Saturday, May 23, 2020

The Cultural Environment Of A School - 858 Words

Introduction The cultural environment of a school can speak louder than any words. The culture of the school is the life force that keeps the school moving forward and in the right direction. Keeping the environment and culture of the school up beat and positive can be a hard thing for any administrative team to handle. Imploring the correct administration is a very important step in this process. Finding the right administrators that are going to support, listen and lead the faculty of the school is where this positivity needs to start. The faculty its self is also important. The faculty must want to lead and teach the students and each other. When everyone is working harmoniously, the environment of the school is far superior. When one thing is wrong between the administration and the faculty, the whole structure of support and caring can crumble and fall apart. As the old saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. If you think of the child as the culture of the school, and the village as the staff of the school. Without everyone trying and caring about what happens in the school, the cultural of the school will not become a healthy and strong environment. Everyone from the principal to the 3rd shift custodians and 1st shift food personnel need to be on board with caring about how the school is being handled and guiding the school in the correct direction. If everyone helps with developing the culture of the school, the school will be happy, healthy and strong.Show MoreRelatedWhy Discrimination Is Common Among The Racially Different People1205 Words   |  5 Pagesstill present in Australian schools and can take place through verbal, written, visual, and emotional. The people who experience discrimination commonly are not often acknowledged by the teacher or counsellor of the school. The risk is that when discriminatory behaviours are permitted to go unchecked in school, an environment develops in the classroom, in which it seems that these actions ar e considered as normal. The students who have been discriminated against in school are mostly students from differentRead MoreMulticultural Competence Of School Psychologists1031 Words   |  5 PagesMulticultural Competence of School Psychologists For more than two decades, school psychology has known about the necessity for, and importance of, developing multicultural competence (Fouad Arrendondo, 2007). From research, ethics, and practice standards, school psychologists and other school personnel have been aware that an effective school professional is multiculturally competent and able to make sense of students’ sociocultural, socioracial, and sociopolitical backgrounds thatRead MoreThere Are Four Primary Discipline Topics Mentioned Above1244 Words   |  5 Pagesinvestigation. The social model for Cultural Competence and Critical Race Theory (CRT), are the highlights of the dimensions that will influence the research through this exploratory participatory approach. This will be a case study utilizing a mixed method approach through social constructivist participatory analysis. The case study will have an outcome basis that may produce advocacy, more effective professional development, and more cultura lly inclusive learning environments. Let’s view each of these outcomesRead MoreMulticultural Education And Communication Issues1463 Words   |  6 Pages Multicultural Education and Communication Issues In Schools Dorian Stoudemire EDUC 513 American Military University 30 July 2017 â€Æ' Multicultural Education and Communication Issues in Schools Introduction A multicultural setting is considered to have people who have diverse cultural backgrounds. Therefore it is important to consider a school environment as one of those places that have diverse cultural backgrounds. The role of such institutions is to try and provide equal opportunities toRead MoreA Student s Cultural Capital Essay1474 Words   |  6 PagesA student’s cultural capital will have an impact on their education. It will either be positive or it can be negative for the child. In this essay I will explain the idea of cultural capital and then use it to analyse the impact it has had on education in different settings. The first educational setting I will discuss is a story called Butterflies, written by Patricia Grace (2002), and the second being the contrast in education between high and low decile schools in New Zealand. This essay willRead MoreThe Importance Of Teaching Schools With Cultural And Linguistic Diversity Essay1401 Words   |  6 Pagesteaching practice in schools when working with cultural and linguistic diversity. Initially this essay will draw together pedagogical foundations to show the importance for understanding how and why diversity is an issue that needs both personal and professional reflection. Examples of effective practice in three schools will be considered, Clover Park School, Richmond Road School and Finlayson Park School. Creating a learning environment that caters for diversity at Clover Park School involved usingRead MoreMulticultural And Multilingual Classrooms : An Effective Learning Environment1241 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent from their schools cultural teaching style. Multicultural and multilingual classrooms have become the norm in many educational and professional settings throughout the U.S. because of changing immigration patterns caused by globalization (Institute for Educational Leadership, p. 2). For teachers today, it is essential to understand the role of culture and have the ability to