A charity appeal letter for Action Against Hunger Free Essays

I am the director of a company called Action against Hunger which You may have heard of, I am writing to you to ask your generosity and kindness to those less fortunate than you. I am hoping that you can spare a small amount of time to read my letter, and consider making a donation. You may be thinking that this is just another junk letter asking for money for a worthless cause, but we need your help. We will write a custom essay sample on A charity appeal letter for Action Against Hunger or any similar topic only for you Order Now Firstly, Action against hunger is an organisation that helps children and adults all around the world suffering from malnutrition Action against Hunger’s vision is of a world without hunger. A world in which all children and adults have sufficient food and water, equitable access to the resources that sustain life, and are able to attain these with dignity. Our mission is to save lives by eliminating hunger through the prevention, detection and treatment of malnutrition, especially during and after emergency situations of conflict, war and natural disaster. From crisis to sustainability, we tackle the underlying causes of malnutrition and its effects. By integrating our programmes with local and national systems we further ensure that short-term interventions become long-term solutions. As you can see, we do a lot of things for people that are less fortunate than us, and we need all the donation we can get to keep this going. Your support is immensely powerful. Regardless of the amount, it enables our field workers to save lives, feeding children on the brink of death, helping isolated and vulnerable communities, and providing families with clean and safe drinking water. You can change a person’s life. So why wait? Furthermore, the expected rains across large areas of the region (including north east Kenya and large parts of Somalia) have failed, leading to an severe food crisis. Thousands of families, including around 70,000 children, have been forced to flee the drought-stricken homes to survive, with many joining overcrowded refugee camps. What if you were in this position? And you were the one begging for food. They do need your help, or the worse could happen. No person was born to die. So help fight global hunger! How to cite A charity appeal letter for Action Against Hunger, Papers

Buddhist Temple Visit free essay sample

Buddhism is religion that is based off of peace and spirituality taught by the teachings of Buddha, also known as Siddhartha Gotama. Many who follow its teachings believe Buddhism to be more of a way of life or lifestyle choice rather a religion. Buddha is not a god, but one man that taught his followers a path of enlightenment from his experiences and values. Buddha’s main teachings were the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths were teachings about suffering, pain, disease, happiness, loneliness, and aging.It explained why we as humans can overcome certain obstacles in our lives by looking at the more spiritual side of things such as â€Å"Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions. † (Dalai Lama). The Eightfold Path is the teachings of being moral, being aware of our actions and thoughts, developing compassion for others, and most importantly gaining wisdom from the understanding of The Four Noble Truths. We will write a custom essay sample on Buddhist Temple Visit or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I visited the Vietnamese Buddhist Center in Sugar Land this past Sunday and it was a sight to behold.The center was surrounded by a green metal fencing with some sort of crest or emblem that looked similar to an steering wheel on an old ship. Driving into the center, the main road was split then split into two smaller roads. The road to the left led to a parking lot, while the road to the right led to a smaller parking lot surrounded by small buildings that seem to be places of worship. The scenery that over hung the roads were statues of lion heads, beautiful trees and flowers in all sorts of colors.The main statue however was a huge tall Buddha in the middle of large pond filled with Koi Fish. There was a small tiled area that visitors could take pictures of the statue in its amazing and beautiful nature. The aura of the place was one of peace and tranquility. The small tiled visitor area was then extended by an overhanging wooden bridge leading to a large tiled courtyard with small trees that was around the perimeter. In the middle of the courtyard was two rows of small trees that were placed vertical to the steps of a large temple, which was the main place of worship.Behind the main temple was another small courtyard was two smaller buildings for worship to the left and the right of the courtyard. Another large building was to the back which looked fairly newly built. It seemed to be a place of serving food that contained no meat but some sort of meat substitute that was not artificially made from what the servers were telling me. Then to the right of that building was a small warehouse that looked to house desks and whiteboards for the weekly Vietnamese classes that are being held there.Outside of the warehouse was a basketball goal for the students that would come for Sunday school, and a small parking lot for more visitors. As I took off my shoes before entering the main temple before the first worship session began, I began to feel a sense of peace within myself as well those that were atten ding the worship session. Inside the main temple was a huge statue of Buddha surrounded with white silhouettes of the Lotus flower, which seems to be the symbol of peace. Tens of incense jars filled with sand litter the alter the room.The room smelled like incense, pleasant and peaceful. There were twenty rows of small cushions that were used for kneeling and sitting, and twenty rows of small raised shelves that were used for holding the prayers that were going to be recited during that session. People were filling the room really quickly, and seats were being taken fast. The elders were given their seats first, and if an elder came a tad late, someone would give them their spot and moved to the side of the room. Everyone was dressed somewhat casually. Most of the older occupants were wearing work clothes like the men wearing slacks and a nice fitted collared shirt, while the women would wear either a dress or slacks and nice top or blouse. The younger occupants, ones of my age or younger, would just be wearing casual school clothes like jeans and a tee shirt. In such a religious place, I have not yet witnessed a young female wearing short-shorts or any revealing outfit for that matter. The room was filled with a mild chatter of Vietnamese and English.Most conversations that I could comprehend were mostly of those catching up with each other and wondering how each other was doing and such. The younger occupants would be talking about the latest craze in music or movies. It suddenly got quiet as there was three loud bangs from striking of the gong to commence the prayers. The head monk for that prayer came out from one of the side doors in a traditional orange robe holding a microphone in his right hand, and prayer sheets in his left. He thanked us all for coming today and briefly explained he prayer we were going to be reciting. The prayer was for those that had lost a loved one, and for them not to be sad as their loved ones have found peace and tranquility as the moved on into the steps of enlightenment and eventually reincarnation. He then turned to the giant Buddha towards the front of the room and began reciting as everyone joined in and recited along. Everyone was on their knees having their hands together as they recited the prayer either from memory or from the pieces of paper that had three pages of prayers in Vietnamese.I could not read the prayers so I just silently glanced at them and tried to make sense of where we were in the prayers. Then one of the monks hit the small drum which everyone bowed for a few short seconds then returned to their original positions. Then a few moments later the drum was struck again, everyone bowed, but now stood up instead of returning to their knees. Then again, the small drum was struck, everyone bowed then returned to being on their knees. The prayer was now being recited faster as a drum was being struck with a beat in quick succession.This was repeated three times and when the prayers were being done recited, the head monk told those that have lost a loved one to follow him into the incense room. I followed about four families into that room. The room had pictures of everyone that had passed away that was a member of the temple. Families that were in that room had a special prayer and ceremony to honor their loved one. The monk said that one member of the family shall come up to the alter, drink a sacred tea and pour a small cup in honor of their loved one.A drum was struck as everyone started to recite a prayer. During the reciting, another monk came and tapped the four members that represented their families with some sort of sacred text. Then the prayer stopped as the four members went to the front, poured their tea, drank it, and poured it for their deceased loved one. Before everyone excited the room, every person was given three incense to pray and let their deceased loved ones know of their prayers today.They would bow three times, pause to pray, went up to the alter, placed their incense into the jar, returned to their spot, and lastly bow three times once more. That was my experience in a Buddhist Temple, the peace and tranquility of the people, and the monks was quite wholesome. Being a young adult, I never really understood the importance of religion and culture, but after visiting a place like this†¦ It really opened my eyes to how a religion can bring peace and everlasting faith within a person.

