Abstract This paper presents a detailed examination of wild land fires. Means of managing the fires, including controlled burns, the use of technology for pattern prediction and the development of protective gear are outlined.
From the Paper "Americans have spent the last few months watching wild land fires burn out of control in several states. Arizona, California and Colorado have all been ravaged with devastating and extremely expensive fires that went out of control and destroyed homes, property and wildlife. While firefighters from across the nation rushed to aid the local firefighters in those areas, the public watched the coverage unfold on television news channels. Wild land fires can be devastating for many reasons. They not only cause financial devastation and property destruction but they interfere with the ecological process by destroying wildlife and plant life. This paper attempts to explore wild land fires and the steps that are being taken to lessen their damaging impact by getting them contained more quickly."
Abstract The paper reviews the work "A Civil Action" by Jonathan Harr as a basis for exploring violation of E.P.A. regarding water contamination. It uses the incident of water contamination that took place at Woburn, Massachusetts in the 1960s and 70s as one that serves as a lesson in the prevention of water contamination. It lists the deficiencies responsible for the contamination, such as the lack of laboratory checks, lack of inspections of the land and water, lack of compliance evaluation and inhibited civil action.
From the Paper ""A Civil Action? by Jonathan Harr is a book that brings awareness to communities that might be unaware of the EPA standards against water contamination, and the neglect of concerned authorities allowing industries to carry out their illegal dumping of chemicals in certain areas. The incident of water contamination that took place at Woburn, Massachusetts is one that serves as a lesson in history that should not be repeated. This case of water contamination was believed to be responsible for claiming many lives through leukemia because of a chemical substance (Trichloroethylene) present in the water."
Abstract This paper begins by presenting some basic demographic facts about Massachusetts. It then discusses the question why prices in the state continue to rise. It looks at statistics regarding population growth trends and migration which also influence the housing shortage crisis. The paper ends with a list of practical alternative solutions to this problem.
From the Paper "Officially named the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the state is 13th amongst the 50 United States. It has a population of a little more than 6 million people as of 1990 US census Bureau figures. Comprising of 302 town and 49 cities, with the capital at Boston, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts covers a total area of some 8,000 square miles with a population density of 768 persons per square mile. (Galvin, 2002). The following paper will discuss some aspects on the shortage of housing in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts."
Tags: population, growth, migration, demography, statistics, crisis, density, census
Abstract This paper explores the article "Until We Know More About Global Warming, the Best Policy is a Highly Flexible One", written for "The Chronicle of Higher Education", by Warwick J. McKibbin and Peter J. Wilcoxen. It reviews the authors? discussion on the social and economic problems of global warming. It also reviews their comments on the effects of global warming on the environment and the global economy. Furthermore, the paper looks at the authors? reasons for their views. The paper concludes with an evaluation on the worth of these views by the writer.
From the Paper "The article is one of the superbly written socio-economic principles that emerge every now and again from scientists and economists who have very little left to debate. As a result they bring forth the ideals and personalities that they feel should be discussed and leave out the basic issues as to how it truly effects the environment and also the inhabitants of the planet.
"The writers of the article are more concerned with the economics of the policies rather than the logistics. However it is a reasonably well written article that will undoubtedly leave those that can understand the socio-economic jargon feeling either some what perplexed, angered or concurring."
Abstract This paper discusses the lack of ethical considerations of tobacco companies. The writer provides a personal view of the harsh reality of tobacco companies. The statistics are reviewed, methods of promotion are reproached and politicians are blamed for turning a blind eye.
From the Paper "Tobacco companies sell death, committing a blatant moral and ethical abomination against mankind. Tobacco companies are the Dr. Jack Kevorkian of the world and what's worse is that our elected officials sanction these activities. They turn a blind eye but eagerly extend their hands to collect the revenues from taxes. Lets face it, tobacco companies shell out a lot of money to politicians and in turn, politicians turn the other cheek as smoking kills almost a half a million people per year in the U.S. alone. Smokers also take out non-smokers at a rate of 3,000 people per year due to exposure to second hand smoke. Nicotine, the main addictive ingredient in tobacco is the cause of many diseases and medical problems, such as emphysema and lung cancer."