intera ct interculturally in the classroom to create an effective learning environment. Analyzing cultural issues or differencesRead MoreThe Key Messages Of The Foundation Phase1057 Words   |  5 PagesFoundation Phase are applied throughout all aspects of the curriculum. It will analyse childhood theorists’ sentiments about the Foundation Phase, the notion of play in learning, both indoor and outdoor, and Personal Social Development, Well-Being and Cultural Diversity. The Foundation Phase is constructed to provide consistency to each child’s education during a crucial stage of their development. However, the consistency does not affect the challenge of the curriculum: Children are given more opportunitiesRead MoreThe Socio Cultural Effects On Academics1086 Words   |  5 Pageswith this comes a mixture of cultures that become intertwined with one another. For instance, the assortment of cultures expand as the immigration rate rapidly increases in countries such as the U.S. As migration continues, people from a variety of cultural backgrounds come together and mix different social ideas and beliefs. These individuals include those who come from a collectivistic or an individualistic society. Due to the differences in societal beliefs, children of immigrant parents, who comeRead MoreReflection On Diversity827 Words   |  4 Pagescreative, dynamic education environment where everyone is welcomed. Without diversity, I think we are less creative individually and collectively. I can describe diversity as a collection of people who have their own unique qualities, who are different and sharing and embracing each other’s individual beliefs, cultures, and thoughts. The differences could be cultural, racial, or learning styles. According to Coleman, Lipper, and Negron (n.d.), students who attend school with diverse population can

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Agricultural Genetic Engineering Essay - 2889 Words

Agricultural Genetic Engineering The ability to directly modify living organisms is a novel human technology. Since the discovery of the DNA molecule the field of genetics has grown at an astounding rate. We now have the ability to alter organisms to fit our needs. This prospect offers the possibility of solving problems that have plagued humanity for thousands of years. In recent years genetically modified organisms have found many practical applications, particularly in the agricultural sector. Genetically modified organisms in this area, called transgenic crops (TC) are already being implemented on a considerably large scale. The possible benefits of utilizing TC has caused us avoid addressing important moral and ethical issues;†¦show more content†¦Where as hybridization would transfer the trait along with a host of other traits, some of which might not be desirable. In effect both methods result in modification to the genome of the particular organism in question. The use of TC promises significantly more flexibility in the alterations that can be made to organisms. Hybridization is limited, in the best cases, to very close plant species. On the other hand rDNA offers the possibility to transfer essentially any desirable trait. It is for this reason that the possibilities of transgenic crops are so vast, ranging from the alteration plant durability to the addition of pesticide production. Transgenic crops: In 1992 the USDA approved Calgen Incorporateds petition to patent their Flavr Savr Tomato. Within two years it was on store shelves and TC have since become prevalent all over the world. The seven major producers of TC are Monsanto, Dow Agro Sciences, Aventis Crop Science, Rhone-Poulenc, AgrEvo, Dupont, and Calgene. Accounting for the majority of the fifty-two TC, which have completed the FDAs consultation process.(2) The United States is not only the world TC development leader, but also the leader in implementation. In 2000 the area of land planted with TC totaled 30.3 million hectares, leading by more than 20 million hectares. (3) Although developed nations are currently leaders in TC technology it is likely that this will diminish quickly. The prospect ofShow MoreRelatedAgricultural Genetic Engineering : A Vital Biotechnological Tool1572 Words   |  7 PagesAgricultural Genetic Engineering; A Vital Biotechnological Tool Fascinating times we are currently living in. A rapid, consistently growing population creating gross demands for food is pushing our resources to capacity. Fulfilling the needs of the world s population is a monumental task. Limited arable land to cultivate and an ever changing climate has led to environmental degradation. At this rate of exponential human population growth, it is predicted to reach 9 billion people by 2050, howeverRead MoreGenetic Engineering And The Canadian Regulation968 Words   |  4 Pagesvalue through genetic manipulation. Over time, advances in the field of molecular biology has allowed scientists to take a particular gene from any organism, including, bacteria, viruses, plants or animals, and introduce those genes into another organism. An organism transformed using genetic engineering techniques is known as transgenic organism (Independent learning center, 2012). This paper discusses the positive and negative effects of genetically engineered organisms i n agricultural applicationsRead MoreGenetically Modified Food in Canada Essay1511 Words   |  7 Pagesreassuring, right? Think again. A closer microscopic inspection discloses something novel, a fundamental revolution in food technology. The technology is genetic engineering (GE), also known as biotechnology. Blue prints (DNA) of