Ethics and Social Responsibility

Ethics are talked about frequently and addressed in the news when unethical decisions are found. Sadly, people do not hear about ethics when others are engaging in ethical behavior on a daily basis. Keep in mind that things that are not illegal may be unethical. Ethics are an individual belief system that consists of knowing what is right and wrong. Ethics can vary person to person. Ethics is in part analyzing decisions, beliefs, and actions.

Social responsibility can be an example of ethical behavior. It is enhancing society in general. However, a business can’t afford to go around doing good deeds if there is no potential pay off. If the business were to loose too much money, then it would cease to exist, hurt customers, and leave employees jobless. There are some that argue that social responsibility is shown only when companies go beyond what is optional, and really intend to create a benefit for others besides the company. Additionally, some companies may not benefit from some forms of social responsibility. These businesses should focus on what they do best as a business and give back what they can. Examples of socially responsible behavior range from projects that raise money for research on diseases, raising money for the needy, requiring workers to volunteer within the community, recalling products that may be dangerous, promoting recycling, and offering free services to the disadvantaged.

Example ethic and social responsibility

Friday marks the first National Day of Service and Remembrance, a way to honor the anniversary of September 11 by volunteering to help the community.

In Seattle, hundreds of volunteers will connect with people who are homeless or facing poverty in a day-long event at Quest Field. About 90 organizations are offering free services, from haircuts and dental work to help applying for jobs, housing, food stamps and veterans benefits.

The United Way of King County decided to hold its biannual Community Resource Exchange on the first National Day of Service, meant to encourage more volunteering and support for non-profits. Hundreds of projects are planned throughout King County on Friday, and more than 8,000 people have volunteered to work on them.

People get free haircuts during United Way's Community Resource Exchange,
a day when dozens of local non-profits gather to provide free services for homeless people

PATH has been developing innovative health solutions for the past three decades, from vial monitors that indicate when vaccine is spoiled, to water purification programs, to an initiative to produce the world's first malaria vaccine. Its work has helped make Seattle a global health powerhouse.

Most recently, PATH scientists and collaborators developed methods that protect hepatitis B vaccine from heat and freeze damage, particularly important in parts of the world without proper refrigeration.

A kiosk where women in a Nairobi slum sell water purified using a process developed by PATH.

Perception And Attitude Of The Society

The human response to the characteristics of a physical environment comes with consequences for both the human culture and the physical environment. One such human response is the construction of large dams.

The relationship between the natural environment and human culture is a two-way street. Too often, only one part is asserted: that the form of the natural environment influences (or, in extreme cases, determines) the human culture of a place. Mountains may prove obstacles to communication, but transport technology overcomes the barriers. Climate may limit the growth of certain crops, but irrigation or greenhouse protection can extend a plant’s natural limits. That is not to say that the natural environment does not pose risks: hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or droughts all pose risks to human settlement. But as human technology expands, people are able to adapt to the constraints once placed by the natural environment.



Besides technological adaptation, human culture has increasingly modified the natural environment, shaping it to its needs. Clearing forests for agriculture, paving surfaces for urban areas, damming rivers, exploiting minerals, polluting air, streams and oceans, are all examples of the permanent changes to the natural world resulting from human culture.

Places are the resolution of the forces of nature and adaptations by human culture. Moreover, as this relationship changes over time, so too do places. This unit will focus on how human culture is both influenced by, and adapts to, the natural world. Students should treat a human change to the environment as a diversion of energy to human society from the path it follows in the natural system.

Rather than simply comparing the nature of the physical environment with what people do with it, students should consider human perception. Thus, an environment may be considered hazardous by an objective observer, but explaining human adaptation involves knowing how the environment is perceived by those who use it. People might not be expected to settle on the sides of active volcanoes, as in Central America, or build on the shores of hurricane-prone coasts – that they do requires understanding how they perceive the environment and deal with the risk.

References :

http://scasscssap.org/cssapmodules/dams/overview.html

http://eab.sagepub.com/content/vol38/issue4/

Introduction To Environmental Science

Environmental Science degree has been gaining grounds rapidly as the issue on global warming and climate change is becoming popular. Environmental science and environmental scientist are committed to discovering the effects of human activity, mass production, and industry pollution that affects the well being of the environment and nature. Its aim is to minimize as possible the effects of environmental pollution to the wildlife, nature, and humans. Sustainable environmental health is what environmental scientists are dedicated to achieve of working in this field of applied science.


Environmental scientists are also concern with looking for new source of sustainable energy, ways to save and improve energy use that are related to the natural resources. Environmental scientists also work with people especially those engage in farming and factory to teach them about the impact of their activity to the environment. They will also suggest better ways of doing their business without having to adversely affect the environment. This applied science does not only deal with nature but also with social, legal, as well as political issues.

The environmental science belongs to the hard sciences; therefore, planning is really needed before deciding to follow this path in college. Environmental science students have to have a good background in science, biology, math, physics, chemistry, geology, and geophysics. Knowledge in math and in computer will also play a big role. Aside from the subjects mention above, environmental science degree also requires students to be passionate about the environment and nature. He/she must love to be in the outdoors and stay in the forest as this will be needed during the course of the degree and the actual practice of the profession itself.

There are various ways a graduate degree can be of use to the society and to itself. The issue on global warming and sustainable growth has made industries realize that environmental scientists are indispensable in ensuring sustainability in their company. In fact to some extent, having an expert in environmental science is required by law. With several years of experience, an environmental scientist can move up the ladder and become environmental science managers. This job involves leading a team of environmental scientist and practitioners in order to ensure that goals of an organization and the rules and regulations of the government are always enforced.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_science

http://science.pppst.com/environment.html

http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/oceanography/GES/