Tipping Point: Climate Change 2023 and the Battle for Our Planet's Survival

 In 2023, the pressing issue of global warming continues to affect our planet, with detrimental consequences for the climate, population, and natural environment. This article examines the impact of climate change on the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, California, and Texas. Understanding these effects can help raise awareness and foster collective action to mitigate the ongoing environmental crisis.

Climate Change and Its Effects

Climate change, also known as global warming, refers to the long-term alterations in weather patterns and average temperatures on Earth. As greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, accumulate in the atmosphere, they trap heat, leading to a rise in global temperatures. This phenomenon disrupts ecosystems, weather patterns, and poses significant risks to human populations.

Pennsylvania's Rising Temperatures and Extreme Weather

Pennsylvania experiences the adverse effects of climate change, including rising temperatures and an increase in extreme weather events. Heatwaves have become more frequent, posing health risks to the population, particularly vulnerable groups like the elderly and children. Additionally, intense rainfall events have led to an uptick in flash floods, threatening infrastructure and public safety.

New Jersey's Coastal Vulnerability and Sea-Level Rise

The coastal regions of New Jersey face the growing threat of sea-level rise due to climate change. As global temperatures increase, glaciers and polar ice melt, causing the oceans to expand and encroach on coastal communities. This phenomenon puts coastal infrastructure, ecosystems, and human settlements at risk, demanding urgent action to protect vulnerable areas.

Illinois' Agricultural Challenges and Water Scarcity

In Illinois, climate change poses significant challenges to the agricultural sector. Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns affect crop yields, posing economic risks for farmers. Moreover, prolonged droughts and water scarcity strain freshwater resources, impacting both agricultural production and urban areas that depend on reliable water supplies.

California Wildfires and Drought

California continues to grapple with the devastating consequences of climate change. The state faces increasingly severe and frequent wildfires, fueled by hotter and drier conditions. These wildfires not only endanger lives and property but also have long-lasting ecological implications, including the destruction of natural habitats and the release of large amounts of greenhouse gases.

Texas Heatwaves and Energy Demand

Texas experiences rising temperatures and an increased demand for energy due to climate change. Heatwaves have become more intense and prolonged, placing a strain on energy infrastructure and increasing the risk of blackouts. To address these challenges, the state is working towards diversifying its energy sources, promoting renewable energy, and improving energy efficiency.

Global warming is a pressing issue that affects every corner of the world, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, California, and Texas. The examples provided highlight the diverse impacts of climate change, ranging from extreme weather events to coastal vulnerability, agricultural challenges, and increased wildfire risks. By acknowledging and understanding these effects, we can take proactive steps to protect our environment, mitigate climate change, and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. It is crucial for individuals, communities, and governments to prioritize collective action and adopt sustainable practices to combat climate change and preserve our natural environment.

The environmental sustainability and the performance of Barclays bank

 Critically analyse the sustainability and the performance of Barclays bank, with a focus on environmental sustainability, and the effectiveness of environmental management approaches and tools.

What are the opportunities and threats that the sustainable development agenda is posing to the company?

What are the opportunities presented by the company’s development agenda?

Appraising the company’s management of environmental opportunities and threats.

Critically evaluate the Company’s overall sustainability business practice

Introduction

With presence in more than fifty countries and providing financial and other integrated services of similar concerns, Barclays bank has employed more than 135,000 people while offering its services to millions across the globe as well. The following paper looks at Barclays bank with a central view of giving a critical analysis of its sustainability performance in terms of its commitment towards a sustainable environment.  In essence, this paper looks at the environment management approaches that the Bank has employed in the endeavor to manage its impacts as well as those of its clients on the environment. Equally, just as its financial departments try to analyze their incomes against their expenses so is there a parallel long term plan to ensure that this progress is matched by similar advancement in its environmental management policy.

Ideally, today banks play a very significant role in the economies of all countries as an institution that bridges the gap between the capital surplus and the capital deficient people. This has an imperative role in driving the economy through accelerating investment through channeling savings to the most appropriate areas of the economy. Therefore as banks strive to generate this interest income on their products and services, across major platforms such as corporate, online, electronic, agency, commercial and even investment banking, there lies great concern in their responsibility towards ensuring a sustainable environment.

According to Barclays bank, Group Operating Committee and the policy owner who is the Group Head of Environmental Sustainability all its branches are required to meet threshold guidelines on managing environmental impacts through integrated environmental aspects that are incorporated into the business policy and decisions. These guidelines are therefore an essential part of their supply chain.

It is therefore under the above background that this paper assesses the environmental sustainability and the effectiveness of environmental management approaches and tools that Barclays bank has taken into concern as well as offering a critical analysis of how and by what extent has it been able to deliver on this responsibility.

PART 2: The opportunities and threats that the sustainable development agenda is posing to the company.

 The following part identifies the opportunities as well as the threats that Barclays Bank faces in its operations. It specifically highlights the services that are geared towards environmental sustainability, the threats that come along as well as products and policies that have been developed to respond to these concerns.

First, we identify the sustainable development agenda that the company has embarked onto. This agenda can be summarized into the following points;

A policy towards achieving carbon neutrality.

