Does Racism Make Us Sick - 1506 Words

Maressa Rodgers Dr. Crystal Piper HLTH 3105 MF December 12, 2014 Does Racism Make Us Sick? When assessing the progress of the racial divides that plagued what is now considered the â€Å"melting pot† of all nations, the feelings and health statuses of the oppressed should stand out as one of the major indicators of progress. Yet with this logic, it seems as though the disparities continue to grow, the voices of the oppressed minorities in the United states gets hushed by their oppressors, and many individuals that try to stand up for their basic human rights get tossed back into the shadows. In America, many people of privileged backgrounds find themselves fleeing from their guilt by excusing their unearned favor in this society by†¦show more content†¦Those key aspects include, historical traumas and colonialism and the etiology related to health behavior, the disassociation that some minorities feel, the permanent division among different races due to segregation, the various levels of racism, and finally how these elements affect the health outcomes of minorities. While assessing these aspects, the consideration of America’s progress should still have a thorough examination as well as finding the validity in the statement that racism contributes significantly to making American minorities sick. Before delving further into these aspects, a distinct understanding of racism, discrimination, and disparities is significant to seeing the connection of how they each relate to the health impacts of American minorities. Racism is an institutional and systematic form of oppression, seeking to undermine the progression of minority groups, in an effort to place them as inferior based upon the taxonomy of race. Discrimination is clear mistreatment among certain individuals based on prejudices against various parties. Finally, disparities are facets of different communities that force an unfair disadvantage upon them. All three of these factors contribute to negative health impacts among minorities. Racism and discrimination have played a major role in creating such health disparities over many years throughout history. From the video, Dr. Karina Walters explains how â€Å"historical trauma has indicators of etiological or

Evaluation Of An Effective Meeting With A Client - 1344 Words

Completing the initial contact with the client showed me both areas in which I need improving and areas I did well. After speaking with classmates and receiving feedback from my supervisor I was able to better understand what others thought of my interview. Seemingly, main areas of concern during the interview were to maintain professionalism, practice self-reflection, show empathy, conduct the interview in a thorough manner, and avoid any personal biases during the interaction. The concerns for conducting an effective meeting with a client can depend on many things. With reference to the previous class 341, we engaged in scenarios during class that acted out the client and worker interview. During the classroom exercises it was difficult to create a natural setting for meeting with a client. While at probation it became easier to deal with clients because what you were witnessing are real life situations, and the person sitting in front of you is seeking help and resources. Areas I believe I did well in during the initial contact, was the engagement process. Sitting down with the client and my supervisor as we introduced ourselves and explained to the client our goals of the initial contact and our intentions I felt the client felt comfortable meeting with my supervisor and myself. The client was actively engaged throughout the entire interview, this client was open to ask questions and open to expressing his experiences and concerns. My supervisor and myself were able toShow MoreRelatedAssignment : Planning Engaging Stakeholders1523 Words   |  7 PagesAssignment 1: Planning Engaging Stakeholders (20 points) Successful evaluations begin with careful planning and efforts to engage those who will be part of the evaluation activities. This assignment focuses on using the knowledge and skills you have acquired in this course and other courses to talk about evaluation in your field practicum site and to engage your supervisors (field task instructors, agency director, coworkers, clients, etc.) in your project. Agency Information: 1. Provide a briefRead MoreImplementing Existing System Of Quality Control917 Words   |  4 Pagesthat outcomes are being met; and that clients are satisfied with the services received. NDY has a long history of providing services to at-risk /high-risk youth and low-income families with grant funds, including foundation, federal, state and county funding sources and the agency has a system in place to guarantee service compliance and goal attainment. Utilizing sound evaluation research methods, NDY routinely conducts both process and outcome evaluations of all programs. In addition to complyingRead MoreProgram Assignment835 Words   |  4 Pagesprogram targeted to enroll 115 clients, but 103 clients were enrolled, they also targeted 57 clients to complete the course, but the actual number was 65, for clients advancing one level up, their target was about 37 clients, but they surpassed their target, and about 60 clients completed the course. The data collected from interviews shows that the outcome achieved is based on the program activities. The interview question shows that the classes are held in clients’ apartment complexes. This is oneRead MoreEffective Communication With A Social Worker1196 Words   |  5 Pagesis the ability to have effective communication skill. I understand that as a Social Worker we are constantly communicate with clients to gain information, convey critical information and make important decisions. Without effective communication skills, social workers may not be able to obtain or convey that information, thereby causing detrimental effects to clients. Effective communication skill also applies to the relationship you have with your agency supervisor. Effective communication with yourRead MorePlan For Creating A Treatment Plan1655 Words   |  7 Pages Transaction #4 Client: Yeah, I’m getting too old for this. I just want to get a little apartment or a room and a job to keep me going. I need my own place where I can just be alone with no one to bother me. Worker: I hear you. But, what’s the most important thing right now? What’s your plan? Skill: Maintaining a focus on the goals. Reading the client: Is this guy going to help me get a room for me to rent? I keep insisting that that’s what a need hoping that he’ll offer me some