Arguments For And Against Organic Food Environmental Sciences Essay

Arguments For And Against Organic Food Environmental Sciences Essay The organic industry has grown rapidly over the last decade particularly in the agricultural sector; today, over thirty million hectares are being organically managed in 118 countries (Yusuf Wilber, 2007). Organic products are made using biological and ecological farming techniques which exclude the use of pesticides and fertilizers; in addition, these products are characterized by a strong brand image which means that they command higher prices among retailers. On the other hand, inorganic products are characterized by monocultures, mechanization, and extensive use of chemical compounds in order to produce them. The inorganic product industry developed primarily as a consequence of technological advancement the Second World War; during this period, major breakthroughs such as the Haber Bosch process were used to promote the development of organic produce. The organic industry has many benefits over its inorganic counterpart; research published by the Journal of Applied Nutrition (2001) revealed that organic food products have more nutrients than inorganic foods this is due to the fact that organically grown food contains sixty three percent more calcium, seventy three percent more iron, eighteen percent more magnesium and ninety eight percent more zinc minerals. According to the Journal of Food and Agricultural Chemistry (2003), organically grown strawberry, corn and marionberries have considerably greater levels of anti cancer oxidants than inorganically grown food products. The research further suggests that inorganic methods such as the use of herbicides and pesticides inhibit the growth of natural protective compounds in food such as anti ageing, anti immune, and anti cancer properties. The European Clinical Nutrition Journal (2008) found that the average level of nutrients in eleven organically produced products was almost twice as high compared to inorganically produced products. Therefore in the long run if the country chooses to enhance and promote the organic industry it will lead to several benefits such as reduced fertilizer, machinery and fuel cost; organic practices will also earn the industry a significant amount of carbon credits which they can trade in the carbon credit market (Kipper, 2001). The endorsement of organic industry in the economy will also encourage organic labeling. This kind of certification will enable consumers to have confidence in organic products; improve record-keeping in order to maintain organic certification and create an opportunity for both producers and consumers to understand organic certification standards. Unlike inorganic products which lack clear accreditation standards, organic certification and accreditation ensure that the organic industry adheres to high quality product standards. This certification system has two major components: 1.A code of conduct, standards, criteria and guidelines for product certification. 2. Monitoring mechanism which assures that inorganic products are produced in accordance with certification principles. Organic industries also prevent long distant transportation of food; the average distance covered in transporting organically produced products is over 1800 miles while that of transporting inorganic products is 2500 miles Therefore inorganic industries consume a lot of energy and fossil fuels which leads to high carbon dioxide emissions. (FAO, 2002), on the other hand, ità ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s relatively cheap to transport organic products since they are often produced near the consumers. The endorsement of organic industry and organic products will lead to three forms of biodiversity i.e. genetic diversity, ecosystem diversity and species diversity. This will dramatically improve the environment. According to Evans and Grice (2005) organic industries reduce green house emissions by over forty percent which slows down global warming effects. Another benefit which will result in supporting organic industries is long term productivity and food security. According to FAO (2003), organic farming has a higher potential of ensuring food security in both developed and developing countries. Rundgren (2006) published an objective analysis of the contribution of organic industries to food security. He summarized that although inorganic industries can be used to solve food insecurity issues, its capital intensive and depends on chemical inputs which tend to reduce biodiversity. On the other hand, organic industries can tremendously increase food production without causing environmental degradation or loss of biodiversity. A study conducted by The Centre for Disease Control (2009) revealed that inorganic industries produce many toxic chemicals which often result to contamination of water supplies. These toxins have tested positive in blood and urine test of most citizens. In addition, the Centre for Disease Control found a cocktail of toxins and synthetic chemicals in most living organisms. Peer reviewed research has proven that most of these chemicals can disrupt nervous and immune systems, as well as disruption of hormone levels. The FAO report (2002) clearly states, à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"It has been proven that foods produced using organic methods have lesser levels of synthetic chemicals, lower nitrate content and lower veterinary drug residue. Animal feeding practices used in organic livestock production drastically decreases contamination of animal origin products.