Developing Digital Marketing Strategies for Assignment

Developing Digital Marketing Strategies for - Assignment Example It also focuses on the logo of MLC, the golden egg. Fonterra, however, also posts documentaries, such as â€Å"Food For Thought.† This is a documentary that shows facts and trends on food and lifestyles. The company also provides a four-part documentary on Fonterra. These documentaries provide further information on the nature and extent of Fonterras business. Fonterras Ski Activ can target women and men aged 20 to 50 by showcasing two models in their YouTube ads. One female model eats Ski Activ for fourteen days and has less digestive problems and gets slimmer than the other who does not eat Ski Activ. There should be a separate commercial for male models and one for those in their twenties and another for those in their fifties. This will show the audience that Ski Activ has a broader target market niche. Furthermore, the YouTube ads should have links directing to more information about Ski Activ and what kinds of problems it can resolve. This will entice women to consider testing Ski Activ, especially since it has a money-back guarantee. This money-back guarantee should also be highlighted more in YouTube ads, with emphasis on the idea that consumers have nothing to lose, except extra weight and digestive discomfort. MLC can produce more specified YouTube videos for its target market of 35 and above, males and females, with incomes above $65,000 per year, by focusing on how easy it is to contact MLC financial advisers online or through the phone. The excitement levels for insurance plans that MLC offers can be heightened by using a mix of logical and emotional appeals. Logical appeals will emphasize the importance of insurance to having a more secure future, especially during these economically chaotic times, while the emotional appeals will focus on the happiness and comfort that MLCs wealth management expertise can offer.

POV’s and Traffic Tickets Essay Example for Free

POV’s and Traffic Tickets Essay There are quite a few soldiers in Oahu, Hawaii that own POV’s (Personally Owned Vehicles), but many do not know the risk behind owning such dangerous tools. Yes, a POV is typically used as a form of transportation, but more reckless behavior tends to be the trend among younger soldiers. Reckless behavior such as texting and driving, drinking and driving, eating and driving, sleeping and driving, not wearing seatbelts, but the most dangerous of these behaviors is racing or speeding. As described previously young soldiers tend to show many signs of reckless driving one of which was racing or speeding, but you may ask yourself why racing and speeding? What reason might soldiers, especially younger ones, have for racing or speeding? Well it is quite simple. Many young soldiers have not fully POV’s and Traffic Tickets

How Sustainable Is Industrial Agriculture Environmental Sciences Essay

How Sustainable Is Industrial Agriculture Environmental Sciences Essay Agriculture may seem to be a pre-modern economic activity in which the method or the way it is carried out is old-fashioned. However, industrialization, scientific development and mechanization have affected agriculture like many aspect of life, which created a brand new term: Industrial Agriculture. Industrialized agriculture or industrial agriculture can be defined as the replacement of human labor with capital intensive tools and inputs heavily dependent on fossil fuels, the consolidation of farm land, and increasingly centralized control over the distribution of food resources.(Thu and Dunenberger 1998). The goal of industrial agriculture is to increase yield and decrease costs of production, which is why the farm is seen as a factory with inputs like pesticides or fertilizer and outputs like corn or chicken. (Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 1). Thanks to the industrial agriculture, the mass-production in agriculture came into existence. Compared to the old method, we can produce much more now. Agricultural food, including animals, can be supplied in a short time with more outcomes. Therefore, there is no doubt that in many ways industrial agriculture appears to be a beneficial development and a higher stage in agricultural method. However, it seems to be what it has brought is not as great as what it is taking away. The mechanization of agriculture and the use of chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides have caused huge problems in environment, health and the economic condition of farmers. That is why, in this paper, I will argue that industrial agriculture is unsustainable because it leads to unhealthy conditions for both workers and consumers, has negative effects on environment and causes poverty. The first aspect that makes industrial agriculture unsustainable is the health problems due to the conditions in work place, the use of pesticides, anti-biotic and fertilizers and the equipment used in the industrial agriculture. Workers are the first group of people who are exposed to the unhealthy conditions caused by the industrial agriculture. First of all, because of the equipment like farm machinery, tractors, hoes and etc., the accidents are frequent events for workers. The consequence of these kinds of accidents may be losing a hand, foot, small injuries or death. In 1946, data from all industrial groups show that the largest number of occupational deaths, 4,500, occurred in agriculture ( Axelrod 2). This data only belongs to USA so the number that