A History Of Air Pollution In Pietermaritzburg Environmental Sciences Essay

A History Of Air Pollution In Pietermaritzburg Environmental Sciences Essay There is enough scientific evidence from various sources to support the fact that Pietermaritzburg is plagued by air pollution, which is worsened by the topography of the city. There is also much research proving the link between air pollution and asthma. Recent trials show, that not only does air pollution exacerbate asthma, it can actually cause asthma. However, there needs to be further research and trials done to scientifically prove this point. Medical statistics are extremely hard to come by in South Africa, which makes proving the link between air pollution causing asthma difficult. However, there is substantial evidence showing how air pollution triggers asthma attacks and makes them more severe. Air Pollution in Pietermaritzburg: History Past to Present day: Air pollution in Pietermaritzburg is not a new problem. There are over two-hundred newspaper articles in the Witness Newspaper Archives, dating back from the 1980s to present day, reporting on this issue. Old and current photographs of the city often show smog hanging over Pietermaritzburg. In the past, air pollution was caused mainly by cooking fires. However, todays pollution has the added toxicity of man-made pollution from factories and motor vehicles (Banfield, 1992). Twenty percent of Pietermaritzburg residents are affected by air pollution compared to five percent elsewhere in South Africa (Banfield, 1992). Pietermaritzburgs air is monitored by the Msunduzi Municipality, which has recorded that the citys air contains the following pollutants: particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen (oxides), ozone, carbon monoxide and many other harmful gases (Anthony, Nov 2007 and June 2007). Figure 1: Showing the smog formation over Pietermaritzburg: (The Witness Newspaper, 28 June 2008) (Wilson, 2008) Location of Pietermaritzburg: Pietermaritzburg, owing to bad town planning, has all of its main industry and landfill site in the citys bowl. This has resulted in a worsening of air pollution. The N3 highway runs straight through the heart of Pietermaritzburg, as the number of large trucks and vehicles increase, so do the emissions from these vehicles. The timber plantations on the escarpment of the citys basin and sugar plantations on the hilltops, add to the pollution in Pietermaritzburg as these plantations need to be burnt as routine farming practice. (Anthony, Nov 2007 and June 2007) Pietermaritzburgs geographical position in a valley causes a temperature inversion to occur. A temperature inversion is not a normal phenomenon, it only occurs in a valley (such as Pietermaritzburg) and the effect is worsened in winter. The cold air sinks down the sides of the valley and remains on the base of the valley frost may form here. The warm air (along with pollutants) then rises and stops half way up the valley slope to form a thermal belt. This belt traps pollutants and enhances their bad properties and negative health impacts, as the pollutants are not able to escape and they remain over the city and cause health hazardous smog to form. The diagrams below show the effect of the Temperature Inversion in Pietermaritzburg: (Sherriffs, 1989) Major Contributors of Air Pollution: The major contributors of air pollution in Pietermaritzburg are: emissions from industry, motor vehicles, fires at the landfill site and the burning of timber plantations and sugarcane plantations (Anthony, Nov 2007 and June 2007). Major industry, such as FFS Refiners, is guilty of adding to the pollution problem of Pietermaritzburgs air. Below are two graphs showing two of the major pollutants specific to the triggering and severity of asthma: Figure 2: Graph showing the daily averages and acceptable level (in red) of Particulate Matter (air pollution) in Pietermaritzburgs air (Anthony, Nov 2007 and June 2007) Figure 3: Graph showing the daily averages and acceptable level (in red) of Carbon Monoxide (air pollution) in Pietermaritzburgs air (Anthony, Nov 2007 and June 2007) In both graphs pollutants exceed the acceptable national pollution guidelines (highlighted in red) in the months of June and July (winter months) this is owing to the temperature inversion which worsens the pollution problem. Health Problems: Asthma is a chronic health condition, which causes inflammation and narrowing of the lungs airways, which causes difficulty in breathing for the patient and the patient may develop a dry, wheezy cough. Pollutants cause the restriction of the airways, as the pollution particles aggravate the airways of the lungs. Dr R.Gilbert, a general practitioner in Pietermaritzburg with an interest in asthma, states that the number of asthma patients that he treats is much higher than one would expect to find in a