Telecommunications Industry-Marketing of Vodafone Essay

Telecommunications Industry-Marketing of Vodafone - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that the main products of the company as well as its main marketing activities, their evolution over time and the major hurdles in this regard are evaluated. Moreover, how they are successful in their decision making are also evaluated. The organization of the essay is as follows. Section 2 discusses the company in detail including its products and services and its mission and vision. Section 3 discusses the orientation of the company towards marketing including the attitude towards marketing, its evolution over time and the major barriers for the company to be faced. Section 4 discusses the  Ã‚   marketing research activities of Vodafone for the decision making purpose and its evaluation. Section 5 concludes the essay.As the paper highlights  Vodafone is one of the most famous mobile companies in the telecommunication industry with its headquarters at United Kingdom. The company has branches all over the world mainly focused in Europe.  It has been growing very fast in the last two decades with its financial performance increasing significantly. The main products of the company include web.  The main products of the company include web box and two varieties of Vodafone.  The main services of the company include business solutions, personal solutions, marketing solutions, personal ideas and mobile solutions. The main markets of this company include Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific, Africa and the United States.... Section 5 concludes the essay. 2. The company Vodafone is one of the most famous mobile companies in the telecommunication industry with its headquarters at United Kingdom. The company has branches all over the world mainly focused in Europe (Vodafone, 2011a).It has been growing very fast in the last two decades with its financial performance increasing significantly (Vodafone, 2011b). The main products of the company include web box and two varieties of Vodafone. Moreover, the products include handsets, smart phones, voice and messaging services, and branded handsets. The main services of the company include business solutions, personal solutions, marketing solutions, personal ideas and mobile solutions (Vodafone, 2011).The main markets of this company include Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific, Africa and the United States. The mission of the company is to become the world leader in telecommunications industry .The vision includes leading the telecommunications industry in response to public concerns like mobile phones, masts and health. The primary goals of the company include driving operational performance, pursuing growth opportunities in total communications, execution in emerging markets and strengthening market discipline. All these are aimed at the main objective generation of free cash flow. Accelerated customer growth and immediate geographic expansion had been the two guiding factors behind the company’s success. Based on these, the next section discusses the attitude of the company towards marketing and its evolution over time. The main barriers and challenges for the company are also shown below. 3. Orientation towards Marketing The company tries to retain its image in markets already existing as well as uses celebrities like David

Criminal code of Canada + criminal records Essay

Criminal code of Canada + criminal records - Essay Example conservative interpretative models. Code criminelis is divided into the following parts general, offences against public order, terrorism, firearms and other weapons. There is also offences against the administration of law and justice, sexual offences public morals and betting, offences against person and respect of certain property. In addition there are offences relating to currency, instruments and literature for illicit drug use. Others entail attempts-conspiracies accessories, jurisdiction, special procedure and powers, compelling appearance of an accused before a justice and interim release and language of accused. The criminal code mostly consists of common law and defenses rather than statute. However, there are important Canadian criminal laws that do not form the code and they include Canada evidence act, firearms act, youth criminal justice act, controlled drug and substance act and the contraventions act. Code criminelis has been amended numerous times some of the amendments include the consolidation of federal statutes that occurred during 1955 and 1985.One of the major amendments was the passage of the criminal law amendment act in 1968 and 1969.The provisions of this law included the discriminisation of homosexual acts between consenting adults, the legalization of contraception, abortion and lotteries, authorization of breathalyzer tests on suspected drunk drivers and new gun ownership. Numerous sections of the code criminelis have been struck down by the Canadian Supreme Court due to the existing legal challenges under the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms. The offending sections are wholly removed. Persons aged between 12 and 17 can be charged in court with offences under the criminal code, they are prosecuted the say way adults are prosecuted and are subjected to the same laws of evidence. The youth

