The topic is life cycle impact assessment and the area of the topic is Case Study

The topic is life cycle impact assessment and the area of the topic is environmental impact assessment - Case Study Example This effect occur at all stages of a life cycle of a product. From the time a material is extracted from the source through to the processing, manufacturing, transportation, and finally recycling or disposal stage. This effect may be direct, involving emissions such as those produced by automobiles usage, or indirect involving impact of water ways from electricity production used during the manufacturing. One of the methodologies commonly used is life cycle assessment (LCA), which both involves direct and indict effect of processes and products. LCA has been confirmed to be useful in making consistent and objective environmental assessments. This concept has been broadened by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry to include the environmental impact and improvement phases, and the inventory. Studies have demonstrated the use Life Cycle impact Assessment (LCA) methods to analyse potential impact of various process on the environment. Lithium (Li-ion) batteries, often used in hybrid and electric vehicles to power plug-in have shown some promise of â€Å"fuelling† these hybrid and electric vehicles and help reduce emitting of greenhouse gas. However, there are some few notable areas in these Li-ion batteries that need to be improved in order to reduce possible public health and environmental impact. This is according to the â€Å"cradle to grave† study, which was conducted by the Abt Associates for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The study, which was conducted through a partnership involving the U.S. Department of Energy, EPA, academicians, and Li-ion battery industry, was the first LCA (Life circle assessment) to collect and use data given by Li-ion battery manufacturers, recyclers and suppliers. The main purpose was identifying materials and processes within the life cycle of Lion battery that could largely contribute impacts on environmental

