Rising to the Top free essay sample

My heart is beating so fast; I can feel my chest pounding. I can’t even hear myself think with all of the uproar. The enemy is staring me down, waiting for me to make a move. Like me, their faces are filled with intensity. They want victory almost as much as I do, but I can’t let them win. My competitive spirit tells me that defeat is not an option. As I dribble down the court, I find my opening and I don’t have time to hesitate. The ball leaves my hand and lands just where I want it. It dives through the hoop without any contact with the rim and the game is over. We won by a point. I started out my basketball experience by playing recreational basketball, and I didn’t get the ball a lot. I could sense that the better kids on the team believed they were superior to me by the way they looked at me. We will write a custom essay sample on Rising to the Top or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They would have that smug look on their face and I couldn’t stand it. I was Determined over the next summer to do whatever I could to surpass their level. I spent all my time out on the driveway, improving my skills. My dad had assembled a list of drills in order for me to practice more effectively. I had to do hours of lay-ups, jump roping, and the dreaded figure eight dribbling drill every day. They weren’t what I would consider fun, but I did them anyway, knowing that the end result would be well worth it. The next year not only did I play recreational basketball, but I tried out for the travel basketball team, and made the team due to nobody getting cut. Though this was a competitive team, I was once again at the bottom. Most of my time on the team was spent watching from the bench waiting in anxiety for the coach to call out my name to send me in the game. But that year I became the star player on my recreational team. I knew this time that my teammates wanted the ball in my hands and my confidence grew stronger. I had gone through a tremendous change. I was making all the shots, and taking the ball up the court for my team to set up our offense. I led my team to the championship game, beating out my other travel teammates teams. We lost the game by a couple of points, but I couldnt have been happier. It took me a bit longer to move up in ranks on the travel team, but every year it was clear that I was gaining on my teammates. I began to get a decent amount of playing time, and I became a vital role on the team. One time my team was down by four points with only seconds left and we needed a miracle. The coach set up a play ending with me shooting a 3-point shot. I took the shot while an opposing player slapped my arm, and it somehow made its way through the hoop. I was at the foul line and I could have tied the game with this one shot. As the ball left my fingertips, I knew it wasn’t going in so I ran up for a rebound and took a quick shot. I missed again, but my team was not mad. I almost kept the game alive, and that’s when I knew I had established myself as a good travel player. My confidence continued to grow, but my seventh grade year, I was cut from the middle school team and my confidence was shaken. I couldn’t believe some of the kids who made it over me and it hurt for a day or two, but I had to learn to accept it and move on. I wouldn’t let this be the end; in fact, it was a blessing in disguise because it made me work harder than ever before. I made sure that every day they would practice, I too would be working hard on my skills. My eighth grade year I got on the team. Though I was not happy with my role on the team, I accepted it and would do the best I could with the opportunity given to me. I am now finishing up what is left of my competitive basketball experience. I have been playing up yet another level on an AAU team. It involves a lot of traveling and playing the best players out there. I once was forced to guard a 6’8 dunking machine, and it was embarrassing, but I am hoping it will help me improve and get the varsity time I have been working my entire life for. I was on the team my junior year, but I didn’t play as much as I wanted. For my senior year, I hope I can prove that I am worthy of a starting position. No matter what happens though, I will always cherish the memories I have had playing the game. It has taught me life lessons, and has allowed me to grow both physically and mentally. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the game of basketball.

Shylock is an ambivalent portrait Essays

Shylock is an ambivalent portrait Essays Shylock is an ambivalent portrait Essay Shylock is an ambivalent portrait Essay Essay Topic: Play Throughout The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is a character with a strong impact on the audience. The response of the audience changes throughout the play, varying from pity to dislike. His Jewish background and persecution provide a case for the audience liking the character and giving him pity, whereas his obsessions with money and his desire to kill Antonio gives the audience a bad impression. The influence he has on the audience has varied over the years, from the Elizabethan times when he first appeared, who saw persecution of Jews everyday, to the modern audience who will dislike characters who are prejudiced. Shylock first appears in Act 1 Scene 1. For the audience, first impressions are vital. His first line when Bassanio offers him the bond is Three Thousand ducats well (Act 1 Scene 3 Line 1). To any audience this gives the impression that he is very concerned about money, especially when he repeats three thousand ducats throughout the scene. Throughout the scene, there is a repetition of the word three, e. g. three thousand ducats, three months, three thousand ducats for three months etc. This repletion not only emphasises Shylocks obsession with money (as he is still pondering over the bond) but also shows how numerically Shylock thinks. The obsession with money is a key part of his character and the first thing that the audience noticed. Shakespeare himself was interested in money and usances himself, he invested much of his money into his theatre, and his knowledge of that subject is reflected in Shylocks character We also learn from this scene the intelligence of Shylock. As soon as Bassanio propositions him, he considers the offer in his mind, and realises how he can get revenge on Antonio, e. . Antonio shall become bound well (line 5). Later on in the scene, Shylock shows his intelligence once again, when he tries