Letter of Intent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Letter of Intent - Essay Example sode has really defined my career in financial services for last 11 years in various functions including programming, analytics, portfolio management, risk management, and investment advisory where I have always strived to apply my profound academic knowledge. At BNY Mellon Asset Management, I work for Investment Strategy and Solutions group. My role traditionally has been portfolio management, portfolio construction, strategic and tactical asset allocation for multi-asset strategies. Very recently, I had an opportunity to work on an investment research topic on investing in emerging markets. I was the primary contributor to the research as well as the co-author of the subsequent publication on thematic investing in emerging markets. The topic pertains to creating better building blocks for investing. My proven ability for investment research rekindled in me, the desire to reconnect with academia. I therefore, took this unique opportunity provided for executive PhD at EDHEC-Risk Institute to research to solve the gravest problems the investment industry is currently facing in times of financial crisis. This is more important considering that pension plans are underfunded, employees that are more recent are left stranded without proper ret irement solutions, developed countries are debt laden and have aging demographics. Developing countries, on the other hand, have significant human capital, resources and surplus they are looking for answers to tug of war between liquidity and reserve needs and long-term welfare planning, while fulfilling their investment objectives. In my current role as an asset allocation strategist, I have been posed with several institutional investment challenges that have, usually, required a distinct client oriented solution. I recently attended Advances in Asset Allocation conference offered by EDHEC-Risk Institute. I really liked how Dr. Martellini summarized all aspects of latest developments in portfolio construction, strategic and

Nick Djokovic Essay Example for Free

Nick Djokovic Essay In today’s world, there are many sport figures one can look up to. We have chosen the best of the best in the tennis world, Novak Djokovic. Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who is currently ranked world number 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals. Despite being the underdog during his early years as a professional tennis player, he is now the best professional tennis player overtaking the previous king of tennis Rafael Nadal. Ever since the age of four, he has been interested in tennis. Unlike most children his age, it was not a fleeting interest. He was determined to achieve his dream of becoming the best tennis player in the world. With his steadfast dream, he has won six Grand Slam titles and has brought him to where he is now. This report will cover Djokovic’s personality, values and attitude, motivation and leadership skills that had helped him to achieve his dream. The points highlighted are also the main reason he is worth following as an influential leader. 2.0 Personality The big five model of personality consists of extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness to experience. Djokovic can be seen as a person that is highly extrovert as he is fun-loving, expressive and sociable. During his comeback as the winner in the Australian Open, he was so overjoyed that he threw his racket, wristbands and his shirt to his fans (AOL News, 2011). Djokovic is also socially attached to his fans that he created an application known as ‘Nole4You’ that focuses on a direct coverage of Djokovic’s real time games (New Newsworthy, 2012a). On the other hand, Djokovic is low on the neurotism category as he is much balanced and emotionally stable. According to Suttles (2013), Djokovic was â€Å"gracious in defeat† as every defeat he channels it back into better concentration for the next match. Next, Djokovic is rather high on the agreeableness meter as he shows a great deal of care towards others through his charities. Djokovic created the Novak Djokovic Foundation which supports young children from disadvantaged communities especially in native Serbia (New Newsworthy, 2012b). Besides that, he was also elected as the ambassador of The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Serbia as he was utterly concern in the welfare of the people in his hometown as well as the importance in early childhood education in Native Serbia (Look To The Stars, 2011). He was also keen in participating in fights for the betterment of society such as the fight against acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) which required him to use the Head Red special edition bag collection from Head to the French Open Grand Slam (Look To The Stars, 2013a). Djokovic is also high in conscientiousness as he is responsible for his career and he is well organized after his achievement in the Australian Open. Although being reckless in his previous season, he is where he is now due to his hard work in perfecting his service techniques and getting his diet right (Carter, 2011). According to Djokovic in an interview, he wants to be consistent in his games and to do this, he has to stay fit and take care of his health and physical condition (The National, 2011). Lastly, Djokovic is very open to new experience. One afternoon in year 2010, Djokovic received a phone call from Dr. Igor Cetojevic who said that his fatigue in the 2010 Aussie Open was due to his diet that consists of glutens that caused an accumulation of toxins in his large intestines. Djokovic listened to his advice to practice a gluten-free diet as well as to build him up spiritually. Besides that, Djokovic also took risk to change his serve technique as advised by Marian Vajda. As a result of Djokovic’s openness, he no longer suffers from fatigues and he felt much happier and balanced. In addition, a change in his serve technique enabled him to defeat the former world number one five times consecutively and brought him to the top of the tennis world (Saslow, 2012). 3.0 Values and Attitude As a well-known figure in the world of tennis, Djokovic has certain values that enable him to enjoy the success that he has today. According to George and Jones (2012, p.93), values are defined as personal convictions about what one should strive for in life and how one should behave. Values are further divided into two categories; work values and ethical values. In terms of work values, there are intrinsic and extrinsic work values. In definition, intrinsic work values are values that are related to the nature of the work itself. Some examples of intrinsic work values that are prominent in Djokovic’s work are the ability to make important contributions to the public, the interesting work and the challenging work that can be done. Firstly, in terms of the ability to make important contributions to the public, Djokovic is well known for his philanthropic work. Due to this status as the highest ranked tennis player, he is very well-connected and is able to influence his fans over his beliefs. From this, he has helped to raise awareness for AIDS, human trafficking, poverty, human rights, women’s rights, children’s rights and many more (Look To The Stars, 2013b). Aside from that, his ability to make important contributions to the public and society is further supported by his status as the ambassador of UNICEF in Serbia. Aside from him advertising his beliefs on social media such as Facebook, Twitter and his video blog, UNICEF has also advertised their cause through Djokovic because of his popularity among the younger generation (UNICEF, 2011). Although generating a high pay from his career, he did not choose this career lifestyle because of it. He started playing tennis at the age of four and played professionally when he was 16 years old. This is due to his passion and interest in tennis. He has trained and played in every single tennis tournament to gain the experience he needed. Even though he has been injured quite a number of times in terms of ankle and knee injuries, that has never stopped him from pursuing his dream of being the best tennis player (Mitchell, 2013). However challenging his work may be, Djokovic never gave up. He continuously pursues his dream of being the best. After relentless practice and competitions, he finally replaced Roger Federer as the top ranked tennis player in the world. This attitude of his is admirable and serves as a constant reminder to his fans that nothing is impossible. On the other hand, extrinsic values are values that are related to the consequences of work. One of the more prominent extrinsic values is the high salary. Not only does he get paid for playing tennis, he gets paid through his endorsements deals with well-known companies such as UNIQLO, Fitline and Telekom Srbjia (Badenhausen, 2011). His salary also includes appearance fees, exhibitions and prize money. Besides that, his career as a tennis player provides him with many job benefits. One of the many is fame. Unlike most athletes, Djokovic enjoys being in the limelight and often shares news and funny anecdotes of his life with his fans. Next, his job provides very flexible working hours. He practices his tennis with his coaches at any time he wants. Due to his flexible working hours, he gets to spend more time with his family and to indulge in vacations as well as hobbies. According to George and Jones (2012, p.97), work attitude is defined as the collection of feelings, beliefs and thoughts about how to behave in one’s job and organisation. Although similar to values, work attitudes are more specific and are not as constant as values as work attitudes change over time. In 2008, although he was winning tournaments, Djokovic hired a new fitness coach in hopes that it will help boost his performance. After the change, he was able to defeat the two reigning champions in the tennis world, namely, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. His attitude changed once a new factor was introduced into his life (ESPN, 2010).

Factors that Affect Profitability Essay -- Business, Exporting, Forei

Procedures that you need to follow when exporting After establishing that South Korea is an economy with an increasingly more liberal economy, there are some problems for foreign direct investment, mainly through non-transparency and burdensome regulations (Heritage Foundation). In order to take it a step further and to perform a complete analysis of the business environment, it is necessary to compare the business procedures when doing business. As an industry, the imports of foreign goods procedure will be analyzed and contrasted with neighboring countries in order to have a complete snapshot of the business environment. Firstly, The country of interest: South Korea. In what the import of foreign goods is concerned, South Korea has a relatively quick and easy process. Importing procedures are estimated to take 7 days, (2 days for each: preparation of documents, port handling and inland handling and approximately 1 day for customs clearance). The cost of the procedures for the 7 days is estimated to be $790 (World Bank Doing Business, 2011). This information, at first glance seems positive. The procedures are fairly quick and the $790 cost is not an absurd amount of money paid in order to import goods. The bureaucracy is simple. The documents needed are: the bill of lading, customs import declaration and terminal handling receipts (World Bank Doing Business, 2011). Corruption Perception Index The latest corruption perception index by transparency international in 2008 includes five sets of data. These include: the 2008 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) score, the amount of surveys used, the standard deviation, the high low range and the confidence range. Before the analysis of the data, it is important to understand what ea... ...). The Heritage Foundation has ranked South Korea with a very low score of 55 out of 100, which might imply that corruption is widespread and there is still a long way to go to have a positive rating. (Heritage Foundation, 2011) 10) Labor Freedom Labor freedom has the lowest score of 46.5 out of 100. This shows that there are various problems regarding labor, a clear example is the very high cost of firing an employee whilst the non salary cost of employing a worker are moderate (Heritage, 2011). In conclusion, the overall freedom of the country is relatively positive. The ratings of the Heritage Foundation are fairly high, above the world average for the most part. Additionally, the government involvement in business is quite low compared to other countries and at least it is not widespread to a degree to which investors would be fearful to engage in business.

