Buddhism and Ecology :: essays research papers

If there was ever a culture that truly cared for the Earth, it was that of Buddhism. Buddhism itself is often known for commitment to World ecology. This is explored in the essay, Relational Holism, by David Landis Barnhill, in the book, Deep Ecology and World Religions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The subject of holism is brought to us many times and often acknowledgement of critical views is used to help convey the information. Beginning with a strong statement by Barnhill, â€Å"Critics of deep ecology have often attacked its holistic views of self and cosmology. For some, holism is both distorted and dangerous because it fails to affirm the individuality of beings and recognize the centrality of relations among individuals.† (page 79)Most people, especially of the western hemisphere, would like to think of themselves as individuals and unique. This is interesting in that, many eastern civilizations want the opposite. It is even a saying among Japanese, â€Å"the nail that sticks out is pounded in,†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next illustration of holism is brought to us on page 85, â€Å"In the conventional view, waves are independent, self-existing things. From the perspective of emptiness, however, the waves are recognized as lacking independent existence: they are not water in a distinct and temporary form, yet the waves are not separate from the ocean, they are the ocean.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Besides emphasizing holism, Barnhill discusses identification, with self and nature. â€Å"One way of seeing that the holism prized by deep ecologists can be combined with the relationality emphasized by ecofeministsis to consider the notion of identification.

Chromium :: essays research papers

Chromium Chromium is a very hard, brittle, gray metal, which is sometimes referred to as Siberian red lead. It does not rust easily and becomes shiny and bright when it is polished. The shiny trim on our automobile bumpers and door handles is usually electroplated chromium. Most chromium comes from something called chromite which is a mixture of chromium , iron, and oxygen. Chromite is a common rather ordinary black mineral that no one really noticed until more recent times. Nearly all the world's supply of chromite comes from Zimbabwe, Russia, Turkey, South Africa, Cuba, and the Philippines. The United States imports almost all its chromite. Chromium is added to other metals to make them harder and more resistant to chemicals. Small quantities mixed with steel make the metal stainless. Stainless steel is used to make cutlery and kitchen equipment because it does not rust easily and takes a mirror-like polish. This steel contains about 13 percent chromium and 0.3 percent carbon. The hardness of steel can be increased by adding small quantities of chromium to it. Chromium steel alloys (mixtures containing one or more metals) are used to make armor plating for tanks and warships. They are also used for ball bearings and the hard cutting edges of high-speed machine tools. Nickel is highly resistant to electric current and is often added to chromium steels to make them easier to work. For example, stainless steel sinks can be pressed out from flat sheets of steel that can contain 18 percent chomium and 8 percent nickel. When nickel is mixed with chromium, the resulting metal can stand very high temperatures without corroding. For example, the heating elements of toasters can be made from an alloy that is 80 percent nickel and 20 percent chromium. This metal operates at a temperature of about 1380 degrees Fahrenheit (750 degrees Celsius). Chromium was discovered in 1798 by the French chemist Nicolas Vauquelin. He chose the name chromium from the Greek word chroma, which means color. Chromium was a good choice of name, many chromium compounds are brightly colored. Rubies are red and emeralds are green because they contain chromium compounds. Some of the brightest colors in the artist's palette contain chromium. Chrome yellow is made from a substance which contains chromium, lead, and oxygen. Zinc yellow contains zinc, chromium and oxygen. Chrome red is another chromium compound. Chrome green is used in paints and in printing cotton

