Essay 1: The Efficacy of International Development
Sustainable Futures
Mr. Michael Ginsberg
International Development Unit
Deadline: 9.6.12
Assignment: Argue the case for international development from a realist or an idealist perspective. Also address the questions – has international aid been effective at reducing poverty and supporting good governance? If not, what should be done to more effectively promote development in the third world?
Use at least 3 case studies, such as the ones discussed in class, to support your argument. Use quotes or paraphrase from texts to support your argument. Use terms introduced in class for full credit.
Format: Three to five typed double-spaced pages due Tuesday 9.6.12. Paper will be graded based on completeness of argument, use of cases, clearness of logic, and writing quality. Be sure to have at least three references in your Works Cited.
Mr. Michael Ginsberg
International Development Unit
Deadline: 9.6.12
Assignment: Argue the case for international development from a realist or an idealist perspective. Also address the questions – has international aid been effective at reducing poverty and supporting good governance? If not, what should be done to more effectively promote development in the third world?
Use at least 3 case studies, such as the ones discussed in class, to support your argument. Use quotes or paraphrase from texts to support your argument. Use terms introduced in class for full credit.
Format: Three to five typed double-spaced pages due Tuesday 9.6.12. Paper will be graded based on completeness of argument, use of cases, clearness of logic, and writing quality. Be sure to have at least three references in your Works Cited.
Independent Research Paper
Sustainable Futures Independent Research Paper
Mr. Michael Ginsberg
Assignment:
1. Typed one page proposal with a list of at least three sources you will use (NOT Wikipedia) and a list of three case studies (a country, city, person, belief, event, etc. you will discuss in your full paper to support your argument)
2. Typed five steps exercise - thesis statement, strategy, evidence, transition words, closing
In your proposal answer: what sources and case studies will I use to support my argument?
Deadline: 10/30/12 in class before lunch. Final paper due last day of class (15 - 20 pages double spaced, not including Works Cited page).
· International Development/Aid (i.e. Niger's Path to Development)
· Environmental Philosophy (i.e. Compare and Contrast Conservationists and Preservationists)
· Toxic Waste/Cleanup (i.e. Toxic E-Waste in Nigeria)
· Global Warming (i.e. Combating Sea Level Rise in NYC)
· Water Scarcity/Management (i.e. The Perils of Virtual Water Trade)
· Energy Infrastructure/Renewable Energy (i.e. The Promise of Renewable Energy in the Developing World)
· Sustainable Building & Urbanization (i.e. The Role of Sustainable Buildings in Cities: Spotlight on Rio De Janeiro)
Mr. Michael Ginsberg
Assignment:
1. Typed one page proposal with a list of at least three sources you will use (NOT Wikipedia) and a list of three case studies (a country, city, person, belief, event, etc. you will discuss in your full paper to support your argument)
2. Typed five steps exercise - thesis statement, strategy, evidence, transition words, closing
In your proposal answer: what sources and case studies will I use to support my argument?
Deadline: 10/30/12 in class before lunch. Final paper due last day of class (15 - 20 pages double spaced, not including Works Cited page).
· International Development/Aid (i.e. Niger's Path to Development)
· Environmental Philosophy (i.e. Compare and Contrast Conservationists and Preservationists)
· Toxic Waste/Cleanup (i.e. Toxic E-Waste in Nigeria)
· Global Warming (i.e. Combating Sea Level Rise in NYC)
· Water Scarcity/Management (i.e. The Perils of Virtual Water Trade)
· Energy Infrastructure/Renewable Energy (i.e. The Promise of Renewable Energy in the Developing World)
· Sustainable Building & Urbanization (i.e. The Role of Sustainable Buildings in Cities: Spotlight on Rio De Janeiro)
Client Project 1: Integrated Solid Waste Management for US Embassy Niamey
Fall 2012 Client Workshop: Sustainable Waste Management in Niger
Mr. Michael Ginsberg
Client: U.S. Embassy
Client Request: The U.S. Embassy has asked our team to explore the options available for recycling its own and AISN’s paper and plastic waste. The Embassy seeks a recommendation for the best option based on cost, reliability of service, and wider social impact. The two existing options for recycling collection are: local NGO ASE Niger and a municipal trash collection company.
