SOCS 325 Week 4 Midterm- Correct Answers 100%

SOCS 325 Week 4 Midterm Grade Details - All Questions Points Received: 5 of 5 Comments: explanations of social life. Which of the following dist ...

SOCS 325 Week 4 Midterm Grade Details - All Questions Points Received: 5 of 5 Comments: explanations of social life. Which of the following distinguishes a constructionist perspective on environment problems? Student Answer: Environmental problems need to be understood in terms of the threats posed by society's current ecological relations. There is no difference between the realist & constructionist approaches to environmental problems-they are in agreement. The way we conceptualize & define environmental problems is a key focus. Constructionists do not believe that we have environmental problems, rather the concerns are all constructed by alarmists. Instructor Explanation: Chapter 1, pages 3-4. Points Received: 0 of 5 Comments: Question 3. Question : (TCO 3) The 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to three scientists whose work led to discovery of the causes for the thinning of the earth's atmosphere by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Which of the following was NOT one of these scientists? Student Answer: Mario Molina Paul Crutzen Sherwood Rowland Aldo Leopold Instructor Explanation: Chapter 1, page 24. Points Received: 5 of 5 Comments: Question 4. Question : (TCO 4) Who is/was the "original affluent society" according to Marshall Sahlins? Student Answer: Hunter gatherers Agrarian pastoralists The aristocracy of Europe & Asia Wealthy Western capitalists Instructor Explanation: Chapter 2, pages 38-39. Points Received: 5 of 5 Comments: Question 5. Question : (TCO 5) The hau of material objects refers to: Student Answer: superstitious belief in animate objects. the utility of material objects that serve our interests. sentimental connections & social relationships embodied in things. the respect we have for tools & technologies created by humans. Instructor Explanation: Chapter 2, pages 46-47. Points Received: 0 of 5 Comments: Question 6. Question : (TCO 6) What has been the result of air quality from strict emission controls? Student Answer: Strict emission controls have resulted in a dramatic improvement in air quality. Strict emission controls are largely ignored thus air quality has dramatically decreased. Strict emission controls have led industrialists to be contrite & to stop polluting. The growth in use of automobiles andtrucks have wiped out much of the gain from emission controls. Instructor Explanation: Chapter 3, page 77. Points Received: 5 of 5 Comments: Question 7. Question : (TCO 7) According to Malthus, population grows: Student Answer: incrementally, in fits & starts. at a steady, measured pace. arithmetically. exponentially. Instructor Explanation: Chapter 4, page 86. Points Received: 5 of 5 Comments: Question 8. Question : (TCO 7) Which of the following does Sen claim will NOT insure food availability? Student Answer: Dependable food imports Land reform Steady employment Democracy Instructor Explanation: Chapter 4, pages 97-98. Points Received: 5 of 5 Comments: Question 9. Question : (TCO 3) What percentage of the world's original forests remain? Student Answer: 100% 68% 50% 0% Instructor Explanation: Chapter 1, Pages 15-16 Points Received: 5 of 5 Comments: Question 10. Question : (TCO 5) According to your text, what is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for individuals between the ages of 1 & 35? Student Answer: AIDS Youth-on-youth violence Traffic accidents Environmental exposure to toxins Instructor Explanation: Chapter 3, Pages 76-77 Points Received: 5 of 5 Comments: Grading Summary Question Type: # Of Questions: # Correct: Multiple Choice 10 8 Essay 5 N/A Grade Details - All Questions Page: 12 Question Question : (TCO 1) Define environmental sociology & what 1. environmental sociologists study. If you were an environmental sociologist, explain your daily day. Compare & contrast how environmental sociologists differ from other types of sociologists. Student Answer: Environmental sociology is typically defined as the sociological study of societal-environmental interactions, although this definition immediately presents the problem of integrating human cultures with the rest of the environment. Although the focus of the field is the relationship between society & environment in general, environmental sociologists typically place special emphasis on studying the social factors that cause environmental problems, the societal impacts of those problems, & efforts to solve the problems. In addition, considerable attention is paid to the social processes by which certain environmental conditions become socially defined as problems. Although there was sometimes acrimonious debate between the constructivist & realist "camps" within environmental sociology in the 1990s, the two sides have found considerable common ground as both increasingly accept that while most environmental problems have a material reality they nonetheless become known only via human processes such as scientific knowledge, activists' efforts, & media attention. In other words, most environmental problems have a real ontological status despite our knowledge/awareness of them stemming from social processes, processes by which various conditions are constructed as problems by scientists, activists, media & other social actors. Correspondingly, environmental problems must all be understood via social processes, despite any material basis they may have external to humans. This interactiveness is now broadly accepted, but many aspects of the debate continue in contemporary research in the field. Environmental sociology is the field of sociology DEALING with the interactions between societies & their environments. It may focus on the social dimensions of either the natural environment or the human-built environment. An environmental sociologist is a sociologist who STUDIES society-environment interactions such as the environmental movement, how people in societies perceive environmental problems, the relationships between population, health, & the environment, globalization, & the mechanisms behind environmental injustice. What Does an Environmental Sociologist Do? Environmental sociologists study such issues using standard sociological research methods. For example, they develop valid data collection instruments such as surveys & interviews. They use them to collect data about the environmental attitudes, values, & behaviors of people in groups. Alternatively, they may collect data based on observation & reviewing existing documents. They may plan & conduct research to test their theories about issues such as the valuation of nature, attitudes toward environmentalism, & belief in human- induced climate change. They then analyze the data to make conclusions about environmental behaviors, & potentially suggest ways to address problems. Sociologists generally share the results of their research by writing & publishing academic papers & submitting reports to their organizations. Many are faculty members at colleges & universities who teach sociology, in addition to conducting research. Where Does an Environmental Sociologist Work? As of 2012, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that 36% of sociologists in general were Employed at colleges & universities. Another 30% were working in research & development in the social sciences & humanities. Another 9% worked in local government, & 8% provided management, scientific, & technical