UK Health Policies on Obesity

UK Health Policies on Obesity Social, economic and industrial changes have changed the patterns of life globally. Changes in diet and physical activity patterns have been central to the rise of obesity among many of the worlds population. Obesity was traditionally seen as a disease of high-income countries only, but it is now replacing malnutrition and infectious diseases as a problem transcending social divides. Obesity carries a higher incidence of chronic illness including diabetes, heart disease and cancer. This paper will critically evaluate the current UK and NI policies aimed at addressing the obesity epidemic. There will also be a discussion around definition of policies, role of government in healthcare, previous and current healthcare policies regarding obesity in both Britain and Northern Ireland. The official calculation for defining obesity was set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) where adults are registered overweight and obese using a formula of Body Mass Index or (BMI), that is a persons weight in kilograms divided by the height in metres squared (DWP, 2012). The main restraint with using body mass index as an indicator is that it does not distinguish fat mass from lean mass; so a person could be healthy and have a low body fat, but be clinically overweight if they have a high enough BMI. A person is thought to be overweight if they have a BMI of 25.0 or more and obese if the BMI is 30.0 or more. Obesity has three classifications: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Class 1 BMI 30 to 34.9 (waist perimeter 102cm plus for males and 88cm plus for females). Person is categorised as overweight à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Class 2 BMI 35 to 39.9. Person is classed as obese à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Class 3 BMI 40 and over. Is when a person with a BMI of 40+ is said to be morbidly obese (WHO, 2012). Policy originates from the government that are in power, who are also the legal authority and have a status and guidance over all policy whether they be private or public (Crinson, 2009). According to Crinson 2009 Health policy is hypothesised in terms of macro and micro social developments, with the macro level reading the working of social and formal structures, such as the economic context of the state and the market, and the National Health Service (NHS). The micro side focuses on the influence of policy from the level of the healthcare professionals and the experience of the users (Crinson, 2009). Policy making, according to a White Paper published by the Labour Government in 1999 states that it is a method in which a government interpret their political vision into programmes and actions in order to make changes that are required and wanted by the population (Cabinet Office, 1999). It was also focused on modernising the government schema (Cabinet Office, 1999a) and the need for more inclusive and reactive policys linked to peoples demands. It planned to guarantee that policy making was to become more forward thinking and evidence-based, as well as correctly assessed and based on best practice. It went on to note the need for improved evidence when addressing policy making and to ensure a more joined-up approach across government departments and agencies (Cabinet Office, 1999). According to the World Health Organisation health policy signifies decisions, plans and actions that are started in order to reach detailed health care goals within a society. It goes on to note that and clear and string policy can outline an idea for the future whilst helps to establish objectives and points of orientation. A health policy can also help to design a framework and build agreement in addition to informing people (WHO, 2006). There are three key policies areas within the Department of Health and they are National Health (NH), Public Health (PH), and Social Care (SC) (Kouvonen, 2012). The current theory has two dissimilar backgrounds; the first is a public policy analysis that is favoured by the United States and Northern Ireland. The second is favoured in the United Kingdom and is a social policy theoretical structure (Kouvonen, 2012). Policies are intended to improve on current provisions in health and social care in the UK and aim to guarantee services that are funded or supported by the Department of Health are delivered in an open and patient-centred way (www.dh.gov.uk). This was not always the case, as according to Crinson governments were indifferent to the type of care delivered within the healthcare service; that was the concern of the doctor. This was to change in the 1970s when the economy declined and tax revenue was reduced (Crinson, 2009). The roll of the state in providing health and welfare to the public according to Crinson 2009 takes the view that there are five diverse conceptualisations and they echo differences between political and conceptual actions of the role that the state should play when delivering health and welfare services (Crinson, 2009). The writer goes on to give examples of these conceptualisations one of which is the neoliberal prospective that influenced the change in the health and social welfare