Kerala’s Development Experience: a Search for a Micro Response to a Macro Process

?Kerala’s development experience: a search for a micro response to a macro process abstract The concept of development, in the sense of achieving ‘human good’ has always been there since the advent of human society, only with varying understanding, emphasis, and implications. It is seen as a process, requiring constant response and continuous solutions and also as a result of human action, only through which, reorientation of any development process becomes possible (Varma, 1989:34). The past decades have seen a series of development paradigms, involving progressive modifications, towards achieving the ‘human good’, but the results have been highly disappointing and distressing, with naked manifestation and a stark reality of the extreme riches and the extreme poverty existing side by side. In fact, most of the development approaches in the post-colonial era have contributed not only to the creation and perpetuation of such a divide but also in widening it endlessly. India’s macro development experience is an apt illustration of such a scenario. Kerala’s development experience has to be understood only in the context of the development experience of the country as a whole. Kerala’s development experience: search for a micro response to a macro process The concept of development, in the sense of achieving ‘human good’ has always been there since the advent of human society, only with varying understanding, emphasis, and implications. It is seen as a process, requiring constant response and continuous solutions and also as a result of human action, only through which, reorientation of any development process becomes possible (Varma, 1989:34). The past decades have seen a series of development paradigms, involving progressive modifications, towards achieving the ‘human good’, but the results have been highly disappointing and distressing, with naked manifestation and a stark reality of the extreme riches and the extreme poverty existing side by side. In fact, most of the development approaches in the post-colonial era have contributed not only to the creation and perpetuation of such a divide but also in widening it endlessly. India’s macro development experience is an apt illustration of such a scenario. Kerala’s development experience has to be understood only in the context of the development experience of the country as a whole. india’s development impact In the post-colonial Independent India, which envisaged an advanced, prosperous, democratic, egalitarian and just society as implied in its constitutional proclamation of a ‘socialist pattern of development’, eradication of poverty became one of the prime targets of most of the early development initiatives. However, even after five decades of India’s independence, in spite of intensive development efforts, the result has not been much different. True, India has got an impeccable record of achievements to its credit. India has achieved a literacy rate of above fifty percent from a just 16 percent at the time of Independence. From a state of dependency for food, it has not only achieved a self-sufficiency but also has developed an export capacity in food production. The economic reforms in recent years and the process of globalisation have accelerated India’s economic capability in every direction including Industrial growth. With its large technological and professional man-power, with regard to nuclear, space and computer capabilities, India is fast emerging as a global power. Though these are commendable achievements, the overall picture is nowhere near the targets and far from satisfaction. In spite of India being one of the highest food producing countries in the world, one out of every two children in India is said to be malnourished. In the land of many rivers, safe drinking water seems to be still a pipe-dream for many. The health record is even more frightening as India is still the highest in the world, in the number of TB patients, malarial deaths, blind people, HIV positive cases, occupational casualties, Hepatitis ‘B’ patients and infant mortality rates. The constitutional injunction to provide free compulsory education to all children upto the age of 14 by 1960 is far from realisation. In fact, with the tripling of our population since Independence, the illiteracy rate being well above 40 percent, the number of illiterates has almost exceeded the total population of India at the time of Independence. Moreover, even among the literates, for many, education means just identifying letters and in most of the villages, many ‘literate’ do not even seem to manage that. There is a vast child labour force of 44 million. Above 70 million children are outside schools. There is a housing shortage of over 30 million and the registered job seekers are inching towards 40 million. Those who are ‘below poverty line’ being anywhere between 25 and 40 percent, more than 300 million in absolute figures, India has the largest concentration of poor people in the world (Outlook, 19 Oct. 998). The human development indices are deplorably low, placing India at the 126th position, far below many countries in East, Southeast and West Asia and Africa that became Independence much later than India did. The continuing population explosion only indicates that the educational, health and social status of women is far from satisfaction. High fertility and mortality rates, illiteracy, and school dropouts especially of the girl child have also contributed to this state of affairs. Likewise, the situation concerning preventive, public and primary health, drinking water, sewage, and sanitation and housing is far from satisfactory. Unemployment continues to be a nagging problem obscuring a clear solution. Growing urbanisation is also contributing to innumerable problems for want of clear perspective and planning. Environmental degradation, deforestation, and land appropriation continue to pose serious threats to the healthy development scenario and harshly affect the weaker sections, the most. India’s development impact only prove that the development initiatives of the past decades, meant for the uplift of the deprived sections have miserably failed, with the result of increasing poverty, inequality and ecological imbalance. Whatever efforts that have been adopted in bringing about a desirable development paradigm, a relatively contended human existence with fulfilment of basic human needs and protection of basic human rights have also proved to be still a far-flung reality. All these have only underlined the lopsided orientation and misplaced priorities of the past development paradigms and also the necessity for rethinking development. Today, development as ‘human good’ has come to imply equality and a dignified human existence for every individual, irrespective of caste, religion, race, or culture. Haq (1996:16) identifies equity, sustainability, productivity, and empowerment as four essential components in the human development paradigm. It involves searching for the roots, giving due recognition to every people’s dignity and existence, and evolving a genuine and collective participation of the people at the micro level development planning and implementation without neglecting the the macro-level development process. Such a development perspective necessitates a thorough revamping of the past development orientations and initiation of a fresh thrust from bottom upwards in every sense, by decentralising the development planning and democratic institutions. It would be a process of real democratisation and a return to nature, to the people, and to the grassroots. In short, there should be a right identification of what is the core and what is the periphery (Gregory, 2000:7). Kerala’s development experience It is in this context that Kerala’s development experience assumes significance. Kerala has been a pioneering state in many revolutionary social transformations and successful development initiatives, whether it be in implementing the land reforms or in achieving the development parameters of the WHO, or in the total literacy campaign that brought the credit of becoming the first totally literate state in the country. In the quality of life indicators, Kerala’s achievement is comparable only to the highly developed nations but within a limited economic development that is far below that of the nation’s average. Thus, in terms of 1993 figures, in spite of having a low per capita GNP of just about $180, far below than even the all India average of $300, Kerala could achieve and maintain an adult literacy rate of 91 per cent as against 51 per cent for all India; life expectancy of 73 years for males and 79 years for females as against 55 and 54 years respectively for all India; infant mortality rate at 13 as against 24 for all India; nd the birth rate at 17 as against 25 for all India; all comparable to the advanced nations. Such a high material quality of life indicators coinciding with low per capita income, both distributed across nearly the entire population of Kerala, with a set of wealth and resources redistribution programmes and high levels of political participation and activis m among the ordinary people, have earned for the state a unique place in the development thinking. This has also led to the emergence of a ‘Kerala Model’ of development that has been widely appreciated and recommended by the economists and other social scientists to be worthy of emulation by the developing world, before questions arose and criticisms unleashed over the sustainable nature of the model. ‘The Crisis of the Kerala model’ had become more apparent with the Model’s failures and shortcomings that were threatening its sustainability. Some of these included the following: The slow growth of Kerala’s SDP Increasing stagnancy of agricultural production and the dependency on and the vulnerability to outside sources for the major food items including rice Down-sliding of the traditional industries such as coir, cashew and handloom mainly due to the price escalation for raw materials and cut-throat competitions Sluggish and even negative industrial growth Alarming situation of unemployment Series of fiscal crisis threatening to undermine many of the Kerala Model redistribution programmes More than 15 per cent of the state’s population being the ‘outliers’ of the Model Acute environmental crisis, involving serious repercussions, especially in the context of stagnant economy, high population density and intense land-use. All the above failures and shortcomings of the Kerala model had become vastly identified and highly intensified in the context of globalisation, a macro process that has swept the whole world, including the developed and the developing nations alike, in the nineties and continue to change the developing face of the world economy and life People’s Palnning: Kerala’s Answer to a failed model and the process of Glabalisation The idea of development from bottom upwards with a decentralised system of planning is not something totally new. In Gandhiji’s vision of Poorna Swaraj, every village has to become a republic in which every individual enjoys total freedom. In his social paradigm, every individual should become the core, whereby the society is constructed as a vast oceanic circle, progressing from the individual to the family, from the family to the village, from the village to the state and from the state to the nation and so on. This is possible only when the villages are reinvented to become a republic of its own, recreating the sense of village solidarity, and making every member of the village a partner in the development mission. Only such an approach, which enables every human being to realise that they are only a part of nature, would be meaningful and sustainable. Though the slogan of ‘Gram Raj’ and the desirability of a decentralised system of planning has been as old as the freedom movement, the country had to wait till 1993, when the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments were enacted, for a determined effort towards a genuine process f decentralisation. In line with these amendments, The Kerala Panchayat Act had been passed and came into effect since 23 April 1994. Nevertheless, the provision of a constitutional and legislative framework alone need not ensure its adaptation unless there is a political will and commitment on the part of the state governments, to such a system of administration and planning as it requires a total restructuring of the system. The democratisation of the planning process involved certain necessary conditions such as the devolution of powers, responsibilities and resources as well as the complementary measures on the part of the government, but not sufficient to ensure its success unless accompanied by an intensive people’s campaign in order to motivate and empower the local self governments to take up the new challenges. Being conscious of such conditions, the state of Kerala, in August 1996, started the new experiment of People’s Planning through People’s Campaign not only to ensure an ‘informed participation’ of the people, going beyond their nominal participation (Isaac and Harilal, 1999:492-5) but also to help them make ‘informed choices’ (Franke and Chasin, 1999: 139). In a world of globalisation and economic liberalisation, there emerges a political and economic structure that only favours models based on private accumulation and growing inequality over Kerala’s emphasis on public services and egalitarian ideals. Only in such a context, emerges Kerala’s answer to the search for a New Model in the form of a micro planning called People’s Planning through People’s Campaign, based on decentralisation and high levels of local participation, both as a response to the failure of the old model and as a challenge to the hostile world of international capitalism, vowing to bring a meaningful environmental preservation and empower the grassroots (Franke and Chasin, 1999:118-133). Today, Kerala is leading the nation through ‘People’s Planning†, which essentially dwells on the devolution of power to the grass roots, thereby initiating another social revolution of the sorts, in the development paradigm. It is believed that a success in this unique experiment would definitely make development to be truly sustainable and meaningful to the people and would redefine the entire life and polity. According to Mencher, the Indian villages are still populated with most weaker sections who hardly gain anything from most of the development programmes (1978: 10). The people’s planning being different in its orientation and approach, is naturally expected to reach out to the least of the grass-roots at the micro-level governance and empower them to plan out the basic livelihood systems by themselves and gain the capacity to ensure its sustainability and climb up the ladder of dignified social existence together with other fellow citizens. conclusion: Towareds a Sustainable Model of Developmet As the world is under the sweep of globalisation, no nation or state can keep away from its grip or sway. Living in an age of information that has created an image of a global village, the individual, regional and national identities are at stake, crying for independence and freedom. The very survival itself is at stake, which can be overcome only if there are proper ways and means to identify one’s strengths, potentials and indigenous resources and utilise the same for asserting one’s identity at different levels as well as for their respective survival and also contribute to the benefit of the mankind beyond their respective boundaries. It is here that the micro-level people’s planning could combat the negative forces in the macro process of globalisation. In this context, people’s planning of Kerala’s development experience provides an alternative model of a sorts in development. The success of the emerging model, however, depends on the extent of its independent approach, free from all sorts of political overtones and identities, a genuine sense of belongingness and solidarity and collective search for strengths and a common commitment for the greater cause of a genuine development. References Franke R. W. nd B. H. Chasin. 1999. ‘Is the Kerala Model Sustainable’. In M. A. Oommen. (Ed. ). Rethinking Development: Kerala’s Development Experience. Vol. 2. New Delhi: Institute of Social Sciences & Concept. Gregory S. 2000. Rural Social Change, Social Equity, and Sustainable Development. In Mukhopadyay, S D and S Choudhury. (Ed. ). Social Transformation and Rural Sector. Visva-Bh arathi: Department of Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Statistics Haq, Mahbub ul. 1996. Reflections on Human Development. Delhi: Oxford University Press. Isaac, T. M. Thomas. and K. N. Harilal. 1999. ‘Democratisation of the Planning Process – Experience of People’s Campaign in Kerala’. In M. A. Oommen. (Ed. ). Rethinking Development: Kerala’s Development Experience. Vol. 2. New Delhi: Institute of Social Sciences & Concept. Mencher, J. P. Agriculture and Social Structure in Tamil Nadu: Past Origin, Present Transformation and Future Prospects. New Delhi: Allied. Varma, S. P. 1989. ‘Models of Development: Search for Alternatives’. In Iqbal Narain. (Ed. ). Development, Politics and Social Theory. New Delhi: Sterling. ****************************************

