Sustainability Issues with the Milk Industry Essay Example for Free

Sustainability Issues with the Milk Industry Essay A bottle of milk purchased in Christchurch is very like to be produced in the South island, either in Canterbury or Southland, which are the main dairying areas. The production process for milk: From the farm: milk is produced from grass, dairy cow’s graze on the grass and then they are milked twice a day using mechanical vacuum milking machines. The raw milk flows through stainless steel pipes to a refrigerated bulk milk tank. The milk is collected by road tanker every one to two days and taken to a milk processing plant. The Separator: at the processing plant the first step is separation where the raw milk is passed through a separator, which spins 100 times per second to separate the milk from cream. Standardisation: this is where cream is added back into the milk as some cows do not always produce the same amount of cream in their milk, also milk changes depending on the time of year. Homogenisation: is the process where the milk is heated and pushed through a very small opening to stop the cream rising from the top this evens out the fat so it all tastes the same. Pasteurisation: heats up the milk to almost boiling point to kill any bacteria and then the milk is cooled very fast. Packaging: The final stage of production is the pumped in to cartons of plastic bottles and then sealed. (Fonterra, n. d, milking it section, para. 2) The production of milk at a processing plant does not create many major issues relating to sustainable resources use and conservation. The key issues associated with the production of a bottle of milk are created at the start of production on dairy farms. Farmers engage in practices to enable the production of milk. Cows can eat up to 70kg of grass per day (Fonterra, n. d, grazing section, para. 1) which means a lot of land is needed for farming and chemical fertiliser is used on the soil to boost the growth of grass. Irrigation systems are also used to aid the growth of pastures to enable to dairy cows to continually graze so they can produce milk. (b) It is not environmentally sustainable to produce milk using the current method. One of the key issues is the use of chemical fertiliser. This fertiliser is used to increase the growth of pasture to allow farmers to maintain high numbers of stock per hector, which causes soil compaction and does not allow it to breath. The air spaces in the soil are very important as air and water travel through to the roots. Compacted soil leads to water logging, where bacteria that survive without oxygen flourish and create nitrous oxides (Greenpeace, 2010a, Chemical fertiliser a corporate treadmill section, para. 3) The fertiliser destroys the living humus in the soil, the biology micro-organisms and minerals critical for plant health and performance. Humus is organic matter that has reached a point stability, where it will not break down any further and if conditions do not change, it may remain as it is for centuries. If the humus is not working, the soil becomes lifeless and hard as a result any that is put on top of the soil does not get absorbed instead runs off and pollutes water ways. The fertilizer only creates growth of grass on the top of the soil and destroys the soils natural life cycle. Without this layer of natural humus, the chemicals in the fertilisers will eventually make its way down through the thin dead subsoil left behind, down into the earths underground fresh water tables. The chemical fertilisers destroys the nature’s own recycling system without earthworms and the soils micro-organisms that build humus decompose organic matter breakdown, manmade toxins protect plants and promote good soil structure, the soil erodes and cant sustain life and becomes worthless. (Scoop, 2011, para. 14) Cows that graze on fertilized soil are also known to have digestion problems and other health issues. (c) If this method of production is continued, there will be many future implications for the environment. The production of milk in Canterbury has many externalities as the cows on dairy farms produce a lot of pollution. The nutrient from farmland runs of into water ways and aquifers polluting the water which leads to algal blooms and degrades fish habitats. This is threating many native fresh water fish species and freshwater ecosystems (Forest and Bird, 2011, Freshwater species in freefall section, para. 1). The use of irrigation systems reduce water levels, by drying out springs, streams, lakes and rivers. Reduced water levels can block fish passage to and from the sea. The implications from this are again threatening ecosystems and using a lot of New Zealand’s water supply. As the New Zealand dairy industry expands to meet demand overseas, more cows are breed which creates more greenhouse gases. Whens cows burp they emit methane into the atmosphere which is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. (Greenpeace, 2010b, Agriculture and climate change section, para. 1) New Zealand’s agricultural sector contributes to half the greenhouse gas emissions, the use of chemical fertilisers, deforestation and gases emitted from cows are all factors that affect climate change. New Zealand’s clean and green image is also being tainted. (Greenpeace, 2010b, What happens if New Zealand agriculture doesnt lift its game? section, para. 1) The production of milk not only affects New Zealand’s natural environment but also has contributed to the destruction of Indonesian and Malaysian rainforest. New Zealand has been importing palm-based animal feed for livestock to boost production. In the last decade New Zealand’s demand for palm kernel animal feed has increased by 2000 per cent with the objective to produce more milk products without having to use more land. Fires are lit to clear the rain forests to make room for palm plantations, the conversion of carbon rich peatlands significantly contribute to climate change, creating 20 per cent of the global greenhouse gas emissions per year. The deforestation of these rain forests also destroys habitats for wildlife including animals such as orangutans and the sunatran tiger. If this method of process is to continue the future implications would increase climate change and species would to become extinct. (Greenpeace, 2010c, para. 1) . References Fonterra. (n. d). The storey of milk. Retrieved October 23, 2011, from http://www. fonterra. com/wps/wcm/connect/fonterracom/fonterra. com/Our+Products/The+Story+Of+Milk/ Forest and Bird. (2011). Agriculture. Retrieved October 23, 2011, from http://www. forestandbird. org. nz/saving-our-environment/threats-and-impacts-/threats-impacts-agriculture Greenpeace. (2010a). Intensive Farming. Retrieved October 20, 2011, from http://www.greenpeace. org/new-zealand/en/campaigns/climate-change/smart-farming/the-bad/ Greenpeace. (2010b). Smart Farming. Retrieved October 20, 2011, from http://www. greenpeace. org/new-zealand/en/campaigns/climate-change/smart-farming/ Greenpeace. (2010c). Fonterra implicated in rainforest destruction. Retrieved October 20, 2011, from http://www. greenpeace. org/new-zealand/en/news/fonterra-exposed/ Scoop. (2011), The Peoples Choice Party 2011 Campaign, Retrieved October 20, 2011, from http://www. scoop. co. nz/stories/PO1105/S00037/the-peoples-choice-party-2011-campaign. htm.

