Pollution Caused by Urbanization and Its Solutions Essay Example

Pollution Caused by Urbanization and Its Solutions Paper It is evident that modern cities are featured by environmental degradation, worsening of water quality and shortages of sousing. This essay will focus on the air pollution and water pollution caused by arbitration. These harmful pollutants have serious negative effects on peoples health such as damage to peoples respiratory system. Following this, it will put forward some feasible solutions to deal with these problems. The air quality in cities has become worse and worse along with the process of arbitration and people have been suffering from serious respiratory problems. A typical example of this is the smoking phenomenon in Beijing where people need to wear a gauze mask to go outside. It is true that the irking offices or central business districts are located in the downtown area of the city and a large number of people crowded into the center of the city for work or for entertainment. As a result, there is a huge population who take public transportation to travel to workplace and some wealthier five-to- nine workers choose to go for work by private cars. Therefore, the exhausted gas produced by these transportation tools is immeasurable, especially on the workdays. We will write a custom essay sample on Pollution Caused by Urbanization and Its Solutions specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Pollution Caused by Urbanization and Its Solutions specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Pollution Caused by Urbanization and Its Solutions specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This also causes a huge pollution difference between workday and weekend and this effect that less pollution is caused in the holiday period s called Holiday Effect. Tan et al (2013) argues that pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, volatile organic compounds or non- methane hydrocarbon, sulfur dioxide, and PM 10 are measured to be higher on weekdays than on weekends. According to PhD Bert B and MD Stephen HTH (2002), the effect on shortening life expectancy has been evaluated at 1?2 years for realistic exposure contrasts. In addition, there are an increase number of factories which have found their footprints in the rural areas because the air situation in cities has exceeded its bearing capacities. This is also due to the rapid pace of arbitration as factories in cities can no longer meet people?s needs. Consequently, the natural environment in rural areas is damaged and people can no longer enjoy the fresh air as they breathed two decades ago. Those pollutants made during arbitration has damaged peoples health and resulted in serious diseases (Forerunner ; Halted, 2002). There are 32 more case-control studies that have shown an obvious relationship between air pollution, especially from traffic, and lung cancer. Another serious consequence caused by arbitration is water pollution. Some people who live in cities even have no access to drinkable water. It is calculated that three-fourths of US citizens live in cities. With the population in cities increasing at a faster face, it becomes more and more difficult to deal with the waste generated in cities. Most of the waste is discharged or simply dumped into rives or lakes or even on the streets. The water pollutes has worsened the water quality greatly and made it unfit for people to use as daily water directly. As a result, it becomes much more difficult for city dwellers to obtain clean and drinkable water. It is true that many cities in undeveloped areas, especially in Africa, are unable to provide sufficient water supply for their citizens because most of water is lost in the pipe leakages. It is a fact that most people who live in cities, especially in developing countries are forced to boil their water or buy expensive bottled water to drink simply because of the worsening water quality caused by arbitration. It is believed that people in developing countries suffer from poor water sanitation much more than those in developed countries because the speed of arbitration in developing countries moves faster than that of developed countries. Chicanes (2005) pointed out that about 300 million people in China have no access to drink water, and it is a typical example that some people in villages are suffering from serious diseases due to unsafe drinking water. Moreover, urban areas are generally located in places where water sources are available. It is impossible to move forward the pace of arbitration without adequate access to fresh and dependable water; otherwise it cannot meet domestic and industrial needs. The arbitration development in early periods relied on coastal waters to get food and foster transportation. This arbitration development patterns continue as more and more people who prefer to live in places adjacent to freshwater streams. As a consequence, it has negative impacts on local lakes, groundwater and coaster waters as well. The air pollution and water degradation caused by arbitration have posed severe threats to humans health, so it is necessary to carry out some feasible measures to deal with these problems. It is the governments top priority to deal with these serious pollution problems. The government should take the responsibility to introduce some advanced technologies to address the increasingly worsening situation. As for the air pollution, some government- funded projects, such as the electric-transportation scheme, can be implemented to reduce the dependence on fossil fuel. The government can also impose taxes on private car using because cars can produce more pollutes than public transportation, such as bus or subway. In this sense, the government can also invest more capital to improve the subway system and carry out some campaigns to encourage citizens to take public transportation rather than private cars or taxies- The government can also devote more funds to the factories in rural areas to improve the Infrastructure and acclivities so as to reduce emission of waste. J. M. Barraging