Application Of Integrated Coastal Zone Management Principles Environmental Sciences Essay

Application Of Integrated Coastal Zone Management Principles Environmental Sciences Essay In most West African sub-region countries, Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) is a fairly new idea and has therefore not been approached and adopted as a management practice. Thus, the management of the coastal zones is seen to be a diffused activity being undertaken by many institutions with interests and stakes in the coastal zone. Nigeria being a country with coastline of approximately 853km facing the Atlantic Ocean, its coastline lies between latitude 4Â ° 10 to 6Â ° 20N and longitude 2Â ° 45 to 8Â ° 35 E (Badejo and Nwilo n.d). The coastal area is low lying with heights of not more than 3.0m above sea level (Dublin-Green et al. 1999). According to (Ibe 1998), the Nigerian coast is composed of four distinct geomorphological units namely the Barrier-Lagoon complex; the Mud coast; the Arcuate Niger delta; and the Strand coast. Nigeria has one of the largest coastal zones in West Africa; with soaring socio-economic, cultural, physical, and environmental importance. Thus, its coastal zones have undergone sequence of advanced environmental development programs through the Federal Ministry of Environment and its environmental stakeholders in the quest of incorporating conservation and sustainable use of its rich cultural and environmental importance. However, environmental programs introduced are seen to have been unproductive owing to the fact that it was not properly approached due to politics of significant players in the Nigerian coastal zone management. Hence, for Nigeria to achieve the aims of incorporating conservation and sustainable development of its coastal zones, the administrative and stakeholders on environmental management needs to implement an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in order to achieve its this sustainable growth. 1.2. AIM OF RESEARCH To assess the need and feasibility of applying Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) principles in the management of Nigerian coastal waters with a case study on Lagos State coastline. 1.3. OBJECTIVES OF RESEARCH In the context of this research, the following objectives shall be considered: Literature review of ICZM and its principles; The key coastal issues facing Nigeria coastal zone; Assessing the current management of Lagos State coastline against the principles of ICZM; Evaluate barriers to the implementation of ICZM on Lagos State coastline; Evaluate the potential benefits of an ICZM approach. 1.4. BACKGROUND REPORT OUTLINE The Nigerian coastal zone sprawls a total of nine (9) states, out of the thirty-six (36) states of the federation, namely: Akwa-Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Cross River State, Delta State, Edo State, Lagos State, Ogun State, Ondo State and Rivers State. These coastal states are estimated to account for 25% of the national population. Nigerian coastal zones stretch inland for a distance of about 15km in Lagos in the West to about 150km in the Niger Delta and about 25km east of the Niger Delta (anon. n.d). FIG.1 MAP OF NIGERIA COASTAL AREAS Fig. 1 above is the map showing the Nigeria coastal areas (Nwilo and Badejo n.d.) Nigeria with about 853 km stretch of coastline has been characterized with differing erosive activities; a result of combination of natural and anthropogenic forces. Consequently, the importance of the Nigerian coastal and marine environment as the main socio-economic nerve centre of the country; where over 70% of the national income is generated, and there is need for an understanding of the physical changes taking place which would have profound socio-economic implications on the area and the entire nation (Okude and Ademiluyi 2006). The main key environmental management and development problems on the Nigeria coastal zones that needs addressing; in particular as degradation of the coastal environment in many of its coastlines decline in the quality of life of its local populations are stated below; Coastal and marine resource degradation; overexploitation of fisheries, coastal drifts-(erosion and flooding), clearing of mangrove forest, physical modification and destruction of habitats, Coastal and marine pollution; oil spillage, dumping of heavy metals, explosives, sewage and garbage, climate change and sea level rise For some years, coastal and marine resource degradation has been a major problem on the Nigerian coastal zones. (Okude and Ademiluyi 2006), evidences from studies and experiments have shown that the rate of shoreline retreat in some section of the Nigerian coast is so rapid as to be alarming. Generally, coastal erosion and accretion occur concurrently worldwide, even though erosion would appear to have a greater magnitude (Oyegun 1988). More so, (Okude and Ademiluyi 2006) the inadequacy of information about the Nigerian coastal areas would explain for the inadequacy in the management of the coastal erosion problems. In addition, lack of sustainable development policies with inadequate resources to implement coastal zone management by Ministry regulating Nigerian coastal environmental have contributed to the degradation. Apart from the natural environmental problems, such as flat topography of the region, high intensity and long duration of rainfall, high water table and low soil permeability, etc., man-made environmental problems are caused by unplanned and uncoordinated development; poor highway and watercourse design and construction, inadequate waste disposal infrastructure and lack of adequate and proper maintenance programme, and so on (Santos 1999). Being one of the largest oil and gas suppliers in West Africa, Nigerian economy is dependent on the oil and gas sector, thus, incurs a high risk of disastrous oil spills on the coastal zone owing to increasing oil tanker operations which are being carried out without utmost compliance with MARPOL 73/78, an IMO convention which regulates and prevents marine pollution. 