includes more countries will increase the number of death also. Thus, accidents are a serious problem in industrial agriculture. Moreover, because of the high noise exposure from sources like tractors, harvesters and grain dryers, causes hearing loss among workers. According to Marvel farmers experience higher than expected rates of hearing loss starting in their teen years (Kendall 2) In addition to the accidents and noise exposure, the use of chemicals and pesticides in agriculture also creates unhealthy conditions for workers. Poisoning caused by chemical fertilizers seems to be faced by workers frequently. Pesticides used as plant sprays create a hazard to the farm worker either in the process spraying or of harvesting ( Axelrod 2). Thus, the chemicals and pesticides are serious treat to the health of farm workers and the most common illnesses because of these is poisoning. Furthermore, as Kendall points out, the dermatoses, especially skin cancer, and respiratory diseases are among the most pervasive health problems in industrial agriculture (1). Toxic exposure is the main reason for dermatoses. More specifically, exposure to pesticides, chemical solvents, engine exhaust, animal virsues and other substances commonly found in an industrialized farm operation are the reasons for dermatoses and especially skin cancer (Kendall 1). Other common health problem among farm workers is respiratory diseases. The condition in the work place and the material used for the works are again the reason for these kinds of problems. Exposure to irritant, toxic gases and dusts on the farm causes respiratory diseases. The kind of illnesses as a result from this includes chronic bronchitis, occupational asthma, organic dust toxic syndrome, farmers lung and silo filler (Kendall 2). Thus, respiratory diseases can seriously damage farm workers. In short, because of the condition of the work place, the equipment used in the work and the use of pesticides and chemicals, industrial agriculture creates an unhealthy condition that causes serious health problems for workers. In addition to the farm workers, consumers also suffer from unhealthy production and condition created by industrial agriculture. The use of chemicals and pesticides are causing some health problems for consumers as it is for workers. Statistical data provides us with information that makes it rather clear that the use of pesticides leads to serious health problems including fatal diseases. One of this data demonstrates that about 67,000 pesticide poisonings resulting in an estimated twenty-seven accidental fatalities are reported each year in the US in developing countries situation is worse (Pimental, Culliney, Bashore 2). Thus, again, the poisonings are frequent diseases resulted from the use of pesticides. More serious health problems like cancer can also occur because of pesticides. The International Agency for Research on Cancer found sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in eighteen pesticides and limited evidence in additional sixteen pesticides (Pimental, Culliney, Bashore 2). In other words, there are eighteen pesticides which we are sure that can make people cancer. Since in industrial agriculture pesticides are being used excessively, the food that is produced by industrial agriculture is a serious treat for consumers. Other than the use of pesticides, so called factory style animal agriculture also creates health problems for consumers. The term factory style animal production implies the animal production in which unnatural method like using chemicals is being held. Pathogens like salmonella, laisteria and toxoplasma cause foodborn illnesses. These kinds of bacteria occur in chickens but they transmit to humans through meat. They can cause severe diarrhea and nausea and occasionally produce fatal diseases.(Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 5). One may ask that if these bacteria transmit trough meat, why is the industrial agriculture guilty for these health problems? Horrigan, Lawrence and Walker give the answer: The crowded condition of factory farming increase the level of contamination and the high-speed, automated methods of slaughtering and processing the animals make it difficult to detect that contamination.(6) Furthermore, the other common characteristic of factory style animal agriculture that c auses health problems for consumers is the se of antibiotics. Unnatural or produced antibiotics are fed to animals. The goal is to promote growth in production. However, excessive use of such drugs in animals can enhance the development of drug resistant strain of disease, which can be transmitted to humans trough the food supply.(Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 8). In other words, the excessive use of these antibiotics may make people less resistant to disease and make them ill more easily. The last aspect that industrial agriculture causes health problems is genetically engineered food. It is easy to guess this kind food creates heath problems because they are not natural. This kind of food à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦includes organisms not previously eaten by humans.