What Is Caribbean Studies and Why Is It Important to Study It

Caribbean studies is a very fascinating subject for anyone to study but in order for one to know what exactly Caribbean Studies entails, we must know what is the basis of its existence, the Caribbean. The Caribbean is a region consisting of the Caribbean Sea, the islands (most of which enclose the sea) and the surrounding coasts. The region is located east of Central America, the southeast of North America and north of South America. This region comprises more than 7000 islands, islets, reefs and cays. The ‘West Indies’, the name used very regular today was given to it by Christopher Columbus when landing in Hispaniola in 1492, believed he had reached the Indies (in Asia). This arrival shaped the very existence of the Caribbean and most particular its people today. Knowing the history of the Caribbean region goes a long way toward understanding its people. Each island has a unique cultural identity shaped by the European colonialists, the African heritage of slaves, and the enduring legacies of the native Indian tribes. This rich history and its lasting influence is set against a backdrop of crystal clear waters and perpetual sunshine. Just knowing the history is just the tip of the iceberg. To understand the diversity of each island, their distinctive physical, political and socioeconomic challenges must be examined as well as their geography, common historical experiences, participation in the global community, not forgetting the diverse ethnic and racial groups and the continuing struggle for survival and sovereignty. This is why Caribbean Studies is important. Almost all the islands except for the very small ones are self-governed so they all exist on their own ,so why do we study them all? According to the geographical arrangement and most importantly, the settlements that were made after Columbus, the Caribbean islands were seen as one big unit that would provide liquidity for Europe. Each island shares a commonness of how they were colonized, how they fought to become independent and how they are sustaining themselves to compete with the international market. For a people to know where they are going, they must know where they came from, who they are now in order to shape their future. Many different events took place in the islands that changed the islands and their people. It is seen throughout history that the Caribbean people fought for whatever the wanted from the Indigenous people to African slaves for freedom to the Black citizens for independence of colonial rule. The independence of Haiti in 1804, mobilized the other countries in and around the Caribbean to fight for freedom. In Grenada, through Sir Eric Matthew Gary, she got her independence after long debates. Independence enabled the islands to be self-relying to make decisions on their owns so that the people today can choose what they do on a daily basis. Because of what happened many years ago, we can enjoy these benefits. This is why Caribbean Studies is important.