agricultural crops are altered and â€Å"spliced† with foreign genes to produce transgenic crops. Foods harvested from these agricultural plants are called, genetically modified (GM). Presently, Canada has no consumer notification; GM foods are being slipped to Canada’s foods withoutRead MoreGenetic Effects Of Genetically Modified Food750 Words   |  3 Pages3.1 Change in protein that can cause allergies Ring (2006) defines an allergy as a â€Å"specific immunological hypersensitivity leading to disease† (p. 1). GM foods have the propensity to cause food allergies because of the change in the food’s genetic make-up or the means used to modify the food. The addition of unnatural genes – that creates the transgene – in the food interferes with its normal functioning and this may disrupt the plant’s acquisition of nutrients from the soil as well as cause reactionsRead MoreThe Field Of Agricultural Biotechnology1071 Words   |  5 PagesAgricultural Biotechnology Due to the greater understanding of DNA, the field of Agricultural Biotechnology has developed rapidly over the last 30 years. Agricultural Biotechnology is a set of tools to modify products, improve plants and animals, and make microorganism for agricultural uses. It’s being used to produce products cheaper and easy to maintain. More and more farmers and producers used genetic engineered crops because of the price and resistances to insects and diseases. The main aimRead MoreEssay about Should Genetic Engineering Be Controlled by Law?992 Words   |  4 PagesShould Genetic Engineering Be Controlled by Law? â€Å"Just as the success of a corporate body in making money need not set the human condition ahead, neither does every scientific advance automatically make our lives more meaningful† ( Professor George Wald, Noble Prize winning biologist, The Dangers of Genetic Engineeering 1976, p.45) . Genetic engineering is the direct manipulation of an organism’s genes. It uses the techniques of molecular cloning and transformation to alter theRead MoreNon Genetically Modified Food Demand1632 Words   |  7 Pagesthe potential harms of consuming these products, effected members of the food industry must consider how this will effect demand for food products that rely upon modified ingredients. Because of the saturation of genetically modified crops in the agricultural industry and the relatively recent public awareness of this issue, non-genetically modified foods still have high elasticity in which demand for such a good is based on the income of the consumer. The lack of consistent regulations requiring manufacturersRead MoreBenefits Of Genetically Modified Foods1203 Words   |  5 PagesGenetically modified organisms, sometimes known as GMO’s, are plants or animals that are created through the process of genetic engineering. Modified foods are often viewed as a valuable solution to ending world hunger, because they take less time to produce into la rger crops. The use of gmos have increased in recent years,because they can grow bigger and faster than regular fruits and vegetables in much harsher environments.Also have seem to sustain and fight off many of the pests that have troubledRead MoreDustin Peacher . Engl 1302.C09. Professor Mccovery. April985 Words   |  4 Pagesof Genetic Engineering and it s Ethics How far would you go to save human lives and to progress society for those in need? The benefits of genetic engineering have shown to outweigh the ethical and environmental consequences associated within the field. Genetic Engineering has shown to provide major benefits in the field of medicine and agriculture but is faced with extreme criticism and backlash, specifically on the basis of ethics. To understand the modern concept over field of the Genetic EngineeringRead MoreThe Benefits of Genetically Modified Crops1191 Words   |  5 Pagesthe United States are genetically modified strains. Genetic engineering is very important to modern society because of the world’s expanding population and with the arising need of food; it provides an adequate source. Genetic engineering may have both advantages and disadvantages, but the future of mankind may be affected greatly if it is allowed to prosper as a modern science. Several main arguments that many people have about genetic engineering are the effects of scientific evolution, cloning experiments

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Nature Swaps in Latin America Free Essays

string(151) " This is a good deal for both since the cooperation gets to write the whole thing off and the conservation organization gets more bang for their buck\." Latin America is currently in a debt crisis. Poor management, over lending by banks, and a bad turn in the world economy has produced severe debt that is forcing these countries to exploit their natural resources in an attempt to ease their economic problems. However, many individuals and organizations have seen a silver lining to this cloud and are now buying debts (at a discounted rate) and giving them back to the debtor countries in return for environmental protection. We will write a custom essay sample on Nature Swaps in Latin America or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although increasingly difficult to achieve, these debt for nature swaps are beneficial to the debtor country and the world. So why do we go to all this trouble for a few countries that are not even big players in the world market? I discovered that we loose about 40 million acres of forest each year and 27 million of that is tropical rain forrest. (White house fact sheet on the President†s Proposal for a Global Forest