The Recycling Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Recycling Industry - Essay Example As the report stresses cities and towns in the United States of America. have been facing the dilemma of rising municipal solid waste (MSW) generation and declining capacity of aging landfills. In response, public officials have begun to implement new policies aimed at encouraging source reduction and waste diversion through increased recycling activity. Because the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act gives states the responsibility for nonhazardous waste management, these efforts have not been symmetric across the nation. Nonetheless, certain trends have become apparent, including the increased use of curbside services and the adoption of unit pricing schemes such as payment for recyclable waste, in order to meet local objectives. According to the paper findings Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) disposal and recycling demand is based on a systems approach. The parameter estimates and associated demand elasticities have a practical application for state and local public officials who are undertaking the design and implementation of MSW management programs and policies. The benefits of MSW policy reforms as well as the expected benefits of policy to various constituencies are clear. Unit pricing or variable rate pricing due to its market orientation is now an important focus of economic research. The system of unit pricing is simple: each unit of waste disposal has an explicit price, so that the total fee paid for MSW services increases with the quantity of waste discards. "Hence, the unit price acts as a disincentive to dispose excess waste and, in theory can be adjusted to achieve state or local disposal targets" (Callan & Thomas, 2006: 221). This is supported by Ackerman (1996) who adds that once unit pricing is es tablished, the price elasticity of waste generation may be as little as - 0.12. This means that an 8% price increase caused only 1% drop in garbage disposal. When such a pricing scheme is lacking, the municipalities normally charge a flat fee for disposal services which is unrelated to the amount of waste generated. This eventually means that the household has no economic incentive to lower generation of waste or to divert it through recycling. This problem is increased if the flat fee is collected through property taxes, thus hidden from residents. Since this flat fee approach ignores the true marginal costs of providing MSW services, it results in an inefficient solution with too many resources allocated to municipality solid waste disposal, with greater stress on landfill capacity as the outcome.

Metaphysical Thought Of Thomas Aquinas Philosophy Essay

Metaphysical Thought Of Thomas Aquinas Philosophy Essay Each science studies beings in a specific and determinate way. According to Aristotle, metaphysics studies the being in general, leaving aside their particular determinations.  [1]  Metaphysics thus, studies being qua being and what belongs essentially to it.  [2]  One of the concerns of metaphysics is what Aristotle termed as substance to indicate what, in fact, has existence in time and space, being subjected to the action of natural laws. Aristotle says: Clearly, then, the investigation of all things qua things belong to one science. Now in every case a science is concerned mainly with that which is first, both as that on which the others depend, and as that through which the others are named. Accordingly, if this is a substance, it is of substances that the philosopher should possess the principles and causes.  [3]   According to Aristotles metaphysical account, there is a distinction between what is apprehended by intuition and what is grasped by the intellect, between substance and essence. He says: Substances are also the parts which are constituents in substances taken in the first sense, which limit these substances and indicate a this, and without which the whole is annihilated. () The essence, whose formula is a definition, is also said to be the substance of each thing. The term a substance, then has two senses: it means the ultimate subject which is not predicated of something else, and also that which is a this and is separable, such being the shape or the form of each thing.  [4]  For Aristotle, substances are related to what exist in fact in the world, and about essence it is possible to say that, despite of the fact that it is part of the determination of the being, it has only conceptual existence. Aquinas adopted some of the presuppositions from Aristotles metaphysics in his ontology: such as all other sciences, metaphysics is causal, since it studies the principles through which beings are what they are.  [5]  Furthermore, Aquinas had to redefine some aspects and terminology of his predecessors in order to create his own metaphysical account. Staring with entia, given in sense experience it should be called substances. Each substance forms a complete whole, endowed with a structure that constitutes on ontological unity, or a unity of being. Insofar as a substance can be understood as one and defined, it is given the name essence. Essence is only substance insofar as it can be defined, it is what the definition says substance is. This is also a description of reality.  [6]   In Aquinas study of metaphysical beings, it is possible to assume that they can be analyzed in two distinct ways: as having a determinate form which distinguish themselves; or as existing in a strict sense, called respectively essentialist and existentialist perspectives by F. C. Copleston  [7]  . Considering the essentialist approach, Aquinas affirms that all beings have an essence which establishes a certain form to these beings: Because, a being in this sense is divided by the ten categories, essence must mean something common to all the natures trough which different beings are placed in different genera and species, as for example humanity is the essence of man, and so with regard to other things. Because the definition telling what a thing is signifies that by which a thing is located in its genus or species, philosophers have substituted the term quiddity for the term essence.  [8]   Considering the second way, the existentialist approach, beings existing in a strict sense, it is possible to realize that this book or this man are actually part of this world, inserted in space and subjected to the natural and causal laws. Here Aquinas makes a distinction between essence and existence. Therefore, after looking for reality in the sensible qualities of beings, then in their essences, then in their substances, philosophy had finally realized through Aquinas that true reality is actual essence.  [9]  Having an essence, means being able to be inserted into a genre and be part of a species through a specific difference. One can note that, given elements actually exist in time and space. Armand Maurer explains that Aquinas intends to expose the meaning of the terms a being and an essence, how being and essence are found in the different orders of reality, and the relation they have to our logical notions of genus, species and difference.  [10]   According to Gilson, existence is a condition for being, essence and all that can be studied by metaphysics and the core of reality. In Thomas technical language, the term esse means actual existence. It is the way a thing, which he calls res, is a being, an ens. It is to be that makes a certain thing to be a being. Esse is defined by its essence, namely that which the thing is.  [11]   By essentialism, it is possible to answer the following question: what something is? The definition, so states the essence of beings in general. For material substances, essence means the matter form composite subject to perception. Aquinas makes an analogy of the terms essence and existence to what Aristotle had made to the terms potency and act. Thus, the essence is the possibility that something determined to come into existence. By existentialism, the existence, in turn, is the upgrade of essence. This distinction between essence and existence as occurs with matter and form, act and potency, it is a logical one. Aquinas says: Everything that receives something from another is potential with regard to what it receives, and what is received in its actuality. The quiddity or form, therefore, which is the intelligence, must be potential with regard to the being it receives from God, and this being is received as an actuality.  [12]   Copleston explains that essence is that which answers the question what a thing is; it is substance considered as definable. It is clear that essence is that which is signified by the definition of a thing. In the case of material things the word essence signifies that which is composed of matter and form. Existence, on the other hand, is the act by which an essence or substance is or has a being. Existence denotes a certain act; for a thing is not said to exist by the fact that it is in potentiality but by the fact that it is in act. Essence is the potential metaphysical component in a thing, while existence is the act by which essence has being.  [13]   After having analyzed Aristotles and Aquinas concepts on essence and substance, it is possible to realize that Aquinas starting point to his metaphysics is Aristotles ontology, which is based in the doctrine of being qua being, or substance, the primary kind of being. From the distinction between essence and existence, as understood by Aquinas predecessors, such as Boethius and Avicenna, Aquinas goes beyond the Aristotelian metaphysics, to show that the final foundation of the ontology is not the substance but existence. Thus, St. Thomas establishes the metaphysical assumptions necessary to built his own metaphysical thought. 1,371 words

Automotive Energy Consumption Essay examples -- Automobiles Transporta