help withRead MoreSelf Critique Of Charles Kebler As Sales Manager Essay1561 Words   |  7 PagesAssignment: Sophia Barrow Performance Evaluation Self-Critique Section One – Overall Performance Critique: 1.What did you do well in the meeting? After going back and reviewing my performance evaluation of Sophia Barrow, I feel like I did a very good job overall. The first thing I feel like I did well during the meeting was keeping the conversation balanced. Keeping the conversation balanced and not talking too much was my main issue going into the meeting. The next thing I feel like I did reallyRead MoreThomas Green Essay1336 Words   |  6 Pagesopportunities. After meeting with Shannon McDonald, Travel Division Vice President, she promoted Thomas Green to Senior Marketing Specialist. Within one week, Green met Marketing Director, Frank Davis. On October 8th, Green attended Davis’ Budget Plan meeting. After a disagreement about Davis’ regional sales goals, Davis emailed McDonald regarding Green’s personality issue. Green and Davis’ rocky relationship continues to escalate after Davis gives Green a poor informal evaluation. There was nothingRead MoreProject Manager And The Lead Designer And Lead E ngineer1039 Words   |  5 PagesThe client-related risk will be mitigated by implementing an effective communication plan with early client engagement and by drafting a contract that delineates the client’s duties beyond payment. The risks of schedule’s delay and over-budget will be mitigated by minimizing changes of scope, planning a realistic schedule, avoiding communication breakdown, tracking resources and deliverables and enforcing and monitoring the quality gates. The Project Manager and the Lead designer and Lead EngineerRead MoreDonabedian Model788 Words   |  4 Pagessuggests that ‘it is important for counsellors to evaluate their work as an ongoing process through evaluation, in which the client participates, to understand where their interventions are appropriate or where a different approach may be more effective’, (pg. 85). Previous research of counselling evaluations have possibly failed to recognise client’s views, which is important as this examines how clients want to be helped and how they consider to have been helped, which helps counsellors to improveRead MoreEvaluation Of The National Association Of Social Workers1119 Words   |  5 PagesEvaluation How do you know if you are really helping the client? Evaluation is an essential part of the social work profession offering monitoring and measuring interventions created for clients. Research has concluded evaluation is an integral part to social work practice approach to evidence-based methods. In recent years, training on evaluation has increased however it remain under-utilized by social workers in practice, (Hitchcock Baker, 2010). The National Association of Social Workers

Anne Hutchinson versus Massachusetts Free Essays

Anne Hutchinson was a church going woman at the least. She moved to Massachusetts in 1634 with her husband and thirteen children. She was expecting her fourteenth when they arrived. We will write a custom essay sample on Anne Hutchinson versus Massachusetts or any similar topic only for you Order Now Her main influence to migrate to the Americas was Reverend John Cotton. He was a minister to her while they lived in England and she could hear prayers from anyone else but him. Anne was a true believer of the Puritan faith and keeping up the traditions and worship. She believed in speech of â€Å"covenant of grace† not a â€Å"covenant of works†. Basically she wants people to worship what god says and what he has laid down for them to pray upon. She opposes many ministers who she believes that speaks of words that people have laid out over the years and of a man named John Calvin. He was a famous Pastor whose works are called Calvinism. This is what gets her into a big heap of trouble. While in America Anne has these meetings with people around her area and she preaches what she thinks is right and who all she believes can teach the religion the right way. Well people found out and she was put on trial among her peers to be tried for â€Å"troubling the peace and commonwealth of the churches here.† She had spoken something to a group of ministers about her beliefs and they were there to testify against her. She exclaims,† what law have I broken† thinking to herself what she did was right. Some of the men said she said it and some said she didn’t say all that she was accused of but overall the jury believed she said it. Reverend Cotton almost gets her out of it but she rambles about her beliefs again and convinces everyone that she should be prosecuted. The jury and the judges find her guilt of â€Å"troubling the peace and commonwealth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and she is convicted and banished after she is â€Å"uncommunicative† with the outside people she knows. She stays a few months in a house in â€Å"Roxbury† then goes back to court. She then receives her final conviction which is banishment, also John Cotton now hates her for what she has done and talks down to her in the court and says she shall go to hell. She can’t ever come back to that town. She then moves to what is now â€Å"Portsmouth, New Jersey â€Å"with some of her followers. When her baby was due is was a â€Å"still baby† and people thought it was a sign of the evil she had done and called it the â€Å"devil child.† She later gets murdered with five of her kids by Indians after moving to New Netherlands. How to cite Anne Hutchinson versus Massachusetts, Essay examples

Consumer Protection Laws

Question: Describe about "Consumer Protection Laws". Answer: Introduction A section of laws and organization which are formed in order to ascertain the consumer rights along with fair competition, trade and transparency in terms of the transaction process are the main aspects of Consumer Protection law. The laws are formulated in such a manner which ensures any form of unfair treatment to the consumers. Thus, the acts that are legislated and executed in accordance to the above mentioned aspects related to consumer behavior and protection of their interests is Consumer Protection Act. In this regard it could be mentioned that, the national law in order to ascertain protection of the consumers and fair trading is the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). On 1st January 2011 the ACL was commenced (Consumerlaw. 