Local environment in forest park district, Wuhan

Thesis statement: Barbecues have negative impacts on the environment because barbecues polluted the air and lake and also harmed the ecosystem in the forest park by decreasing the area of habitats and number of species.Abstract: The purpose of this research was to find the influence that human had in this area. The methods of this research were to investigate the local environment. The findings of this research were show the quality of the air and water and some living things in this area. The result of this research was to determine that the pollution was caused by human activities. The conclusion of this research was that human should do something to protect the environment.Introduction:  The purpose of this report was to find the influence that human had in this area. The five measurable objectives were the quality of air, water, soil, the population in this area and the number of plants or animals. The location is forest park district, Wuhan. The thesis statement of this report is that if want to access the human impact on the area and the area is measured and then the human impact can be determined.Methodology:  First of all, a map of PengLai Park was drawn and be explained. Then two trees, two bushes and two animals were being classified and searched on the internet. A food web and a food chain were not observed. After that, detailed the plants and animals distribution by using the quadrant method. Firstly, a 10m time’s 10m box was made up by two l0 meters long ropes. And then, the locations of each box which used in this research were recorded. Thirdly, the number of organisms that existed in the box were counted by four people and be recorded. After that, a picture of the location and all the things that appear in the box was been taken. By using the eyes and noses to determine the quality of the local air, water, and soil. The things that have done to the area in terms of pollution were by looking around their behavior.Findings:  Sands and clays have been found and the road was made up with cements. The majority plants exist in the park Chinese Sweet Gum and Zelkova  Schneiderina. A large amount of plants in this park were planted by human. The majority plants exist in the park were birdsand cats and human being. There was few living animals exist in the pool, nevertheless, there were still some aquatic plants exist in the pool. The food chain and food web was not observed.The local quality of air, water and soil were not very well because the environment is polluted by human effect such as smoking. Besides, there were lots of garbage throws by the neighbors who live nearby and nobody clean them in time. What is more, the water in the pool was really smells bad so that we can found out the quality of water is poor. Last but not least, some plants show the poor quality of the soil and it was damaged seriously. In a word, the local environment was damaged and polluted.According the data from these two tables, they sh ow that the average amount of the plants b is 5, and the average amount of the animals is 1. On the other hand, the total area of the park is about 27602 meter squares. The  total number of plants was 138010 and there were 27602 animals existed. These information shows that there is a few plants and animals exist in this area because of the pollution. Moreover, the number of plants and animals is not changeable.According to the pollution caused by human being, it is easy to determine that human lead to some severe consequences. For example, the garbage all around the park and nobody clean them, the poor quality of air and water. However, people who live nearby did something to protect this area and to improve the poor environment. Though there are lots of drawbacks, but humans are still try to something for this area so that can make the quality of their life become better. Since different living things have its own habitats and habits so that they live in the different area. By u sing the quadrant method, it shows some area have more living things than others.Discussion:  The information of the finding part shows the several following things. First of all, the environment is not very well; the quality of water and air is poor, the soil shows the bad consequence of the environment in this area. On the other hand, it shows how human's impact on the park’s environment, such as throwing garbage anywhere, but also human did some good things to protect the environment. The finding supports the idea of what average people thought. The park is polluted, and it causes the decreasing of the plants and animals. The garbage which was thrown by neighbors who lived nearby also worsens the pollution. Furthermore, some planting areas were destroyed by human as well.The information which given by methodology is very valuable for this research. For example, the Quadrant Method helps to found out the total number of the living plants and animals and it offers a huge c onvenience. Besides, the observation done by the groups showed how human impact on the local environment. The sense of sight and smell also help to determine the quality of air. The Secchi Disk is not used in this research because the water in the pool was not deep enough.Conclusion:  The information in the findings can prove the thesis statement and the data was used to analysis the human impact on the local environment. As an  artificial park, most of the stuff in there was built by human being. It was a place with high rate of human activities so that there were so much pollution and damage. The high rate of human activities is also the reason there lots of garbage in the park. The information about the park can also be used to help protect the environment of the park. As a citizen of Wuhan, human should try the best to protect the environment and the government should think some solutions such as let some volunteers to clean the park in time and so on. In brief, no matter ho w poor the environment is, humans should take good care of it.