The Life Of Li Cunxin Drama Essay

The Life Of Li Cunxin Drama Essay Li Cunxin, is one of the best male ballet dancers in the world. He has shown great courage, ambition and determination throughout his entire life. He excelled in the gruelling ballet training at the Beijing Dance Academy, made his way to be one of the premier dancers with the Houston Ballet for 16 years before moving on to another career as a stockbroker and today, he resides in Australia while travelling around the world as a motivational speaker. Li was born into a very poor family in 1961 in Qingdao in China which was then a communist country led by Mao. He lived in a very small town with twenty of his relatives. His family struggled to stay alive, living close to starvation daily, but because of the familys love for each other and their determination to live, they try very hard to survive each day. Lis childhood is filled with love and affection from his family. It was always in Lis mind that he wanted to be able to do something to help his family. He knew that ballet would be his familys best opportunity to escape the bitter poverty in his rural home in China. Sure enough, he was chosen to become a ballet dancer. Li then began his journey in becoming one of the best dancers in the world. His family is always there to support him on every decision he made, giving him full support, love and encouragement. At the age of eleven, Li began his training at the Beijing Dance Academy from 5:30 am to 9 pm for 6 days a week. No matter how much he suffered during the training, he never Tee 2 thought of giving up. He realised that dancing is his passion and it motivated him to give his 100% effort in dancing. Li would wake up at 5 in the morning when everyone is still sleeping and hop up and down the stairs to build the strength of his leg as well as his stamina. At night he would practice his turns by the candlelight. As much as he wanted to live a better life, he had never forgotten about his family that he left behind. Lis determination has steered him onto the path of success that helped him break free from his communist homeland. After 7 years of harsh training at the Beijing Dance Academy, Li had become a self disciplined and a student with great determination. He received a golden opportunity to study dance in America through a student exchange program under Maos regime. He was later offered a contract as a soloist with the Houston Ballet and danced for the company for 16 years. He was regarded as one of the best dancers in the world. In three international ballet competitions, he won silver and a bronze medal at three international ballet competitions and he performed with some of the best ballet companies in the world. Here are some quotes and principles that Li stands firm on which have led to his success in dance. Dance is the ultimate combination of discipline and freedom. Discipline is the foundation to become totally free and creative. If youre free without a foundation then you could go off the rails. His self determination, dedication and the willingness to work hard and always behave positively to achieve his goal is his approach to success and to dance. In the official site of Li Cunxin, here are the testimonials that document his influence on the development of dance. According to Australian Friendly Societies Association (AFSA), Without a doubt one of the most powerful and invigorating presentations I have seen. The AFSA are extremely impressed by Lis impact, style, personable nature and overall attitude. What makes me think that Li is impressive is in the sense of his style and Tee 3 movement in dance which are strong and defined which is beyond ethereal with his emotional conveyance. His dances are one of the dances that are hard to forget. I believe that his approach to dance is one of commitment and focus. From his attitude and behaviour, it can motivate us as dancers to keep in mind that we can do it as long as we stay determined. Lis film, Maos Last Dancer, is an amazing true story based on the extraordinary pathway he had to go through to become a famous dancer. Lis success is not just as a dancer, he succeeded in lighting for the true human ideal. The film Maos last dancer explores the struggle for two freedoms: personal choice and artistic expression. On the surface, this true story concerns the struggle between the eastern and western ideologies. While some people view his choices as heroic, others see him as a traitor to his homeland. In my point of view, Li left his family behind in Beijing to U.S and began to not only see the world for the first time, but also found his passion in dance. Going even deeper, viewers will see his struggle for creative freedom the ability to say, do, and dance what he feels as an artist. This is how he has made an influence in dance. I believe that it is true; he gives every dancer mental motivation and hope to achieve a goal by reminding us not to waste every single mome nt of our dancing journey. Other than that, Li likes to take on challenges. He requested to enter the America International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, the equivalent of the Olympics for ballet dancers and he achieved a silver medal. I wanted to get a sense of how my dancing stood up to international standards. (Li, 292). Li always had a positive attitude towards dance. He had to constantly confront and overcome his self-doubt and insecurities; even when he was locked up in the Chinese Consulate in Houston for 21 hours, which is one of the most famous and controversial defection in the U.S history. The FBI and also the then Vice Tee 4 president George W.Bush was called in resulting in a tension with the Chinese Consulate. The world waited for 21 hours to see what fate has for Li. Li walked out after 21 hours into the streets of Texas and never looked back ever since. These are what people admire about him the most. We have to find our own direction in dance; our own style by dancing from our heart and soul. Nowadays, the hard work and dedication towards dance that Li has are rarely seen. We can truly see that Lis story is a true fairytale about a boy who had a dream to become the best ballet dancer in the world. His view on dance training is one of determination and hard work because it provided a path for him to break free of communist China and take him around the world as a professional dancer. To prove the validity of the story above, here are the substantial evidences on his personal thoughts about his life in China. When Li was in America, he told himself that he was the fish and China is the pond. From this metaphor we can see how Li felt about China as a fish cannot exist anywhere else other than its pond so like the fish, Li thought he would not be able to live out of China. From what we can see from his life experience, the approach that Li took towards dance is full of determination, courage, discipline and the passion to be one of the best dancers in the world. His sheer discipline and the need for him to lift his family out of poverty drove him to achieve beyond his limit. Work Cited Elias, Debbie Lynn. Maos Last Dancer. 20 August 2010. Tonight at the Movies. . FAQs, Career. Li Cunxin Dancer, Stockbroker and Author of Maos Last Dancer. 2010. . Determination and Defection. TripAtlas.com. 2010. . Li, Cunxin. Maos Last Dancer. Offical Site of Li Cunxin. N.p., 2005. Web. 23 Aug 2010. . Li, Cunxin. Maos Last Dancer. Australia: Sheena Dewan, 2003.

