Impacts of Pollution and Globalization in Los Angeles - Research Paper Example

IMPACTS OF POLLUTION AND GLOBALIZATION IN LOS ANGELES IMPACTS OF POLLUTION AND GLOBALIZATION IN LOS ANGELES Los Angeles is one of the most densely polluted cities of the United States that has a major impact on the overall situation of the state itself. Pollution has completely damaged the entire city in such a way that its impacts are very obvious. Tourism is an essential part of the economy of Los Angeles. It is one of those cities that have a majortourist attraction and has the privilege of housing the home of many legendary actors. From amazing shopping malls to Hollywood and an amazing blend of various restaurants, Los Angeles offers everything that a tourist wants during vacations. “Los Angeles has three of the top 10 most polluted zip codes in California: East LA, Vernon and Baldwin Park. Thats according to a new interactive map released by the California Environmental Protection Agency Tuesday.” (Most Polluted Zip Codes Are In LA , The Huffington Post) This issue is being reported because pollution has completely damaged the structure of the city and its effects are tremendous. “Chemical, air, water and oil pollution has ruined the environment, causing premature deaths, spoiling the worlds resources and worsen climate change.” (9 Polluted places of the world, The Huffington Post). This is an adequate example of environmental injustice as pollution has become a major problem of Los Angeles that is affecting the lives of all the people residing within the region. The quality of the atmosphere and environment are one of the most attracting and tempting features of any city. The environment is made up of natural as well as manmade things which together build up state fundamental characteristics. The effects of pollution on the city are very controversial. It can damage and dent the citys environmental conditions resulting in a disaster which can further damage the city’s as well as the country’s natural and manmade resources. Pollution has tremendous impacts for instance it can rupture the tourism within the city causing a major dent on the economy. Furthermore it affects the quality of life, causes shortage of food and other requirements hence resulting in a disaster which completely ruins the infrastructure of the place. The emission of NOX is badly damaging Californian coast. (Scott, 2012) This particularly deals with the marine emission that has damaged Los Angeles brutally. This text explains the damages and the adverse effects of pollution. Life in Los Angeles is very expensive. Being a densely populated city, traffic is one of the major problems that are damaging the environment. Los Angeles has already been labeled as one of the most polluted places in United State of Americas and therefore the constantly increasing traffic adds more to the damage that has already been caused. Tourism in such a region adds more burdens on the traffic and pollution. Los Angeles is mostly dependent on cars therefore most of the transport related activities causea lot of pollution. Apart from that the smoke and air pollution that comes out from different industries etc is also causing enormous damage. One of the major reasons is that the geography of Los Angeles tends to limit the pollution within the city without letting it disperse which adds to the pollution. This problem has not only been aggravated because of tourism but it merely acts as a catalyst in increasing the pollution of the city. Water pollution in Los Angeles is considered as one of the causes of damaging the city’s environment resulting in high pollution. Los Angeles is the ninth largest city in United States in terms of area and catering to the needs of every citizen is tough for the local and federal government resulting in the shortage of water and other basic necessities. Even managing the waste and sewage gets very tough as a lot of pressure is put on the system. Water shortage is even due to the excessive water consumption in which the supply is far less than the demand which keeps on increasing because of the overpopulation in this region. Water and air pollution are somewhat linked to each other and therefore are equally damaging the environment. If the load on this city keeps on increasing it is estimated that the water supply will not be able to fulfill the needs of every individual (Babbie pg, 24). Food supplies are another major area of concern for citizens as the continuous damage is being caused to the city. Trees are being cut and other natural resources are being damaged so that food and other necessities such as accommodation can be fulfilled. Another way to improve this condition is to provide the consumers with organic products that are better and eco-friendly. One needs to realize that the pollution persisting in Los Angeles as well as the increase in population is a major area of concern which needs to be countered in order to generate steady tourism. (Tierney, 1998) In order to overcome the adverse effects of pollution in Los Angeles a lot needs to be done on individual and collective level. Tourism should be banned till the time the city is capable of accommodating more people. Organic and eco-friendly stuff to be consumed by the people in order to benefit the environment. The government needs to take a stand and come up with new ways to counter pollution in Los Angeles/ Energy efficient modes of transportation need to be introduced so that pollution halts. A proper plan needs to be drafted that allows the pollution to disperse. If these measures are taken then the environmental situation will become just and the city will flourish. Works cited: Cal EnviroScreen Tool Finds 3 Of Top 10 Most Polluted Zip Codes Are In LA Area (VIDEO). (n.d.). Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 25, 2013, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/24/cal-enviroscreen-polluted-zip-codes-la_n_3147805.html 9 Of The Most Polluted Places In The World (PHOTOS). (n.d.). Breaking News and Opinion on The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 26, 2013, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/31/photos-most-polluted-plac_n_693008.html#s130666title=Linfen Scott, D., Hall, C. M., &Gössling, S. (2012). Tourism and climate change: Impacts, adaptation and mitigation. London: Routledge. Tierney, P. T., Dahl, R., Chavez, D. J., & Pacific Southwest Research Station.