to be friendly to Antonio to try and make him sign the bond, e. g. I would be friends with you, and have your love (Line 133). Shylock is a shrewd businessman. He is careful not to lend money out to people who he doesnt know, or people that he knows w ill not pay him back, e. g. My meaning in saying that he is a good man, is to have you understand that he is sufficient (Lines 13-14). He disguises his sinister bond as a joke in hoping to persuade Antonio to seal the bond, when he does he knows that he can kill Antonio if he does not repay him. Shylock stalls with Bassanio not giving him a definite answer until Antonio arrives, this is because he wants to see Antonio and talk to him about his sinister bond. His stalling also gives him time to think his plan through. Shylock, being an orthodox Jew has considerable knowledge of the Bible. In this scene he uses his knowledge to benefit himself. He tells Antonio the story of Uncle Labans sheep and Jacob to justify why he should collect Interest. His interpretation of the story is completely different from the Antonios. Antonio believes that he twists the story to benefit himself. Antonio detests Shylock, he considers him a dog, and he does not agree with Shylock charging interest, i. e. An evil soul producing holy witness is like a villain with a smiling cheek, a goodly apple rotten at the heart. Also In the Rialto you have rated me about my moneys and my usances. Still I have borne it with a patient shrug (Shylock). Much of an Elizabethan audience would have agreed with Antonio on this, as the majority of them would have been Christians. I hate him for he is a Christian illustrates the point that Shylock does not like any Christians. He hates Antonio especially, owing to the persecution he has received from him, e. g. You call me misbeliever, cut throat dog, and spit upon my Jewish gaberdine. Fair sir, you spit on me Wednesday last, you spurned me such a day, another time you called me a dog, and for these courtesies Ill lend you thus much moneys? Shylock has obviously been persecuted due to his Jewish heritage, and this would make the modern audience feel sorry for him. Due to the amount of persecution he has received, Shylock often attracts our sympathies so much that the reader often thinks of how he suffers outside of the play. This shows how deep his suffering must be. Most of the Elizabethan audience would be accustomed to seeing this sort of persecution, but still may not feel that it is right. As a result of his persecution, Shylock hates all Christians, although he obviously has knowledge of the Christian bible, as the Old Testament is part of the Jewish scriptures, e. g. to smell pork, to eat of the habitation which your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into. Shylock also considers Antonio a fawning publican; he compares him to a Jewish tax collector. Antonio also lends out money, but does not charge interest, which annoys Shylock, e. g. If you repay me not on such a day, in such a place, such sum or sums as are expressed in the condition, let the forfeit be nominated for an equal pound of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken in which part of the body pleaseth me. This shows that Shylock seeks revenge, and in some ways gives the audience the impression that he is evil. In fact he is partially breaking the Ten Commandments, (Thou Shalt not Kill, which he would do if Antonio forfeits his bond. ) Antonio is one of the main persecutors of Shylock, but it may not be because of his Jewish heritage that Antonio persecutes him. In the opening scene, Antonio tells us that he is sad and does not know why. When his friend Bassanio asks him to get the bond from Shylock, he has no hesitance about risking his life for it. This, and his general actions to Bassanio might suggest that he is actually in love with Bassanio, but he cannot do anything about it, especially with Portia around. This would explain the intensity of their relationship, and why Antonio is depressed. As a result, Antonio takes it out on Shylock, someone he knows he can get away with persecuting. The Elizabethan audience would consider Shylock a typical Jew. Jews were expelled from the country in 1290, and when many returned in the fifteen hundreds, they only had a limited number of jobs that they could do. Many decided to lend money for interest, as they were allowed to, and Christians were not. As this was all they could do, many had to be very money-tight; to make sure they never lost any money. Jews were always persecuted; many of the Christians hated them for it was them who killed Jesus Christ. Therefore, so far Shylock would appear to be a typical Jewish moneylender, whom many of them would not particularly like due to his money lending and their hate of Christians. As The Merchant of Venice was written in 1596-1597, much of the first audiences would have been aware of the recent execution of another Jew, Rodrigo Lopez in 1594. For many years he was well respected as the Queens physician until the Earl of Essex ruined him. He was hanged for treason. Lopez may have had a strong influence on Shakespeares writing about Jews, e. g. how a prominent man can be ruined because of his Jewish heritage. In Act 2 Scene 1, Jessica, Shylocks daughter says our house is hell, showing the audience that she perhaps considers him a bad father and a bad man. His servant, Launcelot Gobbo also considers him a devil. The people that Shylock sees most often have said negative things about him, so the audience will judge that he is not that a nice person. In Act 2 Scene 5, Shylock is on his way to a supper with the Christians. He is only going to annoy them; this shows the audience that he is not considerate. Shylock says I did dream of money bags tonight which shows how much he cares about his money. He also ensures that his house and daughter are safe from those Christian Fools, before he leaves e. g. Lock up my doors, and when you hear the drum and the vile squealing of the wry-necked fife, clamber not you up to the casements then, not thrust your head into the street to gaze on Christian fools. He is very concerned about his money, but even more he is worried about his daughter seeing Christians, as he considers the Jews a tribe, and they need to marry within the tribe to keep it going, so he feels that she should marry a Jew, not a Christian. At the end of Act 2 Scene 6, Jessica not only leaves her father, but also takes many of his ducats with her and Lorenzo. Any audience would now give pity to Shylock as he has lost a