Utilization of Marigold Extract as Household Insecticide

UTILIZATION OF MARIGOLD EXTRACT (Tagestes erecta L. ) AND CIGARETTE BUTTS AS HOUSEHOLD INSECTICIDE INTRODUCTION Most insecticides effective for household use are inorganic which tend to be harmful to the user and to the environment. Recent statistics show that 75% of households use some form of insecticide, with much of this being used indoors. They are used to kill ants and roaches, mosquitoes, flea and tick. By design these products are all intended to be lethal – to insects that is! People can be affected to some degree as all. Thus, this study aimed to develop an alternative household insecticide utilizing the Extract from Marigold Plant (Tagetes erecta L. ) and recycled cigarette butts as highly economic, environmentally safe and user friendly insecticide preparation with no cost. Marigold Plant is said to contain an active ingredient, phototoxin Alpha-terthienyl which functions as a nematicide. It is more effective when it is being exposed to sunlight since it generates its phototoxin which makes an interesting natural insecticide. Statement of the Problem: This study aims to investigate the feasibility of Marigold Extract as an alternative household insecticide. Specifically the study sought to answer the following questions: 1. What are the active chemical components found on Marigold Extract making it ideal as an insecticide alternative? 2. Is there a significant difference on the effect of different Marigold Extract Concentrations on the mortality rate of the insects? 3. Is the use of Marigold Extract feasible as a household insecticide? Significance of the Study The quality of the environment in which people work, live or play, the health of individuals, the quality of certain goods such as food products can all be affected by insects of different kinds. From time to time, it happens that new kinds of diseases even appear in our environment which are spread around by insects imported from remote areas together with goods. Insecticides can help to address these cases of emergencies. This study aimed to develop an alternative household insecticide utilizing the Extract from Marigold Plant (Tagetes erecta L. ) and recycled cigarette butts as highly economic, environmentally safe and user friendly insecticide preparation with no cost. The result of the study is expected to give information and knowledge to widely addressed the growing demand of ridding these irritating insects out of our sights at the expense of those materials that we could actually found inside our household. OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS Cigarette butts – are the residue bottom part of a cigarette containing alkaloid nicotine. Extract – obtain something from source: to obtain something from a source, usually by separating it out from other material Insects – are a  class  of living creatures that have a  three-part body three pairs of jointed   and two  antennae. Just like mosquitoes, cockroaches, tick, fleas. Insecticides- An  insecticide  is a  pesticide  used against  insects. They include ovicides and  larvicides  used against the  eggs  and  larvae  of insects respectively. Marigold – is an erect, smooth, branched, rank-smelling herb, o. 3 to 0. 8 meters high. Leaves are 4 to 7 cm long, deeply pinnatifid with linear-lanceolate segments. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Marigold (Tagetes erecta L. ) is an erect, smooth, branched, rank-smelling herb, o. 3 to 0. 8 meters high. Leaves are 4 to 7 cm long, deeply pinnatifid with linear-lanceolate segments. Heads are solitary, 1. 5 to 2 cm in diameter, borne on long peduncles, which are thickened upward. Flowers are pale to deep yellow, sometimes red. Flowers yield a yellow crystalline substance, quercetagetine. The dye was found several shades browner than quercetin. (http://www. primaryinfo. com/industry/tagetes-oil. htm) Marigold Plant is said to contain an active ingredient, phototoxin Alpha-terthienyl which functions as a nematicide. It is more effective when it is being exposed to sunlight since it generates its phototoxin which makes an interesting natural insecticide. Study of roots, leaves and flowers yielded thiophenes, steroidal and terpenoidal type constituents. And these secretions coming from the extracted part provides an insecticidal effect on the soil, against nematodes and keeled slugs and insects. (http://www. homeremedycentral. com) While marigolds (Tagetes species) are typically grown for ornamental purposes as bedding plants, studies have found that they can be highly toxic to plant-parasitic nematodes and are capable of suppressing a wide range (up to 14 genera) of nematode pests. Marigold plants produce a number of potentially bioactive compounds, among which ? therthienyl is recognized as one of the most toxic. This sulfur-containing compound is abundant in marigold tissues, including roots. It has nematicidal, insecticidal, fungicidal, antiviral, and cytotoxic activities, and it is believed to be the main compound responsible for the nematicidal activity of marigold. (Topp, E. , S. Miller, H. Bork, and M. Welsh. 