GSA Wants You Federal Contracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

GSA Wants You Federal Contracts - Essay Example The system uses the most recent digital authentication technology to allow for electronic signatures and cater for data integrity. Advantages of Electronic over Classic paper Solicitations 1. Data security The electronic process ensures that the proposals are submit exactly as the contractors write them without unnecessary modification of information. It also ensures that the proposals are delivered directly to the responsible personnel without being passed through other parties. This eliminates the possibility of alteration of the content or loss of the proposals in the process of transportation (Brian, 2003). Unlike the paper process, which is subject to many-party handling hence providing opportunities for malicious altering of data, data security is assured. Paper process entails impairing with the interactive environment since the intended information from the original source may not go the intended personnel. 2. Ease of Applying There is software that enables one to complete th ese proposals easily with tools providing hint on what is required from the proposal. This helps one to provide the necessary information without much struggle. The software also helps one to look for errors easily and correct them in order to forward an understandable proposal. This is because the proposal must entail clear information and hence the process becomes easier since there is no room for assumptions. To some ambiguous phrases, it is essential that drafting of all the work is done and typed manually to create ease for one to detect any errors especially when the proposal is not using a good software. In addition, there is high possibility of leaving important information since the whole process is imagined (Safari Books, 2009). This would lead to impaired communication since the solicitation while have to be returned for completion of the required information and clarification of some ambiguous phrases. 3. Fast Delivery The submitting of the proposals is done online hence it takes very little time for the proposals to reach the targeted destinations after they have been submitted. This ensures fast interaction between the contractor and the prospective contractors hence leading to faster decision making process unlike the classic paper solicitations which have to be submitted manually hence taking a lot of time to communicate. 4. Ease of reviewing After the proposals have been sent to the GSA, it may be returned for correction or clarification on matters concerning responsibility, responsiveness, scope, subcontracting plan or pricing analysis. After the proposal is reviewed and in some cases returned, the electronic system offers an easy way for editing and adding the relevant information. Editing the original proposal is easier than the paper process whereby the whole document has to be retyped in order to allow addition of information and also printed again for resubmission. 5. Economical Compared to the paper process, the electronic submission is more economical in terms of space and funds. This is because it cuts down the printing costs and unnecessary occupation of space for filing documents since the proposals are stored in their computer databases. 6. Duration of Contract There should be negotiations about the period of the contract to make sure that the period allows my company to stabilize. The process must allow the company in its operations and recover from any losses it may have incurred during the

UK Diverse Society

UK Diverse Society ECA TASK 1 In what ways can the UK be described as a diverse society? Choose three examples of diversity and write and essay which: describes each of them in turn considers which aspects of diversity are negative and which are positive for one of the examples. The diversity of family life in the UK today The diversity of places in which people live The diversity of cultures in the UK Britain today is a richly diverse society in which people with very different ways of life coexist. Diversity means being different, being unlike and variety. Diversity can describe differences within a society or between societies and applies to the unique contributions   to the group characteristics made by the individuals such as beliefs, sexual orientation, ethnic background, cultural perspective,  and so forth. Family, place and culture mean different things for different people but are usually associated with connectedness. This essay, though, will first analyse family, place and culture as causes and consequences of social diversity and, secondly, it will describe the relationship between places and life chances and how diversity can bring inequality. During the past decades, social change in Britain has brought structural and functional diversity into family (Sherratt et al. 2004, p.30). Families today come in many shapes and sizes, there is no right or wrong structure. The main types of family, nuclear and extended, have increased with reconstituted and single-parent families. Families can be formed by married, unmarried or same sex couples   with dependent, independent or no children at all. National statistics for 2001 (ONS, 2002 data set ST32217 and ST33218 ) show that one in five families with dependent children are headed by lone mothers, three times the number obtained in 1971. This may be explained by rising rates of divorce, cohabitation and live births outside of marriage. These figures suggest evolving family structures but also a general maintenance of conventional gender ideology. Hence, different beliefs and practices in relation to the division of labour may bring diversity to family life.  