The Earth Charter and the Environment

The Earth Charter and the Environment According to (Vilela, Soskolne and McDermott,1997), Buddhist influence the creation of the Earth Charter as an enshrined in what is a brief document that embodies the values and ethical principles necessary for the sustainability of life on earth. Move on, Virtue Ethics is a trait deemed to be morally excellent and thus is treasured as a foundation of value and good decent beings. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting individual and collection of wellbeing. This essay will highlight and relate the principles in the Earth Charter to the theory of virtue ethics. Moreover, it will also elaborate on how understanding of principles could help us to address and possibly alleviate an environmental issue in the Pacific. To begin with, the Earth charter starts with a preamble, provides context and articulates its four major principles: Respect and Care for the community of life, Ecological Integrity, Social and Economic justice and Democracy, non-violence and Peace (Earth Charter, 2013). Therefore, the principles assert the basic value of the ethical system of the Charter, is that all livingbeings have intrinsic value and that human beings possess an equal inherent dignity. Each being is understood to be a â€Å"teleological center of life† The moral attitudes that logically follow from these values are enumerated in Principles 1 and 2. Principle 1 asserts respectfor life and the inherent dignity of persons, and Principle 2 asserts care â€Å"Care for the community of life with accepting, consideration, and sweetheart.† Respect and Care for life and human dignity are the two fundamental moral attitudes required by the Charter. A moral attitude is an understanding and outlook toward othe r beings that structure specific moral response sand relationships. The values of intrinsic value and dignity require the moral attitudes ofhumans (Taylor, 1986). Respect and Care for life in general and for specific manifestations of life on different levels of relationship for instance on the human level, respect and care for persons. What follows from virtue ethics are duties to respond to others in particularways? Principles pertain to rights and duties that follow from, are necessary to actualize, one’s values. These duties are codified in terms of Moral Principles. The moralprinciples are abstract expressions of forms of conduct, of moral responses to the call ofthe other, which one commits to with the adoption of a moral attitude. The moral attitudes of respect and care commit one to certain modes of conduct embodied inprinciples on each level of relationship. A central part of the articulation of the cosmopolitan (Weed and McKeown, 1998) ethics of the Earth Charter is the explication of principles on each level ofrelationship. The four categories of principles in the Charter speak to these different levels of relationship. Stand ards of character, in turn, pertain to dispositions or character traits thatpre-dispose one toward particular choices and actions. They constitute moral resources that comprise one’s moral sensibility, which enables one to act in accordance with what one understands in principle to be right. One can understand what the right thing to do isbut not have the will to do it. Dispositions pertain to the will, the character, to do what is right. A disposition is a character trait that enables one to fulfill one’s responsibility, as defined in principle. In addition, standards of character also entail capacities to respond. As Jonathon Glover posits there are two broad categories of moral capacities: restraint from doing harm and sympathy. These moral resources Are capacities and characters of consciousness and of natural human inclination that enhance our capacity to morally respond to others? Mahatma Gandhi once said that, â€Å"Mother Earth has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.† The Earth Charter: â€Å"Once basic needs have been met, human development is about being more not having more.† To understand the principles mentioned in the Earth Charter can only be successful if people are truly concerned about the nature. Therefore, the second half of the essay wills eexplain how an understanding of specific principles in The Earth Charter could help us to address and possibly alleviate one pressing environmental issue in the Pacific. â€Å"At the Planning and Policy for Ecosystem-Based Management Forum held in January 2010, senior natural resource managers from eight Pacific Island countries recognized the following serious environmental issues: sea-level rise and coastal engineering, availability of resources and data, population and socioeconomic change, greenhouse gases and climate change, land-based pollution, livelihood of people – food and land security, invasive species, sustaining fish stocks, outdated and conflicting policies and regulations and enforcement† (SPREP, 2010). However, as the Pacific mostly relies on sea therefore the populace advance is liable for further burden on the biomes almost universally; commercial mining is worsening these effects in various cases. Overexploitation for both subsistence and commercial use has caused severe reduction of numerous important food and profitable species. Species such as trochus, crayfish and turtles though are under some form of security an d regulations are also endangered. In addition, the second principle in the Earth Charter which states Ecological Integrity has to be completely and properly understood by every begin in order to alleviate the issue of Fish Stock Depletion and Coral Reef Degradation(SPREP, 2010). As the principle suggests to Protect and restore the integrity of Earths ecological structures, with concern for biological diversity and the natural processes that sustain life. According to it, we need to adopt to all levels sustainable development plans and regulations to make environmental conservation and restoration essential to all development advantages, establish and safeguard the Mother Nature and planet reserves, including wild lands and marine areas, to protect Earths life support systems, maintain biodiversity, and preserve our natural heritage. Promote the recovery of endangered species and ecosystems. Control and eliminate non-native or genetically modified entities are dangerous to intrinsic species and the environs, and preve nt primer of such harmful organisms. Accomplish the use of renewable resources such as water, soil, forest products, and marine life in ways that do not outstrip rates of redevelopment and that protect the wellbeing of ecosystems. Manage the removal and use of non-renewable resources such as minerals and fossil fuels in ways that minimalize depletion and cause no severe environmental destruction. Therefore, if we adhere to the laws of the nature we will be able to care and respect our nature. For example, there is certain law that has been implanted to protect the marine ecosystem. The first one is the ecosystem approach — comprehensive, scientifically substantiated and integrated approach to management of human activity to identify adverse impacts on the marine ecosystem and perform efficient measures for reduction of such impacts preserving integrity and sustainability of the ecosystem (Saeima, 2010). Secondly, the Convention on Protection of Nature in the South Pacific the aim of the Convention is to preserve, exploit and develop the natural resources of the South Pacific region through careful planning and management for the benefit of present and future generations (UNCLOS, 1982). To conclude, we need to realize these goals, we must agree to live with a sense of universal responsibility, recognizing ourselves with the entire Earth community as well as our native communities. We are at once the citizens of different nations and of one biosphere in which the local and global are interconnected. Everyone bonds responsibility for the present and future wellbeing of the human family and the larger living biosphere. The soul of human harmony and relationship with all life is wired when we live with respect for the secret of being, thankfulness for the gift of life, and modesty regarding the human place in nature. Once said â€Å"For human societies to achieve a productive, healthful, and sustainable relationship with the natural world, the public and private sectors must make environmental considerations an integral part of decision making† unquoted. BIBLIOGRAPHY Athanassoulis N, Environmental issues for Pacific Island countries www.gefcoral.org//environmentalissuesforpacificislandcountries.aspx Christopher, BA., Likens, GE., Rozzi, R., Gutierrez, JR., 2008 ,Integrating Science and Society through Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research, University Press, New York Elisa, A 2008, Personhood and Animals, Keele University, United Kingdom, pp.93-175. Emily. B, Aesthetic Character and Aesthetic Integrity in Environmental Conservation. Folse, Henry J., Jr, 1993 ,The Environment and the Epistemological Lesson of Complementarity, Aron Printers, Sydney. Hardship Vulnerability are Pressing Issues for Pacific Island Countries: World Bank, March 11, 2014 www.worldbank.org//hardship-vulnerability-are-pressing-i Ralph, RA 1994, Using and Abusing Nietzsche for Environmental Ethics, UK Publishers, London. Taylor, PW 1986, Respect for Nature: A Theory of Environmental Ethics Studies inMoral, Political, and Legal Philosophy, Princeton, N.J, Princeton University Press, p. 79. Weed DL and McKeown RE, 1998, Epidemiology and virtue ethics. International Journal of Epidemiology; pp. 27: 343 1

