Dual Immersion Education For Students - 1376 Words

ual immersion education aims for students to become fluent in two languages, English and whichever language they are enrolled in. This education is done through a program where students are exposed to two languages in the classroom. Dual immersion education is beginning to expand towards more cities and needs to be better financed. As it expands, the popularity grows resulting in more parents becoming aware of the program and then wanting it offered at their child’s school. Dual immersion education’s budget should be increased, in order for more schools in the United States to be able to provide the program to their students. Through the lens organizational synthesis the process behind how dual immersion education is conducted will show the benefits of providing more schools with the program. In â€Å"Ways of Seeing: An Essay on the History of Compulsory Schooling† David B. Tyack presents the lens of organizational synthesis. Through this lens, he focuses on the development of compulsory schooling and analyzes the changes that it goes through, including the factors that affected the enforcement of compulsory schooling and the requirements that were to be followed. The lens of organizational synthesis is used to view the organization that took place and the synthesis, or fusion, of ideas that led to the changes occurring. Tyack uses the lens to explain the transformation that schools have gone through while compulsory schooling was evolving, becoming more prominent in school, andShow MoreRelatedBenefits of Creating Dual Language Programs Essay1332 Words   |  6 PagesDual language is a form of education in which students are taught to read and write in two languages. The majority of dual language programs in the United States teach in English and Spanish, although there are emerging programs that teach in Mandarin, Japanese and Hindi. The programs start of mostly in kindergarten sand 1st grade and continue throughout primary education, in addition some dual language programs depending on the grade continue through middle and high school. Even Hayward’s own BurbankRead MoreDual Language Learners Are Children Learning Two Or More1148 Wor ds   |  5 Pages Dual language learners are children learning two or more languages at the same time, as well as those learning a second language while continuing to develop their first (or home) language (Dual language learning, 2008). The number of children being raised in bilingual homes is large and growing, however the mechanism of language development in children from bilingual homes is not well described or understood (Hoff et al., 2011). A large body of research has refuted the opinion that dual languageRead MoreDual Immersion Program : A Innovative Bilingual Education Program1348 Words   |  6 PagesDual Immersion Program is one of the innovative bilingual education program, meaning what develops the high levels of academic proficiency in the students on both learning languages (Thomas and Collier 2002; Lindholm-Leary 2001)4. Other common used terminology used for one of the variations of this type of program model is Dual Language Program, Dual Language Immersion, Two -way Dual Language, One-way Dual Language, Partial Immersion, Full Immersion, etc. The instructional model of DIP promotes theRead MoreBilingual Vs. Foreign Language Skills Essay1565 Words   |  7 PagesAltschuler, 2012). This difference may be due to the fact that the US have been cutting the budget for foreign language education and the US does not have a national requirement for students to learn a foreign language in school (Koebler, 2012). Most students in the United States don’t learn foreign language until middle school or even high school, while most European students begin learning their first foreign language as a mandatory school subject between the ages of 6 and 9 (Devlin, 2015). TheRead MoreEducation Gap Of The United States Essay1181 Words   |  5 PagesEducation Gap It is a common believe that the United States is the place where you could find success easily, just like in the movies. But education can easily become overwhelming for foreigners because of the different cultures, ethnicity and languages. We live in a multicultural society with various ideas about what success means and not every child is incited to purse higher education, some students have a cultural mentality that differs from the rest. For example, Latin men often are pushed toRead MoreThe Primary Responsibilities Of An Educator1412 Words   |  6 Pagesthinking and to prepare students for lifelong learning. 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Due to the U.S. massive Latino population a third group has developed which oscillates between the monolingual Spanish and English student. TheRead MoreCalifornia Is Facing Not Only Teacher Shortage But Teachers1507 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican Association of College for Teacher Education â€Å"that students of color made up more than 45% of the PK–12 population, whereas teachers of color made up only 17.5% of the educator workforce. (Deruy). While many may argue that the lack of diversity is happening because majority of the diverse population is going towards jobs that pay more such into technology and other occupations, one has to look also on how schools are encouraging those students into the teaching profession. Old schools likeRead MoreNon English Language Learners : Children, Native, And Illinois, Texas, New York, Florida,1413 Words   |  6 Pagesculture. The following terms may be used in readings and research publications