consulting services. While most environmental sociologists also work for colleges & universities, many are also employed by nonprofit environmental & public policy organizations. Sociologists usually work in offices. They're generally employed full-time during standard business hours. However, they may travel occasionally to conduct interviews & observations for research, or to present their research findings at conferences. While JOBS do vary, more environmental sociologists have these roles in their job: Analyze the social processes that cause humans to label an environmental condition as a problem Study social factors that cause environmental problems Study how environmental problems impact society Study human created environmental decline Evaluate & research such topics as population control & the environment Consider how people with different wealth affect the environment Examine how gender, race, health, political, economic factors influence environmental action or inaction Consider how inequality & democracy affect the environment Evaluate how popular culture considers & enacts environmental justices Consider the social aspect of an environmental event or disaster Create, test & research hypotheses about populations, communities, & environment Conduct field, lab, & theoretical research Analyze data using statistical models. Study human & environmental characteristics over time Provide useful data & advice to internal & external parties Use modeling techniques to assess the potential impact of ecosystem changes Publish the results of studies & research within the workgroup & throughout the field Manage research projects with multiple timelines Support strategic initiatives & business development for the region in question Senior environmental sociologist jobs tend to have more managerial or administrative components. They may have the following tasks in addition to tier-one responsibilities: Supervise junior or untenured members of the team, as well as support staff Create mentorship opportunities for junior members of the team or department Communicate with clients, colleagues, government officials, & stakeholders on various issues & policy development from local to international scope Understand environmental regulations & how they may impact environmental sociology Create grant & funding proposals to finance research projects Control project budgets, timelines, tasks & benchmarks Manage & direct team communication & interaction for a positive work environment Oversee research assistants & technicians Oversee workspace, field resources, & materials procurement Participate in interdisciplinary projects Act as consultant in their field of expertise What Is the Job Demand for Environmental Sociologists? Employment of sociologists in general is expected to grow 15 percent from 2012 to 2022, which is faster than average. However, because it's a small field TO BEGIN with, this growth will only create about 400 new jobs over that period. Increased interest in sustainability, climate change, & environmental attitudes will spur job growth for environmental sociologists. However, candidates will face strong competition for a limited number of faculty positions in sociology. Candidates with bachelor's & Master's degrees are often employed in related fields. For example, environmental sociologists may pursue research or advising positions in public policy, environmental advocacy, education, & other areas. Advanced degrees & strong statistical & research skills are often required for these positions, & are valuable for all sociologists. How Do I Get an Environmental Sociology Degree? Most sociology jobs require at least a master's degree. This is particularly true of positions involving sociological research. Traditional master's degree programs are designed for students planning to earn a Ph.D., usually with the intention of entering academia as faculty members. Doctoral students may also become researchers for nonprofit organizations, businesses, & government agencies. Applied, clinical, & professional programs are designed for students who plan to conduct research in the professional workplace, such as businesses in the private sector. Instructor Explanation: Environmental Sociology focuses on the interaction & intersection of the natural physical environment & social human behavior. Environmental Sociologists study the environmental & ecological issues & threats that face our society & planet today. Environmental Sociologists focus on how humans impact their environment & how they cause many of these environmental problems & issues. One of the main goals of an Environmental Sociologist is to try to come up with viable & very relevant solutions to many of these environmental problems & issues. Points Received: 0 of 30 Comments: Question 2. Question : (TCO 2) Describe the environments impact on race, poverty, & disempowerment. Explain how this impacts human inequality & how it creates a community of haves & have nots. Compare & contrast some ways you would solve some of these issues of inequality. Student Answer: The world economy is in a state of what is commonly viewed as unprecedented growth. But with this growth has come dangerous & destructive economic disparity. On the one hand, we see the "impressive" economy in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in the United States, where Silicon Valley, a region of 2.3 million people, has produced tens of thousands of millionaires, with 64 new ones every day. There are regular U.S. reports of historically low unemployment rates, labor shortages & booming economy. On the other hand, many people of color, particularly those in the Southern Hemisphere, do not have enough food to eat, resulting in malnutrition & disease. They face growing inflation while their governments, which used to subsidize some aspects of their marginal living, are urged to stop subsidies for food & adopt a more market-oriented economics. Many workers in these economies are trapped in poor working conditions with low pay. Women are often expected to do back-breaking farm & domestic WORK, with few rights or benefits. Yet many of the fiscal policies pushed onto developing countries & adopted in northern countries exacerbate the problem of the most marginal while celebrating the wealth of the rich. In the North as well, people of color often find themselves being left farther & farther behind. Even as states in the U.S. & the nation as a whole report budget surpluses, we seem unable or unwilling to provide adequate housing for the growing number of working-class & homeless families, to repair the physical structure of schools that house low-income students of color, or to provide social services or medical attention for those most in need. Sweatshops that employ people of color working as virtual slave laborers are tolerated -- even encouraged -- as part of the new world trade. The public space people of color & marginal groups are most dependent on -- whether it is public hospitals, schools, parks, or a social welfare system -- is constantly attacked as inconsistent with the needs of capital & the market. Indeed, we are encouraged to remake public space to mimic private space with a market, anti- democratic orientation where we are consumers, not citizens. How are these disparate conditions related to globalism, & why are people of color under the most severe threat from this process? Certainly, other people are also under a threat from this globalization process, & some would assert that democracy & capitalism