Developing nursing standards of practice Essay

These are the process for the developing nursing standards of practice Standard 1: Assessment: The registered nurse collects comprehensive data about patient’s health. Standard 2: Diagnoses: The registered nurses analyze the assessment data to determine the diagnoses or the issues. Standard 3: Outcome identification: The registered nurse identifies the expected outcomes for the patient’s plan of care. Standard 4: Planning: The registered nurse develops the plan that authorizes strategies and a way to obtain the outcomes. Standard 5: Implementation: The registered nurse implements the identified plan. Standard 5A: Coordination of care: The registered nurse coordinates care delivery. Standard 5C: Consultation: The registered nurse provide consultation to control the identified plan and effect change. Standard 5D: Prescriptive authority and power: The registered nurse uses rigid authority, procedures, treatments, and therapy in accordance with state an federal laws and regulations. Standard 6: Evaluation: The registered nurse evaluates progress towards fulfillment of outcomes. Different entities that might be involved in developing the standard practice. American Nurses Association members are the first link in developing sources (American Nurses Association, 2014). The Department of Health Scope of Practice might be involved in the development of standards (â€Å"Scope of Practice,† 2014). State boards of nursing develop standards of  care at the state level and enforce those standards. The American Nurse Credentialing Center (ANCC) work on the national level. Professional specialty nursing organizations, Educational institution, state boards of nursing and other government agencies develop standards of care. The American nurses Association and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JACHO) recognized standards of care. Federal and state laws, rules and regulation and other professional agencies/organizations help define standards of practice. The ANA and Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO) established nationally recognized standards of care. References American Nurses Association: Professional Standards (2014). Retrieved from http://nursingworld.ord/nursingstandards Scope of practice decision tree (2011). Retrieved from http://www.doh.wa.gov

Favorite Teacher Essay Essays - Marcel Proust, Polling, Free Essays

Favorite Teacher Essay Essays - Marcel Proust, Polling, Free Essays Samantha Jacobs EDF 203 Dr. Day January 20, 2016 Favorite Teacher Essay I transferred to Owen County High School my sophomore year and was put in your class Mrs. Dorton. Ive never been good at the whole school thing, I have always been that student in class who could only understand something if the teacher would come up to me and explain it to me one on one. Not only that, but I need to do things hand on and not with a group of people. Unfortunately at my first High School it consisted of group work and teachers who would only lecture and then sit at their desk until the bell rang. Thankfully, my sophomore year of High School I was lucky enough to be in the class with my soon to be favorite teacher. When I think of what kind of teacher I want to become characteristics of you come to mind. Caring, loving, but also strict. I want to be that teacher where my students feel like they can come to me about anything, I want them to trust me as I trusted you. Not only that, but I loved how you would walk around the class to help explain things to the students who didnt quite understand what you said the first go around. Instead of being frustrated with said students you would simply look at them like anyone else and help them. I remember one day we were in class and you were just simply walking around teaching, no one had their phones out, and you would just make us laugh while explaining to us what the area of a rectangle is. Thats what I want as a teacher is to have the respect of my class like you did from us. While being able to have the students enjoy just the simplest lectures. Thank you for being my favorite teacher and I hope when I become a teacher, I can impact my students like you did for me.

What You Need to Know About Becoming a Dental Assistant

What You Need to Know About Becoming a Dental Assistant Going to the dentist’s office probably isn’t one of your favorite activities. Yet it’s a necessary part of taking care of yourself, and if you’re lucky you’ve found a great dental office and staff that make the process less painful- literally! The dental assistant is an essential member of this team, caring for patients and/or keeping the office running. If you think you might be interested in joining this career path, here’s a snapshot of the dental assisting field. What does a dental assistant do?A dental assistant’s responsibilities may include:Managing patient intakeMaintaining office recordsScheduling appointmentsAssisting the dentist during proceduresSterilizing and maintaining equipmentTaking patient x-rays (additional certification may be necessary)Teaching good oral hygiene and post-appointment care to patientsI’m squeamish about medical procedures. Can I still be a dental assistant?Yes! Many offices hire dental assista nts who primarily manage the office and perform clerical tasks like maintaining records, managing patient appointments, billing, acting as the office receptionist, and ordering and managing supplies. You’ll want to check job postings carefully to make sure that the job doesn’t require hands-on patient care or assisting the dentist during procedures.How do I become a dental assistant?In most cases, becoming a dental assistant doesn’t require a four-year college degree. However, some states require that dental assistant candidates complete a certification program and/or pass an exam, so you’ll want to be aware of your own state’s requirements before you choose this path.You’ll need strong organizational and clerical skills as a dental assistant, as well as solid communication and interpersonal skills. You’d be working with staff and patients (and you may be the first face people see when they visit your dental office), so those customer service skills are especially important in this role.How much do dental assistants make?The median salary for dental assistants is $34,500, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to surveys done by Payscale, dental assistant salaries can vary pretty widely depending on location and experience level at hiring. Payscale also found that salaries tended to be higher for assistants who brought strong office and business skills to their current job.Dental assistants also have high job satisfaction, per the Payscale survey: 5 out of 5 dental assistants polled said they were â€Å"extremely satisfied† with their jobs.Who’s hiring dental assistants?Many dental assistants are employed by independent or small-practice dental offices, but there are also many large firms hiring as well. Among the top corporate employers are:Aspen DentalDental Group LtdFamily Dental CareHeartland Dental CareWhat does the dental assistant career path look like?This field is has great dev elopment potential, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting 25% growth by 2022. Many dental assistants also choose to go on and become Certified Dental Assistants, dental hygienists, or a number of other dental/medical certification areas and administrative roles.Now that you know what it takes to get started in this popular and rewarding field, what do you think? Could this be you in the near future?

Burmese Python Snake Facts

Burmese Python Snake Facts The Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is the third-largest species of snake in the world. Although native to tropical southern Asia, the beautifully patterned, docile snakes are popular throughout the world as pets. Fast Facts: Burmese Python Scientific Name: Python bivittatusCommon Name: Burmese pythonBasic Animal Group: ReptileSize: 12 feetWeight: 15-165 poundsDiet: CarnivoreLifespan: 20 yearsHabitat: Tropical rainforests of southern Asia; invasive in FloridaPopulation: Unknown; rare in the wildConservation Status: Vulnerable Description The wild form of the snake has black-bordered brown blotches on a lighter brown background. Captive-bred species come in other colors and patterns, including albino, green, labyrinth, and granite morphs. Albino Burmese Python. Stuart Dee / Getty Images Wild pythons average 3.7 m (12.2 ft), but specimens exceeding 4 m (13 ft) are not uncommon. Rarely, snakes attain lengths between 5 and 6 meters in length. Females are slightly larger than males, but much thicker and heavier. Recorded weights of mature females range from 14 to 75 kg (30 to 165 lb), while weights of males range from 7 to 15 kg (15 to 33 lb). Dwarf forms of the snake occur in some parts of its range and in captivity. Habitat and Distribution Burmese pythons live in tropical regions of southern Asia, always near a permanent source of water. While they are excellent climbers with prehensile tails, they may be found in grasslands and marshes as well as woodlands and jungles. The species is invasive in the southeastern United States. Burmese python range in Asia. Termininja   Diet Like other terrestrial snakes, burmese pythons are carnivores that feed mainly on mammals and birds. The snake is a constrictor that captures and kills prey by biting it and holding it with its rear-pointing teeth, wrapping its coils around prey, contracting its muscles, and suffocating the animal. Prey size depends on snake size. A young python may eat rodents, while a mature specimen can take livestock, adult deer, and alligators. Burmese pythons dont hunt humans, but they have caused some deaths. Burmese pythons adapt their physiology to prey availability. The snakes are opportunistic and will eat whenever prey is offered. Obesity is common in captive specimens. When fasting, the snake has a normal heart volume, reduced stomach volume and acidity, and reduced intestinal mass. Once prey is ingested, the ventricle of the snakes heart increases 40% in mass to aid digestion, its intestines gain mass, and its stomach enlarges and produces more acid. The Burmese python is an apex predator that doesnt face many threats by other animals. Hatchlings may be preyed upon by birds of prey and other carnivores. In Florida, Burmese pythons, depending on their size, may be preyed upon by alligators and crocodiles. Behavior Burmese pythons are primarily nocturnal. Younger, smaller snakes are equally comfortable in trees or on the ground, while larger, more massive snakes prefer the rainforest floor. Most of the snakes time is spent hidden in underbrush. The snakes can stay underwater up to 30 minutes and are excellent swimmers. In cold weather, the snake may brumate in a tree. Brumation is a period of motionlessness and low metabolism, but it isnt the same as true hibernation. Reproduction and Offspring Mating occurs in early spring. Females lay clutch of 12 to 36 eggs in March or April. They incubate the eggs until they hatch by wrapping around them and twitching their muscles to release heat. The female leaves the eggs once they hatch. A hatchling uses its egg tooth to break free of its shell and may remain with the egg until after molting before venturing out to hunt. Burmese pythons live about 20 years. There is evidence Burmese pythons, unlike most reptiles, can reproduce asexually via parthenogenesis. One captive female, isolated from males, produced viable eggs for five years. A genetic analysis confirmed the offspring were genetically identical to their mother. Conservation Status The IUCN lists the Burmese python as vulnerable within its range. All of the large pythons face challenges because they are killed to make leather, used in folk medicine, eaten as food, and captured for the pet trade. To a lesser extent, habitat destruction affects the snakes, too. While the Burmese python occupies a large range, its population has continued to decline. Invasive Species in Florida Meanwhile, the snakes population growth in Florida poses a significant threat to other wildlife. The Burmese python gained a foothold in the United States when Hurricane Andrew destroyed a python breeding facility in 1992. The escaped snakes spread into the Everglades. The release or escape of pet snakes has contributed to the problem. As of 2007, Burmese pythons were found in Mississippi and throughout much of Florida. Where the snakes are well-established, populations of foxes, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, white-tailed deer, panthers, coyotes, and birds are seriously depressed or have disappeared. Pythons compete with the American alligator and also prey upon it. Pets and livestock in affected regions are at risk, as well. Florida sponsors hunting contests; regulates the importation, breeding, and sale of reptiles; and works to raise public awareness of invasive species. However, Burmese pythons remain a problem in the southeastern United States. Sources Campden-Main SM.  A Field Guide to the Snakes of South Vietnam. Washington, District of Columbia. pp. 8-9, 1970.Mazzotti, F. J., Rochford, M., Vinci, J., Jeffery, B. M., Eckles, J. K., Dove, C., Sommers, K. P. Implications of the 2013 Python Challenge ® for Ecology and Management of Python molorus bivittatus (Burmese python) in Florida.  Southeastern Naturalist,  15(sp8), 63-74, 2016.Stuart, B.; Nguyen, T.Q.; Thy, N.; Grismer, L.; Chan-Ard, T.; Iskandar, D.; Golynsky, E. Lau, M.W.N. Python bivittatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2012: e.T193451A2237271. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T193451A2237271.enWalters, T. M., Mazzotti, F. J., Fitz, H. C. Habitat Selection by the Invasive Species Burmese Python in Southern Florida.  Journal of Herpetology,  50(1), 50-56, 2016.Van Mierop, LHS and S.M. Barnard. Observations on the reproduction of Python molurus bivittatus (Reptilia, Serpentes, Boidae). Journal of Herpetology. 10: 333–340, 1976. doi:10.23 07/1563071