Key questions to be explored include:
· What are the collection fees for both ASE Niger and the municipal company?
· How often will each organization be able to collect the waste?
· What will ASE Niger and the municipal company do with the paper and plastic waste? Will the recycled waste benefit society? If so, how?
· What will the school and Embassy need to do in order to collect its paper and plastic waste (planning, preparation, education)? Will there be costs involved in setting up this program?
· What are the benefits of recycling to the city of Niamey and what part does it play in an integrated solid waste management system for Niger?
The project will culminate in a student briefing of staff from the US Embassy, AISN, and the Niamey Mayor’s Office. The students will produce a report that includes their findings and recommendations to the client.
Background: Niger, consistently ranked at or near the bottom of the UN’s Human Development Index, faces several impediments to improved living standards, chief among which is the lack of environmental protection. Illnesses caused by improper waste disposal, including hepatitis A, typhoid, bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, and parasites are prevalent. Polluted with commercial, human and animal waste, the water supply is largely unsuitable for human use. Further, non-biodegradable trash is strewn throughout streets and green space. Life expectancy is only 53.
The US Embassy and AISN seek to contribute to improving the quality of life in Niger by serving as a model for sustainable resource use and reuse. The NGO ASE Niger aims to convert paper into compost and plastic into bricks with a cement mold, which could be used to fill potholes.
Team Roles:
· Project Manager –site visits, liaise with clients, chair meetings, workplan, assign responsibilities
· Deputy Manager – site visits, assist in assigning responsibilities and workplan
· Researcher – conducts interviews and performs online research
· Editor – responsible for revising all sections into coherent report
· Presenter – responsible for powerpoint and delivering briefing
Deliverables Deadlines:
· Workplan: 11.6.2012
· Draft Report/ Final Report: 11.29.2012 / 12.7.2012
· Draft Briefing/Final Briefing: 12.3.2012 / 12.11.2012
Resources:
· Establishing a Recycling Program: http://www.epa.gov/region4/rcra/mgtoolkit/starting.html
· Niger Paves over its Garbage Problem: http://www.terradaily.com/news/africa-05o.html
· Solid Waste Management: A Local Challenge with Global Impacts http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/ghg/f02026.pdf
Mr. Michael Ginsberg
Client: U.S. Embassy
Client Request: The U.S. Embassy has asked our team to explore the options available for recycling its own and AISN’s paper and plastic waste. The Embassy seeks a recommendation for the best option based on cost, reliability of service, and wider social impact. The two existing options for recycling collection are: local NGO ASE Niger and a municipal trash collection company.
Key questions to be explored include:
· What are the collection fees for both ASE Niger and the municipal company?
· How often will each organization be able to collect the waste?
· What will ASE Niger and the municipal company do with the paper and plastic waste? Will the recycled waste benefit society? If so, how?
· What will the school and Embassy need to do in order to collect its paper and plastic waste (planning, preparation, education)? Will there be costs involved in setting up this program?
· What are the benefits of recycling to the city of Niamey and what part does it play in an integrated solid waste management system for Niger?
The project will culminate in a student briefing of staff from the US Embassy, AISN, and the Niamey Mayor’s Office. The students will produce a report that includes their findings and recommendations to the client.
Background: Niger, consistently ranked at or near the bottom of the UN’s Human Development Index, faces several impediments to improved living standards, chief among which is the lack of environmental protection. Illnesses caused by improper waste disposal, including hepatitis A, typhoid, bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, and parasites are prevalent. Polluted with commercial, human and animal waste, the water supply is largely unsuitable for human use. Further, non-biodegradable trash is strewn throughout streets and green space. Life expectancy is only 53.
