biotech food essays

biotech food essays This paper is about Biotechnology and its use in creating new food products. In researching this paper, I found there is a lot of information on this subject and a lot of debate on the creation of genetically altered food, medicine, crops, and more. I decided to do my paper on the genetically altered food part of the subject. I will discuss what biotechnology is, who is for it and who is against it, and what some of the ethical concerns are when it comes to growing genetically modified (GM) crops. THE FOOD BIOTECHNOLOGY DEBATE WHAT IS BIOTECHNOLOGY? Biotechnology is a broad term that applies to all living organisms. It is used for everything from microorganisms used to ferment beer to the most sophisticated forms of gene therapy. There are two categories of activities in biotechnology: the traditional methods and new scientific methods. The traditional methods are the way that farmers have been breeding their crop for centuries, cross breeding plants until finally some generation down the line is exactly the way they want it. The new methods are taking genes from different organisms and inserting them into another organism in the lab. This eliminates the waiting period to get the results they want, instead they get the exact plant they want right away. The United States government defines it as being "any technique that uses living organisms or parts of living organisms to (1) make or modify products, (2) improve plants or animals, or (3) develop microorganisms for specific uses. The purpose of biotechnology in foods is to cr eate better tasting and more nutritious foods, that have higher crop yields, and plants that are naturally protected from disease, insects, and drought. Through biotechnology scientist can develop plants with only specific beneficial traits and leave out the undesirable traits. They can change one characteristic or a few characteristics at a time with current technology. This enables them to release, for us...

Daily Fuel How quiet leadership makes a louder impact

Daily Fuel How quiet leadership makes a louder impact The desire for power is a common one, but once you obtain it, the real test begins. Both the public and private sectors are full of leaders more focused on their own personal brand than the impact they are making. Former Bush Administration official and Detroit Regional Chamber CEO Sandy Baruah explains what separates the best leaders from the show horses, but his message can apply to even the smallest of jobs. [Source: Daily Fuel]

SmartTool Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

SmartTool Inc - Essay Example Doug has been taking high risks in business especially in bagging orders that cannot be delivered readily using the core competencies of the organization. Such orders would either require structured R&D mechanisms, or else uncontrolled costs in trial & errors. The findings of Elwood pertaining to a loss of $190000 on seven projects pertaining to 3D dies present the objective evidence against this conclusion. Also, the company took the route to ISO 9000 certification while the processes in a mess and were not automated. In this scenario, the certification doesn’t qualify the organization to have an efficient QMS system. Overall, Doug is competent to start a business and run it till enough cash is generated but his money management skills were not adequate. From the gravy stamping job, SmartTools achieved financial flexibility which means there was surplus cash for self-funding of the working capital. Doug could have made the company debt free but instead preferred to expand int o areas that were lesser known to SmartTools thus increasing risk of uncertainty in order processing.Doug was technology savvy person and he wanted to expand the technology horizon and competency of the organization. He did not value the value of self-reliance thus ensuring operating profitability. Moreover, he was poor in handling working capitals efficiently for the growth of the organization. He kept on realizing more and more working capital loans from the Bank and losing profits and cash in the backend. He along with Janet tried to cover up the slumping profitability by inducing the accounting discrepancies detailed below and in this process risked the wealth of the shareholders as well as serious legal issues that could have put both Doug and Eb behind bars. Accounting Issues Operationally, Doug and Eb didn’t manage the accounting system properly. Given the requirements of section 404 of Sarbanes Oxley, spreadsheets with macros cannot

Letter from a slaveholder Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Letter from a slaveholder - Term Paper Example I have since made it my business to keep abreast of events and have in fact subscribed to a Boston abolitionist newspaper, The Liberator, a fact you may frown upon but which I consider essential, if we are not to be overtaken by events. In May, they pointed to the imminent publication of a narrative by a certain Douglas, to which I paid scant attention. Three weeks ago, however, when I went to the club (yes, I know, you will frown on this too), the name was on everyone’s lips. Lundy3 was there with his crowd, gleefully claiming that this was a major blow to slavery and Baltimore would soon be slavery-free. We had to hold Thompson off, who was so enraged that he threatened Lundy – quite ugly. He claimed that it was all a pack of lies, that this ‘Douglas’ was known to him, that