Environmental Economics & climatic change Essay Example for Free

Environmental Economics climatic change Essay Many approaches to green house emissions are currently being examined in the United States. In fact members of the 110th Congress (2007-2008) are actually making legislations pertaining to global changes faster than has even been experienced before having made over 235 bills, resolutions and changes by July, 2008. One such proposal is the cap-and-trade system (Paltsev et al. 4). The cap-and-trade is a piece of legislation meant to identify the greenhouse-gas-emitting bodies it incorporates. It refers to those organizations which introduces caps on the emissions they are responsible for and allows trading in the emission allowances which arise therein (Obama Biden, New Energy for America). They basically stipulate a set of accounting periods allocating allowed emissions for all the periods (Paltsev et al. 4). Cap-and-Trade Legislation; SO2 Program The permit trading programs offer pollution permits to organizations which reduce their pollution discharge lower than the target benchmarks. They are then allowed to either trade them or keep them for use in future (Ludwig 1). Following the Clean Air Amendments of 1990 the U. S put in place the Acid Rain Program to gain a reduction in sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx), the main contributors of acid rain (Ludwig 1). The second program was the Hot-spots and acid rain program which basically involves regulatory tiering; embracing more than one regulatory regime at one specific time with the intention of exercising some control on the way permits are made use of (Obama Biden, New Energy for America). The goal of the acid rain program is to reduce SO2 emissions by 50%; a task meant to be accomplished through two stages mandating all organizations to reduce their SO2 emissions (Ludwig 3). The Opt-in program established by the Congress according to section 410 of the Clean Air Act Amendments of the year 1990 was designed with the intention of drawing the SO2 sources with reduced marginal costs of compliance (Ludwig 3). It is important to note however that the permit trading programs are not effectively contributing towards reducing increased emissions. Indeed the acid rain program of the United States has had less and unlikely effects on pollution hot-spots (Ludwig 10). This is quite unfortunate given the main energy challenges facing the U. S, which are foreign oil dependence and global changes in the climate (Obama Biden, New Energy for America). The safeguard the acid rain program makes use of is one of the reasons permit net flows have such a low effect on reducing emission. Alternative Method of Pollution Control It is worth appreciating that carbon trading at the markets was a positive step be it at the global, European or national fronts (NCEP, Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America’s Energy Challenges). It was in deed a challenge not only to the government but also to the private sector (Obama Biden, New Energy for America). If the war against carbon emissions is to be worn, a global regulatory framework would be needed (Watson et al 1). This would call for British Government and the World Bank to embrace the same views. This means that the cap-and-trade legislations can no longer offer the best solution to the problem. What is needed is a different approach, an alternative way of reducing carbon emissions. In light of the climatic changes being experienced, carbon emissions should be reduced by all chances (Obama Biden, New Energy for America). This calls for a new trading strategy; an approach which is more inclusive likely to involve all ventures emitting carbon such as aircrafts and ships (Watson et al 1). In the private sector this would call for a wider long-term market approach, voluntary in nature working to achieve public and private interests. The Kyoto Protocol should be strengthened coupled with better implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) (Watson et al 1). Indications of progress are beginning to be seen with incentives for reducing emissions, development of alternative technologies as well as investments attraction (Watson et al 2). There is also the need for better liaison with the UN system more so in helping poor countries with their emission problems (NCEP, Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America’s Energy Challenges). This therefore means that carbon taxation is definitely not an alternative solution the emission problems. There is need to invest in fuel-efficient machinery, support domestic energy supply, as well as diversifying the nations’ sources of energy (Obama Biden, New Energy for America). Organizations also need to commit themselves to the course of lowering their energy consumption (Watson et al 2). The Legislation I would Support As an undergraduate in ApEc 3611, I would support the second alternative because it more inclusive, realistic and possibly a better solution since it involves many stakeholders (Watson et al 2). What I imply here is that a new alternative to America’s and indeed the world’s energy problem is an idea whose time has come (NCEP, Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America’s Energy Challenges). Energy is a real