Open topic

Question: Can we have a good marriage without having children?

In fact, marriage does not only consist of love. There are other important elements of marriage. One of them refers to the responsibilities of two persons in a marriage. Without a child, one only has responsibilities with his or her spouse. Having a child means having disruption. Some people may support that children are the Precious Gift of Marriage. However, actually, a child easily makes Marriage become Hell. When having children, the couples will be more tired than their counterparts, who don’t have any child. There are not few of evidences for such a problem. Let me illustrate with a common situation: imagine that after a day of 8 or more than 8 hours of hard-working , instead of going out for a drink or shopping, the couples who have infants have to remain at home to feed their infants up, to change their infants’ nappies or to do other terrible works like that. If we were those couples, what would we feel? I believe that most of us would feel exhausted and stressed just after two days or even one day as the parents of infants. Furthermore, having a child also means having commitment with society to educate him well. Parents have to encourage, even force their children to go to school. They can’t be bad examples for their children to imitate, for instances: they shouldn’t smoke, shouldn’t have bad behaviours. These things make the couples feel uncomfortable, and cause an unnecessary tension in their marriages . As a result, although the couples have no children, their marriages will still be cozy and even happier because there are fewer responsibilities- fewer stresses, fewer tensions- for them.

Academic essay

Topic: What is the serious impact of economic growth on Vietnam's environment nowadays?

So far Vietnam has been known as one of the fastest growing economies in Asia with an increase of over 6.5% in gross domestic product (GDP) each year from 2000 onwards ( VERN, n.d.). However, any success always comes with a certain price. Apart from the bright side of the development, the economic outbreak has also put huge pressure on Vietnam's environment, and has become the most threatening factor to people's quality of life. There are two bad effects on the environment caused by economic development: air pollution and degradation of natural resources. And these two effects are now a burning topic, which often appears in most discussions about the local environment.

Air polution is one of the most serious issues in most cities of Vietnam nowadays. As far as I can see, the number of industrial zones in Vietnam has risen significantly in the past few years. At the same time, most air pollution originates from gas emissions of several factories inside such industrial zones. In an article on environment, Fuller (2007) showed that Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the two biggest industrial cities in Vietnam, were said to have a level of PM10, one of the most noxious pollutants primarily caused by burning fossil fuels in industry, of about 80 micrograms per cubic meter, double the level in Bangkok and even above the guideline of 20 set by the World Health Organization. To reflect the seriousness of this, Vietnam had two cities amongst the six cities suffering from the most polluted air in the world in the global environment outlook released in 2007 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as Loan(2007) noted. Such surprising information reflects the potential danger of Vietnam's air pollution issue. When comparing the air pollution in the country with that in other countries, we see that this issue has become really severe. Obviously, the current level of air pollution in Vietnam is worth concern.

In addition, there is another impact of the economic growth: the worrying decrease in the amount of natural resources. As the heavy industrial factories always require a great deal of raw materials, more and more minerals are exploited without efficient management and rehabilitation. Moreover, rapid expansion in other economic activities such as agricultural fertilizing and commercial logging raises concerns about water resources and the number of different plants and animals which are fading fast. According to The World Bank's website, "closed canopy forests in Vietnam still make up only 13 percent of the total forest area, while poor regenerating forests account for 55 percent. More than three-fourths of the country's mangrove forests would be gone in the next 50 years" (n.d., para.9). I firmly believe that the rate of decline in natural resources will be even higher than that one of the forecast. If the economy keeps rising as much as possible irregardless of destroying natural resources, sooner or later Vietnam will have to pay a heavy price for this.

In conclusion, the effect of economic growth on the environment in Vietnam has changed to an alarming level. Better late than never, the government as well as the Vietnamese people should take actions immediately to protect the environment against such problems. We Vietnamese should put hands together to find an appropriate balance between the economic growth and the quality of the environment.


References

Fuller, T.(2007, July 6). Air pollution fast becoming an issue in booming Vietnam.
The International Herald Tribune, p.9.

Loan, P.(2007, October 29). Hanoi, HCM City in top cities of dust.
Retrieved March 13, 2008, from http://english.vietnamnet.vn/tech/2007/10/751937/

The World Bank.(n.d.). Vietnam Environment. Retrieved March 13, 2008, from
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/EXTEAPREGTOPENVIRONMENT/0,,contentMDK:20266331~menuPK:3558292~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~theSitePK:502886,00.html#industrial

VERN-Vietnam Economic Research Network.(n.d.). Vietnam's GDP Growth, 1990- 2005.
Retrieved March 13, 2008, from http://www.vern.org.vn/resources/GDP_Growth.htm

Timed Paragraph

Nowadays, the waste disposal problem is one of the most difficult problems for most of countries all over the world. There are many methods recommended to solve this problem, of which zero waste and landfilling are regarded as two efficient methods that have been favoured by quite a few government.

Zero waste and landfilling have some common characteristics. They are both considered as acceptable waste disposal methods which can be applied in the world. They play important roles in preventing people from the pollution caused by household rubbish. Zero waste help people reuse as much waste as possible while well-designed landfills, additionally install extra protective features like a drainage system can get rid of all waste.

However, there are many basic differences between these two methods. Firstly, in terms of saving material, obviously zero waste is the best way. Collins (2002) noted that British people were able to recycle more than 50% of the waste by following zero waste methods. Nonetheless, landfilling prevails against zero waste in terms of financial matters. It is firmly believed that using landfilling method can help developing countries save a lot of money. While most of such developing countries have still concentrated on economic growth, they don’t have enough funds to cover the waste disposal problems. And, also another advantage of landfilling compared with zero waste is about technique. In terms of technological application, landfilling is much simpler to apply. There is wide variety of waste suitable for landfills. Furthermore, as long as people don’t open burn and do pretty steady maintenance, they won’t have to come up against any emergency situations. Above all, a landfill is clearly a more familiar, “low-tech” disposal method.