Recommendation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Recommendation - Essay Example Segmentation helps in the development of a sound, competitive advantage. Therefore, a better market positioning strategy can be developed through proper market segmentation. Market positioning involves building of a long-term impact on the minds of the consumers through differentiation of its commodities from rest. Market positioning utilizes physical attributes and promotion to build a clear distinction of a company’s product from the rest (Wang 38, 2009). Stirling Hotel ought to concentrate on the strengths and opportunities instead of concentrating on drawbacks and threats that may bring the business down. Therefore, the hotel’s weaknesses and threats become paramount in the establishments. The hotel is better achieved by looking at the threats and flaws than utilizing the strengths and opportunities. Converting threats and opportunities into strong points can serve as the competitive advantage of the hotel since several hotels can also be established on the same strengths and opportunities. The hotel managements ought to create outstanding features or characteristics that are more attractive than from other hotels. Therefore, the management will be required to employ innovativeness in the generation of marketing strategies and competitive advantage. The management should also develop suitable promotion strategies through utilization of the promotional mixes or

Cons Of Abortion Essay Example for Free

Cons Of Abortion Essay Abortions should be illegalized unless there are special circumstances and appropriate reasoning. One reason is because many people have taken advantage of legal abortions and use it as a form of birth control. Another reason being that killing an unborn is morally wrong and that its considered murder. Third, almost all women experience both physical and psychological disabilities whether theyre minor or very serious. An abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by loss or destruction of the fetus before birth. An abortion may be spontaneous or induced. The latter is an act with ethical and legal ramifications. Many women experience physical and psychological complications after they have had an abortion. This leads to complications in their behavior and therefore many consider the care of a psychiatric or physician. Statistics prove that the risks of Physical problems among women who have aborted at least once are high. Approximately 10% of women undergoing abortion will have to suffer immediate abortions and about 2% of them are life threatening. Death is a very serious issue for all women considering abortions. Legal abortion is reported as the fifth leading cause of maternal death . Statistics prove that women who have had an abortion are four times more likely to die in the following year than ones that have carried their pregnancies to term are. Abortion is also clearly linked to a dramatic increase in suicide risk. Between 7 to 30% of all women who have aborted have been reported to attempt suicide. In Canada a study of government funded medical programs showed that 41% of women had to receive psychological treatment after having an abortion. Putting death and suicide aside, there are many other problems that one may have to suffer from. Facing complications in labor and having handicapped newborns. Statistics show that women who have aborted once are two to three times more likely to having a pre term delivery Not only does induced abortions increase the risks of pre- term delivery but also increases the risks delayed delivery. Because abortion is associated with cervical and uterine damage, these are the leading causes of handicapped among newborns. The authors found that if a partner is present and not supportive, the miscarriage rate is more than  double and the abortion rate is four times greater than if he is present and supportive. The partner is absent the abortion rate is six times greater. In total out of 1428 women surveyed, after having aborted, women visited their family doctor 80% more for all reasons possible and 180% of them went for psychosocial reasons. Abortion is stressful and emotionally difficult for most women . As well as having physical problems, more women experience psychological damages. A survey stated that almost eight weeks after having an abortion, 31% of women had regretted the decision. 44% had complained of having nervous disorders, 36% had experienced a loss or disturbances of sleep. Many of these women carry repressed feelings which leads to drug and alcohol abuse. Elliot research institutes researcher found that women who have aborted their pregnancies are 4 times more likely to get involved with drugs and alcohol. During an interview of 30 women who had aborted, 60% had increased their use or alcohol. Almost 45% of all abortions performed today are repeat abortions. If abortions were illegalized, a large proportion of repeat abortions can be eliminated. Not as many women would have to go through stress and other physical and psychological disorders. Outlawing abortions can reduce many of these common problems among women. The three main that women who have aborted give are, having a baby can change my life, If I were to have this baby, it could ruin my career, or My partner and I are currently having problems in the relationship . When asked public opinion, these reasons are quite selfish. It seems as if when there is no where else to turn, the option of abortion will stand out. Knowing that abortions are permitted and available some take it as the easy ticket out. During the 1970s, Canada was reported to having one of the highest teenage fertility rates in the world. Among unmarried women, teens have held the highest rate of child bearing in Canada and the United States. As these pregnancy rates have increased, abortion rates had doubled. Between 1975 and  1980 abortion rates have doubled from 20 to 44 abortions per 1000 women who were between the ages of fifteen and nineteen. This shows that many teenagers have been using abortions as a method of contraception to lower their fertility rate. To those whom