(Horrrigan, Lawrence, Walker 8), which may cause new allergens. Therefore, as there are organisms that we have not eaten before in genetically engineered food, it is likely that new allergens can emerge. The second reason why industrial agriculture is unsustainable is its negative effects on environment. Concerning environmental problems caused by industrial agriculture, the use of fertilizers and pesticides again seems to be the most important problem like it is about heath problems. It is a fair question to ask: why the use of fertilizers and pesticides is so intense, if it causes so many problems? It seems to be the answer is hidden in the definition of industrial agriculture given in the first paragraph. The industrial agriculture is a farm like a factory and it is goal is to produce more to profit more. The negative effects are not as important as the profit. Therefore, as the main goal is to earn money, health or environment are second or even third concerns. We can now continue to examine the negative effects on environment after this brief explanation. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is serious problem for the environment and their rate of use is continuing to increase. The main problem about fertilizers arises from the fact that crops absorb one-third to one-half of the nitrogen.(Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 3). Excess nitrogen creates dead zone because it diminishes the oxygen in the water. This drives off the mobile sea life and kills immobile bottom dwellers. One great example of this is Gulfs dead zone in New Jersey ( Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 3). This nitrogen runoff also affects the ecosystem balance in a negative way, which is direct danger for environment. The use of pesticides is another problem because it causes decline in bird and beneficial insect populations which disrupt the balance between predator and prey.(Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 3). As a result of this the pests are recovering faster, which can damage the agriculture directly. The reduction of biodiversity is another outcome. Syntheric chemicals reduce biodiversity in the insect world. This may not sound as a harmful result. However, the real problem is the death of the wild bees and other beneficial species by pesticides (Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 3). The creation of imbalance in nature harms the biodiversity and kills the species that are beneficial to human kind. The effects of the industrial agriculture on soil demonstrate how harmful it can be on environment. Land degradation seems to be the first negative result of industrial agriculture. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦since World War II, poor farming practices had damaged about 550 million hectares-an area equivalent to 38% of all farmland in use today.(Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 4). Because of industrial agriculture, more that one-third of the farmland had damaged. Considering world hunger, industrial agriculture had damaged all people by damaging that much of the land because the land could have been used efficiently, which could have supplied people with food or even land. The reason for why that much of land had damaged is that industrial agriculture à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦depends on heavy machinery that compacts the soil, destroying soil structure and killing beneficial organisms in the soil food web.(Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 4). Therefore, regarding soil, industrial agriculture is not sustainable. In terms of land, industrial agriculture is not very beneficial either. Land degradation has been a serious problem for a long time. The worlds supply of arable land per person has been declining steadily. (Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 4). Desertification is a rather effective kind of land degradation. It can be defined as land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors including climatic variations and human activities. and 15% of al land surface has been experiencing land desertification. (Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 4). This means that less land is available for agriculture. How can a type of agriculture be sustainable, if it reduces the land to use for agriculture? Less land means less family that are engaging in agriculture and less food to supply people with. The reasons for land degradation and desertification are over cultivation, overgrazing and over use of water.(Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 4). Thus, the main reason is over using land and water but if the land degradation continues, in the end there will be no land to over use. The use of water is another aspect where the negative effects of industrial agriculture can be observed. The pollution of water seems to be the sources of problems that industrial agriculture causes because when farming practices pollute surface water and aquifers, they reduce the amount of water that is suitable for other uses.( Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 4). Other users may be any plant, animals or person. The main point is that some practices of industrial agriculture pollute water and this waste water damages many other potential users. The pollution in most of the times stems from runoff of chemicals, silt and animal waste. (Horrigan, Lawrence, Walker 4). Again industrial agriculture seems to be for the benefit of only a few people, while it is harmful for many other people, animals or plants. Together with the problems concerning health and environment, the poverty caused by industrial agriculture is the last aspect that makes it unsustainable. One fact may be the starting point of poverty caused by industrial agriculture, which in seventy years, although the US population has doubled, the number of American farmers has declined from seven million to two million (Kimbrell 17). There may be two reasons for this. First one is land degradation, which is mentioned above, caused by industrial agriculture. Because of land degradation, the amount of arable land is diminishing, which leads to the loss of farm communities. As the farmers who were engaged in agriculture before finds no land, the poverty seems inevitable. The second reason may be higher costs of industrial agriculture. As industrial agriculture requires mechanization, the use of pesticides and chemicals, it is hard for farmers to continue in agriculture. Capital is needed for industrial agriculture, which many farme rs do not have. Therefore, the farms concentrate on very few people that have the capital to invest, which again causes the lass of farm communities and naturally poverty. The other reason for poverty caused by industrial agriculture is the increasing price of food. Although industrial agriculture made it possible to produce more, the price of food is increasing (Kimbrell 15). However, paradoxically farmers do not earn more than they did before. The profits gained from the increasing price of food go to the corporate middlemen, not to the farmers (Kimbrell 17). Other than farmers, society as a whole is becoming poor because of industrial agriculture as well. While food pricing is increasing, we spend money to the heath and environmental problems caused by industrial agriculture. Therefore, we pay more for the food and also we spend more money on health and environment because of industrial agriculture, which makes poverty a problem for the whole society. Poverty for farmers and for the whole society again demonstrates that industrial agriculture is not sustainable. In conclusion, even though industrial agriculture is a development in agriculture as it increases production, it takes more than it gives so it is unsustainable. Negative effects of it on heath, environment and economy are the reasons for why industrial agriculture is unsustainable. Creation of health problems both for workers and consumers because of the use of pesticides, chemical and the conditions of work place causing toxic exposure and accidents is thanks to industrial agriculture. The use of pesticides, chemicals, land degradation and water pollution are the environmental problems created by industrial agriculture. The loss of farm communities and expensive food price are the results of industrial agriculture, which causes poverty. All these reasons seem to demonstrate that industrial agriculture is unsustainable. The solution to these problems may not be going back to the old fashion way of agriculture in which there is no room for mechanization, pesticides or chemicals. All this chemicals or machines should be used for human good, not to gain more profit. Therefore, the problem is not the kind of things that is used in agriculture; the real problem is the relations of production or the social form in which these kinds of things are used. Therefore, in order to achieve sustainable agriculture, we should first abolish the possibility of making profit by industrial agriculture. Then, we should collectivize the means of production and just use them for the human good. WORK CITED Axelrod, S. J. Health Problems in Industrialized Agriculture School of Public Health. September 1949: 1172-1175. Print. Horrigan, Leo, Lawrence Robert S. ,Walker, Polly. How Sustainable Can Agriculture Address the Environmental and Human Health Harms of Industrial Agriculture. Environmental Health Perspective, Vol.110 No.5 May 2002. 445-456. Print Kendall, M. Thu. The Health Consequences of Industrial Agriculture for Farmers in the United States. Human Organization. Fall 1998. Print Kimbrell, Andrew. Fatal Harvest: The Tragedy of Industrial Agriculture. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2002. Print Pimentel, D., T.W. Culliney, T. Bashore. http://ipmworld.umn.edu/chapters/pimentel.htm

Analysis of the Character Hamlet in William Shakespeares Hamlet, The Prince of Denmark :: Papers

Analysis of the Character Hamlet in William Shakespeare's Hamlet, The Prince of Denmark First performed in 1603, Hamlet, The Prince of Denmark is probably the best known of William Shakespeare's works, and may well be the most famous English language play ever written. The character, Hamlet, is one of the most compelling characters to ever emerge from the pages of English literature. Hamlet has been the center of admiring critical commentaries. It has also developed a reputation as a difficult work to analyze. Hamlet features a very complicated character, with many complex themes, and presents the reader with a multi-layered text, which defies easy reading. He has been subjected to numerous interpretations and studies over the centuries, his actions and thoughts analyzed again and again. Probably more than anything else is the reason for Hamlet's charismatic appeal. In the first scene Hamlets father, the king, dies mysteriously just two months prior. Claudius, has taken the throne and has married the dead king's wife, Queen Gertrude. The members of the watch, including Prince Hamlet's loyal friend Horatio, are alarmed over the recent appearance of a ghost who resembles Hamlet's late father, and they plan to tell Hamlet about this eerie visitations. The Ghost of Hamlet's father speaks to his son directly and urges him to follow him to a one-on-one encounter. There he explains in detail of his horrid death and tells Hamlet that this heinous crime must be avenged and that it is up to his son to justify this by killing Claudius. â€Å"I am thy father's spirit; Doom'd for a certain term to walk the night, And for the day confin'd to wastein fires, Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature Are burnt and purg'd away.† Hamlet (Act I, Sc. V) Hamlet has trouble depicting truth from fantasy in this scene, whether or not to believe the ghost who assumes the form of his deceased father. The death of his father leads Hamlet down the road to insanity. With his mother marrying his uncle only a month after King Hamlets death, makes the road a one way street. To confirm the truth Hamlet puts on a play, inspired by his father’s unfortunate, to get an reaction from his Uncle. After witnessing his Uncle’s expression towards the play

