Gigabit Token Ring Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gigabit Token Ring - Research Paper Example It is possible to make use either of the first two token rings in the same equipment. The drawback to this functionality is that the introduction of a new device to such network brings problems to the entire ring (Carlo, 1998). The token ring was first initiated by IBM in the early 80s in their research facility located in Zurich. In 1985, IBM launched its fist token-ring product as a form of adapter that could be used in their original personal computers. In the following year, in collaboration with Texas Instruments, they jointly developed a chipset to help other companies to develop devices that are compatible with the token ring. The year 1989 saw IBM introduce an improved version of their earlier token ring model which had a speed of 4 Mbit/sec. The improved version had a speed of 16 Mbit/sec and in line with this development; the IEEE 802.5 standard was extended to cover it (Muller, 2003). In the year 1994, the leading suppliers of token ring created the Alliance for Strategic Token-ring Advancement and Leadership (ASTRAL) whose main mission was increase the speed of Token-Ring technology to counter the ever rising popularity of Ethernet technology. The members of this group included: ACE/North Hills, 3Com, Bytex, Bay Networks, Cabletron, Chipcom , Centillion, IBM, Hewlett-Packard, , Intel, Olicom ,Madge, Racore, Proteon, Texas Instruments, SMC, UB Networks., Xircom, and XPoint (Muller, 2003). In 1997, a revised version of 802.5 standards was developed which marked the introduction of Dedicated Token-Ring. It was a form of full duplex token ring that bypassed the usual protocol used by token ring in data transfer. A single station thus had the capability of sending and receiving data streams concurrently. This had the effect of doubling the transfer rate of any token ring such that a 4 Mbit/sec dedicated Token-ring station acquired an overall transfer rate of 8 Mbit/sec. They are mainly Type 1, type 6 and type 3. The first wiring done on token ring

The Success of State Reconstruction Varies according to the Scale of S Literature review

The Success of State Reconstruction Varies according to the Scale of State Collapse - Literature review Example Reconstruction of States following conflicts is usually conducted with the help of various countries and organizations in the spirit of peace, development, and brotherhood of nations, infusing financial and human resources into a target State. In most cases, donor countries provide assistance in the forms of technical expertise and establish cooperative development programmes for locales where the State has no capacity to provide for the needs and protect the right of its populace. Many developed countries like the United States of America, Japan, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom, have their own foreign aid agencies and programmes providing technical and financial assistance to other countries rising from collapse, poverty or underdevelopment affecting its populace. Â  Most foreign development interventions normally follow the necessity for consent and cooperation of a recipient country. International development projects and programmes normally involve the infusion of technical advice and assistance from foreign international experts, and in some cases, these experts are tasked to manage key functions of governance within target countries. International development programmes and projects may range from the delivery of basic human services like healthcare services, agricultural and food development, to the restructuring and strengthening of judicial and legal systems of target/host countries. The first organizations to establish development assistance packages, through the study, expansion, and institutionalization of good governance as an accepted policy for development, are the World Bank (WB) and the United Nations (UN) through its various agencies and international programmes. The World Bank is best known for its implementation of economic governance programmes in the form of technical assistance and loan packages. The United Nations, on the other hand, focused on the delivery of basic human services and assistance as well as resolving conflict and legal issues within target or recipient countries. Food and agriculture improvement programs of the UN are the World Food Program (WFP) and programs by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), with healthcare development, like provision of water, sanitation, and general health, implemented by the World Health Organization and the UN International Children’s Educational Fund (UNICEF).

E Waste Management Processes In Malaysia Environmental Sciences Essay

E Waste Management Processes In Malaysia Environmental Sciences Essay With rapid technological advancement, increasing demand of electrical and electronic as well as short lifespan of the products has lead to the increase in e-waste generation. Hence, E-waste generation has become a concern. E-waste management requires different approach compare to conventional management of traditional wastes. This is because of E-waste complex characteristic where its contain hazardous substances which pose risk to human health and environment. Understanding E-waste management and to determine the best approach is a difficult task due to lack of study in Malaysia and reliable data on management system. This paper aimed to assess the current practice of E-waste management in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. The data presented in this paper derived mostly from the secondary sources of various literatures and interview with main stakeholders in e-waste management were conducted in order to understand the current issue and problem in e-waste management. Managing E-waste in Malaysia is challenging due to its hazardous characteristic and the generation currently at an alarming rate where it is reported that E-waste will be expected to triple output in next five years. Therefore, the cooperation from all level of management from key stakeholders is needed in order to ensure the risk of E-waste can be control at the minimum level. Keywords: Electrical and electronic waste, E-waste, management Introduction In view of the vision 2020 aim for Malaysia, the countrys wish to become a fully develop nation in the year 2020 has meant that Malaysia is not only encourages economic and social growth, but also environmental issues are addressed (Pelle Getke, 2008). One of the major environmental problems in Malaysia is the production of new waste in the waste streams namely electrical and electronic waste. Electrical and electronic waste, also known as electronic waste or electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), or in