Argentina Environmental Laws And Regulations Environmental Sciences Essay

Argentina Environmental Laws And Regulations Environmental Sciences Essay The protection of water resources is ruled by National Decree 674/89 modified in part by Decree 776/92 on waste effluents discharged into sewage systems or water coursesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The territory of application is the City of Buenos Aires and the districts of the Province of Buenos Aires. (Consoli et al). This applies to facilities that are in the territory of application, which create waste effluents originated in the discharge of said effluents into sewage systems, rain drains or water courses, which may contaminate the water sources, damage Waterworks, installations or affect the public health. Industrial plants and facilities subject to this decree must have duly authorized effluent treatment plants and are required to file an annual affidavit that holds all the data required by the relevant regulation. This also establishes certain prohibitions like the release of effluent exceeding the tolerated contamination levels, the discharge of effluent without previous authorization, t he discharge of effluent in public places and the storage of solid wastes which may contaminate surface or underground water. Air Pollution Law 20.284 establishes rules to determine air quality and the allowed concentration of pollutants. It includes motor vehicles, machinery, equipment, facilities installations and incinerators, emitting substances which may produce atmospheric contamination. If not followed, subject to fines or temporary or total closure of the polluting source. Law 24.040-the control of substances which deplete the ozone, rules on the use and trade of CFCs. Hazardous Waste Law 24.051rules the generation, transport, handling, treatment and final disposal of hazardous waste, establishing duties, responsibilities and liabilities of generators, operators and transporters of waste. Law 24.051 is a local law but it is followed by the whole national territory (Nonna). A hazardous waste is any waste that can damage living beings or contaminate land, water, air or the environment. Individuals and legal entities subject to this law (generators, transporters and operators of hazardous waste) have to register with the National Registry of Hazardous Waste Generators and Operators. They need to do this to be able to receive the annual environmental certificate that allows them to operate. Generators of Waste Means Waste generators have to pay a levy. The levy is calculated by how hazardous the waste is, and how much is generated. Transporters of Hazardous Waste Hazardous waste can only go from the generator to the transporter. It has to be with a manifest that contains all the data identifying the generator. The transporter cannot: 1) mix hazardous waste with other waste or with incompatible hazardous waste; 2) store hazardous waste for more than ten days; or 3) transport, transfer or deliver waste not properly packed. Treatment and/or Final Disposal Plants Authorizations are for ten year for the operation of these plants. But they have to have annual renewals of the environmental certificate. They must keep a permanent operation record that follows the requirements established by authority. Argentina Faces the Dilemma of Unconventional Oil and Gas Vast reserves of natural gas and oil trapped underground, whose exploitation would signify major environmental impacts, will be the greatest challenge facing YPF, the Argentine oil company that recently returned to state control. The study assessed the viability of 48 shale gas basins in 32 countries and estimated Argentinas shale gas reserves at 774 (TCF), 60 times greater than the countrys current conventional reserves. The shale gas formations are in four basins, but the Neuquà ©n basin is the most promising. This is where the Vaca Muerta and Los Molles formations are found, which stretch across the subsoil of four provinces: Neuquà ©n and Mendoza, in western Argentina, La Pampa in the centre of the country, and Rà ­o Negro in the centre-south. The report states that, although there is a high degree of uncertainty, studies by the Undersecretariat of Mines and Hydrocarbons of Neuquà ©n estimate that there are 170 TCF of recoverable gas in the Vaca Muerta formation and between 130 and 192 TCF in Los Molles. The exploitation of these reserves would significantly increase gas production, create employment and promote the development of new technologies, but would also take a heavy toll on the environment. This is the dilemma facing the new YPF, after the expropriation of 51 percent of its shares, which were held by the Spanish oil company Repsol until the May 3 passage of the bill that President Cristina Fernà ¡ndez de Kirchner submitted to Congress on Apr. 16. YPF, created by the Argentine government in 1922, has thus returned to state control as a private corporation with a majority stake owned by the government and the rest held by national and foreign private companies and stockholders. The article, Gas y petrà ³leo no conventional: Perspectives y desafà ­os para su desarrollo en Argentina (Unconventional Gas and Oil: Prospects and challenges for their development in Argentina), outlines the opportunities offered by exploitation of these resources, but warns that the effects on the environment pose serious questions. A report published in October 2011 by the National Academy of Engineering of Argentina, Gas de reservorios no convencionales: Estado de situacià ³n y principales desafà ­os (Gas from Unconventional Sources: Current situation and key challenges), concurs with the warnings voiced by Matranga and Gutman. *The writer is an IPS correspondent. This story was originally published by Latin American newspapers that are part of the Tierramà ©rica network. Tierramà ©rica is a specialised news service produced by IPS with the backing of the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme and the World Bank. Top of Form Environmental sustainability situation in Argentina The following statistics give perspective to the ongoing environmental sustainability situation in Argentina: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Disappearances of Forests: In 1914, there were 105 million hectares; since 2005 there is an estimated 33 million remaining hectares of forest à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Increase in Pesticides: In 1991, agriculture reported using 40 million liters of pesticides; by 1997 that number had grown to 100 million liters à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ High Levels of Lead: In the province of Jujuy, 59 percent of children from the Abra Pampas have an unsafe amount of lead in their blood; the impact to local flora and fauna is unknown à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The burning of forests generates more greenhouse gases than motor vehicles à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Since 1985, the amount of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by 140 percent; whereas carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and particulates have increased 60, 56 and 100 percent, respectively à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Since 1914, two-thirds of Argentinas native forests have been destroyed. If this destruction continues unchecked, all of Argentinas native forests will be gone by the year 2024. Challenges for Future Nationalised Oil Co. in Argentina:- One of the big challenges facing the Argentine government in its plans to regain state control of the countrys biggest oil firm, YPF, is to make up for the time lost under private management, when production and exploration fell. President Cristina Fernandez decreed intervention of the YPF board and sent Congress a bill Monday Apr. 16 to expropriate 51 percent of the shares of the company, which is controlled by Spanish energy firm Repsol. The move radically changes the countrys energy scenario. YPF, founded as Yacimientos Petrolà ­feros Fiscales (State Petroleum Reserves) by the Argentine state in 1922, is the largest oil and gas producer in the country. It was privatised in two stages, in 1993 and 1999, under the administrations of former president Carlos Menem (1989-1999). Since then the state has held less than one percent of the shares of YPF. Fà ©lix Herrero, the vice president of the movement for the recovery of Argentinas energy sovereignty (MORENO), told IPS he was in complete agreement with the bill, which declares the achievement of self-sufficiency in oil and gas to be in the public interest in order to guarantee economic development with social equity. . In Lamothes view, the government has waited too long to take action on an energy policy that has been failing to encourage investment. The authorities allowed most of the profits to be transferred abroad, and now there is an eight-year backlog in investments, he complained. He added that the future state-controlled company would have to move towards a model of partnerships with the private sector in order to fund necessary investments. And he thought it was premature to celebrate the governments move this week. At the unveiling of the initiative, Fernà ¡ndez said YPF would continue to be a sociedad anà ³nima or public limited company, with private participation. I want to make it clear that this is not nationalisation, but the restoration of sovereignty and control over an essential instrument, she said. She maintained that Argentinas plan is not a new invention, and ran through a list of industrialised and developing countries where the state controls the oil and gas industry. For example, she noted that in Brazil, the public sector owns 51 percent of oil giant Petrobras. But on this point, Herrero said, the president is mistaken. Constitutionally, the Brazilian state cannot own more than 51 percent of Petrobras, and actually owns 32 percent, while the rest of the company is in the hands of federal states, the state-owned National Development Bank (BANDES), workers mutual funds and private individuals and corporations, he said. Air, Water, and Noise Pollution Aging diesel buses may be the primary culprit in deteriorating urban air quality, but private vehicles (some still using leaded gasoline) and taxis contribute more than their share (some taxis and private vehicles, though, burn natural gas). Superannuated factories, with their subsidized smokestacks, are another source. A different sort of air pollution is the deterioration of the antarctic ozone layer, which has exposed both humans and livestock in far southern Argentina to ultraviolet radiation in summer. Though ozone depletion is a global problem over which Argentines have little control, they suffer the consequences of the growing ozone hole. Just as motor vehicles cause urban air pollution, they also produce most of its noise pollution, due partly to inadequate mufflers. According to one study, vehicular noise accounts for 80 percent of noise levels that, at corners like Rivadavia and Callao in Buenos Aires, exceed 80 decibels. Buses and motorcycles are the worst offenders. Drinking water is normally potable, but a historical legacy of polluted waterways derives from, first, the proliferation of European livestock on the pampas, followed by the processing of hides and livestock, and then by heavy industry. The textbook case is Buenos Airess Riachuelo, in the working-class barrio of La Boca, which more closely resembles sludge than water; its bottom sediments, thanks to chemical runoff from factories here and in nearby Avellaneda, are an even greater toxic hazard. The construction of riverside pulp plants in Uruguay continues to be a hot-button issue in Entre Rà ­os Province, but this is a complex issue characterized by much cynical posturing on the Argentine side. Solid Waste Buenos Aires and other cities produce prodigious amounts of garbage-Buenos Aires alone, for instance, generates 5,000 tons of solid waste per day. The capital ships its garbage as far away as the city of Olavarrà ­a, 400 kilometers to the southwest, but a new law stipulates that it will reduce the waste sent to landfills by half by 2012, and by 75 percent by 2017. Sidewalk pickups take place daily, but in the aftermath of the 2002 economic crisis, garbage-strewn streets became more common because of spontaneous recycling by cartoneros who ripped open plastic bags in search of reusable materials like cardboard. Theres another dark side to this recycling, as