policies of the Thatcher Government in the 1980s (Crinson, 2009). In the Political-Economic Critique, according to OConnor et al welfarism serves to build consent for capitalism through the process of dividing the population into groups with specific needs. This he notes had the effect of individualising what are widespread social and health problems associates with living in a capitalists society (Gough, 1979). In a paper by David Berreby in which he asks the question, why do people get fat and risk major health problem?, He believes the answer to this question is capitalism and sites it as the main cause of global obesity (Berreby, 2012). Conversely in a programme series aired on the BBC on the 11th July 2012 the reporter Jacques Peretti reports that our eating habits were changed by a decision made in America 40 years ago. Peretti travelled to America to examine the story of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) a calorie-providing sweetener used to sweeten foods and drinks, chiefly processed and shop-bought foods. The sweetener was backed in America in the 1970s by Richard Nixons farming administrator Earl Butz to use additional corn grown by farmers. Inexpensive and sweeter than sugar, it rapidly found its way into nearly all convenience foods and soft drinks. HFCS is not only sweeter than sugar; it also inhibits leptin, the hormone that controls hunger, resulting in the inability to stop eat ing (BBC, 2012). This was backed up by evidence from Robert Lustrig an endocrinologist, who according to this report, was the first to identify the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). His findings however, were discredited at the time. and a US Congress report sited fat, not sugar, for the alarming rise in cardio-vascular illness and the food industry responded with a series of low fat and heart healthy foods in which the fat was removed. (BBC, 2012). Policy makers encouraged farmers to overproduce corn and soy with the promise of foreign trade (Philpott, 2008). It was also in the 1970s that Britains food manufactures used advertising drives to encourage the idea of snacking between meals. A fast food culture also developed and fast food chains offered tempting foods and customers served themselves, and according to Ritzer this was the beginning of McDonaldization of Society. He goes on to write how fast food restaurant contribute to the development of obesity and it emphasis on supersizing its portions (Ritzer, 2004). Conversely poverty increased in the 1970s under Thatcher Government and according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies in 1979 13.40% of people in Britain lived below 60% on median income before housing costs. With this came a big rise in inequality and under the gini score for Britain was up to 0.339 from 0.253 (Crib, et al 2012). Due to the comorbidities associated with obesity and their increasing cost to the NHS, the consequences of obesity are currently and will continue to be important public health challenges globally and in the UK. It impacts through society and across all life courses, and can increase the risk of life threatening disease (Kouvonen, 2012).Appendix 1. Currently there is a framework in Northern Ireland titled A Fitter Future for All, this agenda spans from 2012 to 2022. Within this paper it explains that in Northern Ireland 59% of adults are either overweight (36%) or obese (23%) (DHSSPSNI, 2012). This policy addresses the need to act from childhood based on evidence from the Foresight Report 2007, and is now a cross sectorial cohesive life course agenda that will address obesity over the next 10 years (Foresight Review, 2012). The Department of Health has published a follow-on document to the Public Health White Paper called Healthy lives, healthy people: A call to action on obesity in England, which sets new national drives for a descending trend in excess weight by 2020. The Tackling Obesities: Future Choices project presented its findings on 17 October 2007 and the Project aims to deliver a feasible response to obesity in the UK over the next 40 years. It also sets out examples of what is intended on a national level to help ch allenge obesity, one of these is called Change4life programme. In this programme it states it will help consumers make healthier food choices (www.dh.gov.uk). This could be linked to Professor Marmot point, when he discussed behavioural choices as individuals such as where to shop for food, and how these decisions are dictated by the individuals socio-economic circumstance, and if they can afford the recommended good food (UCL Institute of Health Equity, 2012). A fitter Future for All and Healthy Lives, healthy people are policies that both the British and Northern Ireland government support, but there are wider determinants of poor health such as poverty and inequalities that play an important role in obesity (HM Government, 2010). It could be argued that while policies such as these are targeting the causes of obesity, they are not actively seeking out realistic solutions to the problem; people may know they need to eat healthier, but simply cannot afford to buy the better food. In developing countries rates of obesity are inclined to rise, and this is associated with growing social disadvantage; addressing social deprivation and material disadvantage is likely to reduce obesity (Kouvonen. 