2.0. LITERATURE REVIEW Coastal zone are unique. Such as daily tides, mangrove forests, coral reefs, tidal flats, sea beaches, storm waves, and barrier islands are found only on the coast (Clark 1996). Furthermore, due to the uniqueness of coastal zone in many coastal countries, the region has been recognised as a distinctive region which requires unique attention. Nevertheless, (Post and Lundin 1996), the increasing population on the coastal zone has caused conflicts between challenging uses in its resources and thereby calls for the need to ascertain long-term supply of these resources, on both land and the sea. However, the (European Commission 1999) asserts that coastal zones will continue to be areas of rich potential for our modern society as its productivity such as tidal inlets, salt marshes, and estuaries has an important role to play in food production- through maintenance of fisheries and aquaculture- and in safeguarding nature and biodiversity. In no doubt, (Clark 1996) the coastal zones is seen to have undergone adverse environmental adaption and weakening through developed human activities such as; dredging, fishing, sand filling, and pollution. According to (Sorenson and McCreary 1990), coastal zone is defined as the interface or transition zone, specifically that part of the land affected by its proximity to the sea and that part of the ocean affected by its proximity to the land. an area which processes depending on the interaction between land and sea are most intense. (Doody 2001), to the marine biologist; coastal zone includes the sea and all those areas which are periodically covered by the tide. While to the coastal ecologist, the zone extends landward to the limits of tidal movement or the influence of salt spray on soils and vegetation. Meanwhile, the quality of coastal waters is a major cause for concern. The two most spectacular phenomena in recent years, oil slicks and algal blooms, are illustrations of the fact that coastal communities frequently suffer the consequences of events or developments occurring inland or offshore and therefore beyond their control (CEC 2000). Therefore, it is imperative to conserve c oastal zones in order to accomplish a sustainable growth. There must be a demonstration of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) to achieve sustainable growth of coastal zones. According to (CEC 2000) from 1996 to 1999, the Directorates General for Environment, Fisheries and Regional Policy in Europe operated a Demonstration Programme on ICZM which is designed to: Provide concrete technical information about the factors and mechanisms, which either encourage or discourage sustainable management of coastal zones. Stimulate a broad debate and exchange of information among the various actors involved in the planning, management or use of European coastal zones. This debate was intended to lead to a consensus regarding the appropriate measures necessary at the European and other levels of competence in order to stimulate ICZM in Europe. The demonstration programme has yielded a wealth of technical information about ICZM mechanisms and solutions to specific problems faced in the coastal zone (EC 1999 p.5). Furthermore, the demonstration projects have confirmed that there are serious inconsistencies between sectoral and territorial policies, programmes and plans whose impacts are felt on the coast. This fact is responsible for the failing of an application of an integrated approach to coastal planning and management (EC 1999). 2.1. THE THEORY AND PRINCIPLE OF ICZM Due to inefficiency of varieties of environmental resource management and development control programs adopted, many countries are now embarking on special integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) which strategizes compatible development and resource conservation management that are for the good of the nation as a whole (Clark 1996). (Shi et al. 2001) ICZM represents a dynamic and continuous process which administers the use, development, and protection of the coastal zones and its resources towards common objectives of national and local authorities and the aspiration of different resource user group. (Bower and Turner 1996) states; ICZM consists of a set of tasks, typically carried out by several or many public and private entities. On the other hand, (Morksness et al. 2009) ICZM can be defined as a decision-making and management process with which to achieve the sustainable use, development and protection of coastal and marine areas as well as of their resources. Thus, ICZM stands for an enviro-economic regulatory system for numerous competing interests (Eremina and