daughter and a considerable sum of money. Jessicas last line before leaving is Farewell, and if my fortune be not crossed, I have a father, you a daughter lost. The audience would not only give pity, but also perhaps see Shylock as a poor father, more concerned about the welfare of the Jewish culture than the happiness of his daughter. In Scene 8, Salerio and Solanio discuss Shylock. We yet again see the Christian persecution of Shylock, i. e. Villain Jew, which would influence the audience. Solanio also overheard Shylock earlier on, after he discovered the desertification of his daughter, e. g. My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter! Fled with a Christian! O my Christian Ducats! From this it appears that Shylock is just as upset about his daughters betrayal as he is of the loss of his money, which again emphasises his obsession with money, and makes the audience think that he is not that caring of his daughter. He is so angry with her, he says she is dammed for it, but he still persists that she is completely different from the Christians there is more difference between thy flesh and hers than Jet and ivory. He still considers her a Jew who should not see Christians. The audience might see that he has a right to seek revenge after what Jessica did to her. In Act 3 Scene 1, we see Shylock giving reasons for why he should collect the forfeit if it is required, e. g. If it feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me and hindered me half a million. To the audience it would appear that Shylock is just bloodthirsty and cruel. An audience from an Elizabethan era would no doubt think that Jews were cruel anyway, as this was the prejudice that was around at the time. There were untrue stories of Jews being cruel, and of course stories from the bible such as King Herod (a Jew) killing all the babies in Bethlehem under two years. Certainly Jews have been played as cruel villains in other plays, such as Barabas, in The Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe, who was based upon Joseph, Duke of Naxos (who was not a Jew). So many of the audience would already assume that Shylock was cruel and bloodthirsty. The Jews are described as the cursed race in this story. Shakespeare was without a doubt influenced by Marlowes play; Barabas, the Jew has a daughter who turns Christian during the play, so it is obvious that Shylock and Jessica were adapted from this play. Shylocks speech about the forfeit in this scene begins with To bait Fish with, after Salerios question if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh, whats that good for? Shylocks response to this question shows again that he is quick-witted and can retort to any comments he does not approve of. In Shylocks speech we hear again of his persecution, for example He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million, laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies, and whats his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? An audience would feel sorry Shylock at this point and perhaps agree that it is fair for him to collect his forfeit. Shylock points out that If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why revenge. Shylock points out that if he were a Christian and Antonio were a Jew, no one would have a problem with him collecting his forfeit. He illustrates the division between the rights of the Christians and the rights of the Jews. After this influential speech, much of the audience might agree with Shylock about his view of equality among Christians and Jews. The majority of an Elizabethan audience would still probably consider him evil due to the prejudice of the time. Shylocks image of being bloodthirsty reappears later on in the scene when his friend Tubal informs him of Antonios loss, and Shylocks response is I thank God, I thank God. Is it true, is it true? I thank thee good Tubal, good news, good news! Ha, ha! These lines would suggest that Shylock is cruel as he is so desperate for a chance to take the forfeit of off Antonio. This scene is the first scene in which we see another Jew, and at the end of the scene there is a reference to the local Synagogue. This tells everyone that the Jewish community has been well established, so this might a reason for the audience to feel less sorry for Shylock. Also the Jews must also have quite a bit of money if they have built their own Synagogue. In Act Three, Scene Three, Antonio has been arrested for not repaying the bond and is making one last plea to Shylock. Shylock is obsessed with revenge on his Christian persecutor, and will not forgive him or even listen to what Antonio has to say. All he wants is his bond, e. g. (Antonio) I pray thee hear me speak. (Shylock) Ill have my bond. I will not hear thee speak. Ill have my bond, and therefore speak no more. This scene once again emphasises to the audience the amount of murderous hatred that Shylock has, and also how difficult it is to change the law. Act Four Scene 1 sees the Duke of Venices first appearance. A good friend of Antonios, he describes Shylock as an inhuman wretch. Once again, the audience will be influenced by the feelings of another character. The rest of the characters see Shylock as an evil devil as he enters the courtroom. Much of the audience would not approve of him wanting to kill Antonio. Shylock retaliates to the remarks that he should not collect his bond, with his quick wittedness in the forms of another speech, in which he compares Antonio to a pig. In Antonios speech, he is still being racist against Shylock, saying a Jewish Heart; he does not once call him a man, always a Jew. Bassanio offers him six thousand ducats for the bond, but Shylock refuses. From what we already know about how greedy Shylock is about money, this seems very strange, showing how desperate he is to kill Antonio. Shylock gets more and more aggravated waiting for his bond to become legal, again showing how deep his wounds are from Antonio. Shylock calls Portia Daniel, referring to the Old Testament, where Daniel was a wise Judge. This again illustrates this knowledge of the bible, and how he considers this justice. Shylock shows no mercy and no forgiveness, which are two basic elements of Christianity; many of Antonios Christian friends expected Shylock to forgive Antonio. Shylock makes several powerful speeches throughout the play, the only character other than Portia to do so. He wins battles of words against Antonio many times, e. g. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft in the Rialto you have rated me about my money and my usances. Still I have borne it with a patient shrug (Act One Scene Three). Also in Act Three Scene 1, To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me . These speeches show that Shylock is quick witted, able to retaliate with words and quite intelligent. The Merchant of Venice could be more described as a romantic comedy than a tragedy. Therefore you would perhaps not expect not to see an evil villain in it. The audience may not be expecting an evil character, so may not consider him a villain, but more of a victim. In many plays, especially ones which have Jews featured, there was an evil character (e. g. The Jew of Malta), so, the audience would be accustomed to this, so may picture Shylock as that evil character. Throughout the play, Shylock is compared to both Antonio and Portia. Whereas Antonio is seen simply as a typical example of mankind (who goes through different stages of emotions), and Portia as Wisdom, Shylock is seen for a lot of the time as the Devil. Throughout the play, there are numerous references to Shylock and the Devil, e. . The devil can cite scripture for his own purposes (Act One, Scene Three), The Jew is the very devil incarnation (Act Two Scene Two), lest the devil cross my prayer, for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. (Act Three Scene One) Shylocks response to Portia turning the case against him in Act Four Scene One is My deeds upon my head. This recalls the time when the Jews called for the execution of Christ, so this line again shows that he is a Christian hater. All of these references indicate to the audience that Shylock is similar to the devil, so many of them will accept his persecution and consider him a villain. This would have been the case especially in the Elizabethan era when all Jews were considered cruel. Throughout the years, Shylock has changed, in the way the actor portrays him and in the way the audience sees him. Up until the eighteenth century, he would have been seen as a slightly comical character, whose purpose is to be mocked. He then changed into the villain of the play, in one portrayal he was so sinister, grotesque and so ferocious a villain that after King George II watched it, he is reported to have had a sleepless night. He then was more portrayed as an injured man, followed by an outrageous father. Today a modern audience sees him as a persecuted man, who seeks revenge on those who wrong him. We also see him as a typical Jew, wanting to preserve his culture. Some people even consider him an Old Testament Prophet. In conclusion, Shylock appears to the audience as a tragic villain, a man who is obsessed with money, revenge on people who wrong him. There is a lot of emphasis on comparing him to the devil, which much of the audience would agree with. His persecution by the Christians gives him some pity but his humbling end leaves the impression of a broken man.

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Essay - 1

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Thematic Area Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing - Essay Example It is in this respect that a critical review in the contemporary themes in youth work practice becomes important. It is therefore imperative to critically assess and discuss the key principles of Neurodevelopment and microbiology and their applicability in solving the rapidly growing mental disorders among the young generation. In addressing the above mentioned issue, the following discourse focuses on journal publications. The idea being advanced by Gomez (2013) asserts that the world has made major strides in terms of technological advancement and socio-political reforms aimed at improving the general social welfare of the people. It is however worrying that social justice towards children and the young generation is in a shamble. There are a number of cases where children are exposed to abuse in various ways and this leads to mental disorientation that originates from the structural and functional organization of the brain. This issue is raising concern and that explains why medical specialists, psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists and the parents have to resort into research to establish the remedial measures that are effective to curb the problem (Brendtro,2009). In this regard, neurosequential model was formulated to work alongside therapeutic intervention. What most researchers say about this problem is not eventual recovery but the time lag and mechanisms of instituting the treatment meas ures. It is worth to note that critical assessment is imperative to establish the central idea advanced by many researchers on this issue.Children across the world develop mental health problems due to various environmental factors. Cases of neglect, traumatization, chaos, and threat are some of the major contributory factors in the observed mental ill health among the youth which they extend even to the other units of the society like the working place. These experiences gradually realign the mental aspect of children and as

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Death of a Salesman Essay

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Death of a Salesman - Essay Example Abandonment is related to things we can not see because we have left them or they have somehow, left on their own. By calling these things more important than others which have not gone away, the author tends to favor the abandonment right at the outset, and the audience’s perceptions are modified accordingly. Fix has done this in the start of the novel in order to make sure that the audience follows her exactly in the same footsteps so that both the author and the audience reach the same conclusion by the end of the novel. In Willy’s life, there is a constant and uninterrupted shift from one abandonment to another. Every time this happens, the successive abandonment causes even more despair to rise in Willy’s heart than the preceding abandonment. The author has coherently constructed this argument by making the audience aware of the news of death of Willy’s father at an age when Ben and Willy are both too young and are not earning anything. When Ben and W illy’s father dies, the children are left with no tangible or intangible asset whatsoever. After some time, Ben resolves to leave for Alaska and go away from Willy who is lost in the American Dream vision. As a result of numerous unfortunate events congested in the early phase of his life, Willy catches a phobia of abandonment.