short called e-waste is consist of electrical or electronic products that can be categorized into white goods or bulky waste such as refrigerators, washing machines and brown goods such as computers, televisions, mobile phones, etc when comes to its end of life for their current owner (D.S Khetriwal, 2007). It also can be define as waste types that consist of broken or unwanted electronic appliances. E-waste is one of the fastest growing waste issues in the world where it forms 1% of solid waste on an average in developed countries and is expected to grow to 2% by 2020 (UNEP, 2007). The quantities of e-waste are predicted to grow substantially in future both in industrialized countries and in developing countries, with the potential to triple their e-waste by 2010 (UNEP, 2008) which is no exemption for Malaysia. With manufacturers continue to update and invented new electrical and electronic equipments, this has caused the lifespan of old product tend to decrease and this also becoming one of the factor contributes to the rapid growing of waste in today world. Statistics on the total quantity of e-waste generated per year in Malaysia is indistinguishable. However, e-waste generation is directly related to number of appliances used in the country (IMPAK, 2006). Table 1 shows the amount in unit on electrical and electronic product in Malaysia for year 2003. Table 1: The amount of electrical and electronic product for year 2003 Product Amount (Unit) Computer 4, 183,684 Mobile Phones 11,124,000 Television 4.500,000 Radio 9,400,000 Refrigerator 3,500,000 Data source: Era Hijau, 2008, Department of Environment With the growth of electrical or electronic equipments consumed in this country, the management of waste will be a key issue that needs to be urgently addressed especially in e-waste management. The problems that can be identified are the absence of proper mechanism and standards of disposal where it often end up in the waste streams either through recycling or landfill (ToxicLink, 2003). It can be assumed that the disposal of obsolete electrical and electronic products is fundamentally driven by the production of new ones where it implies that the growth in global electronic production of 4.4% in 2002, 6.8% in 2003 will result in similar growth in e-waste management (William, 2005). Without proper management system especially in disposal processes, hazardous materials contained in e-waste can be release into the environment and this will potentially give adverse effect to human health (M. Macauley, 2003). Therefore, it is very important to have a better e-waste management in order t o reduce it effects to both human health and environmental ecosystem in the future. Current status of E-waste management in Malaysia Developing countries usually lack of proper storage spaces or disposal area for e-waste causing their e-waste mixed in domestic landfill, burned with household waste or stored in the attic for years. This problem also occur in Malaysia where most of e-waste end up in landfill as there is no mechanism of proper recycling or safe disposal. The disposal of e-waste in uncontrolled way can pose risk to environment and human health where there are growing of e-waste winding up unnoticed in landfill (NST, 2007). Besides that, many facilities are unable to process e-waste due to constraints in space and handling problem (EQR, 2006). The existing collection and disposal system is inadequate in handling such wastes. This is because the management of e-waste is different with management of solid waste. According to D.S Khetriwal (2007), conventional waste management policies suited to handle traditional waste types and cannot be applied in the case of e-waste due to its characteristic which con tains both highly toxic substances as well as valuable materials which can be recovered. Malaysia already has existing regulation on scheduled wastes where e-waste were categorized under SW110 in First Scheduled of Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulation 2005, but this regulation not directly dealing with e-waste from household. Currently, there is no mechanism of proper segregation or disposal system to encourage public recycle and discard e-waste. The continue generation of e-waste over time, together with lack of structured mechanism of institutional framework and inadequate infrastructure causing e-waste management not well set up. Even though at present electrical or electronic appliances are rarely disposed of inadequate manner, but with little regulation in place, this has created hazards to local populations, as well as to the environment. Study area and data collection The number of electrical or electronic industries in Malaysia is rising. Thus, increased in the consumption of electrical and electronic products is due to its utility in our everyday life. This indirectly explained why the numbers of electrical and electronic waste is increasing. As the urbanization continues to take place, the management of waste is a major public health and environment concern in urban areas of many developing countries. The concern is serious, particularly in the capital cities. Therefore Shah Alam, Selangor is chosen as the starting point for the research. Shah Alam is the capital city for the State of Selangor where it consists of well planned and modern town with the state administrative centre in a spacious and pleasant environment. Shah Alam is an urban city in Petaling and Klang District which is located about 25 kilometres (15 miles) west of the countrys capital, Kuala Lumpur. In 1978, it replaced Kuala Lumpur as the capital city of the State of Selangor due to Kuala Lumpurs incorporation into a Federal Territory in 1974. Shah Alam was the first planned city in Malaysia after independence in 1957. Shah Alam has a similar urban layout to Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya with housing areas occupying most of the city (55.2  km ²) and commercial centres scattered around the different seksyen (sections). There are about 56 sections in total within 24 zones. Shah Alam is the State of Selangor capital city, has experienced a rapid urbanization and industrialization in the last decade. Urban area where chosen because of the highest communication services are concentrated in urban areas compare to rural areas and most of the development still concentrated in urban areas. The production of E-waste in this area can be assumed as quite high and the management of E-waste by waste generators, recyclers and disposal are crucial. Figure 3.2 shows amount of E-waste generated in Shah Alam is the highest compare to others area in the State of Selangor. Figure 3.2 Amount of e-waste generated in Selangor Area in 2009 Source: DOE Shah Alam report, 2009 Personal interview were conducted with relevant stakeholder