consider abortion a negative issue say that, easy abortion leads to increased promiscuity; Available abortions lead to reduced contraceptive use . If abortion remains legalized it silently and subconsciously encourage selfish and irresponsible behavior among young women who may consider it as a backup plan incase of pregnancy. Since the abortion law made by the Supreme Court in 1973, teenage abortions had risen very greatly in numbers. Abortion rates for adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 raised from 244,070 to 448,570. Thats an increase of 84%. For girls under the ages of 15, the rate increased to a total of 31% (11630 to 15240). In 1980s, there was a decrease in abortion rates. This was due to the fact that the changes in law decreased the number of abortion providers all over Canada. Due to this abortions had decreased by 26% in 1984, 24% in 1989 and 21% in 1991. Looking a little deeper into this, one may come to the consideration that many if not all pregnancies that have been aborted have been due to carelessness in sexual behavior. With the exception of rape, incest or physical harm on the women, the procedure of all abortions should be banned. Many argue that abortion is immoral and it is in the same category as killing an innocent, newborn baby. All life is present from the moment of conception. Fetuses almost look like newborn infants and possess characteristics, such as a genetic code, that are found in all human beings. Anti abortionists say that it is always prima facie seriously wrong to take a human life or is it always prima facie seriously wrong to end the life of a baby . Some say it doesnt make sense to give rights to a being that would never have psychological traits, but one may argue that new born babies dont have these traits either, but if they were to be killed after birth, one would get charged. Therefore the argument that a fetus does not  carry psychological traits is a poor one. Other issues which makes killing a fetus wrong is the loss of the victims future. This can be supported by the consideration that killing is one of the worst crimes. People who know that they are going to die believe, of course, that dying is a very bad thing. These people know that their premature death is bad because they will miss out on what the future may have had to hold for them . For people who are severely ill and wish to die will not have suffered a loss if the were killed because they know they will have to face a future of pain. Abortion may also be compared to animal rights. Our society has always put humans before animals. Our rights are obviously more important than those of animals are. A couple months ago, two men were arrested because they had slit open the bodies of rats and photographed it saying it was art . Those who perform abortions are killing a living fetus, which will grow up to, possess characteristics much more complex than that of a rat. How can those who perform abortions get away with it and not those who kill rats? Medical science leads to a pro-life perspective rather than a pro-choice perspective. These arguments against abortions are compelling. One being that at conception the embryo is genetically distinct from the mother . It is said that a developing human being is genetically different from its mother because, for one, it is genetically different form the sperm and egg that created it. The DNA of an embryo can be distinguished form the DNA of the sperm and egg that created it. There are other medical arguments supporting the right to life for a fetus. Major one is the definition between life and death. In the past life was defined by the heartbeat. A stopped heartbeat would be a clear indication of death. By the eighteenth day in the womb, a fetus has a heart. If heartbeats were used to define life than all abortions would be outlawed. In the new age, brainwave activity is used to define death. Fetuses develop ECG patterns in their brains at about 40 to 43 after conception. A flat ECG pattern clearly determines death. Using brain wave activity, at least a majority of abortions could be outlawed. A third issue concerning abortions is if the fetus feels pain. Yes a fetus does feel pain. Try poking an infant with a pin, it will immediately pull away and begin to cry. If you tried to do the same with a fetus, it will open its mouth and pull away. This also causes an increase in the heart rate of the human fetus. Many other medical arguments can be used to try and  outlaw abortions. A fetus has unique set of fingerprints, it to is growing and developing, it has the same human like features as we do, and many others. Abortion is a very controversial subject and there are many debates between the pro-lifers and pro-choices. The views of the pro-lifers are that abortion should become banned all over hospitals and clinics. Pro- choicer may not agree with this because they argue that if abortions become banned then women will have to get illegal abortions. This is not true because statistics proved that when abortions were banned in Canada the rate had drop. Women who did not need abortions for a real reason did not get them. This brought down abortion rates considerably. If the number of abortions was decreased this will also decrease problems of physical and psychological stress. In conclusion, there are other ways of dealing with the situation of an unwanted pregnancy. The most one may do is give up the baby for adoption. Bibliography 1. Abortion: Choice and Conflict Editor Oliver Trager 2. The Ethics of Abortion Robert M. Baird and Stuart E. Rosenbaum 3. Internet site www.religioustlerance.org/abo_supr.htm 4. Abortion a Positive Decision By Patricia Lunneborg 5. The Big Evasion By Anne Collins 6. Perspectives on abortion By Paul Sachdev 7. Abortion Policies in US and Canada Studies in Public Opinion Edited by Ted G. Jelen