town the size of Pietermaritzburg. Dr Gilbert mentioned that Dr W.Robates, an ENT specialist, and Dr A.F.Jooma, a paediatrician, supported his views that the air pollution in Pietermaritzburg is a very real problem, which, without doubt, has a significant effect on the control and severity of asthma. He also states that many of his patients who leave Pietermaritzburg for significant lengths of time and then return often do not suffer from their asthma condition while out of the city. However, on returning, their allergies and asthma symptoms reoccur (Gilbert, 2010, Robates, 2010 and Jooma, 2010). In a telephonic interview with Umbalica Balrashie, the regional sales manager for Glaxo Smith Kline, a leading pharmaceutical company which promotes asthma products, information was provided noting that the three highest sales areas for asthma medication in Kwa-Zulu Natal are Richards Bay, Durban South and Pietermaritzburg. Both Richards Bay and Durban South are highly industrialised areas with significant air pollution emissions, when compared to Pietermaritzburg but owing to Pietermaritzburgs temperature inversion, the pollutants are intensified and therefore, the triggering and severity of asthma attacks in Pietermaritzburg are equal to these two industrialised areas (Balrashie, 2010). Community Views and Issues: Many residents in Pietermaritzburg have complained about the issue of air pollution in the city. In the year 1993, Pietermaritzburg residents spent nearly R1,5 million on asthma medication, stating that the citys pollution has significantly contributed to these costs (Quinlain, 1993). There have been many cases reported of families moving to Pietermaritzburg, and developing asthma or suffering from worsening existing asthma conditions, simply owing to the exposure and intensity of the citys air pollution, which is enhanced and worsened by the temperature inversion. Residents in Pietermaritzburg have complained continuously about the state of the citys air. However, the Msunduzi Municipality have done little about the pollution levels, as these levels of emissions are under the accepted and legal levels during most of the year. What the municipality has failed to promote to National Government is the fact that Pietermaritzburg is situated in a valley which causes a temperature inversion, ultimately worsening the levels of pollutants hanging above the city (in smog). This results in the pollutants being trapped over Pietermaritzburg. Industry and the Local Governments Role: Industry is responsible for the output of toxic emissions, which need to be monitored. Local Government need to take a more stringent and committed stance in relation to industry emission levels. The government needs to create awareness about air pollution and its negative health effects. Car emissions are great contributors to health problems (such as asthma). Pollution warning systems have been taught to the public in the United Kingdom (UK) by the government. South Africa needs to do the same (Hutton, 2010). The South African government has recently (March 2010) invested in a new air quality monitoring system (ODonnell, 2010), which monitors the amount of pollutants in the air and the quality of air (whether good or bad). The major areas of concern that need air-quality assessment and monitoring include transportation areas such as highway routes and main roads, urban areas, municipalities and local community exposure. (ODonnell, 2010) this suggests that Pietermaritzburg should be monitored closely along the main highway through the city and where industry is situated. However, for this to be successful, the local government needs to maintain the monitoring system and it costs a lot of money. This maintenance of the monitoring system needs to be put into South Africas yearly budget for the municipalities. National government needs to constantly assess the problematic pollution cities, such as Pietermaritzburg. This monitoring system should show improvement in the air. If not, the government can ascertain from the monitoring system which pollutants are most rife and where they are being emitted from. National government, together with Local government, could then work on strategies to lower the toxic emissions which ultimately cause health problems. Solutions: N3 Highway The N3 highway is a problem as heavy duty trucks create huge emissions. The railroads should be reintroduced to transport containers from Durban Harbour to Johannesburg. This would dramatically reduce the number of big trucks on the highway and as they often travel in the early hours of the morning, air pollution would be reduced as the temperature inversion is most significant in the early hours of the morning. Industry Local Government needs to work with industry in Pietermaritzburg to improve the amount of emissions that factories produce. As discussed, in