Charles Dickens’s life Essay

How does Dickens create an atmosphere of mystery and fear in chapters 1 and 39 of â€Å"Great Expectations†? Great Expectations is a book written in 1861, by Charles Dickens. But the book is narrated by a boy called Pip; a main character in the novel, who grows up as the story goes on. The novel is about Pip growing up and moving to London to become a gentleman. But there are many twists in the story such as the convict that he meets in the first chapter, is actually paying his expenses to become a gentleman. Great Expectations is written as a semi autobiographical style novel. Dickens wrote it as he felt troubled at this certain time of his life, and needed some kind of physical and emotional support. In the first chapter, we don’t know much about Pip’s life. We know that Pip is alone in the churchyard. â€Å"This bleak place, overgrown with nettles, was the churchyard. † This shows that Dickens is describing the churchyard as a dark and sinister place, therefore creating a sense of mystery and fear. Pip then surprisingly meets the convict. â€Å"†Hold your noise! † cried a terrible voice, as a man started up from among the graves† This shows that Dickens is creating fear by the abruptness of the order. Dickens uses comedy in beginning of this chapter with, â€Å"I religiously entertained that they had all been born on their backs with their hands in their trousers-pockets, and had never taken them out in this state of existence. † This shows that Dickens has got some humour as these boys would never have had a chance to do this, because they died very early on. Dickens also uses pathetic fallacy with, â€Å"angry, red lines and dense black lines intermixed. † This shows that he uses pathetic fallacy to emphasise the violence of the convict’s actions. To do this he also uses slightly emotive language; â€Å"angry. † Between the end of this chapter and chapter 39, Pip experiences a series of events. He finds food for the convict, and he is extremely grateful for it, but word gets out that he is around and everyone finds him, so he is sent away. Pip gets invited to Miss Havisham’s house to â€Å"play† where he meets Estella, which at first sight, falls in love with her. Later on, he meets Herbert Pocket a lively young chap that challenges Pip to a fight and loses without a doubt. A few years later he is an apprentice of Joe, when suddenly Mr. Jaggers walks in and proposes an opportunity for Pip to travel to London, and learn to become a gentleman. Inevitably he takes the opportunity and leaves for London. But when he arrives he sees Mr. Pocket and he is pleasantly surprised. As time passes he becomes a little snobby and when Mr. Joe visits, he feels very unwelcome so decides to leave. In chapter 39 we find Pip is alone because Herbert was on a business trip to Marseilles. So pip wasn’t feeling too happy, as he didn’t particularly like being alone. â€Å"I†¦ had a dull sense of being alone. Dispirited and anxious, long hoping that to-morrow or next week would clear my way†¦ I sadly missed the cheerful face of my friend. † This quotation shows that Dickens is using emotive language, in order for the reader to feel the sadness of Pip. The weather is also reflecting Pip’s feelings. â€Å"Day after day, a heavy veil had been driving over London from the East, and it drove still. † This quotation shows that Dickens is creating a sense of mystery by using pathetic fallacy and emotive language. He also uses a metaphor â€Å"a vast heavy veil†. A veil covers up something which also emphasises the sense of mystery and fear. When Pip meets the convict, his reaction is slow to realise. But when he does; he is surprised, but still queer. â€Å"†Keep off! If you are grateful to me for what I did when I was a little child, I hope you have shown your gratitude by mending your way of life. If you have come here to thank me, it was not necessary. Still, however, you have found me out† This shows that Dickens is creating mystery by making it so that Pip is surprised and half pleased, but still to be fully satisfied. The mystery is solved in this chapter. â€Å"Great Expectations† is influenced by the events occurring in Charles Dickens’s life. I think that his work is still read and valued today, because he has used his own experiences to reflect onto his work. When you put this together with dickens’s style, including his use of emotive language, pathetic fallacy etc. , it creates a unique and amazing style of writing that everyone seems to be able to get into. I think that people are able to do this really easily because his work is mostly based on things that you can’t experience in today’s world. Dickens creates a sense of mystery and fear with many different techniques such as; pathetic fallacy, emotive language and metaphors.