The tragedy cannot exist in your analysis of Hamlet Essay Example For Students

The tragedy cannot exist in your analysis of Hamlet? Essay In the situation wherein God is dead, then, tragedy of an Aristotelian nature categorically cannot exist, whether in terms of strict form or in terms of audience reaction to the situation presented. Conversely, suppose that God is indeed clearly known: under such circumstances, Hamlet is highly likely to let God judge the fate of Claudius, even to forgive Claudius, thus revenge cannot be exacted, directly violating Freytags Pyramid in that there would be no rising action or climax, meaning that the situation does not become worse for the tragic hero, inhibiting mythos. We will write a custom essay on The tragedy cannot exist in your analysis of Hamlet? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Additionally, the lack of climax would mean the eradication of any feeling of catharsis, a crucial aspect of tragedy. It is the feeling of catharsis, according to Aristotle, which allows the audience to gauge emotions correctly, meaning that he thinks of tragedy as a calibrator of sorts. Fundamentally, the scale of the tragedy witnessed in the play would usually dwarf the problems in the lives of the audience, purging them, theoretically making them feel happier: this cathartic concept in particular central to the primary purpose of tragedy thus, the removal of the cathartic effect and of mimesis through verification of God has a hugely weakening effect on tragedy. However, speaking from a Marxist perspective (which is of course the perspective from which the quote in the title is derived), catharsis is not always desirable. Bertolt Brecht, another Marxist and a prominent dramatist, believed that his plays should be a representation of reality, but not reality itself: he did not want a perfect representation of human emotion, which Constantin Stanislavski endorsed, but instead proposed his own Verfremdungseffetkt or distancing effect theory, making scenes alien to the audience in order to discomfort them: he is scathing of Aristotles idea of catharsis in Poetics in his own theoretic work A Short Organum for the Theatre, saying that the cathartic effect left the audience unconcerned, even apathetic, that what the ancients, following Aristotle, demanded of tragedy is nothing higher or lower than it should entertain people9, rather than making them recognise social injustice and feel a sense of duty to society. Thus the removal of catharsis via the confirmation of Gods existence, while diminishing an Aristotelian aspect of tragedy, may well enhance Marxist tragedy. In the event that God is clearly known, perhaps Claudius does not kill King Hamlet at all, as the ultimate consequences of his actions would be laid bare before him, and the fear of damnation exceeds his greed, meaning the entire plot (mythos, which includes peripateia and nearly all aspects of tragedy) collapses. Even if Hamlet chooses to seek revenge, he would be seen as foolish by the audience (especially the typical Elizabethan audience, who were typically God-fearing and strongly Christian), as he knows that God will unquestionably punish him, and that God would have punished Claudius regardless of Hamlets own actions, again diminishing pathos and with it the overall tragic qualities of the play. However, perhaps tragedy may still exist in a less strict sense if God is dead or clearly known. If God was clearly known, and yet the killing of King Hamlet, who the audience have been told multiple times was a just and honest ruler (So excellent a king that was, to this, Hyperion to a satyr10), was allowed to continue, the (short-term, at least) success of evil over good could yet inspire pathos, a feeling of sympathy from the audience towards Hamlet (although this may be more the case for the more emotionally empathetic and less God-fearing modern audience rather than the more devoutly religious Elizabethan audience), as he must then question the morality of God, pondering whether God is necessarily omnibenevolent there would still be scope for uncertainty, even with the verified existence of God. .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c , .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c .postImageUrl , .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c , .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c:hover , .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c:visited , .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c:active { border:0!important; } .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c:active , .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6104d77681d377e56f607adee712301c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A Critical Analysis Of A Midsummer Nights Dream EssayIn Hamlet, uncertainty is the key to tragedy: it is uncertainty which lends Hamlet his fatal flaw, which results in the mistakes that lead him to his ineluctable death and the collapse of the Danish royal family. Also, ambiguity concerning the nature of the Ghost and its importance relative to God (should God exist) could also inspire procrastination within Hamlet: should he obey his father, his creator, or the ultimate creator? Furthermore, as mentioned above, the apparent declining importance of God in Hamlets motivation and reasoning as the play progresses is indicative of the fact that tragedy can still exist (and no t be hugely impacted at that) without God as a factor. It is therefore possible to achieve aspects of tragedy while categorically affirming or denying the existence of a God. Overall, though, the general ambiguity regarding God is vital in preserving true tragedy. Goldmanns quote may have been borne mainly out of his Marxist tendencies, but its message holds true for Hamlet. And while it has been established that certain facets of tragedy (pathos and hamartia) can remain in the face of hypothetical absolute truth, some components of tragedy are usually lost when God is dead or clearly known, as hope and faith, according to Marxism at least, fuels acceptance of social injustice and perpetuates suffering. BIBLIOGRAPHY Hamlet William Shakespeare Critique of Hegels Philosophy of Right Karl Marx Marxist Literary Theory Terry Eagleton Drew Milne Word Count 1615 1 Karl Marx, Critique of Hegels Philosophy of Right: (Cambridge University Press, 1970), p. 1 2 William Shakespeare, The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, The Second Quarto 1604-5, (The Arden Shakespeare, 2006), p. 285 3 Shakespeare, Hamlet, p. 176 4 Shakespeare, Hamlet, p. 278 5 Shakespeare, Hamlet, p. 285 6 Marx, Critique of Hegels Philosophy of Right, p. 2 7 Marx, Critique of Hegels Philosophy of Right, p. 2 8 Shakespeare, Hamlet, p. 176 9 Bertolt Brecht, A Short Organum for the Theatre, in Marxist Literary Theory by Terry Eagleton Drew Milne, (Blackwell Publishers, 1999) p. 110 10 Shakespeare, Hamlet, p. 177.

The Coffered Ceiling in Architecture and Your Home