that consist of regulatory framework government officials responsible for E-waste management process, as well as senior managers within the E-waste recycling industries (SW. Chung, R.Murakami-Suzuki, 2008) in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. As this is exploratory research, many stakeholders have been approached and interviews were conducted to obtain the understanding on e-waste management issues and problem, opinions and their view. Before meeting the respondents, information has been searched for knowing the involvement of stakeholders in the e-waste management (M. Schluep et al., 2008). The interviews were conducted with stakeholders that were responsible with the management of e-waste in Shah Alam and also directly involved in e-waste management in Malaysia. On the other hand, the respondent were chosen based on convenience sampling where only person that willing to cooperate in this study will be interviewed. This type o f sampling technique was chosen due to limited time and finance. After the interview, the interviews are transcribed and the transcript of each interview was sent back to the interviewee (s) for comment and further questions (P. Manomaivibool, 2009). Secondary data was extracted from a collection of key documents. These documents were collected through library and document searches from many stakeholders including government agencies, industry and business. Collections of key documents consist of documents in the form of publications such as reports, journals, books, and internets. The data gathers are source from report of e-waste inventory project in Malaysia, annual publication of IMPAK magazine by Department of Environment (DOE), Malaysia and environmental quality report of DOE, Malaysia. The data presented in this paper derived mostly from the secondary sources of various literatures and interview with main stakeholders in e-waste management were conducted in order to understand the current issue and problem in e-waste management in Shah Alam, Selangor and Malaysia generally. Trend of e-waste generation Figure 1: Quantities of e-waste generated in Selangor, Malaysia Table 1: Number of e-waste contractors in Selangor, Malaysia. 2007 2008 2009 Number of contractor in Selangor 27 28 27 Data source: DOE, Selangor report, 2007, 2008, and 2009. In the e-waste inventory project of Malaysia report, e-waste is expected to increase in five year ahead and further. This is because at that time the level of public awareness regarding e-waste is increasing due to e-waste had become an important environment issues in 21st century. The other factor that may contribute to the increase of e-waste is due to technologies advancement where people lifestyle change where the replacement of old product with new ones that much better, affordable and easy to use in the future. Even nowadays people are depending on gadgets such as computers and mobile phones in communicating with people around the world. This data only reflects the e-waste that is collected as disassembled components from industries (Malaysia Inventory Report, Accessed on 11/10/2009). Data on quantities of e-waste generated in Shah Alam were gathered from inventory recorded by e-waste contractors for Department of Environment, Selangor using a consignment notes. The increase of e-waste quantities generated give impact to the management of e-waste. The main objective in e-waste management is to reduce the e-waste generated from ending up in landfill site and to reduce the cost of managing e-waste where it contain both highly toxic substances and valuable materials. In 2005, Malaysia has issue e-waste as an environmental concern and marked it as new category of scheduled wastes. Before Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulation 2005, there are no regulations for e-waste but in Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulation 1986, the discarded batteries containing lead, mercury, nickel or lithium from battery manufacturing plants are coded under scheduled waste S271. However, E-waste is defined as used electrical and electronic equipments categories as scheduled waste in First Schedule of Environment (Scheduled Wastes) Regulation 2005 and been coded as SW110 after takes effect on 15 August 2005. When e-waste become new category of scheduled waste in Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulation 2005, contractors in Selangor that involved in e-waste recycling and processing are bound to obtain license from Department of Environment, Selangor. With the enforcement of EQSWR 2005, the activity of e-waste inventory were carrying out by DOE, Selangor began in 2007. The number of e-waste contractors license under DOE is about 27 contractors in 2007 and 28 contractors in 2008 but reduce back to 27 contractors in 2009. There are two factors contribute to this reduction; firstly because of economy crisis in 2008 and effected e-waste generated in 2009. This has show in the graph where the amount of e-waste generated in 2008 decrease from 10916 MT/year to 10369 MT/year in 2009. From the literatures sources, when the economic crisis happens, firstly affected is the electronic industry. As a result, the production of electronic product decreasing as well as the quantities of e-waste generated. And secondly because of competition between these contractors result in some of them become passive and some are active. Moreover too many players but the volume e-waste collected is not enough and the high costs for e-waste become a burden to these e-waste contractors. Also according DOE Shah Alam officer, they do not have any data or quantity for each e-waste generated. For this time being, the only data exist is for the whole of SW110 wastes. Figure 1: Quantities of e-waste generated in Shah Alam, Selangor Table 2: Amount of e-waste (MT/year) generates and number of e-waste contractor in Shah Alam, Selangor. 