...The, enclosed, beach is silent. The bright ball blinds you as it emerges; it rises like a yellow lollipop on the distant horizon. Crashing against the shore, small waves wash the night's debris onto the land. Untouched golden sand covers the floor as far as your eyes can see. Soothing, a gentle sea breeze rustles through your hair. Beach shops prepare for their day of excited costumers bustling in and out of their small seafront shops. Opening their doors, they bring out all of there beach products looking out to the sea you can see the large cruise ships on the worlds edge. Abandoned, nothing there apart from a few sea gulls pecking at the rubbish left by yesterday's visitors. Empty crisp wrappers, chocolate wrappers, ice cream papers and half eaten cones scatter the yellow sand. Young children stumble onto the moist sand, with small buckets and spades in their hands, they shout and talk in excitement. Damp sand is forced between their toes. Straight away, the young children put on their swimming costumes and are smothered with thick white sun screen, to protect them from the bright sun. Children running towards the shoreline; their parents struggle onto the sand, loaded like camels with everything they will need for their day. Sandwiches, cold drinks, wind breakers, towels all bagged up and slung over both shoulders. A hot sea breeze rushes through the visitor's hair, as you stand there you can taste the salt in the air because it is so strong. The sound of the waves crashing...
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...Waves Waves are generated by wind blowing over the sea. The characteristics of waves are determined by the strength of the wind, its duration and fetch (distance a wave travels). The stronger the wind the greater the friction on the surface of the sea and therefore the bigger the wave. Constructive waves Constructive waves are flat and low in height and have a long wave length. Their strong swash carries material up the beach, forming a berm. They have a low frequency of between 6 and 8 waves per minute. The wave energy dissipates over a wide area which results in a weak backwash. Destructive waves Destructive waves have a large wave height and short wave length. They have tall breakers that have a high downward force and a strong backwash. Their frequency is high with between 13 and 15 waves per minute. Their strong downward energy helps erode beach material and cliffs. The strong backwash results in narrow beach profiles. Tides Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels. Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and to a lesser extent the sun. When the earth, the moon and sun are aligned the gravitational pull is at it’s greatest. This creates a Spring tide. A Spring tide results in a high, high tide and low, low tide. This creates a high tidal range (difference between the highest and lowest tide) and results in stronger tidal currents than normal. Spring tides usually occur twice a month when there is a full moon. When the sun and moon are at a right angle to...
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...and returned home. But how could he? And so, he laboured on, carrying out his routine tasks, as he heard the mason and his labourers arrive. The arriving party laughed and taunted each other merrily as they carried their tools and marched onto the stairs, heading for the third floor. Their voices and the rumble of the machines provided a nice distraction from his desperate calculations. “I’ll focus on them”, he thought as he heard one of the labourers saying that the roof was shaking from all the weight that was being put on it. “Of course, all the spare raw material’s been placed on the roof”, he remembered. Just then the building violently shook to its very core and with a deep rumble, the roof caved in. Now, as he lay beneath the debris of what had been a factory in the city’s busy industrial estate, he could hear the others. Calling out to each other, crying with the agonizing pain of being crushed under a three floor building, they prayed for some miracle. He couldn’t feel anything, not even pain. But why? Why couldn’t...
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...A Systems Analysis of Plastic Debris in the Pacific Ocean Course: Integrated Environmental Systems Instructor: Steven Arnold Fall Quarter University of Denver By: Cletus Achibonga November 7, 2012 Table of content Title 1 Abstract 4 Introduction 5 1.1 Scope 5 1.2 Background 5 Animal and plant deaths 8 2.1 Birds 8 2.2 Mammals and other animals 10 2.3 Plants and plant food 11 Environmental impacts 12 3.1 Physical impacts 13 3.2 Chemical impacts 14 3.3 Biological impacts 14 3.4 Human impacts 15 3.5 Economic impacts 16 Societal Responds 17 Conclusion and Recommendation 20 References: 21 List of figures Figure 1: A pack of plastics at the shores of Kamilo Beach, Island of Hawaii 8 Figure 2: Bird corpse with ingested plastic 10 Figure 3: Seal entangled in fishing nets and lines 11 Figure 4: DPSIR model analysis of the pacific gyre 18 Abstract The pacific patch is the most devastating problem of our generation yet there is little public knowledge about the nature and severity of the situation. There is also little to no awareness as to the way we humans either intentionally or unintentionally contribute to the worsening situation in our water bodies. This study used the DPSIR model in analyzing the problem of the pacific gyre from a systems perspective. It focused on the impacts of the pacific gyre on the environment, plants, animals as well as the ecosystem...