he had been a slave with the Auld’s for the better part of 15 years and not one single statement was true, other than that he was a slave. If this wasn’t enough, Thompson got into an argument with Donaldson, who claimed that Douglass wasn’t a slave at all. Thompson took this as being called a liar and the fight was on for young and old. As you might imagine, I requested the book immediately and I have now read it. Well, what can I say – I am deeply shocked and far more worried than I have been so far (if that is possible). We need to talk about this, find some solutions – we cannot let things go any longer. This is getting to a point where every self-respecting Christian and concerned plantation owner has to take action. But, I am rambling; let me tell you what the book says. Douglass claims to have been born into slavery and separated from his mother at an early age. He is a half-caste and people thought (he said) that his then owner was his father (1). He describes various incidents of punishment of slaves (incredibly brutal) and also draws a disturbing picture of slave life. At 6, he is moved to Baltimore to Aaron Auld, where Lucretia (Auld’s daughter) teaches him to read the Bible (2). Aaron soon puts a stop to it, claiming that a ‘slave who can read is no longer fit to be a slave’. Apparently the boy overhears that and this is when he decides not to be a slave when he grows up, now teaching himself to read and write (3). Aaron dies. Thomas inherits the boy ‘as part of the livestock’ (4) and keeps him at St. Michaels. After that the boy is moved back and forth between Thomas and Hugh Auld but ends up back at St. Michaels, where Thomas apparently nearly starves him to death, eventually using him as field hand (where he gets savagely beaten at regular intervals but at least fed). After beating the foreman in a fight, he is sent to another place and there teaches other slaves to read and write. He eventually escapes. That’s the story and if what he says is correct, there is nothing of Hammond’s ‘natural and common good’ in such misery (Hammond 19 36). I have put notes in some places, about which I want to talk later. Right now, I want to go back to what happened at the club three weeks ago. You weren’t there, so you can have no idea of the scenes in that place. The air of violence and the anger was so thick; you could have cut it with a knife. People, who have known each other all their lives, and who are good people normally, were attacking each other in the most unprecedented way. This was not a good-natured argument that got a little out of hand. No, this was all-out war. If this is a sign of things

Classroom Management: An introduction

Classroom Management: An introduction 1.0 Introduction Classroom management is a term used by the teacher to ensure the class run smoothly through the whole lesson. According to Moskowitz Hayman (1976), once a teacher loses control of their classroom, it becomes more difficult for them to regain back the control (Moskowitz Hayman, 1976, p. 283)). Other than that, a research from Berliner (1988) and Brophy Good (1986) shows that the time that teacher has to take to correct misbehavior caused by poor classroom management skills results in a lower rate of academic engagement in the classroom (Berliner, 1988, p. 310; Brophy Good, 1986, p. 335). Several aspects such as classroom layout, classroom language and classroom climate can be looked into in order to ensure the class run smoothly through the lesson. 2.0 Classroom layout Desk orientation, bulletin board display, classroom decoration and classroom peripheral are several things that are considered as classroom layout. Around the world, there are several layout that have been seen such as traditional, restaurant, islands, horseshoe, seminar, laboratory, looking out, circle, story, chevrons and semi-circle (Wright 2005). However, among all of the classroom layout listed, restaurant and island layout two are widely use. For restaurant layout, the desks are arranged in random. It is often permanent or semi-permanent. Restaurant layout are useful for a class that doing a lot of small group activities. Island layout is a layout of regular grouping. It can be created by modifying benches so that the students on odd number can fit in. this layout are more or less the same as the restaurant layout but island layout are more carefully arranged (see appendix B (classroom layout)). The way of the student desks being organized shows the teachers teaching style. Whe n the students walk in the class, the students will immediately knows whether they will be working as a group with other student or they are required to do the work individually. In a class, different grade level of student may result in a different desk arrangement but, the traditional layout of rows of individual desks may not provide the best learning environment for the students. In order to promote the collaboration, restaurant or island layout is the best choice since the layout group the students together. By grouping the students together, the student can shared learning experience, group discussion and small group activities. To promote the sense of unity of the whole class, arrange the class to circle layout, story layout or semi-circle layout. The displays around the class will tell the student the things that they have learned during the previous class. By displaying the students effort on the bulletin boards will inspire student and increase their motivation to learn. B esides, it will also promote learning to the students. Other than that, displaying a lot of books at the students level, a comfortable carpet and providing a reading space will encourage the students to read more often. Providing a clearly marked area for the students to place their homework will make the class more organize. It is important to create an environment that make the student feel loved, safe and excited to learn. 