2007 2008 2009 Number of contractor in Shah Alam 9 10 12 Data Data source: DOE, Selangor report, 2007, 2008, and 2009. E-waste generation is different with other hazardous household waste and scheduled waste generated by industries and business sources. The generation is not regular. Its depending on how the individual handle they product during the equipment working lifespan. There are no reports on types of e-waste generated from household as this waste end up mixed with other waste goes to landfill or informally handle by illegal collectors or scrap collectors. Malaysia has issue e-waste as an environmental concern and marked it as new category of scheduled wastes in 2005. Before Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulation 2005 takes effect, there are no regulations for e-waste. However in the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulation 1986, the discarded batteries containing lead, mercury, nickel or lithium from battery manufacturing plants are coded under scheduled waste S271 [12]. However, E-waste is defined as used electrical and electronic equipments categories as scheduled waste in First Schedule of Environment (Scheduled Wastes) Regulation 2005 and been coded as SW110 after takes effect on 15 August 2005. When e-waste become new category of scheduled waste in Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulation 2005, contractors in Selangor that wanted to involved in e-waste recycling and processing are bound to obtain license from Department of Environment, Selangor. With the enforcement of EQSWR 2005, the activity o f e-waste inventory were carrying out by DOE, Selangor began in 2007. Figure 1 show that the amount of e-waste generated in Shah Alam is increasing from 5331 MT/year in 2007 to 5388 MT/year in 2009. Amount of e-waste collected by e-waste contractors in Shah Alam is assumed to be all or major portion of e-waste generated in Shah Alam eventually goes to the nearby recyclers and or disposal facilities. However, the generation of e-waste depends on the consumption and production of electrical or electronic product in that year. Currently, the number of e-waste contractors in Shah Alam was increase from only 9 contractors in 2007 to 12 contractors in 2009 as showed in Table 2 where it consist of one full recovery facility and other is partial recovery facilities. However, there are still unknown and unlicensed contractors in Shah Alam operating e-waste collection, recycling and processing. One of the identify company is Scrap Computer Trading Sdn Bhd that located in Shah Alam area. The increase quantities of e-waste each years and without proper management system especially during disposal process, the hazardous materials contain can release into the environment will potentially give adverse effect to human health [15]. In the e-waste inventory project of Malaysia report, e-waste is expected to increase in five year ahead and further. This is because at that time the level of public awareness regarding e-waste is increasing due to e-waste had become an important environment issues in 21st century. The other factor that may contribute to the increase of e-waste is due to technologies advancement where people lifestyle change where the replacement of old product with new ones that much better, affordable and easy to use in the future. Even nowadays people are depending on gadgets such as computers and mobile phones in communicating with people around the world. This data only reflects the e-waste that is collected as disassembled components from industries (Malaysia Inventory Report, Accessed on 11/10/2009). Data on quantities of e-waste generated in Shah Alam were gathered through inventory recorded by e-waste contractors for Department of Environment, Selangor using a consignment notes. The increase of e-waste quantities generated give impact to the management of e-waste. The main objective in e-waste management is to reduce the e-waste generated from ending up in landfill site and to reduce the cost of managing e-waste where it contain both highly toxic substances and valuable materials. Current Status on E-waste management in Shah Alam, Selangor Shah Alam is one of well planned city; the residential areas were located on the site of federal highway and industrial zone on the other. Table 3 shows the e-waste generators, type of e-waste collected by e-waste collectors in Shah Alam, Selangor. Generators in Shah Alam consist of electrical and electronic manufacturers, assemblers, individual consumers, government organizations, corporate users such as banking sectors, etc. Table 3: E-waste generators, type of e-wastes and e-waste collectors in Shah Alam, Selangor. E-waste generators Type of E-waste E-waste collector Manufacturing Industries Disassemblies such as metal scrap, ICT board, rejected wires, etc License e-waste contractor under Department of Environment Government organization, institution Whole unit of e-wastes such as computers, telephone, printers, etc Alam Flora Sdn Bhd; License e-waste contractor under Department of Environment Individual households, publics Sub-unit of e-waste or whole unit of e-waste Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) Types of e-waste generated depend on type of generator and each quantity generated or collected are different from each other. E-waste generate from multinational electrical and electronic manufacturing industries such as Panasonic Sdn Bhd, JVC (M) Sdn Bhd and larger business such as banking sectors, ICT sectors, etc are well collected by licensed contractors. However e-waste generated by individual household uncommonly collected because of quantities of e-waste produce is in small amount. This is because individual households not are regular generator for e-waste compare to business. According to Macauley et al 2003, generally electronics wastes generated by businesses more homogeneous which are comprise of large quantities than electrical waste generated by households [13]. Consignment Notes (Inventory Track System) Sell to other recyclers or local/domestic market Partial Recovery Facilities Licence Collector Generator Kualiti Alam Sdn Bhd Full recovery facilities Disposal of e-waste residue Treatment Alam Flora Sdn Bhd, Local Authority Collect from the public Recyclable materials such as metals scraps and plastic scraps Unlicensed collector Unknown 2nd raw materials Sell to the manufacturers Figure 2: E-waste management in Shah Alam, Selangor E-waste management practice in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia E-waste collection E-waste management in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia is summarized in Figure 2 above from the waste generation until the disposal of the waste. E-waste derived from manufacturers usually consists of disassembled components such as plastic scraps, metal parts and wires which are collected mostly by license e-waste contractors. E-waste generate from domestic area were collected by waste concessionaires such as Alam Flora Sdn Bhd, Solid Waste Management Sdn Bhd. According to Alam Flora officer, they have launched a campaign for collection of e-waste from the public started in year 2006 and focuses only to the unit of computer waste. However for e-wastes collected from the domestic areas will not undergo any separation process because absence of segregation facility and therefore e-wastes collected will be sent straight to landfill site. Alam Flora Sdn Bhd does not provide any facility related to collection of schedule wastes and metals because the value for recycling materials is low and the cost for it proper management is high compare to management of conventional wastes. For Shah Alam residents that wanted to discard their E-waste, Alam Flora also provided call and pick up services. Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) is a local authority in Shah Alam has involved in 3Rs campaign but they focus is not specifically on e-waste. MBSA do not send e-waste to the landfill but e-waste collected to recycling center for further disposal. MBSA indirectly involved in e-waste management for Shah Alam. MBSA has provided a recycling center for Shah Alam community to dispose their bulky wastes and recyclable wastes that include e-wastes. This recycling center known as Shah Alam Recycling Center located in Sekyen 17, Shah Alam, Selangor. With the initiatives located by MBSA to this community; it can be a starting point for e-waste from households to be managed properly. E-waste recycling At present, there are about 12 licensed e-waste contractors in Shah Alam which are responsible in collecting and recycling e-waste. According to DOE of Shah Alam, Shah Alam has 11 registered e-waste contractors with only one company having full recovery licenses. The listed e-waste contractor can be found at DOE website. The rest with partial recovery licenses only allowed carrying out collection, disassembly, segregation, and packing. However, only approved full recovery licenser is allowed to conduct precious metal recovery by utilizing chemicals and electrolysis processes. E-waste collected were dismantled and separated into various part or components which also consist of recyclable and non-recyclable items. The recyclable item usually after processing will be packed for resale locally or export to other countries. Sometimes the recyclable part or component will be distributed to other companies for reuse. E-waste collected by license contractor will be further send whether to partial recovery facilities or directly to full recovery facilities. Partial recovery e-waste contractor also act as a middleman in collecting e-waste from the generators. Usually they used their own transportation to collect e-waste from the waste generators according to tender sign. Recycling process that carry out in partial recovery facilities include manually dismantle into part or component and segregate them into recyclable or non recyclable components. Type of component that usually can be extracting from e-waste is metal scraps such as cooper, steel and aluminum. For plastic scrap usually this type of waste will be sold to other recyclers from domestic market or local market as secondary raw materials. However, for material that had been separate, sorted and crushed in partial recovery facility still considered as scheduled wastes where it need to further treated at prescribed premises. At full recovery facilities, they provide services where most of the item will be recovered for better end products. Beside physical treatment process, chemical treatment (stripping) will be used in order to minimize waste from ending up in landfill sites. The products from e-waste recovery become secondary raw materials for other uses in manufacturing sectors. Disposal of E-waste E-waste generate in electrical and electrical industry were mostly disposed in the provide bins as either provided by the waste generator or the waste contractor depend on types of E-waste disposed. With the structure mechanism of E-waste management by the industries, the waste disposed is recorded using consignment notes where the quantities of E-waste produced is inventory. Some of non recyclable part or component of E-waste will be treated either in full recovery facilities or disposed at Kualiti Alam facilities. DOE also has given license to Kualiti Alam in collecting e-waste as they are one of the responsible agencies in Malaysia that handle scheduled wastes. The final product of e-waste recovery is the e-waste residues. These residues will be sent to sanitary landfill in Bukit Nanas together with other wastes that are not recyclable and non hazardous for further disposal processes. Obstacles in e-waste management Data from the interview are analyzed. During the analysis, code were renames, clustered and group into four issues and problem discussed by the respondents about e-waste management. In the management aspect, e-waste is very complex because of it tendency to cause serious environmental problem in developing countries as in Malaysia. Obstacle identified is technical issues, lack of trained personal, legislation, financial, infrastructure and awareness. Technical Issues The waste generators were responsible with the management of their own scheduled waste include e-waste. Unlike solid waste management where theres by now have a structured mechanism. According to [name must not be reveal], the volume of the electrical and electronic waste is depends on the EE production and current economy status. Another problem is they cannot afford for the other technology or equipment to process electrical and electronic waste except man power. However, there also some manufacturers in Selangor still selling e-waste to unlicensed collector or recycler because the price offer is high. E-waste contractors in Selangor, mostly collect e-waste from EEE industry but not for household e-waste. Lack of improper e-waste disposal, this is because the waste generators do not have suitable places to dispose their waste. In Malaysia, there are still small number of facilities who involves with e-waste processing and recovery. Waste collected from manufacturers or large business were dismantle and separate into various parts and components for resale or recycle or recovery locally while household e-wastes were discarded in municipal bins and disposed off in landfill. Lacking of environmental standards and advanced recycling technologies where most of partial recoveries adopted very simple and uncultured methods in order to achieve higher return as much as possible. From the interview conducted with the partial recovery companies, there are two reasons the collectors cannot afford for a better recycling technologies; a) The equipment is too expensive and; b) The volume of e-waste is small while there are a numbers of collectors out there. If they bought the facilities, it will was te their time and money just like the incinerator case. Currently as in Selangor and Malaysia as general, e-waste were collected while only precious metals are extracted. The recycling processes usually have low recycling rates as for the informal sector where the major thrust for recycling is precious material extraction due to which the other hazardous components are usually dumped in landfill and fate sometimes unknown. However for the formal recycling units the efficiency is less as the collections targets are not met and lack of efficient technologies. According to Dato Nadzri Yahaya, theres an informal sector is going-on where they involved in collecting e-waste