itself may be undone by this process if it is not checked. To answer the above question & to understand why minorities & other marginal populations are most at risk, it is first necessary to better understand what globalism is, particularly the type of globalism that dominates today's markets. What Is Globalism? In the most general sense, globalism refers to the process in which goods & services, including capital, move more freely within & among nations. As globalism advances, national boundaries become more & more porous, & to some extent, less & less relevant. Since many of our early industries, such as steel, were location-sensitive, there was a natural limitation to globalization. To be sure, some things remain location-sensitive, but mobility is the trend. It is assumed that liberalizing laws & structures, so that goods & services can become more globally focused, will produce more wealth, & indeed this seems to be true. Using this general understanding of globalism & globalization, it would be accurate to say this process has been developing & growing for WELL over a hundred years. But there have been many changes in the globalization process in the last two decades that makes it distinct from earlier incarnations. The major thing being traded in today's global market is information & capital itself, rather than commodities or other products. Technological change allows capital to move almost instantaneously. Changes in monetary policies, as well as in what is being traded & the importance of capital, have created a global market distinctively different from previous eras. Earlier products & capital were more rooted to a place. Today, many of the things traded & produced in the global market, such as knowledge & computer technology, are extremely mobile or rootless. The United States has emerged as the only world superpower. This has allowed the U.S. tremendous influence in setting the terms for global trade. The style of globalism pushed by the United States has favored the free movement & protection of capital, while being at best indifferent & at worst hostile to the more place-dependent labor. It is the dual relationship of mobile capital & fixed, unorganized & unprotected labor that has created the conditions for capital to dominate. This has been greatly enhanced by the U.S. position toward organized labor & capital. While the U.S. has been aggressive in protecting capital both at home & abroad, it has encouraged both the weakening of organized labor & removing protections for workers. While both Japan & Europe have aggressively pushed for globalism, each has been more willing to protect labor, the environment & certain markets -- at least within their own borders. It is the United States that has consistently been the most radical on liberalizing capital & protecting it as it moves across boundaries, & the most hostile to protecting labor & fragile markets. Protecting labor expresses itself not only in strong unions & workers' benefits but also in a strong social welfare system. The United States has purposefully moved toward weaker labor unions, as well as an anemic social welfare system. It has used the globalism it advocates as justification for keeping workers' jobs insecure, pay & benefits relatively low. Workers are told that pushing hard for benefits will cause capital to leave to another location in the country or the world where workers are willing to work for less with fewer benefits. The United States & the international organizations over which it has substantial influence, such as the International Monetary Fund, have demanded protection of capital & encouraged or tolerated the suppression of labor & the environment in the weaker southern countries. Capital is actively being directed to markets with low wages, where workers are sometimes abused & labor organizations suppressed. The wealth this globalism is creating is being forcefully subsidized by vulnerable workers & the environment, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. This logic is then used to weaken the position of labor in the North, as we are required to compete with unorganized, suppressed labor in the South. While sweatshops & slave labor may attract capital investments, what about the futures of black welfare mothers in Detroit or the Aborigines in Australia, who need government assistance to take advantage of, say, the educational system? How or why does U.S.-style globalism affect their needs? U.S.-style globalism not only attempts to suppress labor, but also seeks to suppress social welfare systems & support for public expenditures that do not directly benefit the expansion of capital. The social welfare system & other public services, such as schools, social services in the North & food subsidies in the South, are supported through taxes, & taxes reduce short-term benefits to capital. In the North, it is women & minorities who are most dependent on the public sector. These racial & gender correlations make it all the easier to attack the legitimacy of taxation for this purpose. Taxes are seen as undesirable because they reduce profits & interfere with the market. But the public space, including the welfare system, can only be supported by the public in the form of taxes. Whether we are talking about education or other public services, we are encouraged to believe that they should be as limited as possible & made to mimic the market. Those who cannot thrive in the market environment without help, especially if they are people of color, are seen as free-loaders & illegitimate. In many ways, much of the public space in the United States becomes associated with people of color. Goodbye, Democratic Vision? Public purposes & civic goods -- to the extent they are even recognized -- are no longer to be achieved through public institutions but are to be privatized. The democratic vision associated with public functions is to be abandoned or seriously curtailed in favor of the ideal of efficiency. There is an abiding belief that democracy must be limited because it interferes with the private decisions of market experts, thereby reducing wealth & capital. & anything that is perceived as interfering with the growth of capitalism -- be it the social welfare system, labor unions, civil rights or government programs -- is being curtailed, while government policies & structures that protect capital, including the military, are enhanced. Although proponents of this style of globalism purport to support democracy, it is only in a role subservient to capital. In the United States, we are softly encouraged to vote, while being constantly reminded that in these global matters that shape our everyday life, we have no say. We are told that no city, state or nation can or should try to influence this powerful but uncontrollable process. We are reminded that one can regulate capital, & any attempt to do so will hurt the economy. The deregulation of capital is made to appear both good & natural. Our attention is drawn away from the fact that there are powerful organizations supported by the U.S. government's leadership that protect & facilitate the flow of capital. These institutions include the World Bank, International Development Association, International Finance Corporation, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, etc. Unfortunately, there are no organizations of equal stature to protect the interests of workers, racial minorities, the environment, or women & children. There are, of course, several treaties & international instruments dealing with some