3.0 Classroom Language Classroom languages are used throughout the lesson in the class. From the beginning of the class until the end of the class, every teacher use classroom language to talk to the students. Classroom language is the kind of language used to communicate in the class without using the mother tongue. There are a few ways of presenting classroom language. It can be presented from the student, from the teacher, from the reading material and the real situation in class. The words used by the student such as May I come in? are one example of the classroom language. Another example is Excuse me. The language by the students ought to be more polite if they talk to the teachers. It is not the same when they talk to their peers. In the real situation in class, the teacher might face the misbehavior student in the class. The choice of word from the teacher is a part of the language in the class. For example, if a student making off-task noise in the class and the teacher want him or her to stay qui et. Instead of saying shut up, the teacher will say could you please be quiet. This way, the students are more prompt to follow the order of the teacher. The classroom language also applied when the teacher giving instruction about the task, monitoring the work of students, asking permission and also when the students ask questions to the teacher. The reason for getting the student to communicating is because it represents a necessary stage in transfer the classroom learning to the outside world. When the students are communicating to each other, they are actually enhanced the learning. The arguments between peers are making them to go through the process of sharing their idea and improve the understanding of the certain topic. 4.0 Classroom climate Maintaining a good classroom climate is importance in order to have a better learning atmosphere and maintain the focus of the student towards lesson in the class. Classroom climate is referred to learning environment, as well as the atmosphere, ambience and ecology. (Adelman Taylor 2005). In short, classroom climate can be said as the setting of the class. The setting of the class is related to the classroom behavior and learning. A research also suggests the significant relationships between classroom climate and student engagement in class, behavior, achievement, social and emotional development, and overall quality of school life (Fraser 1998; Freiberg 1999). In order to enhance the classroom climate, there are some approaches that can be taken. This includes enhancing the quality of life of the students and the staff in class. A good relationship between the teacher and students are helpful to enhance the good classroom climate. At Comptom Primary School, they have a system cal led as home schooling. It is a system where a teacher is in charge for a class. This means that, the teacher the students really well such as their names and background. This kind of relationship also helps in the participation of the staff that is the teacher and the students in decision making. They can actually discuss about what they feel and what they want thus help in enhancing the classroom climate. Maintaining and enhancing the positive classroom climate is the main focus of all staff in the school. Having the teacher assistance in the school can increase the teacher ability in the class. In addition, teacher assistance can work with the teacher to improve classroom climate by enhancing and maintaining a positive classroom climate that promote well being and deal with barrier in teaching and learning (Adelman Taylor 1997). A class consists of students that come with different abilities and it is hard for a teacher to deal with all the students alone. The students with lower ability will sometimes create problems in class thus will result in disrupting the climate of the class. When this happen, teacher assistance will assist the student and help the teacher to deal with the problem. At the same time, this will restore the positive classroom climate. From my visit to the All Saints Academy Plymouth, the teacher have difficulties in controlling the class when a few problematic students and eventually disrupted the climate of the class. There is no assistance that helps the teacher to deal with and respond to the all of the students. Classroom climate can also be controlled by the physical aspect of the class. The ideal classroom will have a good lighting for the class. This is refers to clean and tidy classroom. A classroom with the positive climate should be attractive, comfortable and well-lighted. Which means the class is not too bright and not too dark (see appendix A (pictures)). This physical aspect such as temperature and noise that are likely af fect the student concentration and focus in the class are also effect the classroom climate. The arrangement of the internal feature of the class such as desks and chair is also importance. Maybe the teacher has no control about the size of the class, but the teacher can control the