Brokeback Mountain personal response

Whilst watching the film Bareback Mountain, I became frustrated at the mall characters, Jack and Nines. This frustration was because of an evident idea in the film that I agree strongly with, Sexuality is not a choice. ‘ This idea made me realize how lucky I am to have been born in an era where society is much more accepting of individuality than in the past. And I felt frustrated because the two men believed the only way to be accepted in society was to be something they weren't, which was trousseaux.In the summer of 1963 two young men, Nines Del Mar and Jack Twist, meet when they find work sheep-herding for the summer on Bareback Mountain. The two quickly form a friendship that eventually develops Into something more. They become mentally and physically Involved with one another. I believe the director's purpose of this film was to open the viewer's eyes, showing them that you cannot choose who fall in love with. The idea that ‘sexuality is not a choice' is developed in the film because the two men eave a perfectly fine life, they both had a loving wife and a family, but they were happiest when together.A close up of Nines' face shows him staring out of the window, trying to pass time by flicking his lighter whilst waiting for Jack to arrive at his house. You can see in his expression that he is excited; his eyes keep looking around as If he Is searching for Jack. This shot told the audience how much Nines cared for and missed Jack, because you saw different a side of Nines, a side where he was excited and nervous, the audience never saw this side of him when he was with is wife.I was happy when I saw Nines not being able to control his emotions towards Jack, it gave me faith that true love and happiness does exist. But I also felt extremely sorry the men's wife's, I felt as though they were using their wife's as a shield from reality, as they were afraid of what might happen to them if anyone found out about their relationship with one another. N o matter how much they tried to stay apart, they would always come back to each other. This is another way the idea ‘sexuality is not a choice' is developed in the film. The dialogue â€Å"l wish I could quit you† is said by Jack Twist.This quote reinforces the fact that Jack couldn't stay away from Nines, he wishes he didn't feel the way he felt about Nines, and he wishes that he could Just stop having the desire to see him, but he Just cannot ‘quit' him. He would rather be living with his wife, but he loves Nines so he can't resist seeing him. It shows that Jack would change himself so that he could fit Into society, If he was able to. This made me feel really upset. I have been taught from a very young age to always be yourself around others, even though they shamed of who he was.With all this being said, it makes me proud that the awareness and acceptance of the LIGHT community is growing greater each year. Just last year, on the 17th of April in 2013, an Amen dment Bill allowing same-sex couples to marry in New Zealand passed the final reading. It gives me great pleasure knowing that society is becoming more susceptible to diversity. But still to this day people still suffer from this fear of not being accepted, and it is very hard for them to ‘come out' about their sexuality to the public.I have had quite a few friends who have struggled with this issue. I have noticed they have all been scared of what their parents might think, say, or do. They are afraid that they will be a disappointment to the family. I think it is absolutely absurd for a parent to ‘disown' their own child because they are attracted to a different gender. I am sure that if their child could choose who they were to fall in love with, they would choose someone that their parents would approve of. I am truly disgusted that this ‘disowning happens still to this day.I would recommend Bareback Mountain to year 12 students because not only is it a great f ilm, it will teach, and further their understanding of the idea ‘sexuality is not a choice. ‘ I think that emotional students will particularly benefit in watching this film, as they will allow the film to affect them, and they will wonder about the deeper meanings in the film. I believe that this film could even change some people's opinions about homosexuals, because they will come to agree with the films strong message, ‘sexuality is not a choice. ‘