2016). Case 1 In the context of the above discussion, few cases could be mentioned which are related to the concept of Concept Protection Act, in order to explain the idea more vividly and in an in-depth manner. The ACCC V TPG Internet Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 54 (the TPG Case) clearly highlighted the fact that, the nations highest court is determined to give proper justice to the consumers whose Consumer Protection Laws gets breached by any large company. In the context of this case, regarding the companys relation with Unlimited ADSL2+ service, the court justified a $2 million fine against TPG. Fine of this type is the first of its kind in the court. In the opinion of the ACCC, this kind of decision affirms its effort in preventing violation of consumer laws by the big companies (Hannebery et al., 2016). The main issue of the case was the question whether under Section 52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) (at present Section 18 of the Australian Consumer Law) the print advertisements that was developed by TCP for the promotion of its Unlimited ADSL2+ service misleading or not. In the advertisement it was mentioned that an offer was provided by the company under which ADSL2+ would be supplied for $29.99 per month. In a comparatively smaller print, below this offer it was notified that the offer came along with the TPG home telephone service due to which the consumers would have to pay additional $30 per month. On the basis of the above issue the ACCC opted for a legal action against the company. The allegation of the ACCC was that the advertisement had scope or was already misleading the consumers regarding the actual cost of the ADSL2+ service. Thus in this case, the consumer right of receiving transparent and non-deceptive information regarding the provided services was at stake , resulting in the breach of consumer laws. On December 2013, the High Court reestablished the Federal Courts verdict that the advertisement was misleading and reinforced $2 million penalty which was previously reduced by the Full Federal Court on the appeal of the company. The High Court emphasized on the perspective or point of view that was conveyed by the main message in the particular advertisement. The Court during the judgment considered the fact that on the basis of the companys ad it may resulted in effective formation of belief and impact the trust of the consumers that may lead in attracting the consumers to go into a negotiation with the company rather than its competitors. The High Court further highlighted the fact that a rational consumer might be aware of the fact that ADSL2+ services were combined with telephone services but that cannot result in ignoring the fact that advertisement was of deceptive nature. Some of the main requirements of the provided information t o the consumer under the Consumer Right laws are its transparency, clarity, non-ambiguous and non-deceptive nature. In this particular case, the provided information conveyed to the consumers consisted of ambiguous and unclear elements thus breaching the right of information of the consumer, resulting in breach of Consumer Law (SOVERN, 2014). In order to analyze the mentioned case critically and in an effective manner, the opinion of ACCC Chairman Rod Sims as provided for an article in the Australian Financial Review could be highlighted. He opined that, the decision given by the High Court in this particular case was a standard for the companies regarding the consequence that they might have to face in case they breach consumer laws. The verdict given in this case clearly highlights the issue of misrepresentation by the companies. This case brings out the aspect that it is essential on the part of the organizations to be careful regarding particular features of services or goods that they emphasize and convey upon to the consumers should not have any form of misleading or deceptive elements that may affect the consumer. As a result of which the organizations during their promotion or advertisement should be very careful regarding the any form of misleading statement (Mondaq, 2016). The company which has been blamed this case may provide that logic that all the essential and important information were provided in the advertisement. But this cannot result in ignoring the fact that certain portions of the messages were emphasized upon while other parts of the information were not emphasized upon. This can be clearly stated to be a means of misguiding the consumers. As experienced from the above mentioned case that such behavior on the part of any organization can lead to its suing and if the misconduct or breach of the law is proven then the consequence may be penalty of paying a compensation amount or even imprisonment. Case 2 Section 52 of the Trade Practice Act [TPA], deals with misleading or deceptive behavior in terms of trade behavior or practices. In this regard, The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Google Inc [2012] FCAFC 49 (3 April 2012) case can be mentioned. In accordance of the paragraphs 2(i) to (iv) of the Notice of Appeal the Court declared that, due to publishing on the Google Australia websites result page on 29th May 2007, 18th July 2007, 24th October 2007 and 17th April 2008 by Google Inc results that were ads for STA Travels business and website which consisted of the heading of Harvey World Travel or Harvey World was contradicting the fact or truth according to the trade or commerce behavior which are: the advertisement represented the fact that STA Travel and Harvey World Travel business were associated, the mentioned organizations had an affiliation, at STA Travels website Harvey World Travel businesses information could be found and finally the at STA Travels website information regarding the service provided by Harvey World Travel businesses could be achieved. As a result of the above mentioned trade behavior, Google Inc was hold liable to be engaged in misleading or deceptive behavior (Accc. 2016). Similarly, between March 2006 and July 2007, Google Inc by publishing or caused to publish results on result page of the Google Australia website CarSales advertisement with the website heading as Honda.com.au results a breach of consumer law. The reason being, when the consumer would click on the provided headline of Honda.com.au they were supposed to visit the Honda Australia website which was not happening. This clearly was a misleading or deceptive act. It was further claimed by ACCC in response to searches of users for a business which was a competitor; Google published sponsored links to the websites of Trading Post and Ausdog as well (Farrell, 2010). In this particular case the issue was not the fact if the sponsored links were of misleading or deceptive nature or not. The main aspect on which the High Court was required to