A Regional-based Motor Marketing Company Targeting the Working Class Essay

A Regional-based Motor Marketing Company Targeting the Working Class - Essay Example The program will be aired for an hour's duration twice in a week commencing at 7.30pm to 8.30pm on Mondays and Fridays. The program will recognize and invite committed consumers to make their appearances during the airing of the program to publicly declare their experiences of using the products. The program is meant to be aired for a period of one year by which time the target group will be enlightened on the necessary information regarding the company and its products. A large number of automobile customers blindly go for products that may appear attractive to their eyes. This was established as the greatest problem that the customers have with buying of the products since most of them later realize that some features of the vehicles they buy fail to conform to the expectations they had placed on the products. For the sake of informing the potential customers of all the necessary information of the company's product, the radio program will prove helpful. The potential customers will be assisted to make informed choices over the products that they wish to buy since they will be armed with all the necessary information about the product. Incorporation of the consumers into the program will act to boost the confidence of the potential customers and encourage them to buy these products. This is so because the invited customers will give their personal positive testimonies of their experiences with the automobile products thus give the impression that the products are desirable. (Sewall and Sarel 2006 p32) Proposal detail Goals and objectives The following are the goals that the program would wish to accomplish. The proposal will utilize the objectives indicated below the goals in order to accomplish these goals; 1. To create awareness of the automobile products to the actual and the potential market Objectives 1.1 To inform the customers about the availability of the company's products 1.2 To enlighten the customers on the features of the different products. 1.3 To inform customers of the regional distributors from whom they can buy the products 2. To increase the consumer base to enable greater sales Objectives 2.1 To advertise the existing products to the target market to attract more customers 2.2 To create new products for the customers to have a wider variety from where to choose 3. To win dealerships from the interested distributors 3.1 To present an attractive dealership package that can encourage the prospective salespeople to venture into selling of these products 3.2 To offer a comprehensive theoretical package indicating the requirements and expectations of the dealership 3.3 To train prospective dealers on good customer handling skills Clientele The program is directed to two groups of clients; the primary group is the working class of people who can afford to buy the automobile products and maintain them at the expected standards. This group will comprise of the newly employed white collar job workers who happen to fall in the age category of 23 years and 26 years old, and the

Alternate Energy Sources: An Analysis

Alternate Energy Sources: An Analysis Due to the predicted shortage of fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy sources, research is now looking at alternatives. These alternatives are known as renewable energy. Renewable energy effectively uses natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat, which can be naturally replenished. If the use of renewable energy isnt explored for future use, we may be living without appliances we take for granted today. For example, imagine a winter without a heater and a summer without air-conditioning, and day-to-day life without televisions, cars, washing machines, even lights. The earth could get to a stage where it was so severely scarred from people trying to find more energy sources, that the damage is irreversible. With the current consumption rate of non-renewable energy, this scenario may very well be the state of the planet in future years. Hence, this paper will explore the use of the alternate energy source, solar power for present and future use. The advantages and disadvantages of the energy source will be discussed, in relation to its technological, economical, viability factors. In doing so, the paper will attempt to prove that not only is solar energy as an alternate energy source better for the environment, but also verify that it is better for our economy in the long run. Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 4 1.1 Overview of Solar Energy 4 1.2 Everyday Usage 6 2.0 Technological Viability 6 2.1 Efficiency 8 3.0 Environmental Sustainability 8 4.0 Economical 9 5.0 Conclusion 10 References 11 1.0 Introduction In todays climate of growing energy needs and increasing environmental concern, alternatives to the use of non-renewable and polluting fossil fuels have to be investigated. We have only really been looking at the possibility of solar power seriously for the past fifty years, and fossil run machines and power plants have been researched for the past century. In the journal article, Photovoltaics A Path to Sustainable Futures, Joshua M. Pierce states that since 1957, electricity demand in the US has increased by over 450% while the US population has increased by only 50%, which illustrates how the demand for electricity has grown.It has been estimated that we only have 50 to 70 years left of all fossil fuels at the current consumption rate. This is a scary figure, considering that as soon as 2050 there could be no more food to feed the industrialized machine. Something will have to change, its obvious, and renewable energy is the most logical answer . Green Peace India defines Renewable Energy as a sustainable energy source that comes from the natural environment that is perennial. Clean Renewable Energy are those, which do not contribute to any sort of emission harmful to lives such as radiation, carbon, or involve extractive processes, or which would cause large scale displacement of people or destruction of land and forest covers. (Green Peace India, 2009). In other words, renewable energy can be taken continuously from the natural environment and does not affect the normal activities in the biosphere. One such renewable energy source being considered for future use is solar energy. Photovoltaics, photo meaning light and voltaic meaning electricity, is one of the fastest growing solar energy technologies. Photovoltaic devices, or solar cells, use semiconductor material to directly convert sunlight into electricity. Overview Solar Energy Solar cells, primarily made of silicon, absorb sunlight which contains photons, the energy by-products of the nuclear reaction in the sun. The photons release electrons that are captured in the form of an electric current