The Island of Damar

I looked down at the tiny island in the distance. The island that was about to turn my life completely upside down. It's name, Damar. It is a small island in Indonesia. It has a population of 23 people, everyone of these people archaeological diggers. My dad, Jay, was flying out to join them. There was some kind of dig on the go and my dad was called for. Me, being Rhia, had to go with him. Most kids of my age would stay at home with a relative. Unfortunately, I have none. My mum died about four years ago in a tragic car accident. She drove her car into a ditch and no one found her until the next morning. I don't know of any other relatives that i have. The only other family member I have is my twerp of a brother. He is 9 years old and is extremely annoying. His hair is like barbed wire, it is impossible to brush using any comb. My dad must have bought about 20 different sized combs to try and brush it and about 50 different shampoos. It is blondish-brown in colour and is kind of centre parted. He doesn't care in the slightest about his appearance and most of the time he just wears a pair of tracky bottoms and a pole shirt. His name is Pete. Any way, less of that twerp, back to me. I am 19 years old and currently do not have a boyfriend. I have blondish-brown permed hair just past my shoulders in length and have big, blue, dazzling eyes. Unlike my brother I care ALOT about my appearance. Everything has to be colour co-ordinated. My dad is always fussing at me, he says I have loads of clothes and hardly any of them are worn. It had been a long, tiring journey and a boring one at that. If I had been able to bring my friend Chazza, it would've been a right laugh. I was suffering from toothache because the cheesecake that we had for lunch hadn't been properly defrosted and I really hurt my tooth. Damar was getting bigger and bigger so I knew we were soon to land. From what I could see from above, it just looked like a floating rain forest. There were huge trees but I could not spot any houses or apartments for us to stay in. It was hammering it down with rain. I knew this because I could hear the rain drops bouncing of the roof of the plane. Touchdown. We had landed. We floated along the surface for some time before we came to a complete stop. I looked out of the cabin window and stared amazingly at a huge cliff that towered above the left hand side of the sea plane, I could not see the top of it. There was nothing else to be seen. My dad rose from his seat and turned round o face us, â€Å"Well then, we're here,† he said as if we were to be really excited. Me and my brother both looked at him as if to say ‘woopey-doo! ‘ My dad turned back round and headed towards the door and begun to open it. Once this was done he grabbed his binoculars which he had been looking through most of the journey whilst making notes, he looked into the distance. It was sometime before he shouted, â€Å"I can see them, they're coming straight for us! † Meanwhile Pete was taking all the cases from the overhead lockers and was placing them in a pile at the front of the plane. I looked out of the plane window once more nd spotted a small, yellow, rubber boat fighting against the treacherous waves to make its way to the plane. In it was a man dressed in a orange kagool. After some fighting, the boat reached the entrance to the plane. â€Å"You must be Doctor Shaw? † asked my dad loudly, competing against the noise of the waves. â€Å"Yes, that's right. Climb aboard,† shouted the strange looking man. My dad jumped aboard and almost lost his balance as a huge monstrous wave came from behind the boat. Pete tossed all our luggage to my dad who was piling them up in one corner. Once this had been done, Pete himself jumped aboard. I walked esitantly towards the door and stood for a moment watching the rain hammering into the sea. I turned round and faced Sam, the pilot, who I had become quite friendly with. â€Å"Good bye then†, he said, trying not to laugh, â€Å"and good luck! † I smiled at him, turned round and daintily made my way on board the boat. That was it, there was no way of turning back now. I turned and looked at the plane, taxiing into the dull fog which had fallen. â€Å"What? † I bawled at the top of my v oice. â€Å"This is your home for the next 10 weeks. † I looked down at a pile of raw materials: wood, palm leaves and a huge sheet of tarpaulin. You and your dad will have to build a shelter. † That was it, I'd had enough. Not only did I discover that there was no TV, computer or telephone on Damar, but now I have to build my own shelter. My dad had lied. He told me the complete opposite. I decided enough was enough i needed to get away from my dad before all hell broke out. I walked over to the shore and looked out at the waves smashing against the rocks. I was dripping wet and freezing cold. I made a huge X out of pebbles in the sand and walked to the left of me. As long as I kept to the shore line, I could turn round at any time and walk back o the X and then I'd know I was back at camp. It felt as if I'd been walking for miles. The shore line was rocky and in some places sandy. After some time I came to a stop and sat down on what looked to be a makeshift bench at the top of the cliff that I first saw when I had landed. I was there for a long while. The rain had got worse and it had begun to hail, they were not huge hail stones but big enough. â€Å"Hi there, I'm Jak! † called a voice from behind. I jumped up, scared stiff. I didn't know whether to turn around or not. Before I could, the person named Jak appeared at the side of me. He held his hand out as if aiting for me to shake it. I pulled my hand out of my jeans pocket and held his hand. I couldn't move it, it was as if they were frozen solid. â€Å"They're freezing,† he shrieked, â€Å"here, take my gloves. † I took the gloves from his held out hand and struggled to put them on. â€Å"I'm Doctor Shaw's son. You? † asked Jak. â€Å"I'm Rhia. Rhia Langton,† replied Rhia politely. â€Å"Oh, your new here aren't you? † â€Å"Yep, I just arrived today. † The conversation seized while we looked each other up and down. He was gorgeous. He had short black hair and had huge, dark brown eyes with long eyelashes. He looked about early 20's and had a well tanned body. I've been here 6 months now,† he said. â€Å"Really. † â€Å"Yeah. How long are you planning to stay? † â€Å"I think my dad said about 10 weeks. † â€Å"Cool, I'll have to get to know you more then. † â€Å"Likewise. † â€Å"I think I'll start by telling you about me then,† said Jak, â€Å"I'm 22 and i'm a dentist. Well at least I will be, when I get back to England. I've been offered a job. † â€Å"Oh really, lucky you,† said Rhia, shocked, † Well I'm 19 and currently have a job at McDonald's. Slightly different to you eh? † Jak trying not to laugh replied, â€Å"yeah! well it's better than nothing? † â€Å"I suppose so, it's only until I find another job. † We spoke for some time and we had got to know each other extremely well before Rhia decided to make her way back to camp whilst holding Jak's hand. When i arrived back at camp, my dad and brother had built their hut and were both sitting round a red hot fire at the foot of the hut. Jak however had already made his way back to his hut after a kiss at the edge of the shore. â€Å"You're back then? Finally over your little tiff? † asked Jay. I walked slowly towards the logs that surrounded the fire which had been used for benches and sat down. â€Å"So, do you want the guided tour? † asked Pete. â€Å"Sure! † replied Rhia. I couldn't sleep that night. Not only was it because of the rain gushing down on the tarpaulin but my tooth was still hurting from the frozen cheese cake on the plane. I had never felt so much pain in my life. After a long wait, I finally drifted into a restless slumber. Two weeks have gone now. The weather is at its hottest and my tan is coming along great. The island wasn't as bad as I though it was when I first arrived. In fact, I love it. I'm getting on really well with Jak now and we're going out. The only problem is he has spoken about taking our relationship a little further. I don't know if I'm ready for it just yet. I haven't as yet been down to the dig, my dad oesn't want anyone going down until he's given it the all clear (safety wise. ) Well, today's the day. I can finally go down and see what all the fuss about Damar is all about, I'm going down to the dig. â€Å"Come on then! † shouted my dad. I knelt down and picked up my bag and some of my dads digging equipment and followed him into the dark wilderness. My tooth was at its worst today. I wasn't really in the mood to go into a cramped, humid cave full of archaeological diggers and have to dig all day. My dad and Pete were some amount of metres ahead of me but didn't know how far I was walking behind. I stopped, and ropped my bags on the floor. Jak wasn't going down to the dig today so I wasn't really that bothered about going. He was spending the day on Karachi beach. I've decided that I am ready to take our relationship a little further but it has to be at the right time in the right place. I decided to make my way to the beach to see if I could see him. â€Å"Hi, how are you? † asked Jak â€Å"I'm fine now I'm here with you. My dad wanted to take me down to the dig today but I'm not really that bothered. I'd rather be sun- bathing on a beach with the one I love! † replied Rhia. I looked out at the sparkling blue water. I could see the fish swimming around legantly below the surface. It was perfect. â€Å"How's your t ooth? † â€Å"It's even worse today! it's really beginning to bug me! † â€Å"Give it time, it'll drop out soon, trust me, I'm a dentist! † He sat looking at me for some time as if he thinking before he said, â€Å"Wait here, I'll be back in a bit. † I knew what was about to happen, after all we were in the perfect place for it. I tried to calm myself but it wasn't working. Some time later he returned with a smug look on his face. He sat next to me and wrapped his arms around my body. â€Å"Lay back and close your eyes† he whispered softly into my ear. I did as he said and waited for him to say omething. He did the obvious. Before I let him go any further I asked him, â€Å"will it hurt? † â€Å"Of course not,† he replied, â€Å"it's just a simple process† â€Å"I'm rather frightened, I've never done this before. † He urged to continue, â€Å"It won't hurt much more, just relax. † I was in a great deal of pain but dared not show it. I felt tears come to my eyes. It's hurting something awful. â€Å"Calm yourself Rhia, open a little wider so I can fit more in! † Suddenly with a jerk I gave a screeching shout. â€Å"Now that's it, all over with,† he slowly pulled it out. â€Å"Well what a relief, I think I'll enjoy my holiday even more now that rotten tooth's out! â€Å"