take a decision was whether by promoting or displaying sponsored links there was any form of involvement on the part of Google Inc in misleading or decepti ve behavior. The High Court on 6th February in completely agreement and approved the appeal made by Google. The approval of the appeal was done on the basis of the finding which reflected that Google was not involved in any form of deceptive or misleading behavior. The justification given by the court for this verdict was mainly because the search terms which are selected by the internet users or the material that are available on Google are not controlled by Google. Moreover any advertisement that gets activated in Google page is because of the fact that the Google ad words content or Google search main words are specified by the advertisers and Google is not in control of that. Other than that, the advertisements that are published in its page are not created or authored by Google itself and third party is responsible for it. The innocence of Google from any form of misleading is further proven from the fact that the conveyed information in those advertisements was that of the advertisers which Google do not endorse (Sinha, 2011). Thus from the above findings the innocence of Google was established and the previous decision of the Full Federal court which was in favor of ACCC was nullified the verdict by the High Court. There are number of implications of the judgment given by the High Court that primarily impacted the publishers, advertisers and trade mark owners. The main impact upon the publishers was establishment of the fact that websites should be treated at per as any other media of advertisement like newspapers, magazines etc. It is also significant in this context that, if an advertisement is not created or adopted by a particular media, then it would not be considered liable for the misleading elements of the advertisement. It was further affirmed by the High Court that the advertisers will be considered liable for the deceptive or misleading elements that are present in online advertisement. Moreover, in case any advertiser buys Adwords which consists of another organizations trade mark and link it to a sponsored link the advertiser will be considered liable for the misleading and deceptive behavior (Hwlebsworth, 2013). As a result, it further increases the importance on the part of the a dvertisers to review the components of an advertisement in order to assure that it contains no misleading elements. The importance of The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Google Inc [2012] FCAFC 49 (3 April 2012) case also lies on the fact that in relation to the particular case on 23th April 2013 Trade Mark Adwords policy was updated with the purpose no more restrictions would be imposed on advertisers by Google in terms of their purchase and use of trademarks like keywords in Google Ads. In case of any form of breach of rights on the part of trade mark owners they may secure their rights by approaching or lodging a complain to Google regarding any form of unauthorized use of trade mark which will result in restricting its use by Google. Other than that claims could be under the Australian Consumer Law any the advertisers unauthorized use of the trade mark. From the above discussion it is prominent that The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Google Inc [2012] FCAFC 49 (3 April 2012) case was a significant one in terms of the consumer laws. In order to analyze the case critically it is essential to discuss the argument of both the sides. Prior to the verdict was given by the High Court, the Full Federal Court was in support of ACCC. Earlier to the verdict was given by the High Court there were number of arguments posed by ACCC in against of Google Inc. Some of those mentionable arguments are: in the perspective of ACCC Google was involved in the creation of the sponsored link because the technology is utilized by Google itself in order to create and present the sponsored links. Thus, this involvement makes Google more than just a publisher. So, on the basis of Section 52 of TPA ACCC made the argument that Google Inc was engaged in misleading and deceptive act (Hcourt. 2010). In other to defend these charges, Google Inc presented to the High Court every applicable aspect of the sponsored links, further mentioned that as compared to the fundamental aspects of the technical facilities provided to the advertisers the technical facilities of Google as provided to others were not different and most importantly, the commercial relations between advertisers and other traders were not within the boundary of Google. In this particular case there were number of elements that could have resulted in the inclusion under the provisions of the Section 75B of the TPA, resulting in proving Google as criminal for commencing misleading and deceptive behavior (Hwlebsworth, 2013). But it was given a clean cheat on the basis of the particular circumstances of this case which includes the level of Googles involvement in terms of determination of the sponsored links contents. Conclusion In the conclusion it could be stated that the core purpose of the consumer laws is not to protect the consumers from any kind of misconduct, misleading and deceptive behavior and protect the interest of the consumer. It further ascertains that if any such incidents occur against the consumers they get fair justice and get the get deserved with the help of these laws. References Hwlebsworth, 2013 [online] Google victory over consumer watchdog: Google v ACCC.publications/publications/technology-media-and-communications/item/977-google-victory-over-consumer-watchdog-google-v-accc.html [Accessed 19 May 2016]. The Australian Consumer Law, 2016 [online] Consumerlaw.gov.au. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, 2013. Farrell, C., 2010. Citizen and consumer involvement in UK public services. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 34(5), pp.503-507. Hannebery, J., Sapountsis, J., Hannebery, J. and Sapountsis, J., 2016. Australian consumer law update: ACCC cases targeting false or misleading representations | Davies Collison Cave Australia. [online] Davies.com.au. Hcourt.gov.au., 2012. [online] High Court of Australia: Google Inc v. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Robertson, I. and Berry, S., 2014. ACCC to pursue companies that breach consumer laws - Consumer Protection - Australia. Sinha, R., 2011. Consumer laws. New Delhi: Global India Publications. SOVERN, J., 2014. Fixing Consumer Protection Laws So Borrowers Understand Their Payment Obligations. J Consum Aff, 48(1), pp.17-33.