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...Plastics in the Oceans We live in an increasing disposable world. Everything from food to electronics ends up in a landfill somewhere. We are always looking for newer and better products to replace what we already have. The consequences of this behavior are resulting in more and larger landfills, toxic water and a myriad of other problems. With our growing population and excessive consumption, the items we use everyday are becoming disposable so the garbage problem continues to expand exponentially. It is a readily accepted fact that plastics has made our lives both easier and safer, but, at the same time, has also left a damaging imprint on our environment and even our health. The waste management industry has done a very clever job of keeping the inner workings of landfill disposal cloaked in secrecy. As a result we give less and less thought to what actually happens to all the trash we throw away every day. Our culture of convenience is so dominant we do not even see the consequences of our actions. Journalist and filmmaker Heather Rogers, in her essay “The Hidden Life of Garbage” takes us on a journey of garbage disposal that most of us never think about once we take the trash to the curb. She explains one particular method that should give us all pause for thought: In new state-of-the-art landfills, the cells that contain the trash are built on top of what is called a “liner.” The liner is a giant underground bladder intended to prevent contamination of groundwater...
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...The Great Pacific Garbage Patch College Writing August 10, 2009 Using our oceans as garbage dumps has had negative effects on both sea life and the environment. Imagine walking by the beach in Carlsbad, California and dropping the cap from your soda bottle; as you reach to pick it up, a wave comes and sweeps it from your grasp. Three years later that cap is part of a floating island of debris in the North Pacific Ocean, that some estimate to be twice the size of Texas. Humans are having a devastating impact on the earth’s oceans. Billions of tons of recyclables have found their way to the middle of the ocean. Many studies regarding the impact of plastics on the environment have been done, yet little has been done to understand what devastating effects this will have on our environment in the future. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is one of the largest trash vortexes known to researchers. It is interesting to know that, currently, more than 60 billion tons of plastic are produced each year, and less than 5% of that is ever recycled. (Walsh) Plastic bags, bottles, toys, sun glasses and even shoes can be found floating in this giant mass of garbage. It is located in the remote waters between California and Hawaii, does not have distinct boundaries and varies in length and location throughout the year. This area moves seasonally between 23° and 37° N latitude. (NOS) Ocean currents grab the garbage and take it out to sea. It accumulates in different places where...
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...Inquiry into Marine and Coastal Pollution CONTENTS CHAPTER 2 ▪ BACKGROUND ▪ General ▪ The Problems ▪ Declining water quality ▪ Loss of marine and coastal habitats ▪ Lack of strategic planning and management practices ▪ Lack of marine science policy CHAPTER 2 BACKGROUND General As an island continent with a long coastline Australia has many different marine and estuarine environments. These span a wide range of coastal types, climates and geological and biological regions, which house a rich store of biological diversity. Many are far away from major population centres and are little affected by human activities. Large stretches of the coastline are among the least polluted places on earth.Australia's marine environment spans almost 60 degrees in latitude, from Torres Strait to Heard and Macquarie Islands, and 75 degrees longitude, from Cocos Island to Norfolk Island. In November 1994 the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) came into effect, and with it Australia's declaration of its 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The EEZ covers over 11 million square kilometres, one of the largest in the world.UNCLOS provides the rights to exploit the natural resources of the EEZ but also obliges Australia, under Article 192, to protect and preserve the marine environment of the EEZ. The Convention requires Australia to prevent land based and ship sourced marine pollution...