Memorials et al (2005) argue that urban air pollution is indeed stratified, and that an appropriate way to study this stratification is by means of a categorization method. This method aims to classify the street of the town based on their use as transportation routes. Their study utilized an easy and low-cost way to classify the street functions. For example, trucks that produce pollution can incredibly only be allowed to use on the streets outside of the central area. This way could reduce the pollution in the main area of cities immediately and effectively. On addressing the problems of water deteriorating, the government can invest more money to explore the renewable natural resources, such as solar energy and wind, to take place of the electricity to produce drinkable water. More government-funded scientific researches should be reinforced to develop state-of-the-art technology to process exhausted water and underground water (Booth, 1991). Sewage water needs to be treated in a proper way and it should not be allowed to enter into water system. It is true that storm water, sewage and drinking water are mixed up, o it is significant to divert the used water apart from the clean drinking water or reuse them after properly processing. The local communities should also spare no efforts to deal with air pollution and water pollution because of arbitration. These efforts might include clean-up or recycling campaigns to promote the citizens awareness to save water and take action to protect the air. Farmers need to be encouraged to build small farm ponds in the field as a way to store rainwater which can be used efficiently for agriculture. Knowledge on biodiversity and water-saving know-how should be spread to very citizen. There should be effective system when people report smoking vehicles to the local authority. As a result, citizens can take practical measures to relieve the serious situation of water and air contamination. As the United Nations Environment Program states that one person alone cannot make any big change to the planets damaging biodiversity, each individuals effort to promote the natures wealth and build a livable environment. For every individuals part, they can organize the car-pooling or van-pooling projects to get to work instead of taking taxi to the workplace alone. They can choose owe-polluting models of vehicles to go for work. Each citizen can also strive to change their eating and consumption habits.

How to become a special education teacher

How to become a special education teacher Anyone who takes on the role of teacher is already pretty special- educating students of all ages is not for everyone, and it can be one of the most challenging and rewarding careers out there. And if you’re thinking of becoming a special education teacher, working with students with an even greater range of learning styles, academic needs, and levels of ability, the ups and downs of teaching can be even more intense. If you think this might be the teaching career for you, we have the info you need to get started on that path. What do special education teachers do?Special education teachers are educators who work specifically with students who have physical, academic, or emotional differences. Many special ed teachers focus on a particular age group (like elementary school or high school), but the range of student ages can vary, depending on how the school’s special education programs are set up. Special education teachers may work with students who have a variety of sp ecial needs conditions, including:Learning disabilitiesBehavior disordersAutism spectrum disordersPhysical disabilities (blindness, deafness, etc.)Students may range from having mild learning disabilities to severe mental and physical challenges. Special education teachers may choose to specialize in one of these areas and focus their master’s degree studies accordingly. As school employees, special education teachers typically have the same full-time work day and school year as other kinds of teachers, with summers off (unless a particular school or district offers summer courses as part of its special education curriculum). Although the school week typically involves a standard number of working hours, there may be additional time spent in the mornings, evenings, and off-hours to prepare for school and help students in extracurricular programs or other activities.These teachers have many of the same job responsibilities as other types of teachers, including:Lesson and curri culum planningManaging classroom lessons and activitiesTracking student progressMeeting with parentsAssisting students with everyday living tasksTeaching a variety of subjects (like reading, math, or science)Teaching communication skillsSpecial education teachers can be found in most types of schools: public, private, elementary, secondary, or magnet.What skills do special education teachers have?Special education teachers often need to have an extra dose of people skills, given that they’re dealing with students who may have a variety of physical, emotional, and educational needs.Teaching Skills:  This is the most important skill for any teacher, really, but special education teachers have to be especially good at teaching basic concepts to students who have different abilities to learn and understand the material.Flexibility:  Classrooms are unpredictable, and this can be even more true when a class has students with a variety of needs and abilities. The teacher should bring a certain amount of flexibility to lessons and classroom activities to help account for different students who learn in different ways. The special education classroom is rarely a one-size-fits-all educational experience, so a little flexibility in teaching can be very helpful.Patience:  This is a very important skill for a special education teacher to have. Many special needs students may require extra time or resources to learn the skills and concepts that other students may â€Å"get† faster. For the teacher, it’s crucial to understand that extra help or patience may be the best way to