Burger King Incorporation

This is the second leading fast food chain in United States; it mainly concentrates on the use of restaurants of which the company has franchises more than 10400 restaurants that are all over in about 71 countries worldwide (Glenn, 1995, p C2). This was established the two Miami entrepreneurs back in the 1954 and later sold it to the Pillsbury in the year 1967. Today, its head offices are situated at Miami, Florida.By the year 2008, the company had around 41,000 people as their employees. With the demographic forces, the company has extended its wings to many countries that all over the world.With this, they have managed to serve over 15. 7 million customers, of which have ended up submitting them to some of the forces (Louise, 1996, pg 14). This is because, different people tend to perceive thing differently and thus, they have been forced to come up with ways in which they can satisfy all the clients in the company. This mainly concerns with the type of materials that they use to c ome up with their product, and the way they label the product to attract the market at a given locality.As regard to the many franchises within the company, the franchisee began to collide with each other. This led to the deterioration of their relationship which in the long run resulted to the falling sales within the company. This was the major economic force that the company faced in the year 2001 till they were forced to sell the company to group of investors in late 2002. The company faces competition forces mainly from McDonalds Corporation who is their principal competitor in the market (Brymer, 2000, pg 22).This company has managed to outdo the Burger King because of their ability to be able to serve around 15 million customer daily, this has also been as the regard to the fact that the company has more restaurant outlet compared to that of the Burger King, while Burger have 10,400 restaurants worldwide, the McDonalds Corporation has 31,000 restaurant worldwide. This has giv en them the advantage to reach to more client than the Burger King. Reference Brymer, R. A. & Hashimoto, K. (2000) Hospitality & Tourism: An Introduction to the Industry pp 20-24 United States: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Compan

FREEDOM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

FREEDOM - Essay Example In his work, â€Å"The Story of American Freedom,† Foner traces the idea of freedom in the United States from the past to the present and illustrates the different meanings that it has taken in its transformation to the present day concept. The concept of freedom has evolved during the 18th and 19th centuries, and in the modern context, freedom can be perceived as the universal right of equality to all human beings, irrespective of their race, color, gender or sexual orientation. Freedom is the birth right, but to the Americans it was bought about by the Civil War. Foner says that other people also value freedom, but the idea is having more prominence in the public and private discourse in the United States than any other country. In the past, the idea of liberty was something between the natural liberty and the moral liberty. People considered liberty as the freedom to do only what is good. By the eighteenth century this concept was changed in the Atlantic world. Thus, the id ea of freedom evolved to the concept that if religious liberty means obedience to God, civil liberty meant the obedience to law.

