Carbon Footprint of an Egg Essay Example for Free

Carbon Footprint of an Egg Essay White, round, smooth are picturesque descriptions of an egg. An egg has a simple exterior that is easy to describe. However, this simple egg has a complex ecological footprint that contributes to the destruction of our planet, people, and prosperity. Eggs are essential to every dimension of the earth. An egg is a nutritious source protein and vitamins, triggering the performance of health maintenance in humans. Not only are eggs an exceptional source of nutrients, they are also linked with â€Å"preserving memory, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against vision loss† (â€Å"Egg Nutrition Heart Disease†). Eggs possess intrinsic value that is considered to benefit the planet; eggs are part of the natural ecosystem services that powers all life on the earth. Without egg production, a snowball effect will prompt species extinction, hampering income, and other destructive outcomes. Thus, the importance of eggs in today’s world is revealed through a sense of balance among the ecosystem cycles of the planet. In actuality, the production process of a chicken, to an egg, to a mouth yields unsustainable impacts that contribute to the destruction of the triple bottom line. The process of moving a laying hen’s egg from the coop to a frying pan influences destructive practices ranging from the profit-oriented American who practices industrialized farming techniques to the pollution of our planet’s non-abundant water supply. Every input of egg production affects the final nutritious, commercial good. But, is this process nutritious for the earth? Animal welfare, societal values, the environment, economics, human health, as well as food safety and quality are many of the elements incorporated in a sustainable production system (Mench, Summer, and Rosen-Molina 1). Egg production has a large-sized ecological footprint compared to the small size of an egg. This ecological impact begins at production and peels back layers of unsustainable inputs and outputs as the sequential process advances. The causal relationship of egg production and unsustainable inputs and outputs allows an in-depth look at the root cause of this footprint. In order to initiate a sustainable movement toward an efficient, effective, and healthy egg, we must start at the origin of an egg. Innovative efficiency lies within the real â€Å"chicken,† who must execute forward-thinking actions for a sustainable future. The  United States is the second largest egg producer in the world (Mante 298). The egg industry in the United States has evolved from small, family farms into huge, factory farms with the goal of fast, high profit and low input costs. These factory farms play a major role in current unsustainable lifestyles due to their intensive agricultural methods. In the United States, the majority of poultry farmers use a method called cage systems. In this system, the laying hens are confined and crammed into injury-prone wire cages leading to an explosion of overcrowding, mortality rates, cannibalism, pollution, and disease (Xin, H. et al. ). Farms cram laying hens into the wire cages in order to achieve the industrialized goal of low production costs and high profit. The farmer ignores a chicken’s natural, evolutionary diet and creates a forced diet to operate as a catalyst for production rate. In order to achieve faster, larger, and cheaper results the feed is pumped full of chemicals, antibiotics, as well as â€Å"millions of tons of meat and bone meal from post-slaughter animal waste are recycled back into animal feed each year,† (â€Å"Feed, Factory Farms Cheap Feed†). Not only does this processed diet affect the health of the chicken, but also consumer’s health. A direct result of additives in the feed is disease-prone hens. Therefore, the diseases acquired from antibiotic resistance combined with the ailments from overcrowding, cannibalism, and injury, are passed from the laying hen to their egg offspring and their wastes. For example, a commonly used chemical in poultry feed is Arsenic. Arsenic is used to promote growth and prevent disease. However, if consumed by chickens, this poisonous compound lands in their meat, their feces and eventually in water supplies. This additive is related to various health problems such as warts, sore throat, cancer, and even death by poisoning (â€Å"Animal Welfare, Confined Animals†). Chicken waste is a large contributor to the pollution of the planet. The majority of the United State’s poultry farms utilize the advantageous chicken manure in measures that harmonize with the accumulation of the industrialize mindset of low cost and high profit. Intensive farms’ outlook on the waste is based on economics instead of effective and efficient use of the natural resource. Most of the chicken waste is â€Å"sold to other farmers as untreated fertilizer,† (â€Å"Watch That Birds Rear†) for a profit and after the sale, regulation of the waste ceases to exist and many violations of environmental laws occur. Chicken manure is a nutrient-rich, organic fertilizer for land growth when used well. However, if it is over-applied the toxic levels of nitrogen and phosphorous will spoil water quality via run-off and leaks (Mante 298). The water is then consumed by other inhabitants of the world, which leads to harmful societal impacts such as disease and death. There is also a limited and decreasing supply safe water on the planet, thus, toxic run-off rapidly increases the amount of foul water while simultaneously increasing the earth’s water debt. Another profit-making disposal method is selling the waste to animal feed and chicken litter, or bedding, producers. This production logic is convincing through an economic mind-tunnel, but the real dangers of waste consumption outweigh the positive economic impacts. The unsustainable use of poultry litter lies within the â€Å"current disposal methods such as land application and feeding to cattle are now under pressure because of pollution of water resources due to leaching, runoffs and concern for mad cow disease contamination of the food chain,† (Mante 298). For instance, if cattle consumes chicken waste in feed for source of protein it plays a major factor in the development of mad cow disease, which not only annihilates the waste’s organic value, but also the entire, living cow. Poultry farms’ conventional egg production methods do not resourcefully employ chicken waste. Although this waste is viewed as a â€Å"hazardous waste† poisoning the planet, society, and economy, chicken manure is de facto valuable and nourishing for the land when correctly recycled into the soil. Chicken waste is made up of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Alone, the waste is too potent to fertilize the land, but with effort by putting the waste through a composting process, it can be one of the most resourceful and sustainable fertilizers to date (Duncan). Since extra time, resources, and effort are involved to create the value of chicken waste, most large, industrial farms do not participate in these sustainable practices. Not only does this waste of a crude resource amplify the destruction of our planet, it also wastes the nourishing approaches farms could develop to conserve the planet, boost the economy, and sustain the society. Conventional cage eggs are produced from hens in a communal crowded cage system (â€Å"Facts About the Egg Production Process†). Hundreds of hens are crammed into environmentally controlled wire cages. The conventional cage system is a widespread egg production method, but not the only one. Alternate egg production