an interview with Mr J.Pather, the Head of Environmental Health Services at Msunduzi Municipality, industry have complied in many instances to reduce emissions. From information supplied by Mr C.J.Anthony, Pollution Control Coordinator at Msunduzi Municipality, many specific air pollution issues have been dealt with. For example, Greys hospitals oil furnace has been replaced with paraffin (Anthony, Nov 2007 and June 2007). No further industry should be built in the citys bowl, this will contain the present air pollution. Pietermaritzburgs New England Landfill Site The New England Landfill Site needs to be moved out of the citys bowl. The particulate fall out is unacceptable and because of the temperature inversion, the pollution emissions are worsened. The municipality has attempted to improve conditions but the fact is that the landfill site needs to be moved elsewhere. Burning There are strict regulations concerning the burning of forests and sugarcane. These need to be monitored and implemented to prevent fire emissions in the wrong seasons. Monitoring National Government needs to work closely with Local Government and provide funds which will allow the municipality to upgrade and maintain air pollution monitoring equipment. Constraints: Economic Msunduzi Municipality is in a crisis. The control of air pollution is a low priority at present. It would be a huge expense to fix railroads and to move the Landfill Site. Pietermaritzburg lacks both funds and skills to drive the concept of clean air. Environmental Pietermaritzburg is surrounded by timber plantations and sugarcane farms. This cannot be changed. Conclusion: It is scientifically proven that air pollution triggers and increases the severity of asthma attacks. The link between air pollution and asthma is an accepted fact by specialists throughout the world. In recent years scientists have shown that air pollution from cars, factories and power plants is a major cause of asthma attacks. Further research is currently underway in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA) to prove this theory. Pietermaritzburg has high levels of particulate matter and ozone which are two pollutants directly responsible for the triggering of asthma attacks. The temperature inversion in Pietermaritzburg is a known geographical fact which worsens the pollution significantly. It is therefore scientifically correct to state that air pollution in Pietermaritzburg is worsened by the temperature inversion and this air pollution triggers and worsens asthma attacks.

Obese America :: Health

Fast-food restaurants have become archetypal in the past 30 years, and nearly all of Americans takes advantage of the tasty meals, quick service, and cheap prices. Convenient as they seem, these meals contain almost no nutrients. They are comprised mostly of saturated fats and highly refined carbohydrates and are loaded with sodium and sugar. Almost every fast food restaurant we all love to go to, doesn’t give us many option. When it comes to picking a healthy choice, instead of choosing between low fat or wheat we have the option of choosing how many patties, bacon or no bacon, cheese in the crust, how big of a soda, crispy or extra crispy. These are not very good alternatives. Another problem is when we see those large 64 ounce sodas at 7/11 that are way more for one person. Young kids buy them because they look cool, and adults, because they think it’s a good deal for a lot of soda. Why is that that in this country we have opportunities to many things we want, but wh en it comes to eating it seems like some of us always go the easy processed way. Why are there no alternatives to what we choose to eat or drink, especially in the fast food industry? The United States is home to the some of the most obese people in the world. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), obesity in adults has increased by 60% within the past twenty years and obesity in children has tripled in the past thirty years (Brownell). A staggering 33% of American adults are obese and obesity-related deaths have climbed to more than 300,000 a year, second only to tobacco-related deaths (Finkelstein). It is strange to see that America’s obesity numbers just keep getting higher and higher with really little signs of improvement. The people don’t have the problem it’s the Unites States in general that has the problem. According to Dr. Kelly Brownell, PhD, an expert on American diet and health, a study was conducted with the Pima Indians who live both in Mexico and Arizona. It was found that those Pima Indians who live in Arizona have much higher rates of obesity than their counterparts in Mexico, even though both group s of people have the same genetic and ethnic background. This is also true for many migrants of the US who have a much higher obesity rate than their relatives back home (Puhl).