The Coffered Ceiling in Architecture and Your Home A coffered ceiling is a pattern of indentations or recesses in an overhead surface. In architecture, a coffer is a sunken panel in a ceiling, including the interior surfaces of domes and vaults. If a surface is coffered, it is not smooth. The architectural detail has been popular since Renaissance architects imitated Classical Roman techniques. Modernist architects often play with the depth and shape of the coffer. Key Takeaways: Coffered Ceilings A coffered ceiling is a series of indentations or hollows on the surface of a ceiling. Coffered ceilings decoratively hide ceiling imperfections and create the illusion of height. Historically, the design is considered dignified and formal.Simple coffered ceilings are created by crisscrossing beams that create geometric patterns, usually squares or rectangles. The word coffer comes from the ancient Greek word kophinos, which means basket. The Latin word for basket, cophinus, was adopted by the old French to mean various types of hollowed containers. The words coffer, a chest or strongbox to hold money, and coffin, a box for the dead, are both French derivations. The Latin word capsa, meaning box, evolved into the words caisson (an ammunition chest) and casket (same as coffin). Caisson ceiling is another term used to describe this type of ceiling hollow. The Chinese name for this type of ceiling, zaojing, means a well for plants that grow in water. The Latin word lacus, meaning lake or basin of water, is also used for this type of sunken panel (lacunar) ceiling. Coffers have been used in ceilings for centuries. Sometimes they were used to disguise the architectural engineering, where one beam or brace would be structurally necessary but others were built neaby for visual symmetry and to hide the necessary beam. Although hollows are sometimes used for structural weight distribution, coffers have always been used decoratively. Historically, a coffered ceiling can make a room look larger and more regal, as it does in the Palace of Versaille. Coffered ceilings are sometimes called caisson ceilings, plafond caissons, lacunaria, cross-beamed ceilings, and zaojing. Sometimes the English refer to these ceilings as coffer ceilings but never cougher ceilings. Coffered ceilings are found throughout architecture, from the Pantheon in Rome to the mid-century modern residence called Sunnylands at Rancho Mirage, California. The architect of Sunnylands used coffers inside and outside, to visually connect interior spaces with the outdoors. Exterior Detail at Sunnylands. The Greater Southwestern Exploration Company via flickr.com, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) cropped Coffers are not to be confused with latticework, a particularly important element in Islamic architecture. Like coffers, lattice is created with crisscrossed building materials, often pieces of wood, but lattice is arranged in decorative patterns to allow air through screens and windows, as in mashrabiya and jali. Coffered ceilings also should not be confused with the popular tray ceilings found in many large suburban homes. A tray ceiling is often a feature that enlarges a small kitchen or dining room without manipulating the footprint of the room. A tray ceiling has one, large sunken area in the ceiling, like one coffer, or an inverted tray. Creating Coffers Coffers are the sunken geometric areas in a ceiling, but most ceilings begin as a flat surface. Where do the coffers come from? Coffers can be created in at least two ways: (1) place a roof beam or crossbeam framework that naturally creates a space between the beams - the space appears sunken because the beams protrude; or (2) remove ceiling material, as you would carving a hole, or press into a flat surface to create an indentation, as you might create a sunken imprint into uncured concrete. Choosing the first method will take away ceiling height. Choosing the second method gains extra space for the rooms overall volume. Most coffered ceilings are created using the first method carried out in different ways. Unfinished Coffered Ceiling. Brian Moloney The Finishing Company Richmond via flickr.com, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) cropped Creating the design framework can be handcrafted by a carpenter like Brian Moloney, owner of The Finishing Company in the Richmond, Virginia area. Maloney is a finish carpenter, but that doesnt mean he comes from Finland. In fact, he comes from Ireland. Finishing is just one of the many carpentry skills of a master carpenter. Coffered Ceiling Built by Brian Moloney, Finish Carpenter from Ireland. Brian Moloney The Finishing Company Richmond via flickr.com, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) cropped An easier drop ceiling method is often used by commercial developers, manufacturers, and do-it-yourselfers (DIYs). Companies such as Classic Coffers can be hired to install a grid (sometimes beneath a fixed ceiling), then the panel coffers are placed within the grid. These arent the tacky looking drop ceilings of your grandmothers basement. A coffered drop ceiling can be created to look exactly like the wood finishing of a master carpenter. Only Brian Moloney could tell the difference. The DIY may buy a box of polystyrene foam tiles - faux tin like tiles - that purportedly can be installed right over Pop Corn ceiling. Its your choice. A less well-known method of creating coffers is offered by none other than Michelangelo. The Renaissance master manipulated the illusion of space with trompe loeil, a painting technique that tricks the eye into believing a certain reality. Michelangelo used his artistic skills to paint many of the three-dimensional moldings and crossbeams, creating the illusion of coffers in the most famous ceiling of all time, the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, Rome. Which is wood and which is paint? Detail of Sistine Chapel Ceiling by Michelangelo. Fotopress/Getty Images (cropped) Photo Credit Tray Ceiling, irina88w/Getty Images

Modern Business Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Modern Business Research Methods - Essay Example through research. Research is all about fact gathering, relating facts with a focus idea, analysis, drawing conclusion and lastly acting and implementing. Over time, with technology emerging new avenues have been developed to collect data; each and every method of research is suited to particular requirements and factors and is used as per the benefit cost analysis of the situation. Some aspects of the past are studied either by perusing documents of the period or by interviewing individuals who have lived or have experienced during that time. An attempt is then made to study why certain things happened during that time and to explain as to why they happened. The documents that are generally consulted include newspapers, journals and magazines that were published and especially the data government and other private agencies maintain for both commercial and own use. The idea of conducting historical research does not indicate that it is unstructured; in fact, it is systematic process of searching for facts and then using the information to describe, analyse and interpret the past. The purpose of this research is to make people aware of what happened in the past so that they may learn from past failures and successes and to see whether they are applicable to present day problems and issues. It also assists in prediction and testing hypothesis concerning relationships or trends. FOCUS GROUPS: Focus groups are mainly interviews