2008년 2월 28일 목요일

Effects of Global Warming

Human caused global warming. Most of scientist said happening now, it’s very obvious, when you look at the temperature of earth, and it is pretty much a no-brainer. (Doskoch, B., 2007). We already knew that earth’s average temperature has risen. Is this a natural happening? We live one planet and we did not find new places to live like earth yet. We have to stop it, but we do not know exactly why it is happening. The sea level is rising gradually, and it would speed up the melting ice caps and exterminate the polar bear. Most of scientists agree that all of mankind did it and do it now; furthermore, world population is increasing for a long time because our science has improved to expend our time of life. It could be made global warming more seriously because of many factories, cars, and houses. There are three main effects of global warming to change climate pattern, ecosystem, and health.

First of all, Global warming could change climate patterns. Global warming caused rising average temperatures and it make waves wormer. Why is it occurred serious problem? Because of fossil fuels, we use it every day, and everywhere. We cannot live without it. We burn it and it makes some of energy to heating, driving, cooling, etc, and it made carbon dioxide, also plants absorb carbon dioxide, but human being could not stop killing that because we need land to live. Ozone is the earth's primary filter for ultraviolet radiation, but carbon dioxide eliminates ozone layer, so it is getting weak, a lot of harmful ultraviolet radiations just increase earth’s temperature. According to an article in the NRDC, "Every year from 1998 through 2006 ranks among the top 25 warmest years on record for the United States, an unprecedented occurrence, according to NOAA." (NRDC “Consequences”, 2007). Beside, warmer temperature could bring high chances of drought, wildfire, and rainstorm, so we should save fossil fuels, or consider alternative resources.

Second, global warming could change the ecosystem. Warmer water in ocean could give serious problem to animals, and it could bring ecological adaptation. In fact, a lot of species already changed appearance, habits, and living places more than before. For instance, polar bears decrease to live in the South Pole because of changed water temperature and lots of ice caps melted, so they do not live on ice caps any longer, and another example is that most of sea turtles in Costa Rica already changed sex to female. According to article, “ Their genes do not directly determine whether a hatching comes out male or female. Instead, buried eggs take their cue from the ambient temperature below 29.4 C produce a clutch that is mostly male; above that, it is mostly female. With a mere 2 degree increase, a nest will produce all females.” (Velasquez-Manoff, M., 2007) This phenomenon could affect humans life because human is highest creature of food chain, so it might make more serious problems in human society in near future.

Last, global warming could affect human's health. These harmful heat waves that were already heated by global warming could bring unusual temperature in several countries or cities; moreover, it should cause spread of diseases. For example, Disease-carrying mosquitoes could spread quickly than before. Those mosquitoes can carry serious illness viruses that can let people sick or die, such as Malaria in Indonesia (NRDC “Consequences”, 2007). So, people just think about how to cure those diseases, but we have to think where those problems are from and how to prevent it.

In conclusion, global warming caused disasters in many parts of environment. Most of important thing is that human being has occurred this disaster, such as changing climate patterns, ecosystem and human’s health. We should consider how to protect our environment from global warming and invent more efficient ways to save fossil fuels for nest generation.

References

Natural Resources Defense Council. (2007, Sep 9). The Consequences of Global
Warming: Unless we act now, our children will inherit a hotter world, dirtier air and water, more severe floods and droughts, and more wildfires. Retrieved on November 14, 2007, from http://www.nrdc.org/globalWarming/fcons.asp

Velasquez-Manoff, M. (2007, June 21). Climate Turns up Heat on Sea Turtles.
Csmonitor.com. Retrieved November 14th, 2007, from http://politicsblog.ctv.ca/blog/_archives/2007/1/22/2674245.html

What are good effects of the technological revolution?

Have you ever thought about our life expectancy is just 40 or 50 years? Have you ever imagined nobody works in the factory? Anton, Silberglitt and Schneider explain the technology revolution: “Life in 2015 will be revolutionized by the growing effect of multidisciplinary technology across all dimensions of life: social, economic, political, and personal. Biotechnology will enable us to identify, understand, manipulate, improve, and control living organisms (including ourselves). The revolution of information availability and utility will continue to profoundly affect the world in all these dimensions. Smart materials, agile manufacturing, and nanotechnology will change the way we produce devices while expanding their capabilities” (The Global Technology Revolution: Summary, 2001, p.A1). Nowadays the technology revolution effects in the many parts. We cannot imagine today’s us without the technology revolution. We enjoy the developed technology to make our life easier and safer. We have already heard about globalization and automation that is caused by the technology revolution. The technology revolution, however, has changed to give us many benefits in many fields of our life such as health, economy and education in the world.