Learning experiences and Learning process Research Paper

Learning experiences and Learning process - Research Paper Example Formal learning take place in institutions where there is an organized and structured program for instruction that is approved formally and it can lead to attainment of qualifications, for example, a diploma, degree or a certificate. The other experience in learning is non-formal learning, which either takes place in a training institution or outside a learning institution. Here, learning is not aimed at giving qualifications and is not usually evaluated. Finally, learning can occur in an informal way. In this form of learning, learning occurs in an informal setting like in a family or when in a work environment, in this form of learning no instructor is needed learning takes place naturally. In learning, process the teacher, acts as a facilitator: he asks open-ended questions, leads in discussions, guides students as they are performing tasks and make the learners participate actively in class. The teacher should also act as a motivator in the learning processes. This is because; as much as the content he is providing to the student might be hard, he should always try to simplify it for easy understanding (Szwejczewski 64). As a teacher, one should always provide a good learning environment for students, the slow learners, the fast learners, and those who are interested in co-curricular activities. In everything, that a teacher does in class it should be based on meeting the needs of the diverse student population. Even though students are taught in the same learning conditions, they tend to have different experiences.

Consumer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example Microsoft’s Xbox, Sony’s PlayStation Series and Nintendo’s GameCube games all have been around for a number of years though still these big market players have failed to identify sizeable niche market segments game consoles that exist to date in the industry. Nokia has both the resource capability and technology to enter this market segment with ease in design and planning (Gale Reference Team, 2008). For instance all three game console manufacturers mentioned above along with a sundry of other small and medium companies have been able to increase their market shares despite an ongoing global economic recession. Nokia’s existing resource and technology capabilities would need proper directional guidance from trained hands, especially the technical and managerial staff. Already the above three market leaders’ status has been challenged by many small and medium scale manufacturers whose ability to identify niche market segments in keeping with consumer demographics is said to be one of the reasons for their success (Development and Learning in Organizations, journal, 2003). For instance Nokia’s success in mobile telephone device manufacturing can be utilized to produce a game console that successfully incorporates some of its already tried and abandoned mobile game features (Gale Reference Team, 2007). So far game consoles haven’t been integrated with mobile telephony technology except at random inclusions carried out by Sony in its PlayStation Series. Most of the current literature and discourse on game consoles are characterized by four basic classes of issues – technological issues, pricing issues, quality issues and safety issues. It’s thus an industry that is ever increasingly being marked by competition and reorientation. Against this backdrop of stiffer competition it’s essential to identify the various issue related outcomes in the industry thus focusing attention on the strategically

How Sensory Impairments Affect Gross and Fine Motor Skills in Children Essay

How Sensory Impairments Affect Gross and Fine Motor Skills in Children with Multi-sensory Impairments - Essay Example ess and improve his learning will be discussed at length along with a comprehensive reasoning behind the choices made and their effectiveness when implemented. My role in relation to this project was chiefly concerned with observing and working with a pupil. It was important to collaborate with the physiotherapist, the occupational therapist, and the support staff as they provided additional information about the pupil. It was also very fortunate that my colleagues fully supported this project and wanted to find a way to improve the learning opportunities of the pupil. The aim of this assessment was to facilitate teaching strategies and activities that would improve his movement experience within the learning environment. I wanted my pupil to develop a greater sense of autonomy in terms of what he could achieve with the support of adults, and what he could achieve independently. The implication of sensory impairments on child’s motor development: â€Å"Movement is a feature o f all man’s activities. Through the movement of our bodies we can learn to relate the inner-self to the outer world† - Laban, 1948:13 A typical infant follows a known developmental progression that starts at birth. As the infant grows and his central nervous system matures, the gross motor skills develop in a head to foot progression (Gesell, 1940). The gross motor skills occur in a typical sequence. However, these skills can only develop as the infant also develops balance, coordination and the postural control needed to move his body in space (Shumway-Cook & Woollacott, 1985). An infant's desire to reach out and explore his surroundings is the primary motivator that eventually leads to gross motor development. When an infant's sensory systems (e.g. visual, auditory, tactile, motor, etc.) are... This report approves that children initiate independent movement and exploration because of what they see and hear. They observe the movement of others and learn to imitate them. In the case of the blind / visually impairment child, the primary mode of obtaining information is unreliable, so the child would likely utilize other means of gaining information that can be formulated into other sensory concepts. Hearing is the only distance sense available to the blind / visually impaired infant. Unfortunately, even with input from the hearing and other senses, there is no guarantee that the information would have meaning to the child. Sensory input that is absent has a cumulative effect on the interpretation of the blind / visually impaired child. The child also has no control over the presence or absence of sound in the environment. This essay makes a conclusion that this assignment was initiated by a description of his growing interest in this subject. It then proceeded to discuss the importance of movement on individual development and the effects of sensory impairment on the movement skills development of Pupil Z. His aim was to observe Pupil Z and based on his findings, the author have come up with strategies which could be used to support the pupil in his learning. Through collaborations and a number of observations he planned, carried out, and evaluated with Pupil Z, key issues arose- how to organise Pupil Z within the physical environment in line with school policies and procedures, how to ensure the health and physical well-being of pupil and the staff supporting him.

Smoking in public places should be banned Essay

Smoking in public places should be banned - Essay Example Thus, they become passive smokers. This argumentative paper tends to persuade the reader that smoking in public should be banned by throwing light upon the hazards of passive smoking. Just like active smokers are apt to acquire many diseases, same is the case with passive smokers especially those who are actually living with the smokers. When in public, smoking does not only irritate others but tends to impart many illnesses to those around like sore eyes, sore throat causing smoker’s cough, nausea, headache, and trouble to people with asthma. This is not fair to the non-smokers because they are inhaling smoke and impure air for no reason of their own. This smoke is of two types: side-stream smoke and mainstream smoke. Side-stream smoke is one which rises from the tip of the cigarette while mainstream smoke is that which the smoker exhales. There are around 4000 toxic chemicals and gases present in both types of smoke which when inhaled by others in public cause many illnesses . â€Å"Non-smokers can get affected by breathing in cigarette smoke at home, at work, in bars and other smoky environments outside the home†¦About 2.2 million people in UK are exposed to passive smoking in their places of work†, states Gardezi (2005, p.30). ... Those children are at increased risk of SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome; lung infections such as pneumonia; ear infections; and more severe asthma.† The 2006 U.S. Surgeon General’s report also states that second hand smoke is a major cause of sudden death in children and chances of SIDS is greater for children who are exposed to second hand smoke either at homes or in public (American Cancer Society, Inc., 2010). This is because some children are born with weak immune system while in others the immune system may become weakened due to diseases, infections and medications, states Young (2009, p.32). Toxic gases in the polluted air weigh heavily on the poor immune systems of young kids thus making them ill quite rapidly. Another hazard connected to public smoking is that it tends to inspire other immature minds like those of young kids and youngsters. Their frail minds accept public smoking as pop culture and they also start following the same trend. Mature people under stand the hazards related to smoking but young minds are not familiar with the hazardous nature of smoking. Children tend to have less-developed ability of decision-making or critical thinking so they cannot realize what is wrong with what they are watching and their minds learn or absorb every act they see. Wishik (1963) state in their research that, â€Å"As one looks around to see 18 and 19 year old boys and girls smoking, one is impressed with the number of them who have already become heavy smokers.† This increase in the number of young smokers is due to the pop culture that is imparted by their elders to them. Public smoking is an important example of pop culture that tends to destroy young minds

