Thursday, November 28, 2019

Water and Environment Engineering

Introduction Village Background Buayan is located in Sabah state in Malaysia. The village is situated in the Northwestern part of the state, near the seacoast (Kennedy, 2011). The name of the village is predetermined by a long history. According to the account of one of the representatives of Ulu Papar generation, Buayan suffered from a 7-year drought long time ago (John, Sipanis, 2013). The dry season led to the exhaustion of water resources.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Water and Environment Engineering specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nevertheless, there was one part of the river that managed to survive from the drought and that humans could not access because of the river turtle, named Suyan, who never left the area. However, one of the village residents made an offer to the turtle and the latter allowed humans to use water from the river. As a result of this offering, Buayan village was founde d. Although the history of the village name is just a legend, much information turns out to be logical because of the villagers experiencing water scarcity. Importance of Water Supply for the Village It has been discovered that water supply level, particularly climatic seasonal variations have a potent impact on power supply (Kennedy, 2011). The statistic demonstrates the evident increase in the village energy demand during dry seasons because most of energy resources have been spent on building the irrigation systems and artificial water supply systems. Statistics in Comparison to Other Villages To ensure sufficient water supply in the region, Sabah Water Resources Enactment was introduced in 1998. The total area of the river resources in the district equals to 34321 ha, which is 97.5 of the entire resources of freshwater in Sabar. The quality of freshwater in the region was worsened significantly from 1990 to 2004 (Credit and Microfinance Needs in Inland Capture Fisheries Developm ent and Conservation in Asia, 2007). This could be judged by the supply and quality of freshwater fish in the village. Specifically, it has been discovered that there is a tangible decline in overall fish landing, despite the slight recovery of fishing in 2004. This improvement is explained by the advancement of information gathering techniques rather than by actual increase in inland quantity. In contrast to the Buayan village problems with water shortages, other regions also suffered from insufficient water management. According to the reports, over 30,000 people in Sabak Bernam and Kuala Selangor regions were affected by a draught (Hassan, 2012). Although this figure is not significant as compared to the situation in the village, it still needed consideration.Advertising Looking for critical writing on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Water Supply in relation to International Indicator HDI According to International Human Development Indicators, n. d.), Malaysia takes the 64th place among other countries in terms of life expectancy, incomes, and education. The ranking shows, that the quality of life in the country leaves much to be desired. Specifically, the life expectancy in the region amounts to 74.5 years in average (International Human Development Indicators n. d.). Malaysian people spend about 9.5 years for education, which is much lower as compared to the developed economies. Low level of education in Malaysia has a potent impact on the alternative solutions for supplying water resources into the areas suffering from drought. Additionally, lack of financial support does not allow the villagers to build efficient hydro-systems that would insure sufficient supply of drinking water. Normative and Subjective Assessment Influence of Water Supply Management on Community Development Water supply systems in Malaysia are highly appraised in the country because it influences the qua lity of living. Due to the fact that water supply system requires significant costs, the constructions scheme is impossible unless the government provides sufficient funding (Vincent and Ali, 2011). Specifically, the beginning of the construction could mean incredible costs and consideration of long-term marginal costs. Improving Water Quality for Better Healthcare As soon as water quality in Buayan is improved, people will not suffer from waterborne infections and, as a result, people will rarely address medical establishments. Water pollution is the major source of low of living standards in the regions and, therefore, this problem should be eliminated. Summary Modern Development in Buayan Although the village does not have access by road, almost 400 villages on the Crocker Range could make use of the power supply system (Duin, 2009). While using the power of the river water, it is highly essential for the villagers to have sufficient water supply. As response to the problem, mini -hydro supply system was introduced by Prime Minister’s Department (Duin, 2009). Using the water energy is beneficial for the village and cost-effective for the municipal government that cannot afford supplying fuels for transporting energy resources. Therefore, water scarcity can pose a serious problem for the region Human Development and Poverty in the Village Sabah is a state situated in northern part of Borner; it is considered the second largest area in Malaysia. Despite the fact that the state is abundant with natural resources, its economic development leaves much to be desired. Specifically, the statistics indicates the highest poverty rate in the region, which makes it the least developed area.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Water and Environment Engineering specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this respect, Buayan village is also among the least developed populated areas, which should be addressed. Many reforms and plans were directed at redevelopment and poverty reduction in rural areas. This is of particular concern to the 9th Malaysian Plan that focuses on the strategy for poverty reduction and improvement of quality standards of living in the region (Dambul, Omar, and Osman, 2010). Infrastructure Expansion vs. Preservation of Heritage While constructing and advancing water supply systems in Buayan, paying attention to the environment is not less important. Therefore, the hydro-support system should be developed along with the analysis of environmental solution to prevent further air and water contamination (Gunawansa Bhullar, 2013). Evaluating Water Supply As soon as the efficient water supply scheme is implemented in the region, the villagers could face another problem, such as high tariffs on drinking water consumption. At this point, it is highly necessary to reconsider the financial situation to address the problem in a consistent manner. Alternative So