of these issues, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious or Linguistic Minorities, & so forth. However, they are nearly impotent, compared with the institutions with far-reaching & substantial goals of protecting capital. When citizens try to raise such issues, it is simply asserted that making working conditions or the environment part of trade agreements would unduly interfere with free trade. American-style globalism has not just transformed the flow of capital, it has transformed the role of government & the meaning of citizenship. People are now brought together as consumers but kept apart as citizens. The transformed role of government is not to protect citizens or the precious safety net of public space but to protect & facilitate the flow of capital. So today we speak of free markets but not of free labor. We speak of an expanding global market, but a diminishing public space, & we hardly speak at all of citizen participation & justice. This is an authoritarian vision where armies police people & nations, so capital might be free. It is very doubtful that capital, despite advances in technology, would be nearly as mobile as it is without the nationally brokered agreements that have the force of law & the coercive power of the state behind them. But while capital relies on the government to do its bidding, we enjoy freedom as individuals without the power that only comes from the collective action of informed citizens. While it might be true that cities & states, & certainly private individuals, can do little to influence globalism, it is clearly false that nations, especially the United States, are powerless in the face of globalism. Undermining Social Movements During the last part of the 20th century, the Civil Rights Movement, the women's movement & the environmental movement advanced their claims for inclusion & justice. An attack on the public role of the state is a powerful strategy to limit the aspirations of these groups. They aremade impotent in a forum where wealth, not votes, dictates policies. These groups are marginalized in an economic arena that transforms the market, with decisions made behind closed doors, & not in public & civic spaces. Destruction of the public space also results in a decline of the public voice. In the United States, this decline in the role & scope of democracy in the relationship to the market occurred just when the Civil Rights Movement began to make significant gains in securing for blacks & other minorities real access to the political process. This article, then, is not an attack on globalism per se but on the excess & undemocratic nature of the U.S.-style globalism popular now, which is particularly hostile to people of color & other marginal groups. This style of globalism disempowers average Americans in every way, except as consumers. Globalization has been happening for over a century & will continue. It must be re-envisioned to appropriately protect capital, but also to protect labor, the environment & people of color. These concerns must be seen as interrelated, not as separate. Furthermore, we must create the necessary international structures with transparency & accountability in order to make this vision a reality & to develop suitable remedies for the plight of marginalized peoples. These steps should not be seen as hostile to business, but as an appropriate cost of doing business in a justice-oriented & sustainable global economy. Despite the rhetoric about the unmitigated good that can come from U.S.-style globalism, there is an increasing call to look more closely at the process as it relates to people & the environment throughout the world. Some assert that U.S.-style globalism threatens democracy. Others argue that this style of globalism threatens capitalism itself. We think that both claims may be right. We believe it is critical to look more closely at what globalism means for people in general & people of color in particular. Given its more recent history of developing a social compact that includes all people, the United States should A national target Setting a binding national target for reducing economic inequality, much like the recent target for reducing child poverty, would be a vital first step in defusing this effect. It would solidify government commitment to act, serve as a barometer of success and, most importantly, provide an important means for the public to hold them to account. Download the report to read more about how an economic inequality reduction target could work & the indicators we could use to measure it. The inequality hit list No one policy can single-handedly beat inequality: the roots of the problem extend into the very structure of our economy. The solution will instead require ambitious, concerted action on several fronts. Our proposals focus on five major policy areas that, targeted together, could help reverse the vicious cycle. 1. Make high-quality childcare available to all We all know how critical the first five years of a person’s life are to social & cognitive development, yet the UK still has an eye-wateringly expensive childcare system that puts high quality care out of reach to those on low incomes. Overhauling the system so that good childcare is affordable to all would help address unequal starting points & lay the foundations for a more equal society. NEF proposes state support to cap the costs of care at 15% family INCOME, & a vast improvement in the pay, working conditions, training & status of childcare workers. More about the feasibility & cost of this in NEF’s recent report, The value of childcare. Better, more affordable childcare would also have the bonus effect of giving mums & dads more choice over how to juggle their children, working lives & other important commitments – good for economy & well-being alike. 2. Tackle polarised pay The economy may be growing overall, but the share of wealth going into employee pay packets (as opposed to shareholder profits) is shrinking. Average real wages have been falling CONTINUOUSLY for decades, while executive pay rockets skyward. In-work poverty has got so bad that the largest group of people claiming benefits are from families with at least one working adult. Clearly this is not the route to a healthy, more equal economy. NEF proposes a department of labour tasked with rebuilding the link between the UKs overall economic prosperity & wages. There are plenty of places they could start: raising the minimum wage; requiring companies to publish the difference between the highest & lowest salaries they pay out; introducing pay ratios; & restoring the bargaining power of workers through embedding collective voice in the workplace. The opportunity exists for the public sector to lead the way, as spelled out in our recent report – Raising the benchmark. 3. Create good jobs around the country Our jobs market is not only geographically skewed towards London & the South East – it is hollow in the middle, as positions are increasingly divided between low-paid jobs in care, retail & hospitality & highly-paid jobs in sectors such finance, law & IT. NEF has previously called on the government to extend the mandate of the planned British Investment Bank to not only boost lending to small & medium businesses, but ensure these businesses are capable of delivering well-paid, rewarding & environmentally viable jobs around the country. 