Agriculture: Evolution or Devolution? Essay -- Environment Environment

Agriculture: Evolution or Devolution? Considering that the alarming excess and continuing growth of the current world population (of humans) is directly tied to food production and availability, the question of how and why we even developed the technology of agriculture in the first place is becoming more and more relevant to human survival as we collectively continue to destroy the environment in which we live due in part to these very agricultural techniques and strategies that we are continuing to employ today. Current estimations show that at around the same time that agriculture was beginning to develop and thrive, the population of our ancestors started to double at a rate that was far higher than what it had been previously for the more than 2 million years of prior human existence. What does this then mean, and what does it say about humans and their attitude towards the environment? This hinges largely on the viewpoints to which we allow ourselves to be open. The most common view taken is that most (if not all) technologies we create mark an "advance" for humankind. Perhaps because they are prized so much either for their practical or symbolic value, it has become difficult to regard the technologies without a bias towards their immediate effects on human society as opposed to the overall compatibility with the rest of the natural world. Within this mindset, it is very hard to put aside the very "advanced" tools that seem to form the foundation of what a complicated, sophisticated, intelligent human is supposed to be. In this light, a complex process like agriculture cannot be anything but an advance, and any lifestyle that dates prior to the agricultural advent must, by subtle implication, be inferior. This infe... ...e technologies we created, from market economy and weapons of mass destruction to the simpler-scale household appliances. This suggests that many do not really see the frictions such technologies impose on our surroundings as problems, but rather according to their perception of the way things are, the tools they use are only doing exactly what they were supposed to and it cannot be helped. And moreover, this is so ingrained in most modern human cultures that the constituents of said cultures do not even see a problem with that. Sources Ehrlich, Paul R. "Human Natures: Genes Cultures, and the Human Prospect". Island Press, 2000. Cipolla, Carlo M. "The Economic History of World Population". The Harvester Press, 1978 Ponting, Clive. "A Green History of the World: The Environment and the Collapse of Great Civilizations". St. Martin's Press, New York, 1991.

Starbucks Company Overview

Starbucks Company Overview Starbucks, a well-managed assertive company, has consistently achieved growth since its early beginnings. Starbucks is the largest retailer of specialty coffee drinks and coffee beans in the nation sold through company-owned retail outlets and supermarket chains (Starbucks Corporation, 2009). The Starbucks name has earned its place as an innovative organization that represents a sense of community and shared ideals among its customers, its employees, and the world at large and its brand is equivalent to quality.By combining its well-known name and brand with focused superior customer service, Starbucks is positioning itself in the market with enhancing both its product line and its marketing channels since it first opened its doors in 1971. Current expansion has obtained growth of over 2,000 locations throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Asia. Starbucks brings the â€Å"exciting coffee experience to its customers almost anywhereâ⠂¬  (The Gourmet Retailer, 2009). Starbucks, formerly known as Starbucks Coffee, Team and Spice was founded 1971 in Pike Place Market, Seattle, Washington.The owners, two men by the names of Gerald Baldwin and Gordon Bowker used to import and roast the coffee themselves in an old industrial building next to a meat packing plant. Baldwin and Bowker founded Starbucks because they loved coffee and tea and wanted Seattle to have the best. Based on many of fundamental ideas of Alfred Peet from Peet’s Coffee and Tea in Berkeley, Baldwin and Bowker had a solid business of selling fine coffees, with 5 stores operating throughout Seattle area. Howard Schultz joined Starbucks in 1982 as head of marketing.At Schultz’s urging, Starbucks began testing its’ first espresso bar in Seattle, on April of 1984. According to Schultz and Jones Yang (1999), â€Å"Within two months, the store was serving 800 customers a day† (p. 60). The average number of customer before the es presso bar opened was 250. After years of being in business, Gerald Baldwin and Gordon Bowker decided to sell Starbucks in March of 1987. By August of 1987, Howard Schultz bought Starbucks for $4 million dollars. On August 18, 1987, the Starbucks as we know it was born.By 1990, Starbucks had opened 84 stores. On June 26, 1992, Starbucks went public and was listed on the NASDAQ with a price of $21 a share. Starbucks for the next decade continued to expand its’ stores domestically and internationally. Starbucks also continued to widen their menu selections by offering food and specialty drinks. By the end of 1999, Starbucks had opened 2,498 stores. By 2007, Starbucks opened 15, 756 stores. From 2000 to current year, Starbucks continues to be the leader in the coffee industry. MarketRole of Government Regulations Government regulations has major implications in different aspects of Starbucks' business. First of all, being a publicly listed company, government regulations has maj or implications on financial reporting and accounting activities of the company. For example, Starbucks need to comply with strict government regulations such as Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and other SEC/US GAAP related compliance issues pertaining to financial reporting and accounting policies. (Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP, April 2003, p. ) Non adherence to such regulations can result in significant penalties and fines for Starbucks. Government regulations also play an important role in global business of Starbucks, such as import of raw materials like Coffee and international operations of the company. Changes in government policies pertaining to import duties, tariffs, etc. can impact the import pricing of Company's raw materials such as Coffee. Similarly, policies pertaining to international taxation can affect the profitability of its international subsidiaries.Government regulations also affect areas pertaining to environmental protection. As Starbucks is a socially respons ible corporation, it adheres to government regulations pertaining to environmental protection, disposal of waste, etc. Other areas where government regulations impact Starbucks operations are regulations pertaining to human resources of the company in areas such as recruitment and hiring, salary, etc. Starbucks need to comply with labor laws to avoid penalties and fines related to such laws.Starbucks also has to comply with federal and state regulations that are applicable to the organization. Issues and Opportunities Summary and Conclusion References Starbucks Corporation. (2009). Starbucks. com. Retrieved September 2, 2009, fromhttp://www. starbucks. com/aboutus/overview. asp The Gourmet Retailer. (2009). gourmetretailer. com. Retrieved September 2, 2009, fromhttp://www. gourmetretailer. com/gourmetretailer/magazine/article_display. jsp? vnu_conte nt_id=1086864 Schultz, H. , & Jones Yang, D. (1999).Pour your heart into it. How Starbucks built a company one cup at a time. New York: Hyperion. Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP (April 2003). Legal Alert: Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 Compliance Update. Retrieved September 5, 2009, from http://www. sutherland. com/files/News/3523433c-b3c0-4daf-9da3-526153639409/Presentation/NewsAttachment/887a0e6b-bb72-4b68-9824-8d77f8a3de86/926210_2. pdfhttp://www. sutherland. com/files/News/3523433c-b3c0-4daf-9da3-526153639409/Presentation/NewsAttachment/887a0e6b-bb72-4b68-9824-8d77f8a3de86/926210_2. pdf