systems include barn, free range, and organic. There is a vast amount of debate over which type of housing system is the most effective and sustainable approach. In order to achieve sustainable egg production, consideration of the source’s welfare, living standards, and behavioral development must take place. Barn housing systems house free-roaming hens limited to the barn’s walls. Barn systems increase hens’ health, physical activity, and natural behavior solely due to the free movement in the barn’s boundaries. Even with these advantages, there are still many unsustainable impacts resulting from barn systems. Some of these disadvantages include increased injury, feather pecking, cannibalism, and low air quality from higher levels of toxins. Free-range systems allow unrestricted movement inside housing walls, similar to barn systems, but the birds also have daily access to the outdoors. Consequently, laying hens in free-range egg production systems develop healthier lifestyles as a direct effect of the access to the natural outdoor habitat as well as availability of fresh food and water. However, the steady contact to the outdoors can also lead to negative performance. Health risks, air-borne disease, predators, and resistance to explore unfamiliar areas are drawbacks associated with free-range housing systems (â€Å"Welfare Implications of Laying Hen Housing† 1-3). Organic eggs are produced in a cage-free setting in accordance with the national USDA standards. The organic egg production process bans hens’ intake of chemicals, antibiotics, growth hormones, and all unnatural elements used to increase speed, production, profit, and so on (â€Å"Facts About the Egg Production Process†). The different methods of egg production have varying impacts on people, planet, and prosperity. Production of animal feed is the leading factor in greenhouse gas emissions and accounts for 92% of the poultry industry’s ecological footprint. Surprisingly, organic or free-range eggs may not be the most successful, sustainable production process. Both systems have a larger carbon footprint than any alternative production system. The comfort of natural inputs and fair animal treatment in an organic and free-range egg production process creates the misleading marketing tactic that this method is the most effective approach to achieve a sustainable planet. When in reality, organic and free-range layer hens consume more feed and produce fewer eggs than any other production system (Gasperoni 1). These methods require higher costs for greater resource inputs while concurrently reducing outputs. Hence, organic and free-range processes yield eggs with an equal nutritional value impact on humans as any other production process, but an unsustainable economic and environmental impact. After the eggs are laid, the production process takes a turn from the evolutionary production of eggs to the commercial manufacturing of eggs. The first step in preparing the eggs for distribution to commercial retailers by packaging eggs into cartons. The United States, being the second largest egg producer, purchases an average of four billion egg cartons yearly almost reaching a grossing $500 million (â€Å"Egg Cartons, Our Link with the Consumer†). Egg cartons are critical in order to protect eggs from damage during shipping and handling, preventing cracks in the shell, keeping the eggs clean, and providing nutritional information for individual cartons. There are two common types of egg cartons: the polystyrene foam container and the pulp molded fiber carton. Polystyrene foam containers have been the leading material egg cartons used since the 1940s. Polystyrene foam packages have many beneficial characteristics for the egg industry and their customers. Some benefits of these egg cartons include their ability to hold a substantial amount of weight, protective cushioning for the fragile eggs, made in various identification colors, as well as proficient insulation to prevent eggs cracking and spoiling from external heat. The pulp molded fiber cartons are not as popular as polystyrene foam containers, but still used by a number of egg manufacturers in the U.  S. Fiber cartons are composed of recycled material as well as biodegradable, and are therefore deemed environmentally friendly by consumers. However, these cartons have a few downsides as well. The protective capacity of the molded fiber relies on the recycled material that formulates the carton. An additional downside of pulp molded fiber cartons is the visual, decorative inability, which generates limitations of product identification. The consumers’ widely held perception that the pulp molded fiber cartons are superior related to sustainability is an illusory opinion. In reality, the sustainable benefits of polystyrene foam cartons are overlooked. Compared to fiber cartons, polystyrene foam cartons require less material inputs, half the amount energy to manufacture, and make up less than 1% of waste contents (â€Å"Egg Cartons, Our Link with the Consumer†). This majority of consumers conclusively have an incorrect understanding of the authentic value and depth measured regarding sustainable practices. The transportation methods in the egg production industry are a major contributor to the negative impacts of the societal, economic, and environmental segments of the pillar of sustainability. In order to assess the effected portions of the pillar, â€Å"food miles† are looked to as an indicator to â€Å"understand inefficiency of food supply chain. The term Food Miles’ refers to the distance food travels from farm to plate,† (Rajkumar 40). Food miles have a direct impact on transportation cost, which is proportional to the cost of the good, effecting the prosperity and economy of our planet. This increases an egg’s footprint because the greater the distance it travels, the less fresh it becomes, yet the more a customer pays for it due to the transportation costs. There are also environmental costs associated with food miles. The further distance the egg travels, the greater consumption of energy through the transportation mean leading to greater emissions of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases (Pirog 1, 5). This ultimately impacts the environment through air pollution and depletion of the ozone layer thus effecting society as well. Other social impacts of long distance travel include different area’s food safety standards, contamination, and disease. Since food miles are a direct gauge in measuring sustainability, the less distance and egg travels means the more sustainable the egg is for the society, environment, and economy. â€Å"Reducing food miles is reducing emissions. Shorter distance travels: reduces usage of fossil fuels and thus, conservation. Minimum food travel: minimum pollution, environmental degradation and Global warming,† (Rajkumar 41). The egg production process creates many obstacles we need to overcome in order to achieve a sustainable lifestyle and preserve our people, planet, and prosperity. An egg’s production process of housing systems, humane animal treatment, laying hens, waste collection, chicken feed, litter management, packaging, transporting, and finally consumption leave a visible footprint contributing to the devastating impacts of the environment, economy, and society. To produce a more sustainable egg, you have to start with what came first—the chicken. In order to initiate this conservation lifestyle filled with awareness, you also must first start with the â€Å"chicken. † To save this world from anymore harm, we as the earth’s inhabitants must stop being chickens, and start leading sustainable actions.