that let open discussion of the topic. They are generally used to develop new ideas. It has an objective and does not generally allow the discussion to deviate from it. People in focus groups openly share their thoughts, feelings, attitudes and ideas on the topic under the discussion. Generally, the focus group consists of 6-10 people at a time and a moderator who is responsible for facilitating the debate. The main advantage of focus group includes that views of many different people are gathered at one place. Since it is less formal than the structured interviews thus participants feel comfortable sharing their perspectives. Some of the drawbacks of focus group include that the views of individual participants are generally influenced by other participants and may indulge in group think. Moreover, it is difficult to gather people in one common location at a time. SURVEYS: This method involves asking the individuals questions which might be open or close ended. Surveys can be orally done or through written questionnaires. It is helpful in gathering primary data through a large number of audiences. The best part of using survey as a method of research is that they can be done face-to-face, via telephone, emails, fax etc. And thus it helps the researcher reach a mass number of respondents to gather information. Surveys can be cross-sectional or longitudinal Surveys are generally done to gather informa

DEBATE TIME 15.1 Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

DEBATE TIME 15.1 - Dissertation Example in particular, along with other developing and developed nations. The third scenario talks about the economic development with respect to the healthcare industry. It has been seen that the healthcare sector has proved to be one of the most booming sector in the present and in the near future and contributes about 10% of the GDP in an average. Finally, the fourth scenario talks about healthcare as shared vision. The paper ends through providing a set of recommendation along with conclusion with respect to the future of healthcare sectors. Contents Abstract 2 Introduction 4 Scenario 1 5 Business As usual 5 Scenario 2 6 Hard Times/ Government Pressure 6 Scenario 3 8 Healthcare as an economic development Issue 8 Scenario 4 9 Healthcare as shared vision 9 Conclusion 10 Recommendation 11 References 12 Introduction Healthcare organizations are generally divided into three groups which depend on the financial sponsorship that includes profit, non profit and governmental organization (Goldsmi th, 2005, p. 39). The dynamics of the healthcare sector are both attractive and challenging. In the 21st Century, healthcare industry is the fastest growing sector with a market value of over trillion dollars. However, with changing global environment it has been noted that the healthcare sector has been quite slow in adapting to the new techniques and technologies. Delivering better and efficient healthcare services have become a challenge in the 21st century for the healthcare sector (Comstech, 2011). Thus, with respect to the growth of the healthcare sector, the concept of healthcare marketing is also at a rise. Healthcare marketing can be defined as the process which helps in understanding the needs as well as the wants of the target market. The main purpose is to provide point of view through which organization would integrate, analyze, plan, implement and control the healthcare system (Cooper, 1994, p. 9). The health industry in the year 2012 has been predicted to connect in m any different ways with its consumers and wade through the regulatory, economic and also political uncertainty. It is one of the most pressing issues across the world. While regulatory reform, partnership of public and private sector, and technological challenges are just some of the concerned issues, the ageing population, chronic illness and cost control are some of the other major issues revolving round the healthcare industry (PWC, 2012). Scenario 1 Business As usual Healthcare policy tends to vacillate between the profit making sector and intervention from the government. The high cost of healthcare policies still remains unaltered. But it has been regarded that healthcare business is no longer a â€Å"business as usual† (Stewart, 2012). This is because business as usual is not a good option for the healthcare anymore. The high cost in the healthcare is mostly hurting the businesses as well as the families in need. Thus it becomes necessary for organizations to introduce health insurance at an affordable price without denying the patients and caring for the patients to the level they need. The reason behind the high price of health insurance policies is not the lack of competition among the insurance companies but the high price charged by the systems itself. An example to support this statement can be found in an investigation carried out by Massachusetts Attorney General which revealed that most of the large hospitals as well as group of physicians tend to

Electricity From Municipal Solid Waste Of Lahore Environmental Sciences Essay

Electricity From Municipal Solid Waste Of Lahore Environmental Sciences Essay This research is based on production of electricity from Municipal solid Waste of Lahore. Different studies have been done in world to find out low cost method for the production of electricity. This research is considered useful to collect results of this study and compare them with costs of electricity production from other energy sources. The comparison can then be used to provide a correct perspective of the economic and environmental aspects of the different means of production of electricity. In this research production of electricity was through incineration of municipal solid waste of Lahore. The primary data regarding waste collection, transportation and management of waste was collected from different local municipal waste management authorities and Lahore compost limited. Secondary data concerning procedure for the production of electricity from the MSW and the prices of machinery and equipment was gathered by consultation of literature in different libraries, from the pub lished material by different concerned establishments and cost analysis done by different organization like IAEA. Pakistan is a developing country, it is currently facing many problems and among these is electricity and waste management. Lahore is capital of Punjab and has a population of approximately 10 million. Its current municipal waste management and disposal system is the reason for its rapidly deteriorating waste problems. About 4500 tons/day of municipal solid waste out of a total 5800 tons/day is collected at five different landfill site of Lahore. Primarily business, household and commercial waste are collected and disposed of by burying in landfills site. Most of this waste is without any sorting. This research is based on production of electricity from Municipal solid Waste of Lahore. Different studies have been done in world to find out low cost method for the production of electricity. This research is considered useful to collect results of this study and compare them with costs of electricity production from other energy sources. The comparison can then be used to provide a correct perspective of the economic and