Skate Boarding - Skate Boards and Protective Gear :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Skate Boards and Protective Gear The notion that protective gear reduces the injuries suffered in accidents seems at first glance to be an obvious conclusion. After all, it is the intent of these products to either prevent accidents from occuring in the first place or to reduce the injuries suffered by the wearer should an accident occur. However, the conclusion that investing in high quality protective gear greatly reduces the risk of being severely injured in an accident may mask other (and potentially more significant) causes of injuries and may inspire people to over invest financially and psychologically in protective gear. First of all, as mentioned in the argument, there are two distinct kinds of gear -- preventative gear (such as light reflecting material) and protective gear (such as helmets). Preventative gear is intended to warn others, presumably for the most part motorists, of the presence of the roller skater. It works only if the "other" is a responsible and caring individual who will afford the skater the necessary space and attention. Protective gear is intended to reduce the effect of any accident, whether it is caused by an other, the skater or some force of nature. Protective gear does little, if anything, to prevent accidents but is presumed to reduce the injuries that occur in an accident. The statistics on injuries suffered by skaters would be more interesting if the skaters were grouped into those wearing no gear at all, those wearing protective gear only, those wearing preventative gear only and those wearing both. These statistics could provide skaters with a clearer und erstanding of which kinds of gear are more beneficial. The argument above is weakened by the fact that it does not take into account the inherent differences between skaters who wear gear and those who do not. If is at least likely that those who wear gear may be generally more responsible and/or safety conscious individuals. The skaters who wear gear may be less likely to cause accidents through careless or dangerous behavior. It may, in fact, be their natural caution and responsibility that keeps them out of the emergency room rather than the gear itself. Also, the statistic above is based entirely on those who are skating in streets and parking lots which are relatively dangerous places to

Relations Between the Soviet Union and China Hostile Essay

What were the turning-point events that kept relations between the Soviet Union and China hostile for over 20 years? There were many disputes between China and Russia between the 1950s and 1960s. The disputes may be caused by ideological differences, self-interest, personalities of the leaders, or domestic problems. Mao and Stalin had ideological differences. Although Mao and Stalin’s ideologies are based on Marxism, Stalin believed Mao using the peasants as the basis for revolution is not the right interpretation of Marxism. Stalin thought workers in cities should be the basis to lead the revolution. Also, Stalin feared Mao compete against him in the Communist world, so Stalin wanted a weak China and the USSR will then dominate Asia. He made his policies through self-interests. Thus, Stalin wanted Mao to cooperate with Chiang Kai-shek instead of carrying out a revolution. Therefore Mao believed Stalin was not a true revolutionary. The Sino-Soviet Treaty Alliance is another example, which the Soviets acted through self-interest. The treaty, which was the first treaty between China and Russia, offered the Chinese Soviet expertise and low interest aid. However, it was signed after two months of negotiation and the Chinese was received poor treatment. Plus, the Chinese would have to repay Soviets’ aid with interests. Moreover, the Chinese traditional buildings were replaced with Soviet style buildings and Socialist sciences were prioritized over the western, which was far more effective than the Socialist sciences. Mao was not happy about Stalin’s actions in the Korean War. Stalin encouraged China to send troops into Korea. China sent one million soldiers to Korea and Russia gave China material assistance but China paid $1.35 billion for the Soviet equipment. Between 1953 and 1956, there were tensions and suspicions in Mao and Stalin’s relationship. Stalin might have purposely delay the end of the Korean War in order to weaken China. After Stalin’s death, tension between Russia and China has relaxed. Soviet leaders tried to make the treaties fairer for China. During the leadership years of Khrushchev, tension has eased between China and the USSR. However, tension rose again at the conference of Communist Parties. Mao called Russia to abandon revisionism, which supports Western Capitalists. Mao also believed the USSR is trying to isolate China. Deng believed capitalism had to be crushed in violent revolution. Khrushchev’s visit to Beijing in order to ease the tension caused by the conference was unsuccessful. Khrushchev’s hotel, which was infested by mosquitos, had no A/C in the summer. Also, Khrushchev who was bad at swimming was invited to swim with Mao. It was humiliating for Khrushchev because he had to wear tight swimming shorts and a swim ring. Meanwhile, Deng used this opportunity to criticize the Sovi ets. He said the Soviets had betrayed the Communist movement and had sent spies disguised as technical advisers to China. Next, a series of events caused China and Russia’s relation to deteriorate. The Taiwan crisis resulted the Soviets withdrawing their economic advisers and cancelled commercial contracts with China. Then the Soviets denounced the faulty design of The Great Leap Forward, which made Mao infuriated. Therefore, Mao would now aid any communist countries that do not agree with the USSR. An example of this would be China aiding Albania. In 1961, the USSR withdrew aid from Albania. Then China replaced the Soviet aid to Albania. This led to more hostilities between the two communist countries. Khrushchev and Mao also had different views on nuclear weapons. Mao did not fear nuclear war because he believed war is unavoidable in the revolutionary struggle. On the other hand, Khrushchev want wanted to co-exist with the US. The Test-ban Treaty was signed in 1963, in which the USSR and US agreed to stop nuclear tests. Mao saw this as the USSR siding with the imperialist powers. Also, China called the USSR for help on the development of nuclear weapons, but the Soviets rejected. After Khrushchev left office in 1964, the Soviets continued isolating China. The Soviets criticized the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. Also the Soviets used this opportunity to criticize China on its development of worldwide opium trade, receiving assistance from West Germany on nuclear research, and so on. China and Russia also had disputes on border. In 1969, they started fighting because of border disputes and Mao was prepared for nuclear war. In the end nuclear weapons was not used, but the dispute had threatened to turn into a full-scale war. The Vietnam War had also caused the disputes between China and Russia because they all wanted Vietnam to be influenced by their ideologies. In the end, USSR won and the Soviet-Vietnamese Treaty of Peace and Friendship was formed. In conclusion, mainly because of self-interest and different ideological views, Russia and China had conflicts on the Conference of Communist Parties in 1957, Taiwan, the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, the Vietnam War, and border issues. Because of these serious of events, China and Russia relations were hostile over 20 years.

