Food Wastage Essay

Food wastage is a problem faced by every developing and developed country around the world. According to a book by Tristram Stuart,Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal(Penguin, 2009), approximately 40 million tonnes of food are wasted by US households, retailers and food services each year. This is sufficient to feed the nearly one billion malnourished people in the world. Yet in spite of this trend, peope continue to waste food at an alarming rate. Currently, a third of food produced around the world for human consumption is lost or wasted. This is equivalent to about 1. 3 billion tons of edible food every year, and less than a quarter of it is enough to satisfy the hunger of every hungry person in the world. In Hong Kong, 32 tonnes of solid food waste is produced each day, where the mast majority is dumped on the landfills which are running out of space. In tropical climates like Hong Kong, the decomposition of these food emit harmful greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide which capture and retain heat in the atmosphere. This accelerates and exacerbates the severity of global warming. If we stop wasting food that could have been consumed, it would be equivalent to reducing the carbon footprint of one in every four cars on the road. It is also worth noting that, by reducing the amount of food waste that is being sent to the landfill, we can extend the lifespan of the landfills in addition to reducing the burden on Hong Kong’s environment. That being said, it is time we take action to curb the trend of food wastage. In my opinion, there are three strategies to counter this pertinent issue at hand: campaigns by non-government organizations, distribution of free pamphlets in supermarkets, and government policy control on food portions in restaurants. In order the ameliorate the problem of food wastage, it is important to start from the root of the issue-providing education and enhancing social awareness through campaigns. In my opinion, most people are unaware of the severe repercussions that food wastage brings to the environment. By educating the people and raising the awareness, it is fair to say that the problem will at least be mitigated. Campaigns would be a good way to start, and Hong Kong should follow the model in the UK. Love Food, Hate Waste is a non-profit organization in the UK which aims to raise awareness of the need to reduce food waste as well as encourage people to take action. It teaches people easy, practical ways to do at home that helps people waste less food and at the same time, save money and help the environment. For example, it has a user-friendly website which teaches people everything from how to store foods longer to how to make use of leftover foods from dinner for their next meal. It even has a portion tool that helps to estimate approximately how much food a person needs for the meal, based on the type of food it is and the number of people consumingit, so that there is a lower chance of food wastage. For example, if an adult would like to have beef for dinner, it would be approximately 100grams whereas for a child, it would be about 70grams. Love Food, Hate Waste is a successful model that Hong Kong should aim to emulate, because it has user-friendly, practical ways that people can follow so that food waste can be effectively reduced. Another way to alleviate food wastage is to provide free brochures in every supermarket in Hong Kong, so that it raises the awareness of the people. This will help them make informed choices on the quantity of food to buy, as well as how to store them such that they take a longer time to expire. For example, wrapping vegetables in newspaper helps prolong its shelf life. Also, sealing off leftover food in a jar and placing them into the freezer helps exend its expiry date by a few days, if not weeks. Another example is separating apples from other fruits. This is because they give off ethylene gas, which will make other fruit become overripe . That being said, this method of discouraging food waste may be expensive. Printing millions of brochures is economically and environmentally costly. A large amount of money has to put aside for the production of the brochures, while heaps of paper would have to be used to print them. It may be a possible means to raise awareness on food wastage; however it is not the best option available. Last but not least, the government can implement a policy that regulates food portions in restaurants. People waste considerable amounts of food when they eat out, and one of the possible reasons is that they cannot finish their food. Therefore, one proposal is that the government can first impose a policy that controls the portion of meals served by restaurants, in order to wither down on the unnecessary food wasted. Restaurants can provide three serving portions for the customer to choose from-small, regular and large. This provides the suitable quantity of food for the customers such that it balances food wastage and customer satisfaction. Customers who are unable to finish their food will have to pay a penalty or fine. However, this proposal may be sit well with the people in Hong Kong. Some restaurants lure customers with their large food portions for a comparatively cheaper price, and hence if the government were to regulate the food portion of each restaurant, it would certainly face opposition from the owners of these restaurants. Not to mention, it is very difficult to measure the exact quantity of food of each restaurant to determine which category they fall into. While this may be a possible option in future, it is certainly too difficult to measure and monitor this over a long period of time. Large amounts of resources would have to be put in for a policy which may not be popular or effective at all. All in all, food wastage is an urgent problem that needs our immediate attention. Swift action would have to be taken if we were to mitigate this issue before it goes out of hand. We as the citizens of the world should be aware and take responsibility and reduce the environmental impact of solid food waste. The first step to achieving this goal is to advocate campaigns and follow the successful model of Love Food, Hate Waste in the UK. Only then will we start to have a clearer conscience and a better environment to live in.