which is used as electricity. This is also known as the photoelectric effect. Solar energy is the oldest type of energy found on earth, as it is as old as the sun. Every second the world receives 95.8 trillion watts of power, (Pearce, 2002). That is well beyond the amount of power used in one day. It is unknown when humans began using solar energy to improve their lifestyles. As far as we know, people have always used the sun for growth, vision and warmth. Some of the first ancient cultures to use solar energy as heating were those from the deserts, and dry areas. (Goswami, 1997) It was however recorded that countries such as Egypt, Libya and Algeria would build thick walls of mud to protect them from their harsh climate. For example, during the hot days the wall would absorb the suns energy, leaving the huts cool, and during the night when temperature were much colder, the walls when emit the days heat inside. (Goswami, 1997) Throughout history people have experimented with the many uses of the suns power. In the 17th century, scientists in Europe began rediscovering the sun. When a French scientist proved that the suns rays could melt copper and fuse pieces of iron if concentrated and focused through a glass prism, people began to see the usable power of the sun. In the 1690s an Italian scientist invented a solar furnace that was so hot it could shatter a diamond, one of the hardest substances on earth (Goswami, 1997) Using the sun to produce energy was explore in greater lengths in the 19th century. During this time, an engineer named Frank Shuman, made a breakthrough. He built a plant that used black troughs covered in glass with a few inches of water. This was exposed to the sun, the water would become very hot, causing it to circulate and power an electric generator. He was able to find financial backers and built the worlds first solar electric power plant in Egypt. However, the Eastern Sun Power Company went out of business even though it was using free fuel. It didnt produce enough electricity for the area that it used, 14,000 sq. ft of sun-collecting land. (Pearce, 2002) In 1954 Bell Laboratories invented the first photovoltaic (or solar) cell, made from the semi-conductor silicon, and other elements. It was the first way to convert sunlight directly into electricity. These solar cells were chosen as the power source for the satellites in the 1960s, because they can be small and light, and dont need heavy batteries or other types of generating electricity. After NASA and other major researchers backed solar energy, the technology greatly improved. The first major use of solar cells, other than in satellite, were various emergency units and in remote areas where power lines couldnt be reached. (Energy Matters Pty Ltd). In these situations, it was more expensive to run power lines than to purchase the costly solar equipment. For example, in the high mountains of Papua New Guinea, where there is too much jungle for easy access, there are necessary telephone lines run by solar power and only visited for routine check-ups. 1.2 Everyday Usage Numerous devices for collecting solar energy and converting it into electricity have been developed throughout the years, and solar energy is now being used in a variety of ways. As well as supplying energy to residential homes and companies, they are popularly used in agriculture where they supply the power to pump water, prevent ice from forming on ponds where livestock drink, heating barns to keep animals from freezing, and temporary lighting. They are also used to operate electric dams in areas that cannot be supplied by power lines. Solar powered objects have started to appear quite commonly in many consumer items such as watches, radios, calculators, rechargeable batteries, flashlights, etc. The main attraction in these items is that you dont have to replace the batteries, which saves money in the long run. (International Solar Energy, 2006) 2.0 Technological Viability The time in which solar energy is available, is also the time we least need it least daytime. One disadvantage of solar power, according to International Solar Energy is its consistency and reliability. Solar-powered devices rely on the steady delivery photon to keep the electricity generating process going, as discussed previously. When the sun falls below the horizon at night, photons stop striking the solar panels and the power drops instantly. However, the improvement in technological advancement over the last few years, have seen the construction of a solution. As the suns energy cannot be stored for use another time, we need to convert the suns energy into an energy that can be stored. Due to this nature of solar energy, two components are required to have a functional solar energy generator. These two components are a collector and a storage unit. The collector collects the radiation that falls on it and converts a fraction of it to other forms of energy (either electricity and heat or heat alone). Solar collectors use reflective materials such as mirrors or lenses to concentrate the suns energy to provide heat energy which is then converted into electricity. This can be done in three ways. The first method is a trough systems which use curved mirrors to concentrate the suns heat onto a tube which contains a fluid, usually oil. The hot oil then boils water to produce steam which is used to generate electricity. Alternatively, mirrors in the shape of a dish can be also used to concentrate the suns heat onto a receiver. The latter transfers the solar energy to a heat engine, converting the heat into mechanical energy which drives a generator to produce electricity. This method is called the dish/engine system. A third method of concentrating the suns energy is through the use of power towers which provide a centralized power supply with the ability to store energy. These systems use a large array of mirrors, called heliostats. These heliostats concentrate the heat onto a receiver on top of the towers. The receiver contains a fluid that once heated can be used to produce steam which then turns a turbine to produce electricity.