Water pollution has become an issue of great concern in our society. Many of today’s water ecosystems and drinking water are being polluted and destroyed as we speak. There are many types of water ecosystems such as oceans, rivers, lakes, and ponds witch provide homes to many different organisms. There are overwhelming factors that contribute to the problems of water pollution such as sewage, radioactive wastes, improper disposal of trash on land, and careless beachgoers. These are all significant problems that people do not realize until all of the damage is done. There are very few methods of controlling this pollution and more need to be developed in order to try and control these problems immediately.

The first few causes of water pollution include sewage and nutrients from fertilizers being dumped into water. This causes a problem for all the organisms because the nutrients cause the algae and water plants to grow to abnormally large sizes. This can eventually block waterways. As the wastes decompose it uses up oxygen and blocks the flow of water in natural rivers and streams. Also, as these nutrients decompose in the water, they use up oxygen which can harm all the organisms living in the environment. Fish and other organisms living in water need oxygen just as much as humans need it. Since all aquatic organisms depend on oxygen in the water, without a sufficient supply they will not be able to survive. This would be a very dangerous thing. Anything that can decrease the amount of oxygen in water can seriously damage the fish supply, since fish also depend on oxygen. A solution for this problem would be to test the water quality testing to see exactly how much oxygen is in the water to find out where the major problems areas are, then not dump any more wastes in water with low amounts of oxygen.
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Pollution is also caused when silt and soil wash off of plowed fields, construction and logging sites, urban areas, and eroded river banks when it rains. Although these pollutants are organic materials, when they are added all at once they can be overwhelming and can cause a big change for the organisms that live in the environment. It is very easy for too much silt to enter the water supply, for example just having silt run off of a garden. It is a problem because it changes many different things in the local environment, which could lead to killing of water organisms, and then affect the whole food chain. For example, too much silt entering the water supply could suffocate salmon eggs . This could be a problem, because a lot of different things could be affected if this happened. If the salmon supply was damaged, it could in turn affect the whole food chain. This problem could be easily prevented by taking precautions when digging and clearing out areas around a water ecosystem. We also need to keep all the sewer systems up to date and maintained properly to assure that the quality of our water is better.

Another cause of pollution in water is foreign bacteria, viruses, and parasites. These harmful organisms get into the water from sewage that isn’t filtered correctly, storm drains, septic tanks and boats that dump sewage into the water. This can be dangerous because it can cause sickness to humans, animals, and plants. The most common of these effects would be those to humans such as bacteria in drinking water. If the water is contaminated, it can cause many different types of diseases which is a serious health risk to all living organisms in the environment. There are many different types of diseases caused by bacteria in water that humans can get many different ways. We can actually come in contact with the infected water itself, come in contact with an infected animal, etc. This is a problem because it can also have a chain type effect on the ecosystem. For example, if an animal is infected with a virus or bacteria, even if it doesn’t affect the animal, if we consume that animal we can obtain the disease. One type of water bound disease caused by bacteria is Typhoid fever. This disease, although isn’t deadly can have serious symptoms such as headache, fever, and abdominal pain witch could last up to several weeks. So even though it isn’t a fatal disease, it can still make a person very sick. A way to start controlling this problem would be to be more cautious about how wastes are disposed of and how they are filtered.

Another cause for of water pollution is introduced by radioactive substances such as oil and heat. Water pollution from oil, is caused by such things as oil spills and drilling near a water ecosystem. This is a problem because obviously oil and radio active materials are harmful to the aquatic organisms. Heat is a pollution problem because a drastic change in temperature can be very harmful for water organisms. This heat problem occurs when factories and power plants dump cooling water into the water environments. A summarized answer to this problem would be to watch what is dumped into the water. Make sure the substances are safe for all aquatic organisms, cut back on how much radio active wastes are used, and keep track of how we dispose of them.

In conclusion, I think that water pollution is, without a doubt, a huge problem in today’s society. If we do not take action now this could lead to bad news for everyone in many ways. Our drinking water will be affected and our aquatic organism will be affected, which will eventually be a risk for humans in many ways. I think that more people should be concerned with this topic and how they greatly affect our everyday lives. People should stop taking what they have for granted and try to help stop this enormous problem before it is too late.
I think smoking should be prohibited in all public places. It is a unhealthy habit, which should be immediately banned. Smoking should only be allowed on personal property and land. There have been numerous reports, linking cigarette smoking to heart disease; lung disease; cancers of the lung, mouth, and other tissues; and other ailments. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemical substances, many of which have been linked to the development of diseases. Chemical substances occur in cigarette smoke as gases or as particals. Many places in which smoking should be banned are in pubs, clubs and working places.

