Nitrification Process in Landfill Leachate Treatment

Nitrification Process in Landfill Leachate Treatment CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Overview Landfilling is one of the oldest and common methods used for waste disposal. It is perceived as the most economical and environmentally acceptable technique. It is a complex system with physical, chemical, and biological processes. While undergoing the process of wastes degradation, there is the production of highly contaminating liquid, leachate, and polluting gases. If discharged in an uncontrolled and non-engineered manner, leachate will contaminate groundwater bodies and subsequently jeopardizing the ecosystem. There is a network for the collection the contaminants. The gases such as methane and carbon dioxide are flared before they can affect the atmosphere. The leachate generated, requires treatment before discharge and it is the main problem. In Mauritius, there has been an upsurge in the amount of wastes generated due to rapid industrialization. A structure for solid waste management was necessitated which resulted in the construction of Mare Chicose Sanitary Landfill Site. Over the years, there has been an increase the volume of wastes being disposed and consequently, a rise in the amount of leachate generated. As previously mentioned, the polluting liquid requires treatment prior to disposal. Nowadays, we do have laws that are regulated by the Wastewater Management Authority Act and the organization operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Public Utilities. After treatment leachate shall comply with the standard limits for effluent discharge as shown in Appendix C. Many studies have been carried out for the treatment of leachate and various methods are available. There are several parameters that define the treatment method. The treating technique shall be efficient, cost-effective with minimum input, flexible and if possible usage of the effluent. Aim and Objectives The aim of the project is the study of the nitrification process in the treatment of landfill leachate. The project had the following objectives set: To determine the suitability and efficiency of a SBR and co treatment method for the treatment of landfill leachate. To find the concentration at which ammonia nitrogen is toxic to microorganisms. To design a suitable tank for the method being adopted. To assess the cost-effectiveness of the treating system Structure of Thesis The remainder of this thesis is organized as follows: Chapter 2: gives a brief overview of landfilling process, describing the various components of a landfill. There is a description of the Mare Chicose Sanitary Landfill Site and a summary of typical leachate effluent. Chapter 3: deals with the treating options available for wastewater treatment particularly leachate. The efficiency for ammonia nitrogen removal is outlined and a reviewing some case studies on biological treatment of landfill leachate. Chapter 4: describes the methodology adopted for leachate treatment. Chapter 5: gives a detailed analysis of the results obtained and assessment of various parameters. Chapter 6: consists of the design a treating system for leachate. Chapter 7: describes the cost effectiveness of the treatment methods and some recommendations for improvement of the designs. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW of LITERATURE 2.1. Landfill A landfill may be defined as a physical facility used for the disposal of residual solid wastes in the surface soils of the earth (Tchobanoglous et al.). Nowadays, the term sanitary landfill is more usually utilized to describe an engineered facility, designed, operated and monitored with the foremost objective of reducing environmental and health hazards. According to Tchobanoglous, a landfill may be categorized with respect to the incoming waste materials. There are various criteria that are considered before the design and construction phases. The site cannot be close to water bodies, highways, any residential areas or even airports. The main reason is the pollution accompanied by the operation of such a site which will eventually disturb its surrounding environment. Another factor is the hydrogeology of the site, groundwater maps are prepared by studying the different soil stratum. This helps in determining the permeability of the soil, the depth to groundwater, the direction of groundwater flow and hydraulic gradients. If clay is to be used as a liner, then borrow sources are found. Landfill Components Liner: It is a barrier that will prevent the leachate and other liquids from penetrating the soil. It can be made of clay, synthetic materials or both which is known as composite liner. This barrier also restricts the underground migration of landfill gases. Cap system: Usually a soil cover placed over the landfill at completion of filling, also known as final cover, with vegetation grown over it. The cover may consist of geosynthetic materials also, thus hindering the escape of landfill gases to the air and restricting the infiltration of rain into the landfill (Bagchi, 1994). Gas management system: As shown in the diagram above, these are a series of gas wells that removes methane and other decomposition gases from the landfill for flaring and reuse. The methane gas may be used in the electricity production. Leachate management system: A number of horizontal and vertical pipes placed just above the liner that drains and collects leachate. Afterwards the polluting liquid may be brought to a retention pond. Mare Chicose Sanitary Landfill Site Over the last few years, a rapid development at socio-economic levels has brought an upsurge in the amount of wastes generated in Mauritius. There was a need for an integrated solid waste management programme. The Mare Chicose Sanitary Landfill is the only waste disposal site for Mauritius till date. The site is located in the southern part of the island near a small village called Cluny. It receives mostly municipal solid wastes and therefore categorized as a Class à Ã‚ ¨ type. The site was previously operated by STAM Ltà ©e, from 1997 to 2006, and presently by Sotravic Limità ©e/ Bilfinger-Berger consortium. The amount of wastes disposed at the landfill has nearly tripled over the years, reaching to a daily value of about 1,200 tonnes. The percentage of incoming wastes is summarized below: The field capacity of the landfill was already attained and currently there is an extension of works on existing cells. The site is comprised of six cells and actually the fifth one is in use. Prior to disposal at the landfill, the wastes are compacted at transfer stations. The wastes are dumped from a tipping point and soon, they are spread over existing wastes by means of specialized vehicles. At the end of the day, a cover is placed to reduce the amount of windblown debris. Both clayey and geosynthetic liners were used on the site. The amount of leachate being carted away for the period of January 2007 December 2007 is 110 858 m3. Actually, no leachate treatment is being carried out. Among the landfill gases produced methane is the most dangerous and it is dealt with in a controlled environment. The gas is being collected by means of pipelines and subsequently flared. Leachate The definition according to EPA is as follows; â€Å"Water that collects contaminants as it trickles through wastes, pesticides or fertilizers. Leaching may occur in farming areas, feedlots, and landfills, and may result in hazardous substances entering surface water, ground water, or soil.