(1998).Cultural diversity of Los Angeles County residents using undeveloped natural areas. Albany, CA: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station. Babbie, Earl R. The Basics of Social Research. Australia: Wadsworth / Cengage Learning, 2011. Print. Harper, Charles L. Environment and Society. Upper Saddle River (N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2012. Print. EVALUATION OF A PEER REVIEWED ARTICLE TITLE 1) Is the title specific enough to differentiate it from other related topics? Yes, the title “Bio-fuels: Network Analysis of the Literature Reveals Key Environmental and Economic Unknowns” is a suitable title as it provides thorough and in depth knowledge of the subject as well as provides detail about what will follow with it. 2) Do subtitles, if present, provide important information regarding the research? The subtitles available in the essay provide relevant information as it helps to categorize and divide the information making it easier for the reader. 3) Are the main variables expressed in the title? The main variables are expressed in the titles as they show connection with the study and analysis. 4) Are the terms in the title easily understood by most people? Like I mentioned earlier that the titles are very easy therefore they can be easily understood by a common reader who does not have knowledge about the subject. 5) Does the title avoid any reference to the study’s results? Since the title is related to the study hence it does not avoid any reference to the study results. 6) Overall, is this a good title? Why or why not? Overall, I believe that the tile could have been made a bit easier so that more people can comprehend and understand the essay better which could have been beneficial regardless of anything. ETHICAL EVALUATION: 7) Are the steps the researcher took to honor ethical responsibilities to individuals clear? Are they appropriate? Are they enough? Yes, the author acted responsible enough and played a substantial role in order to honor ethical responsibilities. He has mentioned the adverse effects, rewards and consequences which are very important from an ethical point of view. 8) If there were any findings (based on your readings of tables or other means of data presentation) that refuted the researcher’s hypothesis, did he address these findings? The writer was quite precise about his agenda and therefore he made sure that the findings were coherent with his hypothesis. 9) If any results were unexpected, did the researcher discuss any explanations for the unexpected effects? The findings were fairly according to his perception and agenda therefore the observation were fairly expected. 10) Did the researcher adequately acknowledge the limitations of the research? In my opinion, I believe that the writer appropriately recognized and acknowledged the limitations of this research. 11) Overall, has the researcher adequately fulfilled his ethical obligations? Yes, I believe that the researcher was quite prompt about his findings, observation, analysis etc therefore he fulfilled his ethical obligations. 3. Literature Review 12) Is the material presented in the literature review relevant to your research interests? Numerous literature review material has been used which is very relevant to the research interest as it provides support and knowledge regarding the subject. 13) Is the special problem area identified in the first paragraph or two of the report? Yes, the first paragraph provides a good detail about the issues, consequences, and details which help to analyze the report. 14) Does the researcher establish the importance of the research problem? Yes, the researcher was quite adequate in establishing the importance of the problem. Also he had different motifs to spread awareness regarding the topic. 15) Has the researcher been appropriately selective in deciding what studies to include in the literature review? Not exactly, since the researcher incorporated various sources in his literature review thus we cannot say that he was focused about it. 16) Is the research cited recent? Yes, the research cited that is incorporated in the paper is very recent and up to date. 17) Is the literature review critical? The review is quite critical and deals with almost all aspects related to the subject. 18) Is the researcher clear as to what are research, theory and opinion? Yes, the research is quite clear about his stance and discusses all the aspects in a detailed and effective manner. 19) Overall, do you think this is an adequate literature review? Why or why not? Yes, I believe it is an appropriate review but a bit short listing will make it even better. 4. Operationalization and Measurement 20) Is the conceptualization suitably specific? The conceptualization deals with diverse subjects and is targeting various aspects altogether. 21) Are the definitions productive? The definitions are productive as they help one to understand the context much better. 22) How many different dimensions are being measured at once? Since the topic is vast and precise therefore many dimensions are being explored throughout the essay. 23) Are the various dimensions sufficient? Yes, the various dimensions are sufficient to establish a satisfactory knowledge of the subject. 24) Are the actual questions (or a sample of them) provided? No, the actual questions are not provided by the author. 25) Is the response format clear, or, when not already clear, does the researcher provide information on the response format? Is there any information on restrictions in respondents’ responses? The response format has not been discussed by the author. 26) If the researcher is using a published instrument, does he or she cite sources where additional information can be found? Yes, the researcher did a fairly good job at citing any external material used. 27) Has the researcher avoided overstating the preciseness of the measurement? The researcher at times swayed from the topic by providing unnecessary details and explanations. 