50 Ways to Combat Climate Change

Climate change is something that has been on the radar of people worldwide since the 1980's, when the hole in the ozone layer of Antarctica was discovered. Are we doing enough to reduce climate change, and reverse the effects of global warming? While it might be nearly impossible to reverse climate change, we can try to slow down the effects of climate change. On this page, you can find earth friendly tips on reducing your carbon footprint, from greening your vacations to recycling, reducing your energy use at home to helping promote sustainable forestry. . Eat less meat, and eat more vegetables. Cattle are one of the largest producers of methane, a gas that helps contribute to global warming. Cut back on the meat, and you'll be contributing to less methane. 2. Use a more energy efficient vehicle to reduce emissions and oil use. The Toyota Prius always tops the list of most efficient cars, but don't forget the Accord, Sanata, and Jetta. 3. Plant a tree on your own, or in Brazil. You can make donations to help plant trees far away, or plant one locally to help produce more oxygen and filter our air. 4.Take public transportation. Even if you only take public transportation once a week or once a month, you're lessening potential emissions that contribute to climate change. 5. Turn the temperature down on your thermostat to save energy. Any energy you save lessens the amount of fossil fuels used at energy plants. 6. In the warmer months, use window and fan ventilation over air conditioning when possible instead of air conditioning (in your car, too). 7. Purchase recycled products, like recycled paper and recycled plastic toys. 8. Reuse things in your life.Even recycling takes some amount of energy to transform a material into something else. By reusing, there's no transformation or emissions involved, just a little brain power. 9. Buy locally, from farmers markets, locally grown shops, and even in the grocery store to lessen transport energy. Aim to buy your produc e where it's grown closest to you (it often tastes much better this way, too). 10. Start an herb garden or veggie garden. Nothing tastes fresher, it will save you money, and you won't have to drive in the car to get your herbs and veggies.Very little energy consumed! 11. Unplug energy suckers when they aren't in use. Your appliances, toasters, computers, televisions and cellphone charges all use energy just by being plugged in. So, save energy by unplugging! 12. Use CFL bulbs to reduce electricty usage. They save you money, save the environment, and even glow brighter. 13. Bring your own reusable bags to reduce climate change. Bring them to the grocery store and anywhere else you go shopping. If you have a single item and don't need a bag, don't take one. 14.Drink tap water over bottled water. Bottled water costs more, takes more energy to create, and to transport. In most circumstances, tap water is cleaner than bottled water. 15. Think about using reusable diapers to prevent diape rs from decomposing in a landfill. Disposable diapers take up approximately 4% of landfill space, and take hundreds of years to decompose. 16. Use a zero voc paint when painting a room in your home. The VOCs found in traditional paints can be hazardous for you and the ozone. 17. Switch to paperless billing.It's a benefit for the companies, but a great benefit for the environment, too. It's also nice to not be inundated with bills in the mail. 18. Bring your own reusable take out container. These small styrofoam containers really add up! 19. Bring your own reusable container and reusable bag for lunch. 20. Use less resources and energy when you travel by having a green vacation. 21. When you buy anything, buy for the long term instead of the short term. Buy a product that is going to last for a long time, instead of buying the disposable or short term version.A good example is clothing. Higher quality brands will last much longer and hold up better, while cheaper brands often only ge t a few short wears. 22. Support clean energy to reduce climate change, as well as other renewable resources like wind energy and geothermal. 23. Get healthier. By eating less food and exercising more, you'll be consuming less packaging, throwing away less, creating less waste, spending less, going to the doctor's less, and living longer. 24. Take a slightly less warm shower. Heating water is one of the most energy consuming parts of our lives.Warm showers feel great, but reducing the amount of time in the shower and the temperature by just a small amount can make a big difference. Taking cooler showers can also give you better skin. 25. Buy products with less packaging. The less packaing, the less you'll throw away into our landfills. 26. Turn off your cellphone and other electronics at night to cut back on electricity. 27. Try a low energy cold water wash, combined with hanging clothes on the clothesline. 28. Use energy efficient washers and dryers. The savings on your utilities l one will be substantial, but the benefit to the earth will be greater. 29. Reduce junk mail that comes to your home by following these simple steps. 30. Reduce the amount of aersols, candles, and perfumes used by switching to natural perfumes and natural room fresheners. 31. Learn how to recycle things in your life. Start with the obvious choices like cans and bottles, then get more serious (curbside pickup makes it very easy). 32. Save gas and money by carpoolling. The savings will add up, you'll have someone to talk to, and you'll be helping the slow down climate change. 3. Consolidate errands and plan your route to save gas. 34. Order online orders in bulk. When things are shipped together, less packaging and energy is used (and it's cheaper, usually). 35. Buy used and buy repurposed. This prevents new products from being made (and fossil fuels from being burned), helping the environment. 36. Use a reusable product to clean your home instead of disposable paper towels, like reusa ble paper towels, sponges and cloths. 37. Sell your stuff on Ebay, try to throw away less. 38. Donate your stuff instead of throwing it away. 39.Compost to reduce climate change by reducing trash in landfill spaces. 40. Camp out on vacation instead of staying in a hotel and enjoy the outdoors (without the TV and A/C). 41. Go digital and online with more things in your life, like photos, using ecards instead of ecards, and ebooks. There's the Kindle for wireless reading, free ecards, and many free photo hosting websites to store your photos online. 42. Schedule online meetings to save on flights and travel expenses, as well as transport energy. 43. Bring your own reusable to-go coffee cup to the cafe instead of taking a disposable one. 4. Help protect our forests so that the forests can help combat climate change. 45. Recycle packaging instead of throwing it away. Donate it to a local UPS store or post it on Craigslist. 46. Encourage and become involved in reforestation to slow clima te change. 47. Buy sustainable wood, repurposed wood, or a used wood product for furniture purchases. 48. Consider Ecycling your computers and electronics instead of throwing them away. 49. Swap clothing, toys and books with neighboring parents and friends instead of buying new ones. 50. Most importantly, educate others about climate change.