Smokin essays

Smokin essays I sit down, and feel very uncomfortable. Slouching back it is comfortable, and my body loosens. My head rolling to the side, I am at peace. It starts, in, and I am at bliss. This is so nice, why would it ever need to end. The clouds are parting and my mind races. I hand it off, your turn, take it. As it heads around and back to me, I am free again. This is what happens as I live in Alaska. Now it sets in here, as we start in again. Its more of a ritual; I think that more and more every time. Since I know it happens every time we start in. it is so different now, is all I can think. Where did it all change? Why did it all change? For my mind being so free, it is sure full of a lot of things at these points in time. I used to be, on a regular base, like this a lot. Then I moved, it changes a lot of things for me, even though I try to think otherwise. In Alaska it was always the same thing. Im going cruising, I would tell my mom on my way out the door. My mom doesnt expect me home until morning now. Ah ha, I see Janices car in front of me, I wonder if it is Janice or Jamie, her older sister. They are both chill though, and they are both fun people to hang out with. Right on time too, we are both so predictable. I follow her for a few blocks, when is she going to head towards The Street. Ahh, there she goes, it is time to play. I am going forty-five now, it is a fifteen miles-an-hour zone. It always happens like this. Ohh, she chooses blueberry hill this time. Nothing new their, just one meeting point on the loop road. Turning down the music I roll down my window, and pull-up next to her. How you doin girl? Cool, just cruisin finding people like you to join me. I got Wesley with me, and he is completely full. He is always full, sure Ill join. Let me park my car at eagle. ...

The Greatest Ninja Battle in 1581

The Greatest Ninja Battle in 1581 It was a lawless era in Japan, with petty feudal lords fighting a never-ending series of small wars over land and power. In the chaotic Sengoku period (1467-1598), the peasants often ended up as cannon-fodder or incidental victims of the samurai wars; some commoners, however, organized themselves to defend their own homes, and to take advantage of the constant warfare. We call them the yamabushi or ninja. The key ninja strongholds were the mountainous provinces of Iga and Koga, located in what are now Mie and Shiga Prefectures, respectively, in southern Honshu. Residents of these two provinces gathered information and practiced their own techniques of espionage, medicine, warfare, and assassination. Politically and socially, the ninja provinces were independent, self-governing, and democratic - they were ruled by town council, rather than by a central authority or daimyo. To the autocratic nobles of other regions, this form of government was anathema. Warlord Oda Nobunaga (1534 - 82) remarked, They make no distinction between high and low, rich and poor... Such behavior is a mystery to me, for they go so far as to make light of rank, and have no respect for high ranking officials. He would soon bring these ninja lands to heel. Nobunaga embarked on a campaign to reunify central Japan under his authority. Although he did not live to see it, his efforts began the process that would end the Sengoku, and usher in 250 years of peace under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Nobunaga sent his son, Oda Nobuo, to take over the province of Ise in 1576. The former daimyos family, the Kitabatakes, rose up, but Nobuas army crushed them. The surviving Kitabatake family members sought refuge in Iga with one of the Oda clans major foes, the Mori clan. Oda Nobuo Humiliated Nobuo decided to deal with the Mori/Kitabatake threat by seizing Iga Province. He first took Maruyama Castle early in 1579 and began to fortify it; however, the Iga officials knew exactly what he was doing, because many of their ninja had taken construction jobs at the castle. Armed with this intelligence, the Iga commanders attacked Maruyama one night and burned it to the ground. Humiliated and furious, Oda Nobuo decided to attack Iga immediately in an all-out assault. His ten to twelve thousand warriors launched a three-pronged attack over the major mountain passes in eastern Iga in September 1579. They converged on Iseji village, where the 4,000 to 5,000 Iga warriors lay in wait. As soon as Nobuos forces had entered the valley, Iga fighters attacked from the front, while other forces cut off the passes to block the Oda armys retreat. From the cover, the Iga ninja shot Nobuos warriors with firearms and bows, then closed to finish them off with swords and spears. Fog and rain descended, leaving the Oda samurai bewildered. Nobuos army disintegrated - some killed by friendly fire, some committing seppuku, and thousands falling to the Iga forces. As historian Stephen Turnbull points out, this was one of the most dramatic triumphs of unconventional warfare over traditional samurai tactics in the whole of Japanese history. Oda Nobuo escaped the slaughter but was roundly chastised by his father for the fiasco. Nobunaga noted that his son has failed to hire any ninja of his own to spy out the enemys position and strength. Get shinobi (ninja)... This one action alone will gain you a victory. Revenge of the Oda Clan On October 1, 1581, Oda Nobunaga led about 40,000 warriors in an attack on Iga province, which was defended by approximately 4,000 