2012). Socio-economic class as a factor in health is not a new phoneme in the United Kingdom, as it has a history of many hundreds of years. According to Edwin Chadwicks report on sanitary conditions of the labouring population in Britain in 1842 showed that in Liverpool the average age of mortality for people in the upper classes was 35 years, and 15 years for labours and servants (Richardson, 2008). Inequalities still exist today, but have improved and in the Black report published in 1980 it states that there are still inequalities with regard to life expectancy and the use of medical services (Whitehead et al, 1992). According to the Foresight report (2007) a government science think tank reported that most adults are already overweight. It goes on to note that modern living will ensure that upcoming generations will be heavier than the last, and by 2050, 60% of men and 50% of women maybe clinically obese. The report also states the obesity is a multifarious and there is no evidence anywhere in the world where obesity has reversed. Social policy frameworks are paramount according to this report (Foresight Review, 2012). The Marmot Report the third such officially approved analysis in as many decades probing the link between health and wealth. The findings confirmed an alarming social incline, the poor not only die seven years earlier than the rich, but they can expect to become disabled 17 years sooner. Professor Marmot continues to discuss behavioural choices we make as individuals are part of our social and economic settings. He believes that people born into more affluent milieu tend to adopt a healthy lifestyle, resulting in healthcare differences between the social classes (UCL Institute of Health Equity, 2012). In 2011 the Chief medical Officers (CMOs) from across the UK published new strategies for physical activity, and they addressed a life course methodology, and included guidelines for early years (www.ic.nhs.uk). It could be argued this is a blanket policy and it is widely known that poorer people have limited choices with regards to lifestyle choices such as gym memberships. Also the report appears to place the responsibility of exercise on the individual. People from poorer socio-economic backgrounds have poorer housing and environments that dont encourage physical exercise which could be due to social culture of where these people live and lack of resources (UCL Institute of Health Equity, 2012). Addressing overweight children that become obese in later life was issue raised by Dr Hilary Jones on Good Morning Britain, when he stated that obesity begins in childhood. He went on to say that the National Health Service and the Government know causes of obesity but actively preventing it in childhood needs to be addressed (www.gm.tv). Prevention of obesity is more achievable goal than addressing obesity when it becomes established, as some health problems that are acquired through obesity remain an issue even after weight loss. Therefore government policies are mostly directed at primary prevention of obesity such as eating well, exercise and no smoking (Kouvonen, 2012). Social determinants of health are also a key factor in obesity in both children and adults. According to the World Health Organisation the social conditions in which people live are paramount to their health. It goes on to note that lack of income, poor housing and lack of access to healthcare facilities are just some of the factors leading to inequalities (www.who.int). Medical care on its own cannot adequately improve individuals health and addressing where people live and work is also important The social determinants of health are the upstream social, economic, and environmental factors that affect the health of individuals and populations, including income, social support, education and literacy, employment and working conditions. Downstream determinants, which include physical activity, clean air and water and healthy housing. These factors can influence health inequalities difference between social groups that can result in obesity in poorer areas (Kouvonen, 2012). Incidents of Childhood obesity are higher in areas with a lower socioeconomic population according to National Health Service Information Centre report on obesity. It also states that obesity is more widespread in schools in disadvantaged areas. It also noted that with Reception children (children in the primary school age group) 6.9% of those in least deprived areas were obese, in comparison to 12.1 percent of children in most deprived areas (www.ic.nhs.uk). In Northern Ireland statistics show that 8 percent of children ages between 2 and 15 years are obese, according to the Health Minister Edwin Poots. The health Minister went on to say that the likelihood of obese children become obese adults was probable; this would put greater strain on the health and social care services due to the comorbidities associated with the condition (Northern Ireland Executive, 2012). Governments state that health policies are micro driven, but in