Dictionary.com defines values as the rules by which we make decisions about right and wrong, should and shouldn't, good and bad. They also tell us which are more or less important, which is useful when we have to trade off meeting one value over another. Wikipedia.com defines values as broad preference concerning appropriate courses of action or outcomes. As such, values reflect a person's sense of right and wrong or what "ought" to be. "Equal rights for all", "Excellence deserves admiration", and "People should be treated with respect and dignity" are representative of values. Values tend to influence attitudes and behavior. Businessdictionary.com also defines values as Important and lasting beliefs or ideals shared by the members of a culture about what is good or bad and desirable or undesirable.
A personal value is an absolute or relative and ethical value, the assumption of which can be the basis for ethical action. A value system is a set of consistent values and measures. A principle value is a foundation upon which other values and measures of integrity are based. Some values are physiologically determined and are normally considered objective, such as a desire to avoid physical pain or to seek pleasure. Other values are considered subjective, vary across individuals and cultures, and are in many ways aligned with belief and belief systems. Types of values include ethical/moral values, doctrinal/ideological (religious, political) values, social values, and aesthetic values. It is debated whether some values that are not clearly physiologically determined, such as altruism, are intrinsic, and whether some, such as acquisitiveness, should be classified as vices or virtues. Values have been studied in various disciplines: anthropology, behavioral economics, business ethics, corporate governance, moral philosophy, political sciences, social psychology, sociology and theology to name a few. Values can be defined as broad preferences concerning appropriate courses of action or outcomes. As such, values reflect a person's sense of right and wrong or what "ought" to be. "Equal rights for all", "Excellence deserves admiration", and "People should be treated with respect and dignity" are representative of values. Values tend to influence attitudes and behavior.
According to Morris Massey, values form during three significant periods:
· Imprint period - from birth to 7 years
· Modelling period - from 8 to 13 years
· Socialization period - from 13 to 21 years
Personal values provide an internal reference for what is good, beneficial, important, useful, beautiful, desirable, constructive, etc. Values generate behaviour and help solve common human problems for survival by comparative rankings of value, the results of which provide answers to questions of why people do what they do and in what order they choose to do them.
Over time the public expression of personal values that groups of people find important in their day-to-day lives, laid the foundations of law, custom and tradition. Recent research has thereby stressed the implicit nature of value communication.
Personal values exist in relation to cultural values, either in agreement with or divergence from prevailing norms. A culture is a social system that shares a set of common values, in which such values permit social expectations and collective understandings of the good, beautiful, constructive, etc. Without normative personal values, there would be no cultural reference against which to measure the virtue of individual values and so culture identity would disintegrate.
Individual cultures emphasize values which their members broadly share. One can often identify the values of a society by noting which people receive honor or respect. In the United States of America, for example, professional athletes at the top levels in some sports receive more honor (measured in terms of monetary payment) than university professors. Surveys show that voters in the United States
Values clarification differs from cognitive moral education. Value clarification consists of "helping people clarify what their lives are for and what is worth working for. It encourages students to define their own values and to understand others' values." Cognitive moral education builds on the belief that students should learn to value things like democracy and justice as their moral reasoning develops.
Values relate to the norms of a culture, but they are more global and abstract than norms. Norms provide rules for behavior in specific situations, while values identify what should be judged as good or evil. While norms are standards, patterns, rules and guides of expected behavior, values are abstract concepts of what is important and worthwhile. Flying the national flag on a holiday is a norm, but it reflects the value of patriotism. Wearing dark clothing and appearing solemn are normative behaviors to manifest respect at a funeral. Different cultures reflect values differently and to different levels of emphasis. "Over the last three decades, traditional-age college students have shown an increased interest in personal well-being and a decreased interest in the welfare of others."
Values seemed to have changed, affecting the beliefs, and attitudes of the students. Members take part in a culture even if each member's personal values do not entirely agree with some of the normative values sanctioned in that culture. This reflects an individual's ability to synthesize and extract aspects valuable to them from the multiple subcultures they belong to. If a group member expresses a value that seriously conflicts with the group's norms, the group's authority may carry out various ways of encouraging conformity or stigmatizing the non-conforming behavior of that member. For example, imprisonment can result from conflict with social norms that the state has established as law.
From the previous chapter, the Filipino values have been emphasized. It is said through positive and negative polarities that some distinct Filipino values have specific strengths and weaknesses. Also in the previous chapter, it was said that the Filipino has many faces in the society which are described merely by the differences of the said distinct characteristics. Another topic discussed from the previous chapter is the agents of character formation. These are family and home environment, social environment, educational system, economic environment, political environment, mass media, leadership and role models. The ten big ideas of raising good children were also included in the discussion.
According to businessdictionary.com, values have major influence on a person’s behavior and attitude and serve as broad guidelines in all situations. This chapter includes the eight basic values an individual should have; these are self-worth, duty and obligation, simplicity and thrift, cleanliness and orderliness commitment, honesty and integrity, social responsibility and environmental awareness.
Chapter Objectives:
After completing this chapter, the following concepts must be grasped thoroughly:
1. Self-worth
2. Duty and Obligation
3. Simplicity and Thrift
4. Cleanliness and Orderliness
5. Commitment
6. Honesty and Integrity
7. Social Responsibility
8. Environmental Awareness
Self-Worth
Self-worth is defined as self-esteem or self-respect. It is the respect for or a favorable opinion of oneself. he quality of being worthy of esteem or respect; "it was beneath his dignity to cheat"; "showed his true dignity when under pressure"
The Importance of Self-Worth
The dictionary defines self-worth as “the sense of one’s own value or worth as a person.” However, there are many ways for a person to value themselves and assess their worth as a human being, and some of these are more psychologically beneficial than others. In this article, we discuss the value of true self-worth, how to build this type of self-worth and why so many of us lack a feeling of worthiness.
Self-Worth vs. Self-Esteem
Although, self-worth is often used as a synonym for “self-esteem,” Dr. Lisa Firestone believes that self-worth should be less about measuring yourself based on external actions and more about valuing your inherent worth as a person. In other words, self-worth is about who you are, not about what you do.
Dr. Kristin Neff argues that there is a problem with society’s focus on high self-esteem. The problem is that this focus involves measuring oneself against others, rather than paying attention to one’s intrinsic value. “Our competitive culture tells us we need to be special and above average to feel good about ourselves, but we can’t all be above average at the same time,” says Dr. Neff. In this sense, searching for self-worth by constantly comparing self-worth vs. self-esteem ourselves to others means to always be fighting a losing battle. As Dr. Neff says, “There is always someone richer, more attractive, or successful than we are. And even when we do manage to feel self-esteem for one golden moment, we can’t hold on to it. Our sense of self-worth bounces around like a ping-pong ball, rising and falling in lock-step with our latest success or failure.”