ninja and other Iga warriors. Nobunagas massive army attacked from the west, east, and north, in five separate columns. In what must have been a bitter pill for Iga to swallow, many of the Koga ninja came into the battle on Nobunagas side. Nobunaga had taken his own advice about recruiting ninja assistance. The Iga ninja army held a hill-top fort, surrounded by earthworks, and they defended it desperately. Faced with overwhelming numbers, however, the ninja surrendered their fort. Nobunagas troops unleashed a massacre on the residents of Iga, although some hundreds escaped. The ninja stronghold of Iga was crushed. Aftermath of the Iga Revolt In the aftermath, the Oda clan and later scholars called this series of encounters the Iga Revolt or the Iga No Run. Although the surviving ninja from Iga scattered across Japan, taking their knowledge and techniques with them, the defeat at Iga signaled the end of ninja independence. A number of the survivors made their way to the domain of Tokugawa Ieyasu, a rival of Nobunagas, who welcomed them. Little did they know that Ieyasu and his descendants would stamp out all opposition, and usher in a centuries-long era of peace that would make ninja skills obsolete. The Koga ninja did play a role in several later battles, including the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, and the Siege of Osaka in 1614. The last known action that employed Koga ninja was the Shimabara Rebellion of 1637-38, in which ninja spies aided the shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu in putting down Christian rebels. However, the age of the democratic and independent ninja provinces ended in 1581, when Nobunaga put down the Iga Revolt. Sources Man, John. Ninja: 1,000 Years of the Shadow Warrior, New York: HarperCollins, 2013. Turnbull, Stephen. Ninja, AD 1460-1650, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003. Turnbull, Stephen. Warriors of Medieval Japan, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2011.

Philosophy final paper pre-question 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Philosophy final paper pre-question 2 - Essay Example Hobbes states that a state of War is inevitable provided these are the main characteristic features of the state of nature. The equal state of vulnerability among mankind makes all of us capable of harming each other, and this leads to the increase of negative vibes and fear. Moreover, relative scarcity directs us to competition. Now competition along with the absence of moral values can lead us further to a possibility of invasion and destruction of other people. Then there is rationality which further leads to a generalized notion of fear, so we are scared of everyone as all of mankind are in same situation. In this way, everyone is dragged into the scenario of violence, and this is what Hobbes describes as a state of war with a continual likelihood of violence. Further, Hobbes tries to associate the conception of the state of nature with that of a sovereign authority. The five main qualities mentioned earlier make the state involve in no cooperation among its mankind. In Hobbes’ own words, â€Å"the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.† But as there is no law or government, the question of just or unjust does not value much here. There is no common power to enforce any kind of law, which means there are no moral laws as well. That strongly indicates that men are independent with the right to use their own power to preserve themselves. But does it mean that there is a need of a sovereign authority? The conception of a sovereign is defined in general by the quality of common or mutual agreement and understanding among a group of like-minded people. But if men have the right to use their own power, then what kind of ‘right’ will the term actually be holding? So the appropriate denotation of the term ‘right’ has to be determined. But then, the concept of ‘right’ in this context also contains the notions of ‘ought’ and

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 35

Ethics - Essay Example In addition, ethics creates a professional working environment while regulating employee behavior towards a more profitable organization. Ethics also encourage the establishment of a solid framework to reward or reprimand employees concerning their conduct. In addition, ethics facilitate actualization or job satisfaction. One of the best ways to enhance professionalism is through leadership where leaders serve as a role model for the staff; moreover, leaders should be in the first line to practice what they ask of their employees. Therefore, as a project manager, it is more efficient to establish democratic leadership, which calls for consultations with all stakeholders within an organization. This would enhance the flow of ideas as well as information and ensure that all employees play a role in the decision making process. The decisions made should emulate ethical values as a basic step towards employee empowerment and encourage teamwork, which in turn, leads to attainment of a higher level of performance. An effective project manager should act to motivate staff members and establish a professional relationship. This can be best attained by defining a viable framework for rewarding or punishing employees. The framework encourages employees to abide to ethics and laid down standards of operation, where they are then rewarded for their efforts. Employees who deviate from the norm are thusly subjected to punishment in accordance to established values. In order to instill code of conduct within the organization, the project manager should also organize training seminars for employees. This is aims to inspire the workers, sensitize them on the importance of practicing professionalism by upholding ethics, and set policies. Emphasis should be placed on the benefits of respecting professional ethics and the code of conduct. This is concerning proper utilization of resources, efficiency and fluency of projects undertaken