à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚  p .119 . In light of these facts, promoting the growth of organic industries will prevent these problems as well as curb the escalating rise in cancers such as leukemia, lymphorma, uterine and breast cancers which are linked to synthetic chemical use. Similarly, the advancement of organic industries and products will curb the spread of autoimmune industries caused by inorganic chemical compounds. Surveys conducted in regions which undertake intensive organic practices have found that cases of Hodgkinà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s lymphoma disease are almost inexistent on the other hand cases of the same disease is fast growing in regions which have many inorganic industries as well as regions undertaking inorganic practices. Another benefit of adopting organic industries is the development of diversified landscapes as well as aesthetic values (Haltom Scalia, 2002). These industries also encourage the creation of semi natural habitats by maintaining biological connectivity which benefits both nature and agricultural conservation while still pursuing economic objectives. Its can therefore be accurately concluded that organic industries lead to greater aesthetic gains when compare to inorganic industries. Adoption of organic practices and industries offer greater social benefits than inorganic ones. For example, all organic products which have been certified meet International Organic Federation standards. These industries also conform to UN charter of human rights thus they ensure that they have safe working environments; abide by International Labor Organization laws; provide essential social security needs to employees and offer equal opportunities as well as adequate wages regardless of gender, creed and color. Accredited organic industries ensure the rights of indigenous people are respected and rarely are they involved in lawsuits due to exploitation of inhabitants, in the long run these industries provide a lot of social benefits. According to FAO (2002) the general social benefits which are directly linked to organic production systems are: First, tendency for these industries to align to traditions of inhabitants and less motivation to follow production paradigm i.e. increasing output via artificial inputs. Secondly, they depend on local knowledge of intricate interactions of conditions from place to place; this usually makes it unfavorable to use large production areas. This encourages reduced land and farm sizes thus enhance equitable access to land. The endorsement of organic industry in the economy also promotes social justice and fair trade products this is particularly done through fair trade certification of organic produce. Organic certification considers reasonable wage in its standards thus ensuring that all certified organic industries are aligned with principles of fair trade. Furthermore, research conducted by the US bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that eighty six percent of firms in the organic industry have favorable gender distribution as well as promote women representation in senior management positions. Organic industries also stimulate the local economy by using local inputs and reduce the purchase of inputs on credit; this is in sharp contrast to inorganic industries which use imported inputs. Many firms in the organic agricultural industry use crop diversification, different harvesting and planning schedules related to crop rotation practices which evenly distribute labor demand throughout the year. They also ensure stability in employment, reduce labor migration problems, spread the costs incurred per employee throughout the year and reduce turnover. Finally, diversity in production created by organic industries and value added products boost income generating opportunities; they also spread the odds of failure over a broad range of products and crops. The US Society for Cultural Development, a private nonprofit organization conducted research and noted that over seventy certified organic firms had were members of democratic cooperatives and adhered to fair trade requirements. The study revealed that over eighty six percent of the firms paid employees salaries which had social premiums in order to improve quality of life. In addition, the organic movement has a consensus in support of the fact that social requirements are necessary even though many critics argue that pursuing these social standards impose trade barriers and restrictions to organic exports. Loir (2002) studied forty indicators of benefits of organic industry and products in US counties. A statistical comparison and analysis showed that twenty six indicators were in favor of organic systems while eight favored organic systems, six were neutral. The studies suggest that regions with organic farms have better farm economies and add more to county economies through net revenue, total sales, maintenance services, repair, payroll and taxes paid. Additionally, counties with many organic farms have better rural development support with greater direct consumer sales, higher worker pay and greater direct-customer sales. Organic industries also provide a mechanism for generating foreign exchange. Unlike inorganic industries which tend to import inputs, organic industries export more of their produce especially when they are internationally certified. In addition, international organic markets such as the European Union, Switzerland and Japan have well developed infrastructure and channels for successful exportation. Unlike inorganic products which usually have one channel of selling distribution, inorganic industries have many players such as foreign offices, foreign retail supermarket chains, organic marketing organizations etc. The premium connected to organic farming greatly benefits the economy as a whole. This premium has been estimated to as much as twenty percent above that of inorganic products. In conclusion, the growth of organic industries and products will continue to outpace that of its inorganic counterpart. Attractive premium prices in the lucrative export market, social and environmental benefits will continue to boost organic firms. Governments and state support are also likely to promote organic systems through legislating certification, export and market advice, development and research. State institutions and private corporations are increasingly admitting that it might be more cost effective to promote and encourage organic systems rather than rectify problems caused by inorganic industries e.g. environmental degradation.