Furthermore, studies now show that basing one’s self-worth on external factors is actually harmful to one’s mental health. One study at the University of Michigan found that college students who base their self-worth on external sources (including academic performance, appearance and approval from others) reported more stress, anger, academic problems and relationship conflicts. They also had higher levels of alcohol and drug use, as well as more symptoms of eating disorders. The same study found that students who based their self-worth on internal sources, not only felt better, they also received higher grades and were less likely to use drugs and alcohol or to develop eating disorders.
Although real accomplishments are important to acknowledge as you build your sense of self, your self-worth should also take in to account the unique qualities that make you. As mindfulness expert, Dr. Donna Rockwell points out, we are all unique and that, in and of itself, gives each of us inherent value. According to Dr. Firestone, “We shouldn’t be rating ourselves, we should just be ourselves.”
How to Build Self-Worth
The first step in building self-worth is to stop comparing yourself to others and evaluating your every move; in other words, you need to challenge your critical inner voice. The critical inner voice is like a nasty coach in our heads that constantly nags us with destructive thoughts towards ourselves or others. This internalized dialogue of critical thoughts or “inner voices” undermines our sense of self-worth and even leads to self-destructive or maladaptive behaviors, which make us feel even worse about ourselves. As Dr. Lisa Firestone explained in her article “7 Reasons Most People Are Afraid of Love:”
We all have a “critical inner voice,” which acts like a cruel coach inside our heads that tells us we are worthless or undeserving of happiness. This coach is shaped from painful childhood experiences and critical attitudes we were exposed to early in life as well as feelings our parents had about them. While these attitudes can be hurtful, over time, they have become engrained in us. As adults, we may fail to see them as an enemy, instead accepting their destructive point of view as our own.
However, we can challenge the inner critic and begin to see ourselves for who we really are, rather than taking on its negative point of view about ourselves. We can differentiate from the ways we were seen in our family of origin and begin to understand and appreciate our own feelings, thoughts, desires and values.
Four Steps to Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice
We all possess an inner critic or “critical inner voice.” We experience this “voice” as a negative internal commentary on who we are and how we behave.
Common critical inner voices include:
· “You’re ugly.”
· “You’re so stupid.”
· “You’re fat.”
· “There’s something wrong with you.”
· “You’re different from other people.”
Step 1: Identify Your Inner Critic
Try to identify what your critical inner voice is telling you. Acknowledge that this thought process is separate from your real point of view. Remember that your critical inner voice is not a reflection of reality. It is a viewpoint you adopted based on destructive early life experiences and attitudes directed toward you that you’ve internalized as your own point of view.
Step 2: Separate From Your Inner Critic
One way to help you differentiate from your critical inner voice is to write these thoughts down in the second person (as “you” statements). For example, a thought like “I can’t get anything right. I’ll never be successful” should be written as “You can’t get anything right. You’ll never be successful.” This will help you see these thoughts as an alien point of view and not as true statements. Notice how hostile this internal enemy can be.
Step 3: Respond to Your Inner Critic
You can respond to your inner critic by writing down a more realistic and compassionate evaluation of yourself. Write these responses in the first person (as “I” statements). In response to a thought like, “You’re such an idiot,” you could write, “I may struggle at times, but I am smart and competent in many ways.” This exercise isn’t meant to build you up or boost your ego but to show a kinder, more honest attitude toward yourself.
Step 4: Don't Act On Your Inner Critic
Remember not to act on the directives of your inner critic. Take actions that represent your own point of view, who you want to be and what you aim to achieve. Your critical inner voice may get louder, telling you to stay in line or not to take chances. However, by identifying, separating from, and acting against this destructive thought process, you will grow stronger, while your inner critic grows weaker.
A true sense of self-worth can also be fostered by practicing self-compassion. Developed by Dr. Kristin Neff, self-compassion is the practice of treating yourself with the same kindness and compassion as you would treat a friend. This involves taking on what Dr. Dan Siegel describes as the “COAL” attitude, which means being Curious, Open, Accepting and loving toward yourself and your experiences rather than being self-critical.
There are three steps to practicing self-compassion:
1) Acknowledge and notice your suffering.
2) Be kind and caring in response to suffering.
3) Remember that imperfection is part of the human experience and something we all share.
Adding meaning to your life, by taking part in activities that you feel are important, is another great way to build self-worth. Helping others, for example, offers a huge boost to your sense of self-worth. Generosity is good for you, both physically and mentally, and studies now show that volunteering has a very positive affect on how people feel about themselves. Other studies have found that religion correlates with a higher sense of self-worth in adolescents. People find meaning in many different ways; think about the activities and interests that feel meaningful to you personally and pursue those activities to build a more positive feeling of self-worth. Researcher Dr. Jennifer Crocker suggests that you find “a goal that is bigger than the self.” As Dr. Robert Firestone says, “Investing energy in transcendent goals and activities that extend beyond one’s self interest, for example, contributing to a humanitarian cause or trying, in some way, to improve the lot of future generations, helps build self-esteem.”
Acting on principles, in ways that you respect, is another important quality to foster as you develop a higher level of self-worth. “Make a concerted effort to maintain personal integrity in your life by insisting that your actions correspond to your words,” suggests Dr. Robert Firestone. When our actions do not match our words, we are more vulnerable to attacks from our critical inner voice and less likely to respect ourselves.
By challenging your critical inner voice and stopping comparing yourself to others, you can begin to get a feeling for your own self-worth. By pursuing activities that are meaningful to you and acting in line with your own personal beliefs, you can develop your sense of yourself as a worthwhile person in the world even further.
Duty and Obligation
Duty
Duty (from "due" meaning "that which is owing"; Old French: deu, did, past participle of devoir; Latin: debere, debitum, whence "debt") is a term that conveys a sense of moral commitment or obligation to someone or something. The moral commitment should result in action; it is not a matter of passive feeling or mere recognition. When someone recognizes a duty, that person theoretically commits themselves to its fulfillment without considering their own self-interest. This is not to suggest that living a life of duty entirely precludes a life of leisure; however, its fulfillment generally involves some sacrifice of immediate self-interest. Typically, "the demands of justice, honor, and reputation are deeply bound up" with duty.
Cicero, an early philosopher who discusses duty in his work “On Duty", suggests that duties can come from four different sources:
1. as result of being human
2. as a result of one's particular place in life (one's family, one's country, one's job)
3. as a result of one's character
4. as a result of one's own moral expectations for oneself
Various derivative uses of the word have sprung from the root idea of obligation, a concept involved in the notion of duty; thus it is used in the services performed by a minister of a church, by a soldier, or by any employee or servant.
Duty-based Ethics
Deontological (duty-based) ethics are concerned with what people do, not with the consequences of their actions.