reality it could be argued that they are macro driven as ultimately obesity will cost more in the long run due to obesity related illness such as diabetes and heat disease, and according to NHS website the cost will be  £4.20 billion per year (HM Government). Tackling obesity is a challenge for not only the UK, but globally and according to the Department of Health and Social Services Northern Ireland website, overweight and obesity will overtake malnutrition and infectious disease in terms of their cost to the health services and people suffering from the condition (www.dhsspsni.gov.uk). Appendix 2. It was not until 1999 that obesity was declared an epidemic in America and was considered to affect all racial groups and across all ages in United States (National Medical Association, 1999). According to the information published there was an increase from 12% to 18% over a seven year period using a body mass index (BMI) that was greater than 30 (National Medical Association, 1999). Historically obesity rates were low and unaffected until 1970s and 80s, and the obesogentic environment (an environment that encourages and leads to obesity in individuals that relates to the influence that contribute towards obesity such as food, physical activity and environment. Many broader determinants of poor health such as health inequalities, poverty and deprivation play a significant role, and these factors have not swayed over the years. In pre-war Britain large differences in mortality and morbidity levels between rich and poor were recognised as the norm by policy makers. It was the introduc tion of the National Health Service in the 1940s that brought with it hope that the social class differences affecting health would decline. It wasnt until the 1970s that the Marmot Report stated peoples lifestyle and circumstances have a direct effect on their health (Crinson, 2009). The health implications from obesity are immense and can ultimately result in a premature death. Although obesity is caused by intake of more energy through food and drink than needed and the resulting excess stored in fat in the body, the view that obesogenic environment also plays a part in obesity is becoming widely accepted. Social and economic circumstances are also evaluated in this paper as are the role of governments and policy makers, both in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. The overall view of this paper would be that policies are made by individuals that have no insight into what part of society they are directed at such as deprived and socio-economic areas that lack the means and facilities whereby individuals feel that their contribution to society is valued and important enough for them to care about their own wellbeing. Policies are not directed at one specific group such and the one size fits all doesnt appear to be working as obesity is now a global epidemic. Bibliography BBC (2012) The Men who made us fat: episode 3, available at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01kd06l (Accessed 06/11/2012 @ 20.05) Berreby, David. (2012). Is Capitalism To Blame for Worldwide Obesity? Available at http://bigthink.com/Mind-Matters/is-capitalism-to-blame-for-worldwide-obesity (Accessed 5/11/2012) Braveman, Paula. Egeter, Susan. Williams, R. William (2011) The Social Determinants of Health: Coming of Age, Annual Review of Public Health, Vol. 32: 381-98 Cabinet Office (1999) Modernising Government White Paper: available at http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/cm43/4310/4310.htm (accessed 05/11/2012) Crib et al (2012) Briefing Notes on Jubilees compared: incomes, spending and work in the late 1970s and early 2010s, available at http://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/6190 (Accessed 12/11/2012) Crinson, Iain (2009) Health Policy, a critical prospective, SAGE, London Department of Health Public health (2012) Adult social care, and the NHS: Obesity Document, available at www.dh.gov.uk/health/category/policy-areas/public-health/obesity-healthy-living (Accessed 10/11/2012) Department of Works Pensions (2011) Causes of Obesity available at, http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-guides/medical-conditions/a-z-of-medical-conditions/obesity (Accessed 05/11/2012) Department for Works Pensions (2011) Definition of Overweight and Obesity available at, http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-guides/medical-conditions/a-z-of-medical-conditions/obesity (Accessed 05/11/2012) DHSSPSNI (2012) Framework for Preventing and Addressing Overweight and Obesity in Northern Ireland: 2012-2022, available at http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/framework-preventing-addressing-overweight-obesity-ni-2012-2022.pdf (accessed 8/11/2012) DHSSPSNI (2011) Safety, Quality and Standards: Safety and Quality Policy Document available at www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/phealth/sqs.htm (Accessed 6/11/2012) Foresight Review (2012) www.foresightreport.com (Accessed 08/11/2012 @ 9.50) GMTV (2012) www.gm.tv.uk (Viewed 07/11/2012 @ 7.47) Gough, I. (1979) The Political Economy of the Welfare State, Macmillan, Basingstoke HM Government (2010) Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our