reach those students and help them learn.Creativity:  Again, because of the learning differences that special education students may have, standard lessons may not be the way to go. Finding ways to teach material in ways that students can relate to and understand, even if it’s a little unorthodox, can really help special education teachers in their day-to-day classroo ms.Organizational Skills:  Like in any classroom, organization can mean all the difference between chaos and success. Organization is extra important for a special needs classroom, where students have additional challenges and may need even more structure throughout the school day. There may be students with wildly different needs as well, so keeping the classroom and the students organized is essential to making sure everyone’s staying on track.What do you need to become a special education teacher?Becoming a special education teacher requires a four-year degree in education, ideally with a focus on special education. Many teachers also go on to complete a master’s degree in special education as well. Certification is typically required for special education teachers, particularly ones in public schools. Each state has its own certification requirements, so be sure to check with your state to see what’s expected.How much do special education teachers get paid ?According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for kindergarten teachers is $57,910. This can vary depending on the teacher’s experience and the type of school, as well as the types of students the teacher is working with.  What is the outlook for special education teachers?The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects that this field will grow about 8% by 2026, which is about as fast as average for all careers. Education is a rather perennial field (especially as the population continues to grow), and the demand for teachers who have the skills to work with special needs students will likely be one of the education specialties that sees the most growth within the industry.If you have the patience and skills to work with special students who have needs that go beyond many other students’, this can be an incredibly rewarding and satisfying career path. You’ll be helping students overcome their issues and learn and grow their potential . Good luck!

Theater and Improv Games for the Classroom and Beyond

Theater and Improv Games for the Classroom and Beyond Improv games are a great way to loosen up during drama practice or to break the ice at a party. Improvisational acting teaches you to think quickly and to read other people as you perform. Youll also sharpen your wit as you learn how to react to your audience. Best of all, you dont need any special props or equipment, just your imagination and the courage to step outside yourself.   Captains Coming Improv games like this one are terrific warmups that promote  teamwork and good humor. In this game, which is similar to Simon Says, one person plays the role of a ships captain. The rest of the group are sailors who must quickly follow the captains orders or be dismissed from the game. Orders can be simple or elaborate: Captains coming: Sailors line up in a row and salute the captain.Starboard: Everyone runs to the right side of the stage or room.Port:  Everyone runs to the left side of the stage or room.Man overboard: Sailors team up and pose as though theyre searching for the lost man.Mermaid: Stand on one foot, wave one hand, and say, Hi, sailor!Seasick: Run to port or starboard and pretend to be ill.  Swab the deck: Sailors pretend to mop and clean the floor.Walk the plank: Sailors stand single-file, their right arms extended and hands resting on the shoulder of the person in front. The great thing about Captains Coming is that theres no limit to the orders a captain can give. For added challenges, think of poses that require two or more people or divide the sailors into two groups and have them compete against one another. Yoo-hoo! Yoo-hoo! is another effective game for learning how to take cues and focus movement. It works best with groups that have room to move around. As with Captains Coming, this game requires a leader to call the cues and a group to follow whatever command the leader dreams up. As an added challenge, the group must repeat the action word six times in a whisper as they perform. After the sixth time, everyone calls out freeze! and holds still. Leader:  Yoo-hoo!  Group:  Yoo-hoo who?Leader:  You who  jump with ropes.Group:  Ropes, ropes, ropes, ropes, ropes, ropes, freeze! The leader then cues the next movement and the process repeats itself. If a person loses composure or breaks the freeze before the leader calls Yoo-Hoo again, that person is out. The last person remaining is the winner. Location, Location, Location The Location game can be done with as few or as many people as you like. Use it as a way to exercise your imagination as a solo performer and for learning how to act with others. Begin by having one or more actors develop a scene in a place that anyone can relate to, such as a bus stop, the mall, or Disneyland- without mentioning the name of the location. Have other players try to guess the place. Then move on to less familiar situations. Here are some to get you started: An atticA Ferris wheelA karaoke barAn orchestra pitUndergroundA high school yearbook clubA zeppelin The true challenge of this game is to think past clichà ©s and to avoid using language that gives away the action being performed. This improv exercise can also be played like charades, where teams must guess the activity. More Improv Games Once youve tried simple theater games, your troupe will be ready for more challenges. Here are a few more improv exercises: Tongue twisters:  It doesnt do students any good to be creatively warmed up if the audience has no idea what they are saying. Enunciation exercises  like tongue twisters provide a fun way to alleviate the dreaded mumbling, mush-mouth syndrome.Guess whos coming to dinner: This team exercise gives everyone a role to play. One person plays host, and the others are dinner guests. The only catch? The host doesnt know he or she is having company!The Harold: Developed  by theater director/teacher Del Close, this long-form improvisational activity allows more time to develop believable characters and organic storylines. Students riff off a suggested word, phrase, or idea through a mix of exercises. One improv piece can last from 10 to 45 minutes or more.Be an animal:  One of the best ways to develop out-of-the-box thinking is to have actors imagine themselves not just as other people but as an animal or even as an inanimate object. These drama activities offer proven ways to help participants get to know one another in a friendly, low-key fashion. They can also be used regularly as warm-ups  for your actors before you have them delve into more difficult improvisation exercises. Break a leg!