The US Embassy and AISN seek to contribute to improving the quality of life in Niger by serving as a model for sustainable resource use and reuse. The NGO ASE Niger aims to convert paper into compost and plastic into bricks with a cement mold, which could be used to fill potholes.
Team Roles:
· Project Manager –site visits, liaise with clients, chair meetings, workplan, assign responsibilities
· Deputy Manager – site visits, assist in assigning responsibilities and workplan
· Researcher – conducts interviews and performs online research
· Editor – responsible for revising all sections into coherent report
· Presenter – responsible for powerpoint and delivering briefing
Deliverables Deadlines:
· Workplan: 11.6.2012
· Draft Report/ Final Report: 11.29.2012 / 12.7.2012
· Draft Briefing/Final Briefing: 12.3.2012 / 12.11.2012
Resources:
· Establishing a Recycling Program: http://www.epa.gov/region4/rcra/mgtoolkit/starting.html
· Niger Paves over its Garbage Problem: http://www.terradaily.com/news/africa-05o.html
· Solid Waste Management: A Local Challenge with Global Impacts http://www.epa.gov/osw/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/ghg/f02026.pdf
Model UN Activity: North Korea & Nuclear Energy
Mr. Michael Ginsberg
Prompt: Write a policy paper/speech that addresses both questions below from the perspective of the country you are representing in the MUN activity.
(Hint: you will need to investigate your country's relationship with North Korea, and your own use of nuclear power; i.e. what does a UN decision on North Korea represent to your country? How does it affect your country? and does your country rely on nuclear energy as one of its chief power sources?)
Requirements: 2 pages double spaced at minimum (suggest one page for each question). Typed with Chicago style citations. Times New Roman size 12.
Due: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 11:25 AM
1,) Following North Korea's nullification of its 1953 armistice treaty with South Korea this week, and its stated intent to develop, as well as demonstration of having developed, nuclear weapons, how should the UN respond?
A. Impose more sanctions to cripple N Korea's economy?
B. Encourage UN member nations to send troops to destabilize N Korea's government and destroy its nuclear technologies?
C. Do nothing?
D. Allow N Korea to develop the weapons?
E. Other ideas/combination of above
2.) Following the nuclear reactor disaster in Fukushima in 2011, yet also acknowledging that nuclear does not largely contribute to global warming and has a high energy density, what should the UN do regarding the future of nuclear energy?
A. Draft a treaty to reduce global production and use of nuclear energy?
B. Promote nuclear energy use without limitations?
C. Determine safety protocols and heavily regulate nuclear energy use in each country using it, including dictating which countries are allowed to use uranium for either power or weapons purposes?
D. Other ideas/combination of above
Prompt: Write a policy paper/speech that addresses both questions below from the perspective of the country you are representing in the MUN activity.
(Hint: you will need to investigate your country's relationship with North Korea, and your own use of nuclear power; i.e. what does a UN decision on North Korea represent to your country? How does it affect your country? and does your country rely on nuclear energy as one of its chief power sources?)
Requirements: 2 pages double spaced at minimum (suggest one page for each question). Typed with Chicago style citations. Times New Roman size 12.
Due: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 11:25 AM
1,) Following North Korea's nullification of its 1953 armistice treaty with South Korea this week, and its stated intent to develop, as well as demonstration of having developed, nuclear weapons, how should the UN respond?
A. Impose more sanctions to cripple N Korea's economy?
B. Encourage UN member nations to send troops to destabilize N Korea's government and destroy its nuclear technologies?
C. Do nothing?
D. Allow N Korea to develop the weapons?
E. Other ideas/combination of above
2.) Following the nuclear reactor disaster in Fukushima in 2011, yet also acknowledging that nuclear does not largely contribute to global warming and has a high energy density, what should the UN do regarding the future of nuclear energy?
A. Draft a treaty to reduce global production and use of nuclear energy?
B. Promote nuclear energy use without limitations?
C. Determine safety protocols and heavily regulate nuclear energy use in each country using it, including dictating which countries are allowed to use uranium for either power or weapons purposes?
D. Other ideas/combination of above