(Markvart Castaà ±er, 2003) The storage unit is required because of the non-constant nature of solar energy; at certain times only a very small amount of radiation will be received. At night or during heavy cloud cover, for example, the amount of energy produced by the collector will be quite small. The storage unit can hold the excess energy produced during the periods of maximum productivity, and release it when the productivity drops. One possible method of storing solar energy is by heating water that can be insulated. The water is heated by passing it through hollow panels. Black-coated steel plates are used because dark colours absorb heat more efficiently. However this method only supplies enough energy for activities such as washing and bathing. The solar panels generate low grade heat, that is, they generate low temperatures for the amount of heat needed in a day. Apparently, according to International Solar Energy Pty Ltd, in order to generate high Grade heat, intense enough to convert water into high-pressure steam which can then be used to turn electric generators there must be another method. The concentrated beams of sunlight are Collected in a device called a solar furnace, which acts on the same principles as a large magnifying glass. The solar furnace takes the sunlight from a large area and by the use of lenses and mirrors can focus the light into a very small area It was found that, a backup power supply is usually normally added, too, for the situations when the amount of energy required is greater than both what is being produced and what is stored in the container. An issue raised by International Solar Energy Pty Ltd, was that only regions with lots of sunlight are suitable for solar power generation. But this concern is currently being worked on as scientists have just recently invented a plastic solar cell that can convert solar energy to electrical energy even on a cloudy day. This plastic device, containing the first solar cells able to harness the suns invisible rays. Also, the researchers are holding this futuristic view that plastic solar panels could be laid across deserts to provide the entire planet with enough clean energy. Another solution to the issue of the inconsistent light is being researched right now by Arthur D. Little Inc. The suns rays are not constant on earth due to weather, location, and season. To avoid this scientists have envisioned huge solar powered space stations that would orbit the earth, capable of sustaining themselves for decades. (Committee on Aeronautical and Space Science, 2005). They would generate electricity by a vast array of mirrors on solar cells, and then the energy would be converted to micro-waves that could be beamed to earth and then distributed. These stations are estimated to be about 10 miles long, and some 23,000 miles above the earth. As far fetched as this seems, its actually theoretically possible, and may one day be our source of power. One flaw in the plan however, is that there is actually quite a lot of space debris floating around at high velocities. If this debris collided with the solar panels, as it invariably would, they would be damaged. How much, and at what price is still to be figured (Goswami, 1997) Another idea is the solar farm. It would be ideally located in desert regions where it is sunny almost every day. The farms would actually harvest sunshine, using flat plate collectors to absorb immense amounts of heat, which would in turn heat water. The heated water would turn giant turbines, and produce electricity. 3.0 Efficiency Solar cells, contain no moving parts, and have a working life of 20 30 years. According to Convincing the Home Builder to Build Solar Homes-Evaluation of the Passive Solar Workshop for Builders by S. Klein, they are reliable because they operate for a long time with practically no maintenance . Most of the photovoltaic cells on the market today operate at an efficiency of less than 15% ;that is, of all the radiation that falls upon them, less than 15% of it is converted to electricity. The maximum theoretical efficiency for a photovoltaic cell is only 32.3%, but at this efficiency, solar electricity is very economical. Most of our other forms of electricity generation are at a lower efficiency than this. Unfortunately, reality still lags behind theory and a 15% efficiency is not usually considered economical by most power companies, even if it is fine for toys and pocket calculators. Hope for bulk solar electricity should not be abandoned, however, for recent scientific advances have created a solar cell with an efficiency of 28.2% efficiency in the laboratory. This type of cell has not been field tested. If it maintains its efficiency in the uncontrolled environment of the outside world, and if it does not have a tendency to break down, it will be economical for power comp anies to build solar power facilities after all. 4.0 Environmental Sustainability It is estimated that the sunlight that falls on the surface of the earth in the time period of two weeks is equivalent in energy to all the energy stored in all the oil and natural gas and coal and other fuels that exist on, or under the earth (Markvart Castaà ±er, 2003) Solar power has two big advantages over fossil fuels. The first is in the fact that it is renewable; it is never going to run out. The second is its effect on the environment. According to Solar Heating Systems: Analysis and Design with the Sun-Pulse Method by Gordon F. Tully, solar cell systems do not harm the environment, as do conventional methods of power generation. The sun is an infinite source of energy and since its use for powering homes causes no damage to the environment. We should use the clean and silent energy source it to its maximum potential. As the primary element of construction of solar panels, silicon, is the second most common element on the planet. Therefore, there is very little environmental disturbance caused by the creation of solar panels. (Markvart Castaà ±er, 2003) While the burning of fossil fuels introduces many harmful pollutants into the atmosphere and contributes to environmental problems like global warming and acid rain, solar energy is completely non-polluting. While many acres of land must be destroyed to feed a fossil fuel energy plant its required fuel, the only land that must be destroyed for a solar energy plant is the land that it stands on. However, solar energy only causes environmental disruption if it is centralized and produced on a gigantic scale. At this scale, the production of solar energy would have some unpredictable negative environmental effects. If all the solar collectors were placed in one or just a few areas, they would probably have large effects on the local environment, and possibly have large effects on the world environment. Everything from changes in local rain conditions to another ice age has been predicted as a result of producing solar energy on this scale. The problem lies in the change of temperature and humidity near a solar panel; if the energy producing panels are kept non-centralized, they should not create the same local, mass temperature change that could have such bad effects on the environment. (Tully, 1981) In due course, solar power will reduce the emissions associated with power generation. Consistent with, Solar Heating Systems: Analysis and Design with the Sun-Pulse Method by Gordon F. Tully, with 1 million solar energy roofs are in place, could reduce carbon emissions equal to the annual emission from 850,000 cars. 5.0 Economical For many. fossil fuels are too available and cheap for the investment in solar energy to be worthwhile. Ironically, although the suns energy is free, the curse of solar power