Macroeconomics Term Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Macroeconomics Term Paper - Essay Example The financial crisis will shed its impacts around the globe due to globalization. The livelihood of all people at every corner felt the heat of crisis (World Bank, 2009). One of the prime causes for the financial crisis to take place is collapse of the real estate market of United States, also characterized as the housing bubble. The collapse resulted in surge of mortgage loan defaults. The collapse of the real estate market and the subprime mortgage market of the U.S. had the severe effects around the globe. Uncertainties crept in the financial markets. The creditors reacted to the situation by pulling out funds as well as cashed out the securities that were issued by the concerned financial institutions. The situation became so severe that some financial institutions failed to survive while others just managed it. The loan and credit possibilities from the bank dried up. The investors began to dump their investments and therefore downturn in the share market was the inevitable outcome. The system suffered from the loss in confidence. The banks took the policy to borrow with the view to create securitization. As long as the banks can pull out money by selling loans on the basis of securities, they did not feel the dependency to rely on the savers. Some banks directed themselves into mortgages. The government pressurized the banks to offer loans to the poor and these loans involved the risks of getting defaulted. The banks were used to purchase the mortgages with the aim to securitize them and then sell them off. The exposure of the banks towards risks gained probability. The lending process slowed down with the realization of the problem. Some of the banks were on the verge of the most risky loans which was beyond the intention of the investors. The lenders wished to take back the loans. The investment banks could not make much progress as they had little deposits to deal with. The situation

Public Education Campaign on Water Conservation Research Paper

Public Education Campaign on Water Conservation - Research Paper Example Most of the efforts on water conservation have been conducted in the urban areas, particularly in the residential sector. According to Woodhouse (2009), the option of increasing the cost of water would not be viable in conserving water in these regions because the current cost is already considered high and demand for water tends to be inelastic. Hence, a voluntary approach has to be adopted through education. This paper analyzes some of the common practices of water conservation giving the benefits that result from these practices. Adopting the planning strategy suggested by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, UNESCAP (2002), this paper suggests the planning process for a campaign aimed at educating the public on water conservation supported by arguments from other scholarly journals and books. Introduction The security of freshwater continues to be a critical issue globally due to the increase in usage of limited resources by the increasing popul ation with subsequent decrease in availability. The unavailability of freshwater has been largely attributed to increase in pollution, deforestation and inadequate management (Zobeck & Schillinger, 2010). Therefore, to secure a sustainable future with water, there would be the need to improve the efficiency in water supply and usage. According to the UNESCAP (2002), water conservation describes the action taken to ensure efficient usage of water. It could be accomplished either by conserving water resources through efficient storage, transfer and management of raw water or by conserving water supply, which includes consumption without wastage and minimal losses in distribution. From ancient days, various methods for water conservation have been adopted. Canals were constructed so as to convey water to farm lands to improve crop production. This would mostly be accompanied by construction of reservoirs to retain water for future usage, be it agricultural or domestic use. Construction of terraces reduced runoffs while plowed fallowing, deep plowing and contouring ensured retention of moisture particularly in farm lands. Recognizing water capture as â€Å"the first step in water conservation,† Zobeck and Schillinger (2010, p. 3) argue that frequent plowing would, however, make the land devoid of moisture. Practices such as stubble-mulch tillage that emphasized the importance of covering the surface were adopted as water conservation mechanisms. Modern conservation measures include use of water saving appliances and devices such as showers and faucets, toilets, dishwashers, pressure reducing valves and insulated hot water pipes (Green, 2010). Behavioral practices of water conservation include turning off the water when brushing teeth and reducing the amount of water used per person when showering. Other approaches include operational methods where leakages would be detected in time and repaired; financial methods that include deterrent pricing of water tari ffs; and socio-political methods that include public education and legislation. The benefits to be gained from water conservation campaigns are unlimited, with Green (2010) noting that with increased budget allocation to such campaigns, there would be quantitative demand reduction which would lead to documentation of the benefit of the program. These campaigns would make the saved water available to the less privileged that do not have sustainable access to services of water supply. Zobeck and Schillinger (2010) note that adoption of water conservation measures play a critical role in promoting agriculture by curbing erosion and controlling weeds. Nonetheless, scholars concur on water conservati