Archaeology and the Trojan War Essay -- Archaeology Ancient World Hist

Archaeology and the Trojan War â€Å"†¦ he [Heinrich Schliemann] found layers of ruins †¦ and two bore unmistakable signs of violent destruction. One of these layers, the seventh according to more recent excavators, was no doubt the city of Priam and Hector. The historicity of the Homeric tale had been demonstrated archaeologically.† - M.I. Finley, the World of Odysseus Introduction The Trojan War and its characters are detailed in the writings of Homer, Vergil, Dante and many others. It is a fantastical tale of a decade-long siege of a powerful city by a massive pan-hellenic force. However, even though it has proved to be such a rich source of inspiration for writers, poets and artists throughout history, it is debated whether it actually took place. Heinrich Schliemann famously said â€Å"I have gazed on the face of Agamemnon.† on discovering tombs with the bodies of Mycenaean chieftains in Turkey. The German businessman-turned-archaeologist claimed to have discovered the city of Troy at the hill now called Hisarlik – about three miles from the Dardanelles. However, his claims are still disputed today. Before tackling the question of whether the Trojan War actually occurred, we must ask in what form. What exactly do we mean by â€Å"the Trojan War†? There is no definitive version of the events in the war, as our knowledge of it comes from a myriad different sources. Then we should consider Schliemann’s discoveries, and the other archaeological evidence for the Trojan War. Finally, after we have defined â€Å"Trojan War† in context of archaeology and historical fact, we must then draw conclusions about the extent to which archaeology proves its historical authenticity. What do we mean by the â€Å"Trojan War†? The first source that comes to mind is the writings of Homer – the Iliad and the Odyssey. The two epics are considered canon. However, Heroditus’ Histories briefly detail the major events of the war, and relays them as if they were historical fact. Heroditus’ account of the war differs slightly from Homer’s version, and he is well aware of this. After relating the tale of Alexander (Paris) carrying off Helen, Heroditus writes: â€Å"Such was the tale told me by the priests concerning the arrival of Helen at the court of Proteus. It seems to me that Homer was acquainted with this story , and while disregarding it , because he thought it less adapted for heroic poe... ..., or even â€Å"Did the version of events Heroditus describes have any foundation in truth?†. If the existence of Troy itself is uncertain, then the historicity of the war can only be more so. Bibliography Ancient Sources: -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Homer, the Aeneid, translated by Samuel Butler, taken from www.patroclos.de -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Homer, the Aeneid, translated by T.E. Lawrence (Wordsworth, 1995) -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Homer, the Odyssey, translated by T.E. Lawrence (Wordsworth, 1995) -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Heroditus, Histories, translated by George Rawlinson (Wordsworth, 1996) Modern Sources: -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Boardman, Griffin and Murray, the Oxford History of the Classical World (Oxford University Press, 1986) -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Finley, M. I., the World of Odysseus, (New York: The Viking Press, 1978) -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Finley, M. I., Ancient History – Evidence and Models, (Penguin, 1985) -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alan B. Lloyd (editor), Battle in Antiquity (Duckworth, 1996) -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Heinrich Schliemann’s Telegrams taken from www.archaeology.org -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wolf-Dietrich Niemeier interview extract from Hershel Shanks, taken from www.bib-arch.org -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Additional research taken from Ian Johnston’s web page www.mala.bc.ca/~johnstoi, and also http://devlab.dartmouth.edu/history

Night Mother Essay

Night Mother is a screenplay of a mother who goes through a lot of problems before she finally ends up committing suicide. The woman in question is Jessie who is cast aside due to her poor parenting skills and her epilepsy. She was deemed an unfit parent and also a poor workforce member due to her disease. She does not meet any man and is even scared of venturing out and discovering new sights of the world. In her frustrations, Jessie ends her life. The culmination of events to the death of Jessie is explored in a chilly manner. The people surrounding her each play a different role in the ultimate outcome of her life. With a keener sense of reflection it is easy for one to know exactly why Jessie chose suicide over life. There is so much that is left hanging and in the balance by the demise of Jessie who most people would want to believe could have led life differently (The Internet Movie Database). Hope and love is a theme brought out clearly in the movie ‘Night, Mother. The conversations that Jessie had if they had been more enlightening and encouraging would have probably built her esteem towards life. Most of the talks Jessie has with her mother are redundant and insignificant hence the preference to her father’s silence while he was alive. She loved that her father was happy with the small things and was pleased by the keenness shown to his pipe. He loved his pipe cleaned and that was his biggest bother. If clean she was dotted with her father’s love and attention (Dolan 43). However, her