Organization Learning Concept

Organization learning can be defined as organized acquiring of experience through controlled and managed trial of new strategies and intelligent use of the results to achieve the required objectives.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Organization Learning Concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This is because the more dynamic an organization is the higher the chances of maintaining its prowess in current volatile market. This paper discusses the importance of learning to an organization, the necessary requirements and examples of organizations which have used this concept to maintain their brands in the current competitive market. Importance of learning to an organization The employment of this strategy will enable a company or the business empires realize its mission and vision statements. This is because organization learning empowers every member of the organization towards a common goal. By either creati ng and trying new policies and strategies or learning and positively responding to current challenges the organizations can formulate mission and vision statements and incorporate everyone to achieve them. Learning organization creates new challenges to the management and all the employees. The employees feel part and parcel of the organization. This makes them believe to be part of the solution and not the problem. The shift from the tradition advertisement based on disseminating information is being replaced by interactive advertisement as seen in social site advertisement and employees are faced with new modern challenges. Learning and acting to these challenges becomes the dream of every employee. Due to the volatility of the current marked the only way for organizations to stay afloat is to embrace organization learning. They take time to learn and implement better methods of doing things due to the continual change in the society. Car manufacturing companies such as Toyota lea rn from changes in international policies on emissions and fuel efficiency to invent more efficient automobiles.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Necessary requirements An excellent communication system is essential in organization learning. A good communication structure is essential in disseminating information and knowledge throughout the whole organization from senior management to other levels of management, from one department to another and also forms one person to another. This is especially important in large organizations that have different branches in different areas. Employment of communication tools such as web conferencing, instant messaging, cell phones and others enhance passing of information and knowledge within the organization (Eijkman, n.d; Janakiraman, 2008). For an effective learning organization the kind of the work force matters a lot. Curious a nd intelligent people who have an intuitive thinking about work based problems are an advantage as suggested by Serrat: Intellectually curious about their work, who actively reflect on their experience, who develop experience-based theories of change and continuously test these in practice with colleagues, and who use their understanding and initiative to contribute to knowledge development. (Serrat, 2009, p. 1) Knowledge is one of the most important requirements for effective learning organization. Learning and knowledge cannot be separated. This is suggested by Serrat: Knowledge is a critical asset in every learning organization. Because learning is both a product of knowledge and its source, a learning organization recognizes that the two are inextricably linked and manages them knowledge should encompass both the individual and corporate knowledge (Serrat, 2009, p. 1) Technology is part and parcel of passing of information and knowledge in the organization. This is important in ensuring that there is effective communication and management of knowledge. The organizations must invest in terms of time, support personnel, relevant infrastructure, and expertise. These and other requirements are important in facilitating the learning process.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Organization Learning Concept specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion Learning organization is a very important concept for those organizations that want to remain in the market for long. Organizations learn from self made or prepared challenges or the challenges they face in order to brace themselves for the challenging future ahead. It is a very important concept that everyone should try. References Eijkman. H. (n.d.) The Learning Organization as concept and journal in the neo-millennial era: a plea for critical engagement. Web. Janakiraman. S. (2008) The Importance of being a Learning Organization. Web. Serrat O,(2009). Building a LearningOrganization. Web. This assessment on Organization Learning Concept was written and submitted by user JoantheMouse to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Xeriscaping

Xeriscaping Introduction The world is endowed with many important natural resources. However, water emerges at the top as the most important natural resource human beings have for simple reason that it supports life. Climate changes and dynamic ways of life of human beings on the planet have varied patterns of use and consumption of water.Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on Xeriscaping specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Additionally, there has been an irreversible alteration of the environment that has directly impacted on the planet’s water situation. Many water catchment areas and water bodies on the planet have been destroyed and left in desperate situations. The result therefore has been a water stressed planet with many areas experiencing acute water shortages barely enough to cover respective population commercial and domestic consumption needs1. One of the most water dependent domestic uses is gardening and lawn care. In the US for instance, it accounts for most of the seasonal increase in water consumption in numerous places. An average US family consumes approximately twenty-six gallons of water every day. The entire nation consumes approximately twenty six billion gallons of water every day2. Out of the above daily consumption, over 7 billion gallons are devoted for use in outdoor activities such as gardening and landscaping. According to US Environmental Protection Agency, a lawn setting in a suburban place in the US uses over ten thousand gallons of water every year. One of the most enduring but misplaced notions has always been that green magnificent lawns are only achievable through extensive water use alongside other practices such as fertilization. Many environmentalists have however argued and proved that magnificent lawns and gardens are achievable with the employment of water conserving landscaping techniques. The techniques employed in this area use terms such as ‘waterwiseâ₠¬â„¢ and ‘waterlow’ depending on their underpinning philosophy. To consolidate the water conserving landscaping