Capital Budget Model Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Capital Budget Model - Term Paper Example Financial modeling as explained above is the task of creating a representation of a real financial situation in the world. It consists of the process of forecasting the performance of a financial portfolio or asset of a business through the use of a mathematical or scientific model in order to provide management of a business with adequate information to make informed decisions on the types of portfolio and assets to finance in the future. To understand more about financial models, it is important to critically review them and understand why they are important in today’s financial world. Let us begin with a critical review of financial models. Financial modeling consists of the process of forecasting the performance of organizations and assets, through the use of relationships among a number of variables. This provides the management of an organization with insight into the short-term and long-term environment of business in order summarize specific events to provide direction concerning possible alternatives or actions management can take to achieve set goals and objectives. Financial models can be created in numerous ways, either by the use of a pen and a paper, or computer software. What is most significant, however, is not the type of user interface that is used, but the fundamental logic that incorporates the model. For example, a model can summarize the returns of an investment, such as Sortino Ratio, or it may assist approximate the direction of the market, such as Fed Model.

Business Environment Analysis For Marks And Spencer Economics Essay

Business Environment Analysis For Marks And Spencer Economics Essay My chosen organisation is Marks and Spencer. Marks and Spencer has six main objectives. The main goal of any business is to increase profit. This is done by working out the total revenue that the business has made from selling and costs of its product. For any business to survive, profit must be earned. Like any other business Marks and Spencer needs to increase its sales. To do this they must fulfill what the customer needs and desires. To increase their sales Marks and Spencer needs to attract new customers by for instance aiming for the younger market whilst at the same time ensure that its loyal customers are kept satisfied with a supply of products which cater for their needs. Marks and Spencer also have the objective of earning market leadership. In order to do this, they must become more competitive. By meeting the wants and needs of more customers as well as by attracting more potential customers and offering better quality for affordable prices, Marks and Spencer can oust the competition and achieve a high standing status in the market. Offering a high quality service is also one of Marks and Spencers objectives. In their annual report they claimed that no one cares more about quality than they do and in fact Marks and Spencer are well known for this. Like other businesses another objective for Marks and Spencer is growth. For Marks and Spencer to survive and to be competitive, the issue of growth must be attended to. By growing, the business is expanding globally and thus achieves recognition in different countries attracting different pools of clientele. The last objective of Marks and Spencer is rewarding shareholders. It is important for a business to keep the shareholders content since they are a fundamental source of investment. Marks and Spencer needs to make profit in order to maintain share holders as well as attract further investment. Each of these objectives has its own importance, neglecting either one of them would surely bring the organisation to a halt. Marks and Spencer has created a set of six priorities in order to better meet the objectives it has set out. The organization aims to retain their leading position in the market whilst improving their performance in certain sectors which do not make as much profit as other areas, such as for instance the food sector. In this way they can continue to satisfy the current customers they hold whilst attracting potential customers by focusing on better promoting one of the branches of their business. Through the optimization of margins, controlling costs and expenditure and maintaining a strong balance sheet, Marks and Spencer can ensure a better calculation of its profits and losses and thus have a better chance of securing its place in the market through the composition of a well-planned market strategy. Finally and by no means as a last priority, Marks and Spenc er deems it necessary to enforce high ethical standards. Essentially the organization has to increase its sales since this is the only way in which it will be able to make a profit. It therefore has to invest in its products and ensure that these are marketed well as its ultimate goal is to attract customers and keep them from going to their competitor. It is of no surprise that driving their international business is not a first priority since ultimately I think they would be better off ensuring that the organization is functioning with utmost profitability before seeking to expand to other areas. 