Is the Ecological Crisis the Human Rights Concern of the Century Essay

The ecological crisis has now become an important topic throughout the years. Even so, toward the end of the last century, the issues of such crises became a focal talking point of governments, international organisations and scholars. This most likely is, as Leigh (2005) discusses, an increasing acceptance that such ecological disasters affecting mankind has been one of â€Å"the most critical turning points† that the world has ever encountered. Such crises are experienced when our environment is modified in ways which undermine our continued existence. As the environment and its ecosystems are in a constant state of being damaged, its quality is vastly ruined and this has major effects on the lives that are dependent on it. Magdoff and Foster (2011) suggest that for the ecological crisis to be understood, it must be looked at in the sense of the boundaries of the planet. They go on to indicate that ultimately the Earth has several thresholds which it must remain in in order to preserve the gentle conditions that the Earth has experienced in the past century. These thresholds include loss of biodiversity, climate change, a depleting ozone layer, world-wide freshwater and chemical pollution. Unfortunately, the planet has already passed two of these, including loss of biodiversity and climate change due to our damaging activities that cause environmental disparities. Until recently, the ecological crisis and its subsequent effects have been discussed mainly in the scientific disciplines as merely an environmental issue. It has also been made into an economic concern. However, it is now more than ever in the 21st century being debated and referred to as a subject for human rights. This essay seeks to examine the issue of the impact of the ecological crisis, its human rights implications, and how it has come to be considered the human rights concern of the century. The Ecological Crisis The end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st has seen a remarkable increase in the number of environmental catastrophes that the Earth has experienced. These disasters have not been just limited to one eographic region but they have affected nearly every single part of the planet. Some have included climate change, which in turn has been affected by the greenhouse effect and gases ; the advent of peak oil; loss of biodiversity and therefore diminished quantities and quality of food supplies; plus deforestation, chemical pollution and oil spills. These in turn have had a knock-on effect on the way of living for man and caused such issues as rising sea levels, floods, reduced food resources, droughts, and polluted air and water supply. As mentioned, the Earth’s threshold for climate change and biodiversity loss has been passed and this has already been causing irreparable harm to the planet’s ecosystems and the environment. It is still possible, however, to stop such effects from permanent harm to the environment, which is why the ecological crisis has become such an important matter for discussion today. Climate Change â€Å"Of all the environmental issues that have emerged in the past decades, global climate change has been the most serious and most difficult to manage† (Dessler and Parson, 2006). Like with the above quote, it is thought by many scientists and scholars that climate change is and will be the biggest threat to the environment mainly because of its potential to bring about such brutal destruction. Oxfam International (2008) stated that some of the 23 richest countries in the world (comprising Canada, Australia and USA) where just fourteen percent of the entire world population inhabits, produced almost sixty percent of the planet’s carbon emissions since the 1800s. The Earth’s climate is changing. In fact, it has always been varying from time to time. However, the degree of change is now the big worry. The Great Warming (2006) defines climate change as an alteration in the â€Å"long-term climate† of a particular area. It is further stated that humans contribute to this climate change by discharging greenhouse gases and sprays up into the atmosphere while also modifying the land we live on. Dessler and Parson (2006) debate the forecasts for climate change in the 21st century are more or less unclear, nonetheless, this uncertainty can work either way in that the climate may increase or decrease. The prospect of such unknowns makes this question a lot graver. Many of the activities that individuals carry out on a daily basis has contributed significantly to the greenhouse effect, the depletion of the ozone layer, and therefore climate change. As The Great Warming (2006) put it, the inhabitants of the Earth are constantly burning fossil fuels for heating of houses, for production of electricity and to run machines and vehicles. All of these activities have been adding to the warming effect on the atmosphere. The UNDP (2007) report on fighting climate change established that since the start of the industrial age, the temperature of the Earth has risen by about 0. 7 degrees Celsius and this increase seems to be speeding up with time. The report went further in determining that if a threshold of 2oC is broken, we hazard the idea of greater irreparable damage to the environment. Magdoff and Foster (2011) quotes the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stating that by the end of the century in 2100, the most probable temperature increase worldwide will be in the 2. to 4. 