Blue Back Square Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Blue Back Square - Essay Example Therefore, in defining a myth, three aspects have to be considered: the signifier, the signified, and the sign (Barthes, 114). The significant according to Barthes has to be the original crisis within a subject about which people have to try and create meaning. The literature about the item may be termed as the signifier, while the relationship between the crisis and the language used may be termed as the signification. All above aspects have to be reduced to mere language, whether in form of symbolism, or the language used to describe such an object. In this article, the architectural work in Blue Back Square, the significance of the square and the myths that may be used to describe and construct meaning regarding the city will be illustrated in explaining the meaning of myth. Lynch (6) explains that the environmental or observable images in a particular place are as a result of the observer and the environment. In this case as Lynch elaborates, the environment offers distinctions a nd inherent relations, with the observer using their adaptations and reasoning to construct, organize and give meaning to what they see. The image observed in this case, limits and gives more emphasis on what is perceived, while the image is then tested with multiple inputs of perception, making the reality observed from such a building to have multiple realities between different observers; this makes any phenomena to qualify in being a myth. For example, in Blue Back Square, in West Hartford town, the community stands out in its peculiar and unique characteristics that make people to try in constructing meanings regarding the symbolism, or what is being communicated by such a culture, in what amounts to be a myth. The locality takes pride in many architectural works, which are perceived to communicate certain aspects in history or cultural orientation. For example, in Blue Back Square, though the square is in the middle of another city, the place looks like a city in its own, comp lete with a unique identity described by a rich heritage of buildings, some of which are a few hundred years old, and a rich mixture of different cultures from Europe, blacks, Moroccans, and others. The rich cultural heritage provides a rich mixture of cultures represented by buildings, people, and other styles that make people to construct the meaning regarding signification communicated by such different stylistic works, which gives the inner city a unique and beautiful image from the rest. The attempt to construct such signification constitutes to a myth in this case, as more and more explanations have to be made on the same. In other words, a myth needs the signified, which is the heritage and cultural context communicated by such architectural work, the signifier which is the language used to construct such meaning, and the signification, which is the relationship between the signifier and signification, or work that has to be done (Berthes, 114). Moreover, speech or message in this case is not constructed only through written language, but also through the photography, and the perceived images of such buildings. The purpose of a myth is to cause an impression which is treasured among the people with whom such impression is credited to, despite the reality of truth. For example,

Crafting a Safety Program for an Organization Assignment

Crafting a Safety Program for an Organization - Assignment Example This paper illustrates that keeping with the growing phenomenon of employee safety management, the primary aim of the report is to formulate a competent safety program that can successfully enable the organizations in the modern construction industry to avert various workplace hazards. The discussion of the study includes a clear assessment of the problem statements that have developed in line with the case example of safety measures observed in the operational processes of Millers Park projects and Paul Brown stadium construction activities. The problem statement of this report seeks for identifying the health hazards such as injuries and illness of the employees while functioning in workstations. The problem statement of the study substantially provides a clear understanding of the hurdles faced by the employees due to a different workstation related injury-causing illness. The identifying potential workplace hazards are of significance for employees’ well-being as well as t o avoid costs that might be resulted in the absenteeism of the employee with illness. Moreover, the problem statement also reveals about the challenges that might face the organization to undergo the major rise in its costs associated with hiring new employees along with their required training and developmental needs into the processes. In this regard, the key aim of the report is to develop and implement an effective safety program, which can cut down costs of the organization by providing different healthcare benefits. With reference to the problems observed in the report, the case of Millers Park project and the Paul Brown stadium include similar issues associated with the significance of effective safety management programs in the construction-related activities.