Pubs are very important places for people in communities, especially small communities. It is a place for people to socialize and be entertained. In some communities the pub is the town meeting place for the locals. There are no non-smoking pubs and very few non-smoking front bars. Although the eating areas in pubs are non-smoking sometimes there is so much smoke it drifts everywhere. Smoking in pubs is a hazard to non-smokers and the workers. It is unhealthy and not fair on the people that don’t smoke and want to have a good time. These days smoking is a popular craze in pubs but should be quickly stopped.

Clubs are another place you would avoid if you felt strongly about smoke. Cigarette's contain health-damaging particles and are a health hazard to many. Clubs are meant for dancing, socializing and having a good time. Many non-smokers are put off clubs due to the fact of there is too much smoke. Smoking is the leading cause of life-threatening diseases and should be done away from public places. More young people go to clubs and it is a bad habit for them to be breathing in smoke. One of the most dangerous things is passive smoking and in clubs this is what non-smokers are doing.

There should definitely be no smoking in work places, even if it’s out the back of the work places. Smoke has a very unpleasant smell and seems to stick to clothes. I believe you get put off people that smell like smoke and its not a good impression for customers, clients or work mates. Not everyone that works smokes and they shouldn’t have to put up with the issue at all.

Research increasingly indicates that passive smoking contributes to thousands of cases of lung cancer and heart disease in non-smokers annually. Also, infants under one year of age who are exposed to smoke have twice as many lung infections as infants who aren’t. Pregnant women should also be banned from smoking as they are forcing someone to smoke that doesn’t have a choice. These days it is a difficult job trying to avoid smoke. It is unhealthy and should not be forced upon everyone. Even walking down a street or going to the local footy you are in danger of passive smoking. I strongly believe it should be kept out of the public and in private areas. In many countries, smoking is prohibited on public transport and in some public places, such as hospitals, schools, theatres, and cinemas, but I believe this is not enough. It is a habit not everyone contributes in and those who want to do it can but not in public.
Computer addiction is an obsessive addiction to computers. The term was used by M. Shotton in 1989 in her book Computer addiction. It is relatively recent academically, since widespread use of computers by the general public for non-professional purposes only began in the 1990s. However, there are examples of obsessive recreational users dating back to the first time-shared computer games, and many NetNews users were considered obsessive in the 1980s.
An extension of this behavior is the theorized Internet addiction disorder, symptoms of which are pathological or problematic Internet use.
As gaming in the form of PC games and game consoles from various companies like Nintendo and Sega caught on and spread through the end of the millennium, the use of Internet as an increasingly viable medium for communication also rose, and traditional offline activities such as politics and dating began to take advantage of online capability. As a result, computer addiction became a more serious study, and a more vocal social concern. With the almost-ubiquitous use of computers in the 21st century, it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish users who are merely highly engaged in their computer use from those who could be considered truly addicted. Criteria, based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for substance dependency is often used to distinguish extensive use of computers from excessive use, or addiction.
In 2004 the Finnish Defence Forces revealed that they allow some conscripts to postpone their military service for three years for dependence on computer games and the Internet.
The study of cybersex, emotional infidelity, the impact of computer use or violent video games on the brain's capacity for empathy and sympathy, the dangers associated with dating systems and obsession with computer games are all part of this field.
There once was a time when the only computers known to the average person were those the military possessed. Eventually, large corporations found many different uses for computers in the business world, and today, computers are as common in numerous households around the globe. People from all age groups are learning to operate computers and anyone who has worked with computers for long periods of time knows that computers can be just as addicting as smoking. Computer addiction can have a number of physical, social, and psychological effects on a person and it is to be taken as seriously as any other addiction that a person is battling.
One common physical effect computer addiction can have on a person are back problems. Sitting for so long can take a toll on a person's muscles and can result in poor posture. Poor posture can result in chronic back problems that require the services of a chiropractor. Dry eyes, carpal tunnel syndrome, and vision complications are some eye problems caused by over use of a computer. Migraine headaches are quite common in computer addiction and are linked to the straining of the eyes. Because of the long hours spent engrossed in a computer, addicts often have eating irregularities, such as skipping meals and binge eating. Computer addicts experience sleep disturbances, or changes in sleeping patterns, which are most likely due to late hours on the computer and low blood sugar from eating irregularities. One last effect is the failure to attend to personal hygiene, such as bathing, combing hair and brushing teeth. All of these physical effects can be linked to computer addiction.
Social effects of computer addiction include reduced time spent socializing with others. People may begin to feel that their computer is the only relationship that they have the time to focus on. They lose the desire for human contact and communication and in a way they are breaking away from reality. Lacking the desire to make contact with others, means lacking the desire to create new relationships or to build on already existing ones. After a certain amount of time, they lose their conversation skills completely. Within the lives of computer addicts it is their friends and family that suffer the most from this form of alienation. They are often moved to the very bottom of the computer addict's list of priorities. Computer addiction has the power to cause serious social effects and cannot be left untreated.