1b) External stakeholders play an important part in the achievement of the business, this is because they sell to and purchase from the company, but they are not employed by the company. They are considered stakeholders as they stand to gain from the company. Some external stakeholders of Marks and Spencer are customers, suppliers and the general public. One of the most essential stakeholders of a business is the customer. The customers of Marks and Spencer purchase the products marketed by the company resulting in a profit for the organization. Without customers the business would not survive. Suppliers are external stakeholders as they sell their products to Marks and Spencer in exchange for a price; thus both parties benefit from this relationship. Marks and Spencer need to take care of their suppliers to ensure that the suppliers continue to provide them with good quality products for a reasonable price, so that in turn Marks and Spencer provides its customers with the same good quality products at competitive prices. Another important stakeholder is the general public. The organization must take into consideration various factors when developing products as well as their production processes. The reason for this is the impact and influence which such process or product may have on potential and actual customers. Marks and Spencer have to ensure that their goods are environmentally friendly and are produced in an environmentally friendly way. Having a means of production which creates high health or environment hazards will result in a decline of people purchasing the product, or potentially purchasing from that organization, therefore, a lower amount of sales and consequently a reduction in profits. 2) There are several conditions that affect demand in an organization. A change in a customers income is one such condition. If the purchaser does not have a good income to maintain himself or his family, then he will definitely not have enough money to treat himself to something that he wants, conversely, if the buyer earns a good income, he would be more likely to spend. Thus the rise in income is directly proportionate to the demand and affects it in such a way that with an increase in income, the consumer will tend to purchase more products than he would if he earned a lesser amount. Marks and Spencers offers high quality products with good value, thus people earning an average wage would definitely afford their products. A second condition is when a substitute product changes its price. The increase in the price of one good will direct to an increase in demand for the competing product. Another condition is when a price of a complementary product changes. Here one considers supplies that are in complementary demand, such as the demand for video players and video films. If Marks and Spencer sells DVD players at a cheaper price, the likelihood is that more DVD players will be bought. This will lead to a growth in market demand for DVD films. The changes in weather also condition demand. The price of a product fluctuates when either demand or supply changes. For example in good weather the supply of grains and oil normally increases. Customers will tend to purchase more when products are more readily available and are at a lower price. One can also consider the scenario where the change in climate or weather increases the demand as is the case in the sale of umbrellas when rain is expected. Another condition is the changes in taxation on the product. The implementation of a tax by the government affects product prices in such a way that the organization will have to raise its price in order to be able to meet the tax requirement, cater for the expenditure incurred for the purchase of the product as well as keep a percentage of profit from the sale. Thus one must assess whether the business can pass some or all of the tax onto the customer through a higher price without negatively affecting the demand. Clothes and accessories are essential products in todays world and affect all levels of society indiscriminately. A condition that relates to their demand is changes to tastes and fashions. Companies try to influence the varying tastes and preferences of households in favor of their products with the help of a good marketing and advertising strategy. The influence which these advertisements have on the public brings about an increase in demand for their products. Marks and Spencer offers a wide range of variety in clothes. They offer a selection of inexpensive to extravagant and luxurious products that cater for every pocket. Another condition is a change in the population, such as growth. Due to the inelasticity of demand of a product such as food; which will continue to sell despite any increase in price; as the population grows so does the demand. Consequently this leads to growth in agriculture and the expansion of cultivated land. I think in this type of situation the only thing that Marks and Spencer can do is generate more products so as to cater for a bigger demand by the growing population. Marketing in itself is a