The Environmental Impacts of Droughts

As summer approaches, headlines about worrisome drought conditions usually dominate the news. All across the world, ecosystems from California to Kazakhstan have dealt with droughts of varying lengths and intensity. You probably already know that a drought means there is not enough water in a given area, but what causes a drought? And how do ecologists determine when an area is suffering from a drought? And can you actually prevent a drought? What Is A Drought? According to the National Weather Service  (NWS), a drought is a deficiency in precipitation over an extended period. It also occurs more regularly than you might think. Actually, almost every ecosystem experiences some period of drought as part of its natural climate pattern. The duration of the drought is what sets it apart.   Types of Droughts The NWS defines four distinct types of drought that vary depending upon their cause and duration: meteorological drought, agricultural drought, hydrological drought, and socioeconomic drought. Heres a closer look at each type. Meteorological Drought: This type of drought is defined by a lack of precipitation over a period of time.  Agricultural Drought:  This is the type of drought that occurs when factors -- such as lack of rainfall, soil water deficits, and reduced groundwater levels -- combine to produce conditions that do not allow an adequate water supply for crops.  Hydrological Drought:  When lake or stream levels decline and the groundwater table is diminished due to a lack of rainfall, an area may be in a hydrological drought.Socioeconomic Drought: Socioeconomic drought occurs when the demand for an economic good exceeds an ecosystems water-related means of sustaining or producing it. Causes Of Drought Drought can be caused by meteorological conditions such as a lack of rainfall or excess of heat. They can also be caused by human factors such as increased water demand or poor water management. On a wider scale, drought conditions are often thought to be the result of climate change that causes higher temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns. Effects of Drought At its most basic level, drought conditions make it difficult to grow crops and sustain livestock. But the effects of drought are actually much more far-reaching and complex, as they affect the health, economy and stability of an area over time. Droughts can lead to famine, wildfires, habitat damage, malnutrition, mass migration (for both people and animals,) disease, social unrest, and even war. The High Cost of Droughts According to the National Climatic Data Center, droughts are among the most costly of all weather events. There were 114 droughts recorded in the United States through 2011 that have resulted in losses in excess of $800 billion. The two worst droughts in the U.S.  were the 1930s Dust Bowl drought and the 1950s drought, each one lasted for more than five years affected large areas of the nation. How to Prevent a Drought Try as we might, we cannot control the weather. Thus we cannot prevent droughts that are caused strictly by a lack of rainfall or abundance of heat. But we can manage our water resources to better handle these conditions so that a drought does not occur during short dry spells. Ecologists can also use various tools to predict and assess droughts around the world. In the U.S., the U.S. Drought Monitor provides a day-by-day visual of the drought conditions around the country. The U.S. Seasonal Drought Overlook  predicts drought trends that may occur based on statistical and actual weather forecasts. Another program, the Drought Impact Reporter, collects data from the media and other weather observers about the impact of drought in a given area. Using the information from these tools, ecologists can predict when and where a drought might occur, assess the damages caused by a drought, and help an area recovery more quickly after a drought occurs. In that sense, they are really more predictable than preventable.

Cyberbullying How It s Harming Children And Adolescents

Cyberbullying: How It’s Harming Children and Adolescents Amanda was in 7th grade when her cyberbullying story began. One day she met a guy online who talked her into flashing him her breasts, a decision she regretted later. A year later, she got a message on Facebook from him that said â€Å"if you don’t put on a show for me, I will send your boobs† to everyone she knew. One day, her picture was revealed to everyone. Shortly after, she suffered from depression, anxiety and panic disorder. She also started abusing drugs and alcohol. She moved to another city, but the bullying continued, especially since the guy had made a Facebook page with her boobs as his profile picture for her new school friends to see. After that, she lost all of her†¦show more content†¦Doctors Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin defined cyberbullying as â€Å"willful and repeated harm to others inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices† (208). It is a serious problem amongst children and teens all ar ound the world. Many consider cyberbullying as merely expressing one’s thoughts which is considered freedom of speech. Many live in constant fear of what’s the next thing that’s going to be said about them. Although cyberbullying is considered freedom of speech and is therefore not breaking the law, it should ultimately be illegal because it causes low academic performance, depression and suicide in teens and young adults. Cyberbullying affects students’ ability to learn and concentrate in school which contribute to them having a low academic performance. UCLA psychology professor, Jaana Juvonen, warns that â€Å"students who get bullied run the risk of not coming to school, not liking school, perceiving school more negatively and doing less well academically. Any student who get bullied can become a low achiever†¦ it can paralyze students from concentrating on academics†¦researchers asked students to rate whether or not they get bullied on a four-point scale†¦the most-bullied performed substantially worse academically than their peers. Projecting the findings on grade-point average across all three years of middle school,