The British and Global Economy. Industrial revolution in Britain Essay

The British and Global Economy. Industrial revolution in Britain - Essay Example This means that the industrial revolution developed after a long process of technological innovation and interaction across the land mass (Allen, 2011: 366). However, many experts argue that neither Britain nor Europe had economic advantages more that the Indian regions until the occurrence of the industrial revolution. These countries were commercialized and productive since they benefited from advanced technologies. One of the vital aspects that encouraged industrial revolution was the environmental availability of cheap and available coal in Britain. Coal was employed to produce fuel in heat industries, for example, furnaces. Eventually, it was used to produce steam power for the developing factories (Hobsbawm, 1968: 31). Britain was distinct since it had easy access to large reserves of coal, since it was an efficient source of power than wood and charcoal. The use of coal in the production of iron was efficient in the revolution means. The coalmines from early 17 the centuries were very significant, the Black Country developed in England, and it transformed the textiles centers of the world. The factories and industrial towns also developed with canals and roads (Crafts, 1987: 2). The development of railroad and steam ships widened the market of manufactured goods. Industrial revolution changed the way things were made as new machines that were invented during the 17th and 18th century. This meant that it was possible to mass production of goods in the factories. It developed from Britain and it spread through North America and Europe, resulting to an improvement on social and economic conditions. The geographical position of Britain geopolitical position, since it was an island situated off the coast of the European continent. This favored the development of British naval power and protection from the continental warfare. Naval power was necessary since it allowed Britain to conquer the trade routes and colonies that improved industrial revolution and it provides raw materials (Allen, 2011: 374). Britain was able to extract diverse amounts of wealth from the New World through the slave trade and plantations. Capitalist merchants controlled Britain and this made it efficient for it to extract wealth. It also indicated that wealth could be used to fund the development of industrial capitalism. During the 18th century, the British ships transported more than a million Afr ican slaves to the British Caribbean to offer labor. Britain built extensive utility of mercantilist trade strategies that protected the developing industries against imports that had high tariffs imposed on them (Hobsbawm, 1968: 29). According to Marxists, several factors contributed to the industrial revolution in Britain. The development of capitalism could not be defined as the primary reason of entrepreneurial spirit of the British. The British revolution was a long period of economic and political changes marked by violent upheavals such as English Revolution during the 17th century. However, during the beginning of the 18th century, Britain was identified as the European country where the social relationships were embedded firmly. There were two significant features of capitalism that are important in the industrial revolution in Britain, the first was the prior capitalist class that developed over the previous centuries asserting its dominance in the British society (Crafts, 1987: 4). The

Smoking in public places should be banned Essay

Smoking in public places should be banned - Essay Example Thus, they become passive smokers. This argumentative paper tends to persuade the reader that smoking in public should be banned by throwing light upon the hazards of passive smoking. Just like active smokers are apt to acquire many diseases, same is the case with passive smokers especially those who are actually living with the smokers. When in public, smoking does not only irritate others but tends to impart many illnesses to those around like sore eyes, sore throat causing smoker’s cough, nausea, headache, and trouble to people with asthma. This is not fair to the non-smokers because they are inhaling smoke and impure air for no reason of their own. This smoke is of two types: side-stream smoke and mainstream smoke. Side-stream smoke is one which rises from the tip of the cigarette while mainstream smoke is that which the smoker exhales. There are around 4000 toxic chemicals and gases present in both types of smoke which when inhaled by others in public cause many illnesses . â€Å"Non-smokers can get affected by breathing in cigarette smoke at home, at work, in bars and other smoky environments outside the home†¦About 2.2 million people in UK are exposed to passive smoking in their places of work†, states Gardezi (2005, p.30). ... Those children are at increased risk of SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome; lung infections such as pneumonia; ear infections; and more severe asthma.† The 2006 U.S. Surgeon General’s report also states that second hand smoke is a major cause of sudden death in children and chances of SIDS is greater for children who are exposed to second hand smoke either at homes or in public (American Cancer Society, Inc., 2010). This is because some children are born with weak immune system while in others the immune system may become weakened due to diseases, infections and medications, states Young (2009, p.32). Toxic gases in the polluted air weigh heavily on the poor immune systems of young kids thus making them ill quite rapidly. Another hazard connected to public smoking is that it tends to inspire other immature minds like those of young kids and youngsters. Their frail minds accept public smoking as pop culture and they also start following the same trend. Mature people under stand the hazards related to smoking but young minds are not familiar with the hazardous nature of smoking. Children tend to have less-developed ability of decision-making or critical thinking so they cannot realize what is wrong with what they are watching and their minds learn or absorb every act they see. Wishik (1963) state in their research that, â€Å"As one looks around to see 18 and 19 year old boys and girls smoking, one is impressed with the number of them who have already become heavy smokers.† This increase in the number of young smokers is due to the pop culture that is imparted by their elders to them. Public smoking is an important example of pop culture that tends to destroy young minds

The Original Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Original - Case Study Example NCEMA was established on the 14th of May 2007 under the organizational structure of the Higher National Security Council of the United Arab Emirates to ensure citizens’ safety, protect all residents of the UAE and secure the country’s property. Being under the Higher National Security Council, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority falls under the jurisdiction of the Executive Affairs Department in the GM office, this is a government department that was established in 2010. The Authority is located in Abu Dhabi and it has about 300 employees. NCEMA plays the role of lead organization when it comes to crisis management and emergencies in the UAE. The organization’s mission is to promote the country’s capabilities in the management of crisis and emergencies. The organization’s roles involve the regulation and coordination of the entire efforts of emergency and management of crisis. By ensuring that it sets the requirements for business continuity, the Authority enables quick recovery after emergencies through joint planning. It pursues the development of a national plan designed to give a response in times of emergencies as well as coordinates communication at the national and lo cal level during emergencies. NCEMA has several departments, the Executive Affairs Department is a new department that was established in 2010 and operates under the office of the General Manager. The other departments under NCEMA include the Operations Department, Planning and Preparedness Department, Support Services Department, ICT Department, Media and Public Information Department, and the Safety and Prevention Department. The organization is known for its high performance standards. It focuses on promoting development, consolidation, maintenance of laws, policies, and procedures of emergency, and the management of all crises at the national level The first most important person in NCEMA is the organization