Abstract A detailed and abstract essay describing the qualities that the wilderness possesses. The paper describes the nature, the fauna and the river in the wilderness.
From the Paper "The air is pure, so clean and uninhibited by any foreign debris or pollution. The breeze blows gently and whistles as it passes through the underbrush. It is a rather warm day, approximately ninety degrees. The sky is endlessly blue stretching for galaxies without a cloud. The only sounds are those from lively mockingbirds, that of the wind passing through the treetops, and the river as it flows through its riverbed. The river flows graciously, with careless abandon, stopping for no obstacle in its path."
Abstract This paper describes two of the biggest problems facing Bombay (Mumbai) today. Massive population growth has led to high levels of overcrowding and poor health conditions as a result. There are also huge problems in providing adequate infrastructure as a result of this population growth, made worse by the unique geography of Bombay. The essay then describes the solution that is being implemented: the creation of a new 'growth pole': New Bombay a few miles away.
From the Paper "The City of Bombay is located on the west coast of India and is one of the largest cities in the world. It is a good example of the kind of dramatic growth that has affected many developing countries in the past 50 years. But this was not always so. Bombay in the mid 17th century consisted of 7 small islands off the west coast of India. The area was surrounded by marshy land, had almost no fertile soil and was inhabited mainly be fishermen. There was no important trade and no resources and thus very little economic activity. But by the end of the 20th Century Bombay had become one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the world with around 15 million inhabitants. Bombay is India's most important port, busiest airport, has the highest concentration of industry, and the most multinational corporations in South East Asia. Why did this dramatic change occur and what have been the resulting negative impacts? To answer these questions it is worth looking at the history of Bombay briefly to understand the background to Bombay's problems, before investigating further two urban problems that Bombay faces and the solutions put forward."
Tags: India, Portuguese, Mughal, Empire, Central, Business, District, CIDCO
Abstract The writer of this paper shows how, according to most scientists, dam removal would be the best option for recovery of native salmon and steal head in the Snake River system. The paper examines the human costs and shows how many people rely on the river in its current state for their livelihood. The paper discusses the issues of the cost and benefits of dam removal that lawmakers must weigh before deciding this complicated issue.
From the Paper "As it is with any issue of importance all sides and perspectives must be explored before any kind of decision can be made. So, the question at hand is should the four dams (Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite) on the lower Snake River be removed, to aid in the recovery of endangered Idaho salmon and steelhead stocks. At the beginning of this century salmon and steelhead runs in the Columbia and Snake River basins were unequaled. I read accounts, from the 1920's and 30's, of fishermen hauling in half mile long seine nets with draft horses, containing 30,000 tons of salmon at a time, and catching up 94,000 tons of fish a day in the mouth of the Columbia River. Not only where the fish more plenty full they where larger. I saw a picture of an 82-pound Chinook caught in 1921 in Astoria. These massive salmon where known as June hogs and their spawning grounds where found all the way up in British Columbia. These massive specimens ceased to exist after the construction of the Grand Coulee dam in 1941, which closed off over a thousand miles of prime spawning grounds to the north. The loss of these mighty specimens signaled the fate of the rest of the species in the coming decades. The Grand Coulee was just the first in a series of dams, which have destroyed critical habitat and impeded the upward and downstream migration of the once plentiful fish. When Lewis and Clark visited this region in 1802 approximately 16 million salmon and steelhead returned each year to complete their life cycle; today approximately 300,000 fish will return, a small fraction of the once mighty run. Dams are not the only factor leading to the extinction of salmon and steelhead, there are other important factors such as: pollution, stream bank deprivation caused by logging and grazing, non-favorable oceanic conditions, over fishing, and predation. But, for the purpose of this paper I will be discussing the environmental as well as the social effects of removing the dams on the lower Snake. "
Tags: breaching, columbia, dam, environmental, policy, recovery, river, salmon, steelhead, fish
From the Paper "Analysis: Effect of Mt. Hood Eruption on Atmosphere
Introduction
Each of three major eruptive periods at Mount Hood (12,000-
15,000), 1,500-1,800, and 200-300 years ago) produced dacite
domes, pyroclastic flows, and mudflows, but virtually no pumice.