Baroque Art Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Baroque Art - Assignment Example There was great religious turmoil during this time period. This tumultuous force was the Reformation. After Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses, it took relatively little time for northern Europe’s nations to become primarily Protestant, while the southern countries retained and strengthened their Catholic identities during the Counter-Reformation. There was the intense us vs. them battle of religion, and art was in the middle. Once the Reformation began, Protestant leaders such as John Calvin and Huldreich Zwingli encouraged iconoclastic movements, which denounced Catholic imagery as idolatrous and called for its destruction. However, the Protestants did not condemn all art—they chiefly opposed the Catholic religious art, to which Catholics of the time gave reverence. The chief argument between Catholic and Protestant was that the Protestants believed the Catholics held their relics and imagery sacred, instead of revering Christ. In contrast, the Roman Catholic Church had embarked in the 1550s on a program of renewal known as the Counter - Reformation. As part of the program, the Catholic Church used art of the magnificent display for the campaign. It was intended to be both doctrinally correct and visually and emotionally appealing so that it could influence the largest possible audience. Their paintings glorified Catholic traditions, the sacraments, and the saints. Clearly, the content of their work contrasted strongly with that of the northern Protestants’ work.

The Evolution of the American Dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Evolution of the American Dream - Essay Example Essay on The American Dream shows The American Dream all about true prosperity for all – never about false prosperity attained via government schemes. It is never about infringing the rights of American citizens for a cause that is deemed worthy of self-appointed moralists.The essay example states that The American Dream is about the natural right of a person to pursue liberty, a successful life, and happiness. Democratic service, as proposed by Martin Luther King, should mean a collective way of exercising the little power that people hold so to challenge the power levers (Adams 113). Here, power sets the norms, values and the ends that a specific society abides by. The values get to promote a society that is more just if the values are just in themselves. On the other hand, if they are unjust, they end up creating a society that is unjust – much of what we currently see at the moment. The contemporary understanding of the American dream has led to the creation of an u nfair society. Those with the power and mandate to change and remake the American society that upholds democratic values and norms must do so via active participation and critical reflection. The American Dream essay depicts a dream about life which is fuller and richer for every citizen regardless of birth circumstances or social stature. Unmistakably, countless Americans are by now weary and mistrustful of the contemporary interpretation of the American Dream. ... In simple terms, the American Dream as envisioned by our Forefathers was that every person has the God-given right to his liberty, life and pursuit of happiness – devoid of any form of interference. It is quite unfortunate that top in government’s agenda is wealth redistribution. As it appears, through subsequent brainwashing, people who have become dependent on government benefits have failed to comprehend that no cause should validate the infringement of the rights in addition to freedoms stipulated above (Schnell 322). It is time that everyone rejected the notion put forward by progressives that the Dream is about receiving security, privileges and benefits from the government of politicians. The American Dream should entail liberty. In essence, the foundation of the American Dream proffers that liberty has to be placed higher up there than the rest of the objectives. In essence, the underlying premise of this Dream is that liberty be given a higher priority compared to any other objective. The government has the mandate to protect the god-given rights that every human being inherits during their birth. America’s Founding Fathers never envisioned that the government will be the one to give rights to its subjects. Their main objective was to limit the powers of the government. This is what gave birth to the famous American Dream. Any law that permits allows the government to take people’s property without their permission no matter what, is immoral and unconstitutional. Presently, the American government is still winning its tender offer to American citizens: security in place of freedom. Any sensible American should ask himself or herself: Are these government benefits worth if it is likely that future generation may live in a police state due to the

Marketing Concepts and Planning-- Apple IPods Assignment

Marketing Concepts and Planning-- Apple IPods - Assignment Example Features and benefits have long been the idea of improving sales and through promotional materials, however in today’s market pricing should be given much more emphasis by making it much more transparent to consumers in a variety of ways. This report identifies these proposed changes. The company’s mission is simple: Apple â€Å"recognizes that by integrating sound environmental health and safety management practices into all aspects of our business, we can offer innovative technological products and services while conserving and enhancing resources for future generations† (Lee, 2008, p.5). The objectives are to improve sales volumes through creative promotion, effective distribution, and to build consumer interest in mass market groups. The strengths of the iPod are in areas of innovation by remaining a step ahead of competition by updating features, memory and other important benefits for consumers. Research and development talent is an internal strength. Fortunately for Apple, competition is considerably weak and this is a major strength for the business! Weaknesses include, though not a fault of Apple, weakened economic conditions both domestically and internationally, posing a potential risk for future iPod (and iPad) sales. Additionally, minimal television advertising, despite the potential cost and time investment, is another weakness in regards to reaching more mass market customers. Threats to the iPod include the sudden resurgence of consumer use of auction websites such as eBay, creating a form of self-competition for budget-minded, mass market buyers as well as failure of retail partners to be more interactive in the sales/promotion process. These are external failures, however they definitely impact sales volume in certain market territories. As identified, segmentation for the iPod begins with identifying specific groups with

