Conventional Plastic Films vs Sustainable Films Essay -- Environment,

Sustainability has become and important issue in the world as the Green Movement continues to gain popularity. One area where research is being conducted to find a more sustainable production process is plastic films. Plastic films are defined as a packaging material, usually less than ten mils (a mil is 0.001 inch) in thickness, with an average of 0.7–1.5 mils, that can be used as a bag or wrapper. They are composed of a broad range of materials, which can be simple or complex depending on what a particular product or package demands (Osborn & Jenkins, 1992). There are two main categories of films used in packaging, conventional films and sustainable films. Conventional plastic films are much more widely used and have a larger market than sustainable films. The film can be made with different resins, each of which have unique structures and are ideal for specific applications. The films can be clear or colored, printed or plain, single- or multilayered and are often combined with other materials such as aluminum and paper. Examples of plastic films usages include Ziploc bags, trash bags, grocery sacks, drycleaner bags, and plastic wrap. The only common characteristic of all plastic conventional film is that it is flexible in nature. The most common resin used to create these plastic film packages is low-density polyethylene (LDPE). As a film LDPE has decent clarity, is a good moisture and gas barrier, and it can be heat sealed while retaining its strength and flexibility. Polypropylene (PP) is also a common resin used to create plastic film. It has an excellent moisture barrier, good transparency, gloss, and tensile strength. The PP resin also has a high melting point, which makes it appropriate for packages that need to be st... ...petroleum, which has been around for significantly longer and has a strong hold on the market. As sustainability continues to become an emerging concern for consumers bio-plastics will grow in importance in the packaging industry. Similar to auto companies who are searching for alternative sources of energy for automobiles, chemical companies are searching for alternatives to manufacture of plastic materials (Perkins & Lindsay, 2011). We have a limited supply of fossil fuels and ate the rate plastic products such as film are being produced and consumed each year, it is hard to say how long they will last. Bio-plastics currently represent only a small fraction of the emerging area of sustainable development, but their usage is growing. There is great potential for bio-plastics as replacements for the less-sustainable fossil fuel based plastics used in plastic film.

Laughter the best medicine Essay

A good sense of humour is one of the most important tools in your self-care kit. In fact, studies show that laughter affects both your body and your mind. Laughter is also readily available, free, has no side effects, and you don’t have to worry about overdosing. Moreover, it’s good for everyone around you too. And laughter can relieve stress, boost your immune system and even change your perspective on things. Stress relief. Laughter lowers your blood pressure and pulse rate and helps your muscles to relax. It counteracts your body’s stress response by lowering the stress hormones cortisol, epinephrine, adrenaline and dopamine. In addition, it releases â€Å"happy chemicals† in your brain, leaving you with a sense of well-being or even euphoria. Increased immunity. Laughter increases the number of antibody-producing cells and enhances the effectiveness of killer T-cells. This means a stronger immune system, as well as fewer physical effects and immune sup pression caused by stress. Pain relief. Laughter increases the production of natural painkillers, thereby improving our tolerance to pain. Muscle relaxation. Laughter exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterwards. It even provides a good workout for the heart. According to the late Dr Laurence Peter, author of The Peter Principle, the bigger the laugh, the lower the tension and the more long-lasting the relief. Perspective. Humour gives us an entirely different perspective on our problems. By viewing a problem a little more light-heartedly, it becomes a challenge instead of a threat, and your body won’t react with a stress response. This gives us a sense of mastery and control over our environment, which helps us cope with adversity. Distraction. Laughter diverts our attention away from our negative feelings like guilt, anger, and stress. Improved social interaction. Laughter is contagious. If you laugh, people laugh with you, even if they donâ⠂¬â„¢t always know what you’re laughing about. It connects us to those around us, and can even be used to ease interpersonal tension – crack a joke during your next heated argument and see the tension melt away. back to top How to lighten up Raise your laughter level with the following strategies: Surround yourself with humour. Watch a funny movie, read a humorous book or a comic, or listen to your favourite stand-up comedian. When you’re stressed at work, take ten minutes to read jokes on the Internet or listen to something silly on your iPod. Laugh with a friend or colleague. People tend to laugh more in social situations, so share the funnies with a friend. It will strengthen your relationship and the contagious effects of laughter may mean you’ll laugh more than you otherwise would have. Look for humour in everyday life. Why wait to â€Å"look back on it and laugh†? Find the humour in every situation, even the stressful and unpleasant ones, and enjoy a good giggle now. Laugh at yourself. Poke fun at your own behaviour and idiosyncrasies. As the saying goes, â€Å"Laugh at yourself and the world laughs with you.† Comedian Bill Cosby once said, â€Å"If you can laugh at it, you can survive it†. With the improved immune system, reduce stress ed, better coping ability and positive attitude that comes with laughter, you can survive almost anything too.

Meaning of Over There, The Famous World War I Song

The song Over There was one of the most famous songs of World War I. Over There proved to be an inspiration both to the young men who were being sent to fight the war as well as to those on the home front who worried about their loved ones. The Meaning Behind the Lyrics On the morning of April 6, 1917, newspaper headlines across America announced the news that the United States had declared war on Germany. While most people who read the newspaper headlines that morning tried to comprehend how their lives were going to change, one man started humming. That may seem like an odd reaction to most people, but not for George M. Cohan. George Cohan was an actor, singer, dancer, songwriter, playwright, and Broadway producer who had composed hundreds of songs, including such famous songs as â€Å"Youre a Grand Old Flag,† â€Å"Marys a Grand Old Name,† Lifes a Funny Proposition After All, â€Å"Give My Regards to Broadway,† and â€Å"Im a Yankee Doodle Dandy.† So it is perhaps not completely surprising that Cohans reaction to reading the headlines that morning was to hum, but few might have expected Cohans humming to be the start of a very popular song. Cohan continued to hum all morning and soon began to compose a few lyrics. By the time Cohan arrived at work that morning, he already had the verses, chorus, tune, and title of what became the very popular Over There. Over There was an instant success, selling over 2 million copies by the end of the war. Perhaps the most popular version of Over There was sung by Nora Bayes, but Enrico Caruso and Billy Murray sang beautiful renditions as well. The song Over There is about the Yanks (the Americans) going over there (across the Atlantic) to help fight the Huns (what the Americans called the Germans at the time) during World War I. In 1936, Cohan was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for writing the song, and it experienced a revival in World War II when the United States again faced Germany in war. Lyrics to Over There Johnnie get your gun, get your gun, get your gunTake it on the run, on the run, on the runHear them calling you and meEvery son of liberty Hurry right away, no delay, go todayMake your daddy glad to have had such a ladTell your sweetheart not to pineTo be proud her boys in line. CHORUS (repeated twice):Over there, over thereSend the word, send the word over thereThat the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are comingThe drums are rum-tumming everywhere So prepare, say a prayerSend the word, send the word to bewareWell be over there, were coming overAnd we wont come back till its over over there.Over there. Johnnie get your gun, get your gun, get your gunJohnnie show the Hun youre a son of a gunHoist the flag and let her flyYankee Doodle do or die Pack your little kit, show your grit, do your bitYankees to the ranks from the towns and the tanksMake your mother proud of youAnd the old Red White and Blue. CHORUS (repeated twice):Over there, over thereSend the word, send the word over thereThat the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are comingThe drums are rum-tumming everywhere So prepare, say a prayerSend the word, send the word to bewareWell be over there, were coming overAnd we wont come back till its over over there.Over there.