Stetsko). Nevertheless, from the lessons of the European Demonstration Programme on ICZM (European Commission 1999), there are several dimensions to the word integration in coastal management: The horizontal integration of policies, management arrangements and development plans amongst different sectors, services and agencies at a given level of government (national, provincial, district and more local) as well as amongst interest groups with common interests in coastal areas and resources; The vertical integration of policies, management arrangements and development plans from national through to local levels of government, including community based approaches to coastal management; Geographical or territorial integration: which takes into account the interrelationships and interdependencies (physical, chemical, biological, ecology) between the terrestrial, estuarine littoral and offshore components of the coastal zone; Integration over time: the consistent integration of sustainable development objectives policies, plans and management strategies in the course of time. The process of ICZM starts with the awareness of issues of common concern, which facilitates a dialogue and exchange of views among interested and affected parties, and this is the basis for coordination of action, which in time fosters integration of management (EC 1999 p.15). With reference to the (European Council, 2002) integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) shall be based on series of principles as stated below: A broad overall perspective (thematic and geographic) which will take into account the interdependence and disparity of natural systems and human activities with an impact on coastal areas; A long-term perspective which will take into account the precautionary principle and the needs of present and future generations; Adaptive management during a gradual process which will facilitate adjustment as problems and knowledge develop. This implies the need for a sound scientific basis concerning the evolution of the coastal zone; Considering local specificity and the great diversity of European coastal zones, which will make it possible to respond to their practical needs with specific solutions and flexible measures; Working with natural processes and respecting the carrying capacity of ecosystems, which will make human activities more environmentally friendly, socially responsible and economically sound in the long run; Involving all the parties concerned(economic and social partners, the organisations representing coastal zone residents, non-governmental organisations and the business sector) in the management process, for example by means of agreements and based on shared responsibility; Support and involvement of relevant administrative bodies at national, regional and local level between which appropriate links should be established or maintained with the aim of improved coordination of the various existing policies. Partnership with and between regional and local authorities should apply when appropriate; Using combination of instruments designed to facilitate coherence between sectoral policy objectives and coherence between planning and management. Clear evidence of research but needs greater emphasis on assessing the quality of the published literature. 3.0 METHODOLOGY As the aim of this research is an assessment of the application of ICZM principles in the management of Nigerian coastal waters, case study: Lagos State coastline. The following listed methodology shall be applied to achieve the aims and objectives of the research; Data Collection; researching data comes in a wide variety of shapes and forms (i.e. primary versus secondary data). (Lancaster 2005) on one hand, a primary data will often be collected through techniques such as experimentation, asking questions, interviewing (one-on-one/telephone), observation and surveys. On the other hand, a secondary data is information which already exists in some form or other but which was not primarily collected, at least initially for the purpose of the consultancy exercise at hand. In most cases, a secondary will be the start point of this research as it consists of both external and internal data sources which encompassing internal company information such as databases, reports, government surveys, competitor information and increasingly, internet and web-based sources of information (Lancaster 2005). Qualitative Research Strategy; this type of research strategy shall be used for this research due to the fact that it can investigate how and why particular events and actions happen and how people feel about such activities. With reference to (Bryman, 2004 p.19-20). A qualitative research emphasizes words rather than quantification in the collection and analysis of data. Therefore, gathering a qualitative data for this research is imperative as the aim of the research is the understanding of believe and experience. Evaluation Research Strategy; this type of strategy will be used to discover whether the programme of ICZM intend to bring certain changes to coastal management of Lagos State coastline. (Thomas 2004) such studies are closely tied to concerns with accountability and are used to discover whether programmes and expenditures intended to bring about certain changes or to reach specified policy objectives have in fact achieved their