1998. ) The contr ol of insect populations  is the reason for the use of insecticides. The suffix ‘-cide' refers to killing. The term may refer to sprays that are chemical, homemade, or organic. The more powerful insecticides have the capability of almost totally eliminating an insect population from a specified area. The less powerful may require several appliations before the desired effects become obvious. (http://wiki. answers. com) METHODOLOGY Inventions have evolved and continue to evolve such that after several years of study, research and experimentation reach great developments. With continuing efforts to investigate the constituents of Philippine plants, we have pursued investigation of the feasibility of Marigold Extract as an ideal component for a household insecticide. Marigold plant parts (Flowers and leaves) were gathered, ground and squeezed and extracted. Extracting the Plant and Cigarette Butts 1. Gather  and collect 3 partitions of (75 grams, 50 grams and 25 grams) of Marigold Plants and leaves. 2. Wash the parts and pound separately with the use of mortar and pestle. 3. Placed the pounded parts into a cheesecloth to squeezed the extract. 4. Gather three, 25 grams of cigarette butts. Remove the cigarette wrappers to expose the tobacco. 5. Pound the tobacco to fine powder using mortar and pestle. 6. Passed the powdered tobacco through a mesh sieve. Preparing the Insecticide Concentrations For Set-up 1: 1. Combined the 75 grams extracted Marigold Plant with 25 grams pounded tobacco from cigarette butts. 2. Add 100 ml of water and 1. 5 grams of detergent powder as surface active agent. 3. Filter the mixture with a cheesecloth. 4. Label the product and let it stay for 2 hours before using. For Set-up 2: 1. Combined 50 grams of extracted Marigold Plant with 25 gram pounded cigarette butts. 2. Do the same procedure with that of Set-up 1. For Set-up 3: 1. Combined 25 grams of Extracted Marigold Plant with 25 gram pounded cigarette butts. . Do the same procedure with that of the 2 Set-ups. 3. Label the product and ready for use as an insecticide spray. Statistical Tools Used After the data were all gathered, it was tabulated and interpreted using the following statistical tools. A. Percentage – is used in ranking the mortality rate of each sample insects using the different set-ups. X where x= mortality rate % = n (100) n = tot al number of observation B. Mean is used to determine whether there exists significant relationship among the variables. fo where fo = total number of observed samples x= n n = no. of set-ups RESULTS AND DISCUSSION This chapter presents the results, analyzes and interprets the findings in accordance with the specific problems of the study. The main concern of the study is to determine the feasibility of Marigold Extract as an active component for household insecticide. Table 1. Effect of Marigold Concentrations on the Mortality of Insects |Set-ups |No. of Mosquitoes |Percentage (%) |No. of Cockroaches |Percentage (%) | |. 10 |100 |10 |100 | |Set-up 1 | | | | | |Set-up 2 |8 |80 |7 |70 | |Set-up 3 |8 |80 |6 | 60 | |Total |26 |87% |23 |77% | |Mean |8. 7 | |7. 66 | | Based on the table above, results showed that Set-up 1 got the highest mortality rate in both Mosquito and Cockroaches Sample. Out of 10 Mosquitoes and Cockroaches, Set-up 1 got a 100% mortality rate. It was then followed b y the concentration of Set-up 2 with 80% mortality rate for mosquito samples and 70% for cockroaches. Lastly Set-up 3 got 80% mortality rate for mosquito sample and 60% for cockroaches sample respectively. Table 2. The Frequency of Spray Concentration on Mortality of Insects |Set-ups |Frequency of Spray | | |Mosquito |Cockroach | |Set-up 1 |6 |10 | |Set-up 2 |9 |12 | |Set-up 3 |12 |15 | |Mean |9 |12. 