Literary Standards Essay

There are generally considered to be seven standards a piece of literature should abide to in order to be considered ‘literary’. If a piece of writing is considered ‘literary’ this usually suggests that it is a scholarly article or classical writing that is extremely well written and is very informative. Literary writing can be intellectual and contain a lot of cleverly hidden meanings which ensure the writing can be enjoyed and studied on many different levels and often still enjoyed many years after it was written. Many people believe that literature cannot be defined and literary theory should simply be thought of as way of interpreting both texts and events. The seven standards that a piece of literature usually contains to be considered literary are: Permanence An important feature of great literature is that it endures. Classic literature such as Dickens is still enjoyed by readers today, generations after it was originally written and in a completely different world to the one it was intended for. This is extremely important because if a work of literature is not enjoyed 20 years after publication, it will simply be forgotten. Universal appeal This is similar to endurance in the fact that literature must appeal to a range of people across different age groups, nationalities, cultures and beliefs. Artistry The literature should be well written and appeal to our creative sides with beautifully crafted phrases and sentences. Sentences such as these are often memorized and can become famous phrases. Style The writer of literature will usually have a unique view of the world and will put thoughts to us in a way we have never considered. It may be thoughts about the world or it may simply be thoughts about the actual words used. Words may be used in a creative and unusual way that is entertaining and interested. Intellectually valuable Literary work will usually inform us about our past, our present or the world around us. It may not be in the form of facts and figures but it will help us understand our lives and realize truths about humanity and life in general. Literature should mentally stimulate us and enriches our thoughts. Suggestiveness Literature should carry many associations that lead beyond the surface meaning. Underlying suggestions usually carry an enormous amount of emotional power, often because it is not directly mentioned but hinted at through associations that can often be more powerful. The reader is left to establish what the author is suggesting and this captures the reader’s imagination by making think about what they are reading and engaging them into the story. Spiritual Value Great works of literature are often thought to have an underlying moral message that can potentially make us better people. Moral values are often written between the lines and can help us become better people. 1.ARTISTRY – this is a quality which appeals to our sense of beauty. 2.INTELLECTUAL VALUE – a literary work stimulates thought. It enriches our mental life by making us realize fundamental truths about life and human nature. 3.SUGGESTIVENESS – this is the quality associated w/the emotional power of literature. 4.SPIRITUAL VALUE – Literature elevates the spirit by bringing out moral values which make us better persons. 5.PERMANENCE – a great work of literature endures. 6.UNIVERSALITY – great literature is timeless and timely. 7.STYLE – this is the peculiar way in which a writer sees life, forms his ideas and expresses them.