(a) What are ten small decisions that you as an individual make that Essay

(a) What are ten small decisions that you as an individual make that impacts upon the environment (b) How might you make each decision differently if you took - Essay Example Even though I live 5 minutes away from the university, I still get a ride rather than chose to walk. As a consequence of this decision, I burn a lot more fuel than I need to and in the process release gases like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere. A healthier alternative is to chose to walk, cycle, carpool or use the public transportation system more often. This way I can save significantly on fuel consumption. Again, I should plan ahead and schedule my errands such that I can get everything done in one trip. Another decision as a result of which I waste a lot of fuel is not switching the engine off when I am waiting to pick up a friend to go someplace. At times I would have waited for as long as 15 minutes. This decision has a two-fold impact on the environment. Firstly, since the fuel used in the vehicles is fossil fuel, it is a waste of the limited resources that we have and secondly, keeping the engine running would result in the production of dangerous gases including carbon monoxide, which pollutes the atmosphere. As an alternative, I can turn off the engine and start again when all my friends get into the vehicle and we are ready to leave. While driving, I prefer to keep my vehicle’s air conditioner turned on at all times – even in stop-and-go traffic. According to Environment Canada (2003a), air conditioning can increase fuel consumption by as much as 20% (para. 1). This decision again results in the release of dangerous gases into the atmosphere. The solution to reduce fuel consumption is to turn of the air conditioner when I have to drive slowly especially at stop and go traffic. Moeller (2004) emphasizes that an average human being breathes about 20 cubic meters of air each day. This amount of air roughly amounts to about 24 kilograms in weight. Hence lungs are by far the most important pathway for environmental pollutants

Red Scare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Red Scare - Essay Example It might be said that from the government's point of view the roots of the "Red Scare" lie in the subversive actions of foreign and leftist elements in the United States, so it decided to suppress dissent and help promote pro-war opinion in the preparation for the American entry into World War. At the heart of the Red Scare was the conscription law of 1917, which was put in place during World War I for the armed forces to be able to conscript more Americans. This law caused many problems for the conscientious objector to WWI, because for one to claim that status, one had to be a member of a "well-recognized" religious organization which forbade their members to participation in war. As a result of such legislation, 20,000 conscientious objectors were inducted into the armed forces (Feuerlicht 74). After the real war ended in 1918, the ideological war turned against conscientious objectors and other radical minorities such as Wobblies, who were members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and Socialists as well. These Wobblies and Socialists were damned as being subversives who were trying to overthrow the United States government. Wobblies, in particular, were persecuted against for speaking out against the capitalist system. Although most of what they said was on ly to attract attention to their cause, their rhetoric was taken seriously by the government and its officials. From the very beginning of the Red Scare, the Wobblies were the subject of attack by the government, because they were a symbol of radicalism. The government put in place legislation, not only against the Wobblies, but also against Socialists and Communists, due to the fact that the government did not distinguish one of its enemies from another. One such action taken by the government prevented Wobblies who were not yet citizens from naturalization, even if they quit their organization. In 1917, the US government made a law (Espionage Act) which gave the Secretary of Labor the power to arrest or deport any alien "advocating or teaching" destruction of property or the "overthrow of government by force." Words such as "advocating" and the vague language used in the law allowed the government to use deportation as a cure for the anti-government views of its enemies, namely th e Wobblies, Communists, and Socialists. After the war formally ended in 1918, all the groups which opposed the war came under fire. They were seen as destructive to the peace and security of the American nation. The focus of the attacks was no longer on the conscientious objectors, for many of them were already jailed during the war, and were still in jail at the time; it had switched over to the Socialists and the Wobblies (Renshaw 63-65; Zinn 108). In 1917, President Wilson established a "Committee on Public Information" to create and release news favorable to the Allied cause and hostile to Germany. To enforce the efforts of the Committee, the "Bureau of Investigation" was created and disrupted the work of German-American, union, and leftist organizations through raids, arrests, and legal prosecution. The Socialist Party of America strongly opposed the war on pacifist grounds and the result was persecution and punishment under the provisions of the Espionage Act (Murray 18). This act penalized anyone who obstructed the operation of the armed forces, was insubordinate, or displayed disloyalty