Human Impact on the Environment – Problems caused by population growth

In about 1830 the human population reached one billion, there are now somewhere around six billion people on the planet today and that figure is growing at a very high and very rapid rate. Past populations were controlled by disease, war and famine but now because of technology and modern medicine. The environment around us has been built to support these growing numbers but this development is having a huge effect on the world's ecosystems. Human population's clear other space and habitats of other species to make way for their own. This ignorance has killed many species to extinction and polluted the environment; this has endangered our survival and the survival of other species at risk. Read this Ch. 22 Respiratory System However, in natural ecosystems factors are limiting whereas human ecosystems are different as we have the technology to maximise resources and find new ones when existing ones run out. The planet obviously can only hold a certain number of people, most species never reach their maximum numbers but they have a peak, then the numbers start to decline. Activities that have changed the landscape Industrial and domestic waste has to be disposed of, and as the population is increasing the waste is becoming more and more difficult to get rid of. There are a lot of things that cause pollution in varying rates on a big scale oil spill to a normal deodorant can which uses cfc's. Here is a table that shows the pollutant and its effects on humans and the environment. Pollutant Effects on humans and the environment. Air Smoke Makes breathing difficult. Sulphur Dioxide Causes acid rain. Ozone Damages leaves. CFC's Damages ozone layer. Carbon Dioxide Increases the ‘Greenhouse Effect'. Water Sewage Eutrophication. Fertilisers Eutrophication. Acid Rain Makes soils, lakes and rivers acidic. Oil Spills Kill fish. Toxic Chemicals e.g. mercury Kill fish and other aquatic life. Land Solid waste disposal at landfill sites Methane causes explosions and increases the ‘Greenhouse Effect'. Mining waste e.g. Lead Water run-off poisons plants and animals. Heavy metals kill most plants and animals. The Pollution of the Water There are a number of different ways and processes of water pollution the main ones are ‘waste disposal', ‘organic pollution' and ‘eutrophication'. Waste disposal is the domestic and industrial waste which is treated in sewage plants to remove impurities. The problem is that some of this waste is being disposed in many rivers and canals and polluting them heavily. This has destroyed many freshwater ecosystems like the ‘Great Lakes of North America' and parts of the ‘Norfolk Broads'. Organic pollution is where domestic sewage is disposed in rivers and canals and the organic content in the sewage is a food source for bacteria and fungi. These organisms also take the dissolved oxygen in the water so that fish and other aquatic animals die out. Eutrophication is when the nitrate and phosphate levels are high this encourages the growth of algae. These algae can cause a lot of damage to the water ecosystem. * Algae grow rapidly and give an ‘algal bloom' over the surface of the water. * Many blue-green algae produce toxins which kill some plants and animals. * Small animals that feed on algae do not multiply fast enough to check the increase in the algae. * Algae block out the light for the rooted plants growing on beds of lakes and they die. This reduces the amount of oxygen. * The algal population crashed due to competition for resources. The algae are then decomposed by bacteria which use the oxygen in the water. * This lack of oxygen kills many invertebrates and fish. All this is the process of eutrophication. The pollution of the atmosphere Pollution is a term used to describe the presence of an unwanted substance. Although air contains lots of microscopic particles, like volcanic dust and tiny sand grains from deserts, this pollution is natural in origin. Man-made pollution of the atmosphere however, is now causing a lot of concern. Most of this air pollution comes from the burning of coal, oil and gas – the fossil fuels – in power stations, factories and homes, and petrol and diesel in cars and other road vehicles. We need energy and electricity to keep us warm and to cook our food, but unfortunately we do not make enough from other non-polluting sources. Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases into the air. This may be changing the climate and causing global warming. Other pollutants like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are also given off. This can reduce the quality of air which we breathe, leading to health problems, and can cause acid rain. Global Warming Global air temperatures as measured by land-based weather stations show an increase of about 0.45 degrees Celsius over the past century. These may be mistakes in data or climatic variation. Satellite data indicate a slight cooling in the climate in the last 18 years. These satellites use advanced technology and are not subject to the â€Å"heat island† effect around major cities that alters ground-based thermometers. Projections of future climate changes are uncertain. Although some computer models predict warming in the next century, these models are very limited. The effects of cloud formations, precipitation, the role of the oceans, or the sun, are still not well known and often inadequately represented in the climate models although all play a major role in determining our climate. Scientists who work on these models are quick to point out that they are far from perfect representations of reality, and are probably not advanced enough for direct use in policy implementation. Interestingly, as the computer climate models have become more sophisticated in recent years, the predicted increase in temperature has been lowered. However, 98% of total global greenhouse gas emissions are natural (mostly water vapour) and only 2% are from man-made sources. Sustained Development Sustainable development is where a population can make developments and improvements to their area or their needs without causing harm to the environment. Sustainable development is all about a greener planet in both developed and developing countries by not polluting the environment and being more energy friendly. Sustainable development is * Social progress which recognises the needs of everyone * Effective protection of the environment * Prudent use of natural resources Sustained development can be achieved by using less fossil fuels and researching into environmentally friendly sources of energy like solar and geothermic sources. Be less wasteful so that we use fewer resources so that they are prolonged and regenerate, find more effective ways of disposing of waste and producing less waste in the first place.