In this respect, You ng and Willmott (1973, cited in Sherratt et al. 2004 p.26) predicted a more egalitarian family whilst Morris (1990, cited in Sherratt et al. 2004 p.26) denied the attrition of the traditional gender roles.   Another source of diversity in family life is regional diversity. The inner London boroughs have higher concentrations of minority groups than the rest of the country (ONS, 2001). Ethnic diversity as a source of family diversity is defended by Berthoud (2001) among others. This author argues   that Asian families are more traditional, have high rates of marriage and are more likely to have extended families comprising three generations. By contrast, West Indian households have a higher proportion of lone mothers and low rates of partnerships. Similarly, geography and ethnicity bring diversity to the places where people live. Whether rural or urban location, owner-ocuppied or rented, house, flat or even a caravan, there are multiple places to live in Britain today. Places where people influence their experiences and social relations (Sherratt et al. 2004, p 88). In inner London boroughs, like Islington and Camden, not only there is more ethnical diversity than in the rest of Britain (ONS, 2001), but   affluent professionals inhabit the same street as jobless, low-income families or live next to council estates while having no connection with them, as exemplified by Graef (2003). In other parts of East London though, Mumford and Power (2003, cited in Sherratt et al. p. 97) noticed how diverse neighbourhoods can still maintain a sense of community spirit through local social networks. The transition from dwells and neighbourhoods to homes and communities can be done via a sense of attachment and belonging that is part of t he broad meaning of culture (Sherratt et al. 2004, p.96). Culture is all shared beliefs and socially communicated demeanour, that distinguishes a group of people, whether this is a family, a neighbourhood, a community or a nation (Sherratt et al. 2004 p.38-45). People identify with others within their culture but distinguish from people in other cultures. Hence, diverse cultures lead to diverse ways of living, and these can bring people into conflict over how it is acceptable to live. On the other hand, cultural diversity brings richness and choices and shapes identities bringing connectedness. The culture in Britain, including language, food, arts, clothes, leisure activities, religion or relationships can be seen as a sum of the diverse cultures that constitute its society. Cultural mixing is not a new concept, as noted by Sherratt et al. (2004 p. 76). It started with trading in prehistoric times and was further fueled by imports and immigration.   The only thing new about cultural exchange is how easy it is now.   With modern informa tion technology it is possible to experience other cultures on a whim. But the globalisation of culture has a downside. Scott-Clarke and Levy (2003) exemplify the devastating social effects of cultural imperialism caused by American television in Bhutan. In the same way, the aforementioned diversity of places where people live reflects choices, variety and opportunities but there is a drawback. Utilizing the Weberian term â€Å"life chances† (Weber 1948, cited by Sherratt et al. 2004, p. 85) to describe an estimate of an individuals ability to enjoy the economic and cultural goods of a society, it is easy to see how the distribution of such goods is usually asymmetrical. Peoples life chances are influenced by salary, wealth, housing and education (Sherratt et al. 2004, p 87). Therefore, family, culture and where people live shape life chances. The importance of housing tenure in life chances is debated amongst sociologists. Saunders (1988, 1990, cited in Sherratt et al. 2004 p. 88) outweighs the importance of home-owning status to occupation but this argument is contradicted by Forrest and Murrie (1995, cited in Sherratt et al. 2004, p. 89) and criticised by Watt (1993, cited in Sherratt et al. p. 89). Clearly, home equity can be used as collateral or improve children with inheritance, giving control to peoples lives. On the other hand, Sherratt et al. (2004 p. 94) points out how the UK shows a general pattern of geographical clustering of poverty and wealth and how this clustering affects peoples ability to access housing, education and employment opportunities and directly impacts in the quality of health services. A direct consequence could be seen in the different life expectancy for different areas in Britain in 1998-2000 (ONS, 2002) accounting up to 10 years of difference for men between Westminster and Glasgow city. Personal wellbeing is then affected by the ability to afford a home in a neighbourhood that improves rather than limits life chances. In conclusion, Britains society is undeniably diverse. Living in Britain has implications on how people live, whom they live with and where they live and these differences shape British society. Social change has brought diversity to family, neighbourhoods and culture. There are many different types of families today. Diverse neighbourhoods may or not share a sense of community. Cultural diversity shapes our identity. Where people life affects their health and prosperity. Diversity brings richness but also inequality. References Berthoud, R. (2001) ‘Family formation in multi-cultural Britain: three patterns of diversity, paper resented at Changing family patterns in multi-cultural Britain Institute for Social and Economic Research University of Essex. Available at: http://www.sociology.org.uk/as4fm1.pdf [Accessed 24-27 January, 2008] Graef, R. (2003) ‘Two families living side by side. But the gulf between rich and poor keeps them worlds apart The Observer, 20 July. Available from: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,6903,1001753,00.html [Accessed 24-28 January, 2008] ONS (2001) National Statistics: Ethnicity: Regional Distribution. Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=263 [Accessed 24 January 2008] ONS (2002) National Statistics: Families with dependent children headed by lone parents: Social Trends 32, data set ST32217. Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=4992More=Y [Accessed 24 January 2008] ONS (2002) National Statistics: Births outside marriage as a percentage of all live births: Social Trends 33, data set ST33218 http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=6369 [Accessed 24 January 2008] ONS, 2002 Health Statistics Quarterly, issue 13. London. Available at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/HSQ13_v4.pdf [Accessed February 2, 2008] Scott-Clarke, C. and Levy, A. (2003) ‘Fast forward into trouble The Guardian,14 June. Available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,975769,00.html [Accessed 24 January 2008] Sherrattt, N., Darkes, T., Pearson, C., Williams, C. and Woodward, K. (2004) Understanding society, Milton Keynes, The Open University. TASK 2 Write no more than 250 words to answer the following questions: In what ways do you feel that your study skills have improved during the course? What do you now think are the strengths and weaknesses of your study skills? How would you like to make further improvements? My study skills during this course have improved qualitative and quantitatively. From a natural science background I have had to leap into social sciences, where comprehending the material is more important that memorising it. Multiple-choice questions have been substituted by essay writing, where you have to reason, argument and reference your statements, not just tick the correct answer. Reading and note taking have been tasks of outmost importance. I feel I have had to strip texts to their bare bones and build their bodies again with my own words. One of my skills is interpreting graphs and numeric data, as this is something I do very frequently in my job. One of the most difficult things has been to accept that there is usually more than one answer in social science questions, and there are no right or wrong, but different opinions and an open debate. It has been a revelation to discover that, in social sciences, we, as individuals and as a society, are the researchers and subjects of study, and the dynamic implications of this duality. I have signed up for DD100 to further improve and polish my new skills. Y157 has opened my appetite for social matters and I want to learn more. My newly acquired skills are going to be put to the test.

Malnutrition Essay examples -- Social Issues, Poverty, Vitamin Deficie

Introduction Malnutrition is a global challenge in low-income and middle-income countries particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia (Shetty, 2002, Black, et al., 2008). More than ten million children under five years of age die annually worldwide and percentage of child deaths in sub-Saharan Africa is approximately 41% and another 34% in south Asia (Black, et al., 2003). It was estimated that more than 50% of these child deaths could be attributed to the potentiating effects of malnutrition in infectious disease such as diarrhoea, pneumonia, malaria, tuberculosis, and other infections (Rice, et al., 2000, Caulfield, et al., 2004). As a result of essential nutrient deficiencies in the daily diet as well as the impact of recurrent infections malnutrition is a major contributor to the global burden of disease especially in children under five years of age (Black, et al., 2008). The high prevalence of illness and child deaths associated with chronic and recurrent infections in third world countries contributes largely to poor nutrition there (Rice, et al., 2000, Caulfield, et al., 2004). Aspects involved in the aetiology of numerous deficiency diseases depend on the interaction between social, demographic, genetic, infectious and societal conditions (Manary & Solomons, 2004, Black, et al., 2008). Poverty is the main determinant of malnutrition in these communities (Sachs & McArthur, 2005). It is well known that the political situation and poor economic growth, changes in climate conditions as drought or overpopulation cause a scarcity of certain foodstuffs, a high prevalence of infectious diseases, civil conflicts and wars, natural and unnatural disasters contribute to increased malnutrition (Shetty, 2002, Mul... ...ar colostrum, provides a critical dietary source of vitamin A for infants and young children (Sommer & Davidson, 2002).Besides it is necessary to improve maternal nutrition and vitamin A status in poor societies because breastmilk comes from the mother (Latham, 2010). Conclusion As a result of essential nutrient deficiencies in the daily diet, numerous deficiency diseases remain pervasive and damaging conditions in developing world particularly in low income and middle income countries. Malnutrition, clearly, is not a simple problem with a single, simple solution. Multiple and collaborative interventions implant in prevention approaches can be effective because malnutrition has many causes. There is a wide range of sectors and organizations need to determine priorities for resource allocation among nutritional, health care, economic and education policies.