some cartoneros-apparently in league with criminal elements-have also absconded with valuable metals covering utility boxes and other similar objects accessible from the street. Sold and melted into ingots of bronze and other metals, these are almost untraceable. Another sort of solid waste is even more problematic. Greenpeace Argentina has protested an agreement with Australia to import that countrys nuclear waste for reprocessing near the Buenos Aires suburb of Ezeiza. Argentinas constitution prohibits storage of nuclear waste, though Argentina has its own 357-megawatt Atucha I reactor near the town of Lima, northwest of the capital. Energy Mismanagement and disinvestment are threatening Argentinas self-sufficiency in fossil fuels, so that the country is now having to import natural gas, at above-market prices, from Bolivia. The country does have hydroelectric resources in the subtropical north and along the Andean foothills, but Argentine governments have promoted nuclear power since the 1950s. While the country has renounced any intention to build nuclear weapons, the 357-megawatt Atucha I reactor has powered the capitals electrical grid since 1974. For much of the time since then it has operated at reduced capacity thanks partly to cheaper hydroelectricity, but also due to inadequate maintenance; the controlling Comisià ³n Nacional de Energà ­a Atà ³mica (CNEA, National Atomic Energy Commission) is not known for its transparency. Atucha I is due to close in 2014. Even hydroelectricity is no panacea, as the creation of the massive Yacyretà ¡ dam along the Paraguayan border in Corrientes Province may be raising water levels in the Iberà ¡ marshlands; this could sever the floating islands, on which their wildlife depends, from their anchoring soils. Similarly, upstream water diversions on the Rà ­o Iguazà º could affect the flow over the spectacular falls that are one of the continents greatest natural features. Soil Conservation and Deforestation Centuries of livestock impacts, both grazing and trampling, have caused serious erosion even in areas where there were never native forests, such as the pampas and the Patagonian steppes. Even today, some forested national parks-most notably Lanà ­n and Los Glaciares-have been unable to eliminate grazing within their boundaries. There has been pressure to create presumably sustainable forest-exploitation projects in the Magellanic woodlands of Tierra del Fuego. The hot-button forest issues, though, are in the northern subtropical forests. In Misiones Province, agricultural colonists and commercial tea and yerba mate plantations have cut over much of the selva misionera, a diverse, wildlife-rich rain forest that cannot easily reestablish itself when its natural recycling mechanisms are disturbed. In Jujuy and Salta Provinces, the yungas cloud forest on the edge of the Andes has already suffered deforestation from construction of a nearly pointless natural gas pipeline over the Andes to Chile, and from widespread clear-cutting to extract just a few prize timber species. Beans taking over forests Research in Argentina has shown that deforestation due to agricultural expansion of soybean is threatening the Yungas cloud forest, and the Chaco ecoregion, one of the largest forested biomes (a major regional group of distinctive plant and animal communities) in South America. In Argentina, while most recent expansion in soybean agriculture has relied on available agricultural land, there are aggressive targets to expand the agricultural area to increase soybean production for export.1 The cattle threat Beef production in Argentina also poses a threat to natural habitats. Beef feeding, located on land that used to compete with agricultural crops, has been concentrated in the Espinal Ecoregion (an area of thorny deciduous shrubland forest) threatening grasslands and forests. Similar impacts have occurred with cattle breeding, which has expanded into the Chaco ecoregion and is threatening forests. These processes are closely linked with an increasing demand for suitable land for soy cropping.2 Other environmental problems Argentina also faces the issue of energy consumption and management and the inefficient use of non-renewable resources. COMPARISON OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES BETWEEN ARGENTINA AND INDIA DEFORESTATION : ARGENTINA Argentina has over 33 million ha of forest, representing over 12% of the countrys land area. Between 1990 and 2005 Argentina lost 6.4% of its natural forest cover, although plantation expansion resulted in the net forest loss being lower at 2.1%. A forestry bill in 1997 offered tax breaks and subsidies to foreign investors for establishing tree plantations and the aim was to plant an average of 200,000 ha per year from 2000 to 2009. Although this target was not achieved, an average of approximately 50,000 ha per year were planted from 2000 to 2008. Much of the destruction of natural forests is due to the spread of agribusiness. In the central province of Cordoba soy production has increased steadily in the last decade, replacing forests; of the 10 million ha of forest in Cordoba a century ago, only 12% remain and in some areas, the figure is as low as 2%. The result has been soil erosion, water shortages and localised changes to the climate. The Cordoba Environment Agency introduced a law in 2005 banning clear-cutting for a period of 10 years, but allowing sustainable logging in native forests. In the north western province of Salta, the number of permits issued by the provincial government for land conversion increased in recent years; in 2007 alone, permits issued allowed for the felling of half a million ha of forest. At the end of 2008, 18 indigenous communities presented a demand to the Supreme Court for an immediate halt to the deforestation. The court imposed an immediate ban on deforestation in the region and demanded a public consultation take place prior to the court taking a final decision. This deforestation is also threatening the habitats of many species, including the jaguar and seven other cat species. Timber is not a major industry in Argentina; many of the companies involved in land clearing for agribusiness are also involved in the paper and pulp industry. Much of the potentially