The Development of Humanity in Imago Dei Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Development of Humanity in Imago Dei - Essay Example Human-Kind's knowledge of God or the theorization of Imago Dei ultimately brought about the concept of humanity, as was hinted at in the initial phase of this research (Meta Press 2006). When God created man kind, following Imago Dei, humanity was undoubtedly born but man-kinds ability to hold onto that form of humanity has been sorely tested throughout history. Furthermore, this ideology of humanity was conceptualized by the fact that human beings are the more vulnerable of God's creations and therefore there is a need to try and be humane to one another due to this fact. Also, there is a view that human beings are considered to be the well-being and fate of nature so this is another philosophical reasoning that was born through the concept of Imago Dei and of which stretched into the philosophy of humanity (Fern 2002). This makes perfect sense as the true meaning of "Imago Dei" is actually an interpretation of a mirror image of God. In fact, the terminology in itself is uniquely meant for the human race, as history has shown through biblical times up to present day even. The way in which humanity did actually form has been already stated to be from man-kind's religious perspective and their creation but there is a direct relation to this theory from a passage in the bible which states, "God created man in his own image" (Meta Press 2006). It was of course this pertinent passage which had an incredible influence on man-kind's interpretation of what goodness and humanity should be and they oftened turned to God to guide them and help them in making the right choice to stay on the correct path. Because man-kind developed the rationalization that they were created in God's image they realized that all that they had been endowed with had a form of goodness and humanity about it. For example their freedoms of "self-centeredness, creative freedom, and the option of self-actualization" led them to come to an understanding that having good qualities within their being and expressing a sincere sense of humanity to one another was important in order to stay in God's image (Meta Press 2006). However, human beings can not be equal to God because they are not wholly perfect, although they try to overcome those tendencies that bring in the adverse elements into the human race which affects the idea of humanity (Fern 2002). Karl Barth was an existentialist who believed that humanity developed by man-kinds way of trying to exhibit an idea of goodness in order to be one with God. However, the human race already had an idea of humanity due to the fact that they were created through the theology of Imago Dei. This has been emphasized in this literature and found to hold factual truth throughout periods of history. Furthermore, this is pointed out because Barth taught that man-kind developed a responsibility towards God, again through the ideology of Imago Dei. Also, the freedoms born for man were directly from the idea that God granted them these various freedoms due to the human goodness that they exhibited (Cochrane 1956).However, when man sinned they lost some of the ability to be good due to the fact that the concept of religious belief and the essence of God does not contain the idea of sin, and therefore it was and is an