† Leachate can be described as a highly contaminated liquid, containing a considerable amount of dissolved and suspended solids that has percolated down through wastes. The leachate quality varies throughout the operational life of a landfill and long after its closure. There are three broad and overlapping phases of waste decomposition, in which chemical and biological processes give rise to both landfill gas and leachate during and beyond the active life of the site (Carville et al.). Phase 1: Oxygen present in the wastes is rapidly consumed by aerobic decomposition. This phase has duration of less than one month and is normally relatively unimportant in terms of leachate quality. This phase is exothermic and high temperatures may be produced. If some of this heat is retained, then as a result of that the rate of the upcoming phases is increased. Phase 2: Anaerobic digestion is comprised of the following four phases; Hydrolysis: A chemical reaction where large polymers are converted to simple monomers. Acidogenesis: A biological reaction where the monomers are converted to volatile fatty acids. Acetogenesis: A biological reaction where the fatty acids are converted into hydrogen, carbon dioxide and acetic acid. Methanogenesis: The acetic acid is converted into acetates. Hydrogen is used up to convert the acetates into methane and carbon dioxide. Anaerobic and facultative microorganisms hydrolyze cellulose and other putrescible materials such as complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins to soluble organic compounds. These hydrolysis products are then fermented during acidogenesis to various intermediates such as volatile fatty acids and alcohols. Finally, these intermediates are converted during acetogenesis to acetic acid, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The high content of putrescible material in the waste may sustain acidogenic conditions for quite some time and provide a rich feed stock for methanogens subsequently. Leachate from this acidic phase typically contains a high concentration of free fatty acids. It therefore has low pH of 5 or 6, and will dissolve other components of the wastes, such as the alkaline earths and heavy metals, which can be mobilized in the leachate, possibly as fatty acid complexes. The leachate also contains high concentrations of ammoniacal nitrogen and has both a high organic carbon concentration and a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). Phase 3: Conditions become more anaerobic as waste degradation proceeds and methanogenic bacteria gradually become established. These start to consume the simple organic compounds, producing a mixture of carbon dioxide and methane that is released as landfill gas. The carbon dioxide tends to dissolve producing the very high bicarbonate concentrations typical of Phase 3 leachates. The rate at which this phase becomes established is controlled by a number of factors, including the content of readily putrescible waste. Since the majority of the organic compounds are high molecular weight humic and fulvic acids, the leachates are characterized by relatively low BOD values. Ammoniacal nitrogen continues to be released by areas of the waste where phase 2 is continuing and generally remains at high concentrations in the leachate. Falling redox potential immobilizes many metals as sulphides in the waste. (Source: www.wikipedia.com/leachate) Typical leachate effluent Leachate is usually termed as a high strength wastewater. The polluting liquid has a high concentration of contaminants and varies throughout the landfill age as shown in the table below. From the above table, it noticed that leachates are normally alkaline having a pH of 6.0-8.4. The average COD value is found to be 5000 mg/l and the ammoniacal nitrogen remains within a similar range 900-3000 mg/L for all most of the sites. As it has been portrayed, the leachate does not meet the requirements for discharge either in sewers or surface water (see Appendix C) and this clearly indicates a need for treatment. CHAPTER 3 Treatment Options Overview Most landfills operate their own onsite leachate pretreatment and treatment facilities. Three types of treatment are possible physical, chemical and biological. Usually they are used in conjunction with one another. The constituents of leachate and availability of resources determine the treatment method to be adopted. Therefore, it should be efficient, flexible and an economical option. The leachate quality is highly dependent on the waste materials being disposed and the stage of their anaerobic decomposition. Hence, there is a variation in the constituents concentration. It has been observed that throughout the life cycle of a landfill, the ammonia nitrogen concentration remains very high. Amongst several usual parameters, ammonia nitrogen is a key one as it influences the selection and the design of the treating system. Physical Treatment Ammonia Stripping Ammonia can be removed by the air stripping technique which consists of blowing air through the wastewater. The method is based on the following equation; The above equation is highly dependent on the pH so that an exchange of ionic forms can take place. The equilibrium constant for this reaction is 10-9.25 at 18 ° C (Sorensen, 1993). pH = 9.25 + log [NH3] / [NH4+] From the above equation a pH greater than 10 is needed for releasing the ammonia gas. At normal temperature only 2% of the gas is liberated and therefore the wastewater should be heated to increase the efficiency of the treatment process. In achieving relatively low effluent values of ammoniacal-N (e.g. Reverse Osmosis The process consists of applying a pressure to the wastewater, i.e. the leachate, which passes through a semi permeable membrane. The water molecules present in the wastewater will pass the membrane forming the permeate and the contaminants remaining are the concentrate. The main advantage of using such a system is the removal of non-biodegradable compounds such as residual COD, heavy metals and chloride ions together with other large molecules present in leachate. The concentrate produced is a major issue as it is highly toxic to the environment. It is usually recirculated in the landfill or disposed off-site for storage. The removal rate of the contaminants is usually greater than 99.6 %. The plant is usually operated in more than one stage and