mother acted like always wanted to manipulate Jessie. She barely loves Jessie and is more interested in sending her all over than in teaching her or caring for her. Her mother reveals to Jessie that she barely loved her father when she tells her how the love Jessie had for her father was enough for both of them. Yet Jessie yearns for love and affection and feels it would boost her thoughts about life. When her health improves, and the fear of epilepsy wanes she understands finally how her life revolved around her sickness. She feels her mother is justified in hating her as the sickness consumed all her time and her mother’s time too. She bemoans losing herself to the disease and eventually confesses to her mother that she would rather take her own life for she felt she had already lost it (Demastes 53). Another theme that is evident is role reversal of parent and child. With the use of medicine Jessie starts to feel as though the sickness is imposing too much on her mother. Each time she takes medicine her memory improves and she is able to recall the effort her mother puts into her health. It makes Jessie want to make more of the matter and she is frequently questioning if her mother is enough to take care of her. With this in mind Jessie takes it in her own hands to take care of herself whenever she can. She also cares for her father a role her mother carried out previously but stopped when Jessie started doing it. She is at her mother’s beck and call doing all that she requires yet she is the one that needs nursing and taking care of (De Fazio 72). Jessie finds more solace in helping out at home rather than trying to make friends like people her age. She is an isolated child, chained by the stigma that is her sickness. She readily sent and spends her time locked indoors for fear the epileptic attacks may occur during her walks outdoor. She doesn’t seek to venture out of the house and is spurned by neither nature nor adventure. She keeps to herself and no one questions her that way. She avoids conversation with most people and is seldom seen out of the house (The Internet Movie Database). There is no motivation from her mother to try and discover the world out there. She does not feel the need to do it either. The picture painted of Jessie is a bleak tale of separation from reality. What the mother feels as the prevention of pain and shame for her daughter is actually an ill that grows over time and goes unnoticed. She resents the world and her mother as a result (Brown 91). The family dynamics of this home are complex as they are depressing. The father is at comfort knowing his pipes are cleans and somehow derives gratification from this. It is like his measure of love for his daughter as he is seldom seen to display any form of unwarranted parent love or care. He just does what is needed, going through life as though it were motions. His daughter, Jessie, on the other hand, makes it her point to clean all the pipes as she desires the attention and care shown to her by her father. She is constantly checking to see that her father is fine and at peace (Flora & Taylor 74). The relationship Jessie has with her mother is tumultuous and rocky. Her mother treats Jessie more like a house servant than her own daughter. Jessie does not seem to realize this and is seen to gladly go whenever she is sent. She feels the need to help her mother, out of the guilt of not being able to assist her when she is unwell. She assumes most responsibilities in the house and is constantly making plans for the family like an adult. Jessie however does not entirely like her family. She complains that family usually knows too much to which her mother says it is only normal as the family rarely chooses each other and they are meant to love each other unconditionally (Flora & Taylor 116). In the life of Jessie there is recurrence of determinism and fate. Jessie’s mother feels that she is somewhat to blame for the way her daughter behaves and also for her sickness. She constantly question whether she might have dropped Jessie as a child or if she fed her the wrong kind of food. She confesses that she did not want any more children and she smoked and drunk while carrying Jessie awaiting conception. Jessie tries to reassure her mother saying that it’s just epilepsy and that there was nothing she did that would have lessened the situation. She is categorical in her stating that it was her fate to be epileptic and to commit suicide. She tries very hard to show her mother that the mother’s decision making affects little or even nothing of her current condition. She is but a mere observer to her state; for she believes either way she will die and is only trying to hasten the process (Flora & Taylor 124). A complex morality also plays a part in the unfolding of the story. Jessie’s mother finds a way to get her daughter guilty of committing suicide. She reminds Jessie of how she hates being alone or staying alone hence she feels Jessie should stay around for her. She then tries hard to coax Jessie into shelving her plans by asking her to consider the pain incurred when talking to her friends about Jessie. It is clear that her mother felt the gap that would be left was too huge to fill. Jessie then reminds her mother that the reason she choose to confide in her about committing suicide was so that her mother would be at peace and not have to worry and question herself or blame herself for it is beyond her power to change what she feels (Dolan 105). Jessie further emphasizes the need to know for her mother was her driving force to speak. Jessie does not appreciate how her mother makes it all about her. Even after her clarification, Jessie’s mother is still adamant saying how she is the one whom society will continually shower