCT are  the awarding body for the beauty therapy NVQ’s and they set out the practical assessment criteria for each unit, this criteria is printed in the learners logbooks which is where each assessment is signed off if a pass has been achieved. To aid the reliability of the practical assessments all beauty lecturers at the college come together at standardisation meetings where the criteria is discussed in detail and a learner marking sheet is created which includes each of the areas the learner has to meet to gain a pass in the assessment. If this was not done each teacher could interpret the assessment criteria in different ways therefore learners would not be assessed fairly and reliably. Petty states ‘the same examiner should give the same mark if they unknowingly mark a script twice on different days’ (Petty, 2009), using standardisation this means that even with practical based assessments the results should always be the same. To help learners during practical assessments learning outcomes are written on the whiteboard to highlight key points they will need to show competency in or do to achieve a pass in the assessment. During the observation the teacher will also ask questions to the learners to help achieve the unit criteria, this is also where differentiation of the learners can take place as more able learners will be asked more open-ended and higher order questions then less able learners who will be asked standard criteria questions. The use of cameras in practical assessments is something that is still fairly new and is being experimented with but does seem to show some success. As part of the observation learners have to keep their working area clean and tidy and show due regard for health and safety, the teacher can now take pictures of each learners working area before the assessment takes place and then at the commencement of the assessment. With regards to practical assessments like nail art, make-up and face painting the finished article can also be documented by a photo that the learner can then be used in their own portfolio to be sent to the awarding body. From these pictures the teacher can then feedback to the learner at the end of the assessment any positive points of the practical and also any areas that the learner would need to further develop, the learner can then have these pictures as a visual aid to understand how they can improve for the next assessment and also works as a good revision aid for the future. Another approach to embrace ICT in assessments is to video learners assessments so they can themselves evaluate  and feedback on client care and professionalism during their observation. It has been noted that using cameras in practical observations has been received well by the learners, they have commented that it brings a new dimension to receiving feedback and allows them to visualise areas they need to focus on improving and reinforces the assessment criteria for them too. Feedback from practical observation is given individually immediately after the learners assessment, feedback is given verbally with key points both positive and ones for development are written on the bottom of the consultation form the learner completed during the assessment (these consultation forms also go into the learners portfolio). Practical assessments can leave a lot to interpretation by the teacher so it is important the practical marking sheet is filled in during the observations and a pass or fail is determined by how many of the boxes the learner showed competence in, depending on which level the learner is currently studying determines the number of criteria they need to meet. Learners can feel very nervous and daunted by practical assessments at the beginning of the year as it the proverbial ‘unknown’, formative practical assessments do help to calm learners worries as they are a ‘trial run’ of the summative assessment, also setting out some time to explain and discuss the unit assessment criteria and what will be expected of them from this. During the practical observations themselves the use of cameras also seems to help learners forget the formalness of the observation and relax into the assessment. In conclusion all assessment methods should be a positive contribution to learning and good assessment activities are important to aiding teaching. However assessments are only worthwhile if they assist the learner and teacher to move through the learning outcomes of the unit, otherwise it is irrelevant. Designing assessment activities which stretch the learner’s abilities and promotes their development is a skill that comes with experience and understanding of the current learners on your course and it is definitely something that will always be tweaked and changed throughout your career. Word Count: 1,594 References Gravells, A. and Simpson, S. (2008) Planning and enabling Learning in the Lifelonf Learning Sector. Exeter: Learning matters, p.50. Petty, G. (2009) Teaching Today – A practical guide. 4th ed. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. Scales, P. (2010) Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector. Berkshire: McGraw-Hill Education, p.180. Weeden, P., Winter, J. and Broadfoot, P. (2002) Assessment: Whats in it for schools?. London: Routledge Falmer, p.19. Wood, D., Bruner, J. and Ross, G. (1976) The role of tutoring in problem solving. In: Journal of child psychology and psychiatry., pp.89-100.

Consequence Global warming

Consequence Global warming Introduction Climate change and a consequence global warming can be seen all around us. It has already started shaping each and every aspect of our lives in more than one ways: from how we travel to what products we buy to where we live. Hence, there is a concern that the use of non-renewable fuels and other human activities are increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. To avoid this, enthusiasm is spreading for cap-and-trade systems to regulate the amount of CO2 emitted to Earths atmosphere. A new currency is emerging in world markets. Unlike the dollars, Euros and yen that trade for tangible goods and human services, this new money exchanges for pollutionparticularly emissions of carbon dioxide, which are caused by burning fossil fuels and are the leading cause of global climate change. Carbon credits, as they are called, are poised to transform the world energy system and thus the world economy. Carbon credits are used as a currency that allows companies and individuals to compensate their carbon emissions. This is done by either reducing carbon dioxide release directly or through offsetting their GHG outputs. Carbon Credits originated historically from The United Nations Clean Development Mechanism which was under the Kyoto Protocol. It allows a fixed quantity of carbon credits to be traded. It is important for people to limit their impact on the environment and buy carbon credits to offset what they cant reduce and work towards reducing their offsets. Carbon trading as per the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is a big business in the open markets. Projects such as development of renewable energy, improving polluting industries, and planting carbon absorbing sinks are being funded by carbon credits. Companies and people are becoming carbon conscious by reducing their emissions. Many types of events and workings can generate carbon offsets. Renewable energy such as the wind farms, solar panels, geothermal energy, bio energy and small hydro turbines can create carbon offsets by replacing fossil fuels. Other varieties of offsets available for sale in the market include those including methane capturing from landfills or livestock, destruction of harmful greenhouse gases such as halocarbons, and carbon removal projects (such as