Along with the physical and social effects of computer addiction there are also psychological effects. Some psychological symptoms experienced by computer addicts when they are not at the computer are feelings of depression, emptiness, irritability, distraction and withdrawal. Feelings that are common when addicts are at the computer are a sense of euphoria or well-being. These senses of complete ecstasy and pleasure also causes and inability for people who are addicted to computers to stop the activity. They end up having a constant craving for more time at the computer, and this is where one can identify an addiction. Along with addiction comes a need to cover up their secret and computer addicts often lie to those around them. For example lying to employers, and family members about their hours spent at the computer and also denying they have a problem. This lying a sneaking around eventually results in problems either at school or at work. The psychological effects of computer addiction may not only lead to distraction and emptiness but may also lead to critical depression.
When people think of addictions, no one ever thinks of computer addiction to actually be common. In this age of computers, computer addiction will only increase as time passes. More and more people will experience the physical, social, and psychological effects of computer addiction but, thankfully, like other addictions, this condition is treatable.
Natural Resources Persuasive Essay
By Adeina PlaceEverybody wants an early retirement, but do you reallywant that for the Earth too? There are many factors thatcontribute to the down spiral of the Earth’s existence andmining for oil evidently can be one of them as well. Canadashould NOT be able to mine the Alberta Tar Sands withoutenvironmental restrictions. It is extremely harmful to theenvironment, all living organisms are affected by it, and,let’s face it, why do it if there are clearly ways tocompromise? Nobody should have to witness the negativeresults of one decision, when it can easily be avoided.Without restrictions, a very noticeable impact can bemade on the environment, and because of other miningindustries, it can already be seen in many places. Miningstrips away natural vegetation and especially natural beauty.Instead of fresh, lush, green grass, all that can be seen isdirty sand, and that is not a very appealing sight. Mining alsopollutes the ground and nearby water sources, withchemicals, and eventually the air too, when the toxin sandsare blown in the wind. This can affect areas miles away fromthe source. Even just plain oil residue affects theenvironment greatly, if you think about how much carbon isproduced in the process of mining. All of that contributes tothe growing effect of global warming. But that is only half of the matter.Everything that affects the environment has a way of impacting humans, or any other living organism too. Whennatural vegetation is stripped away for mining, it affectseverything. It limits the space for crops; therefore, less freshproduce is available. The toxins and chemicals produced inthe process of mining can pollute nearby water sourceskilling fish, birds and plants. They can also pollute theground so that it is more difficult to grow healthy crops.Eventually, the amount produce grown decreases andfarmers lose profit. Another thing to consider is the pollution in the air. This has a very large impact because it greatlycontributes to global warming. Think about it, aboveAustralia, there is already a hole in the atmosphere! It is notsupposed to be that way. Mining in the Tar Sands also affectsthe economy. Yes, there is a lot of employment available, butbecause of that, there is so much employment lost in otherareas of the world, and especially Canada! There is evenbeginning to be a shortage of farmers in some agriculturalregions. This is mostly because working in the Tar Sandsmakes a lot of profit, but Alberta is becoming so much moreexpensive making the pay check increase useless. All of thiseven alters human relationships. To make that much money,you have to work very long hours cutting out leisure andfamily time. Eventually, families are torn apart because thereis no time to maintain healthy relationships. Then, all you areleft with is your job, when this type of work is usually noteven long term. Why risk all of this when there are solutions? There are compromises that are good for theenvironment and for the people. Being less dependent onthe Tar Sands would help when it comes to preservingnatural vegetation. There are places that are not populatedor useful to humans in any other way except for the fact thatit contains oil sands, like Saskatchewan. Plus, when little oilmining is spread out over large amounts of land, it is easierfor the Earth to recover. If this oil is not sufficient enough,the amount of oil that is produced in Alberta, per year, couldbe limited. It would be very beneficial if there was lessconcentration focussed on the Alberta Tar Sands. This wouldsolve some employment issues and create more of a balancein Canada’s economy. Although, this solution still doesn’teliminate the issue of global warming completely. Thisproblem won’t go away, but, there are ways to improve thequality of the air. When mining in the Tar Sands, all thecarbon is let into the atmosphere, but Canada needs to bepro-active. Norway traps approximately 60% of the carbon,reducing more than half of the pollution that can potentiallydamage the ozone layer. It is not extremely difficult to beglobally/environmentally friendly. All Canada needs is a plan. Compromising is a big part of making life on Earthwork. Mining for oil is not worth the trouble if theenvironment and humans are negatively affected by it.Eliminating oil mining in the Alberta Tar Sands doesn’t meanthat life on Earth will drastically change. Most people mightnot know, or even care, but it’s a step closer to somethingbetter. It is impossible to reach a finish line if you can’t makeit over the start. Nobody should have the chance to out-livethe Earth. It’s time for a change, and that change starts now!
The Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading the Freedom of Information Bill, which mandates all government agencies to make available all public records to all interested individuals or groups.