Comparison in Political Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comparison in Political Philosophy - Essay Example His recognition that knowledge is limited and all he know is that he don’t know anything is based upon recognizing the limits of wisdom and morality. His take on virtues was relatively different from others as he argued that best way a person can live is through the self development rather than possession of material wealth. The given quote to be discussed in this paper therefore is also relatively focused upon the notion of self development and making a person to judge the virtues based on his inner-self rather than focusing on the outer reality of a person. For Socrates truth lies beneath the existence and it is the responsibility of the Philosopher to actually show the way to the people. This paper will discuss one of the statements of the Socrates and will make a comparison of the same with the philosophy of Machiavelli. Socrates’ Statement The statement made by Socrates appeared in the Republic written by Plato and is described in following manner: â€Å"And Justi ce was in truth, it appears, something like this. It does not lie in man’s external actions, but in the way he acts within himself, really concerned with himself and his inner parts† Socrates philosophy was based upon the truth and justice therefore the above statement indicates that there is noting right or wrong in its absolute nature. Actions which are beneficial therefore should be taken and those which are not beneficial, a person should refrain from the same. (Porter) With this statement, Socrates therefore attempted to dispel the notion that truth and justice cannot be the advantage for stronger. It therefore does not lie into the person’s external reality but is based upon the notion of finding it within the inner parts of a person. Here Socrates also seemed to have given a clear indication of two parts of an individual i.e. the body and the soul and outlines that each part actually is its own master. Socrates also seemed to hint that it is the individual who actually can drive the self and therefore commands the body and the soul. It is therefore within this perspective that truth and justice lies within a person and not in his external actions which is often against the conventional wisdom. It is also important to understand that Socrates has viewed the just man in a relatively different manner. He outlined that a just person cannot harm because for him receiving and giving harm is relatively more painful. This line of thinking therefore is clearly associated with the alignment of the ideas of justice and just person with the assumption that the justice and truth is within a person. The above statement may also be viewed from the larger point of view taken by Thrasymachus who maintained that justice is what is advantageous to the stronger. Socrates however seemed to disagree with this and suggested that justice is within a person and is not directly correlated with the person’s external status. It is because of this reason that Socrates accepts that in truth and justice, a person really acts for himself. Machiavelli and Justice One of the key aspects of this debate will be based upon how Machiavelli and Socrates actually view the individuals. According to Socrates, a just person cannot harm others and justice is therefore based upon helping others. Machiavelli however, seems to disagree with that and suggest that a Prince can adapt to cruelty to his subjects while at the same time

Avian influenza Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Avian influenza - Essay Example The swine flu epidemic of 2009 made things look worse. Efforts since then had been consistently attempting to be ever-ready for an influenza epidemic through improving global surveillance and response capacity. The H5N1 avian flu virus was highly pathogenic and had caused disease widely in wild birds and poultry (CDC, 2009). It caused 408 human cases by February 2009. Guidance for testing of suspected human cases infected with pathological avian flu with H5N1 influenza virus were provided. Enhanced surveillance by local and national health care services was to continue. Cases were to be notified to the local and national authorities immediately a presumptive diagnosis is made. Follow-up of cases was a necessity. In the US, information had to be transferred to the CDC (CDC, 2009). Guidelines for diagnosis Testing and reporting guidelines had been established by the CDC. A person diagnosed presumptively with avian flu had to be hospitalized because it could end fatally. Another require ment for hospitalization was that the temperature of the patient would be equal to or more than 38Â °C. The patient could have any other respiratory illness like pneumonia or acute or severe respiratory illness (CDC, 2009). ... The infection was spread through droplet infection when in close contact. Procedure for diagnosis Clinicians needed to notify the local and higher authorities when a person was to be diagnosed using laboratory tests. Specific guidelines were also followed for the clinicians who performed the specimen collection and testing. Protective equipment for the clinicians was to be strictly used to prevent any contamination of the body parts with the suspected or confirmed person with H5N1 virus and when entering the room where aerosol generating procedures have been used where such a patient was lying in (CDC, 2009). The respiratory protector (N-95) filtering face mask, goggles, face shield, latex gloves, gown and head covering were all included (CDC, 2009). In the absence of a particulate respirator, other certified respirators like the NIOSH-certified N-, R-, or P-class respirators could be used. The aerosol-generating procedures could be done only with the N-95 respirator or powered air p urifying respirators (CDC, 2009). Bronchoalveolar lavage was a high-risk aerosol generating procedure which required excellent protection. If the clinician had a beard, a loose-fitting respirator could be used. The virus could be detected from the bronchoalveolar lavage, oropharyngeal swabs, or endotracheal aspirate as these specimens usually had the virus. The nasopharyngeal swab contained lesser virus so lower respiratory specimen should be taken (CDC, 2009). However nasopharyngeal swabs sufficed for detection of influenza viruses A and B. If most virus count needed to be isolated, multiple respiratory specimens from the same patient could be taken on other days too. The