Verbal and nonverbal communication Essay Example for Free

Verbal and nonverbal communication Essay The whole process of communication is imperative in the lives of human being because it entails enclosing information in a package imparted by the sender to a receiver through a channel (Ritchie, 2001). Normally; the receiver decodes the meaning which enables them to respond with the feedback to the sender. Communication requires that the involved parties (the sender and the receiver) have some common communication characteristics that would overall facilitate the underlying primary purpose of communication (Argyle, 2005). The process of communication comes in different types: written, verbal and non verbal communication. Whichever way, the fundamental characteristics that prevail underscore the purpose of conveying the message(Gahagan, 2004). Verbal and nonverbal communication form the basis of this paper and include speaking by word of mouth and using paralinguistic cues like body language and eye contact to achieve the reasons of communication (Esposito, 2007). This paper attempts to explore non verbal communication and examine types of non verbal communication and the possible differences that are found in non verbal communication all over the world. Introduction Verbal and non verbal communications are two faces of communication that abound our daily lives. They both aim at conveying a message(s), a significant element of our every day lives. Essentially, it lies at the heart of transferring information from one person to another. Like any form of communication, verbal and nonverbal communications use the components of the sender, receiver, message, channel and feedback for the complete cycle of the communication process. Information transferred from one person to another or to a group of people, often involves the interchange of opinions and thoughts over various issues in spoken words or just signs (Julia, 2009). Our focus on this paper is to understand the differences that underlie verbal and nonverbal communication, exploring the types of non verbal communication and the difference s that may be found world over concerning non verbal communication. Analysis of Verbal and Nonverbal communication Verbal communication is a form of reciprocal conversation that involves two people or a group of people (Hinde, 2000). It is a dialogue form of communication derived from the Greek word dia and logos which means through and speech respectively. Therefore, dialogue means a form of conversation between two or more entities (Poyatos, 2000). Its medium is language expressed through voice tonality and according to research; verbal communication forms the overall method of communication used world wide. 38 % of verbal communication impacts the general communication needs in the lives of human being, although it is the widely and consciously used form of communication (Keller, et al 2007). In most cases there is little misunderstanding between the parties involved. The only caution to be taken is that the language used must be known to both parties and the feedback is realized instantly without waiting for another date. Non verbal communication on the other hand is the process of sending or receiving information packaged in wordless messages(Rudolph et al, 2001). This type of communication relies on gestures, facial expression, body language, posture and maintaining of eye contact. It also borders object communication such as architectural and cultural artifacts, clothing, graphics and hairstyles just to mention a few (Ritchie, 2001). Non verbal communication plays a fundamental role in the every day lives of people, from romantic engagements to employment ventures. Ideally, this type of communication is used unconsciously since the behavioral patterns used while communicating is in most cases predetermined and goes on to reinforce verbal communication which at times is used together(Rudolph, 2000). Accordingly verbal communication contains elements of nonverbal communication such as paralinguistic cues like tonal variation, voice quality, speaking styles, emotions and several prosodic features of stress, rhythm and intonation (Esposito, 2007). Other graphics are part of nonverbal communication because, graphics like billboard projection, or objects are in themselves a representation of words , message and meaning (Argyle, 2005). A lot of caution needs to be taken when using non verbal communication because; misunderstanding is bound to occur if the involved parties do not really understand the intended meaning of body language. Types of Non verbal Communication According to experts, a significant portion of communication in our every day lives is overly nonverbal. Many of our life situations necessitate the use of paralinguistic cues and other forms of behavioral patterns including eye contact, facial expression, posture, tonal variation and gestures (Hinde, 2000). From our handshakes to the way we dress, we use nonverbal communication . Many research have been done to underscore the whole types that are found in non verbal communication . Facial expression: It covers the entire proportion of nonverbal communication and involves incorporating smiles, frowns and winks to convey our emotions (Gahagan, 2004). Facial expression is dependent on the different cultures but emotions to express sadness, fear, happiness and anger are universal throughout the world. Research shows that sometimes, facial expressions are included in the verbal communication and the message conveyed altogether is somehow trusted over the contrasting message that may have been conveyed verbally (Keller et al, 2007). For example, if you have a son and you walk up to him one Sunday afternoon, only to find that he has broken a set of glasses in the kitchen. Upon asking him who broke the glasses he tells you that he does not have any idea, because he got it that way. However, the message on his face shows all sorts of guilt, it is evidently possible to tell that he is the one who broke the glasses. As such, you will disregard all the verbal comments that your son will give. There are various types of facial expressions found in different cultures across the world. When people are happy, they tend to raise their cheeks as they smile and round their eyes. Seemingly, feelings of disgust are expressed in our faces through wrinkling our noses, raising our upper lips or lowering our eyebrows and eyelid while those of fear are shown through open mouths and around eyes (Julia, 2009). Body movement: This type includes all sorts of kinetic body movement that have the interpretation of meaning. They include a number of categories namely; illustrators, emblems, adaptors, regulators and affects of display. Emblems include gestures that have clearly shared meaning and are done with awareness as well as with intentions to communicate (Ritchie, 2001). Illustrators on the other hand is body movements and gestures that accompany verbal stream communication like stress, accent and emphasis. Adaptors are movements that originate from the manipulation of the person, those around him and the various objects at the heart of communication such as tapping a pen on the table or twisting ones hair. Regulators are concerned with the movements that transmit the messages of relationships such as hugs and kisses. It essentially controls the flow of speaking and listening. Finally, affect of display are movements that display inner emotions such as need to mate, anger, surprise or fear (Rudolph, 2000). Appearances and Artifact: In many cultural setup, nonverbal communication take place through artifact and appearance . They include clothing, shelter, and other tools that can communicate status, role or taste of a given culture or persons (Rudolph et al, 2001). This form of nonverbal communication is often used to project a person’s world view and the world around them. For example, women who dress attractively are bound to have more men dating them because their appearance speaks much about them and they may as well use this type of nonverbal communication to persuade men with a lot of ease (Poyatos, 2002). Similarly our clothing communicate our world views and many people use this to determine their relationships with us. The ongoing research on color psychology suggests that different colors embedded in appearances influence a variety of emotions and moods and the general appearance which in the long run, affects several psychological reactions, interpretations and judgment (Argyle, 2005). Body Language and Posture: These are used to convey a lot of information in the communication life of an individual. There is overwhelming number of research on the role of body language in communication but the overemphasized concept focuses on the interpretation of what is generally known as defensive postures (Esposito, 2007). Examples of body language are crossing ones legs or arms during communication, which has been interpreted as the disinterested participation in communication between involved parties (Hinde, 2000). Much of what we verbally utter is confirmed by our body language and it has been widely accepted as the true reflection or indicator of the meaning pegged on any communication. The whole scenario of body movements can be explained in the distance adopted by people and it varies depending on the person you are talking to. For example, women tend to move closer to someone they are talking to that men which spells out their level of trust to the subject of communication and the source of the communication process. Particularly, the distance adopted by anybody is expressed through body language and it ranges from personal distance, intimate distance social distance and somehow public distance (Poyatos, 2002). The distance you take is relative to the person you are talking to and it communicates a host of feeling such as trust. Paralinguistic: It refers to the voice communication that is distinct from the actual language and includes all aspects of voice such as pitch, voice inflection, loudness and all that is part of tone variation (Keller et al, 2001). The effects of paralinguistic is very powerful to the meaning of the conversation. Take a case where a boss addresses his juniors with a harsh loud voice. Definitely, the interpretation that would be reached will be that the boss was angry and somehow reprimanding his junior staff from re-doing whatever caused the shouting. Again, those in love adopt a soothing and cajoling tone that is low, to emphasis their feelings of love and intimacy (Julia, 2009). Other than the spoken words in communication, paralinguistic cues add meaning to them for coherent interpretation, hence taking the form of a non verbal communication. Adaptation of strong tonal voice enables the listener to interpret either enthusiasm, emphasis or approval while if the same words can be said in somewhat a different hesitant tone, the interpretation reached may be of lack of interest or disapproval (Gahagan, 2004). Touch: It involves communicating through touch and other non verbal behavior. According to (Keller et al, 2007), touch has a significant role in therapy where it facilitates the harmonization of internal communication in an individual involving the succinct coordination of emotions to achieve a given biological function. It is therefore regarded as non verbal communication because it primarily takes into account the processes of communication that engages the sender, the receiver, channel and message. In this case the sender is the therapist, while the receiver is the person receiving therapy. The underlying message becomes the therapeutic effects that are gotten after therapy (Rudolph, 2000). In the study done by Harry hallow on the classic monkey, it is evident that if touch and other bodily contacts are deprived from a child especially at infancy its overall development is impeded. Touch is an important form of nonverbal communication that promotes intimacy and fosters several other feeling like trust and sense of belonging (Julia, 2009). Proxemics: A host number of people in the ever advancing world of communication have expressed the need for space during and or in communication. As another type of non verbal communication, Proxemics is the level of space we need and perceive as comfortable to avoid misinterpretation of our intentions. A recent survey showed that several factors aligned to our social norms, personality traits, situational factors and familiarity levels determine the social space we use to communicate our personal feeling (Gahagan, 2004). For example, the level of space we need when having a mutual casual talk usually varies according to the specifity of the situation and the relationship between you and the person you are talking to. The distance varies between 18 inches to a few feet. Similarly, the distance required when addressing a crowd is between 10 to 12 feet. Taking such personal distance tells much about how you relate with whoever you are addressing (Keller et al, 2007). Differences of Non Verbal Communication All over the World Broadly speaking, non verbal communication falls into two categories . The non verbal message may either be produced by the body or spartio temporal setting of time and space (Poyatos, 2002). Although they look different, they still serve an important aspect of communication in the high context culture. There exists a number of differences in non verbal communication, all spelt under the milieu of culture. These differences however, do not undermine their functions as non verbal communication . Differences are seen in the interpretation of the host of non verbal communication (Ritchie, 2001). The first difference that occurs is in general dress code, artifacts and appearance. It is a concern of all cultures across the world about how they look and a myriad of judgments about how they look has brought t out the differences in how they interpret messages that are embedded in art factual and appearance (Esposito, 2007). For instance, in America, personal appearance and dress code symbolizes ones social class and orientation. Attractiveness in dress and appearance signals the element of modesty. Secondly, there is the difference in posture. Bowing for example is used to state the rank a person holds in the society while it is a religious preserve among the Muslims. Slouching on the other hand is used to show elements of rudeness in most Northern Europeans. Accordingly, talking while your hands are in pocket shows that you are disrespectful among the Turkish. As sitting with crossed legs is offensive in Ghana and Turkey, it is not a big deal in America and Canada, because it may be interpreted as a relaxed posture (Poyatos, 2002). These differences on posture are gender biased since women are restricted from sing certain postures in America but at the same time, men use them. Facial expressions also elicit many differences amongst various cultural orientations in the world. The meaning attached to the somewhat identical facial expressions differ . However they share the same meaning in respect to showing anger, crying, or smiling but the intensity of facial expression vary. For example, it is a mark able characteristic among many Asian cultures to suppress as much as possible their facial expressions. This is different from the Western culture which overly expresses their facial expressions (Ritchie, 2001). On the other hand, Latinos and Arab men exaggerate sadness and grief; American men tend to hide sorrow or grief. Among Africans women smile a lot than their male counterparts because African men perceive smiling as a sign of shallowness (Julia, 2009). The differences of eye contact are more and varied. In the US eye contact is interpreted as a degree of interest or attention, regulates interaction influences persuasion and has a central role in managing and influencing impressions of others (Esposito, 2007). Western culture advises their growing up children to look straight into somebody’s eyes while African culture disregard eye contact and somehow use it when talking and not when listening . Similarly, Arabic cultures make use of a prolonged eye contact because, it shows truthfulness in the other person and believe that it spells out interest . Someone who avoids eye contact is seen to be untrustworthy. Japanese, Caribbean and Latin Americans avoid the eye contact to exemplify their respect for those they are talking to (Hinde, 2000). Touch has several different beliefs and a number of questions about the rationale behind touching rings in many cultures. Koreans and the larger Asian culture do not touch strangers especially the opposite sex (Argyle, 2005). A case to point is where an African –American went to shop in a store belonging to a Korean. After paying for his goods, he waited for change only to be disappointed when the Korean store keeper, put down the change on the table. This upset him because he believed that this was a form of another racial discrimination and concluded that the Asian refused to touch him because of his skin color (Keller et al, 2007). As a form of non verbal communication, touch is culturally sensitive with each culture having clear concepts of which body parts to touch. In US for instance, a handshake is common for strangers while hugging and kissing mainly done for close family members and those of the opposite gender. African America somehow gets irritated if touched on the get but Native Americans are fond of this especially when congratulating children. Muslims and Hindus do not touch using the left hand because they believe that it is a symbol of social insult and stipulates less or no touching between the opposite sexes (Rudolph et al, 2001). The patterns of using touch as a form of nonverbal communication is common among the English, Germans Chinese and Japanese. Paralinguistic cues that accompany our verbal expression send different interpretation in the whole process of non verbal communication. In Japan, giggling is an indication of embarrassment and belching in India shows satisfaction. Certain voice qualifiers like pitch tone and volume are also differently understood. Loudness for instance indicate strength among the Arabs, authority and confidence for Germans and loss of control for Japanese (Julia, 2009). This also affects the gender because many cultures accept their women folk to speak more politely, apart from the Americans where there is a lot of liberty allowing everybody to do what they feel best. At the same time a lot of differences exist in the use of vocal interjections. Conclusion A lot of research is devoted to nonverbal communication because; the whole purpose of communication must follow few major facets of content, source, medium, receiver and feedback. Verbal communication plays a major role in the social interactions where a set of common signs and non verbal cues and arrive at a shared meaning and understanding. A lot of care however must taken to understand the possible differences that are found in various culture depending on the use of some non verbal communication, because at the heart of every communication process, desires meaning of the message need to be clearly understood. This will help to avoid the biasness and subsequent barriers of communication. Appendix Pictures of Non Verbal communication The pictures below show examples of non verbal communication and how it is used to express different emotions (www. linkstolove. com/bodylanguage). Reference Argyle, M (2005). Bodily Communication. Massachusetts, Taylor Francis. Esposito, A (2007). Fundamentals of Nonverbal Communication and Sociometrics. Los Angeles, IOS Press. Gahagan, J (2004). Communication and Social Interaction. New York, Routledge Hinde, R (2000), Non Verbal Communication. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Julia, W (2009). Interpersonal Communication: Everyday Encounter. Oxford, Cengage Learning Keller, E et al (2007). Non Verbal Communication Behaviors. Oxford, Springer. Poyatos, F (2002) Non Verbal Communication across Discipline. New York, John Benjamin Publishers Ritchie, M (2001). The Relationship of Verbal and Non verbal Communication. Berlin, Walter de Gruyter Rudolph, F et al (2001). Interpersonal Communication Skills. Michigan, Wadsworth Pub Co. Rudolph, F (2000). Communicating Without Words. Michigan, Wadsworth Pub Co.