environmental aspects of the different means of production of electricity. In this research production of electricity was through incineration of municipal solid waste of Lahore. The primary data regarding waste collection, transportation and management of waste was collected from different local municipal waste management authorities and Lahore compost limited. Secondary data concerning procedure for the production of electricity from the MSW and the prices of machinery and equipment was gathered by consultation of literature in different libraries, from the pub lished material by different concerned establishments and cost analysis done by different organization like IAEA. The objective of this research is to find whether electricity production from MSW of Lahore can be used as an alternative source of electricity production with increase environment and social benefit. Following are the targets for research. Utilization of MSW to generate energy Find feasibility for using MSW as source of electricity production Reduction of MSW Reduction of environmental and social problems at the disposal site Improvement of MSW management services. Background of the topic Energy is very important for the socioeconomic development of any country and is also considered as lifeline of the economy.it is necessary for lightening our cities, power our vehicles and to run machinery in factory and industrial units etc. Demand for energy is increasing on daily basis due to increase in population and development of industries but supply of energy is not increasing with the same rate because of which a bottle neck is created in the supply of energy which is causing energy crisis in Pakistan. Pakistans energy infrastructure is not well developed, rather it is considered to be underdeveloped and poorly managed. Currently the country is facing severe energy crisis. Despite of strong economic growth and rising energy demand during past decade, no serious efforts have been made to install new capacity of generation. Moreover, rapid demand growth, transmission losses due to outdated infrastructure, power theft, and seasonal reductions in the availability of hydropower have worsened the situation. Consequently, the demand exceeds supply and hence load-shedding is a common phenomenon through power shutdown.   During 2009-10, Energy supply and per capita availability of energy witnessed a decline of 0.64 % and 3.09 % respectively in comparison to previous year.  Pakistan needs around 15,000 to 20000 MW electricity per day, however, currently it is able to produce about 11,500 MW per day hence there is a shortfall of about 4000 to 9000 MW per day. This shortage is badly hampering the economic growth of the country Many years have passed since the electricity production from waste was welcomed as cheap source of electricity production in the world. However the main motivation for this program is to provide an affordable and secure source of electricity both for the short and long term. The cost at which electricity can be provided is a highly important issue. For many years, the relative costs of different methods of electricity generation have been estimated and compared by a wide range of organizations in order to develop a proper perspective. The history of producing of electricity from incineration of solid wastes in Pakistan is not very old. There was no concept of producing electricity from waste for a long time period after creation of Pakistan. Initially it started at some sugar mills that started this activity by burning of sugar cane bagasse that is fibrous waste left after extraction of sugar cane juice from sugar cane. This material is normally used as a fuel for supplying of heat in multiple effect evaporators applied for the concentration of clarified sugar cane juice to produce crystalline sugar an in the manufacture of pulp and paper in some paper mills. It has turned out to be an economical practice. Many mills these days are applying it to produce electricity for their local needs. It is interesting that some are producing electricity not only for their own needs but also are selling surplus to the national grid. Importance of the study with respect to the world World energy resources are depleting very quickly and demand for energy is increasing with the development. Now world is searching for alternative sources of energy to continue development and save resources for our future generations. With decreasing resources cost of energy is increasing and its important to look for alternatives that are cheap in term of cost and economically feasible. Waste is an important topic in every country. The amount of waste produced has strongly grown in the last decades and continues to do so. Further, the treatment of waste has strong impacts on the environment as well as on the health status of the population. The only sustainable way for waste management is to reduce its amount through prevention, reuse and recycle of materials. Waste can be seen as a sign of inefficiency. The less efficiency the more waste. Inefficiency combined with continuous waste growth, means depleting earths material resources. The resources on earth are limited. In order to preserve them for our next generations they deserve to be used efficiently. More waste means more treatment. Nearly all waste treatments have emissions. These emissions result in impacts on human health and environment. In heavily populated regions, it becomes steadily more difficult to find space for disposal sites. Also cost of collection and treatment of waste is increasing so we need to utilize the waste in such a way that it can give us some return to cover these costs. Electricity is very important for world to develop and progress. It has not only made our lives easier but also provided safety. Different organizations in world are trying to find out cost effective sources of producing electricity and production of electricity from waste is one option under consideration. For whole world it is a cost effective and environmental friendly source of energy which can help in reduction of carbon dioxide and GHG emission for mankind. Although some other options like electricity from nuclear are considered cheapest source of electricity but these are quickly dangerous too in case of any natural disaster example of recent days is catastrophe of Japans nuclear reactors which has left man to rethink is it wise to generate energy at the cost of mankind or our earth. Production of electricity from MSW would be less catastrophic as compare to atomic or other resources. Importance of study with respect to Pakistan Population of Pakistan is increasing day by day and the demand of electricity is also increasing due to the increasing consumption. Electricity Crisis is the prime issue in Pakistan which has, more or less, affected all sectors of Pakistans machinery ranging from economy to industry, agriculture to social life, inflation to poverty and it is hampering national progress in a drastic manner. Nonetheless, threat of energy crisis can be overcome by government through making effective policies and its proactive implementation. One of their options can be looking for alternative source of producing electricity like production of electricity from MSW. Its a new entity in power