Is famine a natural phenomenon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Is famine a natural phenomenon - Essay Example tion as to whether or not famine is man-made or a natural disaster, the following aims to explore the different causes of famine in a holistic perspective. It is reported that in Asia Africa and Latin America, the regions of the world which are underdeveloped, more than 500 million people live in absolute poverty. Accordingly more than 9 million people die each and every year due to hunger and malnutrition and starvation. Accordingly famine persists despite the fact that we have obtained a certain level of and development in the Western developed world and the result of income disparity is the increased incidence of famine throughout the world. What are the causes of famine? For many parts of the world famine is caused by a series of social, political, and environmental factors which have led to widespread poverty and hunger. In some places such as in Ethiopia, Somalia, and other countries of the Horn of Africa harsh envrionmental conditions and political instability have paved the way for famines and droughts. Droughts occur due to environmental factors and can be caused by a lack of rain one year, soil degradation, or the forces of g lobal warming. Environmental catastrophes have been prevalent throughout world history and famine can be traced back to biblical stories as well as to the early annals of modern civilization. In this respect then, famine can be seen as inevitable and as a feature of our existence on earth. Despite the fact that famine has existed since the dawn of time, there are also human made factors which can account for the rise of famines and poverty throughout the world. We now turn to the causes of human made famines and turned to exploration of our case study, Somalia. The African continent, although seen by many as the cradle of humanity and endowed with many natural resources, is home to some of the poorest countries on the planet. Many of these countries are beset by famine, arguably the greatest indicator of poverty known to

Using a company as an example, explain the advantages and risks of Essay

Using a company as an example, explain the advantages and risks of green branding a product or service - Essay Example Green branding sometimes act as the unique selling proposition for a particular company or product. Green brands are actually the ones which are amongst the most sold products in the world and enjoy a better brand position (Fahey, 2007). Automobiles are considered as one of the major source of environmental pollution in the world. Therefore it has been the need of the hour to deliver something new to the customers that will be attractive as well as eco-friendly. Toyota is one company which has tried its best to be on the greener side. For instance, the launch of the first generation of hybrid car named Toyota Prius back in 1998 was a great effort made by the company to reduce carbon emission and even Camry, Estima, Alphard etc is considered among the green sub brands of Toyota and are the models of hybrid synergy drive technologies. Though, Toyota in itself is not environment friendly and all their cars are not among the green band wagons as the likes of Avensis and Celica. But a conscious effort on the part of Toyota is made to change their image. The change has been highly appreciable among the people, which reflect in their sales records (Bruner, n.d.). Toyota started thinking of the environmental concerns way back in the year 1993 when it first drafted its action plan. In recent times, one of the major steps taken by Toyota towards the green branding of their company is by the formation of the Fourth Environmental Action Plan in the year of 2005. It was a vision of Toyota for the year 2006 to the year 2010 to develop a recycling based society. It was a long term oriented goal which emphasised more on the action plans which need to be undertaken for five years, so that it can bring about a considerable change in the year 2020 or at least by 2030. The company also aimed at becoming the global leader and the initiators of the total environmental change process.

Distillation column Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Distillation column - Assignment Example According to McCabe and Harriott (2000, p.204), this can be particularly achieved through pressure props to help reduce the temperature gradients between the bottom and the top column of the depropanizer column. Another important operational design consideration that should be observed during the design of the distillation column is its capacity. To allow room for the fluctuations of both the vapour and liquid rates in the depropanizer column, its capacity should be enough as this not only improves its operational efficiency but also the safety of the entire distillation column. Lastly, it is also important to consider the requirements such as cleaning, drainage and corrosion during the design of the column. This is particularly because system fluids that pass through the depropanizer column are occasionally affected by peculiarities such as coking as well as the presence of suspended particles and therefore taking into account such considerations in the design will help minimize operational and maintenance costs. During the commissioning of the Distillation plant operations, a series of checks as well as counterchecks should be performed to ensure that the entire chemical plant does not have any design errors and is suitable for the distillation operations. During this stage, various systems and equipment such as the valves, coolant and the control loops of the distillation column are first made operational using safe liquids such as water to help test their safety and efficiency (Speight, 1999, p.123). Leak testing should also be carried out to ensure that when the actual chemicals are introduced, the plant will perform as originally intended. There are a number of procedures that should be observed to avoid the occurrence of anomalies and problems that may arise during the start-up of the distillation column. During the initialization, one of the first procedures that are necessary before any action is taken at the tower is to set up all the