First, the technology revolution makes that many parts of human life about health make it better quality of life. Our life expectancy has been longer than before because we can have got cure more convenient by any kinds of food and medicine from the technology revolution. Today, we can get easily many kinds of nutrition by these food and medicine, also we can get more advanced medical system when we sick. For example many diseases can cure by developed medicine. Some of diseases are very difficult to cure such as cancer, A.I.D.S and many genetic diseases because there were not enough advanced tools and medicines to make it easier. Some of diseases, however, are already disappear for a long time ago like the plague by new method of medical revolution. Therefore, the technology revolution made people more healthy life and longer span of life. On the other hand, the technology revolution can have affected human science. Maybe we can see easily cloned animal and more perfect cloned human in the future. It means that the advanced technology can improve genetic field to pursue better quality of human life. According to Anton, Silberglitt and Schneider (2001), “By 2015 we may have the capability to use genetic engineering techniques to "improve" the human species and clone humans. These will be very controversial developments--among the most controversial in the entire history of mankind. It is unclear whether wide-scale efforts will be initiated by 2015, and cloning of humans may not be technically feasible by 2015” (p. A2)

Second, world economy can improve and develop by technology revolution. Most of companies pursue developing technology because usually it become that it can make to spend less money for many parts of production and trade. Developing computer system can make speedy and easy to work. In the past, our technology was limited a few years ago, but after appear computer system, our technology has been improved a lot. Also, it will make more efficient to make products than before. Developed technology can make more products in shorter time; also it can be occurred higher-productivity. For example, TOYOTA production system makes products with different method. They produce many cars in short time, and they invent new technological computer system that can design lots of model in short time. Moreover, it is totally different between the Western modes (Shirouzu, 2004). It is possible to be a larger scale of economy. Recently, the globalization spread out in the world, and it can make that most of companies’ market get chances to be bigger in the big global market. Through developing transportation system and internet system, companies can sell the products easier. For example, internet system is one of most popular system to connect each company, and it could be occurred international competition (Anton, Silberglitt & Schneider, 2001). Furthermore, E-mail and web-homepage system can make trade easily. Consequently, lots of consumers can get cheaper and better quality of products. So, the technology revolution makes that companies and individuals’ economy will be able to get better quality.

Third, education revolution will have occurred by the technology revolution. It can make opportunities that lots of people can get education through access system. Many people did not have chances to educate themselves in past because it cost a lot or need too much time, but developed technology can have made it more simply. For instance, internet spread out huge chance to study to uneducated people who do not have enough money to study, and do not have enough time to go to school. Also, it make to possible that some people who cannot be educated can study by computer. Anton, Silberglitt and Schneider talk about education by the technology: “Combined with an increased pace of technological change will likely come an increased need for continued learning and education. Just as computer skills are becoming more important today, both blue-collar and white-collar workers will likely need to improve their skills in other areas to avoid obsolescence in technological realms” (The Global Technology Revolution: Discussion, 2001, p. A6). Many people who are disable people did not have chances to get education, even though they are extremely talented. Advanced education can make it possible to educate them. For instance, many blind had to give up chances to be educated in past because they did not read book and did not write a note, but today some machines help them to read and write, so it must be helpful to make more quality of manpower. Therefore, the technology revolution makes more chances and choices that people can have more quality of education.

In contrast, opponents say, the technology revolution is not a beneficial thing for the world because it can destroy our environment. This theory, however, is illogical because advanced machinery system can improve more to prevent making any pollution, even though it can affect increasing number of factories. For example, many MDC’s have lots of advanced factories which are make lots of pollution, but they have also developed purgation system to make it clear, and by this system, they can get more advantages than other country. Moreover, future advanced computer system can control causes of pollution, and it will make outcome as less pollution. On the other hand, they argue that the technology cannot help LDC’s economy, but it is incomplete because the technology revolution can bring globalization by internet system. For example, if the United States build factory in LDC, it will make lots of jobs and give chances to develop their market. Also, they may accept advanced new technology. Consequently, it can be helpful to activate LDCs’ economy. Therefore, it is need more serious in a lot of fields to make our life easier, simpler and more convenient.

In conclusion, the technology revolution helps many parts of our life such as health, economy and education. It makes to have more quality of life; also, we can get lots of information and financial thing by the advanced technology. It might make pollution from many factories, but it can solve through the technology revolution. Through the new technology, we can get more knowledge such as Internet system. It will bring new ideas in economy, business, trade and education. Therefore, it gives us beneficial effects, and probably we need it in the world in many parts for a long time.