reforestation) that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Emission levels are increasing around the world and this has resulted in a number of companies wishing to buy more carbon credits. This would result in an increase in its market price and this would encourage businesses to perform more eco-friendly activities which would create more carbon credits to sell. Developed countries spend nearly $400-450 for every ton of reduction in CO2, as compared to $10-$25 spent by developing countries. Indias GHG emission is below the target and therefore, it can sell surplus credits to other countries. India is considered to possess about 31% of the total world carbon trade. This implies a trade opportunity of $25bn by 2010.This makes trading in carbon credits such a major business opportunity. Indiahas emerged as the leading horse in this race. More than 300 Indian entities have proceeded with their application for registering their CDM Project to avail carbon credits. Currently,1 carbon credit is worth 14 Euros. Indian companies can pose higher incomes from carbon credits as compared to their core business. The global carbon credit market was estimated $30 billion last year andis it is growing at tremendous pace. There is a need and a consequent demand to reduce 1 billion ton of carbon emissions in the world, in order to deal with threats like global warming. Indian companies have realized that money can be earned by becoming eco-friendly. With new infrastructure sector like power and steel developing in India, the carbon credit market will gain stature. The 800 million farming community in India also has an opportunity to sell Carbon Credits to developed nations. Companies like Wal-Mart, Dell and GE are going GREEN and purchasing carbon credits. These companies are improving their brand name, consumer confidence in their products. Global Warming Some Facts Global Warming Phenomenon Global warming has brought about one of the biggest challenges for planet earth in the 21st century. There is a global concern about the adverse impact of the emission of greenhouse gas (GHG) on the planet earths climate. Global warming is a phenomenon of gradual increase in earths temperature as a result of the increase in greenhouse gases. This is mainly due to two reasons: increase in human activities which have led to an increased production of Greenhouse Gases, and a reduction in the Earths natural Carbon Dioxide due to Deforestation. The green house effect has led to an increase in the temperature of the atmosphere near the earths surface. Shortwave light comes from the sun to the earth, and it passes unimpeded through a cover of greenhouse gases composed mainly of water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Infrared radiation reflects off the planets surface toward space but does not easily pass through the thermal blanket. Some of it is trapped and reflected downward, keeping the planet at an average temperature suitable to life, about 60 °F (16 °C). Increase in the quantity of greenhouse gases is trapping more heat and increasing global temperatures, making a process that has been beneficial to life potentially disruptive and harmful. The major natural greenhouse gases on Earth are Greenhouse Gases % of Greenhouse Effect Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 70% Methane (CH4) 20% Nitrous Oxide 5% Fluorinated Gases 5% The atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and methane have increased by 31% and 149% respectively above pre-industrial levels since 1750. These levels are considerably higher than at any time during the last 650,000 years. Effects of Global Warming Action must be taken against greenhouse effect, otherwise it could lead to an increase in average global temperature between 2 and 4 degrees and this could happen as early as the year 2030. This increase in temperature would be more towards the poles as compared to the tropics. This would also result in more winters becoming warmer. Such an increase will make the world hotter than it has ever been in the last 100,000 years. The rate of increase in temperature will also be faster than ever before. Just a comparison, a rise of approx 3 degrees Celsius after the ice age took many thousands of years. By the end of this century temperatures can reach those that were in the time of the dinosaurs making the survival of humans impossible. The effects can already be seen- the ten hottest years since the 18th century have been in the previous 15 years. Hurricanes will occur more frequently as oceans heat up resulting in increased water evaporation. Evidence is building at an dangerous rate. Droughts Continental areas will dry out in summer. Floods Sea levels are currently rising at a rate of around 1 mm each year due the top layer expansion of the oceans as they heat up and the polar ice caps melts. The predicted increase in the sea level by 2050 is between 20 and 50mm. This will cause greater flooding in coastal and low lying areas. Carbon Emission A major feature One of the major greenhouse gases is the carbon dioxide gas (CO2). Trees grow and they absorb CO2 from the air. Forest clearance and the burning of wood (tropical rain forests) are adding the CO2 to the atmosphere. Deforestation is getting out of control. The loss of the forests implies that there are lesser trees to absorb CO2. Despite deforestation making a large contribution towards global warming, it causes lesser contribution than half the yearly total CO2 released, the remaining and major part comes from burning coal, fossil fuels and oils. The fossil fuels are consumed in cars, power stations and factories. Nearly half of the CO2 which is released by burning fossil fuels is absorbed back by the oceans. It is taken up by sea life or it is dragged to the ocean depths by the circulation of water. Recent studies have suggested that as the earth heats up, the oceans will become less efficient in absorbing Carbon di-oxide, leaving more of CO2 in the atmosphere and hence adding further to global warming. The following Pie Chart shows the various countries globally responsible for increasing shares of carbon dioxide emission. Source: news.mongabay.com Efforts to contain Global warming It is imperative to slow down the global warming as much as possible. This would in effect happen by using less fossil fuel, eliminating the uses CFCs altogether, and stopping irregular deforestation. This can be done through energy conservation, better use of public transport, more efficient cars, and energy efficiency by greater use of alternative sources of power which produces less CO2 than conventional sources and through renewable energy such as solar power. We have to stop deforestation of rain forests and start afforestation. A United Nations research panel has estimated that we should reduce global fuel use by 60% immediately so that we can stabilize the climate changes. Current commitments by some governments participating in CO2 reduction will lower global CO2 by just 4 6%. The developed industrialized nations produce most of the CO2, the developing nations of South America and Asia are increasing their CO2 release at a much greater rate, and by 2012 they will overtake the Western countries as the major producers of CO2. KYOTO PROTOCOL OVERVIEW Kyoto Protocol A response to curtail Global Warming The Kyoto Protocol acts as an amendment to the international treaty of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (â€Å"UNFCCC†). It pledges mandatory emission norms to the nations who have signed the protocol for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It was established December 11, 1997 in Kyoto, Japan. Countries that ratify this protocol pledge to reduce their CO2 and five other greenhouse gases emissions, and/or engage in emissions trading if they increase emissions of these gases. The Kyoto Protocol now encompasses more than 160 countries around the globe and more than 60% of countries in terms of global greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol works upon a collective reduction of 5% compared to 1990 levels by 2008-2012. This treaty expires in 2012 and international talks have already begun in May 2007 to chalk out a new future treaty to succeed the current one. Source: IPCC Third Assessment Report. 