goals. Study Design; this would be achieved through the use and study of relevant textbooks, online journals and articles to gather secondary data. Using the internet (e-mail) for primary research; the attraction of using a web-based survey are that it can potentially reach an enormous number of respondents anywhere in the world, the costs and time involved in distribution and collection of questionnaires are minimized, and analysis of data that are already in electronic format is made easy (Walliman 2005). Action Research; this is intended to improve understanding of and prospects for change in organisations by involving organisational members in collaborative relationships with specialist researchers who jointly design and carry out research studies (Thomas 2004). Collection of relevant document papers primarily from organisations, institution and authorities facilitate research. Sampling Design; this shall be based on costs, quality, time, and feasibility of the research studies. Ethical Research; throughout this study research, a good ethical research culture shall be maintained and abide by. (Greenfield 1996) ethics in its widest sense, as the principles of good human behaviour, is one of the issues for which philosophers have striven to provide guidance. Methodology for each objective should be based on the Research Onion (see page 132 of Saunders et.al), working from the outside inwards. It is essential to include justification for the chosen approach/method 4.0. LIMITATIONS OF STUDY Likely limitations towards the quality of this research study are listed below; Duration of research study; the time allocated to conduct this research is too short to conduct an assessment of the management of Lagos State coastline against the principle of ICZM, Online restrictions; some significant organisations while trying to access recent and quality online journal and articles on ICZM, restricts access and request payment by debit/credit card. Poor information database; unavailability of quality information database through the Nigerian Ministry of environment will be a barrier to this research due to lack of quality IT infrastructure, Finance; costs of communication/travelling to Nigeria to conduct a feasibility study on the management of Lagos State coastline will be a barrier due to Access inability; securing permission to some agencies/organisations while trying to carry out the study research will be a barrier owing to protocols. 5.0. CONCLUSION Although, the implementation of the practice of ICZM in Nigeria coastal zone has long been discussed by stakeholders in the Nigerian Ministry of Environment and it has been seen to a very difficult task and proved abortive. In view of some problems faced on how to balance the economic growth and conservation of coastal environment for sustainable development on the Lagos State coastline, the author of this research shall study critically and extensively on the application of ICZM and its principles and after that compare against the Lagos State coastal zone management practices, and in the end propose to the States Minister for Environments some viable ways of applying effectively the implementation of ICZM principles in order to achieve an integrated Lagos State coastline management and Nigerian coastal zones at large. 5.1. SCHEDULED IMPLEMENTATION Tasks Duration Start date Finish date Project topic selection 5days 26.04.2010 30.04.2010 Developing aims, objectives, and hypothesis 1day 30.04.2010 30.04.2010 Literature review 3days 30.04.2010 04.05.2010 Designing methodology 7days 30.04.2010 06.05.2010 Planning research programme 6days 01.05.2010 06.05.2010 Submitting project proposal 1day 07.05.2010 07.05.2010 Familiarising with research database 21days 09.05.2010 29.05.2010 Receive proposal feedback 5days 31.05.2010 01.06.2010 Reviewing proposal feedback 7days 31.05.2010 06.06.2010 Collecting research data 20days 12.06.2010 31.07.2010 Evaluating research information 32days 01.07.2010 03.08.2010 Drawing project conclusion 8days 09.08.201 16.08.2010 Publish project findings 9days 09.08.2010 17.08.2010 Findings appraisal 6days 10.08.2010 15.08.2010 Complete Project 16days 15.08.2010 31.08.2010 Submit project research 5days 30.08.2010 03.09.2010 REFERENCE LISTS ANON., n.d DRAFT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: [online] Available: http://www.unep.org/AbidjanConvention/docs/THE%20STATUS%20OF%20THE%20NIGERIAN%20COASTAL%20ZONES%20version%202.pdf [accessed 05 May 2010] BADEJO, O.T., and NWILO, P.C., n.d. Impacts and Management of Oil Pollution along the Nigerian Coastal Areas. [online] Available: http://www.fig.net/pub/figpub/pub36/chapters/chapter_8.pdf [accessed 05 May 2010] BOWER, B.T., and TURNER, R.K., 1996. Characterising and Analysing Benefits from Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). [online] Available: CSERGE Working Paper GEC 97-12 http://www.uea.ac.uk/env/cserge/pub/wp/gec/gec_1997_12.pdf [accessed 06 May 2010] BRYMAN, A., 2004. Social Research Methods. 