Main objectives and policy instruments of poverty reduction

Main objectives and policy instruments of poverty reduction While much of the western world benefits from decades of economic growth, it is hard to conceive that a large proportion of the population still struggles for survival as a result of extreme poverty and deprivation. To date, approximately 1 billion people still have an income of less than $1 per day (OECD, 2007). The question of what policies and strategies are most effective in achieving sustained poverty reduction is among one the most important and complex challenges that face policy makers involved in economic development. In light of this question, this paper will review the objectives and policy instruments associated with poverty reduction. Firstly, the paper will very briefly give an outline of the objectives of poverty reduction through considering the Millennium Development Goals. Secondly and of greater focus, the paper will consider the importance of economic growth as a policy instrument associated with poverty reduction. Policy Objectives Before it is possible to implement strategies and policy focussed at reducing poverty, it is firstly essential to set specific and measureable objectives targeting the areas in which poverty exists. Poverty by definition is complicated and must give consideration to a number of dimensions. The OECD (2001) defines poverty as the inability of people to meet economic, social, and other standards of well being. Poverty, therefore, can encapsulate deprivation in areas such as health, income, gender, education and politics. Objectives of poverty reduction must extend to include all dimensions in which individuals are deprived or debilitated. The most widely recognised objectives regarding poverty reduction are provided through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). On September 2000 the MDGs were adopted by 189 countries as a guideline for the objectives of poverty reduction to be achieved by 2015 (DFID, 2001). The MDGs outline 8 objectives central to the eradication of poverty (UNDP, 2010). These objectives are broken down into 21 different targets that are measured by 60 indicators (A full outline of the criteria to meet these objectives can be seen in Table 1): Eradicate Extreme Hunger and Poverty Achieve Universal Primary Education Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women Reduce Child Mortality Improve Maternal Health Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases Ensure Environmental Sustainability Develop a Global Partnership for Development The MDGs highlight that objectives of poverty reduction are not solely confined to improvements in income but also incorporate objectives of human development, sustainability, and equality. Broadly speaking, these objectives help to provide a global criterion for measuring progress in poverty reduction and provide a scale of measurement adaptable in all countries. It is important to note, however, that although the MDGs provide a framework for developing countries to use, poverty reduction strategies must be country specific taking into consideration the causes of poverty as well as the precedence of what objectives need be tackled (OECD, 2001). With these objectives of poverty reduction in mind, this raises the question of what instruments are best suited in achieving these objectives. As a comprehensive overview of all the main policy instruments associated with poverty reduction is well beyond the scope of this paper, the following section will concentrate on the importance of economic growth as a policy instrument associated with poverty reduction. Policy Instruments Economic Growth Historically, the main instrument associated with poverty reduction has been economic growth. Economic growth is associated with poverty reduction on a number of levels. Firstly, increases in GDP per capita are associated with improvements in human development. For example, increases in the average income of a country are associated with improvements in life expectancy, infant mortality, and primary school enrolment all key elements of the MDGs (Moser and Ichida, 2001). Secondly, economic growth helps to creates jobs which are essential to improving employment opportunities and raising incomes in the long-term (DFID, 2001). However, although economic growth is associated with improvements in income and human development, there still remains debate over the extent to which growth benefits the poorest individuals in society. In an attempt to understand the effect of economic growth on poverty, Dollar and Kraay (2002) examined the relationship between changes in the average GDP per capita income against the