"Magkakaroon na ng batas kung saan [pinagtitibay] ang karapatan ng lahat ng mamamayan na makita ang records ng ating bansa (With this, we shall have a law promoting the right of all Filipinos to have access to all public documents). All records should be made available to the media, to NGOs [non government organizations], and to any interested groups without fear or favor of repercussion from government agencies," Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri told reporters after the session.

Zubiri branded as "hogwash and a terrible excuse for transparency" the old rule that required people to obtain first a court order or seek permission from the Sandiganbayan and the Ombudsman before they could be given public documents.

"This law is crucial for transparency at credibility of the next administration," he said.

Senator Joker Arroyo, who earlier expressed opposition to the approval of Senate Bill 3308, later voted for it. Twelve senators were present when the bill was approved.

The Senate approved SB 3308 on second reading last Monday.

The bill states that the government recognizes the right of the people to information on matters of public concern, and adopts and implements a policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions involving public interest, subject to the procedures and limitations provided.

"This right is indispensable to the exercise of the right of the people and their organizations to effective and reasonable participation at all levels of social, political and economic decision-making," the bill stated.

Under the bill, all government agencies are required to make available to public for scrutiny, copying and reproduction all information pertaining to official acts, transactions or decisions, as well as government research data used as basis for policy development, regardless of their physical form or format in which they are contained and by whom they were made.

"There shall be a legal presumption in favor of access to information. Accordingly, government agencies shall have the burden of proof of showing by clear and convincing evidence that the information requested is exempted from disclosure by this Act," it said.

Those who wanted to obtain information shall submit a request to the government agency concerned personally, by mail, or through electronic means of communication.

The request shall state the name and preferred contact information of the requesting party, and reasonably describe the information required, the reason for the request of the information and the preferred means by which the government agency shall communicate such requested information to the requesting party.

The stated reason, or the failure to state the reason for the request of the information, shall not be used as a ground to deny the request or to refuse the acceptance of the request, unless such reason is contrary to law, the bill further said.

Exempted from the bill, however, are documents that might endanger national security, documents on ongoing military or police operations, and others that fall under other exemptions provided under the Constitution.

Draft decisions in judicial proceedings or documents that are part of negotiations in diplomacy or international relations are also exempted.

Government officials or employees who will violate the law, once enacted, could face imprisonment of not less than one month but not more than six months.

The Senate is yet to assign its contingent to the bicameral conference committee to meet with the members of the House of Representatives to reconcile the two chamber's respective versions of the bill.