Convention). Considering that the world†s forest act as respiration, filtration, and cooling system, we must make a concerted effort to conserve and start repairing the damage we have already done. A large part of the worlds forest rest in the debt ridden counrties of Latin America. In an attempt to repay these huge debts, countries are utilizing their natural resourses and straining them to the point where their situation could have global ecological ramifications. There is an undenyable link between the deforestation in Latin America and its enoumous debt. Debt for-nature swaps take advantage of an otherwise bad situation, turn it around, and use it to promote forest conservation in Latin America. The first debt-for-nature swap was with the government of Bolivia and the non government organization Conservation International. Since then, the international community and the United Nations have picked up the idea and now incorperate it in many of their initatives and policies directed toward forest conservation in Latin America. In a debt for nature swap an organization buys a debtor nations foreign debt at a discount ( since most of the worlds financial organizations are eager to unload them) and then forgive it in exchange for a commitment by the country to invest the face value of the debt in environmental conservation. The debt is converted for US dollars to local currency, which is used to fund the programs. This alleviates the debt, and proves a bargain to the organization that initiated the swap. They also receive higher visibility and these types of transactions get them involved in the local government allowing them to pursue future programs. Commercial banks also see a potential in debt for nature swaps. Instead of holding on to a debt that will more than likely never be paid, they donate it to a non government organization and write it off as a charitable donation. More recently, due to a change in international policy, they can not only sell the debt at a discount (recouping some of their loss) , but write it off at face value and gain prestige for their involvement in environmental protection. The role of the debtor nation is a bit more difficult. The debtor nation must agree to essentially buy back the debt by financing the eviromental conservation programs with the converted money and pay any other cost involved in the transaction. Not a bad deal for the debtor nation considering they would have had to pay the initial cost many times over just in interest payments. The USDA forest service says, † The debtor nation consents to the swap terms; bear the cost of: 1 the buy back of the debt from the charitable organization and 2 additional project financing commiserates with the differential between the discount price on the secondary market and the exchange rate for debt converted into local currency. In addition, the project may entail future recurrent expenditures for the host country†s public sector. † Almost all debt-for-nature swaps have some US involvement. Usually we act as the sugar daddy, financing non government organizations and setting up regulations that the debtor nation must meet. In 1990 the US established these regulations under Title VI of the 1990 fact act. The debtor country must be making progress toward the establishment of certain world bank reform programs and be making reforms in the foreign and domestic investment area. The debt swap between the non government organization and the debtor country is negotiated by the US. In exchange for forgiveness of the debt the debtor country must make interest payments into the project, which is governed by a local government body. The body which negotiates the swap is composed of relative US government organizations and some non government relative organizations. Their job is to provide guidance and help carry out the administrative maneuvers needed for such a swap. This type of debt for nature swap is very complicated and has lead conservation groups to look for ways around the jungle of red tape that surrounds these swaps. One type of swap that seems to bypass a lot of these difficulties is an interest swap. The same basic principle applies, but with a twist. The foreign debt is converted into long term bonds by the non government organization and swaps interest payments in return for environmental funding. The debtor nation gets to retire a debt using its own currency, which is diverted to the conservation program. Conservation organizations get some security from inflation and avoid the threat that the debtor nation will renege on its obligations. If the debtor nation stops funding environmental programs, then interest payments resume. Because of the protection and relative ease of this type of swap, it has grown increasingly popular among international conservation organizations. Sometimes a corporation may donate or discount assets it holds in Latin America because they are unable to profit from them. The corporation writes them off as a charitable donation and the non government organization diverts funds for environmental protection. This is a good deal for both since the cooperation gets to write the whole thing off and the conservation organization gets more bang for their buck. You read "Nature Swaps in Latin America" in category "Essay examples" This also effectively cuts out the US, the board of overseers, and for the most part, the local government. Once inaccessible financial resources are being tapped, a debt is being retired, and government supported environmental initiatives are being started. All this seems terribly involved and difficult and that is