2001 Climate Change : The Scientific Basis. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Green house gases have a disastrous effect on global warming with varying proportions. This intensity is measured by the global warming potential of the gas. The GWP of carbon dioxide is one. One tonne of HFC-23 gas, for example, has 11,700 times more green house effect as compared to CO2. CERs are awarded on the basis of global warming potential of the gas. CER to a gas = Tonnes of green house gas reduced X Global Warming Potential of the Gas Features of Kyoto Protocol As per the Kyoto Protocol, Governments have been divided into two broad categories: Developed countries (they have accepted GHG emission reduction obligations and they are mandated to submit an annual greenhouse gas inventory report) Developing countries (they have no GHG emission reduction obligations but they can participate in Clean Development Mechanism) As per the rules, Any Annex I country which fails to meet the Kyoto obligation would be penalized by been mandated to submit 1.3 times its emission allowances in the second commitment period for every ton of GHG emissions cap they exceed in their first commitment period. The objective of the protocol is the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.† It aims to Put a limit onclimate change and global warming Reduce arbitrary usage of fossil fuels and encourage development and use of renewable energy Encourage sustainable development Operation of Emission Trading System Mechanisms under Kyoto Protocol The Kyoto Protocol pioneered by defining three innovative and distinct â€Å"flexibility mechanisms† to reduce the overall costs of achieving the set emissions targets. These mechanisms enable countries and organizations to adopt cost-effective opportunities to reduce emissions and/or to remove carbon from the atmosphere. While the cost of putting a cap on emissions varies considerably from region to region, thebenefit for the atmosphere is the same, no matter where the action is taken. Joint Implementation (JI): The Kyoto Protocol provides clauses for developed countries to implement projects that reduce emissions, and/or remove carbon from the atmosphere as per the Emission Reduction Units (ERUs). These ERUs can be potentially used to meet the emission reduction targets. A JI project may involve, for example, replacing a coal-fired power plant with a more efficient combined heat and power plant. JI projects must have a prior approval of all the entities involved, and must lead to emissions reductions or removal that are additional to any that would have occurred without the project. International Emission Trading (IET): The Kyoto Protocol also provides that developed countries can get carbon units from other developing parties and use them for meeting their emissions target. This enables developed countries to use low cost opportunities to reduce emissions. Such countries must, consequently, be prepared to transfer units when they do not require them for compliance with their own emission targets.CER: Certified Emission Reduction Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): Developed countries can take up GHG reduction project activities in developing countries where the cost of greenhouse gas reduction project activities is lower. The developed country would get the credits for meeting its emission targets. The developing country would get the capital and technology to implement the project. This technique is called Clean Development Mechanism. CDM covers projects in countries without any set targets, i.e. developing countries. Credits would be issued only for reductions if a project provides real and long-term climate change benefits. The main advantages for countries hosting CDM or JI emission reduction projects are the transfer of technology, attraction of foreign investment, and the contribution to the countrys sustainable development. GLOBAL SCENARIO The international CDM market has entered a high phase, having grown steadily after the Kyoto Protocol came into effect. The emission reduction targets during the first commitment phase of 2008 -12 for Annex II countries, are 713 Million tone CO2 eq. The initial national communication submitted by Annex I countries indicates a total demand of 846 Million tonne CO2 eq. per year based on the individual country commitment and action to reduce emissions. The Past highlights of the International carbon market are: In 2006, market traded an estimated 1.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) in all market segments compared to approximately 799 million tCO2e in 2005. Similarly, the financial value more than doubled from 2005 to 2006, with a total estimate of USD 22.5 billion for all market segments. In 2007, the market traded an estimated 2.6 billion tonnes of CO2e, at a total financial size of USD 23.6 billion. The projection for carbon market towards 2010 indicates With a high scenario, wherein the private sector predominates, the global carbon market can reach around USD 200 billion. With limited private sector participation and some speculations, it can be restricted to as low as USD 4.6 billion. It is estimated that the real market will be somewhere in between these two extremes with a forecasted carbon trade of USD 30 billion. INDIAN SCENARIO India is presently one of the world leaders in development of CDM projects. It is due to the Indian Designated National Authority that more than 297 project proposals with an emission reduction potential of over 297 million t CO2 have received the approval of the official host country. A wide range of project sizes and types in India help international buyers find the project of their choice or work upon a project portfolio to reduced risks. There is a huge evident potential for renewable energy generation from natural factors such as agriculture wastes, hydro and wind. Thermal electricity generation offers unlimited opportunities to improve energy efficiency. One example is the coal-fired power plants and the related transmission and distribution system. The chemical industry also allows reductions of industrial GHG which have large warming potentials The Carbon RUSH JSW Steel: The CDM has made environmental responsibility acceptable for India Industries. Recycle, reuse and reduce have become commercially viable as companies reprocess waste and heat, and cut down carbon emissions. Indias JSW Steel has been awarded about 5.4 million carbon credits, which includes 4 million carbon credits obtained from the single largest issuance of emissions permit by the U.N. to a Kyoto Protocol project. The 4 million credit issuance accounted for 6.5 % of the total 62 million CERs which were allocated by the UN. A total of around with 42 % of all issued credits have been assigned to ongoing projects in India. CERs were issued to two projects owned by JSW Steel for reducing greenhouse gas emissions between 2001 and 2006. Their CDM projects cut gases emitted through power generation from imported coal and waste gases from JSWs steel manufacturing operations. Current Problems with the Environment Integrity of CDM a practical perspective Unfortunately, despite pressure from the environmental community and other sectors, the CDM rules and the project