valuable timber is in remote areas and remains unexploited. In 2008 the World Bank approved a US$60 million loan to Argentina to work with smaller farmers to improve sustainable management of forest resources and preserve biodiversity. The work will focus on the most the most threatened areas, where ecosystems have been seriously damaged by agribusiness. In another positive move, the Canadian Forest Service has begun working with Argentina to develop six model forests and develop local indicators to monitor progress towards sustainable forest management. Deforestation Destruction of forests creates numerous environmental catastrophes, including altering local rainfall patterns, accelerating soil erosion, causing the flooding of rivers, and threatening millions of species of plants, animals and insects with extinction. The main causes of deforestation are: expansion of agricultural and industrial needs, population growth, poverty, consumer demand and landlessness. Despite increased public awareness and  a large number of initiatives, deforestation is still continuing in most of Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. During 1980-90 alone, the Latin American region lost 62 million hectares (6.0 per cent) of its natural forest, which was the largest loss in the world during those years, with a further 5.8 million hectares a year lost during 1990-95. (source:UNEP) India Approximately 45% of Indias land is degraded primarily due to deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, mining and excessive groundwater extraction. More than 2/3rds of this can be regenerated. India has the 10th largest forest cover in the world at 68 million hectares. The governments National Action Plan on climate change involves expanding forest cover from the current 23% to 33% of Indias territory, and to afforest 6 million hectares of degraded forest land. India has rich biodiversity more than 45,000 plant and 91,000 animal species. However there are rapid loss trends 10% flora and fauna are on the threatened list and many are on the verge of extinction. PESTICIDE : (IPS) The agriculture industry in Argentina is enjoying the boom in demand for soybeans and other commodities and the subsequent high prices, which are also fattening the state coffers. But the question of the unsafe handling of pesticides and fertilisers has basically been ignored amidst the collective euphoria. According to the Secretariat of Agriculture, the latest harvest set a new record of nearly 95 million tons of grains, half of which were soybeans. This year, the harvest should exceed 100 million tons, and the state expects to take in 7.5 billion dollars in tax revenue as a result. Last year, farmers purchased more than 5,000 tractors, a similar number of sewing machines and 2,000 harvesting machines. But as the area under cultivation has expanded and investment in technology has increased, the use of agrochemicals has grown as well. Private consultants estimate that 3.6 tons of fertilisers were used in 2007, 20 percent more than in 2006. And the growing demand has drawn major investments in fertiliser production plants run by local and international companies, which indicates that output will continue to rise. Statistics from the Secretariat of the Environment show that the use of pesticides has grown steadily since 1991, and that half of the demand comes from soybean producers. This issue has not yet been put on the agenda of social problems, sociologist Marà ­a Alejandra Silva, director of the workers health unit at the University of Rosarios School of Medicine, told IPS. Concerned civil society sectors have failed to get our voices heard. Local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) led by the Rural Reflection Group have long been warning about the risks faced by the rural population due to the expansion of monoculture farming of genetically modified soybeans, which require glyphosate, and the aerial spraying of fields, that is frequently carried out without the necessary safety precautions. Silva, a researcher with the National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), said the state, which brings in enormous tax revenues from farm exports, looks the other way. In an article on the challenges facing Argentina with respect to rural growth that has ignored environmental and health concerns, Silva wrote that in this South American country little or no attention is paid to the question of the environmental and health sustainability of the rural sectors current model of growth. She said the agricultural producers surveyed in the study expressed concern over the soils loss of fertility caused by intensive use, but were not worried about the lack of oversight and control in the production, transportation, storage, handling and application of fertilisers and pesticides, or about the disposal of the empty containers. The symptoms of mild or acute poisoning from agrochemicals include headache, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, restlessness, nervousness, perspiration, nausea, diarrhea, loss of appetite, loss of weight, thirst, moodiness, soreness in joints, skin irritation, eye irritation, and irritation of the nose and throat. Long-term exposure to pesticides and fertilisers without adequate protection and safety measures can cause cancer, neurological damage, endocrine disruption, reproductive disorders, fetal malformations, immune system disruption and impaired nervous system function. A study conducted in different regions with the coordination of the Argentine Association of Doctors for the Environment (AAMMA) warns of the inadequate and indiscriminate use of pesticides, a lack of protection for the workers who handle them, and for their families, and the accumulation of contaminated containers on farms, plantations and orchards. Pesticides and fertilisers can pollute the soil and both surface and underground water sources, and pose risks to living beings, says the report on the problem of agrochemicals and their containers and their effect on the health of workers, the exposed population and the environment. The study, carried out with contributions from the Health Ministry, the Secretariat of the Environment and Sustainable Development, and several universities, says