because it is terribly involved and difficult. These swaps are small compared to the overall national deficit of these countries and that is because they have to be. If they were done on a large scale, in the current state of these countries economies, the influx of domestic currency would haave a bad inflationary effect on the economy, and that is the last thing these countries need. The receiptant countries they will loose economic sovergnity in these debt-for-nature swaps. The donor organization and the US negotiators tack on all kinds of stipulations and conditions to these swaps. Less than appealing conditions for countries that are already under the screws of the IMF and the World Bank. The IMF knows they are the last hope for these countries and do not hesitate to impose mountains of economic conditions with their loans. Granted, they are in the interest of neo-liberal economic reform but, any changes made in their fragile economy can have a rippling effect that can affect the political stability of an administration. In such a political climate it is easy to understand why many Latin American countries are reluctant to participate in these swaps when there is a potiential further loss of their economic sovergnty. The intention and idea behind debt-for-nature swaps are noble but, the question comes up, † Are we really helping Latin American countries by interfering in their affairs? â€Å". Is this just more bad breath diplomacy? These debt for nature swaps are likely to only temporarly aleviate some of Latin Americas economic troubles. With these debts retired, they have access to new funds and the cycle of borrowing will continue along with the deforestation. Besides saving the rain forest, what other plans do US and other international cooperations have in mind for Debt-for-nature swaps? It seems to me that this would be a perfect way to take controll of valuable natural resources and save them for later use. After all, most debt-for-nature swaps are essentially a lease that last until the face value of the debt has been spent on conservation and then the government takes back control of the land. Why not take advantage of Latin Americas bad situation and use it to hold on to valuable land until they are out of crisis and the land is safe? Wait for better economic and ecological conditions. Its cheaper than buying the land and paying taxes on it so just write off a bad loan Latin America is currently in a debt crisis. Poor management, over lending by banks, and a bad turn in the world economy has produced severe debt that is forcing these countries to exploit their natural resources in an attempt to ease their economic problems. However, many individuals and organizations have seen a silver lining to this cloud and are now buying debts (at a discounted rate) and giving them back to the debtor countries in return for environmental protection. Although increasingly difficult to achieve, these debt for nature swaps are beneficial to the debtor country and the world. So why do we go to all this trouble for a few countries that are not even big players in the world market? I discovered that we loose about 40 million acres of forest each year and 27 million of that is tropical rain forrest. (White house fact sheet on the President†s Proposal for a Global Forest Convention). Considering that the world†s forest act as respiration, filtration, and cooling system, we must make a concerted effort to conserve and start repairing the damage we have already done. A large part of the worlds forest rest in the debt ridden counrties of Latin America. In an attempt to repay these huge debts, countries are utilizing their natural resourses and straining them to the point where their situation could have global ecological ramifications. There is an undenyable link between the deforestation in Latin America and its enoumous debt. Debt for-nature swaps take advantage of an otherwise bad situation, turn it around, and use it to promote forest conservation in Latin America. The first debt-for-nature swap was with the government of Bolivia and the non government organization Conservation International. Since then, the international community and the United Nations have picked up the idea and now incorperate it in many of their initatives and policies directed toward forest conservation in Latin America. In a debt for nature swap an organization buys a debtor nations foreign debt at a discount ( since most of the worlds financial organizations are eager to unload them) and then forgive it in exchange for a commitment by the country to invest the face value of the debt in environmental conservation. The debt is converted for US dollars to local currency, which is used to fund the programs. This alleviates the debt, and proves a bargain to the organization that initiated the swap. They also receive higher visibility and these types of transactions get them involved in the local government allowing them to pursue future programs. Commercial banks also see a potential in debt for nature swaps. Instead of holding on to a debt that will more than likely never be paid, they donate it to a non government organization and write it off as a charitable donation. More recently, due to a change in international policy, they can not only sell the debt at a discount (recouping some of their loss) , but write it off at face value and gain prestige for their involvement in environmental protection. The role of the debtor nation is a bit more difficult. The debtor nation must agree to essentially buy back the debt by financing the eviromental conservation programs with the