Pilgrim by Timothy Findley Essay

Pilgrim is introduced in the story in a strikingly interesting manner – a suicide attempt resulting to his death – a â€Å"temporary death† which only lasted for a few hours. From the beginning of the story which was supposed to be the end of the central character’s life, the character of Pilgrim presented a big mystery. Having failed to commit suicide, Pilgrim was though to be schizophrenic so he was placed in a clinic where he tells his astonishing story of how his life – or rather â€Å"lives† – spanned 4,000 years. The introduction of Pilgrim set the whole plot of the story. It introduced many mysterious questions that were seemingly illogical and irrational – Is Pilgrim really a madman or an immortal? Which side should the reader take – one who supports theories on psychological disorders or one that accepts the possible mysteries of life? Having lived â€Å"multiple lives†, why did Pilgrim want death? Such questions only show that Pilgrim was a very complex character – one that symbolized a wide selection of societal themes. Pilgrim, A challenge In the story, the character and nature of Pilgrim satisfied the intellectual and psychological challenge that Dr. Jung was looking for. The peculiar life of the supposed schizophrenic provokes many philosophical, spiritual, psychological, and scientific questions and these questions direct the action of the other characters. As they interact with Pilgrim, the other characters adapt his mythical makeup and doing so encourages them to question their own identity and their own real story of existence. As an effective and astounding mystery novel, this plot relation between the characters is also adapted by the readers. As one goes deep into the story, readers are encouraged to share with the questions of Pilgrim’s character. Findley and Pilgrim Pilgrim was a Timothy Findley character who presents all of author’s favorite themes. Findley loved to write about the past and history and that is probably why Pilgrim was depicted as a man who spanned several lives – not forward, but back to the past. This character also depicted isolation and war, though not literary. In the story, Pilgrim was seemingly â€Å"isolated† because he was one of a kind – the â€Å"immortal† supposedly who cannot die no matter how he tries to do so. Moreover, there was no other story character that showed support for Pilgrim’s claims. Logic demands story characters – and even the readers – to disregard what Pilgrim believes in. So, in that sense, he is alone, isolated, and is at war with himself and rationality. What’s more obvious here is the fact that Findley tries to evoke people to be more conscious with their own identity and sanity in the same way as Dr. Jung was after he examined the case of Pilgrim. Pilgrim was presented as â€Å"nothing† in the story – an ageless and genderless with no exact definition of himself other than the notion that he was a human being. However, that presentation also made him â€Å"everything† about the story – from how it began, how other characters behaved, how the readers will react, how the story will progress, and how the story will end. This character served as the â€Å"backbone† of the story, a character which summarizes the plot, setting, ideas, and themes that can be found or deduced from the novel. What does Pilgrim represent? â€Å"I have lived many times, Doctor Jung. Who knows, as Leda I might have been the mother of Helen–or, as Anne, the mother of Mary†¦. I was also crippled shepherd in thrall of Saint Teresa of Avila; an Irish stable boy and a maker of stained glass at Chartres†¦. I saw the first performance of Hamlet and the last performance of Moliere, the actor. I was a friend to Oscar Wilde and an enemy to Leonardo†¦. I am both male and female. I am ageless, and I have no access to death. † The character of Pilgrim can be interpreted in two opposing ways – from a psychological and irrational standpoint or following a mystical approach. Taking into account the view of another prime character in the story – Dr. Carl Jung, Pilgrim is a representation of the psyche or the â€Å"collective unconscious†. He is just a schizophrenic – who, because of his condition – seemingly had experienced different personalities which he himself concocted in his unconscious. The fact that he recognized that he had â€Å"multiple lives† implied that he has finally became in touch with consciousness after he has spent years imagining that he â€Å"lived† the lives of multiple personalities. This claim is supported by the fact that Pilgrim remembers nothing about being a child again after being â€Å"reborn† several times. Using the first line of reasoning, there is no point in analyzing the behavior and actions of the character because all of the irrational actions will only lead to the fact that he is psychologically ill. If Pilgrim is taken as a schizophrenic character then analyzing whether he is just or unjust is pointless because a mentally ill individual does not have a concrete concept of justice and righteousness nor is he capable of making the right decisions. On the other hand, if analyzed using a mythical standpoint, Pilgrim is taken as a special being – an immortal. If the concept of Pilgrim’s immortality is accepted, then the