The company has identified policies to fight global warming as embedded in its development agenda since the year 2007, which is aimed at reducing carbon emissions through increasing energy efficiency across the UK and the entire Europe. The company has committed itself to supporting the purchase of clean energy as opposed to other fuels that act as environmental pollutants. It has offered products and services that have incentives for the purchase of low carbon emitting fuels.

Absa Capital building in South Africa based on SO 14001 standards.

One of the most notable undertakings in this regard is the building of Absa capital building in South Africa. This building marked the serious beginning of a new standard for sustainable building. The building has indeed incorporated sustainable environment features such as solar heating, rain water harvesting, and the use of recycled materials, natural air conditioning and other energy saving approaches as well. It has been estimated that the business complex at Sandton Court in Johannesburg is 34.2% more energy efficient as compared to an average business building. More so Wilmington complex among many buildings have green roofs for environmental sustainability.

Launch of the Barclaycard

In its launch of the carbon footprint, Barclays bank launched a credit card that provides good incentives to its customers who shop for greener products and at the same time using half of the proceeds from the Barclaycard sector to contribute towards initiatives geared at a sustainable environment. In the first year itself the company donated a million USD towards environmental projects coupled with its decision to avail the car to all its corporate customers.

Integrated services to SMES and investors

Barclays Bank has launched services where investors and as well as small and, medium enterprises who are their customers can access services on environmental assessment of their investments and as well as other tools to assist them develop environmentally conscious investments.

Opportunities presented by the company’s development agenda;

 Decreased resource use

As noted by the above initiatives such as the use of green energy fuels as well as the construction of more efficient buildings, costs on fuel, and other resources such as water are reduced. Additionally, the externalities that arise from environmental degradation such as the sustained potential of land to maintain high productivity as a result of green investments are reduced thereby generating huge savings as a result.

 Improved human health

The company benefits from a healthier population, who can work, generate more lending power and investment opportunities as well.

Increased acceptance of the projects that are undertaken

The environmentally conscious projects such as buildings and other investments gain general public acceptance as they do not interfere with the interests of external parties.

 Violations of the law is avoided

Presently much governmental legislation provides regulations that aim at creating a sustainable future. Therefore, when Barclays bank and all its branches worldwide heed to this concern, legal suits are avoided.

Reduction of wasted and the efficient use of resources through recycling

Increased public awareness of the environmental concerns and need for a sustainably among the company’s employees and the society as well.

Increased business profits that arise from operating in a more efficient environment, societal acceptability, and the goodwill of stakeholders due to more efficient business operations.

 Threats posed by the sustainable development Agenda to the company

Internalizing such concerns of ensuring a sustainable environment poses an additional risk to the company. Its involvement, both in terms of ideology and financial support is neither a guarantee to increased streams of income nor public goodwill as well. Providing incentives through the Barclaycard only serves to reduce the revenues generated by the company’s operations. Therefore, ideally, such financing can better be viewed as a social responsibility but not an income generating initiative since the company faces the risk of reducing its profitability as a result.

On the same regard, only operating through the use of clean fuels and creating prohibitive policies towards environmentally unfriendly investments means losing revenue from their lending reserves while at the same time operating on an uneconomic scale as they avoid more economic fossil fuels in the global market.

PART: 2 appraising the company’s management of environmental opportunities and threats.

Banks have been previously seen as an environmentally clean sector. However, today, it can be observed that their enormous use of paper, water and energy coupled with their external associates such as the investments that it funds pose a significant environmental impact. Such indirect interrelationships therefore make it hard to estimate their overall impact on the environment as a result. That’s why a few years in the past, banks have been reluctant to internalize some of these externalities posed to their environment.

In this regard therefore, we appraise Barclays bank’s management of environmental opportunities and threats as we seek to identify how different theoretical approaches can be of use towards achieving a sustainable environment.

Environmental management practices and performance as employed by Barclays Bank.

Development of Group wide Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

Barclays bank has set up an initiative to fight global warming through reducing carbon emissions in Europe. According to recorded statistics, the company was able to reduce 173000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2007. This agenda that has apparently been certified under ISO 14001 seeks to ensure that the company’s construction needs are aligned to energy saving measures and even more sustainable infrastructure. To meet such environmental standards the company has even embarked on using sensor lighting in washrooms, provided sustainable landscaping that conserves surface water runoff, created water efficient flush toilets as well as incorporated other energy efficient fittings into their buildings.

Through use of the European bank Cashback Scheme, the company was able to attract massive environmentally efficient infrastructure development projects from external businesses.

Such practices therefore have not only lead to huge savings but as well created more awareness of taking environmental concerns in creating projects and operating institutions as well. Capital allowances have been introduced for environmentally friendly capital goods such as agricultural machinery, while Small and Medium Enterprises have benefited from professional advice on taking environmental concerns in their investments.

It is therefore evident that with the above impressive performance, it has absolutely taken an extra effort for this company to achieve such milestones. This therefore means that in as much as the company has maximized on its opportunities, it has as well been able to minimize its threats.

How environmental management approaches and tools are used to maximize opportunities

Decreased resource use

Through environmental management systems geared at reducing wastes and economizing on fuel usage, such costs have been considerably brought down. As a result massive savings have contributed to a reduction in operational costs which account for a large percentage of the company’s expenses.