Timberlands Model Essay Example for Free

Timberlands Model Essay 1a) How would you characterize Timberlands exercise of its corporate power in society? Timberland uses its corporate power in society not only to make a profit, but to help others. It is a rarity for a company to go as far as Timberland has gone to make a huge difference in society. Whether participating in its City Year to Service program that serves its communities; or becoming carbon neutral, Timberland has paved the way and reflects a company that not only cares about its communities, but also cares about the environment. 1b) Is Timberland engaging multiple stakeholders in its business operations? If so how? Yes. Timberland’s Chief EarthKeeper and CEO Jeff Swartz, hosts regular stakeholder engagement calls to inform, inspire, and engage others about Timberlands corporate initiatives. They allow stakeholders to dialogue in a public forum. Past calls have covered topics such as corporate climate strategies, responsible sourcing, eco labeling, community greening, and the current state of corporate responsibilities. 2a) Has Timberland balanced its economic and social responsibilities through its various programs, such as the Path to Service program and sustainability goals? Yes, Timberland planned to build 15 community gardens worldwide and refurbish 80 playgrounds by 2009, utilizing the more than 76,000 employee volunteer service hours. The company contributes 2% of its pre-taxed income annually and makes grants to many non-profit organizations, including many of those it aids through its service projects. They advocated an ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2010, meaning they would eliminate or offset its own carbon footprint by reducing emissions at its facilities and this can be seen in its Ontario, CA distribution center where 60 percent of its power is generated through installation of new solar panels. The solar installation reduces greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 480,000 pounds annually. In the Dominican Republic plant, Timberland installed a wind turbine and solar heating panels to provide approximately 30,000 kilowatt-hours of clean renewable energy each year. 2b) Are the companys programs examples of enlightened self-interest? Yes, because Timberland considers what they call earthkeeping, common sense. Earthkeeping allows them to make their products by using recycled materials and also allows them to use renewable energy in their facilities. Earthkeeping is second nature to them. Their belief is that earthkeeping will help them create and sell better gear for customers to enjoy the outdoors and to protect the outdoors by being environmentally responsible. 3. What impact do you think that the current economic recession may have on Timberlands social programs? With the recession, most companies are cutting back on company-sponsored programs to stay profitable. There is no doubt that this has affected the Timberland Corporation as well. However, as the article noted, with 95% of employee participation in the companys sponsored program, if the company could no longer sponsor the program, greater than 50% would most likely stay. 4. How would you improve Timberlands corporate social responsibility program? Timberlands corporate social responsibility program, although great, could improve by involving its shareholders in its green efforts. Timberland could promise dividends if its green-goals are met quarterly. This would give its shareholders a vested interest in ensuring Timberland continues its corporate social responsibility programs. Update: Even after the economic slowdown in 2007 through 2009, Jeffrey Swartz has continued to look for ways to not only improve the communities his company affects, but also to improve the company. He has turned his monitoring inward on his factories and launched improvement programs that have improved working conditions for his employees. As he stated in Timberlands 2009 Earthkeeper Report, The results from our remediation efforts also support our belief that going beyond monitoring and beyond factory walls is critical to addressing workers’ needs. The article also mentions that they have eliminated high-risk issues from some of their footwear sourcing channels and seen their business partners increase their scores on Timberlands Code of Conduct assessments which help measure working condition improvements. References Retrieved from http://www.timberland.com