2nd ed. Oxford: University Press COMMISSION OF EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 2000. Communication from the commission to the Council and the European Parliament on Integrated Coastal Zone Management: Strategy for Europe [online]. Available: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/iczm/overview.htm [accessed 06 May 2010] CLARK, J.R., 1996. Coastal Zone Management Handbook. New York: CRC Press DODDY, J.P., 2001. Coastal Conservation and Management: An Ecological Perspective. London: Kluwer DUBLIN-GREEN et al. 1999. Climate Variability Research Activities in Nigeria. Lagos: Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. EUROPEAN COMMISSION, 1999. Towards a European Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), General Principles and Policy Options. Italy: European Communities EUROPEAN COUNCIL, 2002. Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2002 concerning the implementation of Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Europe. Official journal of the European Communities. L148/25 p.2 Available: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2002:148:0024:0027:EN:PDF [accessed 05 May 2010] GREENFIELD, T., 1996. Research Methods, Guidance for Postgraduates. London: Arnold IBE, A.C., 1988. Coastline Erosion in Nigeria. Ibadan: University Press LANCASTER, G., 2005. Research Methods in Management, a concise introduction to research in management and business consultancy. Oxford: Elsevier MORKSNESS E., et al. 2009. Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Chichester: Blackwell OKUDE, A.S., and ADEMILUYI, I.A., 2006. Coastal Erosion Phenomenon in Nigeria: Causes, Control and Implications. [online], 1(1) pp.44-51. Available: http://idosi.org/wasj/wasj1%281%29/10.pdf [accessed 05 May 2010] OYEGUN, C.U., 1988 Process-Form Relationships Along Forcados Beach in Southern Nigeria Department of Geography. Ibadan: University of Ibadan POST, J.C., and LUNDIN, C.G., 1996. Guidelines for Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Environmentally Sustainable Development Studies and Monographs Series No.9 [online] p.1 Available: http://www.nacoma.org.na/Downloading/WBGuidelines_ICZM.pdf [accessed 04 May 2010] SANTOS, P.O., 1999. Director of Drainage, Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, Environmental consequences of uncontrolled development in Lagos State. IOC-SOA International Workshop on Coastal Megacities, Hangzhou, China, 27-30 September 1999 SORENSEN, J.C., and McCREARY, 1990. Institutional Arrangements for Managing Coastal Resources and Environments, Washington, D.C.: Coastal Management Publication SHI, C., et al. 2001. Towards a sustainable coast: an integrated coastal zone management framework for Shanghai, Peoples Republic of China. Ocean Coastal Management [online] 44(5-6) pp.411-427. Available: Elsevier/ARTICLES [accessed 06 May 2010] THOMAS A.B., 2004. Research skills for Management Studies. London: Routledge WALLIMAN, N., 2005. Your Research Project. 2nd ed. London: Sage WELLENS-MENSAH, J., 2000. UNESCO. IOC Workshop Reports series No. 165. Pan-African Conference on Sustainable Integrated Coastal Management; Proceedings of the Workshops: An integrated approach, (PACSICOM), Maputo, Mozambique, 18-25 July 1998. [online] p.7. Available: http://ioc.unesco.org/iocweb/iocpub/iocpdf/w165e.pdf [accessed 04 May 2010]

Ethical and Legal Issues Essay

Nurses make legal and ethical decisions when caring for patients; decisions that need to be made carefully because the decisions could possibly change a patients’ life. There are theories to explain how to problem solve ethically and the theories are not based on emotion (Guido, 2006). This paper will discuss the relationship between legal and ethical issues and ethical theories, examples will be provided. Ethics can be described as principles and standards that are a guide to conduct used to elevate the standard of compliance (Judson & Harrison, 2010). Ethics is derived from the Greek word â€Å"ethos† ethics explains actions as right or wrong in respect to cultural principles and values. Moral values are personal beliefs that are intertwined with ethical actions and behaviors (Guido, 2006). Ethics, similar to values, are individualistic and they come from our experiences, culture and actions. While one’s values or moral ethics may be different, the nurse’s ability to conform to a patient’s ethical behavior is important (The VA leads change toward Integrated Ethics approach, 2008). The legal system was created to establish policies to protect the public (Judson & Harrison, 2010). The laws that are set can be changed when evidence suggests amendments are necessary. The relationship between law and ethics is apparent when discussing a patient’s healthcare decision that goes against the norms or beliefs of the healthcare provider. An example would be the patient exercising his or her right to refuse treatment for a disease process that will result in imminent death, such as a patient in renal failure refusing dialysis (Guido, 2008). Shannon (2008) discussed the differences of legal and ethical decisions as â€Å"morally ordinary† and â€Å"extraordinary† treatment related to the provision of assisted nutrition and hydration, particularly for patients in a â€Å"permanent vegetative state† (p.894). Metaethics is a nonnormative ethic that attempts to describe the implication between moral concepts or statements and the justification of why something is regarded good or ethically correct. Normative ethics understand standards of behavior and application of these behaviors in life. Normative ethicsbranch out into two broad categories called deontological and teleogical theories (Guido, 2006). Deontological theories