arrangement of the chair and desk inside the class. A good classroom climate in term of space is where the space in the class has been adjusted so that an active interaction may occur in the class. It also permitted the student to see the board clearly and allow the teacher to be close to the student. Classroom climate can also be improved by displaying the students work on the wall. This can encourage student in their own work and motivate them. However, all the students should have the same opportunity for their work to be displayed on the wall. Was Post-War Britain Tolerant and Multicultural? Was Post-War Britain Tolerant and Multicultural? Post-war Britain is best described as a tolerant and multicultural nation. Discuss. In discussing this proposition, it is necessary to define tolerant and multicultural to intentionally confine the parameters of the discussion. Within this essay tolerant will be defined as an attitude of mind that implies non-judgemental acceptance of different lifestyles or beliefs, and multicultural as a society that contains several and distinct cultural or ethnic groups. Generally speaking, a nation has to show willingness to accept other social and ethnic groups within its society. Much literature has explored how migration shaped Britain since World War II, including both the outlooks of Authority, Establishment and the British People towards immigrants. It is widely accepted there have been four development phases since 1948: the first wave of pioneers from the Caribbean and the Asian subcontinent, who were mainly single men both skilled and semi-skilled, next came an unskilled labour force, followed by their wives and children, and ultimately the British-born generation. Thi s chain migration clearly affected the demographics of Britain and it is likely the indigenous population was not expecting such a large influx of migrants, and the resultant pressure and increasing competition for limited resources in housing, employment and social services. It is possible that the rowdy behaviour of the immigrant population caused frictions between distinct communities. This essay will also address the question of ethnic groups within the general Commonwealth migration that came to be targets of racism, due to the fact they were non-white and stood out in a generally white population. From the 1948 British Nationality Act, government practised a laizzez-faire approach to migration, and only following increasing public opposition did they institute controls on immigration from 1962. British identity came to be identified as tolerant, this mind-set emanated from Victorian and Imperialist values of honour, respect, justice and fair play. This was further embedded in the minds of the British population with the experiences of World War II. Nevertheless, according to Chris Waters, Britains sense of national unity started to disintegrate after 1945.[1] A possible explanation for this disintegration might be the introduction of the 1948 British Nationality Act, this created a new immigration system without restrictions: every person born within the United Kingdom and Colonies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ shall be a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies by birth à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ or descent.[2] The resultant effect of this legislation led directly to the sailing the Empire Windrush in 1948 from Jamaica to London carrying 492 non-white passengers, and increased migration generally from the Caribbean and the Asian subcontinent. These workers flocked to the mother country to fill l abour vacancies, especially in the transport and health services. The labour government, 1945-1951, initially believed that by sharing out the new arrivals across the country they would assimilate and integrate into British society, adopting British values. However, this approach became impracticable for two likely reasons. Firstly, society at large perceived the migrants as contrary to British values,[3] and a threat to national cohesion. Secondly, the migrants wanted to stick together in the same locale. Inner cities became predominantly inhabited by immigrants who brought new religions, cultures, languages and dress. Moreover, immigration statistics highlighted the increasing impact new immigrants placed on housing and employment. It has been estimated, by the mid-1950s, persons of colour entering Britain rose to about 20,000 per year.[4] There may have been a divergence in attitude between general populace and governments policies that had an approach of non-intervention, with t he Establishment perhaps believing the problems would just go away. The 1948 Act did not distinguish immigration from any parts of the Commonwealth, and it may be the case that members of the Cabinet were unwilling to enact legislation that differentiated between white and non-white migrants. In the 1950s there was increasing hostility towards non-white immigrants culminating in the Notting Hill riots of 1958. These riots are often cited as a catalyst that led to immigration control, however, it does appear that the racial aspect was not recognised at the time. Successive legislations in 1962, 1968 and 1971 restricted immigration to the UK, and this was further constrained in 1981 when Britain closed its doors to the Commonwealth. In 1968 Enoch Powell warned of what he saw as the consequences of unregulated immigration. His incendiary Rivers of Blood[5] speech