Celebrities That Are Good Role Models

The world through the eyes of some can be looked at as a mirror. From birth we are beings that are constantly watching. Babies and kids watch everything that is put in front of them; parents, siblings, television, and other kids that are around. This is especially true when it comes to celebrities. Every day in the modern world we as a society are exposed to the media, which tells us that celebrities can be viewed as good or bad role models. There are many celebrities that can do good things for the world and model behavior that is honorable; through this we as a society can mirror that behavior in our everyday lives. One celebrity who is an extremely talented model and talk show host, Tyra Banks, can be a model for women and minorities alike. She is host of the UPN/The CW reality television show and America's Next Top Model, as well as the co-creator of True Beauty. She also hosts her own talk show, The Tyra Banks Show. A few good things that Tyra has done for society to model includes forming the Tyra Banks Scholarship in 1994, which promotes greeting cards under Children + Families Organization to help abused and neglected children. Tyra took a journey to Costa Rica rainforest to arise the world's attention about endangered ecosystem. As a model, Tyra challenged weight discrimination by advertising her curves instead of hiding them. One is able to view examples of this in her book titled Tyra’s Beauty Inside and Out. This book does however share beauty secrets that she has learned from experts, she gives practical advice on skin care, cosmetics, hair, exercise, and fashion. What she also addresses in this book are serious subjects such as substance abuse, romantic relationships, sexual concerns, and being a complete person. She works hard to promote positive self-images for young women of all races and body types on her shows as well; â€Å"Why are we so obsessed with weight? † she said. When Tyra Banks went on her show in her bathing suit and said, â€Å"’Kiss my fat ass†¦ ‘ That's what I feel right now. I'm like, ‘Kiss my fat ass! ‘† she puts her middle finger to those who have to say anything bad about people who are bigger than a size 2. Another example from one of Tyras’ shows which exhibits women having a healthy body image, in episode Better Body Image, Tyra tries to help change three young women’s distorted perceptions of their bodies. Through this we as women and anybody who feels that they are different are able to look at Tyra and some of the same steps that she has in promoting acceptance throughout the world and we are able to apply this in our everyday lives. There are also many other celebrities that can help the public mirror good behavior. One major who is highly active in doing charitable things is the lead singer from U2, Bono. Bono writes most lyrics which uses political, social, and religious topics. In the song, â€Å"Sunday Bloody Sunday† ‘I can't believe the news today I can't close my eyes and make it go away How long, how long must we sing this song How long, how long Tonight we can be as one, tonight Broken bottles under children's feet Bodies strewn across a dead end street†¦.. ’ Bono addresses the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre, in which 26 civil rights protesters were shot. In these lyrics we are able to visualize and feel what Bono is communicating, the sadness in the beginning, and the description of the massacre towards the end. One is able to have more awareness of the world by listening to lyrics as well as having an outlet in times of tragedy. There are hundreds of song lyrics by the Band U2 that highlight issues of the world today that is just one. He has become one of our best known philanthropic performers who has powerful diverse allies which vary from government leaders, religious leaders, popular media, and even global organizations. In examples through the organization DATA, aimed to eliminate poverty and AIDS/HIV in Africa, also aimed at American citizens to become proactive and voice their opinions regarding political and social issues by contacting senators and legislatures. Product Red is also something promoted by Bono which raises money for the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Product Red is partnered with major companies and when the companies sell things with Product Red logo on it, the funds go to the Global Fund. We as a society are able to look at Bono, and what he promotes to open our eyes to the current situation of the world and just be more aware. We as a society are also able to look at Bono in general and model/listen to his causes, support his causes by buying Product Red, and even become activists ourselves. With celebrities having the high salaries that they do, they are able to do a bit more with their money than the average person. A charity, being a vivid example in celebrities using money to help the world, is another way we can look up to celebrities and model their good efforts. One celeb importantly, includes