with sympathy she doesn’t need. She tries more cheap shots at Jessie by telling her how her son will sell all the belongings and go use drugs with that money for lack of guidance. To wish Jessie replies with an equally chiding remark that she will be happy if he found good drugs not cheaply prepared drugs (Demastes 89). From greatness to fall shows how Jessie envisioned her life with her mother. She always thought she was the prized child but in her death she realizes just how estranged she was from her parents and how she is not a befitting parent to her son either. Thelma, Jessie’s mother, asks her to extend her stay by putting away her suicide attempt to which Jessie responds with an astute no. In her plea, Thelma promises to be a better parent and make a better listener than she usually is. Jessie is sure she knows enough not believe her mother. She says she wants a dramatic exit where she leaves at the top (The Internet Movie Database). Just by saying this Jessie shows the viewer how out of touch she is with her son. She does not even put his interests into consideration when taking her life. Asked about contacting her brother, Jessie is shocked that her mother talks to her brother and somewhat irritated. She is heard mumbling about how she had been neglected and set aside as though she was not a member of that family. She quickly defends her rift with her son as an unfortunate occurrence brought about by disease. The children in this family seem to have grown up not knowing parental love or care and consequently lost touch of their togetherness. The sudden announcement of committing suicide spurns Thelma into action and for a moment she is willing to spend even an extra hour with her daughter. In the frenzy she is also trying to communicate with her son Dawson and his wife Loretta (The Internet Movie Database). Even amidst the turmoil of the realization that Jessie will eventually commit suicide the two women still find time to throw humorous statements at each other. At some point Jessie while making reference to her epileptic attacks says she did not even realize when they happened and was only alert when she woke up and found herself in a different set of clothing. She says they gave no warning and sometimes all it gave off was a light buzz to the head and her lights were out. Her mother later remarks, jokingly, that she had a splendid time watching as Jessie and her father turned on and off akin to light bulbs all through the night. They laugh at this rare moment and share glimpses of what could have been done all through their lives (Brown, 94). To break silence Jessie is quick to point out how large her sister in-law’s, feet are big and her mother counters by telling her the share a similar foot size with her in-law. Humor creates closeness and aids in filling the empty void of displeasure that Jessie has carried all her life (Brown, 133). The closeness and sentimentality is also seen where Jessie tells Thelma of how she wants all the night to herself. She just wants to be with her mother and no one else should disturb them. She calls the night a private moment for two. In the sentimentality there is a lot of thought provoking conversations that open the two to learning more of the other. Jessie for the first time gets to confirm that her mother lost all form of affection for her father a long time back. She is neither pleased nor sad at finally getting to hear those words uttered vocally by her mother. She also gets a half-baked confession from her mother who denies any knowledge of the suffering Jessie was going through. Jessie feels despised and takes offence that her own mother would not notice how alone she was yet she was there most of the time (Flora & Taylor 141).

Industrial Agriculture Essay

Research Question: Should the governments set standards for the food producing multinational companies to ensure the safety of its citizens and the environment? Introduction As a necessary part of human survival, food is a human right. Small, local family farms were the bedrock of traditional rural communities and the global food security which was the ability of countries to produce the food they need to survive in a more sustainable way. Yet the global food supply is increasingly falling under the control of giant multinational corporations with policies that are not environmentally sustainable. Sustainable agriculture preserves biodiversity, maintains soil fertility and water purity, conserves and improves the chemical, physical and biological qualities of the soil, recycles natural resources and conserves energy. Furthermore, sustainable agriculture produces diverse forms of high quality foods, fibers and medicines. Likewise, this system respects the ecological principles of diversity and mutually dependent and uses the understandings of modern science to improve rather than displace the traditional wisdom accumulated over centuries by countless farm ers around the world. Although the food industry encompasses all those who are involved in growing, processing, manufacturing or distributing food, from the farm to retail shops and restaurants, the threat to human health and the environment is ignored. The major problem is that there is not a sustainable agriculture system anymore with the start of the â€Å"Green Revolution† in Mexico. Sustainable agriculture is a model of social and economic organization based on an fair and participatory vision of development which recognizes the environment and natural resources as the foundation of economic activity. Agriculture is sustainable when it is ecologically sound, economically possible, culturally appropriate and based on a general scientific approach. The global corporatization of agriculture has had disastrous effects on farmers, food