generation during last 1-2 decades. It is a cheap resource in many ways for man which needs less infrastructure, cost and resources. Moreover it is a renewable source of energy which will put no stress on our natural resources and these biofuel resources can be preserved for future generations. It will help in meeting the need of local farmers by fertilizers production. It will create job opportunities which will help to eliminate poverty from Pakistan. Simultaneously, it is the responsibility of us, the people of Pakistan, to utilize the available energy astutely and wisely to play our due role for progress of the country. A typical solid waste management system in our country displays an array of problems, including low collection coverage and irregular collection services, crude open dumping and burning without air and water pollution control. These public health, environmental, and management problems are caused by various factors which constrain the development of effective solid waste management systems. This research can be used as to prevent from waste by reusing the waste for production of electricity. This process will lead to less GHG and acidic gases emission. Much needed land used for dumping this everyday waste can be used for other purposes. It will also help in facilitating the municipal corporation, restaurants and other commercial producers of waste in managing waste and efficient collection of municipal waste will lead to clear environment and healthy society. Municipal solid Waste Definition Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is defined as waste collected by a municipality. It concerns waste from households (82 % of total MSW), small business, office buildings and institutions such as schools, hospitals, government buildings, waste from parks and street cleaning (Eurostat, 2003, pp. 16). Municipal solid waste, also called trash, garbage, refuse and rubbish, is the stuff we throw away every day. In our trash are everyday items such as product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspaper, appliances, and batteries that we dont need any more. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is generated by people and by businesses. Not counted as MSW are other discarded materials such as construction and demolition debris, municipal wastewater treatment sludge, and non-hazardous industrial wastes. Although these materials often end up in landfills. Figure depicts the composition of MSW. The yearly amount of MSW collected in Lahore is 1,642,500 tons/year. That is 4500tons/day. Municipal Solid Waste management Many researchers believe waste can be viewed as an indication of inefficiency. If inefficiency continues with waste that mean earth material resources are draining. We already have limited resources so we need to look for alternatives that can help us in preserving these resources for our future generations. No waste is not possible so we need to find a solution which can maintain it to a sustainable level. If we want to reduce waste amount heavily it cannot be done unless we compromise our comfort of living. Also only reducing waste will not solve our issues its a complex problem can only be solved if we are considering many options. There are a number of methods of solid waste disposal. Many countries have adopted Waste management hierarchy to maintain waste to a sustainable level. Following directives have been given to European states for their waste management. (Eurostat, 2003, p85; www.europa.eu.int). The waste management hierarchy: Prevention, re-use, recycling and recuperation of energy and materials get priority. Principle of Best Available Technology (BAT): disposal facilities must be equipped with the best available technology. The BAT is selected on technological, environmental and economic criteria. Principle of proximity: Waste must be treated as close as possible to the place of production or collection. Principle of Self-sufficiency: Every member state, every community is responsible of its own waste. Polluter Pays Principle (PPP): Waste disposal facilities must not be paid by tax payers money, but by the polluter. Following are some MSW management options Prevention Its first option for waste management authorities because it has no harmful effect to the preservation of resources, environment and has no cost associated with it.It is also called source reduction because it eliminates pollution at the sources. Recycling Recycling is process in which waste is changed to a valuable resource that can be used for financial, environmental and social benefits. It prevents the emission of many greenhouse gases and water pollutants. It also decrease burden from natural resources. It saves energy necessary to produce new materials. Composting In this method organic matter is broken down through uncontrolled anaerobic processes, releasing all produced methane into the atmosphere. There are no technical and investment barriers to this option. It is a feasible option but with severe environmental consequences. Incineration The reduction in available land for landfill and the growing amount of garbage have become a major problem for many municipalities. Therefore incineration has become a solution for this problem, reducing significantly the volume of waste. Despite this advantage, Municipal Waste Incineration has many environmental problems that need to be overcome before using incineration processes as the major waste management option. Land-filling: Sanitary landfill is the cheapest satisfactory means of disposal, but only if suitable land is within economic range of the source of the wastes; typically, collection and transportation account for 75 percent of the total cost of solid waste management. Gases are generated in landfills through anaerobic decomposition of organic solid waste. If a significant amount of methane is present, it may be explosive; proper venting eliminates this problem. The methane produced in the landfills is an excellent fuel. If can be collected through the pipes and subsequently supplied for producing heat, electricity and light. Research Question Secondary research in this topic show that there is a very limited research done on the ways of producing electricity from different alternative resources. When we look at the condition of Pakistan, we are facing with a lot of energy crisis and a lot of work in required in looking for alternative ways of producing electricity. So my research question is Is production of electricity from municipal solid waste of Lahore financially feasible? Literature Review Faaij , A. et al. (1997) in this study the technical feasibility and the economic and environmental performance of atmospheric gasification of biomass wastes and residues integrated with a combined cycle for electricity production are investigated for Dutch conditions. Both secondary and primary sources were used. Secondary source used were previous studies done on gasification of biomass waste and primary experiment was done in which the system selected for study is an atmospheric circulating fluidized bed gasifier-combined cycle (ACFBCC) plant based on the General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine and atmospheric gasification technology, including flue gas drying and low-temperature gas cleaning. The results of study shows that the kWh costs are very sensitive to the system efficiency but only slightly sensitive to transport distance; this is an argument in favor of large power-scale plants. As a waste treatment option the concept seems very promising. There seem to be no fundamental te chnical and economic barriers that can hamper implementation of this technology. Mark H. et al.