Class Conflict in Britain :: Politics Political

Class Conflict in Britain "Class conflict has gradually been diluted by growing affluence." "The history of all hitherto existing societies is the history of class struggle." This famous opening line from Marx Communist Manifesto refers to the struggle between the labouring, working classes and the bourgeoisie owners of the means of production. The proletariat are exploited by the capitalists for profit and are therefore forced to live in poverty and dire conditions. Marx predicted that eventually the proletariat would overthrow this capitalist system and replace it with a system which is often referred to as Communist - whereby the workers have control. Today, whenever the words 'class' or 'class conflict' are mentioned people usually turn to Marx definition and picture the poor worker fighting for better pay, better living and working conditions. The typical class conflict is typified as workers versus the owners, or bourgeoisie. In Britain this struggle did not develop in the way that Marx predicted - there has never been a genuine proletariat revolutionary threat. In its place has been a tradition of reformist socialism with the Labour Party and the Trades Unions being the main campaigners. In Britain the traditional class conflict is often depicted as Labour Party versus Conservative Party. The Labour Party have fought for workers rights and have been supported at elections by the working class, whereas the Conservatives have drawn most of their support from the middle classes. It is argued that today this traditional class conflict, depicted in no better fashion than the Miners' Strike of 1984, has been diluted by growing affluence. In otherwords the working class have become economically better off. They were given the right to buy council houses, to own shares and have, it is argued, become more middle class. The working class today have a lot more to lose in a fierce class struggle and are therefore happy to uphold the system. The huge decline in the traditional industries, such as coal, has coincided with a rise in the size of the non-manual, service industry - the sphere in which the 'middle classes' tend to be employed. In 1964 50% of the workforce were employed in the manual sector, compared to 36% in 1992. These figures coincide with a 15% rise in the non-manual, 'petty bourgeoisie' jobs. Whilst there may be some truth in this 'embourgeoisement' theory, there is also no doubting the fact that it is an exaggerated view. To say that 'we are all middle class' (Blair 1998) is an absurdity. Class conflict may have been subdued but not only because of growing affluence. The capitalists have managed to silence what was once a