The Factors Influencing The Built Environment

The Factors Influencing The Built Environment Introduction The proposal assumes the role of a developer presenting to the client. This will help the client to understand the factors influencing the Built Environment (Moxon Street) site. The site would be developed for a Student Accommodation. Though details of the site are not given in the report but an overview of all the factors that would affect the site development, the techniques used, the precautions ought to be taken, etc. It is a general description of how a site will be developed keeping in mind the health, safety welfare and the environmental implications from the development of the site. Section 3 In a built environment it is necessary for the Designer to reduce the health risks that occur from the construction work and also to provide for the safety and welfare to the workers. So Health, Safety and Welfare play an important in the design process. It can be further divided into stages. The Design process which is a benchmark to identify the health risks that arises from the design as well as eliminate the hazardous to a reasonable extent. An onsite register can also be maintained in this regard to show that we have to consider the onsite risks. It would be mandatory for the chemicals contained in the product to be registered under REACH. For Health Hazard the services of a CDM coordinator will be hired and certain components would be assembled off site which would reduce the health hazard on site. The project risk review gateways will be linked to RIBA at the plan of works stages. There is a need for systematic risk assessment and solution will be assessed on the basis of risk control hierarchy. There would be a Red-Amber-Green list which can help the designer to identify and also to negate the hazards and to control risks as far as possible. The Development will have a negative impact on the environment. The Council stipulates that necessary Environment Impact Assessment and Environmental Performance Statement should be part of the development plans. The design should have provisions for natural sunlight, ventilation of air, energy consumption, etc. This should be able to reduce air and noise pollution. This will help the developer to create goodwill for himself as well. There will be ultra low flush toilet which would reduce the use of water. There are certain Risks Assessments which are to be carried out for the health and safety of the employees on site. They would be in respect of- As per the Control of Substance hazardous to health regulation precaution would be taken by a systematic approach. The services of an Agency would be hired for workplace monitoring for harmful dust, vapours, fumes and gases. This would be done as per the Workplace Exposure Limits given by E40. European Union Noise at work regulation would also be considered as per the guidelines- The 1st and 2nd Action Levels are 80dB(A) and 85dB(A) respectively. 1st and 2nd Peak Action Levels of 135dB(C) and 137dB(C) Peak respectively. A Maximum Exposure Level Limit of 87dB(A) and 140dB(C) Peak at the ear will be introduced which includes any hearing protection. There would be due consideration given to Fire Risk assessment of Catering Extract Systems with regards to the guidelines- BSRIA Fire Risk Assessment Catering Extract Ventilation Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order (RRFSO) 2005 HVCA DW172 Specification for Kitchen Ventilation Systems. Indoor Air Quality Sick Building Syndrome would be identified as this will affect the health of the occupants of the building. This complains could arise from a particular room or floor but could have a lasting impact on all the occupants. Odour Threshold analysis would also be conducted. This is relating to the strange smell i.e., presence of volatile organic compounds in the building that could affect the health to the occupants. The majority of these volatile organic compounds are present in very low concentrations i.e. 0.1-1ppb (parts per billion). Legionella risk Assessments and Asbestos Identification Surveys would be conducted as well. This would be in accordance with the Approved Code of Practice and Guidance L8, Legionnaires disease Approach There would be a Multi discipline approach taken in the risk management in the design process. This will be fruitful because of the vast experience of the Architect, Consultant, Engineer; etc would be integrated right from the design process. Design Implication This all will help us to have a safe and a sound design which would eliminate the hazards to the health and safety of the workers as well as of the occupants. This will also help us to reduce the environmental impact of the built environment. Primary Services Utilities It is necessary to accommodate these services in the early stages of the design process. There should be early checking of availability of these services Early decision on intended location of such services on the site This will ensure that there is a proper plan in place and will also help us to avoid complications in the future. Provisions should be made for- Telecommunications Gas Water Electricity Sewage services If there are issues with the availability of any of these services than a decision can be taken at the early stages of the design process. The Location of these services would be depended as per the acceptable framework provided by RIBA Plan of Work 2007. This will assist the design team to plan, coordinate and also to have a definite approach to the various services. Entry to the building would be given from all the four sides with the main entrance from the front of the building. There can also be distribution and scaling down of different services done by the Designers to meet the needs of our development. The provisions for accessibility and the maintenance of these services would be done at the early stages of the design process. We would hire competent staff which would look after the maintenance of these services with an access given to them on each floor for easy maintenance and repair. The environmental implications of these services would be- Create a sustainable environment for the communities Protect public health by giving safe drinking water, effective sanitation services, etc Safely recycling waste Comply fully with all the environmental legislation These above precautions and approaches will help us to achieve effective management of services with regular maintenance and also providing with a safe environment for the community. The Water extraction will be done by the he liquid ring vacuum pump contains a twin start helical rotor mounted eccentrically in a cylindrical pump casing and is designed to pump liquids or combinations of liquid, air and fine solids through long suction lines, generating suction lifts to up to 8.5m. For the waste Disposal there will be a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) in line with the DTI Code of Practice and associated good practice guidance. On completion the new building should be subject to Post Occupancy evaluation. Global Warning The building designs will be based on the UKCIP medium high emission scenario rather than that which is based on historical data. UKCIP predicted that the average temperature in UK will rise by 3.5 degree by 2080, therefore a mixed mode ventilation stems incorporating the passive and mechanical ventilation coupled with high thermal mass and complete solar shading are likely to cope with the effects of the climate change. Mayor of London commissioned a report stating that London is the most susceptible to flooding than any other urban area in the UK. The site is not in the Zone 3 established by the Westminster Council that specifies areas the areas affected during floods. In order to minimise the energy demand of the building we must increase the efficiency in the building envelope, using high efficiency windows, insulation in walls, ceilings and floors will be used. Passive solar building design could also be used. This will minimise energy demand. In order to control emission to water point of water treatment would be used. This improves the quality of water and also reduces the amount of water in circulation. Non-sewage would be used on site which would minimize demand on the local authority. There would be a good thermal insulation system in place this would minimise the emission to air. The ex filtration of warm air would result for 30% of the heat loss through a buildings envelope. A air leakage test would be carried out as well. Renewable Energy Issues Technical- The site will have a- Solar energy technology Heat pumps Energy from waste Co-generation This will help to reduce the impact on the environment. Economic- Initially the cost of the machines would