the inappropriate handling of these products is a serious environmental and health problem in Argentina that is causing damages that could be irreversible, especially for children. Around 15 percent of the farmers interviewed in the eastern province of Buenos Aires said they knew people who were resistant to pesticides and handled them without gloves. This was described by the authors as a popular misconception among farmers who often fail to understand that symptoms sometimes only show up in the long-term. In addition, many of the interviewees were unaware of, or simply did not follow, the regulations for disposing of empty agrochemical containers, which must be washed three times and then perforated so that they cannot be reused. Most of the containers end up in piles on unused fields around farms or are buried or burnt, with the subsequent polluting effect on the environment. In some low-income rural or semi-urban areas, people even use the empty containers to haul water. According to the study, the problem is a serious one because the funding is lacking for carrying out local research showing a direct link between the improper handling of pesticides and health effects that can show up decades after contact, or even in future generations in the case of pregnant women exposed to pesticides or fertilisers. In the meantime, in light of the real magnitude and urgency of the problem, the researchers recommend campaigns to inform people about the correct handling of such products and the risks they pose, as well as training, both for farmers and workers who use them and health professionals who must properly diagnose the symptoms of exposure to toxic agrochemicals. PESTICIDE : INDIA The term pesticide covers a wide range of compounds including insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, rodenticides, molluscicides, nematicides, plant growth regulators and others. Among these, organochlorine (OC) insecticides, used successfully in controlling number of diseases, such as malaria and typhus, were banned or restricted after the 1960s in most of the technologically advanced countries. The introduction of other synthetic insecticides organophosphate (OP) insecticides in the 1960s, carbamates in 1970s andPyrethroids in 1980s and the introduction of herbicides and fungicides in 1970s 1980scontributed greatly in pest control and agricultural output. Ideally a pesticide must be lethal to the targetted pests, but not to non-target species, including man. Unfortunately, this is not, so the controversy of use and abuse of pesticides has surfaced. The rampant Use of these chemicals, under the adage, if little is good, a lot more will be better has played havoc with human and other life forms. Production and Usage of pesticide in India The production of pesticides started in India in 1952 with the establishment of a plant for The production of BHC near Calcutta, and India is now the second largest manufacturer of Pesticides in Asia after China and ranks twelfth globally9. There has been a steady growth in the production of technical grade pesticides in India, from 5,000 metric tonnes in 1958 to 102,240 metric tonnes in 1998. In 1996-97 the demand for pesticides in terms of value Was estimated to be around Rs. 22 billion (USD 0.5 billion), which is about 2% of the total world market. Agriculture Agriculture is the essence of India. Since time immemorial, the majority of its population bank on agriculture sector directly or indirectly. This is the reason, the contribution of Indian agriculture industry to GDP (Gross Domestic Products) is around 25 per cent. Agriculture in India is a crucial sector in socio-economic development of the country. Comparing the total farming output of India with other countries, India is ranked second worldwide. Because of transforming farming scenario and international competition, augmentation in production and meticulous distribution of food receive higher priority across the globe. Being the largest producer of agricultural products like cashew nuts, coconuts, tea, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, the 2nd largest cultivator of vegetables, and the third largest producer of fruits. The total production of fruit is around 27.83 MT(Million Tons) and 54 MT in vegetables. India has also strengthened its position in the cultivation of flower and it is estimated that 35,000 hectare of flowers of various kinds like rose, jasmine, marigold, and so on are grown in one or the other part of India. Above all, India is now exporting rice wheat. That has made India self sufficient in food. Agriculture industry in India has seen some remarkable changes since independence, also become very important from the perspective of employment generation, so Indian economy is reckoned as agri oriented. With increased level of sophisticated technologies, application of modern bio technologies, and rendering considerable importance to seeds, fertilizers, irrigation sources, agriculture business has reached a new height. Agro Industry is a promising lucrative sector and riding on an impressive growth. Indias share in the global food market has grown to 0.7 percent and is assessed to reach 1.5 per cent. All these augur great for farming industry. Agricultural Waste Boosts Energy Production in Argentina:- The goal is to raise biomass participation in electricity generation by means of a platform for private projects in need of promotion, said Miguel Almada, head of the agroenergy area of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. Many projects are already under way, or are negotiating tariffs, he told IPS. A worker unloads rice husk at a biomass power plant run by a company in Thailand. Credit: Nantiya Tangwisutijit/IPS According to a study carried out with the support of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Argentina has the potential to generate half the countrys total energy supply by burning biomass. The assessment by the FAO and government and technical bodies in Argentina mapped the biomass resources in each province to determine the available potential. Despite its potential, the FAO considers that biomass has so far been the Cinderella of energy sources, without political visibility or recognition in development planning in many countries, including Argentina. FAO, which published its study in 2009 at the request of the Argentine government as a step towards the official launch of the Probiomasa programme, says the use of biomass resources is not jus