occupies less space when compared to other treating systems. The process is currently in use in several countries such as France, Germany and Holland (IPCC, 2007). Activated Carbon Adsorption Activated carbon is used as an adsorbent for the removal of organic compounds. It is used in one of the following forms, powdered and granular. Due to the high cost of activated carbon, it is normally utilized for polishing after biological treatment. With an optimum dose and sufficient contact time, a considerable decrease in COD and BOD concentration can be achieved by this method. In the powdered form, the carbon is meant for single use and it loses its adsorption capacity and therefore cannot be reactivated. The mixed liquor must then be treated to remove the PAC, by subsequent processes, such as coagulation, flocculation, or filtration. In the granular form, the carbon can be used again but must be removed which requires specialized equipment (IPCC, 2007). Biological Treatment Processes The treatment process is comprised of growing and reproducing microorganisms in a controlled environment to stabilize organic matter. There are two forms of growth process attached and suspended. In suspended growth treatment systems, microorganisms are maintained in suspension within the wastewater whereas in the attached growth process, the biomass grows and is retained on a medium. Attached Growth Processes Percolating filters Rotating biological Contactors (RBC) Suspended Growth Processes Aerated lagoons Activated Sludge Process (ASP) Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) Combined treatment with domestic wastewater (co treatment) Percolating Filters It is an aerobic biological treatment system. Wastewater flows over a fixed and inert medium to which biofilms are attached and trickles down under gravity. The medium may be made up of different materials such as plastics and gravels and the depth of the filter is normally 2-4 m. The effluent is passed through a clarifier to remove biological solids. The percolating filter has many disadvantages concerning the treatment of landfill leachate. The system is efficient mostly for the treatment of low strength leachate. A recurrent problem is the clogging of the filter media and vulnerability to shock-term load (IPCC, 2007). Rotating Biological Contactors The process consists of large diameter steel or corrugated plastic media centered around a horizontal shaft, usually placed in a concrete tank. The media is slowly rotated (mechanical or air drive). At any given time during the rotation, about 40% of the media surface area is in the wastewater. Organisms in the wastewater are attached and, multiply on the rotating media until they form a thin layer of biomass. RBC is most effective for treating methanogenic than acetogenic leachates and for concentrations of ammoniacal-N below 500mg/l. The rotating biological contactor may have operational problems, since high concentrations of degradable COD can result in excessive sludge growth, and clogging of interstices within rotors (IPCC, 2007). Aerated Lagoons Aerated lagoons are operated by a combination of aerobic and anaerobic processes. The lower part of the lagoon converts the settled solids and sludge into carbon and methane by the action of anaerobic decomposition. The upper part is usually aerated, surface aeration or by algae present, to oxidize compounds from the anaerobic zone. Effluent is withdrawn from the upper zone, generally over an overflow arrangement. For discharge into surface waters, a secondary settlement lagoon or reed bed filtration system is needed for wastewater polishing. The constraints of the system are as such it requires large space and is quite sensitive to temperature changes. There is the possibility of odurs emanating from the lagoon. The main concern is the inability to provide consistent and reliable design in order to meet the discharge limits. Activated Sludge Process It is the most widely used aerobic biological process for treatment of domestic wastewater. It operates on the basis of a continuous inflow of wastewater. The latter is completely mixed and aerated for certain period of time, giving rise to mixed liquor. For nitrification to occur the sludge age must be greater than 8 days, so that the nitrifying bacteria can grow sufficiently large in numbers to exert an oxygen demand. The mixed liquor is allowed to settle in the clarifier and the biomass is returned to the aeration tank. The clarified effluent is decanted for disposal or tertiary treatment. The ASP is a continuous process and leachate cannot be treated directly, it requires dilution due to ammonia toxicity. Sequencing Batch Reactor The reactor is a slight modification of the ASP. It operates on a fill-and-draw basis using the suspended growth process. The SBR utilizes a single tank which accommodates aerobic biological treatment, flow equalization, settlement of solids, effluent clarification and decanting. Thus, it is usually described as operating in time rather than space when compared to conventional ASP. The reactor consists and operates under the following cycles: Fill: During the fill operation, volume and substrate (raw wastewater or primary effluent) are added to the reactor. The fill process typically allows the liquid level in the reactor to rise from 75% of capacity (at the end of idle period) to 100%. During fill, the reactor may be mixed only or mixed and aerated to promote biological reactions with the effluent wastewater. React: During the react period, the biomass consumes the substrate under controlled environmental conditions. Settle: Solids are allowed to separate from the liquid under quiescent conditions, resulting in a clarified supernatant that can be discharged as effluent. Decant: Clarified effluent is removed during the decant period. Many types of decanting mechanisms can be used, with the most popular being floating or adjustable weirs. Idle: An idle period is used in a multitank system to provide time for one reactor to complete its fill phase before switching to another unit. Because idle phase is not a necessary phase, it is sometimes omitted. Advantages of the system It requires small space as a common tank is used for the various unit processes. Flexibility in operating the reactor. The reaction time can be controlled and settling can be achieved under quiescent conditions. There the elimination of the return sludge pumping when compared to the ASP. Disadvantages of the system A higher level of sophistication is required (compared to conventional systems), especially for larger systems, of timing units and controls. Potential of discharging floating or settled sludge during the draw or decant phase with some SBR configurations. Combined Treatment with Domestic Wastewater It is a combined method for treating domestic wastewater and landfill leachate. Both wastewater and leachate can be treated at suitable mixing ratios (Aktas, 2001). Domestic wastewater