Improved human health

On the basis of corporate social responsibility, guaranteeing a safe environment for the people, making them healthier offers the company better stakeholder goodwill and increased productivity.

Increased acceptance of the projects that are undertaken

Proper stakeholder management has ensured that the general society, especially across Europe has appreciated the company’s initiative towards environmental conservation. Their direct and indirect involvement through Barclay card has ensured that they are supportive of the bank and so are its services and products as well. During the Prince of Wales’s May Day Business Summit on Climate Change organized by Barclay Bank, more than 1200 delegates attended to tackle global warming.

Possibility of increased business profits arising from operating in a more efficient

environment, societal acceptability and the goodwill of stakeholders due to more efficient business operations.

This can be observed under the following milestones that have been a result of, Life Cycle Analysis, (LCA), legislation compliance and monitoring;

·         Automation of customer cheques that has saved more than 1000000 pieces of paper annually.

·         The launch of a Paper Report Switch-Off Campaign which was a five weeks environmental campaign to end the printing of unnecessary paper reports.

·         The introduction and continual editing of environmental champions handbook.

·         Migration from paper to intranet saving over 20000 printed copies weekly.

How environmental management approaches and tools are used to minimize threats

If only operating through the use of clean fuels and creating prohibitive policies towards environmentally unfriendly investments means losing revenue from their lending reserves while at the same time operating on an uneconomic scale as they avoid more affordable fossil fuels in the global market, the company has minimized this threat as follows;

Barclays Capital has grown to be a leader in the EU emissions trading market where carbon trading generates revenue to fund its capital intensive initiatives aimed at environmental efficiency.

Supporting massive infrastructural growth for renewable energy such as wind and solar in Spain and across Africa is meant to mitigate these costs involved and generate extra income for the company.

Part 3: A critical evaluation of the Company’s overall sustainability business practice.

As seen earlier, both the internal and the external driving forces around Barclays bank have been instrumental in shaping its goals as well as its overall initiative towards sustainable environment. Essentially, such initiatives involve risks and so are the rewards as well. Therefore this presents an opportunity to take risk as well as minimize this risk where possible.  In this endeavor therefore, Barclays bank has taken into consideration the pollution aspects of its customers, itself and the outside world as well. It is in this regard therefore that this paper evaluates critically on whether this company has been effective in contributing towards a sustainable business practice or otherwise less has been done to bring this initiative to reasonable levels.

In assessing this kind of offensive banking , in which the banking institution has developed environmental investment funds and internalized its externalities to the environment, it is worth noting that such an undertaking acts in response to a strong need and therefore there is need to evaluate how sustainable has been this action.

Contribution towards sustainable business practice;

Generation of taxes and carbon trading revenues to enhance compliance and awareness

The funds generated through carbon trading have offered a future to the efforts of ensuring environmental sustainability is adhered to in the civil and corporate world as well. This is therefore presenting continuity in the efforts of raising awareness as well as enhancing compliance.

Increased capacity for growth from increased earth’s capacity to support various sectors

With the environment being kept free of pollutants and excessive demands that natural resources such as water energy cannot provide, enough capacity is created to help other sectors such as agriculture grow. This simply underlies the aspect of economic use of resources and ideally having them channeled where they are needed most.

Contribution towards unsustainable business growth

A deterrent to certain investment opportunities

The introduction of incentives to only businesses that go green and ones that are able to adopt energy efficient approaches, has undoubtedly been a deterrent to given investment opportunities such as the petroleum products industry. Additionally, energy intensive and high volume water consuming manufacturing industries have become less attractive to invest in a result. This is due to the increased costs of internalizing the acts of environmental degradation and as well setting up expensive infrastructure and technology that is environmentally sustainable. As a result, this initiative poses a threat to the future development of these industries thereby impacting negatively on people’s needs.

Loss of welfare as a result hiked prices from polluting industries

As industries pay carbon permits and invest on expensive technologies geared at ensuring that there is environmental sustainability, their production costs rise as well. Eventually, the average consumer has to pay for these increased costs through a higher price for these products. Therefore, with the high prices and a lesser demand, consumer welfare is negatively impacted on.

Improving on the sustainability of Barclays Bank’s commitment to environmental efficiency

Therefore with the above environmental sustainability approach geared at ensuring a more economical, productive and a sustainable business environment today and in the future,  Barclays bank still has more to do if it has to make a more significant impact on the people’s lives and the sustainability of  businesses’ environment. Taking this initiative to every individual therefore presents an all inclusive approach to ensure that such initiatives are embraced everywhere be it at school, home, work and even in hospitals.

Conclusion

In conclusion therefore we realize that though it is the role of different actors in ensuring that businesses have a sustainable efficiency in their environment, Barclays bank has made a significant contribution in this endeavor. Their ability to incorporate environmental awareness in their products and services and decision making too has generated more concern from people in all sectors towards this initiative. It evident from the above research that this endeavor has met success even though there is still more that is to be done if the full impact of a sustainable and efficient environment is to be felt. Otherwise despite facing risks and the ever dynamic challenges, Barclays bank has managed to spearhead this initiative to commendable levels.