challenge facing the world and for America, there is even greater need to address the issue because of foreign oil dependence (Obama Biden, New Energy for America). Therefore I support the new alternatives to reducing carbon emissions. The private sector needs to embrace a wider long-term market perspective but within the confines of both the public and the private interests (Watson et al 2). This new perspective calls for more research into the areas of innovative technology as well as new investments. Indeed one of the mid-to-long term proposals to the energy crisis in America is to make investments towards the secure energy future of the nation alongside creating more than 5 million jobs all with the intention of lowering foreign oil dependence (Obama Biden, New Energy for America). Such efforts will greatly reduce carbon emissions besides contributing towards the reduction of the country’s dependence on foreign oil (NCEP, Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America’s Energy Challenges). There is need to strengthen the Kyoto Protocol and the implementation of more stringent governance and accountability systems (Watson et al 2). The Emissions Trading System (ETS) needs to be reviewed (Hertel, Global Trade Analysis: Modeling and Applications). This is because for it to be successful, it needs to put caps on emissions. This will create both markets and prices for carbon emission permits (Watson et al 2). I therefore fully support these new alternatives since they offer a more proactive approach to the nation’s energy problems. Cost Benefit Analysis The lake in question is private property if the home owner has the property rights to it. This would mean that as a private good it can only be used by another party if it is paid for. It is the lake owner who would decide whether or not another party uses the lake. For this to happen, the total benefits accrued from the use of the lake will have to supersede the costs of using the same lake thus a Pareto improvement (Oka 18). The lake owner will have to carry out a cost-benefit analysis before he can allow fishing in the lake. This is an evaluation tool to determine if the use of scarce resources will generate efficiency (Fuguitt Wilcox 2). Efficiency is in relation to the lake will be the benefit of peace and quiet at $2,000 per season. It means the benefit of allowing Walleye Wally to use the lake will be $ 2,000. With $ 2,500 he can meet the $2,000 and secure the fishing deal meaning that there will be fishing in the lake. However, with only $1,200 per season, he cannot meet the cost of foregoing the peace and quiet thus there will be no fishing. Assume Walleye Wally had the property rights and the benefits of peace and quiet to the home owner remain unchanged at $2,000. With $2,500 there would be fishing in the lake. The lake owner cannot however pay Walleye Wally not to fish since the cost of paying Walleye would supersede the benefit of peace and quiet, hence there will be no Pareto improvement. If Walleye got $1,200 per season there cannot be fishing in the lake since the benefit of the fishing will be less than the cost and hence no Pareto improvement. This transaction cannot be termed as efficient since one party will suffer loss in the transaction. The principle that by which the concept of efficiency is applied is here is the cost benefit analysis (Oka 19). Conclusion There are factors that would hinder the cost-benefit analysis. For public goods, it is difficult to measure the efficiency concept and the Pareto improvement concept is lost. The consideration of potential value that would be attached to sustainability would make it difficult to make an accurate cost-benefit analysis (Oka 26). In conclusion, cost-benefit is an economic tool used for gauging the efficiency of a transaction in the market economy (Oka 17). With regards to CO2 emissions, there is need for a new direction which will require a more centralized regime; a continual and joint effort between the government, businesses and the people (Obama Biden, New Energy for America). Works Cited Fuguitt, Diana and Wilcox, Shanton. Cost-Benefit Analysis for Public Sector Decision Makers. Accessed 17 February 2009 from http://www. csus. edu/indiv/w/wassmerr/CBAOverview. pdf Hertel, Thomas W. Global Trade Analysis: Modeling and Applications. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, MA: 1997. Ludwig, Lindsay C. The U. S Acid Rain Program and Its Effect on SO2 Emission Levels. Issues in Political Economy 13 (2004):1-11. Accessed on 17 February 2009 from http://org. elon. edu/ipe/Ludwig_Edited. pdf. NCEP [National Commission on Energy]. Ending the Energy Stalemate: A Bipartisan Strategy to Meet America’s Energy Challenges, Washington DC: 2004 Obama, Barack and Biden, Joe. New Energy for America, 2008. Accessed 17 February 2009 from http://www. barackobama. com/pdf/factsheet_energy_speech_080308. pdf Oka, Tosihiro. Effectiveness and Limitations of Cost-benefit Analysis in Policy Appraisal Government Auditing Review 10 (2003): 18- 26 Paltsev, Sergy, et al. Assessment of U. S Cap-and-Trade Proposals. Report number 146, 2007. Accessed 17 February 2009: 1-71 from http://web. mit. edu/globalchange/www/MITJPSPGC_Rpt146. pdf. Watson, Bob. , Grubb, Michael. , and Stuart, Marc. Dinne