Reference
Anton, P, S., & Silberglitt, R., & Schneider, J. (2001). The global technology
revolution; summary. Retrieved Feburary, 03, 2008 from http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_ reports/MR1307/MR1307.ch3.html#fig3.4

Anton, P, S., & Silberglitt, R., & Schneider, J. (2001). The global technology
revolution; discussion. Retrieved Feburary, 03, 2008 from http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1307/MR1307.sum.html

Shirouzu, N (2004, August 4). Bumpy Road: As Toyota Closes In on GM, Quality
Concerns Also Grow. The Wall Street Junal. Retreved Feburary, 03, 2008, from http://www2.gsu.edu/~ecojxm/MBA/micro/w080404a.htm

Alternative sources of food can be best solution

According to “GM Crops: Food For Thought” article (2001), “This case is yet to be proven and whilst few genetic engineers would argue that GM crops are the sole means to solve world hunger and counteract all the myriad causes of social and economic inequity, there are those who believe that it's premature to discount the contribution the new crops might make” (para.10). As in the above example, there are lots of countries that have to need of some support to solve starvation. Alternative sources of food which means that substitute food can replace the principal food can help to solve these food problems. Alternative sources of food like new crops and meats are that most of people do not think of as edible and economical. However, nowadays some of new crops and meats have more nutrition, and people who cannot afford to buy enough food can get them cheaper price. So, many kinds of alternative food sources can be helpful to solve food problems such as starvation, lack of nutrition, economy and business crisis.

Food is “Material, usually of plant or animal origin, that contains or consists of essential body nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals, and is ingested and assimilated by an organism to produce energy, stimulate growth, and maintain life” (“Food”, n, para.1) Our sources of food are changing somehow, and our ancestors struggled to find more efficient and more sustainable sources of food. According to Starch 'fuel of human evolution' article (2007), “The researchers believe our earliest human ancestors began searching for new food sources other than the ripe fruits that primates eat. These were starches, stored by plants in the form of underground tubers and bulbs - wild versions of modern-day foods like carrots, potatoes, and onions.” Today, people who live on the earth have own habits of food style. It means that the source of food, which is from own ancestors, have kept for a long time. For example, dog farms are one of most popular food system in Korea. It is from customs as ancestors’ alternative food since 3000 years ago (“S Korea Dog Meat Row Deepens”, 2001). According to Plants For A Future (n.d.), There are quite literally thousands of species of edible plants that can be grown, yet most people are only aware of the thirty or so species to be found in the grocers, and many of these will have been imported” (para.1). Many people argue that some of alternative food is disgusting and weird; also, they think that it is not our style, and it can be harmful our health. However, some of countries’ people have to eat alternative food to live, and it is normal that some people eat different food in their culture, such as insects and dogs. Also, insects are very good source of nutrients. In Thai insects are traded on industries produce canned insects and insects dishes in these days (“Eating Insects in Thailand”, 2002). There are a lot of different sources of food, and different people eat different source of food. It is defends on People who live different climate, land, and economic surrounding. So, they have to eat different food because people can get alternative foods easier and cheaper than other principal food. Therefore, alternative sources of food can help everyone in the world.

First, the primary reason is that alternative sources of food can provide more food for hungry people. Some of countries isolate from world support such as North Korea, and they need to develop methods that can make more efficient and sustainable food sources. Different sources of food can be competitive in production and quality. According to “Plants For A Future” (n, d), “There are quite literally thousands of species of edible plants that can be grown, yet most people are only aware of the thirty or so species to be found in the grocers, and many of these will have been imported. They are all fairly easily grown in most soils and often require less attention than many of our better known food crops” (para.1). It means that alternative sources of food as crops can make easy way to get food. In other words, those new sources of food can make mass-production. This way can get the solution to several countries’ people who do not have enough food can get more food because of mass-production. For example, we know that there is almost same protein between meat and soy, and today many vegetarians got soy protein instead of meat. Moreover, soybean is much cheaper than meat because soybeans can have more output than meat. Therefore, alternative sources of food can solve starvation problem in the world.

Another reason is that alternative sources of food can have more nutrition. Some countries have a long history about alternative sources of food because they have known that it makes healthier body than other food sources since long ago, but today it become controversy to treat it like principal food or not. It could be controversial to treat it food or not. However, some people believe it have much more nutrition than principal food. For example, dog meat is very popular in Korea. According to the Cerralbo’s article (2005), “Dog food has many medicinal values such as beefing up men's virility and improving women's skin. “Anyone can tell you that eating dog meat is very healthy," said Park Gye-dong while enjoying a bowl of boshin-tang with his friends, "The Chinese wrote about its healing powers 3,000 years ago in their medical texts, and even now doctors tell patients who are recuperating from operations to eat dog meat in order to recover quickly” (para.11). GM food is also controversy in the world because it has lots of risks to eat. However, it can improve nutrition to control attributes and the major nutritional deficiency. Furthermore, alternative foods can be better quality than primary food because there are lots of alternative sources of food like GM food that can be better quality than other sources of food. For example, GM food increases resistance, productivity, hardiness, and feed efficiency, and it can be better yields of meat, eggs, and milk, also it can improve animal health and diagnostic methods (“Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms”, 2007, para.3). It can be something that we have never seen before, but it can be more perfect food. So, alternative sources of food can be good solution to get good nutrition and better quality food.