Hombres Necios by Sor Juana Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Hombres Necios by Sor Juana - Essay Example However, Sor Juana argues that these faults are caused by men themselves. This is seen in the first stanza of the poem where she argues that men wrongly accuse women forgetting that they are the ones to blame for the emergent faults. During the writing of the poem in the seventeenth century, gender equality was a main issue though it was hardly spoken about. Nonetheless, the poem gives a reflection of the scenario during this period while simultaneously condemning men’s actions against women. For example, the poem uses a relationship approach to show the inequality and atrocities committed to women. In every step of the relationship from courtship to the course of the relationship, men always strive to win and do not take responsibility for any fault at all but rather blame women. Generally, although Sor Juana argues for women, she does use the term ‘we’ in the entire poem. Additionally, the poem is arguably easy to understand owing to the short stanzas, four lines each, and the recurrence of the message. Although Sor Juana was from Mexico, the poem gives a reflection of the general societal setting in Latin America. During this period women’s voice and contributions to the society were limited with only two opportunities as either housewives or nuns. Although nuns enjoyed some privileges such as learning, they were still held back by the limitations imposed on women. As such, Sor Juana’s poem critiquing men was a bold move from a woman making her one of the first pioneers of feminism. Considering the odds against women, it is only logical to ask what motivated her. Did other women approve of her ways? More importantly, did her efforts bear any fruits? Additionally, the poem is relatable to the modern society where issues revolving around gender equality are still imminent. Gender inequality is not only an issue in Latin America but rather a global

MGMT458 U5 IP Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MGMT458 U5 IP - Research Paper Example Leadership is defined broadly through a certain style, ability to influence others. Whether the leader is charismatic or transformational, he has power and uses it to affect the behavior and action of others. For years, leadership was studied as a mix of unique personality traits, such as intelligence and self- confidence. However, recently, the attention was turned to the styles of leadership behavior. They have been determined as democratic, authoritarian and laissez-faire. It is also essential that the companies were led by a polymath person, a person with an ability to cope with the complex tasks. History recognizes Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo as polymath leaders. Modern world polymaths are Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos. The CEO of Amazon Company, Jeff Bezos, started his business with the creation of small enterprise that sold books. By sustaining growth and development of his organization, with time, Bezos has created his name as a leader, creating one of the biggest retail organizations in the world. Today it is the huge company with a smile from A to Z, the company’s logo, which shows its willing to deliver everything to everyone. The major purpose of the services he offered was and is care of customers as the greatest value for the company. That is why during his employees meetings, there is a tradition to leave an empty chair, as a reminder that this is a customer’s one, and all the decisions staff makes will influence their consumers finally. This prioritizing of customer service helps the CEO and his staff to understand the needs and wants of each consumer and put customer on the first place. The way Jeff Bezos runs his business, displays him as the democratic leader. He conside rs freedom is impossible without the freedom of disputes, which finally brings new ideas and innovation. That is why, he holds the responsibility of the actions made by his

Influential Business Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Influential Business Leader - Essay Example His success can be attributed to his unambiguous entrepreneurial quality, â€Å"dogged leadership† and of course his â€Å"philanthropic† interest. Bill Gates is no doubt the undisputed king of computer sciences and engineering. Born in 1955, he got acquainted with digital computers when he was in the seventh grade and after that he worked on several computer projects. His entrepreneurial ability was evident at a very early stage of his life when he along with his friend Paul Allen founded the company Traf-Data when they were still in school. In this company they used the Intel 8008 microprocessor to assist in monitoring and controlling the traffic of Seattle. He enrolled at Harvard but he never had a particular study plan so he had dropped out and went ahead with his friend to lay the foundation of his company, Microsoft. The writing of the software program, Altair BASIC, with the help of his friend Allen was the first biggest achievement of Gates. At the time of Bill Gates the knowledge about computers were very much limited. Being a man with creative thinking he took advantage of the situation and became an expert in program ming. His contribution towards the computer industry cannot be questioned. He is also a role model for generations to come as his success stories reveal hard work and â€Å"persistence†. (Emdee) Bill Gates’ is also very much known for his philanthropist activities. He has donated money all over the world and had played a major role in reducing poverty and also has helped in the enhancement of better medical facilities. He has also helped in the expansion of education all over the world. He has also donated to aid the aids victims. According to Forbes Magazine (2004), Bill Gates had been giving $29 billion for charities since 2000 (â€Å"Bill Gate’s philanthropy†). Bill Gates’ life had been like a fairy tale. A Harvard drop out to being the world’s richest man is a journey indeed very remarkable.