Factors Affecting the Academic Achievement of Freshmen College Students Essay

Achievement of students in schools has been the concern of school authorities. Several solutions have been offered in order to improve the quality of instruction. Some of these prove to be effective for some time, but later new innovations are introduced thus sometimes affect the teaching-learning situations in the classrooms. Science subjects are important because this field have greatly benefited mankind in its efforts to improve the quality of life. In view of this, college education plays a vital role in molding the minds, interest, awareness and concern of an individual to prepare himself for the future. Recognizing that science makes life easier and meaningful, educational institutions, through the mandate of the government, focus its attention on the advance of science and technology in terms of classroom instruction at all levels. Science curriculum must be taught in terms of how it can develop scientifically literate society and how it can make an individual more responsive to the needs of the times. Based on observations, science instruction nowadays placed more emphasis on the mastery of the subject matter. When students did well in written examinations, teachers believe that the aim of the lesson has been achieved, but evaluation should not only be based on written tests but should also include oral and practical examinations to make sure that learning really has taken place. Since researchers are future science teachers, there is a desire to determine what are the factors that affect student’s achievement are. The researchers want to conduct a thorough investigation to come up with a possible solution to the problem regarding the science achievement of freshmen students. In view of this line of thinking, the present study is motivated to look into the factors affecting the achievement of freshmen college students in science which might affect the student achievement whether it would be for good or not. Background of the Study The researchers will conduct this study because according to an international science study by Garrison (2004) Filipino students performed poorly in understanding science concepts and principle. These findings were supported by other study conducted by (Askali, 1994) (Acuna and Dasilva, 1993) stating that college freshmen students are weak in science. All over the fast changing world, people learned to rely on science for their own survival and advancement. Man just willingly admits that without such â€Å"instrument† as propellers for progress, this effort to succeed and achieve would be limited and be made useless. The concept that the more knowledge a man has in science, the greater is his opportunity for change for advancement. It emphasizes that science is essential for national development progress. School curricula are supposed to develop the capabilities of students but according to statistics, approximately fewer than 10% high school graduates have the skills necessary to perform satisfactory in college level in science courses. Attempting to combat trend, nowadays, many science educators are turning to more ‘hands-on’ approach to their teaching. Instead of having their students memorize lengthy formulas they have them to do experiments; starting in the early grades this has been going on for years wherein teachers act as facilitators only. Many students believe that science subjects in the freshmen level are difficult. In fact some do not like the subject. This may be attributed to some factors that underlie student’s attitude toward the subject. The educational qualification of the teacher may also serve as a factor that hinders student’s attitude in their science subject. Students find it more interesting to play truancy than to attend classes especially if the method, strategies or approaches of teachers do not suit the mental ability of the students. Theoretical framework This study is primarily anchored on the cognitive theory by Jean Piaget, specifically †the formal operational period,† in this period the development of the learner’s mind follows concrete stages. Based on the formal operational method of Piaget, this rage of age is the beginning of logical and abstract thinking. According to him, youngsters demonstrate ability to reason realistically and consider possibilities. The learner’s thinking at this stage is propositional. They use statement that contains data. The major theme of Vygotsky’s theoretical framework is that social interaction plays a fundamental role in the development of cognition. Vygotsky (1978) states: â€Å"Every function in the child’s cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level; first, between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological). This applies equally to voluntary attention, to logical memory, and to the formation of concepts. All the higher functions originate as actual relationships between individuals. Benjamin Samuel Bloom’s Theory is founded on individual differences of the students. He justifies that some behavior or factors affect student’s learning process. In this study, the influence of students variables such as educational qualification of parents, availability of learning materials, attitudes towards science, peer motivation and learning styles are hypothesized that influence the academic performance of freshmen college students in science at Universidad de Manila.

