ECOLOGY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ECOLOGY - Essay Example Alexandria was declared an Eco-City in 2008, which means its inhabitants have promised to use the bare minimum for its consumption of food, water, energy use, and land utilization (a reduced carbon footprint and in pollution) and at the same time preserve its historic heritage. In other words, it has endeavored to achieve planned development and progress but together with environmental sustainability. Alexandria has a fertile soil (ideal for crop cultivation, especially tobacco), an excellent fishing ground from its waterways, and good hunting in its forests, although admittedly, the city is a relatively small geographic area compared to other metropolitan areas of the country. This was its original condition back when it was still a colony, but today, modern developments in it had altered its ecology due to anthropogenic disturbance (human intrusions) such that only small areas or habitats are left in their original pristine conditions unchanged since the first European settlements in the sixteen century. This is why the citizens of Alexandria are very cognizant of its ecology, altered due to its early forest conversions, plantations, logging (Rice, 2009, p. ix) and in fairly recent period (in the last few decades), modern real estate developments. Alexandria is too aware of the fragility of its natural environment, which was why it declared itself an eco-city to raise public awareness of the need to manage its ecology better and preserve its biodiversity. The specific factors that characterize and describe the local ecology of Alexandria is its vast natural resources, rivers, waterways, rolling hills and mountains, broad valleys and large plains with a wide variety of flora and fauna. These various species exist in a number of inter-locking relationships, among which are predation, competition, symbiosis (mutualism, parasitism and neutralism); Virginia has established a Department of Conservation and Recreation under its Natural Heritage Program. Alexandria i s included in this state program, which has on its own initiative declared itself an eco-city, as mentioned earlier. A significant milestone achieved by the city of Alexandria was the closure of its coal-fired power generating plant as of December 31, 2012 which significantly improved the air quality in its immediate environs. The closure and decommissioning of the GenOn Potomac River Generating Station or PRGS was part of its Environmental Action Plan, which had also included the establishment of several hike, walking and bike trails, a high solid-waste recycling rate, operation of hybrid buses, installation of more solar power panels, pursuit of a sustainable Green Building Policy, and the adoption of 20 environmental factors (criteria) that will measure its eco-sustainability progress. All these are designed to reduce carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming, and in turn, cause climate change (City of Alexandria, 2013, p. 1). Alexandria is s erious with its environmental programs, and many areas previously used for human activities had been restored, rehabilitated, or allowed to return to its natural state in a long-run non-interference or non-intervention policy (that is, these areas are allowed to revert back to their natural state, eventually) and to ensure nature conservation, designated as protected areas off-limits to human exploitation; it has won

The Royal British Legion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Royal British Legion - Essay Example It was this royal charter which gives the Legion the prefix 'Royal' in its title. Till date, the Legion is principally a campaigning organization which promotes the wellbeing and welfare of presently serving and retired members of the British Armed Forces. The first campaign of the Royal British Legion pertained to the campaigning for War Disablement Pension cases for war veterans. At present, campaigns of Royal British Legion which are ongoing include advocating for increased research into psychological conditions of  Gulf War syndrome  and for enhanced compensation for the victims of the war. Other campaigns by the organization include upgrading of War Pensions; the expansion of endowment mortgage payment for British military personnel that are serving outside the country. The key objective of the organization is better provision for support of British military personnel that are facing difficulties in resettling back into civilian life. One of the most successful campaigns of the organization is the one in which the Legion organized a fund-raising drive weeks before  Remembrance Sunday. During the course of this campaign supporters of the war veterans were required to wear artificial  red poppies on clothing. It was announced that the proceeds from the sales of the artificial poppy flowers will be donated to charity. Appeals for Charity The organization can use a number of appeals for raising charity. Two forms of marketing objectives can be relevant to this organization. The first one relates to recruitment of volunteers, the second one relates to collection of charity for the objectives of the organization. To increase inflows of charity funds to the organization, the Royal British Legion can organize a festival to commemorate celebrate war veterans. It is proposed that most parts of this festival should be composed of formal. The event can generate revenue for the organization through sale of the attendance tickets or sale of items related to cele brated wars. These wars can depict civilian life during wartime or based on similar themes. Such an event is likely to generate high attention of the prospective target market because it will enable viewers belonging generations that were born after these historic wars – for instance, the World War II – to benefit from the affirmative engagements of those people who want to relive glorified history of the nation. Another appeal for charity which can be used by The Royal British Legion is the support for foreign troops of United Kingdom who are engaged in military combat. The organization can launch an ‘Honor’ campaign which can call on the citizens of United Kingdom both within country and abroad to honor the  military men protecting country’s interest in foreign lands like Afghanistan (Beamish and Ashford, 2009). The objective of the campaign would be gather public support for the issues recognized by the Legion and to promote interests of milita ry men abroad. The same campaign can be used to create support of the federal government, as well, for the troops and to influence government to create laws which are beneficial for the interest of these men. One aspect of this campaign can be seeking priority treatment for military men in hospitals rather than having them to wait for treatment in national institutions. ‘Online Assistance of Military Men’ can be a campaign which can