Alibrandi Dairy Entry Essay

I am writing for a number of reasons, As your father I feel really guilty for not being there for you and your mother for so long but If there is one message I would want you to hold in your heart always it is this you are loved unconditionally. that my love for you is not decided based on how you act, what you say or what happens on any given day. There are no conditions and the love is given freely to you Jose. I had never thought about what it would really feel like to have a child? To watch them grow and learn the ways of the world. I am often in awe at their wonder, their pure joy in the magic of life. But all at the same time I hurt when I see you Jose. But I know that you must experience life not just the small bits all of it, even the pain and the hurt it can bring. Although you and I have been in each others life for almost a year I want you to know, every day I see you becoming more and more yourself. I thank your mother for the hard work she has put into you because it must have been hard on her raising you own her own but I see that I have nothing to worry about because your Mother has raised an independent young woman, and I congratulate you on finishing your HSC and starting university, and I see the confident, strong individual I want to help you become. More than anything, that is my job as your father, to give you the guidance, support, freedom, and love to be who you are and who you want to be. It isn’t always easy, and I’m not always good at it. I get frustrated more than I wish I did. I yell more than I wish I did. When we butt heads, it is because I see my own insecurities reflected in yours like when you called me from school because you hit another girls nose with a book. Your mother and I want you to see the world stretched out before you, want you to see all the possibilities and potentialities and not be afraid of them, want to you be excited by your own abilities to shape your worlds, to change your futures, to make things right and better and beautiful. Jose if there is one thing I am thankful for it is you, Jose it hasn’t even been a year and yet and you have shown me what others long and search for many years, and that is love before I thought I had everything I had a great job, car and girlfriend but I always felt something was missing and you have shown me what I was missing. You are young and is still growing, and you are powerful. Know this, in your hearts, if nothing else. Even when you doubt it, or are scared or unsure, you are amazing, and you are never alone. Just as you are exploring and learning and making mistakes, so am I, as your father. But as your father, I am also doing all I can to make sure that you know that all of that is okay. And you, my Jose, my amazing Jose, are becoming who you are meant to be. I will help when I can, and get out of the way when I need to. But I will always, always be here, watching, amazed at who you are becoming. And if there is anything you need I am only a phone call away.

