Bringing children with special needs into a mainstream classroom is not a new idea, but has in fact been employed in myriad educational settings -- with various levels of success. An article in the peer-reviewed Journal of Learning Disability Quarterly (Bakker, et al
Once again, parental involved with their children's education activities proves to be significant boost to the child's chances for success. In a study published in the Journal of Applied Behavior (Chaabane, et al
Moreover, there was a 90% satisfaction rate reported by the parent participants (Solomon). Another successful intervention involving the parents of autism spectrum disorder, published in the journal Pediatrics (Dawson, et al
The results show that when mothers receive training from the schools, children showed "less externalizing problems and more emotional regulation" than the general classroom integration produced. Meanwhile an article published in the Journal of Intellectual Disability Research (McIntyre, 2008) alludes to a study in which twenty-five families -- their children were considered "at risk" individuals -- got involved with interventions that required two-and-a-half hour sessions each week for twelve weeks
But published scholarly, peer-reviewed research is available that reports there can be successful outcomes for teachers and their learning disabled students when embracing parents as part of the intervention process to help bring these needy students to a higher place in their learning. For example, an article in the Journal of Autism (Solomon, et al
" When Rachel Carson published Silent Spring in 1962, Thoreau, Muir, and Leopold were long gone; but Carson in a very real way was picking up where they left off. And indeed, according to an article in the journal Zygon (Bekoff, et al
human eyes and scientific probes have seen a scant five percent of the vast underwater world, leaving oceanographers and biologists to grumble that we know more about the surface of Mars and the dark side of the moon than we do about our own oceans," according to an article in U.S. News & World Report (Hayden, 2004)
The report also calls for the strengthening of NOAA, which is presently responsible for a majority of policy decisions regarding ocean management. Further, a "National oceans Council" should be established in the executive branch, regional ocean councils in the states with coastlines, and a "shift in wildlife management from an approach based on a single species to one based on ecosystems" (Querna, 2004) - according to an article in Scientific American
S. Commission on Ocean Policy reports that more than 28 million gallons of oil from human activities enter North American waters annually, but, according to an article in Issues in Science and Technology, "the bulk of human-related inputs is not due to large-scale spills and accidents that occur during the transport of crude oil or petroleum products" (Rabalais, 2003)
4 million square nautical miles. Moreover, "ocean-related activities directly contributed more than $117 billion to American prosperity and supported well over two million jobs" (Watkins, 2004)
.livestock production generates nearly a fifth of the world's greenhouse gases - more than transportation" (Bittman 2008)
Scientists have created laboratory-produced animal 'meat' as a potential solution to the demand for meat and earth's contracting resources: "The scientists extracted cells from the muscle of a live pig and then put them in a broth of other animal products. The cells then multiplied and created muscle tissue" (Britten 2009)
"We need to focus on battery technology to solve consumer concerns about charging time, travel speed, and distance. We also need to improve the effectiveness of mass transit, and take a closer look at other alternative fuel technology on the horizon, such as hydrogen" (Leech 2009)
And once the forests have been cleared away, and villages and towns are built, by the time they reach "city" status, without proper and visionary planning, the metropolis begins to create an ugly "sprawl" out into the countryside; and besides eating up good farm land, exerting pressure on existing water supplies and sewage facilities, taxing transportation systems, school districts and emergency response units, urban sprawl creates air and noise pollution which is harmful to the health of humans and animals. An article in the journal Environment (Stoel, 1999) points out that "designated metro areas now account for 19% of our nation's vast land area"; that is well higher than the 9% of metro area forty years ago
But before this paper covers the issue of specific problems associated with urban sprawl, a little history is appropriate, in terms of how our once beautiful, lush green planet has been altered by the expansion of the human race, and the carelessness of that expansion. Before humans began to build houses, roads, villages and cities, and in fact before there very few humans at all, trees covered "two-fifths (40%) of the land" on the planet (Victor, et al
They cannot be exhausted and provide clean energy without the nasty effects oil and gas has been seen to have which are now causing the complications associated with global warming. According to research, "since their sources are natural the cost of operations is reduced and they also require less maintenance on their plants," which proves incredible benefits in comparison to our old energy sources (Hick 2009)
Compared to our current energy addiction to oil and coal, renewable forms of energy prove to have several key benefits that will prove great advantages in the modern context. Solar, wind, ocean biomass, and geothermal energy sources are all perpetual and will not run out like our traditional energy sources like oil (White 2009)
Without addressing the problem of overfishing, future generations will not be able to enjoy the nutritional bounty of the sea, fishermen will face the loss of their livelihoods, and the delicate balance of the ecosystem of the ocean will be destroyed, as entire species are eliminated. Today, "almost 80% of the world's fisheries are fully- to over-exploited, depleted, or in a state of collapse" (Koster, 2007, Chapter 3) Action Plan Action Item 1: Research and identify the effects of overfishing
Without addressing the problem of overfishing, future generations will not be able to enjoy the nutritional bounty of the sea, fishermen will face the loss of their livelihoods, and the delicate balance of the ecosystem of the ocean will be destroyed, as entire species are eliminated. Today, "almost 80% of the world's fisheries are fully- to over-exploited, depleted, or in a state of collapse" (Koster, 2007, Chapter 3) Action Plan Action Item 1: Research and identify the effects of overfishing
" (OCRM, 2007) the work of Jeffree Stewart entitled: "The Art & Science of Assigning Shoreline Environment Designations: In Shoreline Master Program Updates" states that the Shoreline Management Plan guidelines "require a high level of environmental protection (no net loss) but do not specifically direct a local government in how to achieve this result." (Stewart, Stated as the basis for designation of shoreline which is to "provide a systemic, rational, and equitable basis upon which to guide and regulate development within specific shorelines reaches