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WHY WATER SHOULD BE REGULATED BYTHE GOVERNMENT

 The following paper looks at the critics move to stop the production and the use of bottled water from a critical point of view. It can be observed that bottled water has been in production for long but with the enlightenment on environmental conservation insights today, the matter is becoming a concern to many people across America. This paper therefore looks at the rationale behind this move by critics who are apparently calling for the regulation of bottled water by the US food and Drug administration (FDA) as a result. In fact arguments have arisen claiming that indeed tap water is safer since better policy actions to ensure its safety are well enacted and taken into account well.

Rationale for the need for government intervention

This move by several critics who include environmentalists, students as well as leaders has in fact been backed by meaningful insight on why actually there should be better measures of regulating bottled water. Therefore these can be looked upon under the following basis.

Prescience of contaminants

Scientific evidence has shown the presence of contaminates in clear bottles especially those made of polycarbonate plastic. These chemicals are harmful to the human body as research has shown. They have been known to cause infertility among the mice as well as disrupting the human endocrine system, by changing the normal production of estrogen in the body. The Nalgene, a component chemical in these plastics is responsible for leaching of Bisphenol-A which is quite harmful.

Additionally the presence of lower sperm counts for male adults who use the plastics has been observed as an effect of the (BPA), Bisphenol-A chemical.

The use of stainless bottle in brands like Klean Kantlene has been responsible for the contamination of water by iron elements that though not harmful in the short run, they might lead to future complications.

Lack of proper means of disposal, reuse and recycling

Several people have complained of the lack of proper mechanisms to dispose such non-biodegradable waste especially in places such as areas that use the plastic bottles on a large scale. These bottles and cans that are at most times used and thrown away by irresponsible people end up in the pacific ocean where they take long time, a thousand years to breakdown in the period  within which they harm fish which consumes them as they appear like food. Therefore critics are of the view that actually, the producers of this bottled water should indeed internalize their negative effects to the environment through setting up reliable mechanisms of recycling their wastes.

Uneconomical

The approach being used by not only the bottling firms but corporations and institutions is indeed very uneconomical. The shipment of drinking water through air has indeed been argued to be insensible in the regard to the world’s view on energy conservation. This leads to the burning of fossil fuels through the air transport as well as contributing to non-biodegradable wastes in the environment for something that can be easily affordable with even a better quality from taps as seen in the water vending machines installed by Gavin Newsom, the mayor for San Francisco in 2007 in city buildings.

Appraisal of the critics view

The critics view on this regard can therefore be appraised. It is a sound campaign to have such measures enacted as it has been seen through the above insight that indeed apart from prestige, nothing more comes along with bottled water with repute to quality.

Conclusion

In conclusion therefore, it is undoubtedly wise to embrace the critics view. The recent developments on people’s view on bottled water seeks to strengthen this motive. Better methods of water conservation as well as sound environmentally friendly ideologies need to be embraced as a result.

References;

Knopper, M. (2008, May). Bottled water backlash. E : the Environmental Magazine, 19(3), 36-39. Retrieved October 8, 2009, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1475949361).Link to reference: http://search.proquest.com/docview/229069630?username=rasmussenc&password=welcomeKrogstad, A. (2009, January). Purifying the business of selling water. E : the Environmental Magazine, 20(1), 10-11. Retrieved October 8, 2009, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1626604811).Link to above article: http://search.proquest.com/docview/229047238?username=rasmussenc&password=welcome

Elrey Jeppesen Contribution and the significance of his contribution to Aviation.

 Elrey Jeppesen is a renowned pilot whose efforts to create charts and manual s to help in flying have been instrumental in revolutionizing flying. Jeppesen was born in the year 1907 at Louisiana, growing up in Oregon, and later moving to Portland. He developed a passion for flying since his early childhood through drawing inspiration from the flying eagles. This passion brought him closer to the art at the tender age of fourteen years when a barnstormer gave him a few minutes flight at a fee.

Four years later, Jeppesen joined the Tex Rankin Flying circus and this marked the beginning of his flying career. It is at this point that the young Jeppesen became more familiar and conversant with his childhood dream which he was very ready to explore unknowingly did he know that this would be his career for the next sixty years across several departments of the air transport sector. From his savings and additional borrowings at the then working station, he was able to get just enough money to purchase a personal Jenny in which he now worked for the Fairchild Ariel Surveys where he would ferry photographers cross New Orleans and the Mississippi.

Later he would transfer to another working station at varney in the year 1930 and ended up a working at Boeing Air Transport Company. However, working at the boing was not quite fascinating for the young and energetic Jeppesen who felt that he was missing a lot working as a co-pilot and more so as a reserve labour. At this point he decided to go back to Fairchild. At this time the world was witnessing the great depression when Jeppesen quit flying mails. This short experience made the Young Jeppesen to question the safety and the efficiency of flying as he traversed through several routes.  He slowly started to think of ways to make flying easier and safer in opposition to the then’s flying approaches that incorporated the use of Rand-McNally maps that depended on the use of roads, land marks and rails too.