to describe second-language learners: bilingual leaner, English as a second-language student, student with limited English proficiency, language-minority learner, English-language learner, and linguistically diverse student. A bilingual child can be described as a child younger than 3 years of age who learns two (sometimes more) languages at the same time or a child who learns a second language after ageRead MoreEnglish Language Learners : English Learners Essay1100 Words   |  5 Pagesequality in education as their Native English speakers (NES) counter parts. Over the past few years there has been a surge in dual language immersion (DLI) programs (also known two-way immersion), which have resulted in much success (Lindholm-Leary, 2012, p. 256). It has been found that students in DLI programs show a high level of bilingualism and by biliteracy as well as academic achievement and cross-cultur al competence (Lindholm-Leary, 2012, p. 256). Since the population of ELL students in California

Characteristics Of A Good Manager - 1294 Words

Questions Respond: 1) The Must-Have managerial skills are six concepts of abilities a good manager should have in order to perform well in the workplace. The first managerial skill is teamwork because the individual should be able to contribute, negotiate and resolve conflict effectively in a team with others members and leaders. The second skills are self-management which is the ability to have a strong ethical reasoning, tolerance of others and most important to meet the obligations of the workplace. Thirdly, leadership forms part of the management skills because managers need to have the ability to influence and support people in order to make them perform multiple tasks. Similarity, the critical thinking plays an†¦show more content†¦As well as having a safer workplace environment where obligations and duties are responsibly and professionally performed. 2) The McGregor s theory explains how managers interact with others in the social environment of the workplace. McGregor classifies how managers interact with their worker behavior and productivity in the workplace into two beliefs, theories; theory X is when managers expect people to dislike the work and when people are irresponsible that does not meet their obligations. On the other hand, in theory Y managers assume people are responsible for their obligations, capable of work with other and creative. Therefore, theory Y creates more self-fulfilling prophecies because managers allow the employee to have more autonomy of their work. workers have the freedom to work with less pressure; working efficiently to satisfy the complex and ambiguous tasks. Of course, theory X is most experienced in the workplace because many managers do not have an education preparation that allow them to understand their workers. Nowadays managers want to prove themselves treating other unequal. This creates so many inequalities in the workplace because managers have a command control over the worker instead of giving them more autonomy of their work to be more innovative. 3) An ethical dilemma is a situation with an undesirable or unpleasant choice that

Robotics Technology and Adoption A New Organization †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Robotics Technology and Adoption A New Organization. Answer: Introduction Robotics technology involves design, development and application of robots for managing a variety of tasks without needing human efforts. Today, robots are used for a huge number of applications in several industries that include military, manufacturing, telecommunications, healthcare, consumer durables, and so on. Independence on robotics has increased in past few years because of which the working environments in various industries have changed. Asia and Australia are the regions that are rising fast in adopting robotics for industrial usage and most of them are purchased from developed countries. An artificial intelligence company from Brisbane plans to expand into Australia and Asia market for which it is planning to adopt robotics technologies in its current operational units including manufacturing, mining, and transportation. Robotics is expected to bring down the operational costs of the manufacturing units of the company as well as increase productivity of workers. For the implementation of Robotics in its operations, the company needs to create a five year plan. Before any adoption plan can be made, it would be important to conduct a research on various areas and concepts of robotics including definition, applications, types, challenges, advantages and disadvantages. Based on the study a five year plan can be developed for the adoption and implementation of Robotics in key operations of AI organizations for which appropriate recommendations would be made. Robotic technology Robotics is an engineering discipline which involves designing, development and application of robots for managing certain tasks automatically without involving humans. Current use of robots The first industry to adopt robotics in a manufacturing environment was automobile industry in which robots were introduced for the assembling of car parts. In current times, robots are utilized for performing those tasks that are difficult for humans to carry out or can be dangerous for human lives such as military operations, mining, transportation in treacherous paths, and so on. Robots also find their application in household work such as vacuum cleaning, ironing, lawn mowing, and more such domestic areas(Cappella J, 2001). Industries are continually growing with the adoption