can provide phosphate while leachate can provide nitrogen based nutrients, thus compensating for nutrients deficiency. Hence, nutrients need not to be supplied. Leachates from older landfills have a lower BOD/COD value and a smaller biodegradable organic fraction. There may not be sufficient COD to support denitrification of nitrate, a supplementary source of organic carbon is required to ensure adequate denitrification. Synthetic chemicals, such as methanol or acetic acid, are effective but quite expensive. It is necessary to find an alternative cost effective source of easily biodegradable carbon (Zhang, 2005). The mixing ratios are determined or else there will be nitrification inhibition by the presence of excess free ammonia. Case studies for biological treatment of landfill leachate The Buckden Landfill Site has been operational since 1994 and has been successful in treating landfill leachate for more than 10 years. The landfill site uses twin sequencing batch reactors, each designed for treating up to 100 m3/day. The effluent is then treated by means of reed bed and an ozonation plant for wastewater polishing and removal of pesticides. The plant has a design loading rate of 0.02 0.040 kg N/kg MLVSS. The plant has been successful in removing ammonia nitrogen from 331 mg/L to 0.27 mg/L. Only the COD value has not met the discharge limits ( The main running costs are due to electricity for aeration and for ozonation. There is also the use of sodium hydroxide for automatic pH control, and of phosphoric acid for provision of phosphorus as a nutrient, which are relatively small costs. Another case is a South-African landfill which receives up to 2000 tonnes of MSW each day. Up to 80 m3/day of leachate are generated, which have to be treated to very high standards. The treatment system is made up of a SBR with final polishing through a reed bed planted with Phragmites. The SBR is highly efficient for ammoniacal nitrogen removal from over 1200 mg/l to less than 1.0 mg/l. COD values are reduced by 60% from raw leachate values of over 2000 mg/l (Robinson et al., 2005). CHAPTER 4 MATERIALS AND METHODS 4.1. Overview This chapter deals with the methodology adopted and is comprised of the following phases: Sampling Sample preservation Wastewater characterization Leachate Wastewater from SMTP Sludge Biological treatment of landfill leachate using a SBR Co-treatment of landfill leachate with wastewater from SMTP Testing Results and analysis Conclusions Sampling Sampling is done to represent a certain population, in this case wastewater, on which tests are performed and the results symbolize the wastewater characteristics. This can be achieved by two methods: composite sampling and grab sampling. A composite sample consists of collecting samples at regular interval in time. This will be representative of the average wastewater characteristics. A grab sample is based upon obtaining a distinct sample regardless to its flow or time of the day. If the wastewater quality is not highly variable, the results obtained from grab sampling will tend to corroborate composite ones. Both methods are used and for this project the grab sampling technique was adopted. Sample Preservation Soon after the samples were collected, they were tested and if not possible, they were preserved. The latter is crucial step as most of the wastewater constituents have to be kept as are in their original state. They were incubated at 4 ° C and when necessary pH control was done by adding sulphuric acid. Subsequently, this will stop all the biological activities. Wastewater Characterization The next step after sampling is characterization, i.e. determining the level of constituents present in the wastewater. As a fact of that, the treatment method is selected and applied to the polluting material. Each time, when new samples were obtained, they were characterized in compliance with Standard Methods of Testing. For the project, characterization has to be done for these materials; Leachate The leachates were delivered at the UOM Public Health Laboratory, on the 23rd October 2007 and 9th January 2008, and were characterized for the main polluting parameters. Then the sample was preserved till the treatment starts. Domestic Wastewater The domestic wastewater was collected at SMTP. The sample was collected from the primary clarifier after degriting has been done on the following dates: 26th February and 3rd March 27, 2008. The samples were immediately characterized and then used. Sludge For nitrification to take place there should be microorganisms feeding on the organic matter, but leachate does not contain any. Therefore, the returned sludge from SMTP was collected and brought to the UOM Public Health Laboratory. The sludge was allowed to settle and the supernatant was discarded, the residual left was used for testing. As a result of that the sludge concentration was increased and smaller amount is required for biological treatment. A TSS was carried out and the value obtained was used for calculations. The sludge was also studied under the microscope determining the microorganisms present and their conditions. Biological Treatment of Landfill Leachate using a SBR The first option for treating leachate was the biological treatment by making use of a SBR. It was made up of the following phases: fill, react, settle and decant. The reactor consisted of sludge, water and leachate with varying composition. Their volumes were calculated such that the ammonia nitrogen concentration is about 50 mg/L in the reactor. The latter was aerated for a period of 24 hours. The main polluting parameters were monitored and accentuating upon the level of ammonia nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen. The system was run for a number of cycles and then denitrification phase was operated. Experimental Procedure A reactor of capacity 20 L was considered with an MLSS concentration of 4000 mg/l. The dissolved oxygen concentration had to be greater than 2 mg/l and this was achieved by the means of air diffusers. The diffusers provided the mixing within the reactor. Immediately after the setting out of the reactor, a grab sample was collected and was tested. These values were set as baseline. After 24 hours of aeration, another sample was collected from the reactor and tests were performed. The critical parameter i.e. ammonia nitrogen was observed and if, the value is not within the discharge limits then it aerated till the expected result is obtained. The biomass required nutrients which provided in the form of Potassium Hydrogen Phosphate. In order for the treatment to take place, we had to cater for alkalinity and this was achieved by the addition of concentrated sodium hydroxide. Thus the nitrification process was being monitored until no further treatment. A total of 3 sequential batch reactors were operated. After the operation of the third reactor, the denitrification phase was initiated. All the air diffusers were