still enflames emotions. In this speech, he highlighted the dangers of unchecked immigration and advocated the cessation of immigration to Britain. In addition, he urged a policy of repatriation for all those immigrants already settled in the UK. It is interesting to note that the 1971 Act, curbing immigration, subsequently followed. Some historians argue that successive government legislations, at this time, both d efined the British National identity as white and circumscribed racist sentiments, convincing the public by stressing the dangers of uncontrolled colonial migration,[6] especially the one produced by a large-scale family reunion. This opinion is further underpinned by both Labours and Conservatives who believed that civil unrest would be avoided by imposing strict migration controls. A different stance is taken by Randall Hensen when he asserts that the State did not promote racism, on the contrary, it accepted the transformation of the UK into a multicultural society, and that it had begun in the 1950s.[7] Succeeding governments promoted anti-discriminatory legislations in the forms of the Race Relations Acts of 1965 and 1968, gradually reducing injustice relative to housing and employment. It is thus evident that these acts were aimed at avoiding discriminations based on race and colour. It is then reasonable to assume that racism had been politically recognised for the first time . The first serious discussion and analysis of multiculturalism in Britain emerged from Bhikhu Parekhs study. His interpretation is that a multicultural society consists of several cultures that have an open and equal dialogue between them, which in turn should foster a strong sense of unity and respect amongst its citizens,[8] ultimately, minorities are less likely to assimilate if assimilation is imposed from above. To sum up, the idea of multiculturalism is tied to a concept of national identity and culture. The impact of race anti-discrimination legislation sought to modify the populations behaviour stating clearly what was, and what was not, acceptable in public life. However, it cannot be asserted that a nation is truly multicultural when it is only conforming to legislation. By the 1970s, many of the migrants had now British-born children, and there was an exponential rise in the number of births from migrants originating from the Indian subcontinent. This effect caused relocation in other parts of the United Kingdom known as spatial development[9]. It is recognised that these groups were tied closely to a distinct set of mores, often emanating from a religious context. Thus, the British community, in receipt of this translocation, may have felt a resentment towards an unfamiliar community, often not recognising an alien culture. Goulbourne asserts that to fully participate in society a person needs access to housing, jobs and education, and it is in these three areas that migrants experienced the most problems and resistance.[10] Clearly, increased competition for limited resources created an obstacle to integration and discriminatory practices started to emerge in both housing, education and the working environment. Similar discrimination occurred with in the black community whereby the police were accused of both violence and bullying. These accusations led directly to the Brixton Riots of 1981. For Nairns, racism derives from nationalism, the one that has been instilled in the minds of the British people by the right-wing politicians eager to preserve the Whites as the true bearers of the national identity. On the other hand, Anderson claims that racism stems from the ideologies of class,[11] in this case between the white working men and the migrants being excluded, to seize the available resources. Within this last construct, race could be described as only fictional.[12] Nevertheless, not all Blacks and Asians were targeted, and the State promoted a series of legislations to avoid a collision, introducing laws aiming at discouraging intolerant practices in the work place and the education environment. It can be therefore stated that, whoever showed a positive commitment to Britain, and to the English way of life, received app reciation from the local and national communities: it was a two-way relationship. On these grounds, it is likely that multiculturalism was not a failure, rather it was implemented, by the means of the Race Relations Acts, and was a positive influence for Britain promoting equality. Whilst this essay supports the premise that post-war Britain is best described as a tolerant and multicultural nation, there have been many different events that have happened since the free-for-all in 1948 British Nationality Act. The laissez-faire approach of various governments to immigration from 1948 stoked intolerant attitudes to non-white immigrants, which resulted in the Rivers of Blood speech and the 1981 Brixton Riots, that eventually led to the effective closing the doors as legislated in the 1981 Immigration Act. The failure to support immigrants to assimilate and integrate into British society, combined with legislation to prohibit acts of racism, led to the 1965 and 1968 Race Relations Acts that forced a more multicultural approach to diversity. Hence, the State has been instrumental to protect racial ethnic diversity and to promote difference. On the other hand, it has also been demonstrated that British society was less inclined to accept minority groups due to the pr ejudice that they