Analysis of Barbie Doll Essay

The Devastation of Social Pressure One would think that growing up would be a fun, not a worry in the world, happy experience. Yes, that is the way it should be, but that’s not always the case, especially for women. As girls season into women they realize they not only have to face the fact that they’re in a patriarchal society, but also the influences and pressure they face in the social aspect of things, such as their looks and body image. There is so much competition amongst girls, especially when transitioning into a woman and through most of their adulthood. So instead of being able to enjoy life and absorbing the true quality of it, we are side tracked with superficial, stereotypical, shallow thoughts and images of how we think life is supposed to be. Although, who’s to say what’s right and what’s wrong with the way we interpret things? Marge Piercy, who wrote the poem â€Å"Barbie Doll†, has a very strong view of how destructive social pressure can be to a girl through her transitioning stages into a woman. She expresses how the Barbie doll, the toy figurine that woman idealize, is, in fact, a method of corruption to a young girl. First and for most we must understand who the persona is in the poem, which is a woman, and more specifically Marge Piercy herself. She is observing a young girl going from Wolfe 2 childhood, adolescents, adulthood and then death in a roundabout way. Starting with the first stanza, of four, the persona explains of a young girl, and her playing with a doll, the Mattel’s Barbie doll to be precise. This doll is to be described as tall, blonde hair, blue eyes and it has the perfect body. The girl, â€Å"†¦presented dolls that pee-pee/and miniature GE stoves and irons/ and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy† (2-4). The words iron, stove, and lipstick are all play-things for the girl, but are also identity markers. Such that the doll represents the ideal body image, the iron and stove tells us what type of work is expected of the girl when she becomes an adult (keep in mind that this poem was written in the nineteen seventies and that woman in the work force was still a very small percentage, thus women were still very domesticated) and the lipstick is to imply a sexual innuendo. In the last line in the first stanza the girl goes through puberty and no time is wasted before a classmate judges and criticizes her, â€Å"You have a great big nose and fat legs† (6). Going through puberty is a stage of growth. Adolescents become more aware of their social standing and sexual being. As we read further, the doll, she once played with, will create a major impact on her; in the aspect of her body image and the pressure she faces from her peers. In the second stanza we see how the woman is dissatisfied with herself even though she is â€Å"healthy and tested intelligent/possessed strong arms and back/ abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity† (7-9). The persona continues to say, â€Å"She went to and fro apologizing/Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs† (10-11). The traits that this woman possesses, is in every way correct; however, she is so sure her physical traits are unacceptable to the culture. No matter what she sees in the mirror or what she hears, this won’t change her opinion about herself image. She has been brainwashed about her looks and she doesn’t think she is good enough. She goes around apologizing to everyone about the person she has become, believing there is no way she can change, at least in a healthy manner. In the third stanza we read how society is forcing the woman to change her healthy ways, physically, into something she isn’t. She does what she can to fit into society by, â€Å"†¦play[ing] coy/ exhorted to come on hearty/ exercise, diet, smile and wheedle† (12-14). She had so much pressure from every direction, she felt obligated to try and conform her body into what society viewed as ideal, which we know of as the Barbie doll toy. This idea was short lived. Instead of standing her grounds and accepting the individual that she is, she drowns. Society got the best of her, â€Å"Her good nature wore out/ like a fan belt† (15-16). She gave up and paid the ultimate price to be accepted in society, â€Å"†¦she cut off her nose and her legs/ and offered them up† (17-18). Now that she has removed her flaws she temporarily relinquishes her depression, weakness, and anxiety. Now that she has met the, impossible, unrealistic, standard, she can permanently wash her existences away and leave her shell of beauty behind. In the final Stanza, Piercy highlights the theme of the poem. Simply put, women aren’t accepted into society unless they represent the ideal woman. Now that the woman is free of body flaws and has had a makeover, she can be accepted into her culture even though we know this isn’t her true self. What must this say about the society she has been exposed to? In order to survive in this specific culture, if we’re not perfect, is to become someone we’re not. So not only do we have to try to live up to a standard that is not comprehendible but we also have to be fake. In the middle of the last stanza Piercy explains, â€Å"with the undertaker’s cosmetics painted on/a turned-up putty nose/dressed in a pink and white nightie† (20-22). The woman now has the superficial , but perfect, looks. She is manipulated (physically) so she can finally be recognized. Letting a society make this woman frail and surrender to being her own individual shows a lack of values and morals within herself. Having our own opinions, life experiences and ethics make us who we are and if we were all the same or are held up to the same expectations what would life be like? Would we all act like robots? Clones? As the woman has been re-configured, shallow talks are amongst her, â€Å"Doesn’t she look pretty? everyone said/Consummation at last/To every woman a happy ending† (23-25). Mission complete, she achieved her goal; she is pretty, unflawed, and looks like the ideal woman.