design document still offer little guarantee of environmental integrity. The main weaknesses of CDM procedures in that regard include: The contribution to sustainable development including a transition away from ‘carbon dirty technologies and an emphasis on positive social and environmental impacts is often treated as an optional extra rather than a central project feature. Demand reform in CDM procedures so that there is transparency; accountability of different players (penalties on consultants and DOEs) Demand price negotiations have to be made public, otherwise will lead to corruption Demand simpler procedures (less convoluted methodologies for additionalityetc) so that meaningful projects can work Large public companies (GAIL, SAIL, IOCL, etc)are yet to take off with CDM business, due to lack of knowledge of CDM opportunities Potential in small and medium enterprises yet to be tapped Lack of transparency in CDM market Limited bilateral investment for project funding Governments role critical as a facilitator with different bilateral /multilateral organizations in organizing Carbon trade fairs or expos Number of Bilateral CDM projects need to be increased with more foreign investment for project funding Lack of awareness about CDM Tedious process High cost involved for documentation, validation and Monitoring Verification of emission reductions Inability of new promoters to bring in equity to be able to avail of financing As mentioned above, these problems stem in part from the weaknesses in the existing rules. At the same time, while it is possible that these flaws will be rectified by the CDM Executive Board in the near-future, the extreme pressure from investors to keep carbon prices at their lowest is forcing the project developers to cut corners. Business Implications The London financial marketplace has established itself as the center of the carbon finance market as a market for trading of the carbon emissions as per the Kyoto Protocol. This was estimated at $60 billion in 2007. The irony in the carbon trading endeavor could be noticed from the fact that it was the major multinational corporations who came together in the G8 Climate Change Roundtable, at the January 2005 World Economic Forum. This group was primarily a business group formed by 23 companies. Since, these corporations are the ones who have been chief proponents of ‘overconsumption, it seemed like a method by way of which they could clear their conscience of the damage that they were causing to the environment and planet earth. In June 2005 the Group published a statement stating that there was a need to act on climate change and the stress was on market-based solutions. The business in the UK and elsewhere have come out strongly in support of emissions trading as a key tool to limit the effects of climate change, and these efforts have been supported by Green NGOs. As per the Unites Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation FAO, approx 32 million acres of forests vanish each year, majority of them are in the tropics. The most important reason for forest clearing is the increasing need for agricultural land. The WWF has warned that if appropriate steps are not taken, more than 60 percent of the rain forests in the Amazon basin could disappear by 2030. Carbon trading was introduced by the Kyoto Protocol as a possible solution of the efforts to reduce GHG emissions to below 1990 levels by 2012. The mainstream idea was that the countries whose emissions are below the prescribed emissions could then sell those excess carbon credits to countries that do not meet their own caps. The caps are proposed to decrease over time and the price of carbon credits would rise due to scarcity. These signals towards a changing trend of carbon emission trading which would include a new global carbon emission based investment market, where companies and countries have incentives to invest in developing projects across the globe. All this is happening for the wrong reasons, as this is a method of obtaining the highly coveted carbon credits. This seems to be a sore point for those against carbon trading. As an example, Google has a market value of $200 billion, while all the worlds great forests are valued at nothing. The economic argument says that it makes it financially more appealing to countries not to allow their forests to be cut down. Moral tradeoff Some critiques of Carbon Emission Trading believe that there is a huge moral trade off in place. A study on child care centres in Israel showed that imposing monetary fines on late coming parents did not teach them a lesson in punctuality; in fact, this created an economic trade off as now the parents could voluntarily come late and get away by paying fines. Drawing an analogy from it, the carbon credit trading is on similar lines except that one firm can be willing to pay for extra emissions by compensating the other firm which reduces its carbon emissions. This increases a scarcity and hence the price of carbon pollution. Can the interests of both the rich the poor be served? The major concern about the entire carbon credit trading evolution is the belief that the carbon emission trading really serves rich nations only; the main stream issue being that carbon trading could put the vital resources of the developing world in the hands of developed nations who can then use carbon credits as a way to counter the reductions of their own GHG emissions at the same time. The World Bank recently launched the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), a fund which is financed by the leading countries such as UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Denmark and Finland. The $160 million fund would be used to support programs targeting the drivers of deforestation and develop concrete activities to reach out to poor people who depend on forests to improve their livelihoods. It will also help developing countries build the technical, regulatory, and sustainable forestry capacity to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation. There has always been confusion over the exact role that the World Bank is trying to play in carbon trading market. The World Bank claims to be aiming at reducing global deforestation by 10 percent by 2010. But its critics claim the World Bank has traditionally been an exponent of deforestation. There has also been concern over the consequences of carbon trading scheme on local forest communities that earn their daily living from the forests. Substantiating with an example -In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the World Bank is facing opposition from Pygmy groups and local communities which rely on the Congo basin for their living. There have been reports that accuse the Bank of encouraging commercial logging practices while ignoring sustainable forestry and conservation. The report also claims that the financial benefits of logging have gone to foreign firms, not the local ones. This makes one wonder what the real intentions of the World Bank are. The Million Dollar Question!!! EMISSIONS TRADING COMMODIFIES Carbon. Does this Really Help Solve Climate Change problem? Exponents of carbon trading see markets as the best mechanism for reducing emissions. The critics, on the other hand, believe that carbon trading is a devils bargain that navigates the profits to polluters. You cant solve problems just by using money, the old saying goes. Capitalists have a monetary solution to problems and they believe that the markets are the solutions to everything. They reverse this equation by turning problems from money-hoarding pits to money-makers. Essentially, they try to seek the profit motive to ‘cure societys woes by transforming problems into commodities. This is the set strategy behind the emerging carbon trading markets. The Solution as per the Carbon Trading Proponents By trading the capped carbon emission rights, the rights become scarcer and hence more valuable. Cap-and-trade markets help solve climate change by lowering carbon emissions while generating wealth for the developing nations! If only it were so simple!!! The first contentious question is about how to distribute carbon emission rights: auction or allocation. In 2006, the experiment with carbon credit pricing came to a collapse when it became known that the EU was, either naively or corruptly, handing out too many emission rights to companies based on their estimates. Obviously, their emissions came out to be much lower which gave them a right to trade the left over unconsumed carbon credits. There seemed no real intention of reducing the carbon emissions. â€Å"The dirtier you are, the bigger your entitlement . . . the polluter was paid.