would taint the very essence of their identity. This was at a time when the loss of the Imperial pre-eminence and the experiences of the WWII were being nostalgically reconstructed, making still further frictions between white and non-white communities. Competition for resources, i.e. housing, jobs and education, exacerbated public sentiment leading to further tensions. At the same time, propaganda from various right-wing politicians juxtaposed Britishness as being white, hence these ideologies might have played an important part in shaping peoples attitudes towards those of a different race. Thereby, the argument shifted, in the late 1950s, towards race relations with some parts of British society campaigning against racial discrimination and migration controls. With regards to multiculturalism, this paper has also attempted to show that both British and newcomers were not willing to accept each other customs. For the former it was an aggression to their values, a nd for the latter a feeling of social exclusion in terms of low pay, unemployment and bad housing. Tolerance and multiculturalism in Britain have received much attention in the past fifty years, but as Paul Gilroy claims, there is still no understanding why Britain was unable to come to terms with its minority groups,[13] and many questions remain unanswered. Eventually, in response to Gilroys challenge, it could be alleged that if the State had implemented clear integration policies sooner, then tolerance and multiculturalism would have been a constant since 1948 due to the self-declared openness of the British society. In conclusion, it can be suggested that multiculturalism was implemented not via assimilation, but by the means of legislation and that they are still at the core of a tolerant and multicultural Britain in the twenty-first century. [1] Chris, Waters, Dark Strangers in our midst: discourses of race and nation in Britain, 1947-1963, Journal of British Studies, vol. 36, No. 2, Twentieth British studies, (April, 1997), p.208 [2] British Nationality Act 1948, Part II, sections 4 and 5, [accessed 9th March 1017] [3] Chris, Waters, Dark Strangers, p.217 [4] Ibid., p.209 [5] Enoch Powells Rivers Of Blood Speech, [accessed 9th March 2017] [6] Paul Kathleen cited in Randall, Hansen, Citizenship and immigration in Post-War Britain : the institutional origins of a multicultural nation, (Oxford University Press, 2000), p.13 [7] Randall, Hansen, Citizenship and immigration, p.17 [8] Parekh, Bhikhu, C., Rethinking multiculturalism: cultural diversity and political theory, (Palgrave, 2000), pp. 13, 196-197 [9] Colin, Holmes, A tolerant country?: immigrants, refugees, and minorities in Britain, (London, 1991), p.4 [10] Goulbourne, Harry, Race relations in Britain since 1945, (Palgrave, 1998), p.76 [11] Nairns and Anderson cited in Paul, Gilroy, There aint no black in the Union Jack the cultural politics of race and nation, (New ed. London, 2002), p.43 [12] Stuart, Hall, Race, Articulation, and Societies Structured in Dominance Sociological Theories: Race and Colonialism, (Paris: UNESCO, 1980), p.338 [13] Gilroy, Paul, There aint no black in the Union Jack the cultural politics of race and nation, (New ed. London, 2002), p.37

Colonialism and Young Black Kid

At the end of the novel Guerrillas, by V. S Naipaul, Jane, a British woman from London is murdered by Bryant, a young black kid native to the Caribbean island where the novel is based. Behind this murder we could discuss guilt and responsibility through different perspectives. Can we really hold Bryant responsible for his actions? Jane is a woman who is not content with herself, she is naive as Roche defines her and out of balance-out of touch with herself and the perception of reality. She is careless about people’s feelings and ignorant about the consequences of her actions.The fact that she wavers from passion and pleasure through meaningless sexual encounters to rape and violence are all feelings that remind her she’s alive, nothing less and nothing more. Consequently, being in a post-colonial society full of animosity and frustration, all her mistakes and imprudent actions lead her to her own death. This is an example of how the presence and impact of â€Å"the po werful colonizer† damaged not only those around him but themselves, in this case Naipaul’s character of Jane is a representation of the indifference and self-centered post-colonial personality of the dominant race in the colonized territories.In conclusion we could argue that Jane did act in a selfish and unconcerned manner. Conscious that she had the alternative of returning to her homeland, escaping the island’s reality and trying to bring back with her an adventurous experience full of love affairs and careless decisions, she unawarely clashed with the islanders; a people whose disadvantages in life were reflected through anger, despair, emotional repression and a hopelessness that Bryant and Jimmy embodied.Naipaul tries to engage the reader into feeling empathy towards the latter characters by placing Jimmy first, as the frustrated revolutionary who lives his own lie and only wishes to see himself as a hero that satisfies the oppressed desire of revenge again st the powerful dominant, whereas Bryant is the unfortunate native young child overwhelmed by hostility and thwarted dreams who could have become a better person if given the opportunity. In consideration of all these factors and circumstances, who is really to blame?