Strategy for Public Health in England, available at www.official-documents.gov.uk (accessed 10/11/2012) NHS Information Centre (2011) Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet: England, available at http://www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/003_Health_Lifestyles/opad11/Statistics_on_Obesity_Physical_Activity_and_Diet_England_2011_revised_Aug11.pdf (Accessed 08/11/2012 @ 8.25) NHS Information Centre (2011) Obesity Rising Among Final Year Primary School Children, available at www.ic.nhs.uk/ncmp (Accessed 10/11/2012 @ 20.55) Kouvonen, Dr A. (2012) What is Health Policy?, Lecture Notes Week 1: Lecture 2 Kouvonen, Dr A. (2012) Current Issues in Health Policy: Obesity, Week 4: Lecture 2 National Medical Association (1999) Obesity Declared an Epidemic in the United States, J Natl Med Assoc. 1999 December; 91(12): 645 PMCID: PMC2608606 Northern Ireland Executive (2012) available at http://www.northernireland.gov.uk/index/media-centre/news-departments/news-dhssps/news-dhssps-08032012-obesity-cuts-life.htm (Accessed 08/11/2012 @ 20.15) Philpott, T (2008) A Reflection of the Lasing Legacy of the 1970s USDA Secretary Earl Butz available at http://grist.org/article/the-butz-stops-here (Accessed 7/11/2012) Richardson, W.B. (2008) The Health of Nations: A Review of the Works of Edwin Chadwick, Volume I. BiblioLife, LLC Ritzer, G. (2004) The McDonaldization of Society, SAGE, California UCL Institute of Health Equity (2012) Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England: Post-2010 (The Marmot Review), available at www.marmotreview.org (Accessed 9/11/2012) Whitehead, M., Townsend, P., Davidson, N., Daivdsen, N., (1992) Inequalities in Health: The Black Report and the Health Divide, Penguin Books Ltd; New edition (29 Oct 1992) World Health Organisation (2006) Commission on Social Determinants of Health, available at www.who.int/social_determinants/resources/csdh_brochure.pdf (Accessed 09/11/2012 @ 17.56) World Health Organisation (2012) Health Policy, available at www.who.int/topics/health_policy/en/ (Accessed 05/11/2012 @ 8.50) World Health Organisation (2012) Obesity, available at www.who.int/topics/obesity/en/ (Accessed 05/11/2012 @ 17.43) Appendix 1

The History and Colonization of Libya and it’sIndependence

Approximately ninety percent of Libya is roofed with desert. That desert is mostly the vast Sahara Desert; the worlds largest hot desert. Although most of the region is very barren, Libya's northern border is a stunning coastline. Its healthy, luscious fields and beautiful beaches extend along the Mediterranean Sea for approximately a thousand miles. Phoenician sailors, who are now located in the area now named Lebanon, built ports on Libya's Mediterranean coast in Tripolitania beginning in 1300 B. C. Their vessels were constructed from cedar trees, which they used to sail across the Mediterranean transforming them into some of the greatest traders of their time. Phoenicians sailors had a different reason for establishing ports than then the usual economic gains. The reason for them establishing ports was because they wanted places along their trade route from Phoenicia to Spain where their cedar vessels could dock. Even though the Phoenicians continued doing this, they did little to take over the area. What the Phoenicians did do was establish the city of Carthage, which was in today's Tunisia. By themselves, Carthage grew into a prosperous seaport and became an autonomous power with no help. Carthage built up a burly military force and soon Carthaginians started ruling areas like Tripolitania. Unlike the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians established numerous colonies, which they ruled with force. The Libyans disliked the Carthaginians due to the fact that the rulers stipulated that the Libyans have to give up to half of their crops each season and how the Carthaginians â€Å"sacrificed their own first-born children to their implacable gods† (Isichei 161). The Libyans found that despicable and appalling. Carthage was getting attacked by Rome and battling went on and off for more than a hundred years. Finally, Rome defeated Carthage in 146 B. C. In 146 B. C. Romans gained control over the Carthaginian Empire. The Roman Empire used Tripolitania's coastal area as one of their main sources of grain and other provisions. The Greeks ruled Cyrenaica but it soon fell under Roman rule. The Greek stronghold was in Cyrenaica. Greek explorers and warriors constantly explored the region for centuries. First, they tried to use the area as a route to overrun Egypt. Later, Cyrenacia became an abundant Greek fishing area. Seeing that no one had colonized the only port in North Africa the Greeks took better management of the land. Now that the Romans were in power the region continued to flourish for several hundred years, and the inhabitants escalated. When the empire was growing weaker, the Romans lost control of North Africa. The next groups in Libya were the Vandals, who came from an area that is now occupied by Germany. Their minds were fascinated by North Africa's wealth, so they arrived in the area in about 435. Among the invaders, the Vandals made the first serious effort to settle