of robotics and this has changed the ways they operate. Even governments have been in support of the development of robotics. Queensland State Government is running a program under which coding and robotics are being taught to young State School students. These programs can make the students better problem solvers from the early age. Humanoids can also help disabled students in improving their communication skills. Robotics has been adopted in many industries today that include military, healthcare, telecommunications, consumers, and so on. In telecommunications, robots can be controlled with wireless facilities like Wi-Fi-, Bluetooth, and tethered connections to internet. These controlled robots can be used for various applications such as space exploration like Mars Exploration Rovers and Hubble space telescope, mining exploration using remotely operated vehicles, systems used in biomedicine experiments such as Invasive surgical systems(Bauml Hirzinger, 2006). In Military, robots can be used in places that are not safe for human exploration. An ART, which is a military robot, can dispose of explosive materials safely. Some more examples of military robots include Dragon Runners, REDCAR, Talon Robots, MATILDA, ARTS and URBOT. In Medicine, robotics is majorly used for surgical operations such as radio surgeries, gastrointestinal surgeries, neurosurgeries, and cardiothoracic surgeries. An example of robotics in healthcare is Da Vinci Robot which is a robot with three arms that are used for carrying miniature cameras inside the human body to capture 3D images of the human body. Wakamaru is another robot which is used in healthcare for giving company to elderly or ill people. Robot injection devices, minimally invasive surgical systems, and ZEUS Robotical Surgery Systems are some more popular robotic systems (Carroll, 2017). Other medical applications of robotics include cardiology, gynaecology orthopaedics, and paediatrics, urology. Consumer robots are used for entertainment or communication applications. Some of the consumer robots include AkaZawa's Desktop PLEN Robot, Wow-wee Robosapien V2, and Wow Wee Robopanda. Industrial robots can increase production in a given time they can automate some repetitive tasks such as welding, painting, packaging, palletizing, assembling, pickup, inspection and testing. Types of Robots Based on the applications, robots can be categorized into small, low payload, medium payload, heavy duty, and special purpose robots. There are some major producers of industrial robots that include ABB, Hyundai, OTC, Panasonic, Toshiba, and Kuka Robotics. Besides the application, Robots can also be classified using some other criterion such as movement, architecture, and brand. Robots can be divided into articulated, Cartesian, cylindrical and polar robots. Articulated robots: Articulated robots have a base over which a robotic arm is connected through a rotary joint. There can be several arms connected by rotary joints. Articulated robots are flexible as they allow movement through any joint. Cartesian robots: Cartesian robots use Cartesian coordinates and have prismatic joints that are used for linear motions. Some applications of Cartesian robots include sealing, stacking, and transferring. Cylindrical robots: Cylindrical robots have both rotary joint that rotates with the base and prismatic joint that moves linearly. Polar Robots: Polar robots are also called spherical robots as they use a twisting joint to connect the arm with the base such that they can combine rotary with linear movements. These robots are capable of enhancing productivity, increasing production efficiency, and reducing operational risks(Implement Partners, 2016). Expansion into Australian and Asia The demand for robotics is increasing in Asia. In the year 2015, the sales of industrial robots in Asia had increased by 19% than in 2014. 89% of these sales were made by China, Japan, and South Korea where China contributed 43% as reflected in the World Robotics Report 2016(Carroll, 2017). In Asia, Thailand and India are promising markets for the growth of robotics in Asia and they have brought 2,600 and 2,100 robotic units in 2015(IFR, 2016). Considering these figures, the organization would have good opportunity for expansion in Asia through the use of robotics. Robotic technology Adoption Strategy Advantages Disadvantage of Robotics Robotics brings several advantages for an industrial application such as: Robotic technologies can enhance productivity of workers and throughput of production systems in a manufacturing unit which in turn can reduce the cost of production lead by performance improvements. As robotic technologies increase process efficiencies in a production unit with automation, the production cycle times are also reduced leading to faster and more production per hour Robots are more precise and accurate in their work as compared to humans ad thus, the product manufactured is more reliable and of better quality. Robots do not need rest or space for relaxation and thus, they can be made to work in limited space which means organization can have a better space utilization of the manufacturing unit. Material utilization is less with less error, reduced wastage, and more accurate prediction of material requirement by robots With robotics technology automating processes, delays are less and thus, production schedules are more optimal which helps a company serve customers faster and get higher customer satisfaction. Robotic technologies can integrate multiple production processes including welding, handling, packing, cutting, and palletizing (JEVTIC ANDINA, 2007). Manufacturing organizations can also face certain challenges while adopting robotics such as: Robotic technologies need significant investments that can reduce the cash flows and reserves of the company and thus, the company that has significant capital to invest and sustain before getting returns can adapt to the new technology. The need for robotics must be accurately identified to avoid overuse or underuse of the same as they can have negative implications on an organization such as loss of revenues if underutilization and loss of profits if over utilized. As robotics technology is relatively new in the industry, people have to be train extensively on the use of robotics before it is used in an organization if avoided to save on time or money can later cause major difficulties in operations (RObotWorx, 2017). With robotics, dependency on automation is increased in people who make them less smart in handling complexities when systems are down. Fully automated robotic systems are very costly and thus, organization may make use of partially automated robots that can be operated by humans. In such a case, the efficiency of worker plays a significant role in bringing the best out of the robotics usage. Thus, highly equipped people are required to handle such jobs. Robotic machines require significant level of maintenance which can be cost to the company and thus, can affect profitability of its operations (Joordens, Eega, Jaimes, Jamshidi, 2008). With robotics deployed, some employees who may be doing repetitive manual tasks would be laid off which can create bad reputation for the company in the job market and would also lead the morale of workers down. In certain settings, ethical concerns are raised such as security risks due to hacking of robotics that can cause damage to humans as hackers can then use robotic devices to either damage company operations or commit specific crimes(LIN, BEKEy, ABNEY, 2009). Potential solutions for risks There are some major risks that can be faced with the adoption of robotics but these risks can be managed in following ways: High dependence on Robotics: If the opportunity and need for the use of robotics is appropriately identified, company can ensure that robotics is used only where it is needed and not in places where human use can still give required results without additional investments. Employment Loss: People can lose jobs when robotics is introduced but they would only be people who are adept at managing only single monotonous task that can be managed by robots. If the employees are trained on multitasking or the brain work, they would not lose their jobs as they would still have ways to contribute to the organization after implementation of robotics(Jackson Eddy, 2000). Security Risks: Most robots are connected with internet today for enabling real time communication and sharing of the status of processes with other robotic devices or with the world. This exposes them to security threats as hackers can use internet to hack these devices and take control of the associated processes run in an organization. Some examples of such situations had affected the companies in major ways such as blackouts caused by hacking of electrical grid and damage to critical infrastructure of organizations by hackers. Thus, it is essential the organizations using robotics make use of advanced security technologies to protect their systems from security risks today. High Cost: Robotics implementation requires significant funds but at the same time, also presents the potential for its efficient usage in such a way that huge returns can be gained thereby overtaking the investments by saving the company more money or bringing in more revenues for the organization. With the use of robotic, productivity can be enhanced, operational costs can be saved and process efficiencies can be enhanced that would lead to more saving and more profits thereby overcoming the drawback of high cost of implementation. Further, it would enhance the delivery times which would increase customer satisfaction and bring in more loyalty in them which would further add to the company growth as more revenues can then be expected resulting from loyalty and positive word of mouth spread(businessknowledgesource.com, 2013). Conclusions This paper explored the case of an Artificial Intelligence organization that is planning to expand its operations in Asia and Australia for which it wants to implement robotics in its mining, production and transportation services. The study identified various applications of robotics including their types and their differences. The advantages as well as challenges that are faced by the organization with the adoption of robotics are also explored. It was found that robotics in industrial setting can have significant benefits for an organization such as increased efficiency of processes, enhanced accuracy, faster deliveries, operational cost advantages, and so on. However, robotics also present some risks and challenges for the organization adopting it such as employment loss, increased dependence on technology, risk to humans, security risks to critical infrastructure, and more. Some of these risks can be overcome while others can be justified by taking appropriate measures that were discussed in the report. Based on these understandings, an adoption plan for Ai company is presented in the next section of this report. Recommendations Based on the lessons from the study conducted on robotics, an implementation plan for the coming five years is presented which would take following steps: Identification