Examples of Duty-based Ethics:
1. Do the right thing.
2. Do it because it's the right thing to do.
3. Don't do wrong things.
4. Avoid them because they are wrong.
Under this form of ethics you can't justify an action by showing that it produced good consequences, which is why it's sometimes called 'non-Consequentialist'. The word 'deontological' comes from the Greek word deon, which means 'duty'. Duty-based ethics are usually what people are talking about when they refer to 'the principle of the thing'. Duty-based ethics teaches that some acts are right or wrong because of the sorts of things they are, and people have a duty to act accordingly, regardless of the good or bad consequences that may be produced.
Deontologists live in a universe of moral rules, such as:
1. It is wrong to kill innocent people
2. It is wrong to steal
3. It is wrong to tell lies
4. It is right to keep promises
Someone who follows Duty-based ethics should do the right thing, even if that produces more harm (or less good) than doing the wrong thing. People have a duty to do the right thing, even if it produces a bad result. So, for example, the philosopher Kant thought that it would be wrong to tell a lie in order to save a friend from a murderer. If we compare Deontologists with Consequentialists we can see that Consequentialists begin by considering what things are good, and identify 'right' actions as the ones that produce the maximum of those good things. Deontologists appear to do it the other way around; they first consider what actions are 'right' and proceed from there. (Actually this is what they do in practice, but it isn't really the starting point of deontological thinking.) So a person is doing something good if they are doing a morally right action.
Good points of duty-based ethics
·Emphasizes the value of every human being
·Duty-based ethical systems tend to focus on giving equal respect to all human beings.
·This provides a basis for human rights – it forces due regard to be given to the interests of a single person even when those are at odds with the interests of a larger group.
·Says some acts are always wrong
·Kantian duty-based ethics says that some things should never be done, no matter what good consequences they produce. This seems to reflect the way some human beings think.
·Rossian duty-based ethics modified this to allow various duties to be balanced, which, it could be argued, is an even better fit to the way we think.
·Provides 'certainty'
·Consequentialist ethical theories bring a degree of uncertainty to ethical decision-making, in that no-one can be certain about what consequences will result from a particular action, because the future is unpredictable.
·Duty-based ethics don't suffer from this problem because they are concerned with the action itself if an action is a right action, then a person should do it, if it's a wrong action they shouldn't do it and providing there is a clear set of moral rules to follow then a person faced with a moral choice should be able to take decisions with reasonable certainty.
·Of course things aren't that clear cut. Sometimes consequentialist theories can provide a fair degree of certainty, if the consequences are easily predictable.
·Furthermore, rule-based consequentialism provides people with a set of rules that enable them to take moral decisions based on the sort of act they are contemplating.
·Deals with intentions and motives
·Consequentialist theories don't pay direct attention to whether an act is carried out with good or bad intentions; most people think these are highly relevant to moral judgments.
·Duty-based ethics can include intention in at least 2 ways...
·If a person didn't intend to do a particular wrong act it was an accident perhaps then from a deontological point of view we might think that they hadn't done anything deserving of criticism. This seems to fit with ordinary thinking about ethical issues.
·Ethical rules can be framed narrowly so as to include intention.
Bad points of duty-based ethics
·Absolutist
·Duty-based ethics sets absolute rules. The only way of dealing with cases that don't seem to fit is to build a list of exceptions to the rule.
·Allows acts that make the world a less good place
·Because duty-based ethics is not interested in the results it can lead to courses of action that produce a reduction in the overall happiness of the world.
·Most people would find this didn't fit with their overall idea of ethics
·Hard to reconcile conflicting duties
·Duty-based ethics doesn't deal well with the cases where duties are in conflict.
Obligations
An obligation is a course of action that someone is required to take, whether legal or moral. There are also obligations in other normative contexts, such as obligations of etiquette, social obligations, and possibly in terms of politics, where obligations are requirements which must be fulfilled. These are generally legal obligations, which can incur a penalty for non-fulfillment, although certain people are obliged to carry out certain actions for other reasons as well, whether as a tradition or for social reasons.
Sources of Moral Obligation
Moral obligations can arise from three sources. The first, strangely enough, is law.
1. Law-Based Moral Obligations.
Good citizens have a moral as well as a legal obligation to abide by laws; it is part of the assumed social contract of a civilised society. If a law is unjust, however, (such as those that mandated ethnic and religious persecution during the Nazi regime and those that discriminated against a person on the basis of race in South Africa and elsewhere) there may be a moral obligation to disobey it under the specific and demanding doctrine of civil disobedience.
Many, but by no means all, of these moral standards of conduct are so fundamental to healthy social relations that they have been codified into laws. For example, most aspects of the moral duty to not endanger or harm others are embraced in criminal and civil laws prohibiting homicide, assaults, drunk driving, and other dangerous behaviour.
Similarly, the ethical duty to be honest is enforceable by laws forbidding perjury, robbery, forgery, fraud, and defamation among others. Nevertheless, in struggling to be an ethical person we need to remember that many forms of dishonesty remain solely within the moral domain.
If we fail to perform or live up to a legal duty, we can be criminally prosecuted or sued. If we fail to live up to a moral duty, the external sanction is blame and condemnation — and, if one has a well developed conscience, feelings of guilt and shame leading to remorse.
2. Agreement-Based Moral Obligations.
The second source of moral obligation is agreement. Even if an agreement doesn’t reach the level of an enforceable contract, there is a moral obligation to do the things we agree to do, especially if others are counting on us to do so. When we borrow money promising to pay it back in a week, or tell a friend we will pick her up at the airport, or take a job involving the supervision of other employees, we undertake a moral duty to do what we say we will do and perform dutifully the responsibilities of the positions we accept. This kind of duty is the product of the commitments we make to others and is the basis of the ethical principle requiring us to keep our promises.
The idea that we have a moral obligation to keep our promises seems so basic as to be hardly worth mentioning. But nothing can be taken for granted anymore. As a lawyer, I am troubled by the popularity of a relatively new philosophy that analyzes contractual obligations and other commitments purely in terms of economic impact. According to this line of reasoning, there is an inherent right to breach a promise so long as one is willing to pay for any damages caused. The moral obligation to keep one’s word is treated as an irrelevant sentimentality.
Unfortunately, this is not just an academic theory; it is an operational philosophy in much of the business world. It is also evident in the sports world, where “renegotiating” contracts has become commonplace. Though such conduct clearly involves breaking a promise (and may even be a form of extortion: “Pay me more or I walk”), many athletes and their agents seems to have no moral inhibitions about demanding a better deal. The notion of honor seems to have no place in transactions involving something they evidently value more — money.