switched off and acetic acid was added to the reactor. The dissolved oxygen concentration was monitored till it reached the zero value and the nitrate nitrogen concentration was measured. Co-treatment of Landfill Leachate with Wastewater from SMTP The other alternative is a combined method, treating domestic wastewater and leachate together. The treatment is biological in nature using a SBR with phases; fill, react, settle and decant. The treating system consisted of aerating the SBR, composed of sludge, domestic wastewater and leachate, for a period of 24 hours. The volume of leachate was gradually increased until no further treatment was observed. The main parameters were monitored, laying emphasis on the nitrification process. The values were recorded and analyzed. Experimental Procedure Small reactors of capacity 5 L each were considered with an MLSS concentration of 1500 mg/l. The first SBR was made up of 100% DWW and sludge only, the second one 95% DWW, 5% leachate and sludge, the third one 90% DWW, 10% leachate and sludge and so on. An example is being shown below. The dissolved oxygen concentration was kept greater than 2 mg/l by the use of air diffusers which also provided the mixing within the reactor. Immediately after the setting out of the reactor, a grab sample was collected and was tested. These values were set as baseline. After 24 hours of aeration, another sample was collected from the reactor and tests were performed.

Canadian Autonomy

The Fight for Freedom Neham Marwah CHC2D1 Ms. Ballantyne January 15 2011 Some may ask themselves, to what extent has the 20th century contributed to Canada’s autonomy? Canadian autonomy came as a result of the events that occurred within the 20th century. Without these vital events they would have never gained full independence from Britain to become their own nation. The main events that influenced their autonomy are their brave and fearless fighting in WWI, their mid-war self-success and great contributions in WWII and the great assistance Canada served nations post war.Canada showed bravery and fearlessness to new challenges in the First World War that proved that Canadians were able to walk on their own. Canada was new to the war life, and although they only participated because of their attachment to Britain they participated with full force. Citizens all around Canada joined to serve in WWI, ready to fight for their nation. The first battle Canadian soldiers took part in was Ypres in 1915 and they joined the French-Algerian troops in this battle. (Newman, 105) The position of the Canadian troops was surrounded by German trenches, which made them an easier target. Newman, 105) Little did the Canadians know that the Germans were about to release a treacherous weapon for the first time in history—chlorine gas. (Newman, 105) The Canadians were taken by surprise, but French officials had been warned prior to the attack, but they failed to instruct the Canadians about this new weapon or any method of defending themselves against it. (Newman, 106)The French-Algerians saw the gas and ran leaving an open space in their formation for Germans to penetrate through. (Newman, 106) Canadians were hit with the chlorine gas, but they held their position unlike their allies. Newman, 106) They waited three days under harsh attack, until British reinforcements came to relieve them. (Newman, 106) Canadians came out of the battle with injuries and lost members bu t they were recognized as strong and courageous fighters. (Newman, 106) Ypres may have been the first battle Canadians fought in, but The Battle of Vimy Ridge was the one that really changed the outlook on Canadians. German soldiers were confident that no one would take over Vimy Ridge, and they had an advantage as they were on a hill that had a great view of the whole field, this made hiding difficult for the Canadian soldiers. Newman, 117)Canadians corps fought alone in this battle, under the command of British general Julian Byng. (Newman, 119) Under Byng’s command was Canadian born Major-General Arthur Currie was the commander of the First Canadian Division; they decided to use a technique called â€Å"the creeping barrage. † (Newman, 119) The plan devised by Currie was very well thought out and the hard work and dedication of the Canadian soldiers helped them win the battle. (Newman, 119) Although Canadians number had been cut by 3500, (Newman, 119) by the end of the battle they held their heads high.This attack showed everyone that Canadians were capable of coming up with a successful battle plan and able to carry out their instructions and achieve the task at hand. Arthur Currie became the commander of the Canadian corps, (Newman, 119) eliminating the involvement of British officers in the Canadian army. It was a huge step for Canadians to finally have something that was completely theirs; they were no longer being pushed around and told what to do by British officers. Throughout the war, August 8 through to November 11 became known as â€Å"Canada’s 100 Day† because of their success within the time period.As WWI was coming to a close, Lloyd George invited Robert Borden to the Paris Peace Conference to represent Britain. (Newman, 128) Borden rejected his offer and insisted that after all of Canada’s sacrifice in the war, they should earn their own seat, as an independent country. (Newman, 128) Canada suffered many casu alties in the war that led to their first step to independence. They were running their own, strong army, and they were doing it well, without the help of Britain. All of their fight, and dedication through the war process showed nations around them, their ability to take charge of a situation, and get through a hassle.In the mid-war years Canada showed its ability to become a self dependent nation and survive without collaborating with the nations around it. Canadian contributions in WWII were not obvious, but were definitely there. Canada showed its potential as an independent country that can survive through tough situations staying intact. Very few countries were hit by the consequences of the depression as hard as Canada; 1 in 5 Canadians became dependant on the government for survival. (Canadian Encyclopaedia, Web) Canada was seriously affected by the collapse in world rade; 33% of its national income came from exporting resources, and because of the depression other countries would not buy. (Canadian Encyclopaedia, Web) Canadian goods had dropped to an extreme low which led to many people becoming homeless and being unable to support their families. There were very few people who had jobs, so when WWII started, munitions factories were being re-opened and there were more jobs that brought Canada out of poverty. Canada started over and built its economy from the ground up, making it stronger than its previous structure.It was wartime yet again, but this time Canada knew the consequences, it joined WWII in its own right and not to accompany Britain. Canadian