33 | Table 2 shows the Frequency of Spray for each Set-up concentrations towards mortality of insect samples. Set-up 1 got the least number of sprays required for the insect to totally rid. Followed by Set-up 2 and Set-up 3 respectively. The three Set-ups got a Mean of 9 sprays for Mosquito samples and 12 sprays for Cockroach samples. FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS This chapter presents the summary of the findings of the study regarding the feasibility of Marigold Extract and Cigarette butts as Household Insecticide. Conclusions drawn from the results gathered as well as the possible recommendation of researchers are presented in this chapter. Summary of Findings Results of the study revealed the following findings: 1. Among the three set-ups being introduced, Set-up 1 (75 g Marigold Extract Concentration) got the highest mortality rate among insect samples. Out of 10 insect samples, Set-up 1 got 100% mortality rate. 2. Among the three set-ups, Set-up 1 (w/ 75 g Marigold Extract) got the least number of frequency needed in spraying the insects to totally rid them. Conclusions: Based from the summary of findings, the following conclusions were drawn: 1. The greater is the concentration of Marigold Extract, the greater also is the mortality rate of the insect samples. 2. The greater is the concentration of Marigold Extract, the least number of spray is needed to totally rid those insect samples. 3. There is a significant difference between the concentration of Marigold extract and its effect towards the Mortality rate of insects. 4. Marigold Extract can be utilized as an active component for an alternative household insecticide. Although its shelf life is short. The formulations lasted five days before molds were observed. Recommendations: 1. Future studies will be conducted to enhance or lengthen the utilization period (expiry period) of the insecticide. 2. Another active ingredients can be added to the mixture to enhance its feasibility as household insecticide. 3. Essential Oils can be added to avoid the stingy-irritating odor of insecticide. BIBLIOGRAPHY Leopold, A. Carl. (1994). Plant Growth and Development: Pest Control. USA:McGraw Hill Inc. pp 327-336. Topp, E. , S. Miller, H. Bork, and M. Welsh. (1998. ) Botany: Wonders of Marigold. New York: Harper and Row, Publishing Inc. pp. 301 – 315. Miller, H. Bork, and M. Welsh. 1998. Effects of marigold (Tagetes sp. ) roots on soil Microorganisms. Biology and Fertility of Soils 27: 149–154 http://www. primaryinfo. com/industry/tagetes-oil. htm http://www. homeremedycentral. com http://wiki. answers. com

New SAT in 2016 Reading Section Changes + Strategies

New SAT in 2016 Reading Section Changes + Strategies SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips As you may know, the College Board recently debuted itsnew version of the SAT. There are some pretty significant changes in the Critical Reading section, and you should make sure you're fully prepared for what’s ahead. In this article I’ll tell you what the major differences are and how you can make sure you’re using the right studying strategies to get ready for the redesigned SAT. Reading: The Major Changes in the 2016 New SAT All Questions Are Passage-Based You heard me - no more sentence completion questions!Because sentence completion questions relied on preexisting knowledge of obscure words, the SAT has decided to do away with them in favor of more on vocabulary in context questions. One of the goals of the new test is to focus on assessing the basic critical skills students will need in order to succeed in college and their careers.Knowing super advanced vocabulary words, while occasionally valuable, is not a skill that most people require to succeed in life.Understanding the nuances in meaning of more common words, however, is very useful, along with strong reading comprehension skills. That's why all the questions are now based on challenging passages that deal with subject matter that is relevant to soon-to-be college students. The Subject Matter of Passages Is Pre-Determined Much like the passages on the ACT, the passages on the new SAT come from specific subject areas rather than drawing from an unpredictable pool of different subjects. The new Reading section consists of: One passage dealing with US and World Literature Two passages dealing with History and Social Studies Two passages dealing with Science This is a move towards more transparency on the test in terms of making the material more predictable so students will know exactly what to expect.The passages also draw from more recent and real life examples to make them highly relevant to students. New "Find the Evidence" Questions There is a subcategory of questions on the new SAT Reading section that has never been included on the test before. You'll get a list of four quotes from the passage and have to choose the one that provides the best evidence for your answer to the previous question. These questions force you to double check your thought process and confirm that your answer had support in the text. In this way, they could actually help you to avoid careless mistakes. The goal of these questions is to reinforce higher-level reasoning skills that are critical for reading comprehension. There Is Data Interpretation The new SAT reading section also contains some questions that ask you to interpret data that’s incorporated into