income of the lowest quintile of the population in 80 countries. Dollar and Kraay found than on average the income of the poorest quintile increased proportionately with increases in average GDP per capita. Dollar and Kraay concluded that the effects of economic growth benefit the poor as much as others in society. They suggested therefore that standard growth enhancing policies should be at the heart of poverty reduction strategies. The results from Dollar and Kraay emphasise the importance for countries to adopt frameworks that are conducive to growth as a means of poverty reduction. This is a view shared by Kruegar (2004) who highlights that economic growth is the principal route to lasting poverty reduction. Indeed, economic policies such as openness to trade, liberalisation and sound fiscal policy which are seen as conducive to economic growth are also associated with favourable poverty reduction (World Bank, 2000). Moreover, generally poverty reduction has been most substantial in those countries which have benefited from the most impressive rates of growth (AusAid, 2007). However, the results produced by Dollar and Kraay (2002) do not come without scrutiny. The findings illustrate that economic growth benefited the lowest quintile proportionately on average yet there are cases where economic growth does not always benefit the poorest individuals in society Botswana is perhaps an extreme example and likew ise at the other end of the scale, some countries have demonstrated that the poor have benefited substantially more than other groups during times of economic growth (World Bank, 1993). This raises a further question of why growth influences poverty reduction in some countries more than others. Pro-Poor Growth More recently, a greater focus is being placed on levels of inequality within a country as a determinant on the effect of economic growth on poverty reduction. The OECD (2001) suggests that only half the increases of those in poverty are a result of GDP growth whereas the other half comes from strategies that target the composition, distribution and sustainability of growth. Ravallion (1997) measured the effect of growth on poverty elasticity in countries with initial levels of low and high-income inequality. Ravallion found that economic growth reduced poverty in low income inequality countries almost twice as much as those in high income inequality countries. In other words, countries with high levels of inequality would need growth rates twice that of low inequality countries to match similar levels of poverty reduction. The findings by Ravallion highlight that policies targeting poverty reduction therefore must also consider the distributional aspect of growth. This places a grea ter emphasis on pro-poor growth. That is, growth that is combined with objectives of rapid and sustained poverty reduction (OECD, 2007). Pro-poor growth strategies must attempt to target the areas in which poverty and inequalities exist, and as mentioned this can occur in a number of dimensions. Typically, those in poverty have a lack of access to basic provisions and services, such as education and healthcare, and therefore inequalities are perpetuated due to a lack of opportunity. Pro-poor Policies must attempt to maximise the opportunities of the poor through utilising their skills and capabilities (DFID, 2003). This can be done through a number of channels, and the role of both the private and public sector are important. For example, in the private sector providing the poor with access to markets and credit is seen as essential for involving the poor in the economy and creating jobs (ODI, 2008). Recently microfinance schemes have been extremely beneficial in providing access to credit and vocational training for the poor. However, participation in markets is only conducive to pro-poor growth if there is appropria te regulation and policies which can protect the poor in the event of market failures (OECD, 2007). Pro-poor policies must attempt to promote macroeconomic stability within a country to ensure that the poor are not affected by market-shocks and rising inflation (DFID, 2003). Additionally, the distribution of government spending is seen as a key instrument in the promotion of pro-poor growth. In developing countries, government spending has been found to be largely inefficient in that it tends to be focussed disproportionately towards higher income groups at the expense of the poor (Wilhelm and Fiestas, 2005). Pro-poor government spending can increase the participation of the poorest individuals through efficient and fair fiscal policy increasing access to these basic services which in turn can reduce inequalities and promote economic