approaches, the concept of Xeriscape landscaping was developed.Advertising Looking for thesis on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Since its coinage and copyrighting in Denver in 1981, Xeriscaping has become the official description of all the methods and approaches used by authorities and individuals to pursue water efficient landscaping practices. There have been many initiatives formulated at all levels of government in the US to promote xeriscaping for the sole purpose of encouraging responsible water use. This paper will therefore examine the efforts and strategies put forward by the authorities in promoting xeriscaping in the US3. The analysis will look at the nature of the efforts i.e. their status and how they are implemented. The analysis will be carried out within the framework of federal, state and local governments and the policies that they have laid down to promote xeriscaping and efficient water use. However, for purposes of better understanding, there will be a brief look at what xeriscaping is. Xeriscaping The Denver water department coined the word xeriscaping in 1981. The main purpose was to highlight the importance of water efficient landscaping. The word is derives from the word â€Å"Xeros† Greek for dry and landscape. To fulfill its core purpose of promoting water efficient landscaping, Xeriscaping operates on seven principles and eight fundamentals that promote waterwise landscaping. The seven principles include good planning and design, mulching, efficient irrigation, continuous study and analysis and improvement, good plant selection and practical turf areas. The fundamentals encourage wise irrigation scheduling, provision of regular maintainace and extensive use of mulching. Xeriscaping Efforts by authorities in the U S Some environmentalists assert that the water efficient landscaping techniques can be used by local, tribal and state governments as well as companies and businesses to physically improve their properties for purposes of reducing long-term maintainace costs and the creation of environmental friendly landscapes. In the United Sates, the federal, state and local governments and water districts throughout the country have since the 80’s promoted and supported xeriscaping efforts. Some of the initiatives implemented by these authorities are mandatory while others are incentive based to encourage large adoption of the practices.Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on Xeriscaping specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The initiatives and efforts have always encouraged people to create low water demanding and drought resistant landscapes. Generally, there have not been any major laws directly concerning xeriscaping in the US4. Most of the efforts that are in place right work within a framework of existing water conservation laws. It’s important to note that mandated efforts have mostly taken place within the state and local level compared to the federal level. This analysis will therefore concentrate on the latter two states. It will involve a look at notable state and local governments that have put in concerted xeriscape efforts, how they have done it and if the efforts have been successful in their intended purpose. Xeriscaping on the federal level On the federal level, there have not been any major regulations that give emphasis to xeriscaping. Federal authorities seem to endorse the xeriscaping program through education initiatives. Through the Environmental Protection Agency, extensive education and information on water conservation in landscaping through xeriscaping is carried out. The information includes information on hoe tom locate federal local resources. The focus on local resources m eans the federal government treats the xeriscaping issues as a regional one that state and other local authorities are better suited to handle5. One of the most probable reasons why the federal authorities may not be treating the xeriscaping issue with national urgency is the fact that the country is so large and diverse that a national effort to push for xeriscaping may end up being ineffective. It’s therefore nearly impossible to tackle the issue from a national platform. State and local governments on the other hand are more specialized in terms of populations and their environment’s natural conditions. It’s therefore easy for them to roll out specific incentives that fit their areas of representation. Xeriscaping therefore is very much a local issues and concerns little of the federal government. Xeriscaping at State level Numerous states have enacted laws and offered incentives meant to entice their populations to adopt xeriscape practices. Florida, Texas a nd California are some of them. There will be an individual analysis on every one of the states mentioned above. Their cases will be generalized over the rest of the states to help paint a picture of how xeriscaping is applied in the different settings.Advertising Looking for thesis on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Florida Florida is one of the most water sufficient states in the US. However, the distribution of rain in the state is wanting. There is an uneven distribution of rainfall in the state. Besides, the state is endowed with sandy soils that have poor water retention capabilities. Additionally, the state has a fast growing population that has increased its demand on the water resources of the state. The state of Florida was one of the few states in the US to enact water conservation legislation that gives emphasis to xeriscaping. In fact, it was the first state to enact a xeriscape statewide law. The law requires Management and Transport departments to utilize xeriscape laws in all their new public property developments. It also requires all public properties constructed before 1992 to be phase in Xeriscape through a five-year period6. Florida law criminalizes the planting of some exotic species that may not be supportive of xeriscaping. At the same time, the law promotes the use of xe riscaping concepts in the state government’s landscaping initiatives. The law also encourages local governments to use xeriscape oriented landscaping techniques and practices. It’s so far the most explicit state law on xeriscaping in the US. Previously, there has also been a bill in Florida that proposed criminalization of the passage by localities of laws that prevent xeriscaping7. Besides, the South Florida Water Management District together with the Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association, the Florida Irrigation Society and the local business community have collaborated to produce the â€Å"Plant It Smart with xeriscape† television program that seeks to promote the use of xeriscape in the state. The program showcases an ideal Florida residential yard and how it can be retrofitted using xeriscape landscaping techniques to safe on costs, energy and time. The fact that the SFWMD is involved shows the level and commitment authorities have given to the implemen tation of Xeriscape8. There is also the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), the