Automotive Energy Consumption In the United States, the automobile has come to be more than simply a means of transportation, but also a status symbol and a symbol of autonomy. As a status symbol, automobiles have gotten larger and more expensive, with little or no regard for efficiency or environmental impact. With the proliferation of the Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), the average fuel efficiency of cars in the United States has begun to fall from a peak over a decade ago. With technological and material advances made in the last decade, it seems counterintuitive that average fuel economy had begun to decline. In order to understand the advances made in internal combustion engine technology, one must have a basic understanding of engines and the fuels they burn. Four Stroke Internal Combustion Engines The 4-stroke, internal combustion engine at the heart of most automobiles on the road today is relatively inefficient and produces high levels of pollutants. Even the most efficient gasoline burning internal combustion engines convert only 30-40% of the energy available in the fuel in to work. The rest of the energy is lost to heat, and is thrown away into the environment through a heat exchanger (radiator) or through exhaust gases. Exhaust gases account for much of the pollution generated by internal combustion engines. Gasoline, for example produces Greenhouse gases such as Carbon Monoxide (CO), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx’s) and releases unburned hydrocarbons (fuel) into the atmosphere. Greenhouse Gases are responsible for much of the depletion of the ozone layer, lead to global warming and pose health threats to humans. In addition to these drawbacks, fossil fuels are not in endless supply and co... ...ssil fuel supplies. In order for any course of action to have widespread success, the people must stand behind it. In the case of this investigation, the citizens of the United States need to understand the necessity of conservation and the consequences of non-conformance. This may require government- imposed penalties to businesses and individuals who don’t do their part to conserve. The exact details of such a system are not crucial at this moment, but rather a simple understanding of the outlook for the future. Without swift action in the near future to curb hydrocarbon consumption, both the environment and the world economy stand to suffer significantly. Sources http://www.gm.com/ http://www.energy.gov/ http://www.epa.gov/ http://www.fossilfuels.org/ http://www.thinkmobility.com/ http://www.afdc.doe.gov/ http://www.fueleconomy.gov/

Famous Sociologists Essay

1. Emile Durkheim Emile Durkheim is knows as the â€Å"father of sociology† and is a founding figure in the field of sociology. He is credited with making sociology a science. One of his most famous pieces of work includes Suicide: A Study In Sociology. 2. Robert K. Merton Robert K. Merton is considered one of America’s most influential social scientists. He is famous for his theories of deviance as well as for developing the concepts of â€Å"self-fulfilling prophecy† and â€Å"role model.† 3. Max Weber Max Weber was a founding figure of the field of sociology and is considered one of the most famous sociologists in history. He is known for his thesis of the â€Å"Protestant Ethic† as well as his ideas on bureaucracy. 4. Karl Marx Karl Marx is one of the most famous figures in the founding of sociology. He is known for his socio-political theory of Marxism, which contain theories about society, economics and politics that argue that all society progresses through the dialectic of class struggle. He wrote about these issues in his most famous piece or work, The Communist Manifesto. Marx has been described as one of the most influential figures in human history, and in a 1999 BBC poll was voted the â€Å"thinker of the millennium† by people from around the world. 5. Charles Horton Cooley Charles Horton Cooley is best known for his theories of The Looking Glass Self in which he declared that our self-concepts and identities are a reflection of how other people perceive us. He is also famous for developing the concepts of primary and secondary relationships. He was a founding member and eighth president of the American Sociological Association. 6. George Herbert Mead George Herbert Mead is well-know for his theory of the social self, which is based on the central argument that the self is a social emergent. He pioneered the development of symbolic interaction perspective and developed the concept of the â€Å"I† and â€Å"Me.† He is also one of the founders of social psychology. 7. C. Wright Mills C. Wright Mills is known for his controversial critiques of both contemporary society and sociological practice, particularly in his book The Sociological Imagination (1959). He also studied power and class in the United States, as displayed in his book The Power Elite (1956). 8. Erving Goffman Erving Goffman is a significant thinker in the field of sociology and in particular the symbolic interaction perspective. He is known for his writings on the dramaturgical perspective and pioneered the study of face-to-face interaction. He served as the 73rd President of the American Sociological Association and is listed as the 6th most-cited intellectual in the humanities and social sciences by The Times Higher Education Guide. 9. Pierre Bourdieu Pierre Bourdieu was a French sociologist and philosopher who contributed a great deal in the areas of general sociological theory and the link between education and culture. He pioneering terminologies such as habitus and symbolic violence and is known for his work titled Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste. 10. Auguste Comte August Comte is known as the founder of positivism and is credited with coininging the term sociology. Comte helped shape and expand the field of sociology and placed a great deal of emphasis in his work on systematic observation and social order.