the passages.There are charts and graphs on the test for the first time. This means that you can expect to see SAT Critical Reading questions that are similar to Science questions on the ACT.Don’t worry though - you don’t have to study science facts in order to do well on the new reading section. You just need to be able to interpret data logically based on visual representations and information in the passages. There Will Be...Data Interpretation. Your Strategy: The Major Changes Don’t Focus on Vocabulary Studying vocabulary has never been as important as people make it out to be for the SAT, and now with these new changes it’s even more irrelevant.Knowing a lot of big words no longer gives you much of an advantage (if any) on the test.Yes, there are stillvocabulary in context questions, but passage reading and interpretation skills will help you a lot more than vocabulary knowledge on those. If vocabulary is a big weakness for you, and you think it could still affect your reading comprehension, you should take a look at this article on the best way to study SAT vocab. It includes a free download of 200 vocabulary flashcards containing the words that are most likely to appear on the SAT. Our article on how to answer sentence completion questions without knowing vocabulary might also be helpful. Even though there aren't any sentence completion questions on the new SAT, the skills outlined in the article in terms of using connotation and process of elimination will still be useful for you if your vocabulary knowledge is weaker. Hone Your Passage Reading Skills This one is pretty obvious. Since the new test is all passage-based, you need to have really strong reading comprehension skills.Make sure you prepare a good strategy for attacking passages before the test. Here are the two methods we recommend: #1: Skim the Passage, Then Read the Questions A good skimming strategy is to read the first and last paragraphs of the passage and the first and last sentences of each body paragraph.This gives you a good sense of the main ideas and arguments presented in the passage without having to read the entire thing through.When you move onto the questions, you can read more specifically for little picture questions that give line numbers. #2: Read the Questions First, Read the Passage Later if Necessary You can also take the opposite tactic and go straight for the questions.If you use this strategy, make sure you answer questions that give specific line numbers first.By the time you answer all the specific questions about the passage and have to move onto big picture questions, it’s likely you will have already read enough to understand the main ideas fairly well. You might be able to get away with reading the passage closely right off the bat, but you can save yourself a lot of time and stress by either skimming or skipping it initially. If a passage includes corresponding graphs or charts, that means you'll see some data interpretation questions. If you know these types of questions are easier for you, you should read the graph first and see if you can answer any of them without the information in the passage. If you struggle with data interpretation, however, you might want to wait until after you read the passage so you have more context for the information in the graph. As a subset of passage reading skills, you should also be extra careful on the new SAT with interpreting texts.There are more passages that are relevant to your life or to recent events, which means it will be more difficult for you to adopt an unbiased attitude.It’s absolutely crucial that you keep yourself focused on the concrete information presented in the passage and avoid interpreting it based on your personal feelings. Practice Scientific Reasoning As mentioned above, the new SAT Critical Reading section has questions that ask about interpreting data in charts and graphs.Some questions will also ask you to select the best evidence for your answer to a previous question.Overall, this means you need to have a strong grasp on logical and scientific reasoning skills. To practice for this aspect of the new SAT, use ACT Science practice tests.Answering ACT Science questionsrequies similar skills to answering the new data interpretation questions on the SAT. Additionally, on old-version Critical Reading practice questions, make sure you fully understand where you got your answer. If you practice being aware of where the evidence for your answer for each question comes from, the new evidence questions will be easy for you.Think of them as a way to verify that your answer to the previous question was correct. They force you to rethink your answer and confirm that it was based on strong evidence. This actually isn't much different from what you've