security, and the environment. To minimize these effects, governments of the world should set policies for the companies that produce food in order to protect their citizens’ health and for a more sustainable environment. Pesticides Industrial Agriculture contaminates fruits, vegetables and water with pesticides. Pesticides have been known to start illnesses and contribute to the increase of deaths caused by diseases. They seep into the soil which creates contamination of the crops produced and the nearby water sources. They are a costly and a time consuming form of insecticides and herbicides to clean. They are used greatly and without proper regulation in the entire agricultural environment. Standards for toxicological and microbiological hazards, and instituting procedures and practices to ensure that the standards are met should be set. In his writings, the Andrew Kimbrell shows evidence about this problem, â€Å"Since 1989, overall pesticide use has risen by about 8 percent, or 60 million pounds†(Kimbrell 11). This article was written in 2002. At the present year, 2012, this number has undoubtedly increased. Issues here include leaching of nutrients and pesticides, water extraction and drainage and f looding. Contamination of both ground and surface waters caused by high levels of production and use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers is a serious problem, particularly in areas of livestock or specialized crop production. Agricultural practices have been found to contribute to non-point source water pollutants that include: sediments, fertilizers (nitrates and phosphorus), pesticides, and manures. Pesticides from every chemical class have been detected in groundwater and are commonly found in groundwater beneath agricultural areas which are widespread in surface waters. These reduce the water quality which impacts agricultural production, drinking water supplies, and fishery production. The deaths that are caused by chemicals and the risk of cancer would increase. â€Å"Many popular pesticides appear capable of compromising the body’s ability to fight an infection, an extensive study finds. If true, pesticide use ‘could be a hidden killer’ – especially in developing countries, ‘where infections are a leading cause of death,’ says Robert Repetto, vice president of the Washington D.C. based World Resources Institute ( WRI) and a co-author of the new report† (Science News 1). A progressive budget system can be developed in order to support research on production of healthy food. Another solution is to determine and evaluate the chemicals that exist in the agricultural environment. Certain criteria such as evaluating statistics of illness and death caused by these chemicals, how government officials are regulating pesticidal use, and establishing alternmative methods of living need to be included when evaluating this dilemma. Genetically Modified Products Genetically modified products are not natural and increases the risk of cancer. These products are both plants and animals. For plants, the genetics of the crops are changed in order repel insects and other unwanted weeds to increase yield. However, the changing of the genetics make these crops unnatural which is a potential threat to human health. The genetic modification for animals are done in a different way, but it has the same goal as the plants. To meet the need for the unlimited goods, scientists have found ways to either increase the body mass of an animal for more meat or to increase the amount of milk that could be obtained from cows at an unnatural level. Corporations such as Monsanto not only are in control of the crops, but also the dairy industry. Cows are given chemicals to increase production of milk, but the milk causes cancer. â€Å"In 1994, the FDA approved the sale of Monsanto’s controversial GE recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) — injected into dairy cows to force them to produce more milk — even though scientists warned that significantly higher levels (400-500% or more) of a potent chemical hormone, Insulin-Like Growth Factor (IGF-1), in the milk and dairy products of injected cows, could pose serious hazards for human breast, prostate, and colon cancer† (Cummins). These chemical hormones are serious risks of cancer. Drinking something natural as milk should not be harmful for a person. If nothing is done in order to prevent such a dilemma, the risk of cancer would increase for everyone because dairy products are an important part of person’s dietary needs. To solve this problem, an independent body of organization can be established which would be authorized to test and develop standards on food production. Also for international organizations developing safet y standards to ban any trade agreement which products contain genetically modified substances. The Environmental Damage Industrial agriculture have replaced the family farm practices which were mostly sustainable and also taken an extra toll on the environment that is not reflected in consumer prices. The currently dominant system of industrial agriculture impacts the environment in many ways. It uses huge amounts of water, energy, and chemicals, often with little regard to long-term adverse effects. The overuse of fertilizers and chemicals, overgrazing, and the unenforced regulation of factory farm dumping of agricultural byproducts such as excrement and pesticides into rivers and streams all damage the quality of air, water, and soil, which are of everyone’s shared resources. Irrigation systems are pumping water from reservoirs faster than they are being recharged. Water scarcity in many places is due to overuse of surface and ground water for irrigation with little concern for the natural cycle that maintains stable water