City of St. Petersburg, and Pinellas County, Florida who have pooled resources together to produce the â€Å"Xeriscape It† Video game. The videogame enlightens people on the seven principles of xeriscape landscaping. Furthermore, through the collaboration, SWFWMD has sponsored numerous xeriscape demonstration sites, besides having a xeriscape garden it its headquarters in Brooksville. The garden showcases the variety of native and non-native plants that that are appropriate for xeriscaping. The garden is accessible for viewing by the public who are issued with a guide about it. The above initiatives have the full backing of the authorities. It’s therefore safe to conclude that in Florida, the state has out in place adequate efforts to promote xeriscaping. One of the characteristics of the efforts employed by the state of Florida and that is observable in many other states is the involvement of the private sectors on raining awareness and promoting xeriscaping. California California is sometimes described as a water hungry state that satisfies its water needs through importation of water. The most affected part of state is southern California, a situation experts blame on many causes. Due to the water stress situation however, California unlike a number of state and local governments and federal government bodies has not widely implemented the xeriscaping principle of landscaping. Through the California Environmental Protection Agency, has encouraged residents to adopt xeriscape-oriented practices that will help in conserving water in the state. The situation in California is representative of many states and local authorities in the country where xeriscaping has not gained root. The authorities don’t appear keen in neither pursuing legislative nor incentive based approaches to encourage xeriscaping. Texas Besides California, Texas is another s tate that has taken official measures that encourage xeriscaping. Unlike the Florida case however, the Texas and California legal drives have not been as forceful. Texas passed the conservation law in 1991 that imposed various regulations meant to conserve water in the state9. The state also passed a law that specified that xeriscape parameters met in all new construction projects of the state after January 1994. In 1995, there was also an additional legislation that made in mandatory for the state department of transport to implement xeriscape standard in all the construction and maintainace of roads and roadside parks of the state. The law also urges local authorities of the state to consider enacting ordinances that will require people and businesses observe xeriscape practices to conserve water10. Additionally there were two other state laws passed in 2001 that promoted responsible use of water through practices such as xeriscaping. In xeriscaping, the law identifies xeriscaping as a way popular way of saving water at home. It urges gardeners and landscapers to source for plants that won’t drain water quickly and that will help reduce the monthly water bill of the average Texas household11. Texas and Florida lead the park in enacting laws that observe xeriscape practice. The above analysis has been used to put into perspective of the existing state measures that promote xeriscape. No doubt, other states have different laws regarding the subject. However, this serves a demonstration of how far the concept of xeriscape has been utilized on the state level12. Xeriscape efforts at Local Government The analysis of local authorities will concentrate on county authorities and city governments that have put in place measures that promote the use of xeriscape measures in landscaping their territories. Numerous localities, far more than state and federal have embrace the xeriscape concept. One of the outstanding approaches local authorities are using is throu gh offering cash incentives to their residents who are willing to implement xeriscape practices13. Las Vegas In Las Vegas, the city government accords homeowners a cash reward of one thousand dollars if they convert their lawns to xeriscape compliant. Commercial landowners on the other hand get up to $ 50,000 in water bill credit if they comply with xeriscape standards. The main aim of offering these rewards is meant to help local authorities conserve water and save on costs associated with it. In Las Vegas for instance, the city hopes to save 25% of water it could have used in a decade. Other plans by the Las Vegas city government to promote the use xeriscape include a limited city ordinance turf of not more than 50%, of any new landscapes and awards on xeriscaped properties in the city14. Glendale Arizona In Glendale, Arizona, residents of the city receive a rebate reward of $100 if they install or convert more than half of their landscape area commercial or private to non-grass vegetation. The Glendale Water Conservation Office carries out an audit to ensure all the requirements which are tailored along xeriscape practices are met. A rebate check is then issued to the homeowner who would have fulfilled the requirements. The main objective of implementing Xeriscaping practices in Glendale is to minimize on the amount of water that is used by residents to irrigate grass. The city of Albuquerque on its part offers cash rewards of a maximum of $ 800 for private residential properties and $ 200 for commercial properties that restructure their properties to incorporate designs that help in conserving water. According to statistics supplied by the municipality, the city has been able over ten years to reduce its percapita consumption of water from 250 gallons to 175 gallons. It’s important to note that there are stark differences between the approaches employed by the state governments and localities in implementing xeriscaping approaches. Many state gover nments including the ones discussed above clearly prefer the legislation approach while local authorities prefer the reward or incentive system. The most probable reason why the state governments prefer the mandate system is probably because of the size of the population and the territory they preside on. Only rules imposed through legislation are likely to work on a wide population such as that of a state. Additionally, the state is likely to spend more or save more by virtue on the size of its population. Incentives to entice people are therefore not likely to achieve much of either of the above15. Local governments on the other hand have lean populations who are easily manageable. Their numbers are commensurate with the resources that cities have and their likelihood of its populations meeting the conditions are high. Furthermore, local governments have small jurisdiction areas which are reachable making implementation of laws and regulations easy compared to the state16. There i s need for states and more local authorities to come up with new and more appealing incentives that will be specifically targeted at real estate developers. The incentives will be structured in such a way that they will encourage those businesses already using and implementing