Nuclear Energy And Its Status In The US - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1898 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/08/08 Category Science Essay Level High school Tags: Genetic Engineering Essay Did you like this example? Introduction  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nuclear energy is energy used in making of military weapons and generation of electricity. This form of energy is generated from either nuclear fission or fusion. Today, the United States is one of the industrialized countries with a highly developed nuclear energy sector. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Nuclear Energy And Its Status In The US" essay for you Create order Initially, the country used nuclear energy to make military weapons. However, today, a significant proportion of electricity used in the country is generated from nuclear energy. Nevertheless, the kind of energy has its benefits and its disadvantages. As a source of electricity, nuclear energy provides sufficient base load energy for power grids. On the contrary the nuclear energy industry is filled with secrets that may pave a way for illegal trade that will compromise the safety of Americans. The primary aim of this essay is to evaluate the status, pros and cons of the nuclear energy in the United States. Status of Nuclear Energy in the US  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The increasing demand for electricity and fluctuating prices and coal and natural gas in the United States accounted for extensive use of nuclear energy as from the late 1950s. Between mid and late 1880s, the Americans embarked on exploiting technological developments to generate electricity for the increasing domestic and industrial customers. As electrification extended from major cities to other parts of the country, demand for electricity increased. As such, production depended on coal, hydropower resources, oil, and gas for peak-time generation (Stoker Baker). As from the 1950s, increasing population and high rates of industrialization increased the demand for electricity significantly. On the contrary, the United States gas producers reverted to less demanding conventional reserves as the countrys gas reserves were located in shale rocks that were hard to reach. With the falling production of natural gas, their prices became unstable and price of electricity increased. Additio nally, increasing prices of coal increased the price of electricity; paving a way for the development and high use of nuclear power (Stoker Baker).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The late 1950s marked the beginning of commercial production of electricity from nuclear energy in the United States. Early in the 1950s, the Atomic Energy Commission embarked on proving that nuclear energy was not only for making military weapons, but also other uses (Stoker Baker). In 1953, the AEC introduced the civil nuclear power program that also enabled access to the countrys nuclear fuels. Between 1957 and 1963, both the General Electric and Westinghouse adopted the use of light water reactor technology to generate electricity. With the increased competition between the two companies, General Electric developed the Boiled Water Reactor technology and used the resulting steam to turbines that generated electricity. As a result, AEC began to export nuclear reactors from France and Germany to continue with the production of electricity from nuclear energy (Stoker Baker).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nuclear energy accounts for a significant proportion of electricity gen erated in the United States today. By the end of 2017, the number of nuclear reactors in the United States increased to 61 nuclear power plants that operated over 90 commercial nuclear reactors. Currently, nuclear developers use advanced technology to modify nuclear power reactors to maintain consistent power generation capacity. Today, the 99 operational nuclear reactors produce 20% of the countrys annual electricity equivalent to the amount produced in 1990s, despite shutting six nuclear reactors since 2013. The government attributes this consistency to the shortened length of reactor offline time for refueling (US Energy Information Administration Paras. 1-2). Pros  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nuclear energy is highly beneficial. First, nuclear power provides constant minimum power that a power grid requires to economically supply power that satisfies minimum demands. Typically, nuclear reactors are independent; hence natural factors, such as wind and extreme sunshine do not affect their activities. Furthermore, they operate throughout the 24 hours in a day and generate about 90% of the power required for industrial and domestic use in a country (Fox 104). Such a power capacity supersedes that of wind and solar, which experts approximate to be 33% and 25% respectively. With the high power capacity, nuclear reactors have long-term average power output. This means that during the time of operation, nuclear reactors generate sufficient power to sustain power demands at the time of reactor downtime (Fox 104). Moreover, unlike solar and wind energy, nuclear energy is highly predictable. Such is the case as experts schedule downtime ahead of time to change fuel used in nuclear r eactors. Therefore, with the reactors ability to operate at 100% capacity, nuclear energy reduces dependency on coal and natural gas to provide base load energy for power grids (Fox 104).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nuclear power reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emissions, which increases the volume of greenhouse gases circulating in the atmosphere. According to Michael Fox, coal produces about 960-1,300g/kWh of carbon dioxide. Production of nuclear power uses advanced technologies, which reduce carbon dioxide emission to two percent of the volume emitted from coal. The experts also predict that in future, new technologies will be used to improve nuclear processes that use uranium. Such a step will lower carbon dioxide emissions significantly from nuclear fuel cycles (Fox 105).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nuclear power eradicates the need for new power transmission lines that are environmentally damaging. In the United States, nuclear reactors are located in highly populated eastern parts of the country. Such a location means easy supply of power to the people through the existing transmission lines (Fox 106). Furthermore, nuclear reactors use highly concentrated energy from splitting uranium to generate power. In this case, a nuclear plant uses less than half a square mile to generate multiple gigawatts of electricity. Such a small footprint supersedes 50 square miles of solar panels and almost 500 square miles of wind turbines that generate similar amount of power (Fox 106). Therefore, with the small footprint and without a need for new power transmission lines, nuclear power is suitable for urban areas to reduce negative impacts on the landscape and environment.