4. Transform jobs into careers with better training It is often implied that inequality is the result of the unwillingness of those at the bottom to work hard & climb the ladder. But as young people – graduates & non-graduates alike – are increasingly sucked into dead-end jobs with scant opportunity for progression, the reality is that, for many, this ladder does not exist. We need a major investment drive in training & skills development, at all levels of industry from junior to management (which the UK scores famously poorly on). This could involve promoting pooled training investment by sector & channelling state support towards apprenticeships that lead to progression. 5. Fairer taxes When you take account of direct & indirect taxes, those on low incomes in the UK are being hit too hard, while billions of pounds each year are being lost through tax avoidance & evasion at the top. Progressive tax reforms, such as a Land Value Tax, would help address inequality at root & redistribute economic power. Shifting the burden of taxes onto environmentally unfriendly activities would kill two birds with stone by relieving struggling families & speeding up the transition to a low- carbon economy, not be championing a style of globalism that is blind to the needs of some sectors. If this process continues, we are likely to permanently re-inscribe a subordinated, life-threatening status for people of color all over the globe & rationalize it with an invisible hand. We can change this by working to make the invisible visible. Instructor Explanation: Many corporations, organizations, & people make a lot of money in industry & business through activities that degrade the environment. This environmental degradation often creates a social class system where people get rich at the expense of other people who are forced to work in hazardous working conditions, become poor, & have to live in some of these environmentally polluted regions & areas. This social class system often leads to poverty & can be linked to race, social inequality, & disempowerment. This concept is often referred to as "environmental racism." Points Received: 0 of 30 Comments: parts copied from: http://www.globalexchange.org/resources/econ101/globalization Question 3. Question : (TCO 4) Describe how consumption & materialism impact the physical environment? Give a few examples. Can our society continue to practice materialism & at the same time still become more sustainable? What are some things we overconsume? Student Answer: For many Americans, the pursuit of happiness & the pursuit of material wealth lie on the same playing field. But is it possible that this pursuit of material goods in our search for happiness is more damaging to ourselves & our environment than we think? It was Douglas Horton, clergyman of the late 19th century who realized "materialism is the only form of distraction from true bliss." Despite this observation & others, most strive for much more than simply food, water, shelter & clothing. The desire to buy bigger, better, newer & more stuff is what fuels the American dream & the world economy. How does the desire for material wealth hurt us? How does it hurt our environment? How materialism hurts us + solutions The constant desire for stuff is what drives our global economy - & many suffer because of it. The environment suffers as well. The cost of goods for many of us is not the issue, but the true cost to the environment is one that cannot be labeled with a price tag. As cute, awesome or impressive the item is, it costs human labor, water, fossil fuels to manufacture & transport it. The outcome, aside from owning this cute, awesome or impressive item is increased pollution, destruction of precious land, harmful working conditions. Yes, we know the costs & result of producing & consuming things, & many of you can name quite a few more. Let's SET that aside. Time for solutions. Is there a way we can live in a developed world without having materialism consume us? Every day we are assaulted by peer pressure from friends, family & advertisements, promising that buying a particular product will make us better, stronger, faster, thinner, sexier, smarter & more. Many of these things we do in fact need. Or do we? Only when we understand the line between things we need, & things we desire, can we overcome the pressures to buy. No matter who you are, or how much money you have - the things you buy have an effect on you, your environment, & the unseen people in far off lands who are connected to those things through manufacturing, production, packaging & transportation. The bright light at the end of this often dim tunnel is that there are ways to live in abundance of everything you need. How good it feels to live FREE of destroying your own home? Be excited, with a small mental shift, & few small actions, you can help to avoid over-consumption, help the environment, & return to a slightly more blissful existence free of clutter, both mental & physical. Goodwill Goodwill online is the first Internet auction site created, owned & operated by a nonprofit organization. Clothing, art, furniture & more are offered for auction. All profits go to help people overcome employment barriers & become independent Stone Cold Fox A unique women's clothing company that utilizes second hand clothing, intent on "taking vintage glamour & making it a bit more street." Amazon The earth's biggest selection of used books, music & DVDs. You can easily find the item you are looking for, second-hand, & in excellent condition. Ebay Motors Buy & sell used autos, trucks, parts, motorcycles, boats, & accessories. Cheap, resourceful, & with no smell left that an air freshener can't fix. The Salvation Army Give to those who have less. Anything from cars, clothes, furniture, & toys. Also a great place to shop for yourself. Bookmooch Exchange & trade used books with people from around the world. What can we do? 1. Upcycle: Not just bottles, cans & cardboard. With some creativity, you can find a use for what many would call trash. Use the wood from that old bookshelf to make a chair. Turn that empty wine bottle into a vase. Cut in half & sand for a candle, pencil holder or drinking vessel. Break into shards & mix with cement to make bricks for a new walkway or resurface your kitchen counter. Upcycle is the new recycle. 2. Buy local: The energy & resources used to make & transport goods from one end of the world to the other are immense. Food is the easiest connection to make. Imagine the environmental impact of eating a banana from Guatemala in Canada on a winter day? Eat according to seasons, buy from farmers markets, participate in a CSA program. Search out local purveyors & manufacturers to boost your local economy & protect your mother. 3. Drink tap: Nearly 42 million water bottles are used per day. Compared to tap water, 800 times more energy is wasted & it's 10 times more expensive. If you can't stand the taste of tap water, buy a re-usable water bottle & filter for the kitchen sink. 4. Plant: There isn't a more local source than your own backyard. Even a small container garden is easy to grow & maintain vegetables & native, local plants. 5. Transportation: Ride the bus. Ride the train. Carpool. Imagine the joy you will feel when you bring a book & relax on your way to work while doing your part to protect the environment. 6. Litter no more: A simple, yet far too often broken rule to live by. All drains lead to the ocean, & that cigarette butt will look like candy & eventually kill some beautiful young pelican. Re-think the concept of litter - maybe it can be used or re-purposed again after all? 7. Downsize: Your home, car, closet & storage unit. Ask yourself how these things make you feel? You might discover a natural calm once these things are no more. Simplify, simplify, simplify. 