Analyse the global supply chain of the company Essay

Analyse the global supply chain of the company - Essay Example As per the five forces analysis, there is intense competitive rivalry present within the industry along with high bargaining power of suppliers. The core competency of the firm is its high quality product with exceptional customer service. According to game theory, the company can gain temporary advantage through focusing on unique selling proposition and staying aligned with customer demand of Lithuania. Dunning’s Eclectic paradigm is such theoretical framework that helps to define competitive advantage gained by a company. It states that monopolistic advantage supports a firm operating abroad to overcome prevalent disadvantages in foreign markets. There are two forms of advantages as per this paradigm such as location advantage and ownership advantage. Learning theories highlight psychic distance paradox as proposed by Lane and O’Grady. According to this theory, there exist some features in host country and operating country which facilitates business operations or re sults into complete failure (Ulwick, 2005). On the other hand, network theory indicates that commitment and trust are critical aspects for achieving success and growth. Learning and trust are further complimented by commitment, risk, control and uncertainty. Figure 2 clearly states that there are four kinds of strategy which can be chosen by a company in terms of business strategic implementation. As per figure two there are four strategies based on local responsiveness pressure and cost reduction pressure. They are global standardization strategy, transnational strategy, international strategy and localization strategy. In case of Starbucks the best strategy which can be incorporated is internationalization strategy. This would enable the firm to expand over larger geographical area and acquire high profit margins. International strategy is all about implementing best possible strategy to establish a strong market position in foreign country. The four possible international

Business Operations at Dell Corporation Research Paper

Business Operations at Dell Corporation - Research Paper Example However, lately, managers have understood the importance and significance of operations management. One of the biggest advantages of operations management identified by the managers is increased productivity. Hence, operation management also leads to increased efficiency of the workers. Another major advantage identified is the better quality of the outcome. A number of scholars have emphasized that management of the operations of a company greatly helps in improving the quality of the outcome (Petersen, Ragatz & Monczka, 2005). Management of the business operation provides companies with the opportunity to undertake small-scale continual improvement process and at the same time, it facilitates a large-scale radical shift in the process and product design of the company. The operations manager of a company carefully focuses on the management of processes so as to manufacture and distribute the products and services to the end customers in the most efficient way. According to Varila, Seppanen & Suomala (2007), management of the business operations allows a firm to streamline its process and at the same time eliminates the wastes. Expansion of the business is another viable opportunity for the business.   Dell Corporation: A Brief Overview of the Company Dell Computer Corporation, commonly known as Dell Inc. is a US-based multinational company involved in developing and offering computer technology services. The company was founded in the year 1984 and is currently headquartered in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, US. The company was founded by Michael Dell, who plays the role of the Chairman and CEO of the company. The company is basically involved in developing, selling and repairing computers and associated products and services. The company currently employs around 103,300 people and is also considered as one of the biggest technology companies in the world. The company is listed at the 51st position in the global fortune 500 lists. Currently, Dell operates i n almost every part of the world and has allowed them to grab a significant market share (Dell, 2013). In terms of market share, the company is ranked at the third position just after Lenovo and HP. The major competitors of the company are HP, Lenovo, Compaq, IBM and Acer among others. The company sells data storage devices, servers, desktops, laptops, software products, printers, MP3 Players and other computer peripherals. Dell is known for applying innovative techniques for its sales process, manufacturing process as well as the entire supply chain process.  Ã‚  

Types Of TV Watchers Essay Example for Free

Types Of TV Watchers Essay Television has evolved – we are now seeing more of special effects, fantasy elements, hard-core drama in specialized environments like hospitals or public schools compared to the traditional soap opera with assembled set backdrops. In this globalizing world, television has to compete not only in their own countries for market share, but across the globe. Their efforts are not for naught, because it had spawned a generation of TV watchers of all ages. Briefly, a TV watcher is a person who watches TV for any of the following reasons: for information, entertainment, or out of habit. Generally following this guideline, there are three kinds of TV watchers: the information-driven TV watcher, the entertainment-freak, and the TV-phile.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Information-driven TV watchers turn on their television sets to watch the news. At what end of the spectrum, conservative information-driven TV watchers tune in to local news to have an idea of current events, and at other extreme they tune in to CNN and BBC to keep abreast of the latest developments in the political and economic aspects of the world, or to National Geographic and Discovery Channel if they are into Nature than Politics. The key is they watch TV for the sole purpose of acquiring information in the areas that are relevant to their lives. In contrast, the entertainment-freak TV watchers sit in front of their TVs for the sole purpose of accruing pleasure from the activity. These TV watchers want to be entertained – generally they do not want to be bothered with the universal existential questions that have plagued humanity from the beginning of time, they just want to plop down the couch and relax after a day’s work. These are people who watch soaps like Desperate Housewives and House, fantasy-action like Heroes and Lost, and comedies like Ugly Betty. Entertainment-freak TV watchers watch TV for the leisure of it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Finally, TV-philes are people who turn on the TV because it gives them a different sense of comfort. They function well with the sound of TV in the background as they go about their chores, occasionally glancing to keep up with what is being aired. They watch TV even when there is nothing good on, because they do not have anything else to do. They stay up late for the late night movie specials, they know the program schedules by heart, and they can give lectures on the new trends in television programming. These are the people who tune in to MTV 24/7, or to HBO the whole day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Of course, this is only a rough guide of TV watchers, and there are hybrids and types in between. An important thing to remember is that a real TV watcher knows when to open the TV and for what purpose.