xeriscaping measures. One of the businesses that will benefits from such incentives for instance includes HHP developers in Las Vegas. The property development manager has so far developed over 25, 000 hectares of land with both commercial and residential properties. In their development, HHP has over two decades applied practices consistent with xeriscaping landscaping. Given the fact that Las Vegas has provisions that require implementation of xeriscaping practices, the business has over time saved hundreds of thousands of dollars over the two-decade period. It’s easy to use the above example as one of the benefits of using xeriscaping in order to entice more businesses and individuals countrywide. Co nclusion Xeriscaping is a fast growing practice in the US. Since its invention in 1981, the practice has helped different authorities to save on expenses through water conservation. The Florida and Texas examples need to be emulated in other states because the practice has proven its worth. As said in the analysis, the practice is however tricky to implement on a national level. Besides legislation however, there is still more that the federal government can do to promote xeriscaping. This can be done through offering incentives to states that enact legislation that among other thing support the practice. There is need to shift attention to big businesses considering the amount of land at their disposal. Most of the laws that especially exist in state level only compel public departments to apply xeriscape practices. Private property should be included because the benefits in the long run will be both for the public and private citizens. Furthermore, authorities should consider more public-private partnerships that will help in easier adoption of the xeriscaping practices. While it’s not easy for the complete achievement of xeriscaping objectives, the above offers a good platform on which to start. Bibliography Brenzel, Kathleen N., ed. Western Garden Book, 2001 Edition, Menlo Park: Sunset Publishing Corporation, 2001. Buras et al, Managing urban water supply, Berlin: Springer, 2003.p. 56 Cech, Thomas, Principles of water resources: history, development and management, NY: McGraw Hill, 2009. Page 68 Cohen, Nevin, Green Cities: An A-to-Z Guide, NY: Routledge, 2011, p. 477 Layzer, Judith, The environmental case : Translating values into policy, Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. 2002 Mann et al, Cutting Edge Gardening in the Intermountain West, London: Sage Publications, 2007, Marks, Susan, Aqua shock: the water crisis in America, Burlington: Springer, 2009. Sturgeon, Stephen, The politics of western water : The congressional career of  wayne aspinall. Tucson: University of Arizona Press. UMI, Dissertation abstracts international: The sciences and engineering, London: Mcmillan Publishers, 2008, Wood, Warren, Water resources perspectives: evaluation, management and policy.  NY: Infobase Publishers, 2003p. 48 Wolch, Jennifer, Manuel Pastor, and Peter Dreier, eds. 2004. Up against the sprawl : Public policy and the making of southern california, eds. Jennifer Wolch, Manuel Pastor and Peter Dreier. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2004. Winger, David, ed. Evidence of Care: The Xeriscape Maintenance Journal, 2002, Vol. 1, Colorado WaterWise Council, 2001. Footnotes 1 Winger, David, ed. Evidence of Care: The Xeriscape Maintenance Journal, 2002, Vol. 1, Colorado WaterWise Council, 2001. 2 Brenzel, Kathleen N., ed. Western Garden Book, 2001 Edition, Menlo Park: Sunset Publishing Corporation, 2001. 3 Sturgeon, Stephen, The politics of western water : The congressional career of wayne aspinall. Tucson: University of Arizona Press 4 W olch, Jennifer, Manuel Pastor, and Peter Dreier, eds. 2004. Up against the sprawl : Public policy and the making of southern california, eds. Jennifer Wolch, Manuel Pastor and Peter Dreier. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2004. 5 Layzer, Judith, The environmental case : Translating values into policy, Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. 2002 6 Cohen, Nevin, Green Cities: An A-to-Z Guide, NY: Routledge, 2011, p. 477 7 Mann et al, Cutting Edge Gardening in the Intermountain West, London: Sage Publications, 2007 8 Mann et al, Cutting Edge Gardening in the Intermountain West, London: Sage Publications, 2007, 9 Cech, Thomas, Principles of water resources: history, development and management, NY: McGraw Hill, 2009. Page 68 10 Buras et al, Managing urban water supply, Berlin: Springer, 2003.p. 56 11 Wood, Warren, Water resources perspectives: evaluation, management and policy. NY: Infobase Publishers, 2003p. 48 12 UMI, Dissertation abstracts international: The sciences and engineering , London: Mcmillan Publishers, 2008, 13 Marks, Susan, Aqua shock: the water crisis in America, Burlington: Springer, 2009. 14 Mann et al, Cutting Edge Gardening in the Intermountain West, London: Sage Publications, 2007 15 Cohen, Nevin, Green Cities: An A-to-Z Guide, NY: Routledge, 2011, p. 477 16 Layzer, Judith, The environmental case : Translating values into policy, Washington, D.C.: CQ Press. 2002

Theories of Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Theories of Development - Essay Example Jacques Derrida can be considered as the most influential person in relation to poststructuralist theory. The poststructuralist theory revolves around the concept of decentralization of language (Crain, 2005). According to poststructuralist theory, language has no center. It is without any center. Saussure looked at language as a structure but Derrida emphasized that all structures are required to have centers while language has no center. Derrida claims that there is no present moment (Crain, 2005). As soon as we talk about a present moment or think about it, it is already past. Poststructuralist can be related to deconstruction that considers that there is no fixed meaning (Escobar, 1995). Language is considered in the same frame. There is no central meaning for any word in language (Crain, 2005). According to Derrida, language is a free play of meaning (Crain, 2005). Poststructuralist theory challenges the existence of each and every thing in the world whether living or nonliving (Escobar, 1995). After analyzing the points discussed in poststructuralist theory, the theory seems most compelling as all the aspects raised in the theory are persuasive and influential. Not only one critic but many critics and theorists are involved in the evaluation of poststructuralist theory. Postcolonial and postmodern theories are also persuasive but as compared to poststructuralist theory, they appear somehow weak. Post-colonial theorists are unable to regard themselves as fully post-colonial (Escobar, 1995). According to them, they are still under the control of colonial powers. Postcolonial theorists regard nationality, language and regionalism as most important aspects that an individual should have (Crain, 2005). Like poststructuralist theory, postmodern theory is also a response to modern theory. This also deals with a set of perspectives related to society,