6oC range. This, we can see, is far higher than the previously mentioned threshold of 2oC, and as the authors mention, is a major cause for concern and panic. Such drastic climate change can ultimately lead to ice caps melting, sea levels rising, droughts, forced migration of peoples, a reduction in food produce, and danger to coastal regions. This can lead to reduced health and welfare of the population while also causing serious issues with atmospheric pollution. Other forms of the Ecological Crisis Climate change has not been the only crisis the environment has faced. There has also been widespread degradation with other human-driven activities. Goodhart (2009) explains that the ecosystem has been affected by severe exhaustion of its resources. This includes deforestation which has led to erosion and land slippage and thus pushed people out of their habitat. Oils spills have been a major source of concern, according to Goodhart, which has threatened the survival of certain oceanic species that are a vital source of food for man. The ecological crisis will affect the entire world population if nothing is done to stop the effects of all these contributory factors. This has led international organisations such as the United Nations (UN) to establish various agencies and protocols that will guide international actors in dealing with the crisis. These include the IPCC, as well as the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. The UN has also held several conferences over the years to tackle the problems including the Earth Summit in Brazil and the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC) . As will be seen in the next section, some of these mechanisms have begun placing more emphasis on and framing the environmental issues as human rights concerns. Relationship between the Ecological Crisis and Human Rights â€Å"As the world marks the 60th anniversary of the UDHR, High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay points out that a wide range of universally recognized rights including food, life, water and adequate housing are under a direct threat as a result of climate change† (OHCHR, 2008a). The destruction of the environment and its consequent effects on humans is leading to grave human rights concerns. In its resolution on climate change, the UN Human Rights Council stated their concern for climate change posing a direct danger to communities in the world, further suggesting that this ecological crisis has consequences for the â€Å"full enjoyment of human rights† (HRC, 2008) . Framing of the issues in human rights terms has been a very useful tool for creating greater awareness of its impacts and ensuring that the subject reaches new actors and activists, ultimately influencing the process for the better. Human rights are now frequently referred to as â€Å"universal and indivisible†. For this reason, Hawkins (2010) suggests that every human being is â€Å"entitled to every basic right by virtue of their humanity†. As climate change is possibly the biggest ecological concern of late, many scholars refer to it the most when focusing on the human rights implications. However, there are still very deep human rights concerns for the other contributors to the crisis. Depledge (2007) mentioned that there are, at present, no organisations such as the UN that blatantly suggests a right to a healthy environment. Nevertheless, he proposes that the human right to health covered under the UDHR directly implies a link to the environment. This is because the way in which the environment is kept can and does affect the security of people. Therefore, we see truth in Commissioner Navi Pillay’s words in mentioning these rights. Hunter (2009,p. 7) also suggests that climate change can have an impact on the right to self-determination. One example of the effect of the crisis on this right is that of the Inuit people of Alaska who in 2005 submitted a petition to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights suggesting that their â€Å"way of life† was being hindered by climate change which in turn influences their continued existence and culture. Climate change, if continued on its current path will increasingly raise the Earth’s temperature. This will further affect the water sources, our food, and cause major disease outbreaks. These activities are bound to result in significant human rights violations under the various charters and treaties. Firstly, the right to health will see a drastic rise of malnutrition in children. There will also be a threat of major increases in droughts and flooding around the world (Oxfam, 2008). Another right that needs to be preserved during this process is the all-important right to life and security. Article 3 of the UDHR asks for the â€Å"right to life, liberty and security of person†. These rights are in serious danger of being breached from the issues of the ecological crisis. Goodhart (2009) maintains that the depletion of environmental resources like clean water and oil has â€Å"been a cause of violent conflict in several areas around the world† and this is of extreme distress because of the occurrence of, say, peak oil. Climate change can greatly affect the security of people around the world. As a result of the rising sea levels, the increased temperature and therefore the damage to land, inhabitants of the Earth will experience more flooding, droughts and fires, heat waves and higher occurrence of storms. All of these can ultimately lead to death and an increase in numbers. Another important right affected by this crisis has been the right to food as stipulated in Article 11(1) of the ICESCR . Current trends are not a good sign for people’s right to food under this treaty. Oxfam (2008) suggests that any further warming of the planet is bound to expose fifty million more people to hunger by the year 2020. Within another 30 years in 2050, that number could vastly increase to 132 million. These are extremely high numbers that would be detrimental to the survival of many regions and populations. The Oxfam report cites the case of Africa, where land for cultivation is being reduced by climate change causing the season for growing crop to decrease thereby producing less crop for food. The International Council on Human Rights Policy (ICHRP) categorically mentions that climate change creates violations of human rights due to the constant harm that we are inflicting on the environment (ICHRP, 2008). The most serious