actions of the character can be further analyzed. Immortality, an illogical â€Å"ability† which is doubted but definitely aspired by many is presented as the key to the full understanding the complex persona of the character and the motivation he has for his actions. In the story, Pilgrim doesn’t talk and he exerts all of his efforts on committing suicide. His main goal is in contrast of what most people want to avoid – â€Å"to die†. To explain this willingness to die in this case, it should be noted that unlike normal human beings, Pilgrim has lived multiple lives. Pilgrim lived as both male and female for thousands of years. He has witnessed to some of the greatest events of human history and he was involved with many notable people who have shaped the world’s history and culture. Despite being part of the continuous evolution of the society, he also experience and endured the miseries of being a human being. And, based on that experience, his willingness to die implies that perhaps most of the aspects in human life were more wearying than pleasing. Pilgrim’s persona provides character to the novel The character of â€Å"Pilgrim† can be analyzed as what the term means – a journey. Pilgrim is society and Pilgrim’s life is human history – a mixture of ages, genders, values, and events that affected the evolution of the human life. As noted by Pilgrim, society has witnessed more hardships than progression – there were more revolutionary wars than radical advancements. So, it might be better if the society will end the changes that it had to endure. But, society cannot die – no matter what it does to destroy itself. Throughout the long human history, civilizations have been developed and destroyed by various factors but as represented by Pilgrim’s temporal deaths, these social groupings will always be born again. When the society is reborn, it then takes a new form – just like the new persona that Pilgrim develops each time he â€Å"lives again†. As such, in the same way that Pilgrim needs Dr. Jung – the society also needs logic and reasoning to â€Å"cure† the delusion of weariness and restore its willingness to exist no matter how hard it may be to live and live again. Reference: Timothy Findley, Pilgrim. New York. HarperCollins. 2000 (c1999). 486 pages.

Alberta Tar Sands

â€Å"Only when the last tree had died and the last river has been poisoned†¦will we realize that we cannot eat money†. This is an old Cree saying that is very applicable today. Is the mining of the Alberta tar sands worthwhile, knowing its devastating effects on the environment? There are very valid points for both arguments, being them economical, political, environmental, or moral. The mining of bitumen is not something that is sustainable for the environment, or the companies involved. Although these open-pit mines produce much of the world’s oil, people should consider paying more at the pumps rather than destroying the only world we have to live in. The tar sands in Alberta essentially benefit every country but Canada, and everyone will have to pay the price of the damage caused to the environment. Pollution is caused in the production of bitumen, as well as in its consumption. The first documented European discovery of the tar sands in the Athabasca region of Northern Alberta was made by Alexander Mackenzie in 1773. Over one hundred years later in 1899, Charles Mair and a party of Dene natives explored the Athabasca area by request of the Canadian government. 1 Mair and his party stayed at the northern fur trading post of Fort Chipewan. 1 Following his visit to the region, Mair made a very prophetic statement: â€Å"That this region is stored with a substance of great economic value is beyond all doubt, and, when the hour of development comes, it will, I believe, prove to be one of the wonders of Northern Canada†. 1 Commercial development of the Alberta tar sands first began in 1967 by Suncor . The oil crisis in 1973 sparked investor’s interest in mining development in Alberta, and Herman Kahn proposed that the Canadian government begin mining the tar sands. 1 However, the Trudeau government believed that it would overheat the economy, create steel shortages, unsettle the labor market, and drive up the Canadian dollar. 1 Now, instead of Canada mining the tar sands, global companies from the United States, China, Japan, Korea, France, and Norway have invested a total of 200 billion dollars in the Alberta tar sands. These investments account for sixty percent of global oil investments. Bitumen is defined as a naturally occurring semisolid mixture of hydrocarbons. The fields of bitumen are naturally occurring all around the Athabasca water basin. Most of the Alberta tar sands lie so deep underground that it must be removed by first separating the bitumen from the sand using steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). 1 SAGD works by using water from the Athabasca River and heating it into steam. 1 The steam is then pumped into the ground using hoses. Steam melts areas of bitumen from top to bottom, and the liquid bitumen drains from to the bottom of the pit where it can be collected. This method was created by University of Alberta chemist, Dr. Karl Clark. It was first used by Suncor in 1965. Bitumen is considered one of the world’s dirtiest oils, because of its many impurities. 