(2002) examined the recovery of energy by pre-processing the combustible components of MSW and using them as a fuel in a properly designed combustion reactor and thermoelectric plant to generate electricity and process steam. Data was collected using secondary sources. Secondary source used were the article on waste management from which author abstracted data. They concludes in his study that waste minimization by means of better design of products and packaging is highly desirable. Also, the best way of managing municipal solid wastes is by recovering recyclable materials. The results of this study also indicate that energy recovery from MSW can reduce considerably the amount of land consigned annually to landfilling and also decrease to a small extent dependence on fossil fuels. Murphy J and McKeogh E. (2003) have done technical, economic and environmental analysis of energy production from MSW. In this article Primary research was done in order to quantify the MSW and Secondary research was done to find out the four technologies which produce energy from municipal solid waste. They explained that residual components of MSW are incinerated producing electricity at an efficiency of 20% and thermal products at an efficiency of 55%. They further explained in his article that gasification produces more electricity than incineration but it requires a smaller gate fee than incineration and when thermal product is not utilized generates less greenhouse gas per KWh than incineration. Both biogas technologies require significantly less investment costs than the thermal conversion technologies (incineration and gasification) and have smaller gate fees. Of the four technologies investigated transport fuel production requires the least gate fee. Dubois M. et al. (2004) carried out a study on municipal solid waste treatment in the European Union. This study goes through most of the available techniques related to disposal of waste, as well as the environmental and health impacts created by them and different ways of treating municipal solid waste: Recycling, composting, incineration and land filling. Secondary sources are used for collecting data about the municipal solid waste treatment and for its quantification. The researchers defined Municipal Solid Waste Management as the generation, separation, collection, transfer, transportation and disposal of waste in a way that takes into account different parameters, such as public health, economics, environment, conservation, and aesthetics and is responsive to public demands. They reported that yearly amount of MSW collected in Western Europe was 210 million tons/year. The authors recommended that Principle of Best Available Technology (BAT): disposal facilities must be equippe d with the best available technology. The BAT is selected on technological, environmental and economic criteria and Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) must be strictly followed. In response, landfill directive was introduced which aimed at prevention or reduction of negative impacts of land filling on the environment and health. The waste prevention is the highest priority in EU. The study indicates that the major stress in European Union is on recycling and minor on its disposal by incineration to produce electricity. And in the end it concludes that only sustainable way for waste management is to reduce its amount through prevention, reuse and recycle of materials. Renbi B and Sutanto M. (2000) reviewed the practices and challenges of solid waste management in Singapore. This article gives an overview of current solid waste management situation and provides a brief discussion of the future challenges. Due to the rapid industrialization and economic development there is a tremendous increase in solid waste generation in Singapore. The solid waste incineration has been identified as management saw that land is extremely scarce. Therefore solid waste incineration has been identified as the most preferred disposal method. Barry, F (Barry, 1973) has done a study on waste heat utilization. In this article, different sources of waste heat have been discussed. Uses of waste heat in closed-agriculture offer a way to use thermal discharges from power plants and industrial processes. The use of waste heat in aquaculture is highly possessive. Along with development, some technological problems have been highlighted. Ernst B (Ernst, 1996) carried out study on clean fuels from municipal solid waste for fuel buses in metropolitan areas. In this case he explained that due to increasing MSW, costs of landfills are increasing day by day. So he gave an idea that MSW can be used for production of fuel which can be very cost efficient. He compared different costs and shown that production of fuel form MSW is most convenient and cost efficient way. Kagawa S. et al. (1999) undertook a study which aimed at the utilization of low temperature thermal energy. Both primary and secondary sources were used. Secondary source used were the articles on utilizing waste to produce thermoelectricity. Primary research was done by an experiment in which a thermoelectric generator was applied to a municipal solid waste incinerator. Oil was used on the hot side as the heat transfer medium and water was used on the cold side. A running test was passed out with 22 times on/off heat cycles. The operating time was 115 hours. No significant degradation of the thermoelectric module was observed throughout the test period. Judith D. et al. (1965) emphasizes in his article that thermal power is one of the key element which lead towards the economic development. That is why technology should be effectively managed, as it is going to save ones resources. He compares the thermal power with the hydroelectric and makes the hydroelectric superior over the thermal in contributing to the economic development. Sufian M and Bala B,k carried out a study on modeling of electrical recovery from urban solid waste system. Data was collected from Dhaka City Corporation .They took the case of Dhaka city in which he described that the percentage of total electricity demand supplied from solid waste decreases with time. However MSW could still supply a significant electricity demand of Dhaka. So adoption of a policy for electrical recovery from urban solid waste of Dhaka should be dictated by the economies and the environmental implications. Thomas S (Thomas, 1993) has studied the energy resources of India and explains their underdevelopment in terms of lack of energy resources. He further says that alternative resources should be used to cover the problem of scarce resources in India. Inefficiency of production and distribution is one of the reason which gave rise the problem of scarce resources. Methodology Research Type Qualitative data will be acquired from a mix of primary and secondary data. The focus would be on secondary