dumps with other household waste. The garbage contractors with they own initiative will informally sort out waste that can be recycle such as plastics, aluminum, e-waste, etc before other non-recyclables waste sent to the landfill sites. However, disposal of E-waste from household is an issue where these wastes dispose in the municipal bins together with other wastes as there is still no segregation unlicensed collector where they collect this waste and process only certain part or compo nent of E-waste and treatment for others is unknown. Even the television for example put together with other waste outside the resident premises, after couple of hours, the waste gone and the fate of the waste is unidentified. Financial Issue There is not much to discuss about financial issues because this paper focus more to management per se. In Malaysia, E-waste has been treated same as scheduled waste except it is not to dangerous and contaminated if directly contact with this wastes. Currently, there is no financial scheme or initiatives given to the e-waste recyclers by government. According to officer from Kualiti Kitar Alam, the recyclers especially scrap collector that not control or license under DOE buy e-waste from waste generators with high price and the treatment for the waste collected by this parties is unknown. Sometimes, most of the waste contractors consist of illegal contractors or recyclers. Legislation Issue Malaysia already has existing regulation on scheduled wastes where e-waste were categorized under SW110 in First Scheduled of Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulation 2005, but this regulation not directly dealing with e-waste from household. Currently, there is no mechanism of proper segregation or disposal system to encourage public recycle and discard e-waste. The continue generation of e-waste over time, together with lack of structured mechanism of institutional framework and inadequate infrastructure causing e-waste management not well set up. Even though at present electrical or electroni

Little Jake :: essays paper

Little Jake It all started when little Jake was one month old. He quickly learned that boisterous wails would cause his grandmother, Betsy, to rush to his crib. He was well on his way to becoming a little dictator. Betsy, being a kind-hearted and compassionate woman, felt sorry for the boy because he had no father or mother to speak of. Betsy would perform on command every time the child uttered a whimper. Her doctor suggested that she let the boy cry. He further explained that, in time, the child would get the hint that no one would be coming at his every whim. Jake's rein of terror would have ended if his grandmother had taken her doctor's advice, but she ignored the suggestion. The effect was predictable: soon, Betsy was suffering from exhaustion. Is it any surprise that, by the time Jake reached his first birthday, his first word was "no"? "Jake, please don't throw your toys," his grandmother would plead sweetly. "No!" was Jake's reply as he hurled a hard plastic ball at Granny. "Eat your cereal," his Granny would say. With a sweep of his little hand, Jake knocked the cereal bowl to the floor while he bellowed another "No!". "All right, Jake," Granny replied, "If you don't like the cereal, I'll fix you something else." Filled with hope, she mistakenly thought the boy would outgrow this behavior. By the time he was five years old, Jake did not hesitate to throw very public tantrums. He once sprawled out on the department store floor, kicking and screaming because he had been denied a toy he wanted. Embarrassed by his behavior, Betsy quickly placed the toy in the shopping cart and proceeded through the checkout line. When they arrived at home, Betsy informed Jake that his behavior had been inappropriate. "We don't act like that in public," she explained. I am certain that the boy was thinking, "Why not? It works." When Jake was ten, Granny warned him that if he did not do his homework he would not be allowed to go camping with his friends the following month. Jake promised to do his homework, but a phone call from the school confirmed that he had not turned in a single homework assignment during the

Identity and belonging Essay

1. Familial and societal values and expectations define who we are. Our parents are at the centre of our upbringing and teach us values, attitudes and beliefs that help to define us from our conception and birth. Family expectations can either act as a burden on a child’s sense of self and abilities, or an opportunity to learn and grow. In order to preserve their cultural identity, some parents tend to preserve their traditions and language by entrusting nuances of their national heritage onto their children. There is often a tension between children’s desire to follow their own dreams and ambitions, and the hopes and expectations of their parents. Sometimes a compromise must be made. Our actions and decisions are restricted by the expectations that our parents have of us, which then manifests itself into a vast change in our identity as we may not be following our instincts. We construct a sense of ourselves through social interaction in our family from an early age. They set the examples for us to follow and we subconsciously adapt to share similar lifestyles and ideals. Adherence to pre-existing guidelines that define social groups, and to the expectations of others, can often be the easiest and in some cases the only path to fitting in. Especially during the teenage years, there is a need for others’ validation and adherence to social convention. 2. Establishing an adult identity. Determining who we are and where we belong as adults is influenced by both our past and our present, by what we already know and what we yearn for in our lives. Finding peers, friends and partners who respect and accept our presence is a vital part of our establishment of an adult identity. Our identity gets more complicated with the passage of time. With age comes new frontiers, challenges and opportunities that individuals can grasp with either hesitation or optimism. The movement from an adolescent identity to an adult identity can often be a challenging one, particularly when the experience is fuelled by frustration, mishap and confusion. Being an  adolescent or young adult is a time fraught with fear for the future and uncertainty, since the body and the mind experience great change – physical, physiological and social change. As gregarious and cognisant beings, we loathe ostracism and desire assimilation. 