growth. Indeed, countries which have a fairer distribution of government spending are more likely to have lower levels of inequality (Lopez, Thomas, and Wang, 2008). It is important to note that finding the appropriate balance between both policies that are good for poverty reduction and policies that are good for growth is extremely complicated and may required trade-offs. Pro-poor strategies such as redistribution through increased taxes may act to finance increased government expenditure in poor areas, however this may damage growth through reduced savings and investment which could consequently reduce the impact of poverty reduction in the long run (DFID, 2001). For instance, in the mid-part of Malaysias industrialisation, policies focussed on equity were seen as excessive and blamed for constricting economic growth (Hassan, 2004). Broad-Based Growth An essential factor of pro-poor growth is that it should be broad-based and target the areas where poverty is widespread. Three quarters of poverty exists in rural areas, yet policies targeting growth are predominantly focussed on the urban sector (Anriquez and Stamoulis, 2007). Indeed, widespread inequality is most substantial between rural and urban areas (Lopez, Thomas, and Wang, 2008). Recently, in the 2008 World Development Report titled Agriculture for Development, the World Bank (2008) highlighted that investment in agriculture is increasingly becoming an important engine for poverty reduction. Investment in rural infrastructure and small-scale enterprises and services has been found to be highly effective in increasing productivity and creating employment. For example, reductions in poverty have been most substantial in countries which experienced the most significant improvements in rural productivity. From 1971 to 1999 agricultural productivity per capita in East Asia, wher e poverty reduction was most rapid, increased by 45% compared to sub-Saharan Africa with an increase in productivity of only 4% (DFID, 2003). Moreover, growth in agriculture is more conducive to poverty reduction than any other sector (DFID, 2003). Indeed, the World Bank (2008) highlights the improvements in the MDGs of raising the income of all individuals above $1 has been primarily due to falling rural sector poverty whereas urban poverty has remained constant and had little effect. However, again, increases in agricultural productivity and growth are strongly influenced by levels of inequalities within the rural sector in particular levels of land inequality. Pro-poor policies which target poverty reduction through agricultural growth must also give consideration to the potential impact of redistribution strategies. Land reform policies have been cited as a particular strategy as a means of facilitating growth, reducing inequalities and ultimately poverty reduction (Hanmer, Healey and Naschold, 2000). Conclusion In conclusion, this paper has highlighted the importance of growth, and in particular pro-poor growth as an instrument associated with poverty reduction. Growth is inevitably a necessary condition of alleviating poverty through raising the incomes of individuals and through wider associations with improvements in human development. However, growth by itself is not always sufficient in achieving sustained poverty reduction and the effects of economic growth on the poor are inhibited by the level of inequality within a country. Of equal importance, therefore, is the structure of pro-poor growth. Governments must take an active role in poverty reduction strategies and reduce inequalities through increasing the opportunities of the poor to access basic provisions and services, and this in turn can facilitate both poverty reduction and economic growth. Moreover, it is important that pro-poor growth targets where poverty is abundant. An increasing emphasis is being placed on growth and dev elopment in the agricultural sector as a key driver of poverty reduction. Finally, it is important to mention that although this essay has emphasised the importance of growth, it has barely scratched the surface of the complexity of poverty reduction. Poverty is multidimensional and there are areas of poverty and human development which are barely affected by improvements in growth and therefore require policy instruments and strategies to target them directly e.g. gender inequality (Thomas, 2000). Furthermore, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to poverty reduction and each country must identify the causes of poverty and the independent strategies required to achieve sustained poverty reduction. Only then can the diverse objectives of the Millennium Development Goals be realistically achieved.