† British journalist George Monbiot. The second problem with carbon trading is about mandatory versus voluntary markets. The US, the largest carbon emitter in the world has not signed onto the Kyoto Protocol. To fill this regulatory gap, voluntary carbon markets such as the Chicago Climate Exchange have sprouted up. With proper market design which implies no price cap and a financial penalty for non-compliance -carbon trading forces the movement to cleaner technology and consequent emissions reductions. Carbon trading critics charge and claim that the financial benefits overshadow environmental concerns. With the carbon price suppressed and lowered, polluters energy providers, utilities, oil companies etc have little incentive to curb the rising GHG emissions, thus making the current system undermine the environment and the planet. Also, critics see it as an extension of colonialist exploitation. The third problem relates to the monetary and economic aspect. In reality cap and trade carbon markets have done little to reduce emissions and are plagued by corruption and inefficiency. The worlds carbon trading markets are becoming increasingly complex and this threatens another sub-prime style financial crisis that could again destabilise the global economy. There is also a distinct smell of middlemen involvement. The majority of the trade is carried out not between polluting industries and factories covered by carbon trading schemes, but by banks and investors who profit from speculation on the carbon markets packaging carbon credits into increasingly complex financial products. Conclusion A rational reasoning Even as they gain popularity as a carbon mitigating solution, carbon offsets have often been dubbed under considerable criticism for diluting collective action against global warming. The truth, however, exists in between. Proponents exist on both sides of the debate. We all participate in the consumption of fossil-fuel energy. These emit large amounts of climate-changing CO2 and other GHG gases. The terms carbon offset and carbon neutral have been used as a misnomer it is actually the idea of erasing the negative impact of our daily carbon emissions which drives the carbon offset market and its related controversy. A rational reasoning says that â€Å"You cannot make up for the use of carbon buying the power of money to leverage yourself into a position of freedom from responsibility for emitting it once the damage is done, its done. Ultimately what it all boils down to is the question of choosing from the rich display of effective opportunities that can be adopted if necessary actions are taken while ignoring, at the same time, the capitalistic monetary solutions like offsets.

Cause and Effect Essay: Deteriorating Health Causes Problems for Elderly Drivers :: Cause and Effect Essays

Driving is a simple task that many of us do on a daily basis. Most people are safe drivers, while a few are incapable of driving safely. Safe and capable is how most senior citizens can be viewed; however, there are some factors that can make a senior citizen dangerous behind the wheel. Some of the problems with the elderly today are that their reflexes react slower, they are hearing impaired, or a physical health change can be a big problem. Research has shown everyone ages differently and growing old does not necessarily mean a person becomes a safety hazard on the road. Much depends on the person's physical and mental health as the years pass. Because people age differently there should be certain test given to the elderly after the age of 65. First, an annual hearing test should be given to the elderly. About thirty percent of those over age 65 are hearing impaired. The ability to hear is more important to driving than most people realize. Hearing can warn a driver of danger signals like the sound of screaming sirens, honking horns, or screeching tires. There are occasions when a driver can hear a car but can't see it because of a blind spot. Good hearing helps drivers to be sensitive to what is happening on the roadways around them. Secondly, An annual visual acuity test should be given to the elderly. The elderly are not tested periodically so more often than not visual changes occur and go undetected. Passing a simple eye-test should guarantee clear sight. But many elderly people have visual defects that make it difficult for them to see road signs and pedestrians. Senior citizens may need to slow their vehicles to read a road sign, which can put them at risk for an accident with faster traffic. If they do not slow down, the risk may be smaller, but they cannot read the sign. Obviously, challenge of driving is not one that can be easily solved for the elderly. Lastly, a test on sensory motor skills should be given to the elderly. Cause and Effect Essay: Deteriorating Health Causes Problems for Elderly Drivers :: Cause and Effect Essays Driving is a simple task that many of us do on a daily basis. Most people are safe drivers, while a few are incapable of driving safely. Safe and capable is how most senior citizens can be viewed; however, there are some factors that can make a senior citizen dangerous behind the wheel. Some of the problems with the elderly today are that their reflexes react slower, they are hearing impaired, or a physical health change can be a big problem. Research has shown everyone ages differently and growing old does not necessarily mean a person becomes a safety hazard on the road. Much depends on the person's physical and mental health as the years pass. Because people age differently there should be certain test given to the elderly after the age of 65. First, an annual hearing test should be given to the elderly. About thirty percent of those over age 65 are hearing impaired. The ability to hear is more important to driving than most people realize. Hearing can warn a driver of danger signals like the sound of screaming sirens, honking horns, or screeching tires. There are occasions when a driver can hear a car but can't see it because of a blind spot. Good hearing helps drivers to be sensitive to what is happening on the roadways around them. Secondly, An annual visual acuity test should be given to the elderly. The elderly are not tested periodically so more often than not visual changes occur and go undetected. Passing a simple eye-test should guarantee clear sight. But many elderly people have visual defects that make it difficult for them to see road signs and pedestrians. Senior citizens may need to slow their vehicles to read a road sign, which can put them at risk for an accident with faster traffic. If they do not slow down, the risk may be smaller, but they cannot read the sign. Obviously, challenge of driving is not one that can be easily solved for the elderly. Lastly, a test on sensory motor skills should be given to the elderly.