in some of Libya's mountains and desert areas. But the nomadic people who resided in the regions often fought them off. The Vandals lost authority after about a century of decree. When the Arabs arrived in 643, they brought the new religion of Islam with them. The people in the region quickly adopted Islam but they resisted Arab political rule. Within four hundred years most people in Libya were Muslims. The Aghlabids were amongst the most thoughtful Islamic leaders of Libya; the area was back in order, and reinstated the irrigation systems that the Romans left back, which brought opulence to the region from the surplus being produced. A minor colonization was by Spain in 1510 when they captured Tripoli but soon the Ottoman Empire took over all of Libya. Like all the other groups that had invaded Libya, the Ottomans faced the resistance of the Libyan people. The Libyans â€Å"were proud and did not easily accept foreign rule† (Willis 50). Throughout history, groups of Libyan rebels often tried to resist the invaders. Many of the opposition leaders had ties to a religious organization called the Sansui Brotherhood. As the Ottomans lost grip of their colony, the Italians moved in. Italy had major reasons for colonizing Libya. First of all, Italy thought that if they had control over Tripoli, they would have greater trading power in the Mediterranean Sea. Also Italy just wanted to have the feel for having a colony in North Africa. Another major reason was the fact that the British already had control over Egypt and so Italy feared that France would seek after Libya. After months of engaging in warfare against the invading Italian forces, the Ottomans finally gave up their colonized land of Libya in 1911. When Italy decided to enter WWI on the side of the allies, this move weakened Italy's grip on Libya in 1915 because they couldn't focus against the rebellions in Libya while trying to help the Allis win WWI. Some of the things they did to ease the rebellions was in 1917, when â€Å"Italy signed a peace agreement with the leader of the Sanusi, Idris al-Sanusi, recognizing him as the emir of Cyrenaica† (Miller 32-33). But when fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini's rose to power in Italy in 1922 he gave Italy its willpower to gain control over their colony once again. Libya was not finally freed from Italian rule until 1943, when Italy was crushed in WWII. After the war, the UN decided that Libya should become a constitutional monarchy and in 1951 the Kingdom of Libya was officially formed. The national assembly elected Libya's first king, Muhammad Idris al-Sanusi, who had been a leader of the Libyan resistance movement against Italy. After decades of monarchy, Libyans are again fighting for their independence and freedom even though they became independent in 1951. They are now in an internal struggle against a tyrannical government. The country's dictator Muammar Gaddafi, once revered as a great colonel has promised not to leave his reign of terror until he dies. With the help of other countries the Libyan people are achieving the true freedom that every person in this world is entitled to.

A Worldwide Problem Of Global Warming - 3001 Words

Electric Cars There is a worldwide problem of Global Warming. It is increasing day after day, harming our planet’s atmosphere by reducing the strength of the ozone layer. Global warming is putting all basic human needs in jeopardy. There are various reasons behind global warming. One of the major reasons is fuel engine cars and trucks we use in our everyday lives. Fuel engine cars leave a trail of unhealthy monoxide gas as the result of combustion in the engine. Carbon Monoxide is one of many gases which is harmful to the ozone layer. Global warming is already causing high temperatures, rising sea levels, floods, and droughts. To help reduce the effects of the fuel engine cars on our environment we should start using electric cars. Electric cars run on rechargeable batteries which do not leave a trail of carbon monoxide. Electric cars are fuel-efficient vehicles which use less gas to travel the same distance as their less efficient counterparts. When we burn less fuel, we gene rate fewer emissions. When emissions go down, the pace of global warming slows. Cleaner fuels produce fewer emissions when they are burned. Some fuels such as those made from biofuels can reduce emissions by 80 percent compared to gasoline, and cleaner extraction techniques can ensure that dirty fuel like oil doesn’t get dirtier. Electric cars will also help many countries stop fighting over fuel and also give countries independence. Electric cars should be globalized so that it helps create aShow MoreRelatedGlobal Warming And Climate Change974 Words   |  4 Pagesabout global warming, whether it is true or false. Is there evidence to prove that global warming has impacted the climate due to the rise in the earth’s temperature? Climate change is a problem that is worldwide that should be reviewed. The rise in the earth’s temperature has caused some impact to the weather and climate changes to many places worldwide. This rise in temperature has the poten tial of causing drastic changes to the earth in many ways. It is time to view the global warming concernsRead MoreGlobal Warming And Its Effects On The Global Climate876 Words   |  4 PagesOne of the major problems confronting today society is global warming. Everyone is talking about global warming, which is also known as â€Å"climate change† or â€Å"green is the new black†. However, like Mark Twain once said, â€Å"everyone talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it† (1897 P. 8) According to dictionary.com global warming can be described as â€Å"an increase in the average temperature worldwide believed to be caused by greenhouse effect.