focus on the intended action not the consequences of one’s actions (Guido, 2006). The theory focuses on the dignity and sense of duty of the individuals and finds the relationship between the person and the action. Deontological theories are divided into two subcategories; act deontology and rule deontology. Guido (2006) states that â€Å"act deontology is based on the personal moral values of the person making the ethical decision, whereas rule deontology is based on the belief that certain standards for ethical decisions transcend the individual’s moral values† (p. 4). Teleological theories are based on the simple concept, right actions have good consequences and bad actions have bad consequences. This theory suggests the act of right or wrong is directly related to the consequence of the action. Utilitarianism stems off of teleogical theories, explains that consequences count and acts are determined by the consequence. Some utilitarian’s believe that the moral rightness of a consequence is determined by the greatest number of good or the least harm and suffering (Guido, 2006). Considering the moral rightness is based on greatest number to benefit from the greatest good, actions based on the utilitarianism theory can often be unethical and illegal. Nurses in acute care settings are faced daily with ethical issues and concerns. Shannon (2008) examines the terms â€Å"morally ordinary† and â€Å"extraordinary† in respect to patients in a â€Å"permanent vegetative state† (p. 894). It is thought if we can keep the body alive we should, â€Å"capacity generated obligation† but there is a compromise in human dignity, making this both a legal and ethical dilemma (Shannon, 2008, p. 894). Euthanasia and end of life care often cause a lot of animosity, as they have been distorted by general public. Shannon (2008) states, â€Å"Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expect outcome can be legitimate; it is the refusal  of over-zealous treatment† (p. 898). This statement defines euthanasia in its most accepted form withdrawal of treatment. This makes the act legal, but is it ethical to withdraw treatment that was started to sustain life, knowing that the result ends in death?Another example of an ethical issue in an acute care setting is preserving organs for donation in a patient who is pronounced dead following a cardiac event. Organ donation is a personal choice that can be expressed though written consent by the donor. Although, if there is no documentation of the patients wishes, family members have to make the decision in the event of unexpected death. Is it legal and ethical to maintain the body of a patient who has died in order to keep the organs viable while waiting for the family’s decision (Bonnie, Wright, & Dineen, 2008)?When a patient has been declared dead according to neurological criteria hospitals will maintain organ viability while awaiting family decision about donation. Procedures are started post-mortem by a transplant team to determine candidacy for donation. Medications are started and additional lines are inserted. All of which are done after the patient is declared dead. This is legal in many states, in fact there is a statute called the â€Å"immunity clause† to protect the health care workers from any liability, but is it ethical (Bonnie, Wright, & Dineen, 2008)? According to Bonnie, Wright, and Dineen (2008), â€Å"Organ preservation in cases of uncontrolled cardiac death violates no legally protected interest of the family members. It does not constitute â€Å"mutilation of the body† and falls comfortably within the general principle that hospitals have no duty to deliver corpses to families in their exact condition of death† (p.744). Consider this statement and place an ethical emphasis on your thought process. Healthcare workers are not legally bound to deliver the bodies of their loved ones in the exact condition of their death. In conclusion, through cultural norms, behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes the ethical behaviors of healthcare workers are analyzed. The governing bodies of healthcare such as the American Nurses Association and the American Medical Association mandate healthcare workers to uphold ethical values in his or her practice. The legal system maintains the right to investigate and examine decisions made by healthcare practitioners when decisions appear unethical or perhaps unlawful. The various ethical theories provide  direction for healthcare practitioners and ethics review boards with decision-making processes. References Bonnie, R., Wright, S. & Dineen, K. (2008). Legal authority to preserve organs in cases of uncontrolled cardiac death: preserving family choice. Retrieved April 29, 2009, from EbscoHost Database. Guido, G. W. (2006). Legal and ethical issues in nursing (4 ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Judson, K. & Harrison, C. (2010). Law and ethics for medical careers (5th ed). New York,NY: McGraw-Hill. Shannon, T. (2008). Unbind him and let him go: Ethical issues in the determination of proportionate and disproportionate treatment. Theological Studies, 69, 894-917. Retrieved April 29, 2009, from MasterFILE Premier database. The VA leads change toward Integrated Ethics approach. (Cover story). (2008, December). Medical Ethics Advisor, Retrieved May 1, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.