Benefits of Renewable Energy in Domestic Houses

Benefits of Renewable Energy in Domestic Houses Chapter One: Introduction Rationale Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources that are renewable, constantly replenished by nature such as sunlight, wind, rain and geothermal heat. All of these forms of renewable energy can be used as a cleaner source of energy in houses. As these forms of renewable energy can be harnessed to generate sufficient electricity even for the most demanding of houses and then some, the electricity generated from renewable resource would be clean, safe, environmentally friendly, cost effective and efficient. Our present happy progressive condition is a thing of limited duration William Stanley Jevons 1865 This quotation shows that as far back as the mid 1800s civilisation knew the that worlds resources were not infinite and that one day they could run out, so for the past 150 years or so civilisation could have been planning for this and looking for alternative types of energy such as renewable energy. Traditional Fossil fuels are running out, they are getting harder and more expensive to obtain, and their emissions are polluting our planet. Newer, greener, alternative, renewable, energy solutions are available today. Emerging technologies are making them more efficient, and more affordable, with shorter payback times. This makes them a viable alternative to traditional energy sources. Energy costs have snowballed in recent years. U.K energy wholesale prices have risen by 100% for electricity, and 230% for Gas since February 2007. Coal has seen a, massive jump with a 400% increase in the last 10 years, from just  £23 a ton in 1999 to  £100 a ton in 2008. Oil prices have increased dramatically recently and are always prone to fluctuation. Oil has reached peak supply and increasing demand from developing nations is likely to keep prices high. (line.3,4,5. par 2 from home page of www.renewable alternative.co.uk website for Caron alternative energy systems.) The Author found this quote to be very incisive as it not only shows that traditional fuels are no longer going to be an option in the future but with current demand for energy the price is going to sky rocket. This quotation also looks at how promoting and using renewable energy systems can help you to create a cleaner and more environmentally friendly environment, the quote also looks at how renewable systems can be more cost effective not only in the overall life span but also in the installation aswell as many governments of countries are now giving out grants to homeowners in order to promote renewable energy. The author will go into the details of the grants in greater detail later in the dissertation. Aims In this dissertation the author aims to show that installing renewable energy systems in domestic houses is not only encouraging green energy but also cost-effective and as productive as traditional heating systems in homes. Throughout the dissertation the author plans to name and describe the different types of renewable energy systems that are available to a dwelling to make it more energy efficient. Objectives To establish an appropriate research methodology to support the research needs of the dissertation. To analyse and assess the different types of renewable energy systems. Conduct a survey of consumers who have purchased/installed a renewable energy system in their house. To investigate the advantages and disadvantages between renewable energy systems and traditional heating systems. Formulate conclusions and make recommendations on the basis of my findings. Hypothesis Is Renewable energy in domestic houses more beneficial than traditional heating systems? Structure of Dissertation Introduction Chapter one introduces the reader to the dissertation. It provides a brief overture to the topics that will be discussed in the dissertation. It also discusses the aims, objectives and the structure of the dissertation. Research methodologies In chapter two the author discusses the research methodologies used to research information and this includes the research process, primary and secondary literature sources. List of renewable energy systems In chapter three the author makes a list of the different types of renewable energy systems available to the consumer. List of traditional heating systems In chapter four the author makes a list of the traditional heating systems available to the consumer. Detailed description of renewable energy systems In chapter five the author gives a detailed description of the different types of renewable energy systems and lists the advantages and disadvantages. Detailed description of traditional heating systems In chapter six the author gives a detailed description of the different types of traditional heating systems and lists the advantages and disadvantages. Analysis of questionnaires This chapter analyses the opinions of the home owners who have installed renewable energy systems in their homes. In this chapter the author has made up a customer survey and given it to home owners (who have installed renewable energy systems in there house) to complete. The author will compile and analyse the results of this survey. Case study In this chapter the author looks at different examples of similar research. Conclusion and recommendations This chapter provides the conclusions and recommendations of the dissertation. Bibliography and References The bibliography and references is a list of all the books, articles and websites used to research the dissertation Chapter Two Research Methodologies Introduction: In this chapter the author outlines the various methods used to produce this dissertation. It identifies the different sources used and illustrates how with comprehensive research the information was collated. The author also discusses the limitations encountered in researching for this dissertation. Research Process The research process begins by the author preparing a preliminary literature review. This enables the author to acquire a sufficient grasp of the theories and methods of analysis in renewable energy systems. The preliminary literature review help the author develop his knowledge of the planning system and legislation. The preliminary literature study also helps expand an overview of the primary sources of information available. The preliminary literature study in the initial stages in the research process presents a large amount of the material needed for the dissertation. The author uses this information to narrow his research. This focused his intentions on specific areas. The author then had to decide on what format the dissertation would take and how to go about producing it. By studying past dissertations on similar subjects it will assist in the expansion of the initial idea and will demonstrate the correct method to execute a dissertation. Throughout the research process different information is collected. This information can be broken up into different headings primary and secondary sources. Sources: Primary and Secondary Primary Literature Sources: Primary literature is the most accurate source of information as it publishes original research (Naoum, 2007). The lists of primary sources included in this dissertation were academic research journals, dissertations, government publications and reports on the subject matter. Discussion was carried out with the librarians in both Robert Gordon University and Carlow Institute of Technology this broadened the research avenues. The main sources of information included: Documents from the European Union Documents from the Irish government Sustainable Energy without the hot air by David JC Mackay Renewable Energy Policy by Paul Komor Secondary Literature sources: Secondary literature sources are those that cite primary sources such as textbooks, trade journals, newspaper articles etc. The secondary sources were mainly conducted during the authors research period. The author used many different sources such as the internet and the library amenities available. The uses of search engines specifically orientated to renewable energy were of great significance to the author. The internet was a very good source for up to date material. The author concentrated on the local sustainability websites, Departments of Environment in Austria, Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom European Parliament, and the national newspaper websites to source information for this information. Limitations During the research for this dissertation there were various limitations. One of the greatest limitations the author encountered was the time restriction. Accumulating the information needed time it takes time to process the information and assemble the dissertation. A problem the author encountered was there were very few books that discussed the issues of the the performance of renewable technology in domestic houses. One other difficulty was the response rate was very poor to the authors emails and letters. The response rate was very poor and thus effected the authors overall objective view on this dissertation. Literature Review The author undertook a literature review to source the relevant research interests. The literature review provided the background information for the rationale. In researching for this dissertation the author used textbooks, newspapers, legislation and published reports as the principal sources. Past Dissertations Past dissertations in the Robert Gordon University provided a valuable source of information. The past dissertations were a considerable help with the layout and format of the dissertation and also helped with developing the content. Questionnaire The use of questionnaires was a significant help in receiving feedback from the people who are most influenced by the renewable energy systems (the people who have had them installed in there houses) on their opinions and experiences. Chapter 3 List of Renewable Energy Systems The list of renewable energy systems falls under certain different criteria for example solar, wind power, biomass etc. these are some of the systems that the author will be looking at in greater detail later on in the dissertation. Solar Solar panels. Photovoltaic cells. Evacuated tube collectors. Heat pumps Geothermal heat pumps. Wind energy Wind turbines Biomass Wood Chip or Pellet Boilers Water management Rainwater harvesting Chapter 4 List of Traditional Energy Systems The list of traditional energy systems that the author has decided to research falls under the following criteria Gas, Oil and Coal the author will be looking at these systems in greater detail later on in the dissertation. Traditional heating systems Gas Oil Coal Chapter 5 Detailed Description of Renewable Energy Systems Solar Panels Solar thermal (heat) energy is often used for heating water used in homes and for heating the insides of buildings (space heating). Solar space heating systems can be classified as passive or active. Passive space heating is what happens to your car on a hot summer day. The suns rays heat up the inside of your car. In buildings, the air is circulated past a solar heat surface and through the building by convection (meaning that less dense warm air tends to rise while denser cool air moves downward). No mechanical equipment is needed for passive solar heating. An active solar thermal system relies on solar collectors to transform sunlight into heat that can be used for space heating or more commonly to produce hot water. Active systems often include some type of energy storage system. Information taken from: (http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyexplained/renewable/flatplate.html) Solar Energy the Environment Using solar energy produces no air or water pollution and no greenhouse gases, but does have some indirect impacts on the environment. In addition, large solar thermal power plants can harm desert ecosystems if not properly managed. Birds and insects can be killed if they fly into a concentrated beam of sunlight, such as that created by a solar power tower. Some solar thermal systems use potentially hazardous fluids (to transfer heat) that require proper handling and disposal. Concentrating solar systems may require water for regular cleaning of the concentrators and receivers and for cooling the turbine-generator. Using water from underground wells may affect the ecosystem in some arid locations. Photovoltaic Cells What are Photovoltaic Cells and how do they work? Photovoltaic Panels are usually situated on a roof and use semi conductors to convert sunlight to produce electricity for your home. Unlike Solar Panels which use the energy of the Sun to heat water, Solar PV (photovoltaic) converts the suns energy into electricity. The panels are made up of an array of cells which are made of materials such as silicon. The Solar PVs are made up of a negative and positive field similar to a battery. The photovoltaic panels do not require sunlight to be effective as they operate from daylight rather than sunlight specifically, although they do supply more electricity in sunnier climates. The more sun, the more electricity produced. The photovoltaic cell is activated by light. Electricity is created by the creation of an electric field across layers of semi-conductors in the cell. Advantages of Solar PV Photovoltaic cells are low maintenance, but do require checking of the wiring and ensuring the Photovoltaic panels are kept clean and debris free. For new build or renovations, photovoltaic installation costs will be lower as they can be incorporated with other works. Photovoltaic reduces your carbon footprint. Alternative energy systems can improve overall scoring for Energy Performance Certificates which form a compulsory constituent of the Home Information Packs HIPS which house sellers now have to compile. Alternative, renewable energy systems increase the value and saleability of your property. Photovoltaic panels are low noise. Photovoltaic panels can be used to supplement wind energy. Suitability Photovoltaic panels should be placed so that they are South or mainly South facing to gain most benefit from them, on an area where they will not obstructed or overshadowed by buildings or trees. If they are in the shade for part of the time their output will be less. Whilst traditionally these have been available in panels, Photovoltaic is now also available in a form which mimics traditional tiles, and also as units which can be used in the construction of conservatories where they can also provide shade. For larger Photovoltaic installations you may require planning permission. A individual system design will provide you with the best options for your individual needs. We are able to design and supply off grid options which can allow you to be self sufficient for electricity, heating and hot water. Photovoltaics (pvs) which convert sunlight directly into electricity, have many attractive features. They are quiet, dependable, have no moving parts, can be installed very quickly, and can be sized to power anything from a single light to an entire community. However they are quite expensive, with current costs of 20 per to 40 us