converted money and pay any other cost involved in the transaction. Not a bad deal for the debtor nation considering they would have had to pay the initial cost many times over just in interest payments. The USDA forest service says, † The debtor nation consents to the swap terms; bear the cost of: 1 the buy back of the debt from the charitable organization and 2 additional project financing commiserates with the differential between the discount price on the secondary market and the exchange rate for debt converted into local currency. In addition, the project may entail future recurrent expenditures for the host country†s public sector. † Almost all debt-for-nature swaps have some US involvement. Usually we act as the sugar daddy, financing non government organizations and setting up regulations that the debtor nation must meet. In 1990 the US established these regulations under Title VI of the 1990 fact act. The debtor country must be making progress toward the establishment of certain world bank reform programs and be making reforms in the foreign and domestic investment area. The debt swap between the non government organization and the debtor country is negotiated by the US. In exchange for forgiveness of the debt the debtor country must make interest payments into the project, which is governed by a local government body. The body which negotiates the swap is composed of relative US government organizations and some non government relative organizations. Their job is to provide guidance and help carry out the administrative maneuvers needed for such a swap. This type of debt for nature swap is very complicated and has lead conservation groups to look for ways around the jungle of red tape that surrounds these swaps. One type of swap that seems to bypass a lot of these difficulties is an interest swap. The same basic principle applies, but with a twist. The foreign debt is converted into long term bonds by the non government organization and swaps interest payments in return for environmental funding. The debtor nation gets to retire a debt using its own currency, which is diverted to the conservation program. Conservation organizations get some security from inflation and avoid the threat that the debtor nation will renege on its obligations. If the debtor nation stops funding environmental programs, then interest payments resume. Because of the protection and relative ease of this type of swap, it has grown increasingly popular among international conservation organizations. Sometimes a corporation may donate or discount assets it holds in Latin America because they are unable to profit from them. The corporation writes them off as a charitable donation and the non government organization diverts funds for environmental protection. This is a good deal for both since the cooperation gets to write the whole thing off and the conservation organization gets more bang for their buck. This also effectively cuts out the US, the board of overseers, and for the most part, the local government. Once inaccessible financial resources are being tapped, a debt is being retired, and government supported environmental initiatives are being started. All this seems terribly involved and difficult and that is because it is terribly involved and difficult. These swaps are small compared to the overall national deficit of these countries and that is because they have to be. If they were done on a large scale, in the current state of these countries economies, the influx of domestic currency would haave a bad inflationary effect on the economy, and that is the last thing these countries need. The receiptant countries they will loose economic sovergnity in these debt-for-nature swaps. The donor organization and the US negotiators tack on all kinds of stipulations and conditions to these swaps. Less than appealing conditions for countries that are already under the screws of the IMF and the World Bank. The IMF knows they are the last hope for these countries and do not hesitate to impose mountains of economic conditions with their loans. Granted, they are in the interest of neo-liberal economic reform but, any changes made in their fragile economy can have a rippling effect that can affect the political stability of an administration. In such a political climate it is easy to understand why many Latin American countries are reluctant to participate in these swaps when there is a potiential further loss of their economic sovergnty. The intention and idea behind debt-for-nature swaps are noble but, the question comes up, † Are we really helping Latin American countries by interfering in their affairs? â€Å". Is this just more bad breath diplomacy? These debt for nature swaps are likely to only temporarly aleviate some of Latin Americas economic troubles. With these debts retired, they have access to new funds and the cycle of borrowing will continue along with the deforestation. Besides saving the rain forest, what other plans do US and other international cooperations have in mind for Debt-for-nature swaps? It seems to me that this would be a perfect way to take controll of valuable natural resources and save them for later use. After all, most debt-for-nature swaps are essentially a lease that last until the face value of the debt has been spent on conservation and then the government takes back control of the land. Why not take advantage of Latin Americas bad situation and use it to hold on to valuable land until they are out of crisis and the land is safe? Wait for better economic and ecological conditions. Its cheaper than buying the land and paying taxes