He Desire to Change the Subservient Role Essay

The Desire to Change the Subservient Role of Women in Old Chinese Society Chinese women stayed in an unequal status with men in old Chinese Society. Shen Congwen’s â€Å"Xiao Xiao† and Ding ling’s â€Å"When I Was in Xia Village† are two stories about village women’s lives during modern time in China. The stories in both of these works present an important traditional Chinese belief that it is profitable to raise geese than to raise daughter. In â€Å"Xiao Xiao†, she is a twelve-year-old girl who is married with a two-year-old husband, Chunguan, and as his caretaker in her youth. While â€Å"When I was in Xia Village† is a period when narrator spends his/her time in Xia village and make friends with a village girl Zhenzhen. She is sent to Japan to spy Japanese government after she is raped by Japanese soldiers. When she goes back village due to her disease, people look down upon her and laugh at her. Finally she runs away from Xiao Dabao’s propose and seeks for a fresh life in city. Xiaoxiao and Zhenzhen have something in common that they are both independent-minded woman; also they are from village and ever desired to live in city to find new life and to have education; they live under the tradition of gender discrimination in old China. While their experiences are different, and, at the end, Zhenzhen is seeking for her new life in another place, yet we see Xiaoxiao and her husband’s family is still within traditions in their small village. In men’s world, women are like a tool which they can use to make their life good, but we see some of women have desire to change their subservient role to become independent in Chinese society. Xiaoxiao and Zhenzhen are independent-minded women compared to other women at that time in Chinese society. They are not afraid of break down the present life and live in their owns. When Xiaoxiao’s grandpa and other relatives make joke on her about figuring out her should become a coed when she grows up. Then she has thinking that how coeds’ life is, â€Å"†¦she felt vague stirrings of unrest, and took to imagining herself as a ‘coed’. Would she behave like the ‘coed’ Grandfather talked about? In any case, there was nothing frightful about these ‘coeds’ and so these notions began to occupy this smile girl’s thoughts for the first time† (Shen 86). Although the author does not mention Xiaoxiao’s desire to become a coed directly in the story, I feel that Xiaoxiao wants to have a different life from her present life as a caretaker in village. She is young and hopes her life to be colorful and meaningful. After her stomach gets bigger, she wants to have a new life in city, â€Å"After a while, Xiaoxiao would finger her snakelike black braid, and, thinking of life in the city, she said: ‘Brother Motley, why don’t we go where we can be free in the city and find work there? What do you say? ’† (Shen 91). She knows if she keeps living with her husband’s family, she would go to dead. No more clearly than herself that she knows her situation is worse. If she elopes with Brother Motley, she could be same as those coeds in the school and live her own life with a normal marriage. Obviously, Xiaoxiao has her idea what her life she wants. In â€Å"When I was in Xia Village†, Zhenzhen is an independent-mind woman as well. Even though she has been raped and treated unrespectable. Zhenzhen does not care about surrounding people’s misunderstandings. For others’ sneer, she thinks she need to find another life but not surrender to marry Xiao Dabao, so she said to narrator â€Å"I feel that living among strangers and keeping busy would be better than living at home where people know me†¦ It’s better for each of us to go our own separate ways than it is to have everyone stay together in one place. I’m doing this for myself, but I’m doing it for the others â€Å" (Ding 146). Just like Xiaoxiao, Zhenzhen wants a new life in city and to start over. She hopes in a new place where not many people know her, so she could start over, â€Å"A person’s life is not just for one’s father and mother, or even for oneself. Some have called me young, inexperienced, and bad-tempered. I don’t dispute it. There are some things that I just have to keep to myself† (Ding 146). From these two stories, Xiaoxiao and Zhenzhen are two women who have their own thought instead of under control of traditions. Xiaoxiao and Zhenzhen have the same desire which moving from village to city. On one hand, Xiaoxiao wants to escape from her offence, on the other hand, she has desire to have sex with a real man, she cannot wait her little husband to grow up when she is twenty years old. So she cheats on her little husband â€Å"involuntarily† on surface. In addition, her husband’s families take her in but she never drops the idea to be like a coed, â€Å"One day, word spread that the coeds were back again. When Xiaoxiaoheard this, she eyes stared out unseeing, as if in a daze, her gaze fixed on the eastern horizon for some time† (Shen 93). She bent on joining the coeds on their way to the big city in search of freedom, unfortunately she is discovered. I guess Xiaoxiao does not have any ideas about having education in the city; she just has to get away from village. However, from her grandpa’s description on coed, she is interested in coed’s life and she thinks if she becomes a member of coed, she has holidays and does not need to do farm works. Zhenzhen is different. Although she is from village too, she has live in Japan many years. So she knows she goes to city because she wants a bright future and escape the sad village then to be educated in order to get a job with other communists, â€Å"What I do feel is that after I go to [Yan’an], I’ll be in a new situation. I will be in a new situation. I will be able to start life fresh† (Ding 146). Their movements illustrate that new Chinese women are changing people’s views and have sense of education is more and more important. Life in city is realistic and bright for them. Gender roles is very similar between â€Å"Xiaoxiao† and â€Å"When I Was in Xia Village†, they both present that women stand subservient