While conducting a workshop on corporate values for senior executives of a Fortune 100 company, I suggested that promise-keeping was a central aspect of trustworthiness, that it is an ethical as well as a legal responsibility to keep commitments. The company’s legal counsel objected strenuously. “Hold on!” he said. He explained that whether the company decided to live up to an agreement was a business, not an ethical, decision. It was the company’s right, and perhaps its obligation to the shareholders, to evaluate whether it was in the company’s best interests to breach contracts that have become unwise or unprofitable. He acknowledged that decisions to disavow an agreement should be rare; no one would trust the company otherwise. But still, he said, the choice to keep a promise or not should be based on a simple cost/benefit analysis. Morality is not an issue.
This legalistic, expediency-oriented attitude is a perfect illustration of the dangers, and in my view the fallacy, of trying to separate business and personal ethics. The standards of trustworthiness and honor do not change the moment one enters corporate headquarters.
3. Moral Principle as the Basis of Moral Obligation.
The third source of moral obligation is moral principle, a standard of conduct that exists irrespective of laws or agreements. The great German ethicist, Immanuel Kant, expressed the power of moral principle when he said, “Two things fill my mind with ever-increasing wonder and awe: The starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.”
Moral principles can be mandated by religious doctrine or derived through rational philosophical reasoning. In some cases, principles such as justice and benevolence simply emerge as the result of an intuitive moral sense. Whatever their source, however, such principles are at the very core of ethics.
If a duty arising from a moral principle conflicts with duties imposed by law or undertaken by agreement, the duty based on principle should prevail. In other words, if abiding by a law or living up to a contract requires dishonest or disrespectful conduct that violates my core moral principles, as an ethical person I must honor the principles even if it means being prosecuted or sued. Such decisions, however, must be made cautiously and with due recognition of the ethical implications of breaking laws and breaching contracts. The moral principles of trustworthiness and citizenship establish a very strong presumption that laws should be obeyed and commitments should be kept.
Simplicity and Thrift
Simplicity
Simplicity is the state or quality of being simple. Something which is easy to understand or explain is simple, in contrast to something complicated. Alternatively, as Herbert A. Simon suggested, something is simple or complex depending on the way we choose to describe it. In some uses, simplicity can be used to imply beauty, purity, or clarity. Simplicity may also be used in a negative connotation to denote a deficit or insufficiency of nuance or complexity of a thing, relative to what is supposed to be required.
The concept of simplicity has been related to in the field of epistemology. According to Occam's razor, all other things being equal, the simplest theory is the most likely to be true. In the context of human lifestyle, simplicity can denote freedom from hardship, effort or confusion. Specifically, it can refer to a simple living style.
Simplicity is a theme in the Christian religion. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, God is infinitely simple. The Roman Catholic and Anglican religious orders of Franciscans also strive after simplicity. Members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) practice the Testimony of Simplicity, which is the simplifying of one's life in order to focus on things that are most important and disregard or avoid things that are least important.
In the philosophy of science, simplicity is a meta-scientific criterion by which to evaluate competing theories. In this field, a distinction is often made between two senses of simplicity: syntactic simplicity (the number and complexity of hypotheses), and ontological simplicity (the number and complexity of things postulated). These two aspects of simplicity are often referred to as elegance and parsimony respectively.
The Laws of Simplicity
1. Reduce. The easiest way to approach a clinical problem is to reduce it to its minimal meaningful expression.
2. Organize. Grouping problems and information make infinite problems appears finite.
3. Time. Decrease time spent in meaningless activities and increasing time on essential tasks.
4. Learn. Knowledge is key, you need to know where to find the answer to any question.
5. Differences. The key is to find what makes a clinical problem different from others and not how to make it fit into a pattern.
6. Context. The environment provides meaning to the problem; not the other way around.
7. Emotion. Use your intuition (quasirrational decision making) and avoid your emotional and cognitive biases.
8. Trust. Less information is better than more information. Subtract the meaningless and add the meaningful.
9. Failure. Use metacognition to learn where the system failed. Learn from your and others mistakes.
10. The-One. Clinical problems are more complex than they look but simpler than you think.
Thrift
Thrift is defined as the quality of using money and other resources carefully and not wastefully.
How to be Thrifty
1. Know how much you spend a week. Knowing how much you spend may shock you. Try to cut down on the items that you don't need. Think to yourself: Do I really need this?
2. Find coupons. You can either find coupons from websites or from the Sunday newspaper.
3. Try different stores.
4. Try to shop at different stores. Look online to see if they have any deals.
5. Compare receipts. Comparing receipts is a good way of seeing how much you are actually saving.
6. Create a savings jar. Put all of your extra change in a savings jar. Try taking it to the bank once every month.
Cleanliness and Orderliness
Cleanliness
Cleanliness is both the abstract state of being clean and free from dirt, and the process of achieving and maintaining that state.
Cleanliness may be endowed with a moral quality, as indicated by the aphorism "cleanliness is next to godliness, and may be regarded as contributing to other ideals such as health and beauty.
In emphasizing an ongoing procedure or set of habits for the purpose of maintenance and prevention, the concept of cleanliness differs from purity, which is a physical, moral, or ritual state of freedom from pollutants. Whereas purity is usually a quality of an individual or substance, cleanliness has a social dimension, or implies a system of interactions. “Cleanliness," observed Jacob Burckhardt, "is indispensable to our modern notion of social perfection. A household or workplace may be said to exhibit cleanliness, but not ordinarily purity; cleanliness also would be a characteristic of the people who maintain cleanness or prevent dirtying.
On a practical level, cleanliness is thus related to hygiene and disease prevention. Washing is one way of achieving physical cleanliness, usually with water and often some kind of soap or detergent. Procedures of cleanliness are of utmost importance in many forms of manufacturing.
As an assertion of moral superiority or respectability, cleanliness has played a role in establishing cultural values in relation to social class, humanitarianism, and cultural imperialism.
Personal Hygiene
One of the most effective ways of protecting ourselves and others from illness is good personal hygiene. Maintaining good personal hygiene is the first step to good health. Habits such as washing hands and brushing and flossing our teeth will help us to keep bacteria, viruses and illnesses at bay.
Practicing good body hygiene also helps us to feel good about our self, which is also important for our mental health. Proper personal hygiene is essential for social interactions and respect in the professional arena as people who have poor hygiene (body odor, bad breath, etc) often are seen as unhealthy and may face discrimination. The steps below will help us to improve the personal hygiene:
Bathe Daily: A regular bath (every morning and after all athletic activities) helps in keeping us clean, fresh and odor free. Cleaning our body is also important to ensure our skin rejuvenates itself, as the scrubbing of our body, arms, legs help our skin stay healthy and refreshed, and will prevent acne, blemishes and other skin eruptions.