lution to Water Environment in the Village The problem of water supply could be improved as soon as both water supply management and finance department are coordinated to produce viable solutions. Extrapolation and Coherent Argument Provided the number of houses increase, the water supply system should also be rearranged to fit the new consumption trends. In order to meet the new demand, it is highly necessary to engage the private sector that can assist the newly created households (Gunawansa Bhullar, 2013). Specifically, five water supply systems are operational in Sabah system. However, there should an equal distribution of the resources among other districts as well. Future Trends in Water System Development While introducing the operational policy, enhanced financial distribution of resources for water supply project, as well as sanitation and drought mitigation, is among the most important issues. In this respect, funds should also be available for resource management and pla nning. Alternative solutions for funding from private segment have also been explored (Onn, 2013).Advertising Looking for critical writing on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The attention is drawn from the irrigation structures that are included into the process of reconstruction and innovation. Sufficient water system development should also be based on the presence of efficient energy system that could ensure high performance of water supply systems. Deliver of fresh water could not be efficient by means of trucks because fuel can have a threatening outcome for the environment. The region, therefore, could continue its ongoing adjustment through review of financing incentives and legislative frameworks. As a proof, Malaysia does not have sufficient and integrated legal framework for water issues, but significant progress has been made in this direction. Water Quality Assessment: Efficiency, Sustainability and Equity Issue In order to insure water quality assessment, various levels of advocacy could be implemented to ensure the accomplishment of the requirements. Further, the quality of water supply management could be ensured by sufficient information exchange between the project managers. Therefore, it is highly important to reconsider the best management practices and evaluate the new capacity building to alternative freshwater supply systems. Additionally, Buayan region must be analyzed from the political and environmental viewpoint to assess how these issues could influence the water problem. Specific attention requires poverty level, income, and demographics. Demographic information and social status can establish directions for enhancing management strategies and introducing new ideas and projects for managing water shortage. References Credit and Microfinance Needs in Inland Capture Fisheries Development and Conservation In Asia. (2007). US: Food and Agriculture Org. Dambul, R., Omar, M. A., and Osman, S. (2010). Sabah Priority Issues. Malaysia: University Malaysia, Sabah. Duin, N. (2009). Sabah Villagers Harness Power of River Water. The Start Online. Web. Gunawansa, A., Bhullar, L. (2013). Water Governance: An Evaluati on of Alternative Architectures. US: Edward Elgar Publishing. Hassan, Alisha. (2012). Water Crisis: Thousands in Malaysia Face Water Shortage. Web. International Human Development Indicators. Country Profile: Human Development Indicators. National Human Development Reports for Malaysia. Web. John, T., Sipanis, R. (2013), Discovering our History. Web. Kennedy, S. (2011). Microhydro, Microgrids, and Microenterprises: A village energy case in Sabah, Malasia. Web. Onn, L. P. (2013). Water Issues in Southeast Asia: Present Trends and Future Directions. US: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. Vincent, J. R., and Ali, R. M. (2011). Managing Natural Wealth: Environment and Development in Malaysia. New York Routledge. This critical writing on Water and Environment Engineering was written and submitted by user Delaney U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Free sample - Types of Evaluation. translation missing

Types of Evaluation. Types of EvaluationProcess evaluation Rossi, Lipsey, Freeman (2004), define the process evaluation as the type of evaluation that focuses on the way in which a program was implemented and how the program is operating. It keys out the procedures that are used as well as the decisions that are made in developing the program. Process evaluation describes the way in which a program operates, the type of services it offers, and the functions it fulfills. Process evaluation used the experimental data to assess the delivery of the implemented program. It verifies on what the program is meant to do and whether the program is implemented as required. Process evaluation is very important in a number of ways as listed below: It is useful in determining the degree to which a given program will be implemented according to the available plan. Very useful in assessing and documenting the degree of variability and fidelity in the implementation of a program irrespective of whether it is expected or unexpected, planned or unplanned. It is used in comparing multiple sites in relation to fidelity. Process evaluation is used to give validity regarding the relationship between intervention used and its outcomes.   Used to give out the information concerning the type of components of the given interventions, which can bring about the outcomes. It is helpful in allowing one to understand how the program context and program processes relate to each other. The program context can be the setting characteristics while the program process can be the levels of implementation. Useful in providing managers with the feedback regarding the quality of the implementation. Used to improve the components used in delivery. Used to provide the program accountability to the public, sponsors, funders, and clients.    Used to ameliorate the quality of the implemented program since the act of assessing is an intervention. It is very important that, when the program components have been identified, a logical model is created that in graphical terms depicts the relationship between the components of a program and the expected outcome of the components. The logic model can be defined as a set of statements that provide a link for the problems a program is trying to address, the manner in which it will address them, and the immediate and intermediate results (Rossi, et al., 2004). The Logic Model is important in a number of ways. It is useful in developing clarity concerning a program or project that is to be implemented.  Ã‚   Useful in developing consensus among the involved people. Used in pointing out the redundancies and the gaps in a given plan. Used in the identification of the main hypothesis of the program to be implemented. Used to compactly convey what the program or project is all about.  