cents per kWh for grid connected systems (compared to 3 to 5 cents per kWh for coal or natural gas systems). Although costs have come down considerably in recent years and will continue to drop ,PVs are currently nowhere near cost competitive with fossil fuels. (l.3,4,5 par.2 pg 39 Renewable Energy Policy by Paul Komor) Evacuated Tube Collectors Evacuated cellular tubes are made up of a series of modular tubes mounted in parallel .these tubes can be added to or taken away in accordance to hot water demands. These collectors consist of rows of parallel see through glass tubes in which each contain an absorber tube. In an evacuated tube collector the sunlight passes through the glass tube and heats up the absorber tube by means of a heat exchanger. The thickened fluid then flows back into the bottom of the heat pipe. The pipes must be placed at a certain angle so that the method of vaporization and compaction will work to the best of its capability. Advantages of Evacuated Tube Collectors The tubes can be individually replaced easily without special tools and the water does not have to be drained from the solar hot water system. The E.C.T (evacuated tube collectors) work like a thermos and keep up to 93% of the suns heat in and lose between only 3-5% of the heat gained. The E.C.T will work in cold weather up to -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Geothermal Heat Pumps A geothermal heat pump is a central heating and/or cooling system that pumps heat to or from the ground. The geothermal heat pump uses the heat from the ground as a source of heat (in the colder months) or a heat storage (in the warmer months). This design takes advantage of the reasonable temperatures in the ground to improve efficiency and reduce the costs of operating heating and cooling systems. The systems work a lot like a refrigerator or an air conditioner. Heat pumps can transfer heat from cold areas to warm areas, against the natural direction of run, or the systems can improve the natural surge of heat from a warm area to a cool one. But unlike air-source heat pumps, which predominantly transfers heat to or from the colder outside air, a ground source heat pump takes its heat from the ground. The fact that underground temperatures are much more constant means that geothermal heat pumps are much more energy efficient than air source heat pumps. What a ground source heat pump does is it extracts the heat from the ground in the colder months (for heating) and transfers the heat back into the ground in the warmer months (for cooling). During the summer months, the procedure can be changed so that the heat pump takes the heat from the building and channels it to the ground. In order for a ground source heat pump to work it must have a heat exchanger connected with the ground to remove or disperse heat. Direct exchange systems move refrigerant underground, closed loop systems use a combination of anti-freeze and water, where as natural groundwater is used in open loop systems. Geothermal electricity has one compelling advantage over wind and solar. Its not limited by the whims of the wind or the sun and can therefore provide base load electricity. Typical geothermal plants operate at capacity factors of 90 percent, compared to winds 25 to 30 percent. This means that a geothermal power plant is delivering close to its maximum output most of the time. This makes it a much more valuable and dependable source of electricity. Wind Turbines What are wind turbines and how do they work? Wind turbines are the most common of the alternative energies, they are effectively the modern equivalent of the old fashioned windmill. The rotors or blades of the wind turbines are placed on a pole high up, where they need relatively little wind to turn them. The spinning blades of the turbines create electricity by rotating a permanent magnet to generate electricity, which can be used for a variety of purposes. The more electricity required the bigger the wind turbines required. When most people think of wind turbines they think of the very large commercial wind farms, with very high, very large wind turbines. Wind turbines are now available on a much smaller scale for domestic dwellings, and are capable of generating sufficient electricity for the household, and dependent upon size, there is also the possibility of selling excess electricity to the grid. Advantages of Wind Turbines Wind turbines are environmentally friendly. Once installed wind turbines provide free electricity. Wind turbines are a more established technology, they are a cheaper option and have a lower payback period. During periods of good wind, electricity produced by Wind turbines and not used or stored can be sold to electricity companies. Our new generation wind turbines not only look different, they are quieter and more efficient. Their light-weight and compact design allows them to be located on building roofs. Suitability In the main, wind turbines are used for supplementing an existing electricity supply. You will need a suitable environment to be able to locate the turbine, as far away as possible from trees and buildings. You will need a suitable base or plinth on which to mount the wind turbine. Wind turbines only generate electricity while there is sufficient wind so a continuous supply of electricity cannot be achieved. If there is no existing supply of electricity, electricity will either need to be stored for unproductive periods, and/or used in conjunction with another source of renewable energy. Not all locations are suitable for wind turbines, the positioning of the turbine and the surrounding environment are critical for optimum performance. Any local planning restrictions need to be taken account of in England and Wales planning permission is necessary to install a small wind turbine. Wind turbines are best suited for rural properties, farms, community buildings, industrial estates, schools etc. The fundamental idea behind wind power is appealingly simple: the wind turns the blades, the blades turn the generator, and the generator makes electricity. The reality of course is much more complex. Todays wind turbines are technically sophisticated and finely engineered, incorporating the latest advances in materials, microprocessor controls, and computational fluid dynamics (for blade design) (line 5, par 2, pg 34 Renewable Energy Policy by Paul Komor) Biomass Most common process of biomass combustion is burning of wood. In developed countries replacing oil or coal-fired central heating boiler with a wood burning one can save between 20 and 60% on heating bills, because wood costs less than oil or coal. At the same time wood burning units are eco-friendly. They only emit the same amount of the greenhouse gas CO2 as the tree absorbed when it was growing. So burning wood does not contribute to global warming. Since wood contains less sulphur than oil does, less sulphate is discharged into the atmosphere. This means less acid rain and less acid in the environment. (This is the opinion of the manufactures of the frohling company who manufacture biomass boilers.) Biomass can be converted to different forms of energy including heat, power, combined heat and power or liquid bio fuels. Direct combustion of biomass material. Some processing of biomass may be carried out prior to combustion e.g. sorting, chipping, pelleting or drying. The chemical processes-where solid biomass is upgraded to a liquid or a gas by pyrolisis and gasification. Decomposition of solid biomass to liquid or gaseous fuels by processes such as anaerobic and fermentation. Whilst the author was researching biomass energy he came across a very interesting article on the importance of biomass energy in Germany this is what it states Biomass is one of the most important and most diverse renewable energy sources in Germany. Quote taken from (http://www.bmu.de/english/renewable_energy/doc/42722.php).As Germany is one of the leading countries in sustainability in the European Union the author thought that this would be quite beneficial to the dissertation. Biomass can be used in solid, gas and liquid form to create electricity and heat and to produce bio-fuels. It is estimated that of the total final energy created from renewable sources in the year ending 2007 biomass contributed 69% this is a staggering figure when you take that more than two thirds of renewable energy came from biomass. According to the final energy consumption bio energy is responsible for almost 4 percent of total electricity use, just over 6 percent of total heat required and 7.6 perce nt of total fuel needed. The use of bio-energy is to be further expanded. The technical potential required for this is available in Germany. In the agricultural and forestry sector, part of the 17 million hectares of agricultural land (approx. 12 million hectares of arable land and approx. 5 million hectares of grassland) and of the 11 million hectares of woodland are available for biomass production. By far the most important source of bioenergy in Germany is wood. About one quarter of Germanys wood production (lower quality line of production) is used for generating energy, approximately three quarters are used as material. Waste wood and used wood are also used for energy production. Model calculations by the Federal Research Centre for Forestry and Forest Products have shown that there are reserves to expand the use of wood without impairing sustainable forestry. quote taken from (http://www.bmu.de/english/renewable_energy/doc/42722.php) this quote shows how the German people are using there natural resources to further enhance the solution to fossil fuel problems. Economically biomass energy has become quite significant in Germany with almost 100,000 jobs being created in the bio energy sector, specifically in the agricultural and forestry sections, where they are manufacturing materials such as pellets, wood chips or biogas from biomass. The total earnings from the bio-energy sector came to 10.23 billion euro in 2007. (Information was taken from the website of the Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of the German Government) Rainwater Harvesting Rainwater harvesting is the collecting and keeping of rainwater. It can provide water for drinking, for farm animals, for watering land and for water to refill acquifies in the process known as groundwater recharge. In some cases rainwater is the only sensible or available water source. The systems are very suitable in areas where the rainfall is greater than 200mm per year. There are two types of harvesting ground water harvesting and roof harvesting. Ground water harvesting systems feed water from a prepared catchment area into a storage area. They are usually only considered in areas where rainwater is extremely limited and additional supplies of water are lacking or not available at all. They are very suitable for small communities. If well designed, ground catchments systems can collect large amounts of rainwater. Roof harvesting systems feed rainwater that falls onto a roof into storage through a system of gutters and pipes. The initial flurry of rainwater after a dry spell should not be stored as it could be polluted with dirt, bird droppings etc. Roof gutters must have sufficient slope to avoid any chance of a back log of water. The gutters must be strong enough, and big enough to carry maximum flows. In order to reduce the risk of contamination and fungus growth the storage tanks should be covered. In order for the Rainwater harvesting systems to be kept hygienic and clean they require regular cleaning and maintenance this will prolong the good working order of the systems. Rainwater harvesting in towns or cities can be very useful for many reasons. One of the main reasons rainwater harvesting can be implemented in cities is to supply extra water for the citys requirements, to replenish vegetation to improve the scenic beauty of a town/city, to increase the ground water table through artificial recharge, to alleviate urban flooding and to improve the quality of groundwater. Another reason that rainwater harvesting can be useful for is in households the water can be used to flush toilets and for washing clothes, sometimes it can be more beneficial to use rainwater to do laundry as some area the mains water may have traces of lime which could effect the washing machine over time. It can also be used for showering or bathing. It will require ultra violet treatment prior to use for drinking. Chapter 6 Detailed Description of Traditional Energy Systems In this chapter the author decided to look at the materials used to heat the traditional types of heating systems. Gas How Was Natural Gas Formed? The main ingredient in natural gas is methane, a gas (or compound) composed of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. Millions of years ago, the remains of plants and animals (diatoms) decayed and built up in thick layers. This decayed matter from plants and animals is called organic material it was once alive. Over time, the sand and silt changed to rock, covered the organic material, and trapped it beneath the rock. Pressure and heat changed some of this organic material into coal, some into oil (petroleum), and some into natural gas tiny bubbles of odourless gas. Advantages of Natural Gas The process of burning natural gas is cleaner than burning other fossil fuels. It releases fewer emissions of sulphur, carbon, and nitrogen than oil or coal. As natural gas is one of the cleaner fuels it has become much more popular in recent years. Disadvantages of Natural Gas Natural gas may be cleaner than other fossil fuels but like other fossil fuel, the burning of natural gas will produce carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is the second biggest greenhouse gas contributing to the greenhouse effect. Natural gas also has a negative effect on the environment while it is being manufactured, refining and transporting. Oil Oil was created from the remains of plants and animals that existed millions of years ago in a maritime environment. Heating oil is a liquid with gluey features, it is a combustible liquid petroleum product used as a fuel for heating systems or boilers in buildings Heating oil is very similar to diesel fuel, and both are classified as distillates. It consists of a mixture of petroleum and hydrocarbons Disadvantages of Oil Oil products help us achieve many things. We use them oil products to fuel many of our transport systems such as automobiles, planes trains etc to heat our homes, and to develop products such as medicines and plastics. Even though oil products make life easier discovering, manufacturing, transporting, and the use of them can harm the environment through water and air pollution. Harmful gases and emissions are produced from burning Oil products. Some of these harmful emissions include: Particulate matter (PM) Carbon dioxide (CO2) Sulfur dioxide (SO2) Carbon monoxide (CO) Nearly all of these by-products of burning oil have a negative effect on peoples health and the environment: Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, which is of course a source of global warming. SO2 is known to causes cause