In addition, alternative sources of food can affect agriculture market. According to “Food For Thought” article (2001), “Proponents argue that GM crops have the potential to be of enormous benefit to farmers and consumers in less developed nations” (para.9). Nowadays rate of agriculture is declining since technology revolution. Many country’s rural people move to urban areas to get the better job because farmers’ income is declining, and labor force is still needed for lots of work. Furthermore, many different alternatives of sources of crops can make good market for consumers by cheaper price of crops. So, consumers can get variety of good quality food sources easily, and instead of principal food, people can have lots of choices to eat many different sources of alternative food. For instance, if farmers produce wheat instead of rice which need lots of labor and money to plant them, consumers can get chances to buy lower price of wheat. It means that farmers must buy seeds, which are from GM food companies, and more efficient seed can make more a yield of crops or meats, so it can affect increasing farmers’ income. Therefore, it will bring growth of agriculture.

Finally, country which has suffered about high rate of dependence on foreign crops and meats can reduce dependence on imports through alternative sources of food. Many countries supply cheaper food through trading other some crops and meats in lower price but recently increasing consuming of some sources of food bring unbalance of trade between countries. For example, if some countries monopolize some kind of crops, other countries which need it as the principal food have to import it even if it costs lots of money, so it means one county can affect another country’s economy. According to U.S. economic woes weigh on Mexico article, “More than any other country in Latin America, Mexico's economic fate is tied to the U.S., its partner in the North American Free Trade Agreement. Mexico sends more than 80 percent of its exports to the U.S., which is also Mexico's largest source of direct foreign investment and remittances” (para.4).However, if they can investigate alternative sources of food, they can reduce suffering food problem. First, alternative food can reduce suffering about tax from food. When the government makes trade sources of food with other country, they spend nation’s tax to buy it. If they spend taxes to invent newer or better alternative sources of food, it will reduce taxes on the food in the long run. Therefore, alternative sources of food are good solution to make good economy in the world.

Some of opponents say that alternative sources of food cannot solve hunger problem. However, it is incomplete because most country have suffered food problem somehow such as war and nature disaster. For instance, as Korean dog meat culture, they did not have enough meats in the past because of many of war and nature disaster. So, dog meat was good sources to get enough energy instead of other meats. Furthermore, some of opponents say that alternative sources of food do not have good nutrients. However it is illogical because some of crops have better quality than others and have similar nutrition with others. For example, soy and meat have similar protein in that, also some of improved breed of soy have much more protein and nutrition than meat. Therefore, alternative sources of food can be helpful in many fields of food, and it can be best solution to solve food problems.

In conclusion, alternative sources of food have lots of benefits in the world. It can be helpful to get more nutrition than normal food, and it can be helpful to get cheaper food. Many countries have suffered starvation and high price of foreign food, and consumers have suffered from these problems. If the government has more concentration to improve and invent alternative food, they will reduce suffering from food problems. Therefore, Alternative sources of food can be good solution to solve these problems in the world.





References

Cerralbo, Y. (2005, April 25). Dog meat's new tale. CBCNEWS.com. Retrieved
Feburary 19, 2008, from http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/vp_cerralbo/20050425.html

Daniells, S.(2008, Feburary 14). Flavoured soy proteins to enhance use as meat
alternative. Food navigator.com. Retrieved Feburary 15, 2008,
from http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?n=83267-soy-meat-replacement-falvor

Dictionary of food terms. (n,d). U.S History Dictionary. Retrieved
Feburary 25, 2008, from http://www.answers.com/food?cat=health

Eating Insects in Thailand. (2002, July 10). BBCNEWS.com. Retrieved
Feburary 16, 2008,from http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A767252

Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms. (2007, July 4). Human Genome
Project Information.com. Retrieved Feburary 28, 2008, from http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml>

GM Crops: Food For Thought. (2001, March 21). BBCNEWS.com. Retrieved
Fuburary 19, 2008, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/sci_tech/highlights/010322_seed.shtml

Plants for a future. (n.d.). Alternative food crops. Pioneer Thinking. Retrieved
Feburary 15, 2008,from http://www.pioneerthinking.com/crop.html

S Korea dog meat row deepens. (2001, November 12). BBCNEWS.com.
Retrieved Feburary 16, 2008, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/ asia-pacific/1651543.stm

Starch 'fuel of human evolution'. (2007, September 9). BBCNEWS.com.
Retrieved Feburary 16, 2008, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6983330.stm

U.S. economic woes weigh on Mexico. (2008, January 30). MSNBC.com.
Retrieved Feburary 27, 2008, from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22918109/