3. Families and intimate relationships with others shape who we are. Families ideally provide love, protection, security and the opportunity for us to find out who we are. The need to belong is an intrinsic motivation in all humans to feel accepted and valued by others through sustained, meaningful connections that validate our role in society. Not all families provide the same kinds of opportunities for personal growth and, even in the most stable and supportive families, pressures to conform may occur. While we do not choose our families, we can choose the close connections we forge with other people. A desire to belong is also a desire to connect with others. Changing circumstances can precipitate a change in our close and intimate relationships, which in turn reshapes and further develops our identity. It may seem that our everyday lives are filled with mundane routine, however we eventually realise that every relationship and commitment gradually becomes a significant part of who we are and how we see the world. 4. Groups and communities provide us with a sense of belonging. Groups and communities can provide security, support and acceptance in our lives. By nature, human beings are not solitary creatures. Belonging is an inherent aspect of our human condition that is a universally ubiquitous concept in humanity. Examples of groups include families, factions, teams, clubs, schools and workplaces. Contributing to the social fabric can have a positive effect on our sense of self – it can enhance our self-esteem as well as our self-worth. Not only do we belong to a family group, but also to racial, religious and cultural groups – even without our knowledge (passive). We fulfill the need for belonging satisfactorily when the group values and respects the contribution our presence makes to the group. Belonging to a group often carries with it a sense of exclusivity or privilege. It also fosters a feeling that we are accepted and loved. Belonging can often be contradictory in nature as people may want to belong to a group or organisation out of fear of being left out or ostracised. To attain a sense of social integration, we attempt to affiliate ourselves with groups that share mutual values and ideologies which affirm our identity and social role. It is often difficult to belong if we hold different ideas, beliefs and values from the majority of a group or community. Refusing to conform to the expectations of the majority – especially in schools or workplaces – can take considerable courage and strength of character. Misalignment between individual and group identity will have the same isolating effect as social solicitude, leaving us spiritually disoriented and emotionally desolate. 5. Our identity can often be challenged. The people and ideas we encounter on a daily basis change the way we see the world and how we see ourselves. Our identity develops as we grow and change. As teenagers we may be challenged by peer pressure and thus might be easily swayed by others with stronger personalities. Our beliefs – political, religious and personal – may also be challenged and our identities reshaped as a result. Beliefs add meaning to our lives and connect us to others, by giving a sense of direction and purpose. If our beliefs are shunned, all semblance of our individuality and character can sometimes be diminished. When we are disconnected from others, we tend to view our own ideals and values unfavourably because they are ‘different’ from the rest of society. This disparity can place a burden on one’s self-worth and identity. In some circumstances the only method to find our true self is to go against the boundaries applied to use by others. Overemphasis on adapting ourselves to satisfy what others think and desire can cause individuals to turn into such parochial beings that we lose sight of reality and who we really are. Knowing who we are and where we belong is fundamental and it allows us to live as happy and confident individuals able to reject conformity. We are all part of a family, a community and a culture. While we think of ourselves as being individuals, we must also accept that as social creatures we like to feel like we belong and feel safe. This, in turn, gives us the confidence to be †me†. The clothes we wear, the music we listen to, the  football team we belong to, even the school we attend forms the parcel of who we are. 6. Choosing not to belong. Conforming to the needs of a group can often stifle one’s true identity, and thus an individual can choose not to belong to a certain group. Whilst belonging suggests a desire to be connected to others, it may also result in a dependence on others and a subsequent loss of individuality. Choosing not to belong to the mainstream can be a difficult yet rewarding decision. An individual may define themselves in opposition to social norms and expectations. When an individual decides that they do not want to belong to a specific group or community, they demonstrate strength and courage, as well as a dominant, unique identity that is able to cope on its own. However, there may be some drawbacks. In not belonging and conforming to a group or community, we may be left feeling lost, confused and without purpose in life, regardless of the strength of our individuality. If we do not fulfill the fundamental necessity for social integration, we may feel isolated from a world that we share n othing with and lose the sense of purpose that defined social roles are able to provide. If this crucial aspect of the human condition is not fulfilled, we may lose all semblance of our identity and place in society. The nature of isolation holds no benefits for the individual, as it disallows an individual to view life in a positive manner, and denies them the right of relishing upon the positives in life. When individuals are alienated, they tend to lose their sense of identity because they feel as though they are ‘nothing’; to the world they do not exist. 7. In order to belong, we must make sacrifices. To gain a true sense of acceptance sometimes requires compromise. Because there will inevitably be conflict between the views of the individual and that of the group, we must often conceal or renounce nuances of our true character that are contradictory to the group’s collective identity. In order to belong to a group, we have to give up some of our individual  freedom. Sometimes we may even have to compromise certain personal beliefs or modify our behaviour in order to fulfill an impulse to belong. This means belonging will invariably challenge our identity by forcing us to either uphold our own values or conform to the will of the group. Thus, a sense of belonging can benefit or hinder personal development. A sense of belonging can either support or detract from our personal identity. We must make compromises to suit which direction we would like to take in our lives. While in some instances belonging may challenge identity, identity and belonging must coexist in society. This is because identity is actually formulated through perceptions of