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...Nicknamed the "Eastern Garbage Patch," this buoyant stew of toxic pollution-most of which is plastic-is only one of five such garbage heaps caught in the swirling high-pressure currents characteristic of gyres. The others reside in the South Pacific, the North and South Atlantic, and the Indian Ocean. And each year, perhaps unwittingly, each one of us adds to plastic to the heap. Plastic makes it into our oceans in a variety of ways. About twenty percent of it comes from goods lost from boats: i.e. accidental loss of fishing tackle and other recreational gear, massive shipping containers carrying millions of plastic items washed overboard during severe storms; litter from pleasure boats, or illegal dumping of unwanted goods. Beachgoer’s debris is also a contributor. The other eighty percent is swept in from land. Just as Nonpoint Source Pollution from fertilizers, detergents, and pesticides find their way into our waters, so too are plastic items washing into our blue oceans. A discarded bottle cap or an empty sandwich bag thoughtlessly left along the side of the road will eventually be blown or kicked or washed into a storm drain, which will then shoot it straight into the ocean. Not all plastic floats. In fact, nearly half of it sinks to the bottom of...
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...swim until we were exhausted. Games would last until we could hear our parents yelling for us to return to the home for the diner, and even then most of us would wait a while longer until we were "in trouble" for not listening. The parents generally didn't mind because they knew we were having a great time. The years grew on and we still played, but more of the kids stoped playing or moved so the games were not exciting as when we played as kids. The the beach provided entertainment for everyone. Whether for the older folks relaxing in the sand and tannning or getting their feet just wet. young kids playing in the shallow water, where you can see to the bottom of the ocean. swiming with the small fish nipping at their feet. My generation prefered the wild side of the beach and we would swim out as far as we could, with crashing waves and the adrienline running the farther we went. Nothing can match the feeling after a good long day at the beach. Usually lunchtime\dinner was spent eating fresh fish and fried plantes by the beach. Panama city the captial of panama is definitely a veery busy city. No matter where I go, I can see confusion that never seems to end. There seems to be an endless amount of cars flowing through the streets and honking horns. vendors on every corner selling everything from food the clothes. traffic as...
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...in the world has a place where they can go to relax. Where they can forget about all their worries and just breathe in some fresh air and not have to think about what needs to be done and when. To many, the beach is the ultimate place for relaxation. As you stroll along the beach you can feel the sand in your feet and the waves hitting your legs. Under the surface you can feel your feet step on little seashells as you walk. When building a sandcastle the sand sifts right through your hands. Walking on the boardwalk there are too many smells to remember them all. The smell of the ocean salt is the most prominent. The smell of French fries, and Fresh popped popcorn fill the streets. What you see when your visiting the beach is simply amazing. Watching all the little children run around in the waves and building sandcastles. Adults are rubbing sunscreen all over themselves and their children. The waves crashing down out in the ocean are breathtaking. If you’re lucky you may even be able to see dolphins swimming in and out of the water. The beach is just one of the world most relaxing destinations. Whether you’re in Ocean City, New Jersey or The Dominican Republic. What you see, touch, and feel when you’re at the beach will be forever unforgettable. To me, the beach is the best place on...
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...smell reminded me of my vacations to Florida over winter break. I will never forget the fresh smell of the air when we stepped off the airplane. I could see my grandparents from across the crowded airport. I would always be so excited to step on the soft, white, sandy beach. The first thing I would do is change into my bathing suit and run out to the beach. My sister and I would spend the day splashing in the salty water, until we were too tired to keep our heads above the water. Then we would lie on the soft damp sand and take a nap. It felt so good to have the bright sun blazing down on me. My favorite thing to do was build gigantic sand castles on the beach. My sister and I would have contests to see who could build the tallest sand castle. The grains of sand glistened in the sun like a diamond ring. I will never forget how the gigantic orange trees towered over me. Every day my grandpa would pick me an orange; they were so juicy! Every time I think about an orange, my mouth waters, and I think of how sweet they taste. Normally bedtime was a problem for me, but in Florida I fell right to sleep every night. I would leave the windows wide open, and I would fall asleep to the waves crashing on the sandy beach. I could hear the birds chirping outside my window along with the rustling of the wind. In the mornings we would walk to this little breakfast place called Bagel Snack. I would usually get a bagel and cream cheese, but sometimes I would live on the edge and get...