Case Study Regency Grand Hotel Essay

Introduction: The Regency Grand was Thai owned and operated. It was a profitable and successful company during it 15 year existence with very high morale within the company. Employee’s worked according to management’s instructions. Employees were not allowed to be innovated and creative. All decisions were at management level. When Regency was bought out by a US Hotel chain, the general manager decided to retire early. The American based company then appointed John Becker as general manager. John has 10 years experience with the American company. John was appointed due to his previous success integrating newly acquired hotels in the US. In most previous acquisitions, Becker took over operation with poor profitability and low morale. After he implemented changes the employees morale decline, absenteeism increased, customer complaints increased, and poor ratings in the media. 1. Culture–The US based company failed to research or invested in any culture changes that might affect employees when they acquired the Regency Hotel. 2. Change–John made sweeping changes that once worked in the past for fledging acquired hotels. Becker failed to plan and implement change. He did not involve any staff in the change process nor did he have a change agent to help oversee the change process within the newly acquired hotel. John based his decisions off what was successful in the past in American style business. He failed to consider the Regency was already successful and profitable with high employee morale. 3. Communication–John empowered employees to make minor decisions while only elevating major decisions to management. John failed to communicate expectations of what are minor decisions and what are major decisions. He also encouraged employees to be innovative and creative. * Problem Statement: There are several issues with this case, but the three main problems in this case are Culture, Change, and Communication. The American based company provided no culture training to John Becker or the staff at the Regency. John Becker had no plan for changes he implemented.  Lastly, but most important was the poor communications within the entire company. Even with the best plan; if it is not communicated properly then it will fail. * Analysis and Evaluation: During his staff meeting with management John did not communicate his expectations, nor did he ensure every manager understood the tool empowerment. Using the MARS model under roles perception, if tasks such as John expectations, standards, rules, and definitions such as the difference between major and minor issues were properly communicated then managers would not over turn employees decisions. Employees would have job satisfaction, high morale and a sense of purpose. Employee’s decisions were over turn by management led to increases in absenteeism, turnover, and customer complaints resulting in the decline of service in the media’s eye. Using the Expectancy Theory of Motivation, provide role clarity and increase reward with desired outcomes. ABC of Behavior Modification can be use to set effective goals use the Specific, Measurable Achievable Relevant Time-frames Exciting Reviewed (SMARTER) Alternative actions to improve the performance are 1- Build a manager/employee guide to communicate the standards, rules, expectations, and define what major/minor decisions are. Hire a SIGMA 6 facilitator to oversee the process. Provide comment boxes for suggestions of improvement, feedback, and open communication. In addition to employees Performance appraisals, provide a 360 scoring of managers/employees such as online surveys. 2- In addition to the first choice, open lines of communication within the organization such as the open door policy. Get the whole team involved in the decision making process through meetings gear to meeting their needs both for management and the employees. Provide employees an avenue to voice concerns (anonymous if needed), and address issues on an individual bases. * Recommendation: The best of the alternatives listed above is 2. This alternative provides open communication, training to the entire staff, and both managers/employees handbooks that outlines expectations, rules, and standards. It also provides an expert to oversee the process. This  alternative also fights for feedback both from management and employees. You must communicate the change to the entire staff, listen to the concerns, and allow for anonymous feedback. After meeting with management to explain the change, have a facilitator oversee this process. After the management team is onboard. You should involve the employees with the same concept as the management. Get the whole team involved in the development ideas for the guide. Assign certain team both management and employees with the task of creating the guides. This should be implementing immediately.

My Experience At The Marines And Starting School - 1104 Words

Now that our group has come to a decision, I think this assignment is great way to look back and reflect on our group journey. As the oldest member of the group, I knew that I might change the dynamics of the group. I have had many group activities were the other members give me more credit than I deserved because of my age and experience. In other moments, I tend to have too much initiative or assertiveness were I take control of the group. When I was in the Marines, I would quickly accept the leadership responsibilities and show the initiative to separate myself from the rest. After leaving the Marines and starting school, it has been a little different. Even though I want to go to my defaults, I get self-conscious about giving the younger students the opportunity to take the lead. I get this uneasy feeling that I am being too assertive or taking their opportunity to grow. So, to prevent that default or awkwardness, I did what I usually do in this kind of setting; I try not to take the leadership position and let others take that opportunity. I intentionally stepped back and watched things play out and helped if needed. Since I am a very vocal person, I found it hard taking this position. What really surprised me during the group assignments where the initiative each group member showed throughout our PSP journey. This experience reaffirmed my belief that with a group of motivated individuals and the right dynamics, pretty much anything can get done. Even though IShow MoreRelatedThe Ocean Has Been My Favorite Environment972 Words   |  4 Pagesthe ocean has been my favorite environment. It s the only place that I constantly feel at one with the earth and my surroundings. From an early age I always had an idea on what I wanted to pursue as my career. I would read books about the oceanic world below and The Great Barrier Reef in Australia. 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