K-12 term paper Essay

INTRODUCTION Because of the Philippine education system continuous aims for higher education, the pronouncement of the K-12 program for more excellent undergraduates in the elementary and secondary level has been proposed. According to them, this is for the benefit of not only the Filipino youth but all the Filipinos in the Philippines. K12 educational systems are additional years to secondary level. This means that the present four years in high school will be called Junior High School and additional two years as senior High Schools. The model, which is being proposed , is K-6-4-2 where K means Kindergarten (5 years old), 6 means six years in elementary (6 to 11 years old), 4 means four years in Junior High School (12 to 15 years old) and 2 means two years in Senior High School (16 to 17 years old). (DepEd. n.d) The K-12 model is an educational system for basic and secondary education patterned after the United States,Canada, and some parts of Australia. The current basic education system is also an archetype of American schooling but with a 10-year cycle. DepEd’s stands for the adaptation of the K-12 program is due to the low achievement scores and poor quality of basic education to the present school setup. The administration asserts that with the implementation of such program, the problem of unemployment in the country will be resolved. In as much as employment in the Philippines is concerned, the K12 education also responds to the fact that most countries in the world already have the same plan in the ir educational institutions. see more:disadvantages of k to 12 With this, the standards of these countries go a notch higher than what the country has, thus, creating an expansion in the global competency. (DepEd, 2010) â€Å"We need to add two years to our basic education. Those who can afford pay up to fourteen years of schooling before university. Thus, their children are getting into the best universities and the best jobs after graduation. I want at least 12 years for our public school children to give them an even chance at succeeding.† (Aquino III, 2011)† It is said that the enhanced K12 program is the most drastic and controversial program of the Aquino administration. K-12 has been met with criticism from youth and student groups, teachers, parents and the academic  community. The DepEd, for its part, appears determined to enact the program with its proposed budget catering mostly to preparing the grounds for its eventual implementation. Thus, This term paper will discuss the advantages and advantages of k+12 program for a more better understanding of the Filipinos. Chapter 2 BODY â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.†(Mandela,2010). This quote states that education develops our world to more powerful. This is one of a reason why others want the K+12 program on the Philippines. Some are not in favor of this because they say that it is not the longer education is the solution and it is the improving of quality of education. Some say that K+12 in the Philippines is not necessary while I as a student agree for this program. Since its implementation, which started with the Pre-School program just this school year 2011-2012, many still doubt its benefit for the Filipino youth and the Filipino people as a whole. It is apparent that the Department of Education is not yet ready for the full implementation of the K-12 Program in the coming school year 2016-2017.An estimated P45 billion is needed to finance the additional Grade 11 of the students which includes the additional teachers, classrooms and textbooks.Many are suspicious of the value of the said program with all the inadequacies that surround its subsidy and many are not in favor of its implementation. So let us cite the advantages and disadvantages of the K-12 program or the additional 2 years to Basic Education. ADVANTAGES To Individuals and Families 1. Students will be able to get sufficient instructional time to do subject- related tasks which makes them more prepared and well- trained on that subject area. On the other hand, if we remain on the old system, Filipino students would continually get low achievement scores. For instance, international test results revealed that we often come at the tail end in  the exams compared to other countries. 2. The graduates of this program will be more prepared to enter the labor force. As we all noticed, high school graduates of the current curriculum are not yet employable for the reason that they are not yet competent and well – equipped with the skills needed in the workplaces. In addition, most high school graduates are not yet reaching the legal age of 18. With the new curriculum, senior high school students can choose a field that they are good at and that they are interested in. As a result, they will be equipped with the skills needed for a specific job even without a college degree. At the age of 18, the age when they graduate from high school, they will be employable and competitive already. Thus, adding up to the nation’s manpower. 