Wash your hands: Washing the hands after using the rest room, before making or eating food, after handling dogs or other pets, after handling garbage, and after coughing or sneezing. It prevents the spread of bacteria and viruses. Most infections, especially colds and gastroenteritis, are caught when we put our unwashed hands, which have germs on them, to our mouth. Hands and wrists should be washed with clean soap and water.
Trim your nails: Keeping our finger and toe nails trimmed and brushing them daily with soap so that no dirt or residue remains beneath the nail. If we have long nails, there is a possibility of dirt in the nails in turn they produce illnesses.
Practice good oral hygiene: The mouth is the area of the body most prone to collecting harmful bacteria and generating infections. To minimize the accumulation of bacteria in our mouth (which can cause tooth decay and gum disease), brush our teeth at least twice a day and floss daily. It will also help to prevent bad breath. Most of the people brush only during mornings but it is very important to brush before going to bed in night.
Take care of your hair: Washing our hair at least every alternate day is important to keeping our hair and scalp healthy and in good shape. Get a hair cut frequently ( at least once in a month) for a healthy hair. Ladies with long hair are often suffering from lice or dandruff, and then they should take necessary action to clear them at the earliest.
Wear Clean Clothes: Wear a fresh set of clothes as often as possible. Dirty clothes are a source of contamination and can cause very serious skin disorders if worn over and over without washing them. Also, try to wear a clean pair of socks every day as this keeps our feet dry and not smelly. Wash clothing and linens on a regular basis.
Orderliness
Orderliness is associated with other qualities such as cleanliness and diligence—and the desire for order and symmetry, and is generally considered to be a desirable quality.
How to Live a Strict Life
1. There are several things about an orderly life: goal keeping, being organized and being flexible. Well start with Goal keeping and go onto the others as below.
2. Decide on your goal. Think about what you really want as it may be saving up for a holiday, improve your health etc.
3. Your goal should be S.M.A.R.T. Each letter stands for a word, as below:
· Sensible/Specific: Make sure the goal is precise. Don't just say 'Exercise' or 'Do some of English assignment.' Instead, say things like 'Do 30 minutes cycling' or 'Plan my English assignment and write the first 200 words.' This will allow you to achieve more because if you are not specific then you will only do a small amount.
· Measurable: Make sure you can measure progress. For example, a goal should not be 'write the first part of a new blog post.' Instead, a goal should be something like 'do 500 words of a new blog post.' (Of course, it does not have to be about blogs, but you do need to have a way to measure it.)
· Achievable/Attainable: Make sure you can achieve your goal. If you are going to be awake for 16 hours one day, then doing 15 hours of work and leaving the remaining hour to eating is not going to be achievable. You need to give a realistic amount of time to do work, and leave time to do other things.
· Realistic/Relevant: Firstly, do not try to do things which have a very low likelihood of happening. For example, a business owner may plan to be the leader of the market within three months. However, if they are going through a hard time and three other companies are given strong competition, this will probably not happen. Secondly, do not do irrelevant things. If you are asked to write a report on the effects of flooding to Victorians, then you do not need to research the causes of rainfall.
· Time based: Set a time period to do things in. Deadlines increase productivity vastly.
4. Decide your best plan to achieve this plan. What can you do and what will you need help from others to do. Do you need to get kits or equipment first for your project?
5. Set a time frame. If you need to have this project finished in time for a meeting or some other deadline, chart out how much time you need to do the job and where you can fit it in. Use a diary or calendar or even put reminders on the fridge.
6. Stand firm on your goal while not trying to go to the extreme of being too control conscious. If you find yourself making excuses, then its time to step back and re-evaluate if your goal is really important. If you decide it is, you can keep going and let go of excuses.
7. Avoid distractions. Its very easy to just put on the TV or a good book and doze off.
8. Let people involved know what you need and when. They are doing you a favour by helping you, but by the same token you have to be able to be independent. If your goal is to go jogging before work, let people know that you'll have an alarm set and ask them not to let you sleep in.
9. Put your plan into action. Monitor how it goes and improve things you feel can be improved. Have fun and enjoy completing your project.
10. For being organized, keep a diary as a way to note down plans & ideas.
11. Get into tidy habits clean as you go in the kitchen, make your bed and pickup clothes before going to work or school. Pack your luggage the night before you leave etc.
12. Let go of any goal or project you haven't done anything to in 6 months, or can see anywhere within the next 6 months to finish it. If it means calling in a trades-person for a DIY project you hoped to do, you gave it a try, but don't let the faulty appliance stay faulty.
13. For being flexible, this means to have time to be able to do things spontaneously.
14. For example if someone phones up and invites you out for a meal, you don't want to have to say no just because it will ruin your schedule. Find a balance where your lifestyle won't destroy your plans & goals and your goals & plans won't destroy your lifestyle.
15. If you feel guilty or anxious, then say "thanks for the invitation, but not today" and offer another time.
16. Use Reduction. If you have never used that item of clothing, then donate it to a charity, if you never used that tool, give it to someone who can use it. The most disciplined people tend to have very few possessions that don't get used.
17. Work with yourself, other people and events. By finding a balance you can improve your life and regain some self control.
Commitment
Commitment is defined as the attitude of someone who works very hard to do or support something. It is the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc. When you feel your commitment at work waning, you're probably dealing with a lack of motivation. Without personal motivation, you don't have the drive to commit to anything not even your basic job functions. Don't let your lack of interest, motivation or commitment threaten your company's success. Be proactive in your attempts to regain your commitment, improve your productivity and get your momentum back. When you do that, you'll find that staying committed isn't as hard as you once thought.
How to Be More Committed at Work
Step 1
Admit to yourself that you are having commitment issues. By insisting that you are not in a slump, you prevent yourself from getting out of it -- acknowledge that you aren't as committed or productive as you once were.
Step 2
Set goals, both large and small. Setting a big-picture goal, like finishing a major project by the end of the month, requires you to commit over a period of time while distracting you from minor problems and frustrations that threaten your productivity. Minor goals, like finishing a minor report by the end of the day, give you both a sense of urgency and the immediate satisfaction of a job well done.
Step 3
Make a public commitment. When you keep goals to yourself, there is little sense of accountability. If you promise your employees that something will be finished by a certain time, however, or tell your them that your company will meet a specific goal, your commitment to that goal increases.
Step 4
Congratulate yourself. Positive thinking has a powerful effect on commitment, so give yourself encouragement when you meet your goals.
Step 5
Take breaks. Exhausting yourself is a sure way to burn out and lose your sense of commitment, so take frequent breaks to keep your head clear and your spirit strong. For every 50 minutes of work, take a 10 minute break to relax -- close your eyes, read an article, get a snack or call a loved one to get a small reward for your hard work.