1 These impurities make a complex mining system necessary. Clearly, the harsh reality of having mined all of the clean oil is that we must now mine the dirtiest. Fort McMurray in Northern Alberta has changed dramatically due to the growth of the mining industry’s presence in the tar sands. 1 The growth in the area is said to be exponential, with no chance of slowing down anytime soon. This growth has completely changed the identity of the city. Housing in Fort McMurray is scarce and expensive. 1 It is nearly impossible to live in Fort McMurray unless you work in the mines. This has destroyed small business owners in the city, because they cannot get anyone to work for them at a reasonable wage. Also, the high average family income has caused high inflation rates. The mine employees who live in the city temporarily have caused the city shortfalls in roads, schools, and health care. Although shocking, these are typical problems that face cities that experience such a large econo mical boom in such a short period of time. The Canadian government has no regulations for the reclamation in the Athabasca region. 1 There is also little known as to how the diverse ecosystem of the region can ever be returned to its natural state. The wetlands that once covered the area cannot be replaced. Also, the large oil companies have not found any way to destroy the toxic waste byproducts in the tailings ponds. 1 In an effort of reclamation, 7. 5 million tree seedlings were planted in the area, but many did not survive because of the state of the soil. Syncrude spent 0. 20% of its total budget on reclamation efforts in 2005. There is estimated to be no bitumen left in forty years. The Alberta government fears that the cost of the reclamation will fall on taxpayers when the global companies leave. This is why it is essential for hold these companies accountable for reclamation while there is still money to be made in the tar sands. Bitumen requires much more energy in production than standard crude oil. 1 Producing one barrel of bitumen takes three times as much energy as producing a barrel of crude oil, and it creates three times as many pollutants. However, bitumen only sells for half the price of crude oil. Every day, the amount of natural gas needed to heat four million homes is used to boil water into the steam needed in SAGD. 1 The mines also use as much water per year as a city of two million people. To produce one barrel of bitumen requires the excavation of two tons of earth, and three barrels of fresh water from the Athabasca River. 1 1. 3 million barrels are exported every day. 1 Because of the oil production, the region has some of the most polluted air on the planet. The three hundred tons of sulphur that is released into the air per day has caused Alberta’ s eastern neighbor, Saskatchewan, to have recurring acid rain. This is just another example of how the destruction caused by oil production will ripple throughout the country. The forests in the area of the Athabasca oil sands have experienced extensive clear-cutting to make room for open-pit mines. 1 It is estimated that the mining developments in the region will eventually destroy a forest approximately the size of Florida. 1 Because of the destruction of the soil, the spruce and pine trees that once covered the region will never be able to grow in the now salt-rich soil. 1 This will obviously have a detrimental effect on the wildlife in the region. Already, the moose, deer, beaver, waterfowl, and other animals that once lived in the region are now scarce. 1 The delicate ecosystem of the area has been destroyed. The tailings ponds along the Athabasca River are used to hold the toxic waste that is produced in the production of bitumen. 1 These ponds now cover twenty-three square miles, and 400 million gallons of this toxic waste is produced daily. 1 It contains salt, phenols, benzene, cyanide, arsenic, as well as other carcinogens. 1 The tailings ponds pose a threat to wildlife that unknowingly enters the ponds believing them to be fresh water. This reality made headlines when 500 ducks were killed in the ponds on April 28, 2008. 1 The ponds are also not properly contained. Not only to the toxins leak into the groundwater, but many of the ponds leak directly into the Athabasca River. 1 There seems to be no real solution to this problem, as not even the experts know how to properly discard the waste in the tailings ponds. Canada has no official water policy, as well as the worst record of pollution enforcement among industrialized nations. 1 The tailings ponds contaminate the water, and Suncor and Syncrude are legally allowed by the Alberta government to ump 150 pounds of arsenic into the Athabasca River per year. 1 One hundred years ago, all of the water in Alberta was potable; it must all now be chemically treated. 1 Also, twenty-three percent of Canada’s freshwater can no longer support aquatic life because of watercontamination. Already, deformed fish are being found in Lake Athabasca. 1 Fort Chipewan is downstrea m from Fort McMurray and the mining operations. As an aboriginal people, they eat fish and wild game from the area. 1 They also drink the water from the Athabasca River. Five cases of cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bile duct, have been recorded in Fort Chipewan in the last five years. 