With this background, Jeppesen started exploring the use of his own maps and charts that involved information customized to every region across the routes used by the airplanes. He mapped the seasonally prevailing weather patterns across the routes, major land marks, hills and any natural obstructions that existed along the routes. Such maps provided him with information about the exact place that he was enroute to his destination creating more certainty and responsiveness as well. Apparently, to acquire this useful information, he consulted the farmers, surveyors and engineers, municipalities, smokestack climbing and his personal natural features observations as well. This gave him clearer picture of his route even when flying at night when he could not easily make these visual observations.

what significant contribution the individual made to aviation

The maps and charts created by Jeppesen would later earn him a reasonable stream of income in which he compiled them and sold copies that retailed at ten dollars each. They were highly demanded by individual pilots and airlines that bought them for their pilots. Throughout the 1930’s Jeppesen carried out this business which earned him more revenues to the point the business need expansion in which they moved to a house that was close at Jeppesen’s yard. Jeppesen’s business produced more charts selling every day. This attracted the attention of United comp0any which bought Jeppesen’s enterprise.

Additionally, these charts were later adopted by the US Navy to be used in the World War 2.  The creation of a new military outfit in the same period that saw the creation of the United States Air Force made the idea even more commercially applicable as this also attracted major airlines who contracted the United company to supply their pilots with the Jeppesen’s charts and manuals to increase their efficiency and safety standards.

Asa result, Jeppesen was recognized and hired as a world aerial cartographer thereby creating maps for sky routes that were used by private, commercial and military aircrafts as well. This contributed to increased confidence levels among the pilots who could now more bravely traverse dark skies and even during stormy nights too. Owing to this increased application of the navigation maps and charts created by Jeppesen, he sought a resignation permit to allow him concentrate more on producing the charts and improving on the idea as well. Therefore, in the year 1954 he resigned from the United Airlines to manage his own business until the year 1961.

 It was at this point that he sold his firm to the Mirror publishing company while still serving as the company’s chairman. This company that Jeppesen served either directly or indirectly until his death has been instrumental today in giving rise to ana evolutionary approach that has seen improvement in air safety and navigation. The company today is a world class maker of the maps and charts in electronic forms facilitating pilot training and providing navigation data.

Significance of the contribution

Elrey Jeppesen has been inducted in the OX5 Aviation Hall of Fame and has received the NBAA Meritorious Service Award along with Charles Lindbergh, Igor Sikorsky, Donald Douglas and Jimmy Doolittle. The main terminal at the Denver International Airport is named the Elrey B. Jeppesen Terminal in his honor

Elrey Jeppesen died suddenly at his home in Colorado on November 26th, 1996.

WHAT ARE THE RECENT TECHNOLOGIES IN AVIATION TODAY?

 The following paper looks at the recent technology today in the aircraft engine. This paper acknowledges that fact that today we have many technological advancements in the aircraft engine. All these innovations are aimed at creating, more efficient and powerful engines that can be able to comfortably serve the need for power through efficient engine systems.

In this paper, the ELUBSYS aircraft engine lubrication system is identified as the most recent technology. This innovation comes after the previous innovation such as the use of the labyrinth seals have been used for more than 30 years expressing the length of time that this technology has taken in research and testing process. The jet engine lubrication system is an imperative part in the proper functioning of the engine. Proper lubrication not only increases the operating efficiency of the engine but as well increases the reliability and keeps the engine free from wear and tear. With most jet engines today rotating at speeds more than 18000 rotations per minute there is great need to increase their efficiency. Such a high level of rotation leads to the accumulation of temperature and pressure in the engine compartment. This creates a unique engine environment whereby the inside of the engine could end up reaching temperatures of more than 1000 degrees Celsius while the outside could be less than negative fifty degrees Celsius or even more.  As a result, the engines lose this lubricant to the outside environment contributing to environmental pollution. Additionally, this inefficiency also leads to inefficient fuel consumption which contributes to not only economic losses but also led to more environmental pollution by emitting more carbon dioxide which increases the ambient temperature in the air.

Therefore, we assess the use of the ELUBSYS lubrication technology which has been funded by the European Union.

The lubrication system is basically applicable on all jet engines. This innovation seeks to increase more oil and lubrication use efficiency as compared to the other former lubrication systems that have ever been used in the jet engines. Therefore, this recent technology is applicable to all jet engines for private, military, and commercial aircraft as well.

 A brief history of this new “Aerodynamic feature” and its development.

Jet engine lubrication systems have been an important part of the engine since the first use of the jet engine. The development of ELUBSYS lubrication technology was an indispensable aspect for several reasons. First there was a need to increase the speed of the jet and this would be achieved through increases rotations of the rotors and the proper functioning of the internal turbines.  To achieve speed therefore, there was a need to reduce the friction between any rotating surfaces within the engine compartment. The temperatures within the engine as well were very high and therefore to develop an optimum condition for the proper functioning of the engine there was a need to control these temperatures. As a result heat resistant lubricants were developed and applied successfully to the engine. The type of lubricants used has also been a matter of concern over the years and they too have seen this development. More viscous and heat tolerant lubricants have been developed to suite the nature of the jet engine.

The innovation discussed in this text is the ELUBSYS lubrication technology. This unlike the previous technologies that involved the spraying of the lubricant within the engine compartment, this technology incorporates the use of brushes. These brushes are apparently made of Kevlar fiber and the Carbon fiber which have been known to be both strong and heat resistant as well. Kevlar fiber and carbon fiber have almost similar chemical properties that enable them to withstand high level of tension and extremely high temperatures without being degraded. These brush seals are placed within the engine where they are used to lubricate the engine through a direct contact with the turbine shaft. They therefore offer a consistent lubrication to the shaft and the other engine parts without having to insert the lubricant on a periodic basis but rather on a continuous basis.