Trashed

Largest Landfill in the World Soon going to the will no longer be a vacation option unless you do not plan to swim. There will probably be a huge amount of plastic and trash in the water. This is due to the Pacific trash vortex. All of the plastic that has accumulated over the years had either eended up in a landfill or in the ocean. It is however, more likely that the trash has ended up in the ocean. Trash that people just toss in the water ends up in the ocean. Americans fail to realize that bodies of water connect to larger bodies of water which eventually leads to that onee fun special vacation spot.A trash vortex is a big lanfill of garbage and plastic that ends up in the water. It is also known as a garbage patch. Sometimes the vortex is hard to see because the materials sink down to the bottom of the ocean floor. There has been much more garbage placed in the ocean than most people realize. Until you actually research this understanding how much trash ends up in the ocean is n ot possible. â€Å"Because of its durability and our increased use in recent decades, scientists estimate that plastic makes up 60 to 80 percent of marine debris worldwide. ( â€Å"Trashing the Ocean. â€Å") This essay will further summarize what the pacific trash vortex is, describe the impacts the trash vortex has on the environment, talk about some of the biggest controvesies around this issue, and give my point of views on the issue. A trash vortex is a large area of garbage in the ocean. This area of garbage in the ocean takes up a large amount of space in the ocean. â€Å" It is roughly the size of Texas, containing approximately 3. 5 million tons of trash. â€Å" (â€Å"Trashing the Ocean†). This area is so very large that it can not be hidden.Sometimes the materials just float, but then there are several types of materials that sink into the water and are not very visible by humans. â€Å"The expedition easily spotted some types of plastic. But a larger problem may lurk below the surface. †(â€Å"Giant Ocean-Trash Vortex Documented-A First 5). Most of the trash that has been found in the ocean are things such as plastic bottles, plastic bags, old household materials, etc. There is more than just one trash vortex around the world. â€Å"The Pacific Vortex isn’t the only one.The Atlantic and Indian ocean, which have different current patterns, have plastic gyres of their own†(Walsh, Bryan 1). About ten percent of all the plastic produced in the world ends up in the ocean. â€Å" Perhaps ten percent of the two hundred and sixty million tons of plastic produced worldwide each year end up in the sea-much of it in the swirling currents of the North Pacific Gyre and other ocean vortices. ( â€Å"Giant Ocean- Trash Vortex Documented-A first 2) Plastic can not be broken down so if there is nothing done about it over a period of time the ocean will just accumulate more plastic. Most of our waste today is comprised of plastic. Plastic, which is made from petroleum, is a material that the Earth cannot digest. Every bit of plastic that has ever been created still exists. â€Å" (â€Å"Trashing the Ocean. â€Å") If there is more plastic accumulated there will be more animals in the ocean that die. No one knows exactly when trash started becoming a problem in the ocean or why it became a problem. The trash vortex has been known to kill several animals in the ocean. The trash gets into the ocean a few ways.One of the ways that the trash gets into the ocean is by people throwing trash on land and the rain washing it into things such as sewers. There are several different sizes of garbage that have been thrown in the ocean. â€Å"A single one litre drinks bottle could break down into enough small fragments to put one on every mile of beach in the entire world. These smaller particles are joined by the small pellets of plastic which are the form in which many new plastics are marketed and which can be lost at sea by the drum load or even a whole container load. (â€Å"The Trash Vortex†). Not all of the things that are thrown in the ocean are large. â€Å"While large pieces are common, the garbage patch is not an island of plastic, the team found on their 19-day expedition in August. Much of the debris is in the form of countless thumbnail-size scraps. †( â€Å"Giant Ocean- Trash Vortex Documented-A first†1) Sewers and rivers all lead to the ocean. All the garbage that ends up in the sewers eventually end up into the ocean. Another way that garbage ends up in the ocean is by us directly throwing things into the water.The trash vortex has a very unknown impact on the community. There is an unknown impact on the community because not many people know that all this trash exists in the ocean. Some of the people that know the trash vortex exist do what they can to help stop the issue. The trash vortex has a very negative impact on its environment. All the garbage in the ocean has killed several marine animals. Birds are dying because they are mistaking the trash in the ocean for food and an animal can not digest plastic materials. So this leads to the death of several marine animals such as birds and turtles.It has become such an issue to the point where there may not be many marine animals if there is more plastic put into the ocean â€Å"In the ocean, plastic waste accumulates in swirling seas of debris, where plastic to sea life ratios are 6:1; where birds and mammals are dying of starvation and dehydration with bellies full of plastics; where fish are ingesting toxins at such a rate that soon they will no longer be safe to eat. â€Å" (â€Å"Garbage Patch. â€Å") There