1 Cholangiocarcinoma typically occurs in one in 100, 000 people. 1 In 2006, Fort Chipewan’s population was 915. 1 These statistics speak for themselves; however, the province has denied the community a thorough health study. 1 The current state of Fort McMurray is due to the exponential growth that has taken place in the city. 1 However, the city’s seemingly thriving state makes it at risk for drugs, prostitution. Nearly half of mine workers test positive in drug screening. Therefore, most companies don’t do drug testing, because they would have nobody to work if they did. 2 The city and surrounding area have high rates of people driving while impaired, and road fatalities on Highway 63. 1 As well, the province of Alberta has the lowest voter turn-out in the country. 1 Fort McMurray has a high divorce rate, and a suicide rate thirty-one percent above the provincial average. 1 The city also has a high drop-out rate for high school students. The entire city is caught up in the money, not seeming to realize that their income is based on an unpredictable and unreliable market. The people living in Fort McMurray expect the money to keep on coming, and the people from outside of the city are only there for the money; when they’ve made the money that they went there to make, they will eventually leave. Alberta women also experience the highest level of abuse in the country. The province’s premier says that this is â€Å"the price to pay f or prosperity. Unfortunately, to some degree, he’s right. ElDean Kohrs is quoted as saying that â€Å"a history of power production synonymous with boom development usually leaves behind spiritual depression, divorce, drunkenness, dissension, and death†. The people of Fort McMurray can only hope that once the bitumen is gone, the city will not end up like the Klondike City of the gold rush. Although there are many devastating environmental effects of mining bitumen in the Alberta tar sands, the mining gives way to many opportunities for economic gain. The global demand for oil is a huge factor in why it is beneficial to mine the area. The Alberta tar sands are the world’s last remaining oil field, and have attracted sixty percent of global oil investments. 1 Although bitumen is referred to as ‘dirty oil’ it cannot be argued that all forms of oil cause some kind of environmental damage. Canada is now the second largest exporter of oil in the world. It is without doubt that the tar sands would eventually need to be mined, knowing our growing rate of oil consumption; but the rate of the growth is what has frightened people away from the idea of mining the area. Many of the large oil companies are making large strides in making better environmental choices. Suncor has reduced its water consumption by thirty percent in the last two years, and Syncrude has reclaimed twenty-two percent of its disturbed land. The Canadian government has also spent six billion dollars on climate change projects in the last fifteen years. 1 These are positive signs showing that the ways of mining land are changing for the better. The tar sands have also prompted growth all over Alberta. All major cities in Alberta have seen substantial growth in population over the past five years, and this growth as made Alberta one of the wealthiest provinces in Canada. Bitumen mining has also had a large effect on the Canadian dollar. 1 Between 2003 and 2006, the Canadian dollar went from sixty-four cents to eighty-seven cents on the U. S. dollar. This value is nearly parallel with the price of crude oil. Canada’s main exportation priority has become providing the United States with oil. 1 Canada is now the single larger exporter of oil to the U. S. 1 The U. S. has a high demand for oil, as U. S. citizens currently consume twenty-five percent of the world’s oil. 1 However, because of our high exportation, the Free Trade agreement is under intense scrutiny. It would seem that the agreement is no longer benefitting both countries. In summarizing the arguments, you could come to several conclusions. You may believe that the devastating effects on the environment are not worth mining bitumen. You may believe that to stay economically strong, Canada must mine the Alberta tar sands and have high exportation to the Unites States. Morally, it is clear what is right; however, economic decisions are never easy to make. The mining has devastated the region, and it is easy for a person to say that is wrong. However, these same people would not be ok with walking to work, or with paying high prices at the pumps. It is an ethical dilemma that faces the people today, between what we know is right, and what we are willing to go without. It is undeniable that the argument for the thesis is much stronger, but it may not have much validity to people concerned with the economy. The mining of bitumen is not sustainable, and will eventually recreate the identity of northern Alberta. 1 We can conclude that mining the Alberta tar sands has a detrimental effect on the environment that will eventually affect the entire world. â€Å"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world†-John Muir.