of Opportunities: First, the opportunities of the implementation of robotics are identified for each of the unit operators of the company including mining, manufacturing and operations. Some of these include: Mining: Robots can be used for navigating through hidden paths such as tunnels Unloading objects Detecting objects at different places Navigating through underground space Automating machinery used for mining operations Drilling inside mines for creating carving(Nanda, Dash, Acaharya, Mohrana, 2010). Manufacturing and Transportation: In manufacturing and transportation, company can use robotics for Managing inventory in warehouses For managing distribution processes For automating assembly and production operations such as through the use of conveyors, sorters, and pickers Objects, parts or products that are heavy can be loaded or unloaded as need arises Certain robotic systems are customized and comprehensive that can manage a sequence of operations such as scanning of bar codes, packing, picking parcels m sorting them and identifying the best loading sequence (Kckelhaus, Huber, Niezgoda, Bischoff, 2016). This process of opportunity identification can take up to 4 months. Validate Opportunities: The opportunities that are identified in the previous stage can be validated by users and manager of the company. The validation can be done on the basis of the transactional benefits that the company may receive from robotics. This would help in formulating appropriate design for robotics technology implementation. This validation can take around 2 months. Develop Design Model: based on the opportunities identified for each operation including mining, manufacturing and transportation, designs can be developed for the implementation of robotics such that the benefits can be maximized with the implementation. Design models can be customized based on eh requirements of the codes, system upgrades, and more. This process can take up to 5 months before a design is finalised for implementation. Implementation Planning: In the implementation stage, processes are automated with an aim to reach an automation level of 75% in the manufacturing unit using robotic devices. A plan would be prepared for practical implementation of the design model considering impacts of decision s on each business process. This would take 2 months to finalise and approve the plan. Pilot Phase: Before the new system is made live for everyone in the organization, a pilot phase would be run in which the system would be run for a fixed duration and only for a fixed number of uses such that the time can be used for testing to understand if the system is operating as per expectations. In this stage, if there are any requirements that are not met or there are any bugs causing troubles, steps can be taken for rectification before the actual launch of the system for the whole organization. This process would take 5 months for each company department or unit including manufacturing, mining, and transportation. Roll Out: This is the final stage of implementation when the robotics technology that clears the pilot stage is implemented company wide. It would also involve training of the users or employees who would be using robotics systems. The organization has to prepare for a big change that would be brought about at this stage by lying off some employees and brining in a cultural transformation on the organization compelling employees to focus on results. The employees who would be using robotic devices would have to be provided an extensive training and guided documentation for the regular use of new systems. Activities Milestones Identify Opportunities for use of robots 4 months Validation of opportunities 2 months Design model 5 months Implementation plan 2 month Pilot Phase I - Manufacturing 5 months Technology Testing 6 months Factory Roll out 5 months Pilot Phase I - Mining 5 months Application Testing 6 months Roll out 5 months Pilot Phase I - Transportation 5 months Application Testing 6 months Roll out 5 months References Bauml, B., Hirzinger, G. (2006). Agile Robot Development (aRD): A Pragmatic Approach to Robotic Software. Wessling, Germany: German Aerospace Center. businessknowledgesource.com. (2013). THE BENEFITS AND DISADVANTAGES OF USING ROBOTICS IN MANUFACTURING. Retrieved May 8, 2017, from businessknowledgesource.com: https://www.businessknowledgesource.com/manufacturing/the_benefits_and_disadvantages_of_using_robotics_in_manufacturing_033176.html Cappella J, P. C. (2001). Rules for responsive robots: using human interaction to build virtual interaction. Cambridge University Press. Carroll, J. (2017, February 1). Industrial robots in Asia on the rise. Retrieved May 8, 2017, from Vision Systems Design: https://www.vision-systems.com/articles/2017/02/industrial-robots-in-asia-on-the-rise.html IFR. (2016). Executive Summary World Robotics 2016 Industrial Robots . IFR. Implement Partners. (2016). Agile Robot Development. Implement Partners. Jackson, E., Eddy, D. (2000). Design and Implementation Methodology for Autonomous Robot Control Systems. International Submarine Engineering, Ltd. . JEVTIC, A., ANDINA, D. (2007). Swarm Intelligence and Its Applications in Swarm Robotics. Universidad Politecnica de Madrid . Joordens, M. A., Eega, S., Jaimes, A., Jamshidi, M. (2008). Applications and Prototype for System of Systems Swarm Robotics . WACONG. Kckelhaus, M., Huber, A., Niezgoda, D., Bischoff, H. (2016). ROBOTICS IN LOGISTICS. DHL Trend Research. LIN, P., BEKEy, G., ABNEY, K. (2009). Robots in War: Issues of Risk and Ethics . Ethics and Robotics , 1 (2), 49-55. Nanda, S. K., Dash, A. K., Acaharya, S., Mohrana, A. (2010). Application of RObotics in Mining Idustry: The Critical Review. Indian Mining Engineering Journal , 108-1112. RObotWorx. (2017). Advantages and Disadvantages of Automating with Industrial Robots. Retrieved May 8, 2017, from Robots.com: https://www.robots.com/blog/viewing/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-automating-with-industrial-robots