be higher than the conventional equipments but over a period of time there would be a lot of savings due to a decrease in the bills. Social- This will have a positive impact on the occupants and the community. The carbon and the fuel emission would be quiet low. This would sub dued the hazards caused to the health and safety of the people. Range of Sustainable construction technique includes- Wind Solar Wave Biogas Landfill gas Hydro Waste to Energy 84 KW wind generator Double exterior walls with foam insulation Radiant slab heat for excess energy storage Section 4 The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 describes the risks associated with the construction industry and narrates the specific provision which ought to be taken to negate the danger. The CDM regulation 2007 encourages co ordination and co-operation among the various parties of the project. It works towards making health and safety an integral part of designing and construction. It recognises the hazards in the planning and construction stage of the project and helps to take corrective steps. The construction health, safety and welfare regulation 1996 are a set of rules to protect the health and safety of the people engaged on the site and the people who may be affected by the work. It is a leaflet which describes the regulation and precautions to be taken by the people on the site. The main focus of the Management of the Health and safety at works regulation 1999 is to reduce the damage on the site and to create a action plan for the emergencies. There is a need to comply with the specific regulation of the industry. Works at Heights Regulations 2005 is concerned with the injury that could occur to a employee as a result of a fall. It covers both the internal and the external areas of the building. There is present no height limit. It places duties on the persons who control the work on the site to take necessary care and precaution. Method Statement Site Foundation The site has a mixed structure type up to 30 metres. So mechanical handling is essential. There should be no public access until the construction work is complete. Adequate security is to be provided to see there is no theft or damage to the site. The site will be developed in two phases. Loading/Unloading of materials As the project is conducted in two phases here is sufficient space at the corner of the site for the loading and unloading of materials. This would also give rise to some risks but it would be handled by the experienced staff that operates the machines. Machines Non-maintenance of machine will pose a great threat to the workers engaged in site development. So a good maintenance schedule is needed to reduce the need of replacement. All machines should have the current safety inspection certificate and the person operating it should also be certified. Electrical Equipment There is a need to keep a check on the conditions of the equipments. Weather Condition When there are unsafe a situation arising from the weather conditions the authority is given to the site foreman to take the precaution which is deemed necessary. Individual Safety Clothing Individual safety clothing will be provided on site and it is necessary to wear them at all times. Safety Systems of Work It is divided into three parts It analyses the task at hand Hazards caused to health, safety and welfare Precautions to be taken to eliminate the hazards It is an extension of the Risk assessments and the method statement All this should take place from the planning stage, the design and also on the construction stage. (Example included in the appendix) Site Induction and Training It is the legal responsibility of the employer to provide induction and training relating to the hazards and risk associated to the health and safety of the employees and the contractors. It includes- The scope of work Amenities on the site such as toilet, water, etc Safety rules in place Safety procedures for high risk construction activity PPE required to be worn First aid arrangements on the site Good Site management It is necessary to hire Project Manager for a good site management. They coordinate all design and construction process. They assist the site from the development stage to the actual completion of the site. As the size of the project is reasonable there is a need to hire a Project Manager. Health and Safety Signage site safety signconstruction multi sign 1 Personal Protective Equipment Safety footwear Hard hats High visibility waist coats Goggles Life jackets Safety harness Insulated clothing for adverse climatic condition Mitts Gaiters Checklists is required for the safety of the employees on site It is necessary for-; Scaffolding Powered Access equipments Roof Work Hoists Cranes Fire Hazardous substance Noise, etc. Roles and Responsibility of the various parties under CDM 2007 Clients Competence of the contractors Suitable arrangements for the welfare facilities Provide pre construction information to the designers and contractors Planning Supervisor Assist the client Notify HSE Co ordinate health and safety in regards to design Ensure good communication on the site Prepare and update health and safety file Designers Reduce risk during design To check whether the CDM co coordinator is been appointed Make client aware of his duty Contractor Prepare and develop a written plan Site rules Ensure suitable welfare facilities are provided Ensure proper induction and training is provided to the workers Sub-contractor Manage and monitor own work and also of his workers Train own employees Provide them information Comply with the requirements of the part 4 of the regulations Users Report risks Check competence Co-operate with each other Health and safety Officer Check that health and safety arrangements are made Report any risks Impose fine if there are inadequate arrangements Supply Chain The materials are available in the free market however there are some materials which would be procured locally and some internationally through Wholesale Agency for Environmental friendly materials. International Procurement Reflective coatings and non structures Phase change material High efficiency insulation system Solar heaters Local Procurement Bricks Cement Concrete Pre cast structures Steel Electrical Fittings Elevators Furniture Wood for Flooring, etc. The access of the truck and the delivery of the material would be from the front entrance of the site with a possible provision at the back end of the site for the exit. A temporary warehouse would be constructed at the corner of the site depending on the construction phase. The handling of the material would be done by the employees who are trained beforehand. The eight rules of handling are included in the appendix Sustainability of resources Recycling facilities would be provided for paper and glass and with textile and plastics. Waste minimisation techniques will also be used to reduce waste and it will bifurcate into clean rubble, timber, general chemical waste, etc. Recycled and Eco friendly materials list is provided in the appendix Embodied energy issues We will try to include more renewable materials in the project which has lower embodied energy than non renewable materials. http://www.canadianarchitect.com/asf/perspectives_sustainibility/measures_of_sustainablity/images/images_optimized/eecontent.jpg Concrete produces 1 tonne of carbon dioxide for every tonne manufactured. Waste treatment and management techniques are important for bio degradability of materials at the end of their useful life. The techniques used are- Combustion or gasification Anaerobic digestion Mechanical treatment Biological treatment Modern Method of Construction It includes ready- made walls, floor and roof which are transported and then assembled on the site. They make construction faster. It also includes modular Kitchen, Bathroom, Furniture, etc which are factory fitted and help in reduction of project duration and also on site environmental hazards. The MMC houses are also energy efficient. Because only assembling is done on the site there are fewer accidents and produces less noise and dust. It also has a less impact on the local residents. References (The mentioned sites were accessed on 21st and 22nd of December 2009) Building a Better Quality of Life: a strategy for sustainable construction. DETR (2000) Sustainable Development Action Plan for Education and Skills. Department for Education and Skills (2003). Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). US Green Building Council (2001). Environmental Performance Indicators for Sustainable Construction The Movement for Innovation (M4I) Sustainable Construction. Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability (HEPS). 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