availability. Toxic herbicides and insecticides are accumulating in gr ound and surface waters. Chemical fertilizers are running off the fields into water systems where they generate damaging blooms of oxygen-depleting microorganisms that disrupt ecosystems and kill fish. â€Å"In Chesapeake Bay, native sea grasses, fish, and shellfish populations have declined dramatically in number in the last few decades due to extremely high nitrogen and phosphorous levels caused by the excessive use of chemical fertilizers†(Kimbrell 30). Agriculture’s environmental impact has grown since farmers became dependent on chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Since the 1950s, fertilizer and pesticide use has increased substantially worldwide. If the hazardous chemicals are overused, the ecological balance in nature would be at risk. Many of the negative effects of industrial agriculture extend far from fields and farms. For example, in the United States of America, nitrogen compounds from Midwestern farms, travel down the Mississippi river to damage coastal fisheries and create a large â€Å"dead zone† in the Gulf of Mexico where aquatic life cannot survive. But other adverse effects are showing up within agricultural production systems themselves with the overuse of herbicides and insecticides which has led to rapidly developing resistance among pests that is rendering these chemicals increasingly ineffective. Agriculture’s link to global climate change is just beginning to be appreciated. Destruction of tropical forests and other native vegetation for agricultural production has a role in elevated levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The governments should pass laws that standarizes the use of these chemicals to protect the environment. Laws and regulations on sanitary standards should guarantee high quality and safe food for consumers and the environment. Other Side of the Argument There are also positive sides to the development of industrial agriculture which people such as Norman Borlaug says that biotech in agriculture will not harm biodiversity. Norman Borlaug, who is the father of the â€Å"Green Revolution† which started in the 1940’s was the main starting point of the industrial agriculture we have today. Borlaug claims, â€Å"If we grow our food and fiber on the land best suited to farming with the technology that we have and what’s coming, including proper use of genetic engineering and biotechnology, we will leave untouched vast tracts of land, with all of their plant and animal diversity† (Bailey 6). However, the problems that the Green Revolution or industrial agriculture itself has brought and will bring most indubitably outweigh the benefits. One of the core things the Green Revolution has brought was the high-yielding seeds, fertilizers and irrigation projects. Nevertheless, most high-yielding seeds use up more energy to process because most varieties are not resistant to drought and new diseases. This leads to the use of heavy applications of expensive fertilizers and pesticides. And then expensive herbicides must be used because fertilizers not only stimulate plant growth but also weed growth. These heavy doses of many chemicals end up ruining the soil.This agricultural system is not environmentally sustainable, it only provides enough resources in the short run. Conclusion A number of food control problems are currently being debated at the national and international levels, regarding genetically modified foods, contaminants (including pesticides), irradiation and nutrition labelling. There is an apprehension about the consequences for the quality and safety of the food supply concerning the increasing use of pesticides and drugs, as well as introducing genetically-modified organisms.There are many solutions for this crisis because food is a human right that demands the governments to set national policies to encourage food security. For example, local and diverse production of food should be supported by the governments and companies to guarantee satisfactory and accessible nutrition for all citizens. Governments must maintain the ability to pass laws for the national safety of their population to ensure food sovereignty. For governments, there is the need for enforceable standards that are convincing for both consumers and the industry. The industry needs standards that permit flexibility and efficiency in producing and marketing foods that will serve their customers because it is important for consumers that food control system provide meaningful protection against real and important hazards. Consumers can play a critical role in creating a sustainable food system. Through their purchases, they send strong messages to producers, retailers and others in the system about what they think is important. Food cost and nutritional quality have always influenced consumer choices. The challenge now is to find strategies that broaden consumer perspectives, so that environmental quality, resource use, and social equity issues are also considered in shopping decisions. Finally, new policies and institution must be created to enable producers using sustainable practices to market their goods to a wider public. Work Cited Bailey, Jay. â€Å"Billions Served: Norman Borlaug interviewed by Ronald Bailey†. Reason Magazine. April 2000 Cummins, Ronnie. â€Å"Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods and Crops: Why We Need A Global Moratorium†. Motion Magazine. August 29, 1999. < http://www.inmotionmagazine.com/geff4.html> Kimbrell, Andrew. â€Å"The Tragedy of Industrial Agriculture†. Island Press. 2002 Rosset, Peter. â€Å"Lessons from the Green Revolution† Grove Press. April 8, 2000 Raloff, Johnathan. â€Å"Pesticides May Challenge Human Immunity†. Science News. 9 March 1996.