8. Vote: For local officials & candidates who share an interest in helping the environment & not oil. The business of oil is what drives the factories & machines that lead to more things. 9. Buy used: Whether it is clothing from a second-hand store, used books or music, or even a used car. The more you buy used, the more precious resources are saved instead of consumed. Instructor Explanation: The consumption of the Earth's materials takes a major impact on the physical environment. Have you ever thought about how many materials go into creating the computer that you are currently on? Where does it all come from? Most material is mined from various places all around the Earth. Some of this mining is done deep in the ground & materials are brought to the surface. Other mining is done closer to the surface in open pit mines. This mining impacts humans in the form of accidents, which injures & even kills hundreds of miners each year. Also, this mining often causes air, water, & even noise pollution. This whole process of creating material goods from start (creation), middle (marketing, selling, & consumption), & end (either holding on to it, reusing it, selling it, recycling it, or throwing it out) is called the "cradle-to-grave lifestyle." It should also be noted that consumption & materialism also impacts people by pressuring them to work harder & so they can afford to purchase more material goods. This often creates stress in a person's professional & personal life. People today seem to be working harder & longer than in the past as well as taking less vacations & personal time. Of course, this varies depending on region/country. Figure 2.2 in the course readings show the relationship of mandated vacation time per country. Can this pattern continue to increase? Is there a limit? Will some people actually burn out from all of this? There have been many incidents of slave labor & materials made in sweat shots in other countries. Many USA businesses have gotten in trouble for purchasing their goods from these countries that practice these inhumane activities. And finally, we obviously can't over consume all of these materials forever. We must come up with some solutions on how we can create a more sustainable global society. How can we do this? What we need to do is reduce, reuse, & recycle as well as come up with new green technologies & alternative fuels. This is easier said than done of course because this involves a lot of money & deals with many different issues of global & local politics. Points Received: 0 of 30 Comments: Collette: Most of this post appears to be copied word-for-word from a website (http://hubpages.com/politics/Material-Wants-VS-Needs), yet no citation was provided. Per the study guide in Doc Sharing, the only resource used to complete the exam should be the course material. Further, ANY time you take information from a source, as discussed in the plagiarism policy, it should be properly cited. Please ensure going forward that all exam responses are in your own words, using only the course reading to support your points. I will award partial credit this time, but in the future do not copy & paste information from websites to answer exam responses. -Prof. Worley Question 4. Question : (TCO 6) Describe the economics & politics of implementing green technology in our society. Why are we so slow to move toward this type of green technology & away from petroleum? Compare & contrast which forms of green technology might realistically be built in the next 10 years. Which ones do you think need to wait until a future to be built, & why? Student Answer: he term "technology" refers to the application of knowledge for practical purposes. The field of "green technology" encompasses a continuously evolving group of methods & materials, from techniques for generating energy to non-toxic cleaning products. The present expectation is that this field will bring innovation & changes in daily life of similar magnitude to the "information technology" explosion over the last two decades. In these early stages, it is impossible to predict what "green technology" may eventually encompass. The goals that inform developments in this rapidly growing field include: Sustainability - meeting the needs of society in ways that can continue indefinitely into the future without damaging or depleting natural resources. In short, meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. "Cradle to cradle" design - ending the "cradle to grave" cycle of manufactured products, by creating products that can be fully reclaimed or re-used. Source reduction - reducing waste & pollution by changing patterns of production & consumption. Innovation - developing alternatives to technologies - whether fossil fuel or chemical intensive agriculture - that have been demonstrated to damage health & the environment. Viability - creating a center of economic activity around technologies & products that benefit the environment, speeding their implementation & creating new careers that truly protect the planet. Examples of green technology subject areas Energy Perhaps the most urgent issue for green technology, this includes the development of alternative fuels, new means of generating energy & energy efficiency. Green building Green building encompasses everything from the choice of building materials to where a building is located. Environmentally preferred purchasing This government innovation involves the search for products whose contents & methods of production have the smallest possible impact on the environment, & mandates that these be the preferred products for government purchasing. Green chemistry The invention, design & application of chemical products & processes to reduce or to eliminate the use & generation of hazardous substances. Green nanotechnology Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of materials at the scale of the nanometer, one billionth of a meter. Some scientists believe that mastery of this subject is forthcoming that will transform the way that everything in the world is manufactured. "Green nanotechnology" is the application of green chemistry & green engineering principles to this field. When it comes to such a large-scale shift in energy supplies, few places face more of a challenge than the United States. Americans burn through nearly 6.4 billion barrels of oil & 1.1 billion metric tons of coal per year on our way to getting 83 percent of our energy fix from fossil fuels. Renewable resources, such as the sun, the wind, the flow of rivers & fuels derived from crops supply just 8 percent of our energy needs. Take away ethanol & hydropower, & the sun, the wind, & geothermal power supply less than 1 percent of the U.S.’s total energy use, including gasoline consumption. Just to supply one- quarter of its current energy mix from a resource that emits far fewer greenhouse gases — nuclear power — the U.S. would need to build 1,000 one-gigawatt nuclear reactors by 2050. Yet construction has begun on only two nuclear reactors in the U.S. since 1974. & just to power an electric car & truck fleet to replace the U.S.’s current gas & ethanol-fueled one would require 500 new nuclear power plants. There are currently 442 reactors in the entire world, of which the U.S. has 104 — the most of any nation. U.S. attempts to wean itself from fossil fuels have never fared well, yet the Obama administration has committed internationally to