Work Commitment Overview
"With the increased attention given to commitment there have been many important developments, two of these are of particular importance. First, it has become apparent that commitment is a complex and multifaceted construct. It is now recognized that commitment can take different forms. Second, there has been broadening of the domain within which commitment is studied. Individuals can feel committed to the organization, top management, supervisors, or the work group. Besides this, commitment has been examined with regard to career, union and profession" (Darolia, Darolia, & Kumari, 2010). Due to the fact that the theory of work commitment is highly interrelated to organizational performance it is the second most commonly studied job attitude in I/O psychology (The Pennsylvania State University, 2013). It affects all organizations at some level and enables companies to evaluate issues like turnover during times of varying economic stability. Work commitment has been defined as the relative importance between work and one’s self (Loscoco, 1989). Work commitment is seen as being constructed of a person's adherence to work ethic, commitment to a career/profession, job involvement, and organizational commitment (Morrow, 1993). All of these attitudes interact to shape the conceptual framework of each individual's work commitment. The following page analyzes these attitudes as well as other organizational concepts, research, and real world applications.
The success or failure of an organization is closely related to the effort and motivation of its employees. The motivation of employees is often the product of their commitment towards this their job or career. As a result, employers have an incentive to ensure that their employees are committed towards the success of the organization and producing at a high level. Many organizations strive to provide an environment that will foster innovation and collaboration, build a great brand name, and promote employees who excel.
Organizational commitment is defined as the degree of an individual’s relations and experiences as a sense of loyalty toward one’s organization. In addition to loyalty, organizational commitment encompasses an individuals willingness to extend effort in order to further an organizations goals and the degree of alignment the organization has with the goals and values of the individual (Mowday, Et. Al.1979). Organizational commitment refers to the extent to which an employee develops an attachment and feels a sense of allegiance to his or her employer (The Pennsylvania State University, 2013). Allen and Meyer (1996) have defined organizational commitment as a psychological link between an employee and his or her organization that makes it less likely that the employee will voluntarily leave the organization. Organizational commitment is related to job satisfaction in that both deal with the nature of workers' emotional reactions to work. However, commitment can be applied to the entire organization, whereas satisfaction is applied to the specific job an employee has. Organizational commitment is viewed as more stable than satisfaction. Commitment is also related to job involvement and the level of job involvement that an individual has.
Categories of Organizational Commitment
Given that the nature of organizational commitment is layered in terms of one’s possible commitment level, three specific commitment types have been identified:
Affective Commitment – Refers to one’s feelings of loyalty to a company or organization because he or she believes in the organization. This is the most common type studied and refers to "an employee's emotional attachment to and identification with the organization" (The Pennsylvania State University, 2013). Because of this loyalty, one is fully willing to accept the company’s goals and values as his/her own. Affective commitment can enhance job satisfaction because employees agree with the organization’s objectives and principles, because employees feel they are treated fairly in terms of equity, and because employees receive organizational care, concern, and support (Hawkins, W.D. 1998). Affective commitment involves staying with the organization because you want to (PSU, 2013). This type of commitment is typically the result of a supportive work environment in which individuals are treated fairly and the value of individual contributors is embraced
Continuance Commitment-- Refers to an employee feeling that he/she has to stay with the company because the costs of leaving are too great. This is manifested by an individual who maintains commitment to the organization because he/she is unable to match salary and/or benefits at another employer. Continuance commitment involves staying with the organization because you have to (PSU, 2013). For example, an employee that has already vested many years in a company, building up years of leave, employee benefits (such as pension) and salary. If the employee were to leave to the company, he would lose the time vested as well as seniority and pension loss. If would not be beneficial for this employee to leave, so he stays because he has to, not because he wants to stay loyal to the company. While employees may remain with an organization, they do not necessarily feel compelled to perform at a high level.
Normative Commitment – Of the three types of commitment, normative is the least researched of all of them and refers to the employee that feels that he/she owes it to the employer to stay out of a perceived obligation. These feelings of obligation may come because the employer took a chance on the employee when nobody else would. In turn, the employee feels indebted to the employer. Therefore, by a show of loyalty and duty, it would be difficult to leave. Normative commitment involves staying with the organization because you ought to (PSU, 2013). For example, an employee may feel a sense of obligation to stay with their employer during its time of need even though it is no longer advantageous to do so. They may fear the potential disappointment in their employer or teammates.
Workaholism Overview
Workaholism is an employees excessive work involvement, a very high drive to work, and a lack of work enjoyment (Aziz & Zickar, 2006). Since workaholics tend to put their work before anything else in their lives, they typically have a poor work-life balance and low life-satisfaction. Employee's that work long hours or work hard are not necessarily considered workaholics; they just might have a high work ethic. A workaholic is simply somebody who resolves their entire life around work even when they are not working. They typically do not enjoy activities outside of work. For example, a workaholic may be at his/her child's sporting event and be more preoccupied with planning their next work event (PSU, 2013). Being a workaholic is an addiction, akin to all other types of addictions (PSU, 2013). Workaholics have a psychological need to work that is detrimental to themselves and others
Honesty and Integrity
Honesty
Honesty refers to a facet of moral character and connotes positive and virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, and straightforwardness, including straightforwardness of conduct, along with the absence of lying, cheating, theft, etc. Furthermore, honesty means being trustworthy, loyal, fair, and sincere. Honesty is valued in many ethnic and religious cultures.
Rules to workplace honesty to keep in mind:
1. Address mistakes as soon as possible. When faced with situations of dishonesty at work, this will help everyone out in the long run. Mistakes happen, and covering them up only perpetuates the behavior of being dishonest. Your employer and coworkers will appreciate that you’re coming clean and cleaning up your mistake is often easier when done quickly and with honesty.
2. Know where your words hold no weight. Yes, it’s true that sometimes your words and opinion won’t hold the weight that it would if said by someone else. Know your place in your office. If your boss or manager holds more weight in the situation and would be less likely to be reprimanded for his or her honesty, perhaps it’s better to privately discuss the issue with this person. Don’t step on toes in the office unless it’s necessary.
3. Honesty is not always the best policy in the workplace. Now, I’m not at all telling you it’s ok to lie, but being completely honest won’t always serve you well in the workplace. Why? Not all situations are black and white. Every situation in the workplace will require you to use your best judgment when deciding what path to take. There’s always going to be that one coworker who doesn’t pull their weight or goes about things their own way. But does this mean you should be honest with them and your employer about their lacking work ethic? Not necessarily. Again, use your best judgment.
Integrity
Integrity means doing the right thing at all times and in all circumstances, whether or not anyone is watching. It takes having the courage to do the right thing, no matter what the consequences will be. Building a reputation of integrity takes years, but it takes only a second to lose, so never allow yourself to ever do anything that would damage your integrity.