corps was ordered to capture Ortona, which became known as one of the best battles fought by Canada. (Marwah, Battles Notes)The Germans defending Ortona were very strong fighters and were rewarded for their previous battles, and they also had the advantage of being entrenched in the hills. (Marwah, Battles Notes) Canadian corps took Ortona house by house and within one week they had it captured. The c apture of Ortona helped the allies take over Rome, without which they could have never won the war. Marwah, Battles Notes) After this success, Canadians got the difficult task of liberating the Netherlands. The Dutch were facing starvation as they were being controlled and used for slave labour by Nazi’s under Hitler’s command. (Marwah, Battles Notes) Canadians struggled with their task to kill the Nazi’s, and after months of hard labour, they had finally freed the Dutch. The Netherlands were, are, and always will be grateful for the assistance of the Canadian troops and their struggle to fight for Dutch freedom. Canadians continued their assistance in D-Day.There were 5 divisions called in to land along an 80 km form, and Canadians were the 3rd division and got Juno Beach. (Marwah, Battles Notes) They defeated the defending Germans and moved farther inland than any other allied troops. (Marwah, Battles Notes) The casualties they suffered in this battle were muc h fewer than they had feared. (Marwah, Battles Notes) Canadians succeeded in many aspects of WWII, but they did not win all of their battles. When 50,000 Japanese soldiers sprung out to attack Hong Kong, (Marwah, Battles Notes) Canadians were ordered to come to their defence. 0% of the Canadian soldiers had never shot a gun in their practice and very unready for this battle. (Marwah, Battles Notes) The total number of their defence force was a mere 14000 men, they did not have air protection and Canada itself was outnumbered 10-1. (Marwah, Battles Notes) When Hong Kong surrendered every Canadian was either killed or captured and used as slaves to build. (Marwah, Battles Notes) The ability to find strength within your own home is difficult, but when Canada was put through the test they passed without a problem.Canada contributed many forms of success in WWII, but there were sacrifices that came with their glory. Canadians put their selves in danger to protect others, and their protec tion has made them accepted in many parts of the world. Canada became known for its separate achievements, and not the ones that attached it to Britain. WWII had ended, but the rein of Canadian contributions continued to pour in far after their assistance in the World Wars. The Cold War was beginning and the United States and United Nations were working on creating the atomic bomb, (Newman, 244) trying to keep up with the Soviet Union’s advancements in weaponry.They were having difficulty coming across a substance without which the bomb could not be made—uranium. (Newman, 244) It just so happened that all of the uranium refineries were under the Nazi control, all except one located in Canada. Canada provided the UN and US the uranium to build the atomic bomb and provided a safe-working environment away from battlefields. (Newman, 244) Canada participated on its own, and while working with the UN and US, was looked at as an equal. Canada was a huge factor in the reason US won the cold war, although Canada is not the most powerful nation in the world, they assisted in getting their partners to glory.Canada’s involvement in the production of the atomic bomb got them in tussles further into the future. Russian, Igor Gouzenko worked in the Soviet Union embassy in Ottawa and he announced that there were Russian spies located in Canada, US, and the UN trying to find information about their production of the atomic bomb. (Marwah, Cold War Notes) An organization called NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was created and Canada, along with Britain, France and 8 other countries were taking part in it. Each of the countries who are involved in the organization must send army, navy, air force units to a new NATO defence force. Marwah, Cold War Notes) They put together their militaries together to make a sort of super army; it was made to intimidate the Soviet Union from taking over Western Europe. (Marwah, Cold War Notes) Canada was able to recru it the biggest intimidation towards the Soviet Union—the United States. (Marwah, Cold War Notes) Canada was seen on a world-scale when they got the US to join NATO; (Marwah, Cold War Notes) the fact that they recruited the most powerful country in the world really had everyone appreciate their effort and dedication.When the United States turned to Canada for help with the creation of NORAD, Canadians rose to the occasion. (Marwah, Cold War Notes) US was quite frightened of the SU’s ability to drop nuclear bombs on North America, so they had Canada help them develop a system that could warn them of enemy air bombing planes. (Marwah, Cold War Notes) Nations around the world looked and saw the US look to Canada for assistance, and support. Canada became known for their own successes and not their achievements with Britain.Canada’s contributions post war helped them become recognized as an independent nation; for the reason that most of their achievements were separ ated from Britain, the 2 countries were not interconnected. The events in the 20th century contributed to Canadian autonomy and independence in numerous ways like their brave and fearless fighting in WWI, their mid-war self-success and great contributions in WWII and the great assistance Canada served nations post war. Canada fought courageously in its first world war. They held their positions when hit with the first gas attack in history, while their allies fled to protect their own lives.In the battle of Vimy Ridge they won their fight when no other allies could, and they were able to lead their own army, a huge step towards their independence. They contributed great successes in WWII; they became heroes around the world, endangering themselves to free the Netherlands. They assisted the most powerful nation in the world and led them to success and prosperity in the cold war. Although Canada was in the background, their presence was noticed. They were the backbone of every success and triumph made in the 20th century.They made their mark wherever they could, the mark representing their independent nation— Canada. Works Cited â€Å"Canada Flag. † Photograph. Pastyme With Good Companye. 15 Feb 2008. Web. 15 Jan 2011. Hillmer, Norman. â€Å"Statute of Westminster. † The Canadian Encyclopaedia. James Marsh . Web. 14 Jan2011. Marwah, Neham. â€Å"Battles of World War 2. † 26 Nov 2010. Class Notes. Marwah, Neham. â€Å"Cold War Events. † 02 Jan 2011. Class Notes. Newman, Garfield. Canada: A Nation Unfolding. Toronto: McGraw, 2000. Print. Struthers, James. â€Å"The Great Depression. † The Canadian Encyclopaedia. James Marsh . Web. 14 Jan 2011.