The American Dream Today :: Essays on the American Dream

What is the American Dream, and who are the people most likely to pursue its often elusive fulfillment? Indeed, the American Dream has come to represent the attainment of myriad of goals that are specific to each individual. While one person might consider a purchased home with a white picket fence her version of the American Dream, another might regard it as the financial ability to operate his own business. Clearly, there is no cut and dried definition of the American Dream as long as any two people hold a different meaning. What it does universally represent, however, it the opportunity for people to seek out their individual and collective desires under a political umbrella of democracy. In the fifties, the 'age of suburbia', the American Dream was epitomized by the ability to own a home, live in safety and in a community of like minded souls. The great exodus from the cities to the suburbs defined the American idea of the good life'. The American Dream was and always will be something that makes America great. It allows those with aspirations to make them come true. In America alone needs is a dream and the motivation to carry out that dream. Ambition is the driving force behind the American Dream. It allows any one that has an aspiration, a desire, a yearning, to carry out the individual dream. It knows no bounds of race, creed, gender or religion. It stands for something great, something that every one can strive towards. A dream can be a desire for something great. In America, the American Dream allows dreams to become realities. According to Webster's New World Dictionary, the American Dream is defined as "An American social ideal that' stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperity". To live this dream is to succeed. It allows anyone, rich or poor to have the opportunity to succeed. It is the ability to come from nothing and become so me thing. To succeed at any thing you do, you must have patien ce and persistence. It requires hard work, persistence and a desire for something better. To have these qualities and the desire and ambition to carry the moutis part of the American Dream. The Joy Luck Club is a prime source for everything that is represented in this dream.

Polk’s Declaration of War with Mexico Essay

Many believe that James K. Polk’s declaration of War with Mexico was a justifiable action. On the contrary, a more sound argument can be made using Lincoln’s â€Å"Spot Resolutions† and Thoreau’s â€Å"Civil Disobedience†; stating that Polk deliberately proclaimed war in order to expand United States’ territory and slavery. Abraham Lincoln used his â€Å"Spot Resolutions† to persuade the House of Representatives to present Polk with queries about the veracity of his statements, particularly in regard to the actual â€Å"spot† where blood was initially shed. Lincoln’s questions were never answered but his resolutions convinced much of the public that Polk was not being straightforward about his motives for war. In fact, Polk had a draft written to Congress asking to declare war on Mexico prior to having gained knowledge of U.S. casualties. Polk’s original justifications for war include Mexico’s failure to pay U.S. damage claims and their refusal to meet with Slidell, yet later he stated that the war was a â€Å"defensive measure.† Other oppositions to the war came from those who defended civil liberties, most prominently from Henry David Thoreau. Through Thoreau’s eyes, the government was engaged in an unjust war with the sole objective to promote the westward expansion of slavery. As a protest, Thoreau refused to pay his poll tax to support an imperialistic war, resulting in a night in jail. Thoreau condoned breaking the law if the law was perceived unethical. Thoreau believed that people have the duty to answer to a higher law than of our government, their own set of morals. Polk seemed to change his reasons for war depending on what the public hoped to hear, but he never wavered in his decision for the declaration of War on Mexico. This suggests that he was determined to reap the rewards from a war that he declared over the opposition from both the public and the legislature. The analysis of Lincoln’s â€Å"Spot Resolutions† infer that James K. Polk declared war to gain western lands, especially California, despite the repercussions of warfare. Thoreau’s â€Å"Civil Disobedience† also gives evidence that Polk orchestrated the War with Mexico to reach slavery out west.

Government Regulation of the Oil Industry: Keystone Pipeline Essay

The sand pedigree has been in news for several months and has been the undefendable of scrutiny, political bantering and environmentalist activism. samara Pipeline is a transcontinental man-made oil project that runs from Canada to the Gulf Coast. formulation of such a pipeline bears galore(postnominal) risk associated with ecosystem disruption and environmental hazards. president Obama blocked the pipelines accompaniment noting several studies that the pipeline would have adverse impact on air and pissing supplies. Its original route crosses the Sandhills in Nebraska, the king-size wetland ecosystem, and the Ogallala Aquifer, one of the largest reserves of fresh piss in the world. The Ogallala Aquifer spans eight states, provides drinking pissing for two million people, and supports $20 meg in agriculture.A major disclose could ruin drinking water and emaciate the mid-western U. S. economy. (Source WikiPedia) Almost by default, the opposition society rebutted the pr esidents decision claiming he was a killer of stemmas. Studies completed for Keystone has demonstrated that approximately 2,000 employees would be demand to complete the pipeline and about 25% of that would be permanent employment. In my fool the potential environmental exist outperform the economic ones in this situation.Keystone supporters drift the necessity in its construction to lop our dependence on foreign imports for nada. The cost to extra the sand, refine it to a immediately synthetic oil, transport it across dry land by far produces more energy than will actually be use in its life cycle. Government regulation, in this instance, has proven mildly effective. Given that we ar now in an election season, this job destroying vote may come indorse to bite.