† We are the most responsible for this situationRead MoreGlobal Warming Is the Greatest Threat to Our World Today.1206 Words   |  5 Pagesflooded; these and many more are all problems we are facing in our everyday lives due to global warming. â€Å"The warnings about global warming have been extremely clear for a long time. We are facing a global climate crisis. It is deepening. We are entering a period of consequences.† Said Al Gore in a speech at the National Sierra Club Convention in 2005. Many would agree with Gore in taking the side that global warming is the greatest threat to our world today. Global warming has a chain reaction effect, causingRead MoreRenewable Energy And Climate Change1477 Words   |  6 PagesRenewable Energy and Climate Change Global warming and climate change is one of the most pressing issues in the contemporary society given its continued impacts on human life and the world’s ecosystem. The considerable effects of this issue have raised huge concerns among policymakers, governments, and the public. As a result, various initiatives have been developed in attempts to lessen global warming or climate change, especially those related to reducing the emission of greenhouse gases toRead MoreGlobal Warming Is a Universal Problem Essay739 Words   |  3 PagesSimple meaning of global warming is that a progressive increase that takes place in overall climate of earth’s atmosphere this called global warming. Global warming is a universal problem, every country is suffering from it drastic effects. Climate change is mostly due to global warming. The Global warming is mainly caused by greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide, CFC, nitrous oxide, methane, and many other gases are collectively called greenh ouse gases, carbon dioxide is major among them. The planetRead MoreWhat Are The Risks Of Climate Change And Global Warming?1508 Words   |  7 Pageschange and global warming? Type in your name EDRD plus your Section number Type in the Instructor’s name February 20, 2015 Abstract One of the largest problems fronting the world today is global warming. Many experts believe that our makings of carbon dioxide and extra greenhouse gases have a heating effect on the troposphere, and this can be very hazardous to human life. This research paper will explore the issue of global warming and propose ways to resolve the issue. Introduction Global climateRead MoreNegative Effects of Global Warming on Earth819 Words   |  4 Pagessome regions. Polar ice melting would become another major affect of global warming if it isn’t stopped which could cause problems for many lives on Earth not just human beings. Thesis Statement Global warming is a negative affect on Earth what it affects; are animals to become extinct including polar bears also many other animals, diseases to spread in areas never been/seen before, and sea level rising which could cause problems for living societies, and forest fires to its environment and populationRead MoreGlobal Warming And Climate Change1249 Words   |  5 PagesWithin the past decade, global warming has become an increasingly debated topic. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global average temperature has risen by one degree Fahrenheit in the last century. Almost all scientists attribute this to human activities such as burning fossil fuels which releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Even though one degree may seem like an insignificant change, it has already been linked to shrinking ice caps, increased sea levelsRead MoreGlobal Warming : Causes And Impacts1716 Words   |  7 PagesGlobal Warming Global warming is the ever growing tension and a controversial issue that is debated widely for the past few years. There are many critics and disbelievers still present in the politics and science field , who do not think that this issue is increasing at such a large scale. It may be due to the lack of evidences in this field, that resulted into this thought that it is the natural process that is evolving on this planet in cycles. In this present era the existence of global warmingRead MoreKyoto Protocol : A Global Problem917 Words   |  4 Pages 1. The problem of Global Warming has been one that has increased dramatically throughout the past 150 years. This is thought to be due to increased industrialisation throughout the world in this time and this is backed up by the fact that approximately 97%(NASA, n.d.) of scientists worldwide believe that it is strongly likely the increasing global climate is due to human activity. International cooperation is required in order to solve the problem of global warming as it takes a global effort to