28) Does the researcher provide some measure of reliability? What type of reliability is established? Do the measures indicate adequate reliability for your purposes? Yes, the reliability has been ensured by in-text citations, statistics, tables etc. 29) Does the research provide some measure of validity? What measures of validity are presented and are they adequate for your purposes? The research is very valid as it has been supported with numerous external materials to support the stance. 30) Overall, is the measurement appropriate and adequate given the research purpose? Overall, I believe that the research that is measurements is quite appropriate and valid. Sample Strategy 31) Does the research goal lend itself to generalization? Is the broad sampling method appropriate for the research goal? Yes, the research goal did let itself to generalization. Since the topic was very diversified and dealt with various issues considering bio-fuels therefore there was generalization involved. 32) Does the researcher provide information regarding the study population? The sample? Yes, the researcher provides information regarding them. For example: interdisciplinary research. 33) Is the exact sampling method (e.g. simple random, purposive) specified? Remember, it is not sufficient for a researcher to simply state that a sample was selected ‘randomly.’ No it hasn’t been specified. 34) Is the sample size sufficient, given the research goals, the degree of accuracy the researcher desires, and the nature of the population studied? Given the nature of the research, is the sample size sufficient? Since the sample has not been given with the essay we do not know if it was sufficient. 35) If the researcher uses a probability sample, does he or she generalize the findings to the appropriate population? If the researcher uses a non-probability sample, does he or she refrain from generalizing to a wider population? The researcher basically reviews other articles in order to come up with his own findings. Thus, the results are a summarization of the analysis done. 36) Overall, is the sampling appropriate? No, the sampling is not appropriate because it has many loopholes. Unobtrusive Measures 37) What is the researcher’s research purpose or hypothesis? Is content analysis an appropriate method of observation? The researcher’s research purpose is to examine bio-fuels and different aspects relating to it. Yes content analysis was appropriate as it helped to examine various topics related to it then drafting conclusion through that. 38) What are the researcher’s units of analysis? What are the units of observation (if they are different than the units of analysis)? The researcher uses various methods, like discussion, interdisciplinary research etc. 39) Is the researcher studying a population or a sample of these units? If the researcher is studying a sample, is it a probability sample? If so, was it correctly drawn? If the researcher is not studying a population or a probability sample, is he or she appropriately cautious about the nature of any conclusions? Yes, the researcher is well aware of his duties therefore he realizes the importance of critically examining and filtering for best possible results. Thus, the approach was very appropriate in nature. 40) Does the researcher identify the characteristics and level of content being analyzed? Does the researcher explain how material is coded, especially for issues of latent content? He does not particularly mention each and every work and analyzed but generally he says that numerous works significant to the topic were reviewed. 41) Did the researcher do any type of pretest with other coders to test for reliability? Where they any tests for validity? No, there were not any tests performed to verify the authenticity of the material used. 42) Are the conclusions consistent with the units of analysis? Yes, the results are in coordination with the analysis of the researcher making it overall very coherent. 43) Are the results clearly presented and the conclusions appropriate? Yes, the categorization and subtitles make it clear resulting in narrowing down the analysis and finally formulating a concise result and conclusion. 44) Generally, is the method of observation done appropriately? Yes, the method of observation was done quite well as the researcher took out time to analyze various sources. Qualitative Analysis 45) Is the results section a cohesive essay? Yes, the result section coincides with the entire essay. Since the total essay has been written in a way that all aspects are discussed therefore in the same manner the end thoroughly relates to the entire essay making it all sum up beautifully. 46) Does the researcher connect the results to any general research questions or goals? Yes, the researcher connects the points discussed in the essay. Moreover he does not particularly connect the things in conclusion but sums it all up in the discussion portion. 47) Is the perspective of the results presentation appropriate? Does it match the research technique? Yes, it matches the technique as it was an analysis and all the results were deduced from them. 48) Has the writer presented enough examples to support the conclusions? Do the examples make the readers ‘believe’ the researcher’s points? Yes, the writer has presented enough examples in the form of sources, statistics etc. which encourage the readers to support his analysis. 49) Do you have reason to believe that the presence of the researcher influenced the actions or statements of other group members? If this is possible, has the researcher addressed it in the research? Since it was an analysis of the peer reviewed articles therefore the researcher was not present anyhow during the time the articles he reviewed were published. 50) Especially in field research (although this may be an issue to a lesser degree in other forms of qualitative data gathering), does the researcher discuss how he or she interacted with subjects in the field, what problems arose, and how the researcher addressed them? The researcher did not need to do this as it was not a field research. Works cited: Outlook, U. E. (n.d.). Biofuels: Network Analysisof the Literature RevealsKey Environmental and Economic Unknowns.National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved August 20, 2013, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P Read More