OUR SENSES: A DANGEROUS GIFT :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The issue of our mistrust and or trust in our humanly senses remains a building block for philosophies of many notorious philosophers. In the discussions â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave† written by Plato and â€Å"Meditation: The Path to Enlightenment† by Siddhartha Gautama, The Buddha, both analyze the issue of our senses. Both philosophies are reasonably logical and realistic in their approach to the humanly senses and whether or not they should be trusted or mistrusted, however, they seem to contradict each other somewhat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In both discussions, our senses are essential to reach our so called goals in life: In Plato’s discussion, our goal is to find Truth; and in Buddha’s discussion, to reach enlightenment. Plato’s philosophy holds senses to be of an untrusting or false guide to reality. He argues that if everyone relied on their senses to interpret reality and find the Truth, everyone has different perceptions of their senses and the reality would be different depending upon the individual. Basically Plato suggests that our senses can be a distraction from the Truth, and therefore, should not be trusted. Buddha’s reasoning of the senses is slightly different from those of Plato. Buddha chooses to not focus on the falsity of our humanly senses, but the element of imagination and how that can alter our perceptions. If we see something as it really is, without integrating our imagination, we are given a freedom to come to a true understanding of the world. Th erefore, Buddha suggests that the senses can be trusted, however the imagination is untamed and when mixed with our senses, creates a distorted perception. The main discrepancy between the two philosophers is that Plato believes that senses themselves should be mistrusted, and Buddha believes that only our senses combined with our imaginations are to be mistrusted.

Analysis of Angelas Ashes Narrated by Frank McCourt Essay -- Angelas

Analysis of Angela's Ashes Narrated by Frank McCourt Angela's Ashes: A Memoir is Frank McCourt's acclaimed memoir. It charts the author's childhood from his infant years in Brooklyn, through his impoverished adolescence in Limerick, Ireland, to his return to America at the age of nineteen. First published in 1996, McCourt's memoir won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize in the category of best Biography/Autobiography, and has gone on to become a worldwide bestseller. McCourt, who for many years taught writing in a New York public high school, waited for over forty years to write about his troubled youth. Arguably, waiting for years before writing his autobiography allowed Frank McCourt to talk about his childhood in the most objective way possible. McCourt treats the subject of his own difficult life with even-handedness and objectivity. McCourt never downplays the fact that he suffered from acute hunger and deprivation in his youth. He once described this autobiography as "an epic of woe." Nothing about the author's boyhood was easy. But Frank's world is not one of self-pity. Although the protagonist endures a troubled upbringing, it is one that instills in him strong moral values and a healthy sense of humor. McCourt's prose style is ambitious in its scope, yet detailed in his focus; it is prosaic in order to capture everyday life, but poetic in order to evoke a homeland. McCourt wrote a sequel to Angela's Ashes entitled 'Tis, which describes his experiences as a young man in America. A film version of Angela's Ashes was made in 1999. Summary The narrator, Frank McCourt, describes how his parents meet in Brooklyn, New York. After his mother, Angela becomes pregnant with Frank, she marries Malachy, the father of her child. The family grows, and Angela struggles to feed her growing family of sons while Malachy spends his wages on drink. Frank's much-loved baby sister Margaret dies, and Angela becomes depressed. The McCourts decide to return to Ireland. In Ireland, more troubles plague the McCourts. Angela has a miscarriage, Frank's two younger brothers die, and Malachy constantly drinks away the dole money. McCourt's childhood is characterized not only as a time of great deprivation, but as a time of good humor and adventure. When the first floor of the house floods during the winter, Angela and Malachy announce that the family will leave the cold dam... ..., priests, family members, and people in positions of authority. Even Frank's father may be seen as an antagonist, since his alcoholism aggravates his family's poverty. However, Frank's true antagonist is not one individual, but the general discrimination he faces because of his poverty Setting (time) - Late 1930's and 1940's Setting (place) - Brooklyn, New York (briefly) and Limerick, Ireland Point of View - First person Falling Action - Frank earns enough money to leave for America, and says an emotional farewell to Ireland Tense - Present tense or immediate past; the author writes as though he is experiencing events for the first time, in the present moment Foreshadowing - The death of baby Margaret seems to anticipate Frank's near-continual state of bereavement in Limerick, as he struggles to cope with the demise of two of his brothers, Theresa, and many other friends and relations Tone - Humorous, self-effacing, matter-of-fact. McCourt matches his tone to the age of the narrator, becoming more serious and worldly as the narrative progresses Themes - Guilt, class distinction, hunger Motifs - Anti-English sentiment, stories and folktales Symbols - River Shannon, eggs Analysis of Angela's Ashes Narrated by Frank McCourt Essay -- Angela's Analysis of Angela's Ashes Narrated by Frank McCourt Angela's Ashes: A Memoir is Frank McCourt's acclaimed memoir. It charts the author's childhood from his infant years in Brooklyn, through his impoverished adolescence in Limerick, Ireland, to his return to America at the age of nineteen. First published in 1996, McCourt's memoir won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize in the category of best Biography/Autobiography, and has gone on to become a worldwide bestseller. McCourt, who for many years taught writing in a New York public high school, waited for over forty years to write about his troubled youth. Arguably, waiting for years before writing his autobiography allowed Frank McCourt to talk about his childhood in the most objective way possible. McCourt treats the subject of his own difficult life with even-handedness and objectivity. McCourt never downplays the fact that he suffered from acute hunger and deprivation in