the singer Pink. Pink is involved with many charities including Phoenix vert, Human Rights Campaign, ONE Campaign, Prince's Trust, New York Restoration Project, Run For The Cure Foundation, Save the Children, Take Back the Night, UNICEF and World Society for the Protection of Animals. Pink was recognized as an advocate for the RSPCA in Australia. Pink also announced she was donating $250,000 to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal to aid the victims of the bushfires that swept through the Australian state of Victoria. A total of 173 people were confirmed to have died in the fires with around 500 injured, the death toll was estimated to be 210. Charities are not something that everyone in the world is able to contribute to however, rich or poor we as a society can volunteer at local charities in our neighborhoods and if we have the means we can even contribute to them. Thus proving that we are all able to look throughout the media and at celebrities and model their good doings. The world can be viewed as a harsh place; there is death, disease, famine, killers, and more. The most anybody can do is stay positive and appreciate the good things that occur. In almost every story there are good guys and bad guys, some very impressionable can follow the wrong path, they can also model the good guys. The good guys in our modern era, being celebrities that do a lot of good and we as a society, can follow their good actions and do good our selves. Some say it is inevitable, we are just constantly in a world of mirrors, just mimicking everything we see, hear, and read. As long as it always doesn't benefit ‘number one' then I think it's a good thing that we see great things being accomplished that way we can strive to do great ourselves.

What is Gender Identity?

The human body is amazing. And even though there are many researchers that conduct studies on human anatomy, there are so many questions that are unanswered still to this day. But what we do know has helped many people and continues to benefit certain theories that have been made over many centuries. One part of the human body that has lots of answered and unanswered questions is gender identity. There are many factors when it comes to gender identity. Some people think simply: Men act as men, women act as women, and man to be with woman. It has been thought to be the â€Å"right way† for many centuries. But people are all different and to think that one way is the right way would be a misunderstanding of how the body works and what can happen to the human body if something is out of tune. Gender identity can be defined as a person’s inner sense of being male or female. Gender identity is believed to be developed during early childhood an effect of how the child was brought up by parents and societal influences. When the child reaches puberty, the influences are reinforced by hormones. Is gender identity a result of nature of nurture? What are the biological factors that play a role in gender identity? What is the difference between how the male and female develop? Does nature or nurture play a bigger role in gender identity? This will all be discussed later on in this essay, along with some of the arguments about sexual identity and how evidence from biopsychology may help resolve these arguments. There are many roles that play a part in sexual differentiation, as well as gender identity. Some of those roles are tied to biological factors or nature and yet others may be linked to environmental influences or nurture. It is impossible to know all the details, but we do know a great deal of how the body of a male versus the body of a female. The role of biological factors is largely dependent on hormones in the body system, as well as genes, gonads, chromosomes, and anatomy. During childhood, levels of circulating gonadal hormones are low, reproductive organs are immature, and males and females differ little in general appearance (Pinel 2009). When a child reaches puberty, the body makes significant changes. These changes can be seen and even heard, but these changes are also different in a boy than in a girl. While both male and female have many similarities, both also have many differences within the body. The differences in chromosomes and hormones are what completes the natural evolution of a child into an adult and ultimately decides whether the sex of a person is male or female at birth. When speaking of hormones, most people will think of testosterone for men and estrogens for women. But in fact, women produce testosterone and men produce estrogen. The difference is the ratio in which the body produces these two types of hormones. Men produce more testosterone and women produce more estrogen. There are many differences like the example above in the bodies of male and female. Increases in the release of gonadotropic hormone and adrenocorticotropic hormone cause the gonads and adrenal cortex to increase their release of gonadal and adrenal hormones, which in turn initiate the