is that the techniques are always too expensive. (Green Peace, 2006) One major concern with solar power is cost-effectiveness. The silicone used for production , is one of the most readily available elements on earth. Nevertheless, the kind of grade silicon needed for solar cells is very expensive. It is grown in tall cylinders, and then cut in thin segments. The cutting process is wasteful and expensive (Pearce, 2002). A new product is polycrystalline silicon, which is grown in thin sheets and cut in squares. In Peter Lorenz, Dickon Pinner, and Thomas Seitz article The economics of solar power it states that Although polycrystalline is not as efficient as natural silicon, its significantly cheaper, and lowering the cost is one of the most important things in making solar energy practical. The initial cost of installing a solar power system is preventing current installation for these devices . The Australian Governments, and many others across the world had recognize this and are offering annual rebates and tax incentives to customers who install the systems in their homes. Consumers with solar power systems in their homes will save about 50-60% on their utility bills, (Energy Matters Pty Ltd). These savings will exceed the original cost of a system in about 10-12 years. After the initial cost is covered, the customer is still saving thousands of dollars in utilities compared to electricity and gas usage. As we burn more fossil fuels, the costs of electricity and gas would be subject to increase over the years. With solar powered home, monthly bills would stay about the same no matter how expensive electricity and gas become. The financial savings of solar-powered homes is an extra benefit for consumers who know that their homes are helping to preserve our environment. The great thing about solar power is that once youve paid for the system you dont have to worry about rising utility costs. Youre basically buying all your electricity at once. However, the cost is still a main factor to be considered. Arrays of rooftop solar panels capable of generating one kilowatt of electricity cost at least $7,500 even with the solar panels now costing about one-third of what they did a decade ago. (Lorenz, Pinner, Seitz, 2008) Still, the average household requires two to four times that much power, meaning that it would take about a $30,000 system to save about $15 per month for each kilowatt of power generated. It would take about 20 years until enough electricity would be generated to make up for the investment. (Energy Matters Pty Ltd). Despite the great cost of solar energy systems, people are still investing in them because of their obvious benefit to the environment and because once you have it installed, the energy is free. As technology improves, solar energy will become more economically feasible because the price of solar panels will go down. 6.0 Conclusion The number of advantages associated with using solar power for the future, greatly out way the disadvantages. Many of the issues explored throughout this paper are currently being research or have already solved, some of which show great promise for the future. Despite being currently still quite expensive, and showing negative effects to the environment if implemented in a large centralised scale, there is no doubt that solar energy will continue to grow and slowly replace the fossil-fuelled world around it .Besides the upcoming scarcity of fossil fuels, their highly pollutive nature makes solar energy a much healthier and wiser decision. The fear of exhausting all our resources has also spurred further development of alternative fuels, and created a greater interest in overcoming those disadvantages of solar power that remain. Technology changes rapidly, and the number of disadvantages of solar power that seemed virtually impossible only a few years ago are now relatively minor inconveniences. Hopefully, with continued this research, we will be in a place one day where we can directly rely on the sun for all our energy needs, and never have to use pollutant non renewable resources again. With an energy source like solar power, thats environmentally safe, capable of producing the raw power to satisfy the entire planets energy needs, we would be incredibly foolish not to use it.

Essay --

Growth and development are two major themes you here time and time again in environmental planning. And rightly so, for if done wrong, they can drastically hinder a society. With that said, Costa Rica is a perfect case study for planning done right. This memo will briefly discuss how Costa Rica made a large leap forward - Using historic population statistics, and crude birth and death rates (Demographic Transition Model), I will tell a story of growth and development done right. Population Growth and Distribution Today, Costa Rica is one of the most stable, prosperous, and least corrupt Latin American countries. As of 2013, Costa Rica has a population of 2,357, 516; 40% of which, live in the Nation’s capital San Jose; the rest is thinly spread across the country. Originally San Josà © was only a small agricultural village with highly fertile soil. However, a few years after winning their freedom from Spain in 1821, the good people of San Josà © and Alajuela combined forces and defeated the pro-Mexican Democrats of Heredia and Cartago. Upon which cemented San Josà © as the capital of the blooming nation (Anywhere Costa Rica). The population slowly rose until after the Second World War- when the city’s numbers increased significantly. Today, over 309 thousand people live in the city with another estimated million in the surrounding suburbs (Anywhere Costa Rica). Development Since 1984, Costa Rica has seen a decrease in population (growth rate dropping from 2.8 to 1.2 by 2015) and infant mortality rates (dropped by half in just 29 years), as well as, an increase in life expectancy. What changed in that short amount of time (United States Census Bureau)? Well, the short answer is the country transitioned from an early industrial soc... ... one percent (Costa Rica). At 9% in 2013, they haven’t reached their goal, however, they’ve managed to cut back 5% in just 20 years. Costa Rica was blessed early on, due to a global interest in coffee beans, with prosperity and wealth; however, it wasn’t until they created a game plan, one with the people in mind that they truly began to progress, fiscally and socially speaking. Granted, Costa Rica isn’t considered a top tier country, but they are by no means at the bottom. With that said, Costa Rica’s young population won’t remain young forever! Much like the baby boomers of the U.S, Costa Rica will have to adjust heavily for the needs of their future elderly. Although, Costa Rica is relatively small, it has a rich history spanning back several millennia; and has positioned itself as one of the most stable, prosperous, and least corrupt Latin American countries.