his youth. He once described this autobiography as "an epic of woe." Nothing about the author's boyhood was easy. But Frank's world is not one of self-pity. Although the protagonist endures a troubled upbringing, it is one that instills in him strong moral values and a healthy sense of humor. McCourt's prose style is ambitious in its scope, yet detailed in his focus; it is prosaic in order to capture everyday life, but poetic in order to evoke a homeland. McCourt wrote a sequel to Angela's Ashes entitled 'Tis, which describes his experiences as a young man in America. A film version of Angela's Ashes was made in 1999. Summary The narrator, Frank McCourt, describes how his parents meet in Brooklyn, New York. After his mother, Angela becomes pregnant with Frank, she marries Malachy, the father of her child. The family grows, and Angela struggles to feed her growing family of sons while Malachy spends his wages on drink. Frank's much-loved baby sister Margaret dies, and Angela becomes depressed. The McCourts decide to return to Ireland. In Ireland, more troubles plague the McCourts. Angela has a miscarriage, Frank's two younger brothers die, and Malachy constantly drinks away the dole money. McCourt's childhood is characterized not only as a time of great deprivation, but as a time of good humor and adventure. When the first floor of the house floods during the winter, Angela and Malachy announce that the family will leave the cold dam... ..., priests, family members, and people in positions of authority. Even Frank's father may be seen as an antagonist, since his alcoholism aggravates his family's poverty. However, Frank's true antagonist is not one individual, but the general discrimination he faces because of his poverty Setting (time) - Late 1930's and 1940's Setting (place) - Brooklyn, New York (briefly) and Limerick, Ireland Point of View - First person Falling Action - Frank earns enough money to leave for America, and says an emotional farewell to Ireland Tense - Present tense or immediate past; the author writes as though he is experiencing events for the first time, in the present moment Foreshadowing - The death of baby Margaret seems to anticipate Frank's near-continual state of bereavement in Limerick, as he struggles to cope with the demise of two of his brothers, Theresa, and many other friends and relations Tone - Humorous, self-effacing, matter-of-fact. McCourt matches his tone to the age of the narrator, becoming more serious and worldly as the narrative progresses Themes - Guilt, class distinction, hunger Motifs - Anti-English sentiment, stories and folktales Symbols - River Shannon, eggs

Our Moral Responsibility to Provide Monetary Aid to Pakistani Villagers Essay

In this essay, I will argue that the theory of Utilitarianism presents resilient, compelling arguments that exemplifies why we have a moral obligation to donate money to help the Pakistani villagers affected by recent floods. Though the argument put forth by Ethical Egoists in favor of donating money to the Pakistanis is convincing, it lacks the quantitative validation that Utilitarianism provides. The Perspective of an Ethical Egoist Ethical Egoism is a consequentialist moral theory that says each person ought to pursue his or her own self-interest exclusively (EMP 69). A person’s only moral duty is to do what is best for him or herself, and he or she helps others only if the act [of helping] benefits the individual in some way (EMP 63). On the surface, it appears that it is not in a person’s best self-interests to donate money to help villagers in Pakistan. The giver experiences monetary loss and the diminution of personal financial wealth, and expends time, energy, and effort in the donation-transaction process. He or she receives neither public acknowledgement nor donor recognition. There are, however, intangible benefits that the giver may reap as a result of his or her deed, such as the satisfaction that he or she receives from giving monetary aid to the Pakistanis or the happiness that he or she experiences for acting in accordance with his or her values. It is in the giver’s self-interest and, therefore, his or her moral duty to give monetary aid to those plagued by the Pakistan floods. The facts that an Ethical Egoist would consider to be important are the consequences to him or herself because Ethical Egoism is a consequentialist moral theory that revolves around the self. Consequentialism contends that the right thing to do is determined by the consequences brought about from it (Class Notes, 10/05/2010). In this case, the morally relevant facts that the Ethical Egoist is primarily concerned with are the intangible benefits and advantages that he or she would receive from giving. The Ethical Egoist would also consider the actual and implicit costs of giving aid, as they are consequences brought about from helping the Pakistani villagers. The argument put forth by Ethical Egoism is good because it is compatible with commonsense morality. To reiterate, Ethical Egoism says that â€Å"all duties are ultimately derived from the one fundamental principle of self-interest† (EMP 73). According to Hobbes, this theory leads to the Golden Rule, which states that â€Å"we should ‘do unto others’ because if we do, others will be more likely to ‘do unto us’† (EMP 74). In this case, if we do not give to others, other people will not give to us. Thus, it is to our advantage to give to others. The Utilitarian Argument Classical, or Act, Utilitarianism maintains that the morally right act is the one that yields maximum happiness for all sentient beings impartially. Utilitarianism requires us to consider the general welfare of society and the interests of other people. Giving money to help the villagers in Pakistan generates positive consequences and diminishes the negative effects of the floods. Specifically, donations for disaster relief results in the availability of medicines to treat sicknesses, the provision and distribution of cooked meals, hygiene kits, and clothing, and the reconstruction and restoration of homes and schools. In short, giving money relieves great suffering of the flood-affected Pakistanis, enhances the balance of happiness over misery, and endorses the maximum and greater good of society. Therefore, the morally right thing to do is to donate money to help the Pakistani villagers. Similar to Ethical Egoism, Utilitarianism is a consequentialist moral theory, though this theory is concerned with the greater good of society. Therefore, the morally relevant facts for a Utilitarian are the consequences to all people impartially. In this case, they include the circulation of food, clothing, medicines, and