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nuclear reactors are cost-saving as they reduce the cost of replacing power generating equipment. According to Fox, the United States recognizes the lifetime of nuclear reactors as 40 years. However, after inspection, the Nuclear Energy Regulation can extend the lifetime to 60 years depending on the safety status of the reactors (Fox 106). On the contrary, solar panels have an average life of 20 years. Unlike the nuclear reactors, the power production efficiency of solar panels decreases by approximately one percent per year. This means that they will have lost 20% of the power output by the end of the 20 years. Additionally, wind turbines have a similar lifetime as solar panels (Fox 106). As such, a person investing in solar panels and wind turbines will incur the replacement cost twice compared to an investor in nuclear reactors, which do not need replacement in a period of 40 years. Cons  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nuclear power plants attract high initial investment costs leading to a high cost of the generated electricity. According to Fox, each reactor requires about $6 billion to $8 billion to install. In 2005, the federal government enacted the Energy Policy Act that recognized the provision of construction loan guarantees for nuclear plants. However, the loans do not exceed 80% of a reactors cost. Furthermore, a significant proportion of investors cannot afford remaining 20% required to complete a single nuclear power project. Additionally, the law requires nuclear power developers to fully pay the cost of loan guarantee and the cost of administering such loan programs. Consequently, the plan discourages private financiers from financing private projects, especially when the nuclear developers fail to meet the loan guarantee obligations and to complete their projects within a particular period and budget (Fox 109). With the high initial investment cost, nuclear developers will increase th e price of power per unit; making it expensive, especially for domestic users. As a result, people will revert to other cheaper sources of power. Additionally, the federal government provides different incentives for investment in energy. However, of the total incentives, nine percent goes to research and development in nuclear power (Fox 110). This means that nuclear developers have to shoulder a high cost for the construction of nuclear reactors. Therefore, the market may not sustain nuclear power in the long-run due to its high initial investment.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Political leaders highly interfere with the operations of nuclear developers. Consequently, they make decisions that increase the risks and uncertainties of nuclear power. According to George Gonzales, majority of the leaders tailor their politics to suite interests of the local businesses. Failing to align their political interests to those of the nuclear developers creates uncertainties in the local economic climate. Such a move discourages new nuclear developers from investing in the locality. Furthermore, political interferences force nuclear developers to shut their operations in a state prior to the end of their projects lifetime. For example, the state government of New York accuses the management of Oyster Creek nuclear plant of unwillingness to comply with the states safety measures. Consequently, Oyster Creeks management has decided to shut the plant in 2019,10 years before the planned time (Gonzales 3). In such a case, it is likely that the nuclear developer will hurriedly cease operations without considering proper disposure of their waste products. Consequently, Gonzales points out that nuclear waste can be mined to make nuclear weapons (Gonzales 4). Therefore, it is clear that political decisions compromise proper handling of civilian nuclear technology; thus increasing the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Monopolization of the nuclear power sector can compromise peoples safety as the nuclear developers focus on maximizing output and profits. According to Gonzales, high initial investment attracts few investors. As a result, they dominate and monopolize the nuclear energy sector due to lack of high competition. In the United States, Westinghouse and General Electric are the dominant builders of nuclear reactors. With such monopoly, it is easy for investors to concentrate on increasing output to increase their earnings from nuclear power. As a result, they are likely to produce beyond their capacity and cause nuclear accidents, such as the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl reactor accidents of 1979 and 1986 respectively (Gonzales 3-4). Gerry Stoker and Keith Baker add that the nuclear industry in the United States is highly suspicious. Such is the case as the industry is secretive; creating a loophole for the investors to engage in secretive transactions that may compromise peoples safety (Stoker Baker Chapter 6).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nuclear energy is of significant use in the United States. Initially, nuclear power was used for military purposes. With time, advanced technology was used to generate electricity from nuclear energy. Today, electricity from nuclear power accounts for about 20% of the United States total electricity produced each year. Among its benefits, nuclear power eradicates the need for new power transmission lines that are environmentally damaging and reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emission. Conversely, monopolization of the nuclear power sector can compromise peoples safety as the nuclear developers focus on maximizing output and profits. Moreover, nuclear power plants attract a high initial investment cost leading to a high cost of the generated electricity. Therefore, the federal government and private nuclear developers should invent ways of minimizing the cons, especially the safety concerns. Works Cited Baker, Keith, and Stoker, Gerry. Nuclear Power and Energy Policy: The Limits to Governance. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015. Print. Fox, Michael, H. Why We Need Nuclear Power: The Environmental Case. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014. Print. Gonzalez, George, A. Energy and Empire: The Politics of Nuclear and Solar Power in the United States. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2012. Print. US Energy Information Administration. Nuclear explained: US nuclear industry. May 1, 2018. Retrieved from [Web] June 25, 2018. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.php?page=nuclear_use