Setting in Greasy Lake by T. Coraghessan Boyle Essay -- Greasy Lake T.

Greasy Lake by T. Coraghessan Boyle Nature has a powerful way of portraying good vs. bad, which parallels to the same concept intertwined with human nature. In the story â€Å"Greasy Lake† by T. Coraghessan Boyle, the author portrays this through the use of a lake by demonstrating its significance and relationship to the characters. At one time, the Greasy Lake was something of beauty and cleanliness, but then came to be the exact opposite. Through his writing, Boyle demonstrates how the setting can be a direct reflection of the characters and the experiences they encounter. The lake itself plays a major role throughout the story, as it mirrors the characters almost exactly. For example, the lake is described as being â€Å"fetid and murky, the mud banks glittering with broken glass and strewn with beer cans† (125). The characters are also described as being â€Å"greasy† or â€Å"dangerous† several times, which ties the lake and the characters together through their similarities. The narrator explains, â€Å"We were bad. At night we went up to Greasy Lake† (124). This demonstrates the importance that the surroundings in which the main characters’ choose to be in is extremely important to the image that they reflect. At the beginning of the story, these characters’ images and specifically being â€Å"bad† is essentially all that mattered to them. â€Å"We wore torn up leather jackets†¦drank gin and grape juice†¦sniffed glue and ether and what somebody claimed was cocaine† (124). They went out of their ...