on it so just write off a bad loan Latin America is currently in a debt crisis. Poor management, over lending by banks, and a bad turn in the world economy has produced severe debt that is forcing these countries to exploit their natural resources in an attempt to ease their economic problems. However, many individuals and organizations have seen a silver lining to this cloud and are now buying debts (at a discounted rate) and giving them back to the debtor countries in return for environmental protection. Although increasingly difficult to achieve, these debt for nature swaps are beneficial to the debtor country and the world. So why do we go to all this trouble for a few countries that are not even big players in the world market? I discovered that we loose about 40 million acres of forest each year and 27 million of that is tropical rain forrest. (White house fact sheet on the President†s Proposal for a Global Forest Convention). Considering that the world†s forest act as respiration, filtration, and cooling system, we must make a concerted effort to conserve and start repairing the damage we have already done. A large part of the worlds forest rest in the debt ridden counrties of Latin America. In an attempt to repay these huge debts, countries are utilizing their natural resourses and straining them to the point where their situation could have global ecological ramifications. There is an undenyable link between the deforestation in Latin America and its enoumous debt. Debt for-nature swaps take advantage of an otherwise bad situation, turn it around, and use it to promote forest conservation in Latin America. The first debt-for-nature swap was with the government of Bolivia and the non government organization Conservation International. Since then, the international community and the United Nations have picked up the idea and now incorperate it in many of their initatives and policies directed toward forest conservation in Latin America. In a debt for nature swap an organization buys a debtor nations foreign debt at a discount ( since most of the worlds financial organizations are eager to unload them) and then forgive it in exchange for a commitment by the country to invest the face value of the debt in environmental conservation. The debt is converted for US dollars to local currency, which is used to fund the programs. This alleviates the debt, and proves a bargain to the organization that initiated the swap. They also receive higher visibility and these types of transactions get them involved in the local government allowing them to pursue future programs. Commercial banks also see a potential in debt for nature swaps. Instead of holding on to a debt that will more than likely never be paid, they donate it to a non government organization and write it off as a charitable donation. More recently, due to a change in international policy, they can not only sell the debt at a discount (recouping some of their loss) , but write it off at face value and gain prestige for their involvement in environmental protection. The role of the debtor nation is a bit more difficult. The debtor nation must agree to essentially buy back the debt by financing the eviromental conservation programs with the converted money and pay any other cost involved in the transaction. Not a bad deal for the debtor nation considering they would have had to pay the initial cost many times over just in interest payments. The USDA forest service says, † The debtor nation consents to the swap terms; bear the cost of: 1 the buy back of the debt from the charitable organization and 2 additional project financing commiserates with the differential between the discount price on the secondary market and the exchange rate for debt converted into local currency. In addition, the project may entail future recurrent expenditures for the host country†s public sector. † Almost all debt-for-nature swaps have some US involvement. Usually we act as the sugar daddy, financing non government organizations and setting up regulations that the debtor nation must meet. In 1990 the US established these regulations under Title VI of the 1990 fact act. The debtor country must be making progress toward the establishment of certain world bank reform programs and be making reforms in the foreign and domestic investment area. The debt swap between the non government organization and the debtor country is negotiated by the US. In exchange for forgiveness of the debt the debtor country must make interest payments into the project, which is governed by a local government body. The body which negotiates the swap is composed of relative US government organizations and some non government relative organizations. Their job is to provide guidance and help carry out the administrative maneuvers needed for such a swap. This type of debt for nature swap is very complicated and has lead conservation groups to look for ways around the jungle of red tape that surrounds these swaps. One type of swap that seems to bypass a lot of these difficulties is an interest swap. The same basic principle applies, but with a twist. The foreign debt is converted into long term bonds by the non government organization and swaps interest payments in return for environmental funding. The debtor nation gets to retire a debt using its own currency, which is diverted to the conservation program. Conservation organizations get some security from inflation and avoid the threat that the debtor nation will renege on its obligations. If the debtor nation stops funding environmental programs, then interest payments resume. Because of