maturation of the genitals and the development of secondary sex characteristics (Pinel 2009). Along with biological roles, it is also believed that the environment or surrounding of a person may be a factor of gender identity. Some of these nurture factors include one’s self-concept, social and political attitudes, and perceptions and relationships about other people. Family, peers, schooling, religious training, mass media, and popular culture are just a few of the agents through which gender socialization happens (Crossman, 2012). Through this evaluation, making a conclusion on which has more of an influence on gender identity, nature or nurture, is a hard decision to make. Reading and hearing of stories of people’s gender identity crisis has a pull towards nature, but nurture still has a big role in gender identity as well. Gender identity shapes how we think about others and ourselves and also influences our behaviors (Crossman, 2012). For example, gender differences exist in the likelihood of drug and alcohol abuse, violent behavior, depression, and aggressive driving. Gender identity also has an especially strong effect on our feelings about our appearance and our body image, especially for females (Crossman, 2012). Each of these can be linked both to biological and environment factors. The story that may have the most evident factor is the story of the twin that lost his penis. After losing his penis to a circumcision procedure, the doctor advised the parents to let doctors perform a surgery in which they castrate the boy and create an artificial vagina, and raising the boy as a female. The parents agreed, but it would later prove that their child was not acting or wanting to act as a girl. In fact, the child wanted to do things that a normal man would do and took no interest in any female activities, like playing with dolls. Even with treatment, the child still developed as a man would. When approached with an estrogen regimen at the age of twelve, the child refused not liking the changes of the estrogen. At fourteen, the now teenager decided to live as a male. Shortly after, the twin’s father decided to share the truth with his son. Now the kid could have an identity not only of himself but of his gender. He requested androgen treatment and surgery that would remove the breast and create a penis. The man regained use of his new penis with the help of androgen treatment, but was never able to reproduce children of his own. In the end, the doctors and parents could not change how the boy felt on the inside. Just how much influence does nurture have on gender identity? It could just depend on the situation in itself. There are many arguments that surround gender identity. Theorists have come up with their own opinions and views regarding gender and the why gender inequality exist. Functionalist theorists argue that men fill instrumental roles in society while women fill expressive roles, which works to the benefit of society (Crossman, 2012). Further, it is our socialization into prescribed roles that is the driving force behind gender inequality. For example, these theorists see wage inequalities as the result of choices women make, which involve family roles that compete with their work roles (Crossman, 2012). Symbolic interactionists look at gender from the micro perspective and examine gender stratification on a day-to-day level. For example, men are more likely to interrupt women in conversations and their workspaces generally reflect greater power. These theorists also focus on how gender roles are internalized by males and females (Crossman, 2012). Conflict theorists view women as disadvantaged because of power inequalities between women and men that are built into the social structure. For example, from this viewpoint, wage inequalities that exist between men and women result from men’s historic power to devalue women’s work and benefit as a group from the services that women’s labor provides (Crossman, 2012). Feminist theory emerged out of the women’s movement and aims to understand the position of women in society for the sole purpose of improving their position in society. There are four major frameworks that have developed out of feminist theory: liberal feminism, socialist feminism, radical feminism, and multiracial feminism. People will always have their own opinion about gender (Crossman, 2012). There may never be a way to solve these arguments, not until there is scientific proof or people can decide on which opinion they believe is all true. Gender identity is one’s sense of being male or female. Both biological (nature) factors and environment (nurture) influences play roles in both sexual differentiation and gender identity. Hormones are the biggest biological factor and the biggest environment influence is how one is brought up in their childhood. During the evaluation, I have thought about nature being more of a factor when it comes to gender identity, but have come to the conclusion that it may depend on the situation of a person. Through the years of research, many people have argued over gender identity and gender inequality. Theorists have formed many opinions surrounding gender identity and unless there is some kind of scientific proof the argument may continue. References Pinel, J. P. J. (2009).  Biopsychology  (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Crossman, A.  (2012).  About.com.  Retrieved from http://sociology.about.com/od/Disciplines/a/Sociology-Of- Gender.htm