By being into contact with the rotating shaft, these Kevlar and carbon fiber brushes resist any leakage of the oil and as well maintaining a pressurized engine environment which is an important aspect in increasing the engines efficiency in power conversion and fuel use. The incoming air is this well pressurized thereby creating a perfect environment for generating enough thrust after the pressurized air is released through the rear jet engine nozzle.

The European Union joint project has seen the partnering of different individuals, aircraft engine manufacturing companies and governments.  The German company MTU and the France Company SNECMA have partnered to develop this new technology with even further commitment to developing an experimental house for the Kevlar and carbon fiber lubricating brushes. With this experimental housing unit, deep research has been carried on the technology in a bid to test its reliability and how well it rivals the existing technologies as well. This is due to the fact that if it cannot present an edge in the efficiency and safety as compared to the existing technology it lacks rationality.

The ELUBSYS jet engine lubrication system project was developed on the basis of the above discussed concerns. To achieve that, the MTU and SNECMA companies had to lay down objectives which were ideally critical to achieving their targets in making a better lubrication system.

ELUBSYS recognized that in making a reliable jet engine lubrication system, they needed to consider the properties of ideal engine oil that would work well with the system.  For turbine engines which operate at extreme temperatures between the inside and outside part, they would consider between the four types of engine oils which are graded on the basis of their use and chemical properties. The system required a slightly viscous oil since an oils ability to resist deformation depends on the temperature level and therefore coping with the high temperatures that would be generated by the carbon fiber brushes ability to aid air compression would exceed the normal engine temperatures.

There was a need to consider the flash point of the oil which is the temperature at which oil becomes combustible after combining with air. The Kevlar and carbon fiber brushes needed to have a high flash point. This is due to the higher temperatures expected in the jet engine’s ignition chamber. This would thus help to avoid fire in the oil system which would cause explosion and evaporation of the lubricant on the engine’s surfaces. Pressure resistance of the oils used was considered as well. The pressure resistance dictates the ability of oil to function as a lubricant. In the actual sense under high pressure, most lubricants are unable to withstand the pressure between the two bodies in contact leaving them to come into direct contact creating heat from friction and wearing out as a result.

With the need to establish the seals accompaniment engine oil, thermal stability too was important. This is apparently the ability of oil to withstand high or low temperatures without undergoing decomposition which would weaken its ability to minimize friction. This would go hand in hand with the oxidation resistance of the oil. With the sanction of the air which has oxygen from the air, considering lubricant oil that would not oxidize was vital. Oxidation of oils is further increased by temperatures as oil molecules become more energetic and reactive as well. Oils that would be able to avoid getting oxidized at the high temperatures would thus be more durable.

The brushes were a new technology to replace the labyrinth seals. However the other engine compartments and systems were not much affected. Venting system, sensors, scavenge pumps and the run line also. Pressure regulation would still be regulated by the full flow and the relieve valve systems. These systems would help in the lubrication of the other areas such as the rotor bearings through nozzles that would spray the oil.

First, the project aimed at creating better seals that would improve the efficiency of the engine thereby reducing the carbon dioxide emissions by target point of more than sixty percent reduction. The reduction in the emission would also facilitate the better conversion of air pressure in the engine by thrust power. This would this require the development of seals that reduced the air escape termed as air bleed from the engine chambers where the air is compressed and pressurized. Secondly, the project aimed at reducing the amount of oil that was rejected overboard by a target of sixty percent. This would reduce the consumption of oil which is ideally a non-renewable energy resource. The project relied on the basis that at the current levels, the pollution emanating from major commercial aircraft on average is 300ml per hour. Such an amount of pollution is considered high with regard to how international standards on fuel efficiency dictate. The use of better performing brush seals would thus create a better approach to reducing this pollution. Thirdly there was a need for a redesign that would see the use of less bulky lubrication compartments that would require less power to keep in space and occupy less space within the engine compartment as well. Lastly, there was a need to improve on the mechanisms of improving the engine oil quality. The lubrication system was therefore targeted to have better anti-coking capacity which would enable the engine take up higher temperatures inside for more time thus increasing its ability to convert energy from the oil.

Unlike the previously used labyrinth seals, the Kevlar, carbon fiber and metallic seals were used in the testing process to determine their fitness to the task and reliability as well. In the process of testing, their tolerance capabilities were measured while the air flow and the pressure of the internal engine compartment were analyzed to understand how each material responded when used to inject the lubricant into the engine. Several approaches in measuring the dynamics of fluid flows such as VOF, volume of fluids were used in the testing process. The flow was simulated across different environments that presented different lubrication needs to the jet engine to assess how suitable they were. The use of infra-red sensors, Quartz micro balance, Optical particle detectors and oil sensors was incorporated in ensuring that accurate test results emanated from the process.  

The lubrication systems that have played the role of boundary lubricants and coolants as well have evolved over many years. Ideally, this technology has seen developments over the years with each new innovation providing a better way to increase fuel efficiency and engine operating efficiency as well. Some of these innovations are therefore highlighted in this text.

Description of how this new “Aerodynamic feature” works.

