Monday, April 19, 2010

Junk Food #1

Should the sale of junk food in school canteens be banned?

The term ‘junk food’ refers to any food that is perceived to be unhealthy and of low nutritional value. (Smith 2005) Having junk food in school in school is becoming prevalent and common as junk food sale brings the most profits to the canteens. Survey on Cook High School has been revealed that the canteen earned profit on junk food sale for more than $10000 per year according to School news (2005). It has therefore fuelled the unhealthy habits of students, leading ultimately to obesity and behavioural problem. Hence, I’m strongly agreed with the voice of banning the sale of junk foods in school canteens because it may cause health problem, behavioural problems and litter problems.

Junk food is unhealthy. It is long being blamed for the increase in childhood obesity. Study has been done down on the junk food production. High level of fat, salt and sugar are actually contributing to the problem of youth weight gain. (Lin 2005) Most junk foods also contain chemical additives to enhance flavor and colour to increase shelf life and attract potential customers. (Smith 2005) Students are too ignorant to the artificial flavouring and colouring which may exacerbate the dental health. Besides, the nutritional value of food eaten by the children may be falling progressively because of increased availability and excessive consumption of fast food.

Moreover, behavioral problems lie vastly under the junk food consumption. According to the child psychologist, Mary Caputo (2005), high contains of chemical additives can trigger behavioral problems such as hyperactivity and collapse in concentration. Students may cause further severe problems such as an increase at each other's throats and vandalism. It is further justified by The Food Show (2005) that teachers have noticed that the removal of junk food and soft drinks from the school canteen can dramatically perk up the students’ behaviour in class. Thus, immediate ban in the sale of junk food in canteens is demanded to ameliorate students’ behavior.

In addition, junk food packaging is the major contributor to litter problems. Littering is hazardous to safety and health. Not only has it weighed down the cleaning costs, it also deteriorate the image of our communities. (Smith 2005) Litter like cans, crisp packets, cartons and plastic containers are ubiquitous, thus burdening the school groundsman to spend a relatively long time to clean the ground. As a result, other maintenance projects that benefit the school are less heeded. (Green 2005) Therefore, schools have to prohibit the sale of junk food in their canteens in order to trim down their little problem.

In conclusion, junk food sale in school canteens has caused major problems such as health problem, behavioural problems and litter problems. According to Australian Nutrition Journal (2004), foods eaten at home by most of the 12-14-year-old Australian children are beyond the recommended intake. This is not merely of parents' responsibility, schools is too a part of the pitfalls. Less of easy access to junk foods can always be the key of shifting the diet habits of the students. Thus, I strongly agree that the schools should ban the junk food sale in canteens for the sake of the students.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Text Production Essay #final

What are the potential effects of global warming in terms of climate change and how can they be arrested?

Global warming, a phenomenon of gradual rise in temperature of the earth’s atmosphere due to an increase of greenhouse gases especially carbon dioxide, has always been the biggest challenge for every nation in the world. With the visible pattern in the atmosphere within our entire planet, scientists have projected into the future where we are heading. By the end of the 21st century, global warming is likely to cause a rise in Earth’s temperature of around 2-5 degrees centigrade which may cause uncontrollable and dreadful catastrophes. (Woodford 2006) In facts, global warming has caused climate change, crushing the earth with enormous impacts, forcing the human beings to implement efficient solutions in order to get out from the long-
lasting predicament.

One of the potential effects of global warming in terms of climate change is the rise of sea level. Tremendous rise in temperature at North and South poles warm the oceans and if the oceans get warmer, it has an impact on melting the ice shelf. (Woodford 2006) When the floating sea-based ices crack up and no longer hold back the ices on the land, the land-based ice starts falling into the ocean. Melting of land-based ice causes the sea level to rises significantly. Due to this, low-lying places like Florida, Shanghai and Calcutta are predicted to be absolutely devastated by water. Millions of homes are destroyed, forcing the people to become refugees.

On the other hand, global warming is damaging the ecosystem that human being too rely on. Global warming deteriorates the climate change and thus affects massive amount of vulnerable ecological natures. After years of warming, the growing season of some species has been altered. (Riebeek 2007) Billions of creatures have to face extinctions but pests are propagating vigorously. Lots of vectors for emerging infectious diseases climb to higher altitude due to global warming. They are also expanding their range, causing new diseases like Arena Virus and SARS that cause tremendous problem.(An Inconvenient Truth 2007) Overall, species loss is escalating
and diseases are wild spreading.

Another potential effect of global warming in terms of climate change is erratic weather patterns. Significant rice in temperature is very likely to alter the weather patterns that we have been adapting with so far. (Riebeek 2007) It may lead to more frequent natural disasters such as heat waves, more intense droughts and rain events and storms. According to the An Inconvenient Truth (2007), the main character, Albert Gore says that the Hurricane Katrina on 29 August 2005 would be an example of erratic weather behavior that had devastated the entire New Orleans.

To nip the problem in the bud, prompt actions have to be taken by each one of us to cut down the emission of greenhouse gases especially carbon dioxide. Rectifying Kyoto is also a policy to share their hands in compensating the aftermath of global warming. It is recommended that we use energy saving fluorescent lamps, utilize renewable energy, and practise fuel economical approaches when behind the wheel (Woodford 2006). Renewable energy like solar and wind power is also indispensable to replace the main culprit in carbon emission, fossil fuel. Also, political will should be taken into account to stop obscuring the real facts and lead the society to cope with the environmental crisis.

As a conclusion, our mother earth has groaned inaudibly and punished us with completely unacceptable cataclysm due to the rocketing global warming. More and more imminent calamities are sneaking up on us. This is a global issue that needs cooperation from every nation in the world. With the thing we buy, the electricity we use, the car we drive, we can make better choices to bring our individual carbon emission to zero. The solutions are in our hands. We just have to have the determination to make a better future. (An Inconvenient Truth 2007) Choosing between gold bar and the earth, the earth for all time comes first!