Integrity. We deal with this underlying moral issue in our everyday life. Most of our parents would have taught us during our growing up years that we must inculcate this virtue because it is the right thing to do. What is integrity? It means honesty - keeping to one’s word even if it costs us dearly to do so. If you pledge to ‘love, honour and cherish your spouse until death do you part’, you must honour that promise. If you agree to do a task, you must do it.
Sadly, there are just too many news to exemplify our compromises on the issue of integrity in the corporate world and it has somehow, become a norm and an ‘acceptable’ fashion at work. A deceitful lie may start out as something trivial, like lying to your mother that you did not eat the chocolate but you did or you call in your office for sick leave when you are actually not sick. Though a white lie is small and relatively harmless, it can become a bigger issue in life, for example, in the scandal of the Enron Corp case which has indeed eroded investors’ confidence to a low due to dishonest representation of corporate earnings. The end result is always not promising - you may get scolded by your mother, your boss may find you unreliable and a broken confidence of the investors which will take some time to build up again.
Why do we compromise our integrity? Every once in a while, we lie to our parents, friends, boss or clients as a form of denial of the facts or as a protection to ourselves from confrontation - so what is the big deal, you may ask? Well, lack of integrity only compounds a problem.
Despite it all, there may be various reasons why lying seems to be a way of life for many people.
Lack of Discipline
Honesty is the best virtue and we should start with ourselves. That is why early parental guidance in the development of a child is essential to nurture him to be a disciplined person who will grow up to be responsible in his dealings with his friends, colleagues or superior in the corporate world.
Learning to set priorities is an important part of dealing with integrity. If not, we will find ourselves becoming a ‘people pleaser’ and constantly shying away from making a stand for our beliefs.
Power & Control
Gossiping in the office is an art that you either love to master or hate to indulge in. In a way, gossiping is a way of avoiding confrontation with the person or issue at hand and most of the time, it has no benefit to the company or the gossiper. It only breaks the integrity of the gossiper. If gossiping about others makes you feel powerful, perhaps you should look at yourself and ask why you are still powerless.
Be impeccable with your words. Speak with integrity and you will be respected for it.
Greed
Infringement of corporate governance in the name of creating a flourishing picture of earnings and questionable accounting practices, to name a few, would perhaps have been instigated by greed and lack of judgment in exercising integrity. When the interest of shareholders and the public at large is being compromised, the trust factor will be affected.
The loss of investors’ confidence, unfortunately, cannot be reversed instantly once it is damaged. Always go back to the benchmarks that you have set before yourself when making decisions that question your integrity personally and seek a way to share your thoughts with your close associates. Let your conscience be the guiding force to your action.
Job Orientation
Awareness of the work culture of an organization is a good starting point to orientate a new staff from the start of his career with the company on the values and working standards that are expected from him. The superior has the role to talk to his new staff about the work culture, job expectation etc. Creating a rapport with the new staff would help to reduce any sense of suspicion between both parties in terms of work expectation and the ‘dos and don’ts’.
Transparency
The codes of conduct of the Board of Directors, for example, help the directors to be aware of their responsibilities to the company as a whole. Shareholders should take the opportunity to read the Annual Report of the company and take an interest in the management of the company.
So, honestly, do the right thing. If I tell you that I have not lied before in my life, I would be the biggest liar of all. Do nothing that needs a cover-up. Seek the truth and the truth shall set you free.
Social Responsibility
Social responsibility is an ethical framework which suggests that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act for the benefit of society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the ecosystems. A trade-off may exist between economic development, in the material sense, and the welfare of the society and environment. Social responsibility means sustaining the equilibrium between the two. It pertains not only to business organizations but also to everyone whose any action impacts the environment. This responsibility can be passive, by avoiding engaging in socially harmful acts, or active, by performing activities that directly advance social goals.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to voluntary actions undertaken by mining companies to either improve the living conditions (economic, social, environmental) of local communities or to reduce the negative effects of mining projects. By definition, voluntary actions are those that go beyond legal obligations, contracts, and license agreements although evolving legal requirements are leading towards increased regulation of CSR worldwide.
Types of corporate social responsibility
Environment: One primary focus of corporate social responsibility is the environment. Businesses, both large and small, have a large carbon footprint. Any steps they can take to reduce those footprints are considered both good for the company and society as a whole.
Philanthropy: Businesses also practice social responsibility by donating to national and local charities. Whether it involves giving money or time, businesses have a lot of resources that can benefit charities and local community programs.
Ethical labor practices: By treating employees fairly and ethically, companies can also demonstrate their corporate social responsibility. This is especially true of businesses that operate in international locations with labor laws that differ from those in the United States.
Environmental Awareness
To define environmental awareness we must first understand the environmentalist movement. Environmentalism is an ideology that evokes the necessity and responsibility of humans to respect, protect, and preserve the natural world from its anthropogenic (caused by humans) afflictions.
Environmental awareness is an integral part of the movement’s success. By teaching our friends and family that the physical environment is fragile and indispensable we can begin fixing the problems that threaten it.
Examples of Environmental Issues That Need Fixing
Oil Drilling- This issue is one that causes a great deal of environmental destruction. Our dependence on fossil fuel is a global addiction that affects every aspect of the world. Oil spills and offshore drilling poison marine life, oil drilling (on land) suffocates the earth, and the combustion of fossil fuels add to the increased atmospheric CO₂, which in turns causes the progression of global warming and ocean acidification. This is a multifaceted issue and is a good cause to get involved with because it covers such a broad spectrum of issues.
Deforestation- Millions of acres of forest are cut down for industrial benefit, such as large scale farming, oil mining, and the production of paper goods. Deforestation causes wildlife and biodiversity extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has a Red List of environmentally threatened species with up-to-date information. Oftentimes, the cause for their threatened existence is listed as loss of habitat as it is for many Amazonian species.
Production of Plastic Goods- Currently our society creates a great deal of waste and much of that waste is comprised of plastic. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2010 alone 31 million tons of plastic waste was created. This waste ends up all over the globe in both land and water, a good example is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Not only is plastic waste an issue, but the production of plastic is also dependent on fossil fuel combustion. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in 2010 191 million barrels of liquid petroleum gases(LPG) and natural gas liquids (NGL) were used in the U.S. alone to produce plastic goods.
7 Biggest Threats to the Environment
Climate Change Climate change is first and foremost an issue because people can’t even agree on whether or not it’s an issue in the first place. Before we even get into the solutions, we all (regardless of political party) need to come to the realization that yes, climate change is real and yes, it is affecting us in ways that we can see and feel. If you still believe that the freakish weather and heat waves we’ve been experiencing have nothing to do with climate change, you might want to ask your neighbor what he or she thinks because the majority of Americans now say they believe global warming is causing these incidents.