condition which affects demand. Marketers must pursue constant research and should not rely solely on their own judgment to determine whether marketing decisions need to be adjusted. When considering price adjustment, the marketer must investigate the effects which a change in price is likely to have on target market demand for a product. Understanding how changes in price affect the market requires the marketer have a firm understanding of the concept of elasticity of demand. This entails an evaluation of the price and how it alone affects the overall demand. This assessment necessarily requires one to consider the manner in which competitors may react to the marketers price change by changing the price of their product. Thus one here anticipates the market reaction and how this will affect company revenue. Marks and Spencer continue to strive to meet customer demand; the expansion of their websites offering free delivery and online deals clearly illustrates this. Marks and Spencer have continued to endeavor to provide a better service by increasing the number of people in their trading teams in order to focus on bringing the right products to the right stores, to meet the ever-growing demands of the customer. 3a) A mixed economy is when both the private and the public sector take part in the production, distribution and all other economic activities within a state. The mixed economy permits the inclusion of private contribution in the field of production in a situation of competition with an aim of achieving profit. This mixture of free enterprise and government control has been looked upon from varying perceptions; some claim it is beneficial whilst others believe it has no impact or is detrimental to the economy of that state. An advantage of a mixed economy is that it assists in increasing over-all production in the nation.  Private and public segments work hard in order to bring about more production. People can take the initiative to start companies on their own, whilst deciding what to produce and the prices they will charge for the goods or services that they offer.  Ã‚  Another advantage is the use of government revenue through the payment of taxes, these organisations obtain benefits such as those provided by government services like social programs, subsidies and other government incentive programs. The benefits of mixed economies have been witnessed by the growth of some states into some of the leading markets in the world such as those of the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Some disadvantages of a mixed economy are that businesses have to find their own niche in the marketplace for products, and that they have no control over the taxes they pay.  Companies often complain of tax rates being too high for the services and products they offer. Certain economists opine that in fact, mixed economies hardly ever accomplish the growth at which they are aimed. They also criticize the fact that the mixed economies do not make proper use of national resources. 3b) The current economic climate of the USA is a recession, as seen in the figure below. A recession is a phase of general economic turn down. This comes with a fall in the stock market, an increase in unemployment and a turn down in the property market. If a recession persists long enough it is often then classified as a depression. The last two depressions of the USA occurred in 1990-1991 and 2001, lasting eight months each and only two of the ten previous post-depression downturns lasted as long as a full year according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Tony Fratto, the Deputy Press Secretary for the White House emphasized on the need for the American Government to take the necessary steps to bring the economy back to its full force. He propounded on the importance of returning the financial and credit markets back to their normal state, and to try to re-establish the housing market. Mr. Fratto also held that in order to reach stability the states must necessarily take cognizance of the current unemployment situation. Although there is no singular cause, one of the principal reasons given to explain the current economic recession was the housing downturn that resulted in losses of multibillion dollars for one of the nations leading banks as early as 2006. Furthermore, June 2007 was recorded as a period with the lowest rate of home sales and in December of the same year, the recession was deemed to have started. In 2008 due to a reduction in the labour market, the costs of living rose along with the unemployment rate, leading to a reduction in the peoples savings. In 2009/2010 the global markets continued to shift, unemployment increased whilst profits, interest rates, expenditure and investment continued to descend rapidly. Various commentators have stated that the present recession is one of the extended downturns since the Great Depression of the 1930s. What is President Obama doing to try to get out of the recession? President Obama requested Congress to provide him with an economic package the value of which amounted to more than 800 Billion Dollars in order to be able to cope with the current economic crisis. As part of his economic policy the President engaged in a series of talks with the banking sector to introduce new banking policies for the benefit of its customers. Monetary and fiscal policies are being updated, special care being taken so as to reduce the present economic crisis. Many US economic policies are being promulgated by government to stabilize the financial sector. A motion was put forward for the modification of health insurance in order to ensure better health for residents and counteract the repercussions that poverty might bring upon the American citizens. The introduction of new inventions and ideas would help in the economic development of the continent and generate a new source of investment and income. Currently, one can see an immense expansion being demonstrated in the area of computing, aerospace, medical and military equipment. 