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...dunes. in addition, the rapid shoreline erosion in Assateague Island is due to the starvation of sand blocked off by the Ocean City inlet jetties. One big problem is that People's activities are often conducted without an adequate understanding of coastal geology and processes. As a result, they can lead to unforeseen degradation of coasts. Even human actions intended to save or improve the coast may inadvertently increase erosion. Scientific investigations are starting to provide the crucial . If we go into more details of how human activity have hurt the environment of the coastal regions we can not forget about the oil pipes, shoreline can be detrimental to many human activities. Leisure activities are obviously affected. Going to the beach, swimming in the sea, recreational fishing, diving, surfing, sailing all become impossible amongst oil slicks, causing economic and social consequences which can be very significant in popular tourist regions. Another example is the Gulf of Mexico, where 30 - 40%...
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...to large scale retailers. The ideal market exposure for our product is to go global. The product itself often appeals to watersport fans, so the majority of our marketing distribution channels will be directed toward areas located near large bodies of waters around the Globe. Dual distribution centers will be set up in different countries focusing more on coastline locations. Here in the US, along the east and west coasts, we have many popular beaches where different water sports such as surfing, wake boarding, and extreme fishing are practiced. In the East Coast, we will locate our larger distribution centers in the more popular beaches such as; Hampton Beach, Manhattan Beach, South Beach, Myrtle Beach, Virginia Beach, and Wrightsville beach. We have discovered that in some northern beaches such as Manhattan Beach, locales and travelers tend to stay out of the water due to pollution and extreme cold water temperatures. Hopefully, we can target market our product to these groups of people, as well as others, and position the product in their heads as a “need” to help them get back in the water. Since we are a dual distribution center, consumers will be able to physically walk in our facilities and purchase to order, or rent their H2O Soulz. Intermediaries will perform different distribution functions including, selling and maintaining inventories. We will also be using methods of Electronic Marking Channels through our...
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...The three components of business is; business as a commerce, business as an occupation, and business as an organization. The business in my area I would like to talk about is the little store right down the road here. It is owned by a very nice man from India. His products fit the area. He buys and trades for goods that the people around High Island might buy. There are so many different races and ages that stop there because it is a mile from the local beaches and they are headed to the beach for fun, fishing, or both. So the shelves are stocked with things that these people might buy but the prices may be a little high because the store is the only one for many miles. Business as an occupation with this store is that the owner Dave buys things from a local warehouse that deals in large wallets and belt buckles. There are other small items Dave buys from the same person. So he is trying the product out and if it sells he will buy more, it they do not sell he will not be buying anymore because they will not sell so no profit or not very much of one. So the man makes the stuff then sells it to Dave who sells to his customers. Prices do go up in Dave’s store when the price of his products he buys from the warehouse, go up. In order to keep his profit margin to stay the same he goes up in his price to his customers. These are called transaction costs and they are a part of the business...
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...Compare and Contrast Essay “Vacationing at the Beach or in the Mountains” By AJ Brammer People are always looking forward to their vacation period. There are many options where to choose. I think that the two most common places people choose for taking a vacation are the beaches and the mountains. Both places offer a variety of fun activities. The beach offers activities that the mountain cannot offer and vice versa. The mountain and the beach are totally different. The purpose of this essay is to contrast the climate, types of activities and locations of beaches and mountains. I’m going to discuss mountains first. The three aspects I’m going to discuss are climate, types of activities and location. Climate is always important in order to enjoy vacations. If a person dislikes cold weather, he or she might have a hard time in the mountains. The cold climate in the mountains is the first barrier to enjoying them, but the climate and the temperature of these zones also determine the types of activities they offer. Snowboarding, mountain climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and skiing are some activities people can enjoy when going to the mountains. There are many regions that have mountains where people can go and have a great vacation. Canada is a country located in North America and contains many mountain vacation sites where people can go and have fun. I’m going to discuss the beach second. The three aspects I’m going to discuss are climate, types of activities and location...
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