the protection and relative ease of this type of swap, it has grown increasingly popular among international conservation organizations. Sometimes a corporation may donate or discount assets it holds in Latin America because they are unable to profit from them. The corporation writes them off as a charitable donation and the non government organization diverts funds for environmental protection. This is a good deal for both since the cooperation gets to write the whole thing off and the conservation organization gets more bang for their buck. This also effectively cuts out the US, the board of overseers, and for the most part, the local government. Once inaccessible financial resources are being tapped, a debt is being retired, and government supported environmental initiatives are being started. All this seems terribly involved and difficult and that is because it is terribly involved and difficult. These swaps are small compared to the overall national deficit of these countries and that is because they have to be. If they were done on a large scale, in the current state of these countries economies, the influx of domestic currency would haave a bad inflationary effect on the economy, and that is the last thing these countries need. The receiptant countries they will loose economic sovergnity in these debt-for-nature swaps. The donor organization and the US negotiators tack on all kinds of stipulations and conditions to these swaps. Less than appealing conditions for countries that are already under the screws of the IMF and the World Bank. The IMF knows they are the last hope for these countries and do not hesitate to impose mountains of economic conditions with their loans. Granted, they are in the interest of neo-liberal economic reform but, any changes made in their fragile economy can have a rippling effect that can affect the political stability of an administration. In such a political climate it is easy to understand why many Latin American countries are reluctant to participate in these swaps when there is a potiential further loss of their economic sovergnty. The intention and idea behind debt-for-nature swaps are noble but, the question comes up, † Are we really helping Latin American countries by interfering in their affairs? â€Å". Is this just more bad breath diplomacy? These debt for nature swaps are likely to only temporarly aleviate some of Latin Americas economic troubles. With these debts retired, they have access to new funds and the cycle of borrowing will continue along with the deforestation. How to cite Nature Swaps in Latin America, Essay examples

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Knitting A Love Story free essay sample

I have an unusual hobby. I knit, you see, and yes, I am young. â€Å"But that’s a grandma thing,† most people say, failing to hide their laughter behind tell-tale smirks. Oh, yes, very funny. What ‘most people’ don’t realize is that knitting has quite a glamorous history. It’s connected to villainy, war heroics and the lace of the Victorian era. Knitted socks have been found in ancient Egyptian sarcophagi; rich ladies of the Renaissance were painted with needles and yarn in hand. And, of course, among the ranks of famous knitters stand these most notorious and beloved literary matriarchs: Madame Defarge, the cruel revolutionary matron of A Tale of Two Cities, and Molly Weasley, unsung hero and head of the large Weasley clan in Harry Potter. It’s a great legacy to follow, really. It takes very deft finger work to turn unintelligible stitches into perfect code as Madame Defarge did, and while I don’t pretend to agree with her ide ologies, I have always been impressed with her methods. We will write a custom essay sample on Knitting: A Love Story or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In Mrs. Weasley’s case, knitting jumpers for her seven children each Christmas must take a great deal of time and effort, though she does use magic to speed things along. That both women manage to knit while still maintaining reputations as dignified and, at times, terrifying women is a testament to them both, and very much the reason why both are high on my list of favorite literary characters. In ninth grade, my English class read A Tale of Two Cities. Enamored with Madame Defarge’s knitted code, I decided I had to teach my class how to knit as well. Armed with twenty pairs of cheap needles and balls of yarn, we spent hours muddling through basic stitches at various levels of competence. My teacher sat at her desk and laughed as some of my classmates threw down their work in frustration. I whirled about the room and fixed mistakes, laughing along at each aggravated shout of â€Å"No! What happened?! I was doing so well!† I don’t know if that experience helped my peers to better appreciate Dickens; I don’t even know if any of my classmates retained anything I taught them. I do hope I was able to impart to my peers the glorious gravity of the knitting culture—its history has made it noble, and its literary portrayals have made it no less illustrious. Several years have passed since then, and I still knit constantly. I recently finished my very own Weasley jumper, like those that Mrs. Weasley knits for her children each Christmas. It was certainly an exercise in patience, but I persevered, determined to struggle on to its welcome end. As I took the last stitches off my needles and stretched my new jumper over my head, I was filled with satisfaction—I thought of my ninth grade knitting adventures and realized that, without knowing it, I am becoming a part of the very history that I so admire.