Ã‚   The Logic Model can be used during any given work for the purposes of clarifying the task being done, the reason to why it is done, and the intended outcomes of that work; during program or project planning to ensure that the particular program or project is complete and logical; during evaluation planning in order to focus the evaluation; and during the project or program implementation to act as a template for making comparisons with the real program and as a filter to find out if the proposed changes are appropriate or not (Rossi, et al., 2004).   Process evaluation is characterized by two formats of data collection. The two formats are; Quantitative, archival, or recorded data which can be controlled by a management system or computerized tracking; and the qualitative data which can be acquired by a variety of formats, for example surveys or focus groups. Outcome evaluation Schalock (2001) defines outcome evaluation as the type of evaluation that deals with determining whether, and to which extent, program services or activities have accomplished their designated outcomes among the population of target. Outcome evaluation is usually described by first looking at the basic components of the program. It looks at programs as systems which have activities or processes, inputs, outcomes and outputs. The inputs are the resources and materials that the program uses to carry out its processes, or activities to serve clients, for instance, staff, equipment, volunteers, money, and facilities. They are usually easy to identify and many of the inputs are common to most programs and organizations. Outcome evaluation is very important as measures the changes in the outcomes of the implemented programs and also it establishes that the intervention on the way the program operates causes the observed changes. The most essential decisions in a given evaluation to demonst rate causation, takes into consideration its design, that is, those decisions concerning what will be measured and the time when the evaluations will take place.  Ã‚   The outcome evaluations can either be experimental or quasi-experimental. The experimental evaluations are usually random assignment studies which are used to evaluate the total impacts of a program or the activities of the program, and this allows for the appropriate conclusions to be made concerning the cause and effect.   The quasi-experimental evaluations are used to monitor the outcomes for a single group over time or it can compare the outcomes among the individuals getting the services to a comparison group, national data, or a similar population (Schalock, 2001).  Ã‚  Ã‚   Activities are the processes which a given implemented program does to the customer in order to satisfy his or her needs, for instance, counseling, teaching, feeding, clothing, and sheltering. It is of great significance to note that during the time of keying out the activities in a project or program, the focus is still important on the program or organization, and still not very much on real changes in the customer. Outputs are the units of service concerning the program to be implemented, for instance, the number of individuals, sheltered, clothed, counseled, and fed. The number of customers served only indicates the numerical number of customers who underwent the program. Outcomes are the real impacts for participants after or during the program, for instance, in the case of a smoking cessation program, participants quitting smoking can be the outcome. The outcomes are often expressed in terms of behaviors, skills and knowledge, status, conditions, and values (Schalock, 2001). Outcome evaluation uses a quantitative approach. It usually makes use of randomized controlled trial, comparison group and pre-post comparison. Randomized control trial design uses groups of customers who are assigned randomly to a plausible option or to the treatment in question. The members in all the groups are given similar pre-treatment and post-treatment evaluations. The comparison group design is almost the same as the randomized design but the difference is that in comparison group the groups of customers are deliberately and not randomly chosen. The pre-post design is a more realistic design for treatment systems or services having insufficient resources or experience. The pre-post design is less rigorous scientifically but it can give useful results for the uses in program improvement and program accountability.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Outcome evaluations can be done at various points during the development of a given program. It is advisable that the outcome evaluations are not conducted for start-up programs that have not yet attained a fully incorporated service-delivery models.   It is also not advisable to conduct an outcome evaluation without first conducting the process evaluation that accompanies it. It has been seen that, the findings obtained from the outcome evaluations are used to depict whether or not the involved individuals are receiving the predicted returns of the program (Schalock, 2001).  Ã‚      References Rossi, P., Lipsey, M., Freeman, H. (2004). Evaluation. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Schalock, R., (2001). Outcome-Based Evaluation. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Frozen yogurt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Frozen yogurt - Essay Example It has limited flavor as such it does not appeal to the taste-buds. Another brand of yogurt that I tried was Scream frozen yogurt. There is nothing to scream about it, its design is cute, easy to find and park (as such no wastage of time), but its main drawback is that it is not organic. Topping selection is also limited. As for Bango Frozen yogurt, it has low calories, and the free wifi service in an inconvenient location will not serve my purpose apart from the important disadvantage that the yogurt is not tasty. Frozen yogurt is my food. I am willing to skip my dinner and eat yogurt to my heart’s content. It is nutritious and easy to digest and it helps to keep my body fit and fine. With the addition of artificial flavors, the original flavor of yogurt is lost. As such, I like flavor-free yogurt. The original sweet-sour flavor of yogurt appeals to me. I like frozen yogurt for its quality and appearance. Majority of my friends like frozen yogurt and I would like to go by their choice. We friends go for social gatherings and after the school hours we reach out to Panda Yo outlet to enjoy eating yogurt. Eating it in the company of the classmates/friends, gives great satisfaction. Even though I like natural yogurt normally, I often choose some mild flavors and of them I like strawberry the best. But I make it a point to experiment with different flavors, when I decide to go for flavored