The ELUBSYS technology works basically on the brushes ability to lubricate and control the air pressure in the engine chamber.  First by ensuring that there is a direct contact between the surface of the shaft and the Kevlar and the carbon fiber brushes, there is a more surface area increased towards direct contact making lubrication more efficient. The lubricants being used are thus better suited to the high level of heat environment through ensuring that they are viscous. By using brushes they are thus applied to the rotating parts well. The shaft in the combustion chamber and the rotor too are lubricated by this system. This ensures that even under the high level of rotation, the friction generated is minimal. This therefore increases the speed of the rotor while controlling wear and tear inside as well.

The ability of the Kevlar fiber and carbon fiber to withstand high temperatures and pressure make them suitable to clean the engine equipment thereby reducing carbon coking. Coking has in fact been a major issue whenever a jet engine is shut down. Carbon cocking clogs the engine compartments and nozzles thus reducing the engines efficiency. With the brush seals that are strong, the carbon deposits accumulation is reduced since they are in a constant rubbing process with the engine parts. The contact disk surfaces and the bristles have been found to be affected with the previous technology that involved labyrinth seals. These bristles prevent the oxidation of the seals through controlling the direct contact of gas fumes with the oil.

The bristles offer better mechanisms to contain pressure. Their closeness and ability to spread over a wide area makes them able to cover openings through which air escapes from the engine thus reducing the transmitted energy. These bristles as a result increase the temperature within the engine. More so their ability to withstand high temperatures makes them efficient as they do not decline in their functionality owing to the heat. The increased pressure is a good aspect of an efficient compression system which the engine serves. More energy is released as thrust air thus increasing the engine’s power and the aircrafts speed as well.

By creating the new aerodynamic engine technology, the jet engine has been able to increase in its efficiency and safety as well. Through the improved lubricating system the engine can now use less fuel by almost sixty percent less as compared to the preceding technologies.  Again, due to the increased ability of the engine to retain more pressure within the engine compartment due to the Kevlar and carbon brush seals ability to control the inflow of air, there is a massive reduction in the resulting lower fuel consumption that enables the jet to carry less fuel while flying.

As a result, the designers of jet fuel tanks can design tanks of lesser sizes which will help in the reduction of the weight being carried by the aircraft. As a result, the aircraft can carry more crucial matter such as cargo or people. Otherwise even the less fuel tank burden reduces the engines fuel consumption rate. More so this contributes positively in enhancing any future processes of designing and the redesigning of aircraft.

The oil and engine equipment are additionally made more efficient by this lubrication technology. By ensuring that those temperatures are controlled through the reduced friction within the engine equipment, the failure rate of the engine is reduced. It is worth noting here that the friction between the shirt and the chassis holding it creates wear and tear which further reduces the engines ability to generate power. The lubricant reduces this tear by creating a smoother surface for the two metal parts to move against each other.

Carbon dioxide emissions are controlled as well. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that is responsible for today’s environmental concerns such as global warming. Global warming has been a global concern of late due to its adverse effects that have created unpredictable weather patterns causing droughts and floods at unexpected times. In the previous labyrinth seals used in the lubrication systems, it was ideally hard to enhance further control of air pollution. However, with the Kevlar and the carbon fiber seals, the carbon dioxide emissions and other inert gases emitted during the combustion process are reduced by almost forty percent. By reducing the amount of jet engine fuel used, the amount of exhaust is reduced accordingly.

 Additionally the cost of repair and maintenance which is usually due to wear and tear owing to the friction inside the engine is reduced. All these benefits combined they add up to the economics of building better aircraft that is energy efficient, safer and less costly to repair and maintain.

Conclusion

In conclusion therefore, the new technology has been able to show an improved capability to respond to the identified objectives. In essence the need to have a more reliable and efficient lubricant systems have been achieved with the use of Kevlar and carbon fibers capability to withstand high temperatures, their durability and their physical nature that enables them to make seals that can lubricate engine components.

The lubricant system has been able to show excellent anti-coking capabilities thereby reducing the deposition of carbon compounds within the engine thus reducing maintenance and repair costs as well. Fuel has been more economically used presenting better approach in reducing air pollution and energy saving since this fuel is a non-renewable resource. These factors therefore contribute to reduced operating costs which form a significant part of the aircraft operating and maintenance costs. The consumption of air has been reduced by almost seventy percent while at the same time increasing the energy conversion capacity. The research and the innovation have contributed towards increasing the significance of brush seals and their usefulness in the bearing chambers which form an important component of the jet engine. The brush seals have therefore been found to be far more reliable and efficient than the conventional labyrinth seals.

Illustrations:

A cross section of the jet engine.

An illustration of the kelvar and carbon fiber bristles.

Works Cited

Engineers, Society of Automotive. Aviation gas turbine lubricants : military and civil aspects ; Aviation fuel and lubricants : performance testing. PA : Society of Automotive Engineers, , 2013.

Liang, He, Dan Guo and Jianbin Luo. Experimental Investigation of Lubrication Film Starvation of Polyalphaolefin Oil at High Speeds. Tribology Letters, , 2014.

Mang, Theo. Encyclopedia of lubricants and lubrication by Theo Mang . Berlin: Springer, 2014.