an 80 percent drop in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Either alternative energy supplies will need to ramp up from nearly zero to almost 100 percent in just four decades, or large-scale carbon capture & storage will be required, including pulling CO2 out of the air after it has been put there by all of our automobiles. In fact, simply removing one gigaton of carbon from the atmosphere would require 273 coal- fired power plants with complete carbon capture & storage. At present, there is one in the U.S., capturing just 1.5 percent of its emissions. “We are talking about a transformation across the entire country,” Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) chairman Jon Wellinghoff said in an interview with Yale Environment 360. “We are talking about potentially tens of thousands of new transmission lines to ultimately move large amounts of wind, solar, & other resources to loads. We are talking about in the scale of billions of dollars of investments in smart-grid technologies, all the way from the consumer level up through to the transmission & generation level.” Assuming the U.S. will require roughly 4 terrawatts of power by 2050 (a conservative estimate, given that we already use more than three), To meet present global consumption would require covering 1 percent of Earth’s surface with photovoltaic devices. replacing all that fossil fuel would require at least 4 million wind turbines — necessitating building 12, three-megawatt wind turbines every hour for the next 30 years, according to Griffiths. The numbers are similar for solar — 160 billion square meters of photovoltaic cells or concentrating mirrors. “We need to be making a square yard of solar cells or mirrors every second for the next 40 years to install that much in North America,” Griffiths calculates. It’s not just a matter of making the necessary equipment, it’s also a question of finding the space for it. A coal-fired power plant produces 100 to 1,000 watts per square meter, depending on the type of coal it burns & how that coal is mined. A typical photovoltaic system for turning sunlight into electricity produces just 9 watts per square meter, & wind provides only 1.5 watts per square meter. The challenge is worse for smaller countries: the United Kingdom would have to cover its entire landmass with wind turbines to provide enough electricity for the current Briton’s average consumption — roughly 200 kilowatt- hours per day, according to MacKay, the Cambridge expert. Although daunting, the challenges of installing new energy technologies on a mass scale are by no means impossible. In the first half of the 20th century, it took the U.S. 45 years to increase its use of oil until that fossil fuel represented 20 percent of the total energy used. At the same time, the U.S. built a sprawling gasoline-fueling station infrastructure, the rudiments of a national electricity grid, thousands of miles of telephone lines, airplanes & airports, interstate natural gas pipelines, & local delivery infrastructure for home heating — & rolled out all the appliances (refrigerators, radios, televisions, etc.) of the modern age — all in the same few decades, at the same time. In other words, the U.S. seems to have “scaled up,” in the parlance of engineers, pretty rapidly in the past. Transforming the global economy to run on renewable energy would require a similarly massive effort. For example, to provide the energy equivalent of present global consumption would require covering 1 percent of the Earth’s surface with photovoltaic devices, according to chemist Nathan Lewis of the California Institute of Technology. That’s less than the land area currently covered by cities, but a huge chunk of territory nonetheless. “You can actually farm, you can actually graze, you can actually do things around that [wind] turbine versus if you are taking the top off a mountain If this great energy transformation eventually comes, it will take decades to COMPLETE. to produce some coal,” FERC’s Wellinghoff notes. “Ultimately, we are going to have to accept the fact that wind turbines & solar systems are going to take up fairly large pieces of land. But, fortunately, we have a lot of land in this country & we have the ability to have dual use of that land.” But the U.S. also leads the major nations of the world in per capita consumption of energy. The average American used 7.2 metric tons of oil-equivalent in 2009 (a number that, to be fair, has gotten slightly better of late, down from 8.5 in 2005.) That’s double the amount used by the average citizen in Europe, & five times the global average. To put it another way, the average American uses 250 kilowatt-hours per day for “transportation, heating, manufacturing, electricity, & so forth,” writes MacKay. “That’s equivalent to every person having 250 40-watt light bulbs switched on all the time.” Energy efficiency might bring that consumption as low as 168 kwh per day, according to MacKay. But that still means each American would require 80 square meters of photovoltaic panels, plus biofuels from energy crops on 4,000 square meters of land. In addition, the U.S would need to build one 2-megawatt wind turbine for every 300 Americans, plus one 1-gigawatt nuclear power plant for every city the size of Boston. On the grander scale, more than half of the energy used in the U.S. — 56.3 percent — is wasted. That’s a result of the essential inefficiency of burning coal in a power plant or gasoline in an automobile engine, or even transmitting electricity over vast distances. Industry is beginning to make use of this waste — a steel plant in Indiana employs the waste heat from a coal coking plant to generate electricity, enough to help run its steel rolling machines in another adjacent facility. & while U.S. energy use has grown over the past four decades, three-quarters of that growth has been met through gains in energy efficiency, not by burning additional fossil fuels, according to a 2008 report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). The energy used to produce Instructor Explanation: Petroleum (oil, natural gas, & coal) companies are some of the richest companies in the world. Companies like BP, Shell, Exxon Mobile, & many companies in the Middle East are examples. They use a lot of their economic & political power along with advertising & marketing to make sure that the world sticks with their product. Some believe that the War in Iraq was all about oil & not the people. Why does our society continue to give into these oil companies? Why doesn't our society resist these companies & move toward more green technologies? How can we motivate our society to do this? Many people are against non-green technologies but no movement is ever really strong enough to make any headway to changing or transitioning into more green technologies. Some economists worry that changing from non-green technologies to more green technologies might stump or block global economic growth. But, the current state of our global economy does create worldwide economic inequality which only adds to our overconsumption of goods & resulting materialism. Would going to a more green technology economy limit overconsumption & materialism? How will changing from a carbon based global economy to a more green economy impact Capitalism? Can we use technology & more specifically, green technology to create social change? Technology should always be thought of & used as a tool, a tool that no one should ever abuse. Technology can be viewed just like information. Those who control