Energy Efficiency Report Policy Recommendations

Question: Describe about the Energy Efficiency Report for Policy Recommendations. Answer: Introduction The main purpose of this report is to explore different energy uses at home and measures that can be taken to reduce energy consumption. The report contains different aspects of household energy consumption, including energy uses, energy use products, energy sources, Australian organizations promoting efficient energy use, soft tools used to reduce energy use, opportunities/options to reduce energy use, cost benefit analysis of some of these options, and selection of the best option. Completing this report equips the student with vast knowledge and skills on how energy is consumed at home and what can be done to reduce the amount of energy consumed. 1. Selection of place The selected place where data for this assignment will be collected is a home. A home is a very familiar place thus making it easier to analyze energy consumption. Every person knows different items or activities that consume energy at home. This is because they use these items or do the activities almost on daily basis. It is therefore easier to analyze energy efficiency at home. Most of the energy at home is used for cooking, heating and cooling, lighting, washing, refrigeration, and running electrical appliances. This report has analyzed all these elements and identified the best ways of reducing total household energy consumption. Saving energy not only reduces energy bills but also reduces demand for burning fossil fuels, which lowers carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore reducing energy consumption at home is a positive contribution towards fighting climate change (mainly global warming). Energy efficiency also boosts the economy, improves the environment, enhances national security, and improves quality of life. a) Energy uses There are numerous means by which a home uses energy. These include: lighting or illuminating the spaces; maintaining comfortable room temperature (air conditioning); heating and cooling water; cooking; washing; running and/or charging electrical appliances, such as computers, refrigerators, microwave oven, mobiles, television, iron box, etc. (Commonwealth of Australia, 2008). All these uses are the ones that contribute to the total energy consumed at home. b) Energy use products The amount of energy used and total cost of the energy for various uses at home are as shown in Table 1 below. The total energy consumed at homes largely depends on the efficiency of the equipment or appliance (The National Academy of Sciences, 2016). Table 1: Estimation of cost of energy used per month Use and/or appliance Wattage (W) Hours used everyday Days used every month Monthly energy consumption (kWh) Utility rate ($ per kWh) Total cost per month ($) Microwave oven 1500 4 30 180 0.12 21.6 Plasma TV 300 6 30 54 0.12 6.48 CD player 7 4 30 0.84 0.12 0.10 Router 6 3 30 0.54 0.12 0.06 Water heater 4500 4 30 540 0.12 64.8 Space heater 1320 3.5 30 138.6 0.12 16.63 Iron box 1100 1 15 16.5 0.12 1.98 Dishwasher 330 1 30 9.9 0.12 1.19 Desktop computer 75 3 30 6.75 0.12 0.81 Ceiling fan 35 3 30 3.15 0.12 0.38 Total 950.28 kWh $114.03 Microwave oven: wattage = [(1500Wx 4 hrs. x 30)/ 1000] x $0.12/kWh = $21.6 It is important to calculate the total amount of energy used at home because it helps the consumer to know the amount of money being spent on electricity (U.S. Department of Energy, 2016). For example, from the information contained in Table 1 above, the consumer now knows that the biggest consumer of energy at his home is the water heater. This means that finding an alternative water heater that is more efficient will save him a significant amount of money. The consumer can reduce his energy consumption by purchasing the right appliances. This means choosing energy efficient appliances/systems and which suit his needs. This may include going for ENERGY STAR certified appliances. As discussed by Pipkom (2013), some of the alternatives for various home energy uses are as shown in Table 2 below Table 2: Energy saving alternatives Energy use Alternative Heating and cooling Improve rating of house energy by at least 3 stars Lighting Replace lighting fixtures with energy efficient lighting such as LCD Cooking Increase energy efficiency by use of induction Water heating Shift to solar heating water system Other electrical appliances Reduce use and improve energy efficiency by at least 3 stars c) Sources of energy The main source of energy for Australian homes is electricity, which is generated from fossil fuels. This has considerable impacts on the environment. It is estimated that about 99% of Australian homes use electricity, which is usually generated from fossil fuels (Australian Bureau of Statistics2, 2010). Other sources of energy for Australian homes are natural gas, coal, wood and solar. Assuming that 99% of the total household energy consumption is from electricity and the rest is shared equally among other sources. The amount of carbon emissions is as shown in Table 3 below Table 3: Estimation of carbon emissions in kg Energy source % of total energy Monthly energy consumption