Joy of Caring and Sharing

â€Å"JOY OF CARING AND SHARING† Sharing, taking, earning, losing, stealing, squandering, hoarding. These are all human impulses, and very natural otherwise we wouldn't be human without them. Yet on this list only one item — sharing — appears in the world's wisdom traditions. Why is giving or sharing set apart? After all, there's no mystery to why someone might want to earn, hoard, squander, or steal a million dollars. One way or another, most of our daily actions follow the principle of more is better, whereas giving and sharing means having less.Nobody likes to part with his things. Everyone in this world has an aim of being successful in other words having more of everything†¦.. More money, more cars, gadgets, more houses and the list goes on †¦.. If you ask people like Mother Teresa â€Å"why they give† or â€Å"what make them serve the needy†, the readiest answers offer to the mystery. â€Å"God wants me to. I feel better about mysel f. Others need, and I have. I want to share. It's only right. A hazy halo encircles these good-hearted answers, and if we bring it into focus, then it seems true that â€Å"Giving takes you out of yourself.You expand beyond your limitations that are being always self-occupied. I want this, I want that, I have to achieve more, me this, me that†¦ and somewhere along those lines you are slowly and slowly loosing yourself! You might think you are successful, but do you have the character? Unfortunately a person’s character is what the actual prosperity dwells on. It is something we achieve at every step of life, with ups and downs of our life, and something we would be remembered for and that’s what sharing, giving and caring gives you.You feel the joy of it once you feel it with a pure and clean heart, you will never again hesitate to give or share. We can feel the real joy of giving when we’re doing something for others knowing that we’re simply doing it for ourselves-we’re doing it for our own joy!! The people who give more let it be time, money, kindness, love, ideas; have more of these things because that’s the balance. And balance is the natural law of life. â€Å"Also you should never give ‘to get’. You’re here to have more to give more. One key in the giving process is never to expect a return when we give. But in reality everyone is centered in their own self. And it involves a tit for tat, this for that, getting and spending. When giving results in an experience are in the form of love, joy, peace, community, charity, caring, self-worth and immense satisfaction. Some visionaries foresee an economy based entirely on giving and sharing. That would be the ideal way to heal the excesses of poverty, lack of food, clothes and other woes. But this is possible only when we are out of our self-centered behavior.When we act out of the comfort zone &limitations this is how we realize the joy of gi ving and sharing I am sure it would cost you nothing to give your old clothes and blankets shoes and etc. to needy and unfortunate people and feel the joy of caring and sharing , And also very important please do propagate this idea as it can give a whole new picture of sharing. After all . It's a small, small world! If we don’t stand up for each other †¦who will FEEL THE JOY OF SHARING AND CARING! BE HAPPY AND SPREAD HAPPINESS!! (

Criminal Justice in the United States essays

Criminal Justice in the United States essays Criminal justice in the United States is an expensive business. It is the only country in the west that routinely sentences offenders to prison terms longer than two years: 39 percent of state prisoners in 1991 had been sentenced to ten years or longer. It is also the only country in the west that, on an average day, holds more than 125 per 100,000 of its residents in jail or prison: on a typical day in 1998, nearly 700 per 100,000 Americans were behind bars. (Hallett according to many, the US criminal justice system is doing far less than enough; according to the US National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence, "There is a criminal justice process through which each offender passes from the police, to the courts, and back unto the streets. The inefficiency, fall-out, and failure of purpose during this process is notorious." (Hallett Contemporary policies concerning crime and punishment are not only among the most draconian among wealthy nations, they are also the harshest in American history. No other Western country continues use the death penalty except the United States: 3300 prisoners were on death row in 1997 and more people were executed76than in any year since 1955. Capital punishment has been abolished by all the big democracies except the United States, Japan and India. Additionally, many emerging democracies in Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America have also abandoned it. Capital punishment in the United States is derided by critics in Europe for being antediluvian and barbaric. (Economist, 5/15/99) Cesare Beccaria, an Italian philosopher and reformer, is considered the father of modern criminal justice; he famously decried older, more severe punishments in Europe in 1764 when he published his seminal work "On Crimes and Punishments.'' Beccaria was the first to believe in the reformati...