The Marketing of Art Free Essays

The Marketing of Art Part 1: Target Market and Competition When determining a target market a marketer must first research their product and the consumers who purchase the product, then decide what type of consumer would the marketer prefer to attract to the product they are marketing (Guille, n. d. ). We will write a custom essay sample on The Marketing of Art or any similar topic only for you Order Now The product that was chosen for this class was Art. To determine our particular target market we must get to know our product. Britannica Encyclopedia defines art as, â€Å"the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others† (Britannica Online, 2011). Choosing a target market in which to promote our product is quite a difficult task since art is not a commodity that is normally regulated. Although the demographics of individuals who buy art are categorized into five types: †¢Collector – this type buys art simply for the love of the piece that is purchased. †¢Investor – this type buys art in hopes of earning a profit. †¢Decorator – this type uses art as a way to fill and empty space. †¢Believer – this individual believes that the particular piece that is purchased has a significant meaning or story attached to it and buys art just for the love of art. Money burner – this type is an individual who buys art for a status symbol or because they can afford to do so. To find our target market we will digest the framework of art. Art is usually placed in a particular space for a long period of time and the purchaser will most likely own the home that the artwork is located in (Genn, 2 004). Art is not a cheap investment, in 2009 while the Lehman Brother’s was declaring bankruptcy, Sotheby’s made $200 million in London at an art auction, so our target market would have to be able to afford the pieces. Also to determine your target market a marketer needs to understand why a consumer purchases products or services. A consumer purchases a product or service for three main reasons; to satisfy a need, to solve a problem, or to make themselves feel good. The marketer must know the demographics of their area. In Tucson, Arizona the largest art purchasers are over the age of 50, the demographics of Tucson show that the 50+ populations makes up 22. 1% of the total population. Americans over the age of 50 own more homes and enjoy more then $900 billion in income as compared to the younger populations (U. S. Census Bureau, 2011). According to Business Week Magazine the 50+ generation or more likely to buy online products and 42% over the age of 65 have made online purchases. The senior generation is the most overlooked target market in the advertising sector, even though 41% of them purchase more products then any other target market category (Kaiser, n. d. ). The next step in marketing is to identify your competitor’s, and currently there are nine top art houses that operate online as well as international (ArtBusiness. com, n. d. ). Sotheby’s and Christie’s are among the most well known in the art world. The main advantage that these art houses have over James’ Art Showroom is the name. People recognize and trust these dealers since they have been in business for a long time and have a great reputation. Christie’s is still a privately owned company and therefore the financial information is unavailable. However, many art brokers have projected that 2011 will be a profitable year for the auction house. Sotheby’s is a publicly traded company and their financial information is available on their website for potential investor’s to read. In 2009 Sotheby’s show revenue of $484,958 and in 2010 of $774,309, this is an increase of 59. 7% (Sotheby’s, 2011). The expected revenue projections have Sotheby’s increasing the profit margin by at least 32. 7% in 2011 end of the year calculations. For James’ Art Showroom to exceed the consumer expectations, the company due to the fact that it is smaller it will be able to provide a more personal art buying experience as well as provide a chance for upcoming artist to acquire a name for himself or herself within the Art world. Part 2: Integrated Marketing Communication Plan The integrated marketing communication plan is a combination of all the company’s plans and goals combined into one format. The integrated marketing communications plan should contain the same theme throughout, such as if the business plans on producing an advertising theme then the theme should be the same for the website and any print advertisements. This is done as a way for your customers to link all the graphics and messages to the company in which you are marketing (ArtBusiness, n. . ). There are five major components in an integrated marketing communications plan: †¢Web site †¢Advertising †¢Marketing collateral †¢Online marketing †¢Trade shows/ Auctions The web site that was created for the promotion of James’ Art Showroom was simple but professional. It included contact information and links to Facebook and Twitter. The web site also gave information about the company and the reason the com pany was created. For advertising, the company would choose direct mailings to schools that are designated for artists. The company would also host regular fundraising events to introduce the local community to the artist that reside in the area. The company was started as a way to help unknown artist and art buyers connect, the company although hopes to earn a profit in the future was not started as a money generating business but merely as a vessel to help people who love creating art meet those who love purchasing and owning art. The message that the company would like to implore is a symbol of bringing individuals with common interest together. The online marketing plan is simply to get the message to the target market that the company exists. This can be done through the use of social media and e-mail list. The final step in creating an integrated marketing communication plan is to allow my customers a chance to participate in art auctions throughout the world by using my website as a connection. By working with the major auction houses, such as Sotheby’s my artist may be able to have some of their work viewed or even purchased by art dealers on the international level. Reference: ArtBusiness. com. (n. d. ). Domestic and International Art Market Sales Statistics. Retrieved on November 6, 2011, from http://www. artbusiness. com/marketdata. html Britannica Online. (2011). Retrieved on October 4, 2011, from http://www. britannica. com Genn, Robert. (2004). Art Buyers. Retrieved on October 23, 2011, from http://www. painterskeys. com/clickbacks/art-buyers. asp Guille, Marilyn. (n. d. ). How To Find And Sell To Your Target Market. Retrieved on October 23, 2011, from http://sbinfocanada. bout. com/cs/marketing/a/targetmarket. htm Kaiser, Frank. (n. d. ). Secrets Of Successfully Advertising To Seniors. Retrieved on October 23, 2011, from http://www. suddenlysenior. com/howtoadvertiseseniors. html Sotheby’s. (2011). Web site. Retrieved on November 6, 2011, from http://investor. shareholder. com/bid/index. cfm U. S. Census Bureau. (2011). Home page. Retrieved on November 6, 2011, from http://factfinder2. census. gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/searchresults. xhtml How to cite The Marketing of Art, Papers