What is a Norm Why Does it Matter

Simply put, a norm is a rule that guides behavior among members of a society or group. Founding sociologist Émile Durkheim considered norms to be social facts: things which exist in society independent of individuals, and that shape our thoughts and behavior. As such, they have a coercive power over us (Durkheim wrote about this  The Rules of the Sociological Method). Sociologists consider the force that norms exert both good and bad, but before we get into that, lets make a couple of important distinctions between the norm, normal, and normative. People often confuse these terms, and with good reason. To sociologists, they are very different things. Normal refers to that which conforms to norms, so while norms are the rules that guide our behavior, normal is the act of abiding  by them. Normative, however, refers to what we  perceive  as normal, or what we think should be normal, regardless of whether it actually is. Normative refers to beliefs that are expressed as directives or value judgments, like, for example, believing that a woman should always sit with her legs crossed because it is ladylike. Now, back to norms. While we can understand norms simply as rules that tell us what we should or shouldnt do, theres much more to them that sociologists find interesting and worthy of study. For example, sociological focus is often directed at how norms are disseminated—how we come to learn them. The process of socialization is guided by norms and taught to us by those around us, including our families, teachers, and authority figures from religion, politics, law, and popular culture. We learn them through spoken and written directive, but also through observing those around us. We do this a lot as children, but we also do it as adults in unfamiliar spaces, among new groups of people, or in places we visit for this time. Learning the norms of any given space or group allows us to function in that setting, and to be accepted (at least to a certain degree) by those present. As knowledge of how to operate in the world, norms are an important part of the cultural capital that each of us possesses and embodies. They are, in fact, cultural products and are culturally contextual, and  they only exist if we realize them in our thought and behavior. For the most part, norms  are things that we take for granted and spend little time thinking about, but they become highly visible and conscious when they are broken. The everyday enforcement of them though is mostly unseen. We abide them because we know that they exist and that we will face sanctions if we break them. For example, we know that when we have gathered a variety of items for purchase in a store that we then proceed to a cashier because we must pay for them, and we also know that sometimes we must wait in a line of others who have arrived at the cashier before us. Abiding by these norms, we wait, and then we pay for the goods before leaving with them. In this mundane, everyday transaction norms of what we do when we need new items and how we acquire them govern our behavior. They operate in our subconscious, and we dont think consciously about them unless they are breached. If a person cuts the line or drops something that makes a mess and does nothing in response, others present might sanction their behavior visually with eye contact and facial expressions, or verbally. This would be a form of social sanction. If, however, a person left a store without paying for the goods they had collected, a legal sanction might ensue with the calling of police, who serve to enforce sanctions when  norms that have been coded into law have been violated. Because they guide our behavior, and when broken, they enlist a reaction that is meant to reaffirm them and their cultural importance, Durkheim viewed norms as the essence of social order. They allow us to live our lives with an understanding of what we can expect from those around us. In many cases they allow us to feel safe and secure, and to operate at ease. Without norms, our world would be in chaos, and we wouldnt know how to navigate it. (This view of norms derives from Durkheims functionalist perspective.) But some norms—and the breaking of them—can lead to serious social problems. For example, in the last century heterosexuality has been considered both the norm for humans and  normative—expected and desired. Many around the world believe this to be true today, which can have troubling consequences for those labeled and treated as deviant by those who subscribe to this norm. LGBTQ people, historically and still today, face a variety of sanctions for not abiding this norm, including religious (excommunication), social (losing of friends or ties to family members, and exclusion from certain spaces), economic (wage or career penalties), legal (imprisonment or unequal access to rights and resources), medical (classification as psychologically ill), and physical sanctions (assault and murder). So, in addition to fostering social order and creating the basis for group membership, acceptance, and belonging, norms can also serve to create conflict, and unjust power hierarchies and oppression.