Air, Ere, and Heir How to Choose the Right Word

Air, ere, and heir are homophones, words that sound the same but have different meanings. The noun air refers to the invisible mixture of gases that make up the atmosphere enveloping Earth. Air can also mean empty space, the outward appearance of a thing, the bearing of a person, and (usually in the plural, airs) an artificial or affected manner. As a verb, air means to expose (something) to the air, to make known in public, or to transmit by radio or television. The preposition and conjunction ere is a somewhat old-fashioned word meaning before. The noun heir refers to a person who has the legal right to inherit property or to a person who has a right to claim a title (such as king or queen) when the person holding it dies. How to Use Air Air, a noun, refers to that odorless, tasteless, gaseous mixture, composed mainly of 78 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen that all humans breathe. But most people dont think of it in terms of its scientific meaning: Its just the stuff humans and other animals breathe to survive. A sentence using air might read: All humans breathe the same air. Air can also refer to white space, particularly in terms of the layout of a page in a newspaper or magazine, as in: The page just had too much air. There was too much white space. How to Use Ere Ere, usually used as a preposition, means previous to or before, but its use is archaic. J.R.R. Tolkien used the term in The Lord of the Rings, as such: The wind is north from the snows, said Aragorn. And  ere  morning it will be in the East, said Legolas. Unless youre writing an epic fantasy story or novel, you would not likely use ere, except to distinguish it from air or heir. How to Use Heir Heir, a noun, generally means a person who receives property from an ancestor or someone who is entitled to inherit property. A sentence using heir might read: He was the heir to a great fortune. Heir also has a more specific meaning related to royalty, as in: Prince Charles is heir to the British throne. This means that Prince Charles, also known as the Prince of Wales, is next in line to take over the British throne. Examples It can be helpful, in distinguishing these three terms to view them in context. Air, for example, often takes on a more figurative tone, as this example sentence shows: After the contentious meeting, the tension hung in the air. Air can also be used as a verb, meaning to voice your concerns or grievances, for example: If you feel that way, feel free to air your grievances. You can even use both air, meaning the stuff we breathe, and ere, meaning before, in the same sentence: The diver had to replenish her supply of air ere descending again. As noted, heir is generally used to mean a person who inherits property or a title from an ancestor: Dont mock him; he is heir to the throne of England. How to Remember the Difference There are a few simple memory tricks to help you distinguish among air, ere, and heir. Remember that the air we breathe is in the atmosphere; both terms begin with a. And, e before e means that ere means before. An heir might receive an heirloom, something with special value handed down from one generation to another, sometimes over the course of hundreds of years. All these terms start with h. Special Uses Ere can also be a conjunction, though you are only likely to see it used as such in a classic novel or story. Robert Louis Stevenson used ere as a conjunction in Treasure Island: I was scarcely in position  ere  my enemies began to arrive. †¦ In this instance, ere is a conjunction because it connects two parts of a sentence, which is one of the definitions of a conjunction. Heirloom can also refer to a variety of plant. Specifically, an heirloom, when the term is used in this way, is any type of plant seed that has been saved and grown for a period of years and is passed down by the gardener who originally preserved it. Though the term is not often used as such in everyday language, air does have a specific, scientific meaning. Air is  matter, the substance of which all physical objects are composed. Anything and everything you can touch,  taste,  or smell consists of matter: It has mass and takes up space. You dont often think of air as matter, unless you are taking a chemistry or physics class, but it most certainly is. Sources â€Å"Air, Aire, Are, Ayre, Ere, Err, Eyre, Heir at Homophone.†Ã‚  Homophone.com.â€Å"Airs.†Ã‚  Dictionary.com.â€Å"English Homophones: Homophone # 90 – Air, Ere, Heir.†Ã‚  Learn English Network.