Could wind energy be the solution to some of our environmental problems, as well as to the war in Iraq? Wind energy is fairly new to our energy system, but is gaining respect in communities throughout the United States and other countries around the world. McLeish stated, “Wind power is the fastest growing form of renewable energy in the United States” (qtd. in Reynolds 1219). Wind energy has its pros, such as environmental benefits, creating new economies, and easing the huge demand for oil. However, it also has its cons, such as transferring the energy from the source to the market, higher costs, adverse effects on the natural habitat surrounding the wind turbines, and political challenges to overcome. In the next few pages, I will cover some of the pros and cons of the renewable energy form called wind energy.
The first and largest pro of wind energy for me as a consumer and member of society is its positive environmental impact. Wind energy is a renewable resource, which is fantastic! Wind turbines produce energy, and we can use the energy being created without using up any precious non-renewable resource. When oil is burned to produce energy, emissions are created and that increases pollution in our air (Rebenitsch 7). While the wind blows no pollution is being created. Some states are dictating that a percentage of energy used must come from renewable sources by a certain year. For example, New York State must be using 25% renewable energy by 2012 (Reynolds 1219). Right now, consumers in New York City have a choice to switch to wind energy by calling 1-800-780-2884. Customers pay about 7% more for wind energy, but many consumers, such as myself will pay a little extra for the environmental benefits of using a renewable resource and creating less pollution from the burning of oil.
Another benefit of wind energy is that it is helping the economy in areas such as the Dakotas that have seen little economic activity since the Depression (Rebenitsch 6). These prairie states have a huge amount of wind that sweeps across their country every day at a fairly high speed. Rebenitsch states, “Wind energy is unique in that the amount of energy available increases dramatically as the wind’s speed increases” (6). The turbine will begin to move when the wind blows at 3 mph, will produce enough electricity at 8 mph for a few homes, and will produce enough electricity for whole communities when the wind speed increases (Rebenitsch 6). Well then why don’t we install a million turbines on the prairie lands of the Dakotas, you might ask? Well, there are a few problems: transporting the energy created to communities and the government approving the building of these wind farms, but we’ll get to that in a minute.
The last pro that I want to mention is reducing the demand that citizens of the United States have placed on natural gas and oil. This natural gas is being used in each of our homes and our cars, and I believe our demand for natural gas is contributing to the war in Iraq. The demands for oil are not decreasing, yet the prices continue to increase. The United States is not equipped with as much oil as we use, and so we go to countries in the Middle East to meet these needs. If the U.S. could be more self-sufficient in our energy needs then maybe the disputes in the Middle East would cease or at least lessen.
It is hard to imagine that there are any cons or problems involved with wind power, because it seems like such a wonderful solution to our energy crisis. But, there are. The first con is that we currently lack the large transmission lines needed to carry wind energy from the turbines to the cities (Rebenitsch 6). Often cities are located far away from the wind farms. Rebenitsch states, “The electrical grid needed for that task has been described as ‘the biggest machine on the planet’” (6). Yes, building “the biggest machine on the planet” is a problem, but I would like to think of it as a small hurdle that can be overcome with hard-working scientists and a committed community.
The second hurdle that the wind industry faces is cost. First of all, the large turbines are not cheap to manufacture. Secondly, Congress has allowed the production of tax credits to expire several times in the past 10 years, which leads to a boom and bust cycle in the wind industry (Rebenitsch 7). It is much harder to receive investments and make long-range financial plans when the government does not make the tax policies clear and long lasting. Lastly, Rebenitsch states “Most of the transmission lines in the regional grid are 20 to 50 years old,” and to provide adequate energy from the turbines to the cities would require replacing or at least upgrading the system, which would not be cheap (7).
Another interesting difficulty of the wind industry that I came across in my research is that it is affecting the mortality rate on the population in migratory birds in the United States (Reynolds 1219). Johnson states, “In a survey of 9 wind projects across the United States, over 90% of bat mortality occurred during the fall migratory season” (qtd. in Reynolds 1219). At the Mountaineer Wind Energy Center in the Appalachians of West Virginia, a survey estimated that there were over 2,000 dead bats in 2003 and over 4,000 dead bats in 2004 (Reynolds 1219). These mortality rates are astounding, and more research needs to be done in order to protect migratory birds from new and existing wind farms.
The last problem that I want to mention is political, not financial or technical. Virginia Republican Senator John Warner inserted a rider into the 2006 National Defense Authorization Act, which requires Pentagon approval for wind power projects (Niman 4). That doesn’t seem like such a problem, but this new rider has stopped construction on as many as 15 wind farms in the Midwest (Niman 4). To bring us back to the earlier topic of wind energy and its effects on war, I would like to ask the following question. Is it surprising that Senator Warner, who created this rider, received over $221,000 from the oil and gas industry, and more than $785,000 from military contractors in campaign contributions (Niman 5)?
There are many pros and cons to wind energy, and it has been interesting to explore all of the variables from environmental to financial and technical to political. I am in favor of wind energy and hope that the problems that the wind industry is facing are supported and solved in the near future. Once these problems are solved, I believe wind power will help to solve larger problems, such as the high demand for non-renewable resources or the war in Iraq.