Renting Versus Buying a Home

Renting versus buying a home, what are the pros and cons? I: In todays’ economy, renting is a better option for some families. With the downfall of the economy and the loss of so many jobs, renting a home is a less expensive way for some individuals. Either families had to sell or foreclosure was the only option they had when the economy took the downward turn. Therefore, renting a home became the most convenient option available to those families hit hard from the economic change. One of the most important ideas to keep in mind when looking for a new home is, is this a suitable place.They always have to think about, where the kids will go to school, is this neighborhood safe, and most important will they be happy living here. There are some positive notes to renting versus buying a home. However, there are some cons also. II: The pros to renting a home can be positive. The cost to renting a home is typically less expensive than buying a home. Their monthly rent is less expens ive than mortgage payments, and they will not have to pay any property taxes. Property taxes will be the property owners’ expense.They will also have the ease of moving. If they choose to move, they will not have to worry about having to sell their home. If they sign a lease, they can move after their lease has expired. One other pro to renting can be the fact that they will never have to worry about paying for any maintenance or repairs. This will be the property owners’ expenses as long as the tenant was not neglectful and caused any of the problems. The security deposit that they pay upon moving in is what takes care of things that may have happened while living in the home.This is where the property owner will subtract monies when renter moves out for wear on the home. III: There are always cons to renting versus buying a home. When renting a home they will not have any equity in the home. They are paying for something that they will never own. Some people feel tha t when they rent they are just throwing away money or just helping the property owner buy their property. This is true as this is typically, why people buy homes. They make the mortgage payments from their renters but it is also their means of making money also.Property owners are their own bosses and some do not have normal jobs, this is their means of supporting their families. Renters also have to face that there can be rental increases also. They may sign a lease but when the lease expires, the property owner may choose to increase the rent. One other con to renting is the restrictions that property owners may place. This can be whether they can have pets, paint the walls a different color, or make any changes to the dwelling in which they are living without prior consent from the property owner.The positive to all of this â€Å"That renting is a better way of living in today’s economy. † Yes, there are some positives and negatives but the positives with renting ou tweigh the negatives. Most property owners will help renters with things that will make them more comfortable but within reason. The renters just need to have an open mind and talk to the owners. Most property owners will bend as long as the tenants talk to them in advance and are willing to pay for things such as painting an inside wall to a different color, or planting things that will make the place more pleasing.Things like this will only increase the value of the home, and if the property owner does not have to pay for it, then they are more than likely to allow something’s within reason. I choose this type of outline because it was a more professional layout. I felt it had an easier feel to it and was a nice layout. I was able to use this outline and still get most of my material in. I also was able to have my topic sentences stated clear, and with all the supporting points in the proper places. This to me was a better outline to follow.

Critically Evaluate the Extent to Which Customer...

1) Introduction Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has become a main focus for businesses with today’s markets becoming more saturated and competitive. ‘Customer Relationship Management is the ultimate challenge for marketing experts in any business. A successful company will use customer information wisely to build relationships with their customers, on the level that together they will work together towards a long-term relationship.’ (Xu et al. 2002) High customer Intimacy can be produced from these processes and strategy. ‘Customer intimacy is an essential factor in the Customer Relationship Management value chain’ (Buttle, 2004). This marketing strategy consists of a business using ways to get close to clients†¦show more content†¦In addition, to further improve customer intimacy, a company can target a customer and send offers for the products they buy most through email or by post all of which strengthens this bond between customer and company. Here we see a table which shows us the ladder of customer loyalty. With an increase in customer intimacy, a business can take prospecting purchaser and convey them into a loyal customer (Christopher at al, 1998). 2.2) The Cooperative Membership Card The company to demonstrate is The Co-operative Food. Retail chains are at the fore-front for advances in technology and are competing for ways in which to understand their customers and use the strategies to improve customer intimacy. The purchasing behavior in food retail is the most repetitive of all (Manas, 2011), so to get this customer intimacy correct has never been more important. The Co-operative Food (Co-op) uses their loyalty strategy by having membership scheme available to all colleagues and customers. This card acts as most retail cards do in that they collect a customer’s information which is then fed to the company’s data base. There is a number of ways in which this card creates an improvement in customer intimacy. 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