in kWh Carbon emission factor (kg per kWh) Total carbon in kg Electricity 99% 940.78 0.527 495.79 Coal 0.25% 2.375 0.510 1.21 Natural gas 0.25% 2.375 0.185 0.44 Wood 0.25% 2.375 0.016 0.04 Solar 0.25% 2.375 Negligible 0 Total 497.48 The values of carbon emission factors used were those provided by Carbon Independent (2015). Therefore it means that the household generates 497.48 kg of carbon emissions every month. The current population of Australia is about 24.26 million people (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016). The average household size is about 2.6 people per family (Australian Community Profile, 2016). Using these estimates, it means that there are about 9.33 million households. Assuming that 497.48 kg is the average amount of carbon emissions in each Australian households, it means that the total carbon emissions from all households in one month is: = 9.33 x 106 households x 497.48 kg per household = 4.6415 x 109 kg of carbon emissions. These are large quantities of carbon emissions per month, considering that they come from households only. The emissions have huge environmental impacts, particularly climate change. Some of the specific impacts include: changing rainfall patterns, elongated warm nights and hot days, reduced snow cover, increased rate of evapotranspiration, increased occurrence of drought, increased fire risks, rising sea level, etc. (Australian Bureau of Statistics1, 2010). d) Australian organizations that promote energy efficiency Australia is one of the countries with the highest per capita carbon emissions (COTAP, 2016). However, total carbon emissions of Australia per GDP unit are relatively low especially in relation to those of other G20 countries (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Pty Ltd, 2014). Households in the country are said to produce at least 20% of the total greenhouse gases (Australian Greenhouse Calculator, 2016). All these emissions have negative impacts on Australias economy, environment, ecosystems and human health. As a result, there are several government and non-government agencies that are making efforts to promote energy efficiency in the country. Some of these include the following: Australian Energy Storage Council (ESC) this is an NGO that promotes development of Australias energy storage solutions. Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) this is an organization established to develop and promote cleaner energy solutions in Australia (Clean Energy Finance Corporation, 2016). Catholic Earthcare Australia this is an ecological organization representing Australias Catholic Church (Catholic Earthcare Australia, 2016). The organization promotes energy efficiency through national networks, environmental research and education, transformation and advocacy. They have initiatives such as Global Catholic Climate Movement, National Energy Efficiency Network, and ASSISI, through which they create awareness among people on how they can conserve the environment by using energy efficient appliances and methods at their homes and businesses. Water Corporation, Synergy and Swan River Trust these are the main public sector sponsors of a program called Great Gardens. They promote energy efficiency by holding workshops to teach people tips on how to reduce water and energy consumption in their household (Public Sector Commission, 2010). Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) this is an organization that was formed to offer renewable energy solutions that are affordable to the entire Australian population. The organization promotes and finances projects aimed at increasing use of renewable energy and reduction of energy costs (ARENA, 2016). GreenPower this is a government sponsored program that helps Australian businesses and households to replace their existing energy consumption with renewable energy (GreenPower, 2011). e) Soft tools used to reduce energy consumption There are numerous soft tools that are being used in Australia to reduce energy consumption. These tools are targeting energy consumers in different sectors including domestic, industrial, transport, agricultural, construction, etc. Some of these tools include the following: i) Regulatory tools Some of these tools include mandatory energy labels and energy efficiency standards. The Australian government has developed energy efficiency standards that require all energy products (including motor vehicles and electrical appliances) being manufactured in the country or imported from other countries to meet certain energy efficiency standards. This has led to promotion of use of energy-efficient products which targets at reducing overall energy consumption in the country. The government has also made it mandatory for manufacturers to attach energy efficiency rating labels on all energy products. These labels indicate the products level of energy consumption. The labels have helped consumers to choose products that consume less energy (OECD, 2008). ii) Social tools They include public communications campaigns and education. Communications campaigns are used by the government for sharing information with all citizens on how they can reduce energy consumption in their homes. The government also partners with private business owners to conduct countrywide campaigns and give special offers ton energy efficient household products. The focus of Australian Federal Ministry of Education has been to include sustainable consumption education in the curriculum. This will ensure that the whole country understands the benefits of sustainable consumption and knows how to select energy efficient