Niman, Michael I. “Outlawing the Wind: Oil Republicans Attempt to Thwart Renewable Energy Development. ” The Humanist 66.5 (2006): 4-5. Research Library Core. ProQuest. Empire State College Library, New York City, New York. 10 Oct. 2007. http://www.proquest.com.library.esc.edu/

Rebenitsch, Ron. “Wind Energy: Power from the Prairie. ” The Futurist 41.1 (2007): 6-7. ABI/INFORM Global. ProQuest. Empire State College Library, New York City, New York. 10 Oct. 2007. http://www.proquest.com.library.esc.edu/

Reynolds, Scott D. “Monitoring the Potential Impact of A Wind Development Site on Bats in the Northeast.” Journal of Wildlife Management 70.5 (2006): 1219-1227. Research Library Core. ProQuest. Empire State College Library, New York City, New York. 10 Oct. 2007. http://www.proquest.com.library.esc.edu/

Euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide (PAS), non-voluntary euthanasia, and involuntary euthanasia all hold different meanings, but are usually lumped together in the same arguments for or against helping others to end their lives when they have a terminal disease. Since there is some confusion about the differences of these terms, I want to state ethics advisor Chris Chaloner’s and senior lecturer Karen Sanders’ definition of physician-assisted suicide. It is when “the doctor provides the means and/or guidance, such as a prescription for a lethal dose of medicine, and counseling on doses and methods. He or she does not perform the final act: the patient does” (41). Throughout the next few pages I will touch on the history of physician-assisted suicide and talk about some of its pros and cons.
One of the first and most famous people that are often referred to is Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Later know as “Dr. Death”, Kevorkian offered assisted suicide to patients by starting a saline IV and letting the patient initiate the flow of barbiturates and potassium chloride (Darr 31). After his medical license was taken away for PAS, he began using carbon monoxide, which was breathed through a mask. Although Michigan, the place where these assisted suicides took place, had no law banning assisted suicide, he eventually was prosecuted for second-degree murder. He helped to complete 130 suicides before being sentenced to 10-25 years in prison (Darr 32).
There are many cases of patients wanting help to end their lives and the state or a hospital refusing them that right. In the United States only one state has passed the law for PAS, which is Oregon. This has been a debate and put to trial on multiple occasions, the most famous being the State of Oregon v. Ashcroft. Professor Kurt Darr noted that Justice Anthony Kennedy and five of his colleagues “determined that the CSA does not allow the attorney general to prohibit doctors from prescribing regulated drugs for use in PAS” (34). Oregon has set policies and procedures for PAS, which seem to be working well. Could this be a model for other states and countries?
The list of pros and cons when discussing PAS is endless, but I want to touch base on a few. One argument for PAS is autonomy (self-determination) and human rights. This means that patients have a right to choose to live or die, and those that need assistance in dying have the right to receive it (Chaloner and Sanders 43). If one can write in their living will that they do not want to be kept on life support for weeks, then how does this differ from someone who knows that they are going to die within six months and is in pain, but is refused the assistance to end their life? The British Medical Association declares that doctors have a duty to relieve pain and suffering for patients, and for some, euthanasia or PAS is the only way to achieve this (388-409).
An argument against PAS is that by permitting this, patient’s ability to trust their doctor as a healer will decline. The ‘slippery slope’ argument suggests that euthanasia and PAS could come to be seen as desirable for those who choose it, but also for others who cannot make the decision (BMA 388-409). The last argument that I will mention is that PAS may put a task on a doctor or nurse who does not feel comfortable with administering this decision (Rodrigo 24).
This is just the tip of the iceberg of discussions on physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. From Kevorkian, “Dr. Death”, to the State of Oregon to individual cases, the results have not been finalized. There are many doctors, patients, lawyers, and families that have arguments for or against PAS. We will keep the debates and discussions flowing, and hopefully come to a reasonable resolution that will meet as many needs and wants as possible. Then, we will look to the future to see what it brings.