technology, controls the world. What are some of the negative aspects of technology, more specifically, when we allow technology to control us? One example of this concept can be seen in the automobile. Almost everyone has one. It is very beneficial for transportation, but when abused can become a weapon in killing other humans & even animals. Also most cars today still run on petroleum which pollutes the environment & causes acid rain & global warming. This pollution also causes death. We can limit all of this as a global society by creating cars of the future that don't use petroleum as well as cars that are computer guided (GPS). But, people's love affair with driving & freedom may detour this idea. The car has been one of the most political global technologies ever created. Points Received: 0 of 30 Comments: Response is copied from: http://www.green- technology.org/what.htm. Question 5. Question : (TCO 7) Describe in detail our population's impact on poverty. Provide a few detailed examples. Explain how environmental sociologists think we can solve issues of poverty. How do you think we can solve worldwide poverty? Student Answer: As living population increases in an ecosystem, it causes stress on the environment. Theses stresses sometimes include space, over population, & over use of food & resources. This stress can often cause disruptions in the ecological food chains. This sometimes impacts the environment as well. This impact often causes many different forms of pollution & even is believed to be one of the causes of Global warming & Climate Change. The global ecosystem is set up only to allow so much of a population to be successful. This involves energy through the food chain. When certain populations bet too big, nature usually has its own control methods to balance it out. Over the years, humans have interfered with many of these control thus creating many problems. Australia is a good example of this as well as many of the islands in the Pacific Rim. For example, a few species of mice & rats have been introduced to Australia which only caused their populations to explode & eat up crops & spread disease. Another great example is the United States. The introduction of the possum as well as many other species that people bring over for pets that end up escaping. Consumption for raw building materials in developing countries in South America has lead to the deforestation of the rain forest & the loss of countless species of plant & animals. In poorer countries ; 1. Improving the TRAINING & equipment of farmers related to agriculture & natural resource management, to help increase crop yields & conserve the environment. 2. Improving opportunities & incentives for young females to have children only when they can assure their wellbeing. 3. Improving supplies of clean water, to reduce time spent gathering often foul water & reduce illness caused by foul water supplies. 4. Improving the supply of accessible, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE information & services, to reduce the vulnerability to disease of children & the elderly especially. In richer countries ; 1. Improving WORK opportunities & incentives for the poor so they can provide well for themselves & their families. 2. Improving the quality of EDUCATION for poor children & EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES & incentives. 3. Improving opportunities & incentives for poor young females to have children only when they can assure their wellbeing. China has with some success also used a Child Tax to help control population & reduce poverty. But an annual New Child Tax could be more helpful if of the general form eg ; First child = -£1000 per year Second child = £0 per year Third child = £1000 per year Fourth child = £2000 per year Fifth+ child = £3000 per year In some countries, inadequate education is chiefly helping maintain poverty for many. In some countries, inadequate medicine is chiefly helping maintain poverty for many. In some other countries, war or bad government or limited resources or a mix of reasons is helping maintain poverty for many. Instructor Explanation: Many third world countries actually use people as labor so they aim for increasing their populations as a way of income & growth. This also causes many to live in poverty due to the lack of food & other vital resources. This also stresses the local environments which often lead to pollution, deforestation, & the destruction of natural resources. Globally, it just ads to the overall Global Warming & Climate Change problem. Our global society is not equally distributed in terms of population. Some areas have too many people, some areas have just enough, & some areas don't have enough. Environmental Sociologists are most concerned with areas where there are too many people. This extra stress causes too much competition for the same resources which often leads to poverty. These regions are usually areas in the middle latitudes near large bodies of water. Also, in some regions where people live there are very few resources which also can create poverty. These regions are usually in the very high latitudes closer to the poles & right at the equator & or near deserts. How can we solve these issues of people being unevenly distributed globally? We can't just move people around. These are some of the issues Environmental Sociologist & our global society must address in order to be more successful. Page: 12 Collapse Mark as Read Documentation & reimbursement Daphney Simon Email this Author 2/3/2015 5:45:58 PM In the medical field, if it wasn't documented, then it wasn't done. As stated by Hebda & Czar (2013), “The requirements of the Joint Commission, Medicare, & Medicaid are driving forces in documentation design. Accurate completion of the minimum data set is necessary for compliance & reimbursement” (p. 413). Over the past year & a half, CMS has unveiled a series of rules & initiatives that will change the way Medicare pays hospitals, doctors, & other health care providers, to ensure that they are providing the kinds of high-quality care beneficiaries expect & deserve, at a cost our nation can afford. These changes will provide Americans with better health care by rewarding what works such as improved care coordination while also giving Medicare the tools to control costs over the long run such as changing the way we pay doctors & other providers to reward efficient, quality care. It is the respinsibilities of the entire health care system to adopt these new delivery system reform initiatives in order to get reimbursed or they will be responsible for the costs.Proper documentation is required in order to get reimbursed. Also nurses need to give themeselves credit for what they have done as they are doing a great job. They have to document what the amazing job they have done. CSM payment denial can have a big impact on the healthcare system. For instance, salary rate decrease. The company can go into huge financial crisis. Chamberlain College of Nursing. (2015). NR361 Information Systems in Healthcare: Week 5 lesson. St. Louis, MO: Online Publication. Hebda, T., & Czar, P. (2013). Handbook of informatics for nurses & healthcare professionals (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. Hebda, T., & Czar, P. (2013). Handbook of informatics for nurses & healthcare professionals (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Respond (an instructor response) Collapse Mark as Read RE: Documentation & reimbursement Instructor Starrett Email this Author 2/6/2015 8:42:02 PM