3. Graduates will be prepared for higher education. Due to an enhanced curriculum that will provide relevant content and attuned with the changing needs of the times, basic education will ensure sufficient mastery of core subjects to its graduates such that graduates may opt to pursue higher education if they choose to. 4. Graduates will be able to earn higher wages and/or better prepared to start their own business. There is a strong correlation between educational attainment and wage structure and studies specific to the Philippine setting show that an additional year of schooling increases earnings by 7.5%. This should also allow greater access to higher education for self-supporting students 5. Filipino graduates will be automatically recognized as professionals abroad because we are following the international education standard as practiced by all nations. There will be no need to study again and spend more money in order to qualify to their standards. With this, Filipino professionals who aspire to work abroad will not find a hard time in getting jobs in line with their chosen field and will be able to help their families more in the Philippines as well as the country’s economy with their remittances, property buying, and creation of businesses. For the Society and Economy 6. The economy will experience accelerated growth in the long run. The objective of the K+12 programs is to improve quality of basic education. Several studies have shown that the improvements in the quality of education will increase GDP growth by as much as 2%. Studies in the UK, India and US show that additional years of schooling also have positive overall impact on  society 7. The Philippine education system will be at par with international standards. K+12 will facilitate mutual recognition of Filipino graduates and professionals following the Washington Accord and the Bologna Accord. 8. A better educated society provides a sound foundation for long-term socioeconomic development. The Enhanced K+12 Basic Education system will contribute to the development of emotionally and intellectually mature individuals capable of pursuing productive employment or entrepreneurship or higher education disciplines. (Cruz,2010) DISADVANTAGES 1. Parents have to shell out more money (for transportation and food) for education of their children 2. The government does not have the money to pay for two more years of free education, since it does not even have the money to fully support today’s ten years. DepEd must first solve the lack of classroom, furniture and equipment, qualified teachers, and error- free textbooks 3. Filipinos right now are accepted in prestigious graduate schools in the world, even with only ten years of basic education 4. As far as the curriculum is concerned, DepEd should fix the current subjects instead of adding new ones. The problem is the content, not the length, of basic education. As an editorial put it, we need to have better education, not more education 5. A high School diploma will not get anybody anywhere, because business firms will not hire fresh high school graduates 6. Every family dreams of having a child graduate from college 7. While students are stuck in Grade 11 and 12, colleges and universities will have no freshmen for two years. This will spell financial disaster for many private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) 8. The drop-out rate will increase because of the two extra years. (Cruz, 2010) The additional two years in basic education may not be the only solution to the quality of the educational system. Quality may also depend on the curriculum, the quality of educators and the facilities provided for by the school campuses. With the continuing increase in school tuition, the upgrade on quality education should have already been included. The additional two years will only be to the advantage of the schools and will only make education a more lucrative business. The question remains. Will the new system assure graduates of employment after graduation? If not, the DepEd should instead enhance what we already have and not add to the burden of education. (Malou, 2010) K-12 will give more job opportunities to high school graduates. It will make more globally competitive Filipino students and it will maximize their time on choosing their career base on their ability. (Jennifer, 2011) It’s a given fact that the Aquino administration has good intentions in implementing this K-12 plan. But no matter how good these intentions are, there would still be parts of the society who would give them a hard time making this education amendment. Sadly, the Philippine education system is far behind other countries’. If this K-12 plan would push through, help the concerned parties have that optimism that this would bring our education system a few notches higher. Make everybody realize that yes, we do have quality education here and we are able to produce skillful, well-rounded, and competent young citizens. Chapter 3 CONCLUSION With all the issues that the K-12 Program is facing, it is important that we Filipinos keep faith in our ability to find solutions despite various constraints. It is a timely move of our government to come up with such a reform. Filipinos are known to be competitive in the international community. While this may be true, our current education system hinders us in becoming more competitive among other countries. The K- 12 education plan offers a great solution to that problem. However, it is undeniable that there seems to be problems arising as we implement the program such as lack of government budget, classrooms and school supplies as well as the teachers. But, if we focus on the long- term effect of K- 12, we can conclude that it is very beneficial to us Filipinos. It has the best intentions and that is for the enhancement of the youth, making them locally and globally competitive. Therefore, we must have the strong will in supporting K- 12 Educational Plan for the betterment of our education system and economy. Remember, if we want change in our society, we must start it with our education system. Parents must not think of the financial crisis it might bring their family but must focus on the positive outcome it would  bring their children. There is no impossible when we Filipinos persevere. Setbacks cannot be avoided, but these are not insurmountable dilemmas that innovative Filipinos cannot overcome. If the students will give their all in their studies and competent teachers will equip them with the necessary instructions, then surely, the program will succeed together with realization of all its aims. Change is inevitable, and t he change for the better must be accepted and be supported rather than opposed. TABLE OF CONTENTS I: Introduction II: Body III: Conclusion