Pesticides Essays (522 words) - Pesticides, Soil Contamination

Pesticides Putting Aside Pesticides There are 2.5 billion pounds of pesticides being applied to agricultural products each year in the United States. This is ten times more than was applied forty years ago. It is still unknown as to what type of exact effects these chemicals may have on individuals. Some farmers that have been using pesticides in their fields and developed leukemia are finding that the cause of their disease is from inhaling pesticides. These chemicals are still in use today and most of them have never been tested for the short or long-term effects that they may have on humans. Each year there are 10,000 pesticide related poisonings. On July 4th 1985, over 300 Californians became sick after eating watermelons treated with the pesticide tenik. Testing supermarket produce is a way of determining the amount of exposure the consumer receives through common produce like carrots, tomatoes and lettuce. 44% of foods that were tested in supermarkets were found to have some traces of pesticide residue on them. Of all the pesticides found, nineteen of them were a pesticide called DDT. DDT was banned in this country 12 years prior to the testing. It was believed that these chemicals might have entered this country from another country that doesn't have pesticide restrictions as the U.S. does. Pesticides are contaminating the Earth's water supplies. There are seventeen pesticides found in twenty-three state's water supplies right now. Scientists at Cornell University conclude that 99% of pesticides miss the intended source and find their way into the water, air and soil. Most of the pollution isn't strong enough to create an immediate impact on humans so the wildlife is the primary target to these contaminates. Animals such as the European Starling birds are constantly being tested and found that they are greatly affected both behaviorally and psychologically. Farming practices that do not use pesticides/herbicides are slowly becoming introduced bit biologically created pesticides are not nearly as productive as found in preliminary testing. Biotechnology has shown to have successfully resisted pests in plants that were destroyed by pesticides but still hasn't proven itself as a better alternative. William Liebhardt Ph.D. is an Agricultural Specialist at the University of California, Davis and he says, ?When you start spraying with pesticides, you disrupt the natural balance that exists in nature. As a result, you end up killing beneficial insects, then insects that were not a problem become problems and this happens repeatedly? requiring more and more spraying. Spraying crops with chemicals may not have an immediate effect on humans but the environment needs to be preserved for years to come in order for crop production to remain a vital link to the human diet. By not treating the crops, you face a possible situation of a major reduction in agricultural produce. The non-chemical approach may be the answer but it is obvious that there needs to be a lot more testing done on these products as well and they are not economically reasonable yet. But then paying more now is a small price to pay to have fewer problems later. Environmental Issues

Memory essays

Memory essays What exactly is memory? In Book ten, more specifically, Chapters eight through fourteen of The Confessions of St. Augustine, Augustine examines what he believes the memory to be, and how it functions. Augustine first addresses memory specifically in Chapter eight of Book ten where he describes memory as where are treasures of countless images of things of every manner . . . [and] also whatever we think about . . . (p. 236). He can recall any of these memories that forgetfulness has not yet swallowed up and buried away . . . (p. 236). It may take longer to remember some things than others, for some things may have to be searched for, sifting through other memories that jump into his mind that he must brush away until they are needed. Inside ones memory everything is kept distinct and according to kind . . . (p. 236). Each is obtained through its respective sensory organ and stored for whenever it may be needed. Although the things themselves do not enter . . . (p. 237), images of them are kept. But Augustine ponders how these images are remembered. For when one remembers remembers a sound, he can still hear other things. Also in the memory, Augustine talks of remembering things he has done or others have told him of, and these can be conjured up at any moment in order to influence his many decisions which he must make. Augustine ends the chapter by proclaiming Great is the power of memory, exceedingly great is it, O God, and inner chamber, vast and unbounded! (p. 238). In this final paragraph he amazes at that which is memory. He says that men go to great lengths in order to gaze at mountain heights, at huge waves in the sea, at the broad expanse of flowing rivers, at the wide reaches of the ocean, and at the circuits of the stars . . . (p. 238), but they fail to observe the wonder which is within themselves. They do not appreciate...

The Transparency in Corporate Governance Essay

The Transparency in Corporate Governance - Essay Example Shareholders and investors are being defrauded and deceived on the real status of earning and expenses within the firm through financial statements that are not entirely accurate. Such failures of corporate governance have produced a negative impact on investor confidence and made them question the integrity of information that is provided in the financial statements of a corporate entity.1 The development of corporate governance codes has as its primary objective, the restoration and increase of investor confidence through increased accountability and transparency in corporations2. Effective corporate governance enhances investor confidence, enhances competitiveness and ultimately contributes to economic growth. Transparency in corporate governance implies a lack of opacity or secrecy in financial operations and is thus associated with full disclosure of financial and operational information. Transparency implies that there are no hidden agendas and that clear information is provided, not only on financial and operational aspects but also on the internal processes of management overseeing and control systems. It is on the basis of such complete disclosure of information that a meaningful analysis of the Company can be made and outside investors who put their money into an organization can understand its operations clearly and make good investment decisions. Transparency can therefore mitigate the risks associated with corporate governance and the potential for corporate scandals. In countries such as the USA and the UK, ownership of shares in corporations extends over a widespread shareholder base. This leaves scope for potential conflict, arising between the interests of the stakeholders in the corporation and the Boards of Directors who could allow their own self-interest to influence organizational decision-making.