products. Both the government and on-governmental organizations have also been focusing on educating people how to change their lifestyles and embrace modern energy efficiency technologies such as house insulation, building small houses, using sustainable building materials, etc. (Committee on Civil Engineering and Architecture, 2007) iii) Financial tools These tools include charges taxes, and incentives subsidies. The government plays a role in influencing behaviors of consumers through raising prices on products that are not energy efficient. This has changed purchasing patterns of consumers because they are now choosing energy efficient products, which reduces energy consumption. The government is also using incentives and subsidies to encourage households to use energy efficient products. For example, the government provides financial support to individuals or organizations that are developing or implementing projects aimed at reducing energy consumption in Australia. Such tools include energy efficiency grants offered by Australias Department of Industry (Department of Industry, 2016). Households also receive financial incentives and subsidies for energy efficient investments, such as windows, heating systems, insulation, etc. iv) Marketing tools These include corporate reporting, advertising and public procurement. It has become a legal obligation for companies to include information on energy efficiency in their annual report. The government ensures that the information given is true and promotes energy efficiency. Commercial advertising channels such as radio and television commercials, magazines, flyers and billboards are also being used to promote household energy efficiency. Trade Practices Act 1974 (TPA) and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission have established guidelines on how commercial advertising should be done regarding sustainability. The government has also adopted green procurement practices as a way of promoting manufacturing and use of energy efficient domestic appliances, including lighting, dryers and washers, conditioners, ovens and heating systems. f) Opportunities to decrease energy consumption There are multiple ways of reducing household energy consumption. These include: replace devices (such as heating and cooling equipment, electronics and appliances) with energy efficient ones, use of timer switches, programmed switches, manual switching off, off-peak power usage, locate and repair/seal cracks or air leaks, replace inefficient bulbs with more efficient ones (such as compact fluorescents (CFLs), energy-saving incandescent and light emitting diodes (LEDs)), insulate your ceilings and walls, install modern windows (such as double-glazed windows), use of alternative energy. The two options selected for improvement are: purchase energy efficient devices to replace existing ones, and using energy efficient lighting bulbs and/or fixtures. But the first step towards reducing energy consumption at home is to perform an energy audit so as to know how much energy is being consumed (Power Scorecard, 2000). g) Cost benefit analysis i) Purchasing energy efficient electronics and appliances This may seem an expensive option but in the long run, it is very economical. Compare different models of devices and check their Energy Star labels so as to understand how much energy you will be saving. It is very important to focus on the long term benefits of these devices instead of the purchasing budget. It is also important to check whether there is any subsidy program or offers for energy-efficient devices. Energy consumption by these devices can also be reduced further by reducing the frequency of using these devices, changing the devices settings so that they can consume less energy, and unplugging the devices when not in use. ii) Energy efficient lighting This should start by analyzing the type and number of lighting systems in the home. All incandescent lighting systems should then be replaced with LED systems, which are energy efficient. The total cost of the system, including purchase price, installation, operation and maintenance costs have to be considered. There are different types of LEDs so it is important to determine the payback period for each LED system and select the one that has the shortest time. Another option is to use a combination of LEDs and CFLs. Generally, LEDs and CFLs are energy efficient and therefore will reduce energy costs. These bulbs are also durable hence they may be a one-time investment that brings endless returns (Ganandran et al., 2014). This is a good option of reducing household energy consumption considering todays low prices of energy efficient bulbs. h) Best option The best option is purchasing energy efficient electronics and appliances. This is because the devices consume a very large amount of total household energy consumption. Adopting this option means that most of the items in the home will consume less energy, which results into significant savings. References ARENA. (2016). About ARENA. Retrieved from https://arena.gov.au/about-arena/ Australian Bureau of Statistics1. (2010). Australias environment: issues and trends. Retrieved from https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4613.0Feature+Article1Jan+2010 Australian Bureau of Statistics2. (2010). Energy in focus: energy use in Australian homes. Retrieved from https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4614.0.55.001Main+Features2Mar+2010 Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2016). Population clock. 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