research along with analysis of in-depth interviews conducted of Lahore compost limited (a private limited company set up to operate compositing facilities) representatives. Data Type and Research Period Both primary and secondary data will be gathered. The primary data will be collected through in-depth interviews. Interviews from Waste management authorities will be based upon collection procedure, quantity and nature of solid waste. Secondary data will be about production of electric power from solid waste. Secondary data will be cross sectional. Sources of Primary Data Different sources of data that supplied information about the solid waste include Lahore Compost Limited Lahore Urban Unit Lahore Waste Management Company City District Government Lahore. Sources of Secondary Data The secondary data will be collected from literature in different libraries and published material by different people who have recently done work in this field and by reading various articles on Internet. Dependent Variable: Electricity Production Independent Variables: Biodegradable waste Recyclable  material Inert  waste Composite wastes Domestic  hazardous waste  Ã‚  toxic waste Operational Definitions Biodegradable waste: is a type of waste, typically originating from plant or animal sources, which may be degraded by other living organisms. Biodegradable waste can be commonly found in municipal solid waste (sometimes called biodegradable municipal waste, or BMW) as green waste, food waste, paper waste, and biodegradable plastics. Recyclable material: Recyclable waste or materials can be processed and used again. Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and electronics. Inert waste: Inert waste is waste which is neither chemically or biologically reactive and will not decompose. Examples of this are sand, drywall, and concrete. This has particular relevance to landfills as inert waste typically requires lower disposal fees than biodegradable waste or hazardous waste. Composite wastes: Composite waste material is a product of material waste such as vegetable waste, plant waste, dungs, food product, waste clothing, Tetra Packs, waste plastics such as toys. Domestic hazardous waste toxic waste: Leftover household products that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients are considered to be household hazardous waste or HHW. Products, such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides that contain potentially hazardous ingredients require special care when you dispose of them. Relationship between variables: There is a positive relationship between the Independent variables and dependent variables. As with the increase in independent variables which are our types of municipal solid waste there will be an increase in total quantity of MSW. So with the greater quantity of MSW we can produce more and more of steam and fuel gasses which can further produce higher quantity of electricity for us. Research Hypotheses The following hypotheses were developed to study the relationship of the variables: Hypothesis1: H0: increase in Biodegradable waste will not increase quantity of electricity produced. H1: increase in Biodegradable waste will increase quantity of electricity produced. Hypothesis2: H0: decrease in Recyclable material will not decrease quantity of electricity produced. H1: decrease in Recyclable material will increase quantity of electricity produced. Hypothesis3: H0: increase in Inert waste will not increase quantity of electricity produced. H1: increase in Inert waste will increase quantity of electricity produced. Hypothesis4: H0: decrease in Composite wastes will not decrease quantity of electricity produced. H1: decrease in Composite wastes will decrease quantity of electricity produced. Hypothesis5: H0: increase in Domestic hazardous waste toxic waste will not increase quantity of electricity produced. H1: increase in Domestic hazardous waste toxic waste will increase quantity of electricity produced. Techniques Cost analysis will be done by using NPV technique. Steam power generation will be used in production model through gas insertion at it has low gate fee. Process used for production of electricity Different plants are developed in order to increase the efficiency of electricity production from waste. The process and plant we will be using is of REIs Recovered Energy Systemà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ developed by PIAENERGY. (http://www.piaenergy.com) Process Flow Description The following is a description of REIs Recovered Energy Systemà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ process for transforming Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) into energy and useable by-products. The process can be broken down into four sub-systems: material handling, thermal transformation or plasma gasification, gas clean up, and steam and energy production. A flow diagram is shown at the end. Material Handling The incoming waste is weighed in and then deposited on the tipping floor from any of the trucks currently in use that pick-up and or transfer MSW. No tedious sorting or handling is needed. The only separation that is required will be large oversized pieces that wont fit into the shredder, heavy metal items like engines that may slow down the shredder or items that need special pre-processing. Hazardous waste and medical waste are handled separately and not co-mingled with normal waste. The system is designed to process waste as quickly as possible. During delivery hours the waste is delivered faster than it can be gasified. Part of the waste is stored for processing at night and on weekends and holidays. Any oversized material is shredded and then conveyed to storage. The waste is completely cycled every 3-4 days. Should unscheduled shutdowns occur, the waste received from the municipality goes into the storage area which is designed to handle normal surges and continue accepting the waste. Thermal Transformation The waste is injected into the upper part of thermal transformer (also referred to as the plasma gasifier or reactor) and piles up in the body of the reactor. The plasma torches located at the bottom of the reactor generate a flame that is between 5000-8000 ° F. The organic material does not burn because there is not enough oxygen. The organic matter is transformed to a gas composed primarily of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N). This gas contains substantial energy and can be used in a variety of ways. The hot gas rises up through the waste piled in the reactor and begins the gasification process on the material piled in the reactor. By the time the waste has reached the bottom of the reactor, the high temperature, oxygen starved environment has totally transformed all organic compounds into a gas. The gas that exits from the top of the reactor and is made up of primarily carbon monoxide, hydrogen, water and nitrogen. Small amounts of chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, particulate, carbon dioxide and metals with boiling points less than 2280 ° F are contained in the gas. Because of the low oxygen atmosphere and high temperature, the base elements of the gas cannot form toxic compounds such as furans, dioxins, NOx, or sulfur dioxide in the reactor. As the gas exi