How To Become an Activist and Get Involved

How To Become an Activist and Get Involved Its as much a calling as it is a profession. You see something wrong in the world and you want to change it. There are countless ways to do that, from petitioning lawmakers to protesting on the street to personally helping and advocating for a single victim of injustice. If this sounds like something that appeals to you, heres how to go about establishing a career as a civil liberties activist.   Difficulty: N/A Time Required: Variable Heres How: Figure out what youre most passionate about. Are you interested in civil liberties in general, or is there a specific civil liberties-related issue such as free speech, abortion or gun rights that interest you?Get educated. Read up on your American history  and develop a functional understanding of how the government works.Develop sound arguments to back up your positions. Two highly effective ways to do this include familiarizing yourself with the arguments used by people with whom you agree, as well as with arguments used by people with whom you disagree.Keep up with current events. Scour the Internet and find blogs that focus on your topic. Read newspapers and follow the evening news for issues you might not even have thought about yet, issues that are just beginning to reach a boiling point.Join a group. Activists dont work well alone. Your best bet is to join a group that focuses on your concern. Attend local chapter meetings. If there is no local chapter, consider starting on e. Networking with other activists will educate you, provide you with a support network, and help you focus your energies on productive activism strategies. Tips: Be practical. Dont get so caught up in your hope for radical, sweeping reforms that you lose sight of real opportunities to make incremental progress.Dont hate people you disagree with. If you forget how to communicate with people on the other side of the issue, youll lose your ability to bring others around to your way of thinking.Dont lose hope. You will almost certainly experience depressing setbacks, but activist movements take time. Womens suffrage was advocated in the United States as far back as the 18th century and only became a reality in 1920.Go back to school if you dont already have a degree. This goes hand-in-hand with educating yourself, but it serves another purpose as well. That degree will open doors that might have otherwise remained closed to you. A law degree is a lofty goal, but lawyers are trained in the skills and weapons that are necessary to tackle broad platforms at governmental levels. Even a bachelors degree in pre-law or one of the social sciences can be immensely helpful, and nothing says you cant pursue your cause or causes while youre going to school. Many famous activists have done just that.

Money as a motivator Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Money as a motivator - Essay Example That is why the successful organizations specializing in sales especially in direct sales apply maximum efforts to express recognition to the employees for any achievement, big or small. They know that in our overpopulated world the majority of people feel that nobody cares of them, that they are not important. And the recognition is some kind of a confirmation of their importance. Really, those who understand people usually say: "You are an especial person. You are quite another matter". I am sure, that if more companies will pay more attention to expression of gratitude to the employees, and not only to those who are engaged in sales, but also to secretaries and attendants, that will lead to improbable rise of productivity. 2. Feeling of victory. This is one of the best motivators. If you should fell an inclination to something, let will be inclination to victory, to winning. There are millionaires who work for ten - twelve hours a day, making more millions. And this is not because money is necessary for them. They do that for the feeling of pleasure that "victories" brings. Money is not a big stimulus for them: they already have a lot of money. They need that heady feeling which is got with a victory. Jim Rohn writes: "Usually right after my seminar, somebody comes up to me and says: Mr. Rohn, if had one million dollars I would not work even a day in the rest life. That is why God makes so that people, who say such things, never will grow rich. They will pay for that." (Rohn 1996) 3. Family. Some people will make more for their dearest than for themselves. One man set a goal to earn one quarter of a million a year in order to organise a world tour for his family. The people with so deep feeling of love are very happy. 4. Charity. This is the fourth great motivator.When a great steel magnate Andrew Carnegie died the yellow piece of paper was found in his desk On this narrow piece of the paper, of the time of Carnegies' twenties, there was the main goal of his life written by him: " I am going to spend a first half of my life for saving up money. I want to devote the second half of my life to give out all this money". Carnegie was so inspired with this goal that saved up a private means of 450 million dollars (that is equivalent to 4,5 billion dollars now!) and really, in last period of the life he felt pleasure giving out all this money. (Rohn 1996) Speaking about one of the most important elements of working process, employees admit that compensation itself is not a motivator. The quality of work is a motivator that enkindles enthusiasm. In order to obtain the employee's opinion different interrogations are held in different countries of the world. As the results of new interrogation show, the good wages and safety of work is what people pay attention choosing the employer, but if you want to keep the motivation of employees in your case the work will be the key factor holding them in your company. Last interrogation of the international scale carried out by Investors in People (IiP)/NOP in which 1911 respondent from the Great Britain participated, shown that

Human sexuality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Human sexuality - Essay Example enarios and the brain ability to mould it self is similar to plastic’s ability to change shape according to elements and objects that contacts the plastic. According to Doidge, a child’s brain has the ability to change over time with changes in environment (Doidge 98). He further states that when children are experiencing adolescent period, they should not be labeled according to their current sexuality preference as this preference changes over time until finally a sexual orientation becomes permanent. The book further states that there is a direct link between culture and brain and brain experiences alterations due to culture and not due to genes. This means that when the brain comes in contact with certain cultural practices, it adopts it and the individual starts behaving accordingly. The concept that brain is adaptive to environment can help us achieve our aims and objectives and we can alter our brain according to our needs. In relation to human sexuality an indiv idual can control his/her sexuality. If the individual wants to be labeled as straight then he/she should come in contact with their opposite sex and this will adapt the brain towards that sex and sexual