British Medical Association. “Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide.” Medical Ethics Today: The BMA’s Handbook of Ethics and Law. 2nd ed. London: BMJ Publishing, 2004.
Chaloner, Chris. Sanders, Karen. “Voluntary euthanasia: ethical concepts and definitions.” Nursing Standard 21.35 (2007): 41-44.
Darr, Kurt. “Assistance in Dying: Part II. Assisted Suicide in the United States.” Nexus 85.2 (2007): 31-36.
Rodgrigo, Ana. “Patients’ Moral Choices Must Be Understood and Respected.” Nursing Standard 21.23 (2007): 24.

Dance therapy has helped relieve stress and anxiety in children throughout the world in times of war. Studies have been done in multiple countries showing how dance therapy has affected its population in adults and children. I will explore various types of dance therapy and talk about three specific countries where dance therapy is actively taking place.
The first of three dance therapy methods that I want to talk about is mirroring. “In mirroring, two [or more] dancers face one another and imitate the other’s movements… The teacher may direct the movement by calling out concepts or basic movements”, states Anne Gilbert (94). This exercise is helpful for students in moving through emotions and external and internal environments. If done in a safe, secure environment the child should be able to work through some of the scared and anxious feelings that have been produced. Through mirroring, the children are able to learn to communicate with one another and create an appreciation for each other (Levy, Ranjbar, and Dean 9).
Creative movement is another type of dance therapy, which helps produce joy and a sense of being free in children. In these exercises, children are able to use their imagination to express different feelings that they are going through or possibly wanting to experience, but haven’t due to tensions in their lives. Children can take pleasure in being physically active, and it is found that creative movement is a fantastic way to disperse nervous energy (Meier 628).
Allowing students to choreograph a new piece of work is a self-esteem builder for the choreographer and the students learning the new dance (Meier 628). Students have a tool to express themselves in a constructive manner. Having other children follow one dancer’s creation for just a few minutes can lead to feelings of self-worth, happiness, and feeling proud. Often adding costumes to this mix can add another level of joy. Ms. Meier states, “dance costumes…seemed an important way to return them to their normal lives, as similar activities occurred before the war” (628).
In completing my research, I found that dance therapy is not only happening in the United States, but many other countries throughout the world. I was drawn to the studies done in Iraq, Israel, and the United States. Currently Iraqi children are exposed to war in their lives, which can produce a large amount of anxiety and suffering. There is an ancient fire dance, that was once outlawed, that is now being performed by men and boys. In this dance, the Iraqis dance over the flames and believe that this frees the soul of sickness and bad thoughts (Prouse 191). They dance to express all types of emotions, especially as a celebration of strength over evil (Levy, Ranjbar, and Dean 7).
Dance therapy is also helping to relieve stress and teach important life lessons to those in Israel. Studies in Israel show that children’s efforts and reactions to cope with traumatic anxiety and helplessness vary depending on their age (Meier 626). In the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company of Israel, there is a special repertory dedicated to children to help teach them life lessons, such as the danger of intolerance and the acceptance of the unusual (Levy, Ranjbar, and Dean 8). These ballets are helpful, because they are a teaching method for life’s lessons. They are also a chance for children to learn dances, feel free to move, and build their self-esteem through dance.
Children have also been affected by war and terrorism right here in the United States. They deal with the fear of losing a loved one and the anxieties that go along with war. Right after 9/11, New York City public schools had the benefit of the program called “American Ballroom Theatre Dancing Classrooms.” The program held a citywide ballroom competition for fifth graders. This gave the students a sense of pride, something to keep their minds off of the attack, and a new understanding of various cultures. Movement and physical education can provide a sense of accomplishment for children who are struggling with feelings of helplessness (Levy, Ranjbar, and Dean 6).
In conclusion, dance therapy helps relieve stress and can be found accomplishing this in many countries throughout the world. I believe that it is important that we put programs in place to help the children who are exposed to war at such early ages. War does affect them and will continue to lead their thoughts and actions throughout their lives. If we do not find ways to help the children, then we will grow up with an era of people that have a high level of post-traumatic stress disorder and are having a hard time leading the country in a peaceful state.

Gilbert, Anne Green. Brain-Compatible Dance Education. Reston: National Dance Association, 2006.
Levy, Fran J., Azita Ranjbar, and Colleen Hearn Dean. “Dance Movement as a Way to Help Children Affected by War.” Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance 77.5 (2006): 6-12.
Meier, Eileen. “Effects of Trauma and War on Children.” Pediatric Nursing 28.6 (2002): 626-629.
Prouse, Anne. Two Birthdays in Baghdad: Finding the Heart of Iraq (E. Griffith, Trans.). Washington, DC: Howells House, 2005.