Sheng, Ai and (Of the Tianjin University of Science and Technology Yizhong Wang. Manufacturing and engineering technology : proceedings... by Ai Sheng . Netherlands: CRC Press/Balkem, 2015.

Song, Bo, Dan Casem and Jamie Kimberley. Dynamic Behavior of Materials, Volume 1 : Proceedings... by Bo Song . Cham: Springer International Publishin, 2014.

Srivastava, S P. Developments in lubricant technology by S P Srivastava . New Jersey: Wiley and sons, 2014.

Why should the USA Pledge of Allegiance Be Revised, by Gwen Wilde

 Analysis:

Issue: Should the Pledge of Allegiance be revised, omitting the words “under God”?

Conclusion: Yes, the Pledge of Allegiance should be revised omitting the words “under God”.

Type of Argument: Prescriptive because a recommendation is provided by the author

Reasons:

1.      The original pledge did not include the words “under God”.

2.      The words “under God” are inappropriate.

3.      The words “under God” are needlessly divisive.

4.      The Pledge requires all Americans to say something that some Americans do not believe. 

5.      The words “under God” cannot be uttered in good faith by many Americans.

6.      Although a majority of Americans say they have a religious affiliation, nevertheless several million Americans do not believe in God.

7.      If one remains silent while others are reciting the Pledge, or even if one remains silent only while others are speaking the words “under God,” one is open to the charge that one is unpatriotic or “unwilling to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.”

8.      It is a patriotic observance, and it should not be connected with religion. 

9.      When we announce that we respect the flag – that we are loyal Americans – we should not also have to announce that we hold a particular religious belief, in this case a belief in monotheism, a belief that there is a God and God rules.

10.  Since millions of loyal Americans cannot say it, it should not be included in the statement in which Americans affirm their loyalty to our great country. 

11.  Those who wish to exercise religion are indeed free to do so but the place to do so is not in a pledge that is required of all school-children and of all new citizens.

Ambiguous Language:

Inappropriate – who determines what is appropriate and what is inappropriate?

Deeply religious – people have different definitions of this. How could this be measured?

Majority of Americans – how much of a majority? Could be 51% or 97%. (Careful because it says “approximately another 3% say they are Jewish” so don’t put 99%!!)

Affiliated with some form of Christianity/religious affiliation – open to interpretation. Affiliation needs to be defined.

(Notice we cannot include “loyal Americans” because the author defines it for us as people who “respect the flag”)

Value Assumption:  Freedom of speech/Freedom of choice

Value Conflict:  Patriotism

Descriptive Assumptions:

(Reason 3) – The assumption is that people who do not say the words “under God” in the Pledge feel divided from those who do say the words

(Reason 4) – The assumption is that there are many Americans who just can’t say the words “under God” because they lack a faith

(Reason 7) – The assumption is that if one refrains from saying “under God” they are called unpatriotic…by whom?

(Reason 8) – The assumption is that American money and the Pledge of Allegiance are equal because of the word “God” in both

(Reason 10) – The assumption is that not all loyal Americans feel a kinship to one God

“…these Americans—loyal people who may be called upon to defend the country with their lives…” assumes there is a military draft, which was not in effect the year this article was written (nor has one been in effect for over 40 years!)

Evaluation

Fallacies:

(Reason 7) – False Dilemma – either you say “under God” and are considered patriotic or you don’t say the words and are deemed unpatriotic

Appeal to Emotion – “peer pressure does compel all but the bravest to join in the recitation”

Explaining by Naming – “un-American”

Appeal to Popularity – “70 or even 80% of Americans say”

False Analogy – the words “In God We Trust” appear on our money

Wishful Thinking – “reciting the Pledge is to be taken seriously, with a full awareness of the words”

Evidence:

Authority – the United States Congress included the Pledge in the U.S. Flag Code (4 USC 4, 2006), thus for the first time officially sanctioning the Pledge.  Strong because it is a government authority that has power to make changes, and this information is provable.

Authority – in 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved adding the words “under God.”  Moderate to strong evidence because the position is able to make changes, and this information is provable.

Statistics – Something like 70 or even 80% of Americans say they are affiliated with some form of Christianity, and approximately another 3% say they are Jewish.  Weak evidence.  Where did she get the percentages?  They have a gap of 10%...why?

Analogy – the words “In God we trust” is on American money which makes it analogous to “under God” in the Pledge.  Weak because having to having to voice an affirmation is much different than having an option to look at the phrase printed on money.

Intuition – “I think” “everyone knows” weak because there is not scientific basis to the statement

Rival Cause:  Not applicable.  This is not a causal claim.

Significant Omitted Information:

The author should have shared the opinions of those who don’t want to say “under God.”

There isn’t any valid statistical evidence regarding people’s faith choices.

The paper is mostly the author’s opinion with authorities included; what about hearing from the faith community and how they feel about the Pledge of Allegiance.

Is the author only speaking for herself?  She only includes her opinions and her feelings without referring to any individuals or groups who agree with her.

Multiple Conclusions:

The two versions of the Pledge of Allegiance could be alternated and said every other month.

We could return to saying the original Pledge of Allegiance.

A new Pledge of Allegiance could be written.

Is the author a good critical thinker?

For this section, remember that you should include both attitudes and skills that you are evaluating in the author and in the presentation of their argument.  Good luck on all your final exams!! J