My Observation At The Child Development Center - 2067 Words

Cady At the beginning of my third observation at the Child Development Center, I decided to observe a three-year-old girl that I will call Cady. I chose her because of her irrepressible attitude, which shown through in all of her actions and loudly voiced opinions. Throughout the semester not only did I gain developmental information about Cady, I gained some background information as well. She is the youngest child in the CDC, having only turned three during the last semester. Not only is she the youngest child at the CDC, she is the youngest of five children at home. Cognitive Compared to the other three-year-olds at the CDC, Cady is in some ways ahead and in other ways behind in her cognitive development. According to Piaget’s theory, Cady should be right at the beginning of the preoperational stage. By Cady’s age, children are heavily involved in make believe play and can use other items to symbolize what they want. Cady is just as advanced as everybody else she wa s around and showed this ability all the times she, and other children were using various types of blocks to build an â€Å"Elsa Tower†. This activity took place almost every day I was there; the children, and Cady, knew the blocks were not actually building the ice tower that Elsa made in Frozen, but they continued to pretend and act like it did. Another limitation of the preoperational stage was the rigid thinking the children have. Great examples were what happened when someone broke the rules. DuringShow MoreRelatedMy Observation On Child Development Center1334 Words   |  6 Pages My observation My observation was at the Grossmont college in the child development center. The address of this center is 8800 Grossmont College Dr El Cajon, CA 92020. Grossmont cares for 26 children from 6 months through 3 years of age. That meat 6 months by September 1st and not entered Kindergarten. Supply for the care and education of young children while their parents attend school or are employed by Grossmont College. The college and children’s center serve a diverse populationRead MoreReflection On Child Development1250 Words   |  5 PagesCourse Reflection Throughout this course, I have learned the differences between observation and recording methods, how to choose the most useful method, and why it is important to understand and be knowledgeable of child development, along with how I will use this knowledge in the future. The most important knowledge that has been gained is why it is important to understand and be knowledgeable of child development. Understanding the differences between the observational types and recording methodsRead MoreChild Development : A Continuous Process Essay973 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Child development is a continuous process where the physical, emotional and mental aspects of advance to complex form enhancing its brain, behavioral and body abilities (Montessori Center International, 2013, p. 4). Specifically, aspects of a child’s development are; physical that involves development of skills; intellectual deals with memory and ability to solve problems. Language development involves enhancing ability to communicate with others; emotional development is the expressionRead MoreBehavior Plan for Violence in a 1st Grade Class1204 Words   |  5 PagesThrough the last two weeks I noticed some behavioral changes in my first grade class; to be more specific I noticed increased rate of violence, increased rate of conflicts, increased rate of complains from two students, increased rate of bulling and increased rate of crying and screaming. So, I decided to schedule a set of observations for the whole class and other specific observations for the 2 students from which I received most of the complains to go deeper in to details and know the reason behindRead MoreThe Profession Of A Child Care Center Director1112 Words   |  5 Pagesthe profession of a Child Care Center Director. We will also discuss the results of an interview and observation conducted on a person who is currently employed in this professional career. Bright from the Start Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is an organization that is responsible for providing the requirements to open and maintain a child care facility in the state of Georgia. The organization is also responsible for conducting routine inspections at the child care facilities. TheseRead MoreI Am Working At A Child Care Center1348 Words   |  6 Pages Philosophy Early childhood is a field I see myself staying in for a long time. I am currently working at a child care center, and enjoy learning about the different ways to run a center and the new information available to us. I have worked at two child care centers, and while the curriculum and rules are different, the goal of having the best quality of service for the parent is the same. Providing for parents and wanting the best for every student by having staff who wants to work and wants toRead MoreA Study On Child Development Essay1715 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Observing a child will increase the knowledge on how child react in different situations; also, comparing to other cases, there might be some similarities, but there must be differences. In these observations, we are focused on the social relationships, reactions, language, and emotion. Based on what we have learned in the class, I know children a bit more than usual. Some children might be more mature than their ages, but some children might not be on their ages yet. For example, askingRead MoreCase Study : Child Development Of East Tennessee State University1233 Words   |  5 PagesStudy – Preschool Ehichoya Edokhamhen ECED 5210 – Advanced Child Development East Tennessee State University Introduction This child observation was carried out at the ETSU Child Study Center, after an appropriate permission was taken. I arrived at the Child Study Center at about 7:50am on Friday November 13, 2015, and I was taken to the Cricket Preschool classroom for my child observation. When I got there, there was only one child present at the class, and when I asked the teacher if heRead MoreA Short Note On Student Interaction And Student Interactions927 Words   |  4 PagesI witnessed many interactions throughout my observation. There were two types of interactions and they were teacher-student, and student-student interactions. With the student to student interactions the majority of these conversations were seen through play. The first conversation was about sharing. Two students were playing in the block center and they had trouble sharing certain blocks. These particular students were younger than the others. â€Å"That block is mine, I was playing with it first,† theRead MoreOrigi nal Writing Of The Classroom1156 Words   |  5 Pages Sitting quietly in the corner of the classroom one day, and bouncing off the walls in the gym the next, four year old Garrett was the little boy who I observed all three times at the Early Education Center. Garrett was always an extremely welcomed person while also being very welcoming to other people. Including his teacher, college workers, and his peers in and out of the classroom. He seemed to be the kid who everyone else naturally gravitated to. He never once had to ask to play with a group