Teens And The Media Essay -- essays research papers

Portrayal of Teens in the Media The media, that giant intimidating creation has taken the stereotypes of teens, the way people view teens, and the way we view ourselves, and has turned it into a delusional monster. The media at this point in time portrays teenagers as generally bad. Well to be honest, not generally bad, but mostly horrible. We are seen as the cause for alarm and trouble in society. The media portrays us as manic delinquents with no solid past and no concrete future. The main points of teenagers that are warped into a lie are appearance and generalization of actions. The media spreads the idea that just because some teens choose to get more piercing done, or a tattoo, or decide to get a different hair color that it is somehow related to a dysfunctional sector of society. People have to realize that the adolescent/teenager portion of ones life is a time of self realization and expression. Teens are just finding these things as outlets for emotion and expression. The media uses these things and utilizes them in a sort of campaign to portray us as bad and untrusting. Teens are not only portrayed as delinquents but also as disloyal, jobless, untrusting monsters. The media causes the public following to assume that all teenagers are bad and immoral just because of a few that have done things wrong. And even when a teen does something wrong, that too is sensationalized. We do not generalize that all adults are killers and rapists just because a few have chosen...

Reading a Book vs Listening to an Audio Book Essay

Now days, most people simply do not have the time to sit down and read a book. More and more are beginning to use a source of recorded audio books to listen to on the go. It really depends on whom one asks whether or not audio books are considered to be the most efficient way to obtain a books content. Various pros and cons come along with either option. Whether or not taking the time to read a book is greater than only listening along is a frequently asked question everywhere. There is a great comparison between the two, both differing in each person’s eyes’. The real question left being is using an audio book just as good as reading it? It is agreeable that it mostly depends on what sort of book you are trying to acquire as to how well the information is absorbed through audio books. Hearing the actual words in your head by reading to oneself tends to be a much better strategy when trying to get into a book instead of only listening. Another disadvantage of using audio books could be that one does not get to interpret the story for them self, the narrator already does the interpreting. Using your imagination is considered to be the best part about consuming a book, which is merely taken away when listening to an audio book. When it comes to actually reading a book, many find it very difficult to take on another task, but seem to finish the book at a shorter amount of time than those listening to an actor recorded on an audio book. Where as, when listening to an audio book, it is quite easy to multitask and your eyes wont ever get tired. Some may argue that it takes away from the reading experience when using audio books, others, that it is still reading either way. It is much more convenient to use an audio book though, being that you can take a music player basically anywhere. Lastly, audio books are usually way higher in price than paperback or hardback books. Some audio books can be presented as podcasts for free so it could possibly be cheaper to go that route. The prices of hardcopy books depend on the popularity of the work and or the publishing date. Our technology now provides a bit reasonable but pricey device called a â€Å"kindle† for those who constantly enjoy reading, that allows the option of one to read and hear the book at the same time, putting an end to all problems that could be if only chosen one. In closing, both hardcopy books and audio books both have their advantages and disadvantages. There is a possible way to solve the wonders of both by spending the extra money on a portable e-book device. In consideration of choosing one way of deception, reading a book provides a more vivid and imaginable story in our minds compared to audio books being seemingly less interesting, but more accessible.

Hero in One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kesey

Hero in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey Randle Patrick McMurphy, the main character in â€Å"One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest†, is the perfect example of a hero. He is committed to a mental institution after faking insanity to get out of a work camp. From the beginning of his presence on the ward, things start to change. He brings in laughter, gambling, profanity and he begins to get the other patients to open up. All of this, however, clashes with the head nurse, Nurse Ratched, who is trying to press conformity and obeying authority. It is then a battle between McMurphy and the nurse, McMurphy trying to set the patients free and the nurse trying to make them â€Å"normal†. The most obvious hero type of McMurphy is an†¦show more content†¦Another one of McMurphy’s hero types is an anti-hero, which is a hero who lacks some attributes of being a classic hero. A classic hero is a hero with ethics and morals and who respects everyone and everything. This is not who McMurphy is. He swears all the time, he gambles and cheats the other patients out of their money, not to mention the fact that he was accused of statutory rape and put in a prison camp. Even thought he is a criminal, he is always and honest and caring towards the other patients. He is true to himself and everyone else and he tries to get the other patients to be like that, too. He remains an individual despite the combines consistent attempts to repress him. McMurphy can also be considered a tragic hero. Although he could almost always take control of a situation and never let the combine get the best of him, he could not always control his temper. It was the one think that could get him in trouble because Nurse Ratched could not punish him with electric shock therapy unless he had an outburst. The best thing that McMurphy could have had in the hospital was patience and a calm temper because the only weapon Nurse Ratched had was to try to frustrate him. Since she has ultimate power on the ward, she could do anything she wants and make any rules. For instance, when the patients wanted to watch the world series and they clearly had a majority, she didn’t let them because she wanted them to know that she has authorityShow MoreRelated Point of View in Ken Keseys One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest2256 Words   |  10 PagesPoint of View in Keseys One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   The choice that a novelist makes in deciding the point of view for a novel is hardly a minor one. 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