has also been an issue with the plastic because of an essiential organic compound called zooplankton.They have been finding more trash in the ocean than zooplankton and that is not good because zooplankton is essential to the ecosystem. Zooplankton are little tiny organisms that are important because they feed the animals in the water. Algae is a type of zooplankton. The trash in the water has also been known to absorb organic pollutants which are there for a reason. When they are gone it will be hard to acquire more. People will not realize the full effects that this issue has until it becomes a very severe problem and leads to the death of many marine animals.It can also become a severe problem by effecting the way we have a great time at the beach or on a river trip. The trash vortex in the Pacific ocean is a big issue mainly because it is starting to be a lot more trash than is needed. Trash in the ocean can not be broken down and it does not decompose. â€Å"The very thing that makes plastic items useful to consumers, their durability and stability, also makes them a problem in marine environments. †(â€Å"The Trash Vortex†). That means that the animals that eat the trash will eventually die.That also means that the number of marine animals will decrease tremendously. That also means that the trash will begin to pile up worse than it is now. That can also affect our water supply because the water we drink on a daily has to come from somewhere. Our water has to be kept clean or it could become a problem to the environment around us and the ecosystem. I believe that this issue does not have to stay an issue. The trash vortex can be handled over a period of time if we all work together to take care of the water.If we clean up and recycle more the garbage patch will not be as big as it is now. The things we can do from our location are make sure that others recycle more and to make sure that we do not become apart of the issue by throwing things in bodies if water. There are a few organizations that try to help by going to some of these areas and cleaning up the land around them. It is not easy to clean up once the plastic has drifted to the bottom of the ocean floor. The issue has not become a huge problem yet, b ut people have not begun to look at the long terms affects to the environment.If the issue does not stop I feel that it will most certainly become a problem. It will have a negative effect on the marine animals. It is very possible that if the problem does not get any better that we could possibly be looking at some future endangered species. In conclusion, there are so many unknown things floating in the ocean you will be amazed at what people find floating in the ocean â€Å"shoes, toys, bags, pacifiers, wrappers, toothbrushes, and bottles too numerous to count are only part of what can be found in this accidental dump floating midway between Hawaii and San Francisco. (â€Å"Trashing the Ocean. †). The Pacific trash vortex is still an unknown mystery. There are still things that scientist can not figure out about this garbage patch they are actually still trying to figure out all the details. â€Å"Researchers are keen to learn how the massive influx of plastic pieces in recent decades affects area animals from larger creatures such as fish and birds- which swallow toxic plastic- to tiny organisms such as bacteria and plankton.This plastic may also be hosting invasive bacteria or other species researchers say†( â€Å"Giant Ocean-Trash Vortex Documented- A First 3). Trash vortex have been slowly killing birds and other types of animals. This is something that needs to be stopped as soon as possible if we want to help save our animals and our land. Everyone can help in the process whether it is realized or not. The land is something that should not be taken for granted. If we want future generations to have a land then it is our job to protect the land.Work Cited â€Å"Garbage Patch. † Think Beyond Plastic. â€Å"Giant Ocean- Trash Vortex Documented -A First. † National Geographic News. 28 Oct 2010 â€Å"Planet100: The Pacific Trash Vortex Explained. † Online Posting. Youtube, 7 June 2010. Silverman, Jacob. â€Å"Why is th e worlds biggest landfill in the Pacific Ocean? † How stuff works. â€Å"The trash vortex. † Greenpeace International. â€Å"Trashing the Ocean. † Ocean Portal. 2010 Walsh,Bryan. â€Å"Expedition Sets Sail to the Great Plastic Vortex. † Time Science. 01 Aug 2009 .

Public Health Initiatives For Preventing Heart Disease And...

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Research has to be fostered policies and public health initiatives intended to prevent the menace, partic ularly, at the community level. Lastly is to ensure that there are qualified public and personal healthcare personnel. Heart disease patients require effective interventions and best practices when receiving treatment (America Statement). Fracking is the process of injecting high-pressure liquid into boreholes, subterranean rocks, to force open present fissures and extract oil or gas. The problem with the issue is that it may violate the Safe Drinking Act, the Clean Air Act, theShow MoreRelatedSymptoms And Symptoms Of A Ischemic Attack1033 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION A transient ischemic attack or TIA is like a stroke for it produce similar symptoms, but this only last a few hours and don’t cause permanent damage over the patient. This event was often called a mini stroke, and transient ischemic attack could be a warning to all of us. 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