role in society. Starting from Xiaoxiao’s marriage, her marriage is arranged by her uncle when she is only twelve. People at that time set this tradition because they think girl is useless because daughters will be others’ sooner or later, so it is better to send her earlier to save family’s food. To the bride’s family, accept a girl into their family is not only a way to take care of children, but also add a worker to help farming as a free labor. That’s why to be contrast with other female students in town, Xiaoxiao is adulterer. To punish Xiaoxiao’s cheating on her husband and families, Xiaoxiao is arranged to wait for her second marriage but no one come. Nevertheless, Xiaoxiao is lucky that her child turns out is a boy; she does not have to be married off after all. This tradition does not change after Xiaoxiao, then her son who is ten-year-old and have his wedding ceremony. Women in tradition could not hold any position of power. In the other story, people in Xia village are uneducated, so when Zhenzhen came back from Japan, they laughed at her and think she is dirty. Women have physical disadvantage than man, therefore, chastity becomes extremely crucial especially at that time. People in the village can not understand her grievance, this is one of the reason why Zhenzhen wants to go to [Xi’an] where most people are educated, at least not so care about her background. No matter from which aspect, Xiaoxiao and Zhenzhen seems like a tool in men ruled the world. Xiaoxiao is portrayed as â€Å"object† sold from a place to another. She could not have her own happiness because she belongs to her husband’s family. Zhenzhen looks like more freedom than Xiaoxiao physically, but in fact, she is slaved by internal. Something she cannot shake off is her hatred and interiority, â€Å"†¦in a very calm voice, she said, ‘I can’t say that I hate him. I just feel now that I’m someone who’s diseased. It’s a fact that I was abused by a large number of Jap devils. I don’t remember that exact number. In any case, I’m unclean, and with such a black mark I don’t expect any good fortune to come my way†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ding 146). Zhenzhen is used to her reputation and body to help Chinese government but at the end, she could not get any sympathy. These things always happened to women, but not men. In conclusion, Xiaoxiao and Zhenzhen are two uneducated women living in old Chinese society where unbalanced gender roles and old traditions exist. They both from village and dream to move to city meanwhile they have â€Å"sins† could not be excused. Through their different experience, they have similarities that they both independent-minded to change their lives to take education in big city. The ending of stories are different that Zhenzhen’s regardless of objection enable her goes to city as she wants, but Xiaoxiao still stays in village and keeps her original life. In old Chinese society, woman is absolutely not profitable than men. So people use women like a functional object to help working or take care of family. I think women are living a hard life and very powerless in society. Even thought they want to take education to change their lives, reality makes them difficult. However, women play many different roles which cannot be ignored. The authors express their thought and show the current situation through these good works.

Dignity and Sacrifice Depicted in Gaines A Lesson Before...

In Ernest J. Gaines novel A Lesson Before Dying, a young African-American man named Jefferson is caught in the middle of a liquor shootout, and, as the only survivor, is convicted of murder and sentenced to death. During Jefferson’s trial, the defense attorney had called him an uneducated hog as an effort to have him released, but the jury ignored this and sentenced him to death by electrocution anyways. Appalled by this, Jefferson’s godmother, Miss Emma, asks the sheriff if visitations by her and the local school teacher, Grant Wiggins, would be possible to help Jefferson become a man before he dies. The sheriff agrees, and Miss Emma and Mr. Wiggins begin visiting Jefferson in his jail cell. Throughout the book, Jefferson has two†¦show more content†¦However, Jefferson having recently heard the news of his execution is reluctant to speak, or even acknowledge their presence. Hearing that he will be executed puts Jefferson in a state of depression and distrust . He feels both sad and angered because he is being punished for someone else’s wrong doing, and with this attitude tries to make any and all of his visitors feel guilty for his imprisonment and future execution. Grant Wiggins, knowing that Jefferson’s execution will have a lasting effect on the local African-American community, asks Jefferson to die as a dignified man to falsify the stereotype given by whites that African-Americans are nothing but animals. Jefferson, finally beginning how his choices will have an effect on his loved ones and friends, reacts by putting his face down in tears and accepts Grant’s request (Gaines 191). At this point in the point, the conflict within Jefferson highlights how the book encourages making difficult, yet virtuous decisions for the sake of others. Agreeing to Grant’s request is the first sign of progress in Jefferson. On the same day that Grant asked him to die as a man, Grant gave him a notebook and pencil to writ e any questions or feelings he would like to discuss with Grant during the next visit (Gaines 190). Although Grant may not know it, the notebook and pencil give Jefferson the opportunity to bond withShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesFailure? 24 glOBalization! Does National Culture Affect Organizational Practices? 30 Point/Counterpoint Lost in Translation? 31 Questions for Review 32 Experiential Exercise Workforce Diversity 32 Ethical Dilemma Jekyll and Hyde 33 Case Incident 1 â€Å"Lessons for ‘Undercover’ Bosses† 34 Case Incident 2 Era of the Disposable Worker? 35 vii viii CONTENTS 2 2 The Individual Diversity in Organizations 39 Diversity 40 Demographic Characteristics of the U.S. Workforce 41 †¢ Levels of Diversity