4a) Price intervention in the context of the European Community refers to a point when the world market price falls below the EU price, the EU interferes to buy the surplus product, in order to keep the price high. Fifty years ago, the importance of the EU agricultural policy was to supply enough food to a Europe coming from a time of shortages, due to war. The EU policy seeks to facilitate the route for producers of all forms of food; such as crops, fruit and vegetables; in order to enable them to compete with other producers on both a European and a global scale. The EU nowadays helps farmers by giving them payments to keep their lands in good condition and to meet the environmental and animal welfare standards, as an alternative to paying famers to produce more. The Common Agricultural Policy with the help of the Community, purchases farm products after the market price falls below the agreed level so as keep itself from the accumulation of Butter Mountains and Wine Lakes. The advantages of price intervention in the EU through the Common Agricultural Policy are that it provides incentives and measures to raise productivity and ensure reasonable living standards for the agricultural society. It also promotes the stabilization of the market whilst ensuring availability of food products at reasonable and realistic prices. The disadvantages are that due to an increase in productivity leading to a surplus which can result in Butter Mountains. These cause an increase in the tax load on EU Member States due to a rise in the contributions each must make to the budget. I think that the European Unions Agricultural policy is a necessary tool which allows farmers to maintain their jobs whilst keeping agricultural produce at a stable price for everyone to afford and thus minimalising waste and expenditure. http://europa.eu/pol/agr/index_en.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4407792.stm 4b) Introduced in 1999, the European Economic and Monetary policy aimed to facilitate the free movement of goods, services, capital and labour. Full integration necessitates the harmonization of member states in certain sectors in order to achieve greater unity and symmetry. EMU in conjunction with other policies implemented by the European Community seeks to achieve this objective. Having the euro as a common currency has proved particularly useful during the recession because it provided more stability for countries within the Union by allowing them to deal with the economic crises in a strategic and co-ordinated manner. The benefits of being in the Euro-Zone are that goods, services and profits are easily moved across the national borders of the Unions member states. The Euro has gained strength over the years and now competes with strong-standing currencies such as the American Dollar. An additional benefit of the adoption of the EMU is that it is now becoming far easier to trade, travel and invest within the Union itself. However, in order to join the EMU, EU member states need to meet certain criteria. Every governments debt must be not exceed 60% of a countrys gross domestic product, the deficit must not be greater than 3% of the nations gross domestic product and the inflation rate must be reduced to below 3.2% and conversely government bonds producing 7.7%. Member States encounter certain additional problems when considering full integration with the European Union; these include dealing with tax, the application and transposition of different regulations affecting financial intermediaries along with security trading systems. In conclusion I would like to speak from my own personal experience as the citizen of one of the smallest member states in the Union. Malta adopted the Euro in 2008; the process of adjusting our economic and financial institutions to meet the established criteria was no easy one. The strive towards full integration is no easy task but so far has reaped many benefits, the only hope for the future is that it will continue to do so. http://lexicon.ft.com/term.asp?t=Economic-and-Monetary-UnionEMU http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/publication_summary12325_en.htm http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=LZQpGtQWjRL2yvLcRhXHT5tv3vQhW31Mcq3jhc1qYn14HWcGPT4g!631636653!610724718?docId=5001841397 Bibliography 123helpme, (2010) Marks and Spencer objectives, [Online] Available: http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=149330 [Accessed 2/1/10] Blurit, (2010) Mixed Economy [Online] Available: http://www.blurtit.com/q917361.html [Accessed 20/1/10] Economy Watch, (2010) Mixed economy, [Online] Available: http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/world-economic-indicators/mixed-economy.html [Accessed 20/1/10] HNC/D Module 1 Course Notes, RDI, 2005. 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