Profit Maximization Essay

The company selected for this project is Ingram Micro. It is one of the largest distributors of Information Technology products not only in America but in the whole world as well. Basically, the main modus operandi of the company is to generate income through selling IT products in bulk to large distributors or resellers or in retail to its dedicated special group of resellers. The main distinguishing operation of Ingram Micro in terms of profit generation is that it generates revenues by adjusting in real-time all the products it distributes from the manufacturer to the distributors. Ingram Micro is like a channel so it is crucial that price adjustments will not compromise its ability to earn profits. Technically, the mode of distributing products can be considered elastic in demand curves. This means that any changes or adjustments in the prices of the products won’t have true effect on the demands of the resellers. This is mainly due to the fact that the consumers’ market of IT products can readily adjust to price fluctuations as technology commodities always do. However, if a reseller wishes to order in bulk, Ingram Micro can immediately adjust its profit to save the deal and create more future opportunities with a specific reseller. So in this case demand really drives the profit of the company. On the other hand if one manufacturer is not able to meet the demands of the reseller, Ingram Micro can increase prices for profit maximization without even hurting its reputation among the resellers as the latter always understand the situation that Ingram Micro is simply dependent on how much commodities they can acquire at any given time. On the aspect of company operations, we can say that Ingram Micro has fixed costs of operations on its employees’ salaries, arrangement with delivery companies like FedEx and UPS and the maintenance of network systems and warehouse tax payments. Variable costs may include the cost of technology products for system upgrade, repairs and some unwanted delivery errors charged to the company’s accounts. To illustrate Ingram Micro’s profit maximization, a study on revenue and cost balances can be used. Profit maximization is attained when the marginal revenue starts to equal with marginal cost and projects upward (Wolfram, 2008). Below is a hypothetical data where Ingram Micro is set to reach its profit maximization status.

An Agent Of A Foreign Power - 1750 Words

For US persons, whether or not they are in US territory, Section 702 does not allow US intelligence agencies to intercept their information or to put them on record. To put US persons on record, the NSA or other intelligence agencies should seek a warrant from the court after showing a probable cause that specific US persons identifiers are being used to exchange criminal or intelligence information or that the person targeted is an agent of a foreign power (for a FISA warrant). When it comes to foreigners, US intelligence agencies cannot surveil them under section 702 when they are in the US. A warrant is needed in this case, as it is for US persons. However, when the foreigner is outside the US territory, Section 702 allow US†¦show more content†¦- Then I am going to argue that, for the benefit of globalization and international trade, it should be made equally harder for US intelligence agencies to collect information on non-US persons as it is to collect US-personsâ€⠄¢ private information. Otherwise, this double standard can have – or maybe already has – negative consequences on trust between nations. S This is an interesting approach to the assignment, Serges. One question that it raises is whether the distinctions between US persons and foreigners are morally justified—do you focus on the practical arguments about globalization because you think that it is morally acceptable to make the distinctions that section 702 makes and the only basis for opposing them is to point to their practical consequences? Besides the dearth of morality that this distinction causes to our moral values of fairness, equality on the respect of human dignity as well as the consideration of the right to privacy as a human right, This distinction may also have undesirable socio-economic consequences. Let us examine some of them. On an intuitive level, one could see, as †¦ mentioned, that foreigners may develop either an anger toward this unfair surveillance system that the US uses (section 702) or a distrust of US companies’ abilities or willingness to protect their privateShow MoreRelatedThe Definition For Agents Of Foreign Powers1640 Words   |  7 PagesThe second part of the expansion broadened the FISA definition for agents of foreign powers, removing the requirement for individuals to have established connections or affiliations with foreign powers (Bloom and Dunn, 2006). 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