effects of the ecological crisis will usually and unfortunately be experienced by the people whose rights and protections are currently not being respected and so occurrences like climate change, tar sands, and pollution will have a greater impact on the more disregarded populations. This includes the poor and usually indigenous peoples around the world. As Havermann (2009) put it, the indigenous peoples around the world are some of those that are most susceptible to these crises while being the ones who have the smallest responsibility for them. For example, the oil and gas expansion by multinational corporations around the world is having severe effects on climate change and the environment, leading on to issues for human rights particularly with indigenous peoples. As Karliner (1991) noted, oil and its excavation has an overwhelmingly negative effect on the economic stability of these groups. Also a huge concern, as a result, is their health which tends to suffer from these activities. The problems faced by many countries with deforestation have also been exacerbating the situation for the realisation of human rights around the world. Many of the forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. The boomerang effect is thus a reduction in the all-important biodiversity that the forests contain and that is necessary for the continued livelihood and survival of those dependent on it. This includes, according to ICHRP (2008), the over fifty million tribal inhabitants of forests around the globe who are constantly affected with their food safety harshly curtailed. If the present rates at which such deforestation and the previously mentioned rises of climate change, oil spills and pollution continue, it is thought that a majority of the rainforests on the Earth will have vanished even before the 21st century has ended. Concern of the Century? Many environmentalists and human rights defenders have framed the ecological crisis as one with a human rights dimension. This is because most see it now as a serious inhibitor to development, to the daily living of man and to fulfilling the rights that have been laid out in the various international instruments. The ecological crisis has seen a large number of environmental problems over the years and its effects are now being debated fiercely on the world stage. Some world leaders, scientists and the general population are all trying to engage in finding solutions to the problem while others still question and underestimate the gravity of the phenomenon. The issue has become a major concern, not just for the planet physically, but also in a human rights context because the ecological crisis single-handedly affects a range of different human rights as seen above. In many instances, its effects can breach more rights than some of the other current rights violators. In addition, while most abuses of human rights can generally be halted voluntarily, if these environmental problems are allowed to linger untreated then at some point in time the destruction of the environment would have become irreversible. This in turn would result in more human rights violations. As Hawkins (2010) argues, the resources of the planet are limited and so to continue with the existing trend will place humanity in peril. Also, the atmosphere cannot distinguish between the greenhouse gases that affect climate change by the region it comes from (UNDP, 2007). Climate change, for example, is non-discriminatory and unlike other rights violations being perpetrated around the world, it can affect just about anyone. This is why such a huge international human rights advocacy process has now been implemented. In a statement in 2007, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon referred to climate change as â€Å"the greatest emerging humanitarian challenge of our time† which is â€Å"menacing the whole human family†. As the UNFCCC acknowledged in the framework, the universal reach of the effects of climate change requires the â€Å"widest possible co-operation from all countries† (UNFCCC, 1992). It is evident that the human rights implications of the ecological crisis is a great concern for many people especially in the recent efforts by NGOs to publicise the matter, while a number of measures have been put in place by international organisations such as the UN to tackle the problems – through summits, conferences and protocols like the Kyoto protocol. In 2008, a resolution was passed by the Organisation of American States (OAS) on human rights and climate change (ICHRP, 2008). The commitments set forth in the 1997 Kyoto protocol are soon to end in 2012. Neglecting to meet these obligations will cause us to reach even closer to further crisis. In December 2011, Canada officially pulled out of its commitments to the protocol (Carrington and Vaughan, 2011). The backlash and criticism from world leaders and actors was astounding and this showed the level that the ecological crisis and its implications for human life have reached in this century. Conclusion Going forward without confronting this global challenge that is the ecological crisis with the seriousness that it deserves will result in countless human rights violations around the globe. The climate change, deforestation, oil spills and rising sea levels will cause a massive increase in the destruction of habitats, reduced water supply, island and coastal regions vanishing, and greater health concerns. These in turn are destabilizing many peoples’ rights to food, health, security, life and livelihood. It is imperative that the principles and norms of human rights are continuously applied to these crises so as to halt the irreparable destruction of the environment and the future of humankind. As noted by the UNDP (2007), the 20th century saw leadership disasters resulting in two world wars in which masses of people suffered. In this the 21st century, the destructive nature of the ecological crisis has become the new and preventable disaster.