You might have noticed that the weather’s been hotter than usual, or you might have noticed a drought in your area or conversely, unusual storms. Furthermore, even small temperature changes are causing crops to die, decreasing the amount of food available. On top of all that, higher temps are causing the polar icecaps to melt, flooding certain areas and leading to an imbalance for wildlife.
So we know the threat is real, but what can we do to prevent climate change from being exacerbated even more? Some small steps you can take in your own life are to use less electricity by turning off your lights when you don’t need them, driving less, switching to LED bulbs and eating less meat. On a more global scale, leaders are trying to come to an agreement on how to curb the harmful greenhouse gases each nation emits into the atmosphere, and steps are being taken to plant more forests (which act as natural carbon sinks). Every little bit helps, but in order for us to reverse the current course the Earth is on, we’ll need to come to an agreement that climate change is real and that it is a cause that we need to invest money and time in immediately.
Deforestation
We mentioned planting more forests above, and sadly at a time when we need more forests, trees are being uprooted at an alarming rate. Deforestation is a rapidly-growing problem in areas like Africa, Central and South America. Not only does this mean less trees, less cleansing oxygen, and the displacement of the wildlife, deforestation means a dangerous decrease in a natural fighter of global warming – the #1 threat to our Earth right now. Removing trees also leads to much drier climates, as trees extract groundwater to release into the air.
Our tropical rainforests, which are crucial to stabilizing the climate and to human survival, are being chopped down at a breakneck pace – one and a half acres of rainforest are lost every second. Humans have already chopped down about 50% of the rainforests that once existed on the planet and at the current rate of destruction, we will completely destroy the rainsforests in the next 40 years. If rainforests are so important, why are they being destroyed so carelessly? Short-sighted governments and multi-national logging companies only see the forests as a way to make money by selling timber – they don’t consider the long-term effects.
Luckily, deforestation is an issue that we as individuals can combat. By using recycled paper, we can decrease the need to cut down as many trees and by buying goods made with FSC-certified wood, we can show retailers that we don’t want them to support brands that obtain lumber irresponsibly. Last but not least, why not plant a tree or even a hundred trees like this man did.
Pollution
Pollution comes in many forms and no matter where you live, you’ve probably seen some form of it. From litter on NYC city streets to the smog that lingers over LA to the plastic trash that floats in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the visible signs of pollution are more than evident. The main reason for why pollution has gotten so out of control is that our desire for more “stuff” has led to our old stuff being thrown away at an alarming and unnecessary rate. For more information on this, watch Annie Leonard’s Story of Stuff. This need for manufactured items also leads to the air and water pollution emitted from factories, which in many countries are highly unregulated. Looking at the bigger picture, government oversight and sloppy industrial practices on the part of big companies has also exacerbated our pollution problem.
The first thing we can all do to reduce the amount of pollution in our streets, air and water is to make a mental change. Before buying a new product, ask yourself if you really need it or if you might be able to purchase it secondhand. It could make a big difference in the amount of trash we see in our landfills. Secondly, if you don’t already recycle, get into the habit. If everyone adopted these easy principles, the world would be in a much better place.
Loss of Biodiversity
Each species has a role in our planet, and when one dies out, it can have catastrophic effects on the rest of us. We don’t want to get all “Butterfly Effect” on you but even a population dwindling can cause major problems for the human race. For example, with their role of pollination, the decline of the bee population has a direct effect on both the environment and food production. Currently, many other animals are in danger of becoming extinct, either from being forced out of their habitats by man or by climate change.
This particular problem is more difficult for individuals to combat but we can start by educating ourselves with the facts and donating to organizations like the World Wildlife Fund that facilitate the preservation of animals on the brink of extinction. This problem is also closely linked to deforestation and unchecked habitat destruction so by fighting those two issues, we can also slow down loss of biodiversity.
Melting Polar Ice-Caps and Rising Sea Levels
Climate change (are you seeing a trend here?) also contributes to another dangerous problem - melting polar ice-caps, which in turn causes rising sea levels. According to the NRCD, average temperatures in the Arctic region are rising twice as fast they are elsewhere and the ice is melting and rupturing. NASA satellite images reveal that the area of our permanent ice cover is shrinking at a rate of 9% every decade. At that rate, the Arctic could be totally ice-free in the summer season by the end of the century.
And if all of that ice melted, where would it go? You guessed it – our oceans. You might think that rising tides are only a problem for people in a few isolated areas, but major cities like NY and London could be underwater soon if we don’t do something soon. Manhattan alone has already dreamt up ways to deal with the potential rising tides over the next few years, but coming up with solutions after the fact is not enough. In order to reverse the melting of polar icecaps, we have to start at the root of the problem. See our section above on climate change to learn what you can do personally to keep global warming from continuing on its deadly course.
Oceanic Dead Zones
Along the coasts of heavily populated communities, scientists have found more and more dead zones – areas where depleted oxygen levels cannot support marine life. 146 dead zones were found in the world’s oceans, caused by high levels of chemicals in the waters. North America’s Gulf Coast has a high concentration of dead zones, which causes fish to become unable to reproduce. You might think that if you live on land, you won’t be affected by oceanic dead zones but if you eat seafood, seaweed, or care about air quality, you won’t want to ignore this issue.
Explosive Population Growth
It’s usually true that the more the merrier, but not when the human population is growing to a point that our society and systems can’t handle. Last year, the world population hit a whopping 7 billion, and while we welcome the newcomers with open arms, we also want to make sure that we don’t continue to put a strain on our water, food, well-being, space and sanity (yes, we’re talking about you, Tokyo subway system).
If everyone were more conscious of the fact that our limited resources need to be shared (how many times have you grabbed a fistful of paper napkins when you only needed one?), we could make living together, even with such a large amount of people) a lot more pleasant. Another example is our world food supply. Statistics show that we have enough food to feed everyone on the planet but we end up wasting so much (according to the National Resources Defense Council, Americans waste a whopping 30 to 50% of all food produced) that others go without.
While we might not be able to stop the population from growing, we can educate the people who currently live here and the new ones that are being born to make smarter choices and consume more responsibly.
Possible Project Ideas
· Instead of driving to work or school, take the bus, carpool, walk, or ride your bike to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. According to the EPA transportation adds to 33% of the total atmospheric CO₂.
· Consider investing in appropriate technology like clean power (solar or wind), if not for your home maybe for a community center. This will also help wean ourselves off fossil fuels.
· Buy reusable products such as glass bottles, reusable bags and cups etc. Avoid buying paper towels, plastic bottles and bags.
· Start composting and recycling, which will help cut down our waste production.
· Support local businesses and farmers by only buying organic food at farmers markets. Make sure the food is pesticide free. This will help your community become self-reliant.
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