the restoration of villages. Providing monetary aid ultimately produces the greatest balance of happiness over unhappiness for society. The Utilitarian argument for donating money is good because it provides calculable validation. In other words, the utility of the receivers is quantifiable and tangible (number of meals, hygiene kits, water tanks provided, number of homes rebuilt, etc. ). This tangibility clearly illustrates that the utility of the receiver exceeds the marginal cost to the giver and produces the greatest amount of happiness over unhappiness. Why the Utilitarian Argument is Stronger There is an epistemic problem that weakens the argument given by the Ethical Egoist. We do not know precisely what the consequences will be. We expect that the intangible benefits include self-satisfaction, enjoyment of giving, and happiness from providing financial aid, and we estimate that the costs consist of the actual donation payment and all related opportunity costs; however, we do not know exactly what the consequences will be and the extent of the results. It is, thus, difficult to gauge whether donating to charity is actually in the giver’s best self-interest exclusively because the associated costs may be very great (the giver may end up poorer or the donation-transaction process may be stressful; both situations would not be to his or her advantage). The immeasurability and intangibility of the benefits also weakens the argument. Ayn Rand, an Ethical Egoist, responds to this objection and asserts that it is completely moral and permissible to offer aid to others even when one does not anticipate any tangible return; â€Å"personal reasons for offering aid—reasons consistent with one’s values and one’s pursuit of one’s own life—are sufficient to justify the act† (Gordon Shannon, 10/16/2010). Rand says that personal reasons, such as values and pursuit of a flourishing life, are adequate to justify the act. We run, however, into a problem: just because we have a moral justification to give aid, does it mean we are morally required to give aid? Rand provides a moral justification, but not a moral mandate; this makes the argument put forth by Ethical Egoism weak. While Ethical Egoism provides a convincing argument and response to the objection, the Utilitarian argument is stronger because it buffers against the epistemic problem and provides quantitative, calculable validation. The problem of epistemology does not apply to or weaken the Utilitarian argument because we know what the consequences will be, based on present initiatives. Plan UK has provided cooked meals to over 250,000 people, shelter for 230,000, water tanks, hygiene kits, and medicines for thousands of families (Plan UK). We know how the money will benefit the Pakistani villagers and we can quantify the amount of happiness and good that entails the act of giving aid to others. To summarize: Ethical Egoism says that we ought to pursue our own self-interests exclusively. The morally right act is the one that benefits the self. There is, however, an epistemic problem. We do not know what the consequences will be or the extent of these outcomes. Donating to charity may not benefit the self. Utilitarianism, however, avoids the problem of epistemology and immeasurability. Therefore, Utilitarianism is the stronger argument. Conclusion In this paper, I have presented the theories of Ethical Egoism and Utilitarianism, delved into the morally relevant facts, and reflected on why each argument is good. I illustrated why Utilitarianism is stronger by appealing to a weakness of Ethical Egoism. Thus, the Utilitarian perspective that we have a moral duty to donate money to help Pakistani villagers is a better argument.

Drama Analysis Lars and the Real Girl

Lars and the Real Girl â€Å"Who is Bianca? † â€Å"Lars and the Real Girl† is a production about a young man named Lars who tries to find love by ordering an anatomically correct sex doll, Bianca. Lars does not use Bianca for sexual pleasure but instead for someone to love. Bianca plays a major role in this movie even though she is restrained from feeling, talking, or even being alive. Bianca’s character aids the development of the other characters including Lars, his brother, and the â€Å"real girl†, Margo. Bianca helps the development of Lars’ character by letting him express his feelings through her.Bianca becomes â€Å"sick† helping Lars secretly see a physiatrist in his brothers’ interest. The doctor slowly begins to grow a relationship with Lars during check-ups for Bianca. He opens up to her explaining all of Bianca’s problems, such as her father and mother dying at a young age and her search for independence. Even thou gh he explains these as Bianca’s problems they are truly his own. Bianca gives him a sense of relief from being bottled up all these years. Bianca also helps the development of Lars brother, Gus. When Lars first introduces Bianca to Gus and his new wife Gus automatically shuts the idea down in frustration.He believes that it is ludicrous and Gus needs help. His wife tries her hardest to make Lars feel that Bianca is welcome. Gus eventually comes around to realizing that Bianca is a result of his own actions. Lars has created her character to comfort his wife and himself because of the way Gus has been treating Lars since their parents passed away. Towards the end of the movie the viewer can see a major change in Gus’ attitude from neglecting Bianca to accepting that she is a part of his brother. But, Bianca does not stop there.Margo is the new girl at work who clearly has a major crush on Lars. Lars overlooks her attention because of his conflicts with himself and his ability to build a relationship. While Lars is in the doctors’ office the viewer learns that Lars has an issue with pain when skin comes into contact with his own this only further proves that Lars is scared of affection. He turns away from his brother’s wife Karin when she tries so hard to love him and do everything she can for him. Bianca helps develop Margo’s character because Bianca helps develop Lars’ ability to build a relationship.After Bianca passes away, Lars opens up and gives Margo a chance leaving the viewer guessing. Throughout the movie Bianca becomes more than just a doll made for sexual desire; she is a symbol in every character that is introduced to the viewer. Bianca shows the insecurities in Lars, the remorse in Gus, and the love in Margo. Although Bianca cannot talk or show emotion her character development in the town helps play out the development in the loved ones around her. â€Å"Lars and the Real Girl† opens eyes to show t hat characters do not have to be alive to be alive in others.