Relationship Conflict Resolution Model

About a month ago, my girlfriend (whom I will refer to as â€Å"Kelly†) and I were not getting along very well, and I attributed our difficulties to a mounting mess of unresolved disputes from our past. So I invited Kelly to sit down and talk about our problems. Kelly happily accepted. We agreed to take one resentment at a time, and talk each one through before moving the next. We ate dinner together, sat down on her couch and faced each other. I encouraged Kelly to have this talk between us, so I respectfully let her pick an issue hat is bothering her to talk about.It was difficult to hear about a problem that she has used against me many times already and I had hoped that she Just forgot about it†¦ But I sucked it up and listened anyway. The festering resentment that Kelly had been lugging around every day for over 3 years started when she had discovered explicit text messages on my phone between me and another woman. I tried to Justify my â€Å"dirty-talk† with this woman by blaming Kelly for rejecting me in the worst way imaginable. I had witnessed Kelly having sex tit another man Just after we had started dating.Kelly knew I was there, but she was so caught up in her own pleasure and enjoyment that my existence was no more significant than a fly on the wall. Kelly ignored everything I did and said as I attempted to get her stop what she was doing, and continued having sex with him until she became satisfied. I was completely devastated and overwhelmed with rejection. I could have left Kelly after what she had done. But I felt that if I can forgive her for this then I will hold all of controlling cards in our relationship.So I chose to stay with her, and see how things go†¦ I expected Kelly to suck up to me, kiss my ass, and make up for her actions in every way she possibly could†¦ But that never happened. Kelly ignored it and never even gave me the chance to express my feelings of betrayal and devastation to her about it. Conse quently, I let the resentment build up in me over time, mainly because I lacked assertiveness, so I buried my feelings to avoid conflict and reliving that dreadful event. So when Kelly initially confronted me about my text messages with this other woman,I responded to it by becoming defensive, trying to Justify my actions by blaming her for betraying me with another man. I tried to make her believe that my behavior was the result of her actions. I tried to make her believe that my interest in another woman was all her fault and that my dirty little secret was only talk and not sex, and against me. Ultimately, I felt entitled to do whatever I wanted because she had cheated with another man and she did it right in front of me. Since then, I have tried to figure out what it is that I had done prior to Kelly's actions hat may have influenced her choice to reject me that way.I started to realize allot of things about myself while progressing through psychological treatment, and through t his process I have practiced expressing empathy, sharpening my listening skills and I have been doing much better with each new skill that I have learned. But as I continued to use each new skill in my daily life, I could not avoid feeling somewhat coercive when I used empathy and assertiveness at times with Kelly. I had been purposely thinking out how to use the right tone if voice, overlapping ententes and using memorized feeling words Just to show empathy†¦ Inconsequently, my new communication style started to feel somewhat rehearsed, fake and coercive to me†¦ I knew I was saying the right things, but I started to feel that sometimes my words were liking real meaning and sincerity†¦ Speaking to people as if I were following directions from a book about how to communicate. But this particular sit-down talk with Kelly turned out to be more positively significant than any other talk that we have ever had. Everything that I have learned in therapy has been a benefit to my relationship with Kelly , and everyone else in my life for that matter..But reflecting back a few months, before having this conversation with her, I realized that I still hadn't been able to sort of tie it all together and use everything that I have learned so far without thinking too much about communication styles and details. I have been using listening skills, expressing empathy, taking accountability, and modifying my behavior more and more each week, and I have taken every opportunity to use each new skill as much as possible. But I have recently realized hat I was only getting better at using each skill independent from the others.Toward the end of our â€Å"conflict resolution talk†, I felt the greatest sense of relief in our relationship to see how happy Kelly was becoming as our conversation progressed. I had not realized how powerful of an impact that genuine empathy and listening to her every word would have on both of us. I believe that I actually felt the s ame pain that she had felt when she read those words on my phone. It was overwhelming!.. I felt a brick in my stomach made of betrayal and devastation s Kelly expressed the embarrassing details of my dirty text messages.She had said these same words to me before, describing her heartache over it, but I must have Just blocked her words out or I interrupted her in selfness and denial each time . The feelings inside of me made the event seem much more significant than I had realized. I could see it the way that she had experienced it but this time, the event upon me was very profound and I was taken over by guilt and shame. Truly understanding and experiencing Kelly's feelings caused emotions inside of me that kook control of my body language.I forgotten about my own resentments. I tried to hide my emotions, because I felt that have no right to cry over the pain that I had inflicted on her, but I couldn't stop the tears.. Kelly, moved to my side, laid her head on my shoulder and wrappe d her arms me. This was the first time that I had ever been successful in expressing pure empathy. This one particular dispute was resolved, but the scar will last forever. But Kelly and I now share this scar and we view our remaining unresolved disputes as teammates from the opposing dugout.