From all analyses above, it is undoubtedly true that landfilling method is the most expedient method to solve the waste disposal problem in Vietnam. The country is not prosperous enough to follow modern and luxurious methods like zerowaste. Moreover, a very large unused of landfill capacity has still remained in some areas. Thus, landfilling can be the best, compared with other disposal options.

In summary, it is understood that two methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. For a country, to choose which method is to consider carefully both its finance and its other conditions to find out whether the method is suitable or not.

Saving Nature

Question: Do you agree with the author of "Saving Nature"? Is it sane environmentalism to emphasize humans over nature? State your opinion and support it.

Through the “Saving Nature”, written by Charles Krauthammer, are facts and arguments about environmental luxuries and environment necessities or, more generally, humans and nature. As far as I can see, the author’s opinion are extremely acute and accurate. His idea about the environmental luxuries and the environment necessities relate me to the two concepts of romanticism and realism in humans’ life. It is undoubtedly true that the way humans choose to individually protect the environment more or less is more or less similar to the way they choose to follow romantic or pragmatic life. When a group of ten polite people who still have to work hard for living-expenses are asked to support an urgently donated fund for protecting threatening animals a big amount of money by some paper survey, at least half of them agree. However, if such an event happens in reality, at least half of them will hesitate and refuse. This example is somehow like the situation: “ask hardworking voters to sacrifice in the name of the snail darter, and, if they are feeling polite, they will give you a shrug.” Humans will always support something without conditions unless it affects their interests. Extensively, people only altogether save nature in case they saving nature exactly means saving their life.

Revised paragraph

So far Vietnam has been known as one of the fastest growing economies of Asia with over 7% gross domestic product (GDP) increase in the past 5 years. However, apart from the bright side of the development, the outbreak also places huge impacts on Vietnam’s environment, and becomes the most threatening to people’s quality of life. There are two worst effects on the environment caused by economic development: air pollution and degradation of natural resources.

As an expert on pollution of the Swiss-Vietnamese Clean Air Programsi stated, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh cities had dust levels that are double the current level in Bangkok as well as four times the acceptable level set by the World Health Organization. There are many reasons causing air pollution, but mainly it originates from gases emission of several industries. Once the number of industrial factories in Vietnam has risen significantly, the amount of exhausted gases has rapidly increased as well. And another impact as mentioned before is the decrease in amount of natural resources. As of the heavy industry requires a great deal of raw materials, more and more minerals are nearly used up. Great pressure is also put on biological resources due to the demand of adequate supply of food to maintain the integrity of the ecosystem.

In conclusion, the real situation of economic growth’s effect on environment in Vietnam has been being dropped to the alarming level. The goverment as well as Vietnamese people should have actions immediately to protect the environment against the impacts of economic development.

Three Gorges project

Question: What is your opinion of projects such as the Three Gorges Dam?( or similar project in your home country). Given the costs, both economic and environmental, do the positive aspects outweigh the negative, or vice versa?

The new Tan Tao Industrial Zone has been known as one of the biggest industrial zones in Vietnam with over 200 investors and 150,000 employees. Each year, the zone contribute a great amount of profits to the government. However, apart from the bright side of the impressive growth, this industrail zone has also had huge impact on Ho Chi Minh city’s environment, and has become the most threatening factor to people’s quality of life in the city. There are two severe effects on the environment caused by factories of the Tan Tao: air pollution and overusing natural resources. As an expert on pollution in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment stated, only 15 percent of the industrial zone’s foreign-invested companies responded to requests from local environmental inspection agencies to reduce pollutants. There are many reasons causing air pollution, but mainly it originates from gas emissions of several factories inside the zone. While the number of such industrial factories in the zone has risen significantly, the amount of exhausted gases has rapidly increased as well. Another impact as mentioned before is the decrease in amount of natural resources caused by factories inside the zone. As the heavy industrial factories always require a great deal of raw materials, more and more minerals are nearly used up. Great pressure is also put on biological resources due to the demand of adequate supply of food to maintain the integrity of the industrial zone. In conclusion, when vigilantly considering the costs of both economic and environmental aspects, we see that the Tan Tao’s effects on environment in Vietnam should be more seriously warned. The government must enact essential laws immediately to protect the environment against the industrial zone’s impact.

Week 5- What impact do you have on the earth's environment?

It is now the time when many countries, many organizations, many people inspire crusades to save environment. However, we all forget that any of us also has a part in degrading our environment.

When thinking of my daily activities, I realize that most of them affect the environment either directly or indirectly. Everyday, an adequate supply of food, in which animals, green vegetables and fruits are major, is very crucial for me to maintain a strong life. Everyday, a certain amount of water is used for my bathing and washing. Everyday, a big waste plastic bag in my room is fully filled with papers, bottles and cans... Although all of such things seem to be little and trivial, they actually have an impact on the environment more or less. The more number of days I appear on earth, the more bad effects I cause on the environment. Hence, once I as well as any other people never want to leave the earth soon, we should be aware of the importance of saving the environment which also means saving the earth. Before everything becomes too late, we ourselves should first act to protect the environment by reducing our impact on it. We have to not only save water, save papers and never waste food but also commit to reproduce what we consume daily.

In brief, the environmental problems really threat the earth. And, the earth doesn’t belong to only one individual or only one country; it is of everyone and relates to our life directly. Let’s take action immediately to save the earth. Let’s put our hands to protect our life.

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