Short Story - 1158 Words

that allows scientist to take objects apart to see how they function. Once done, the scientist can rebuild their technology based on the information gathered. It was at that moment when Sam began to wonder where the technology could have originated from. Something was telling him that it was otherworldly in origin. The sky was as dark as they had ever seen it. The piercing bright stars in contrast with the black emptiness of space resembled a backlight canopy with holes punched in it. Without the light pollution of the large city, the two could see every star in its purity. The sounds of nature were soothing and terrifying at the same time. The sounds coming from the forest resembled nothing they had heard before. They tried not to imagine†¦show more content†¦Even though the object was several miles from the crystal, the boys could clearly see it rising over the horizon. It was gigantic! Dirt and water poured off the object. It looked as if it had been there for decades and had somehow become part of the landscape. Other than the humming noise it was complete silence. The objects floated without any signs of propulsion. It was as if the objects were alive, somehow communication with one another. When one would flash a specific color, the other would seem to respond with another. They looked like machines but acted alive. The way the objects surrounded the crashed object suggested they were there to help. They resembled a heard of elephants surrounding an injured calf. A bright orb that glowed in a brilliant shade of blue approached Sam and Dean. Both were overtaken with a sense of solitude, kindness, and love. It was as if this intelligence communicated with them. Somehow, they felt feelings that couldn’t be explained. It seemed that the object was thanking them for something. However, they had yet to understand the complexity of the message. At this point, the bright light faded to solid black. Both boys awoke in the museum laying on their back. A security guard turned the corner and as ked the boys if they were ok. They looked at one another and nodded yes. Sam said, â€Å"Yes sir we are ok, just came to look at the giant crystal.† The security guard laughed at Sam and replied, â€Å"You call that a giant crystal?† The twoShow MoreRelatedshort story1018 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Short Stories:  Ã‚  Characteristics †¢Short  - Can usually be read in one sitting. †¢Concise:  Ã‚  Information offered in the story is relevant to the tale being told.  Ã‚  This is unlike a novel, where the story can diverge from the main plot †¢Usually tries to leave behind a  single impression  or effect.  Ã‚  Usually, though not always built around one character, place, idea, or act. †¢Because they are concise, writers depend on the reader bringing  personal experiences  and  prior knowledge  to the story. Four MajorRead MoreThe Short Stories Ideas For Writing A Short Story Essay1097 Words   |  5 Pageswriting a short story. Many a time, writers run out of these short story ideas upon exhausting their sources of short story ideas. If you are one of these writers, who have run out of short story ideas, and the deadline you have for coming up with a short story is running out, the short story writing prompts below will surely help you. Additionally, if you are being tormented by the blank Microsoft Word document staring at you because you are not able to come up with the best short story idea, youRead MoreShort Story1804 Words   |  8 PagesShort story: Definition and History. A  short story  like any other term does not have only one definition, it has many definitions, but all of them are similar in a general idea. According to The World Book Encyclopedia (1994, Vol. 12, L-354), â€Å"the short story is a short work of fiction that usually centers around a single incident. 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In the short stories â€Å"Miss Brill† and â€Å"Frau Brechenmacher attends a wedding† written by Katherine Mansfield, the themes which are relevant to real life in Miss Brill are isolation and appearance versus reality. Likewise Frau Brechenmacher suffers through isolation throughout the story and also male dominance is one of the major themes that are highlighted in the story. These themes areRead MoreShort Story and People1473 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Title: Story Of An Hour Author: Kate Chopin I. On The Elements / Literary Concepts The short story Story Of An Hour is all about the series of emotions that the protagonist, Mrs. Mallard showed to the readers. With the kind of plot of this short story, it actually refers to the moments that Mrs. Mallard knew that all this time, her husband was alive. For the symbol, I like the title of this short story because it actually symbolizes the time where Mrs. Mallard died with joy. And with thatRead MoreShort Story Essay1294 Words   |  6 PagesA short story concentrates on creating a single dynamic effect and is limited in character and situation. It is a language of maximum yet economical effect. Every word must do a job, sometimes several jobs. Short stories are filled with numerous language and sound devices. These language and sound devices create a stronger image of the scenario or the characters within the text, which contribute to the overall pre-designed effect.As it is shown in the metaphor lipstick bleeding gently in CinnamonRead MoreRacism in the Short Stor ies1837 Words   |  7 PagesOften we read stories that tell stories of mixing the grouping may not always be what is legal or what people consider moral at the time. The things that you can learn from someone who is not like you is amazing if people took the time to consider this before judging someone the world as we know it would be a completely different place. 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