individuals and that without social groups, identity would only be a figment of one’s imagination. In a society which inherently seeks to categorise individuals and others’ acceptance is based largely on the extent to which one conforms, it is paramount that every individual finds their genuine place in the world. Despite the often horrific consequences that come attached to defying convention, the determination to find who we truly are is sometimes so great that we are willing to risk everything in order to try. Some sort of balance must be reached such that we feel validated and significant but also understand our true selves. Conforming with prevailing culture has the capacity to strip an individual of their identity or at least parts of it – it is the self that is compromised and dampened. Isolated are those who maintain individuality to the detriment of collectivism. Assimilated are those who unconditionally accept conformity; entropy awaits those who have no regard for self and others; but salient are those who are able to maintain a discernible element of individuality whilst concurrently achieving societal acceptance. It is difficult to fulfill these dual impulses: to belong to a group, and to be free to express one’s individuality. This is the distinction between accepta nce and the exertion of individual identity (through personality, beliefs, gestures etc.). 8. A sense of belonging can strengthen our identity by assigning us defined social roles. We are more likely to uphold our own values and personal beliefs if we are under some form of obligation to do so. Roles can be both explicit (teacher) and implicit (bully). Where we sit in the social hierarchy can affect how we see and how we feel about ourselves. While there are no specific rules or conventions for such roles, we are inclined to behave in a way that is synonymous with our designated ‘identity’ so that we meet other people’s expectations. In all of the social groups that we as individuals belong to, we have a status to abide by and a role to fulfill. Status is our relative social position within a group or community, whilst a role is the part our society expects us to play in such a status. For example, a man may have the status of father in his family, and is thus expected to nurture, educate, guide and protect his children. Mothers usually have complementary roles. One can also have multiple roles and statuses – such as an uncle, grandfather and so on. 9. Individual growth comes from belonging. Individuals gain more from belonging to a group than from living in isolation. Most groups have certain expectations that members must conform to, but they also provide a forum in which individuals make valuable connections with others and enrich/reinforce/question their identities. Members of a group can also teach each other, sharing the wisdom they have gained from their life experiences. The wisdom is used to enrich the group’s collective knowledge. Belonging can facilitate or perhaps stifle personal growth. 10. Types of identity and belonging. Types of identity: Career: lawyer, nurse, politician. Family: father, mother, older sister, cousin. Skills: athletic, intelligent, leader. Cultural: history, tradition, religion, ethics. Social: peer group, clique, club, gang. Also collective/multiple/gender identity. Types of belonging: Relationships: family, friends, partner, teacher. Social: groups, classes, clubs, organisations. Environment: Australia, metropolitan, farm.

Purpose of the Education System Essay

The question posed is â€Å"What should the education system be?† This question cannot be answered specifically because the education system means something different to everyone. The education system is, to an extent, what it should be, which is an institution devoted to the development of the intellect. American education should however, be more than rote instruction of mandated materials. Our children should be taught more life skills along with science and math. Children sit in rows, facing straight, not talking. They select and use educational materials in unison, and watch the teacher write on the board. The droning sound of the teacher’s voice attempts to fill their minds with knowledge. It sounds militaristic because it is. Students remember more of what they are taught if the material is presented in a less formal, more enjoyable atmosphere. School administrators and state agencies set forth guidelines from which teachers must not deviate. The problem is, these administrators are removed from the classroom and tend to forget that children have changing needs. Today’s teachers learn more progressive teaching methods such as portfolio assessment vs. testing, and sitting in groups instead of rows. There are few administrators willing to incorporate these changes into their schools. Education management needs to allow teachers the flexibility to teach their students using whatever methods actually work. There is no reason why children should not look forward to school. For the most part, our education system is devoted to teaching students. There is great concern that students should be prepared to move on to higher stages of education. Tests are given periodically to gauge students’ progress. There is much discussion how improving education and better preparing students for the world. Students do learn, and many excel, but school is still viewed as drudgery by most students. If our education system is to prepare children for the world educators need to look more closely at curriculum. Art, philosophy, history, math, English  and science are all important subjects. They teach us about the world around us and how things work. The social setting of the educational facilities also compels students to learn about society and what is acceptable behavior. However, are we properly preparing our students for the world? Are we teaching life skills like personal finance and relationship dynamics? Can we lower the rate of divorce or the number of poverty-stricken retirees by educating students in these areas? Our education system needs to incorporate fundamental life skills into the curriculum. The focus on education should not stop at the goal to create an intelligent adult. The education system must also attempt to create a responsible citizen, an asset to the community. The American education system is not entirely broken. There are many positive things happening. Progressive teaching methods are being employed and the student is being recognized as more of an individual. America cannot stop here. We need to ask ourselves if the moral fabric of our country can be improved through education. The education system plays a larger role in our lives than any other one thing. The system needs to use this influence to improve society as a whole and people as individuals.