Most of the fine lithic ash that mantles the slopes of the volcano and the adjacent mountains fell from ash clouds that accompanied the pyroclastic flows. Widely scattered pumice lapilli that are present at the ground surface on the south, east, and north sides of Mount Hood may have been erupted during the mid-1800's, when the last known activity of the volcano occurred (REPORT: Recent Eruptive History..., 1998).
The geologically recent history of Mount Hood suggests that
the most likely eruptive event in the future will be the .."
From the Paper "Effects of Yellowstone National Park Fires on the Troposphere
Introduction
Biomass burning is a major source of trace gases and aerosol particles, with possible ramifications for atmospheric chemistry, cloud properties and radiation budget (Erme Ora Byrd Building, 1998). Biomass burning accounts for about a quarter of the global emissions of greenhouse gases, with comparable rate of production of smoke particles to that of sulfate particles from industrial and urban sources (Radke et al., 1991; Penner et al., 1992; IPCC, 1995).
This begs the question; could a forest fire of the size and duration of the 1988 Yellowstone National Park fires cause long or short term effects to the troposphere? If effects are indicated, does this in turn affect weather and long term .."
From the Paper "Government regulation of the automobile industry is well-entrenched and is designed to protect the public. Safety has been a major concern since the 1950s and has spurred numerous regulations over the decades, while environmental concerns are of more recent origin. Both types of regulation, however, shape the way cars are designed and sold, what features auto makers will include in the package, and even how cars are advertised. The latter is because for all the complaints the auto industry may make about government intrusion and over-regulation, the public wants cars that are both safe and environmentally friendly and can be induced to buy cars that fulfill these requirements."
From the Paper "The United States government has identified more than 65,000 chemicals and materials as hazardous substances. The Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), the government agency that decides how the country should transport dangerous goods, requires different handling and transportation procedures for each of these substances (Minahan, 1998). "Hazmats," as these substances are collectively called, include two categories of hazardous materials: "health hazards" and "physical hazards." If a material meets one of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration's (OSHA) definitions it is classified as a hazmat (Rekus, 1998).
Health hazards are defined as materials for which there is scientific evidence demonstrating that acute or chronic health ..."
From the Paper "The urban neighborhoods of America's major cities are deteriorating, trapping city residents in a cycle of poverty as jobs disappear and housing stock decays. In contrast, affluent suburbs are sprawling outward from the central cities, leading to the creation and maintenance of exclusionary enclaves in which predominately white, middle- to upper-middle class (and beyond) professionals are concentrated (State-sponsored growth..., 1127). In order to maintain homogeneity in such residential communities, zoning ordinances have been used which forbid multiple-family housing and require single-family housing to meet high minimum square footage requirements. By enacting..."
Background of how global warming became a political rather than scientific issue. Struggle between economically powerful nations and developing nations. Failure of Kyoto Protocal.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 13 sources, 2001, $ 39.95
From the Paper Global Warming has become a political, rather than a scientific issue. Mainly, it is a struggle between the economically powerful nations, to whom switching to more efficient fuels is less of an economic burden and the developing nations, who are less concerned with science and more with the welfare of their depressed populations. A little background is in order:
In 1974, two scientists wrote a research paper. The theme was that because Chlorofluorocarbons, CFC's, were extremely stable in our lower atmosphere, they could drift into the stratosphere, break apart, and release large quantities of chlorine into the atmosphere. The report stated that each chlorine atom could potentially destroy 100,000 ozone molecules."
Reivew of book on urban problems including American dream of single-family ownership, long auto commutes. Proposed solutions for dealing with inner-city problems. Changing land-use policies. Strengths & weaknesses of book.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 1 source, 2001, $ 39.95
From the Paper "Anthony Downs considers an alternative method for dealing with basic urban problems such as decay at the city centers, the growth of suburbs to house all but the poor, and problems associated with long commutes in automobiles. The purpose of this paper is twofold: to examine how well Downs? description of urban problems generalize to a variety of cities, and to examine his alternative ideas for addressing the problems he cites.
In the first three chapters of the book, Downs carefully lays out the problems of modern cities that result from what he calls the "dominant vision". He argues that the American dream is to own a detached single-family home with a yard. A second element is the desire for ownership of automotive vehicles and the autonomy associated with that. The third element is the..."