always done on the SAT - remember that the fundamental rule is that you must learn to eliminate three out of the four answer choices, and there is only one absolutely correct choice based on concrete evidence in the passage. Wow, Evidence! Have you been working out? The Bottom Line The Major Changes to the Reading Section Are: No more Sentence Completion questions Predictable passage subjects Find the Evidence questions Data interpretation questions You Should Adapt Your Study Strategy By: Focusing less on vocabulary Honing your passage reading skills Strengthen your scientific reasoning skills The new version of the SAT reading section is different, but it shouldn’t be more difficult than the old one if you know what to expect! What's Next? Ready to get started preparing for the new SAT? Check out our article on how to study for it. Are you not sure whether you should take the new SAT or the ACT? In this article we give you a full breakdown of the differences between the two to help you decide. Read this article for a list of SAT test dates for the 2015-2016 school year so you can plan out your studying better! Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

MENDEZ Surname Meaning and Family History

MENDEZ Surname Meaning and Family History Mendez is a patronymic surname meaning son or descendant of Mendel or Mendo, both given names that derived as a reduced form of the medieval name Menendo, itself derived from the Visigothic name Hermenegildo, meaning  complete sacrifice from the Germanic elements ermen, meaning whole, entire, and gild, meaning value, sacrifice.  Mendes is the Portuguese equivalent of the Mendez surname. The beginnings of the Mendez surname have been traced back primarily to the village of Celanova, Spain, according to the Instituto Genealà ³gico e Histà ³rico Latino-Americano. Mendez is the 39th most common Hispanic surname. Surname Origin:  Spanish Alternate Surname Spellings:  MENDES, MENENDEZ, MENENDES, MÉNDEZ, MÉNDES   Famous People with the Surname MENDEZ Fernando Lugo Mà ©ndez - a former Catholic Bishop and the current President of ParaguayEva Mendes - American actress and international spokeswoman for Revlon CosmeticsTony Mendez -  CIA officer best known for efforts  during the 1979 Iran hostage Where is the MENDEZ Surname Most Commonly Found? The Mendez surname is most prevalent in Mexico, according to surname distribution data from Forebears. It is most common, however, in Guatemala, where it ranks as the 16th most common surname in the country, followed by Venezuela (28th), the Dominican Republic (32nd), and Mexico and Nicaragua (35th). Mendes is also the 50th most common last name in Spain where, according to WorldNames PublicProfiler, it is found in greatest numbers in Asturias, where the surname is believed to have originated, followed by the Canary Islands and Galicia.  The Mendes spelling, meanwhile, is found more commonly in France (especially in the area around Paris) and Switzerland (especially the Genfersee region).   Genealogy Resources for the Surname MENDEZ 50 Common Hispanic Surnames Their MeaningsGarcia, Martinez, Rodriguez, Lopez, Hernandez... Are you one of the millions of people sporting one of these top 50 common Hispanic last names? Mendez  Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Mendez  family crest or coat of arms for the Mendez surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. Mendes DNA Surname ProjectMales with the Mendes, Mendez and other surname variants are invited to join this DNA project to combine Y-DNA testing and traditional genealogical research to sort out various Mendes and Mendez family lines. MENDEZ Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Mendez surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Mendez query. FamilySearch - MENDEZ  GenealogyExplore over 2  million  historical records which mention individuals with the Mendez surname, as well as online Mendez family trees on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. MENDEZ Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Mendez surname. DistantCousin.com - MENDEZ Genealogy Family HistoryFree databases and genealogy links for the last name Mendez. GeneaNet - Mendez  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Mendez  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Mendez  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Mendez  from the website of Genealogy Today.- References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back to  Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

All About Old Growth or Virgin Forests

All About Old Growth or Virgin Forests An old growth forest, late serial forest, primary forest or ancient forest is a woods of great age that exhibits unique biological features. Depending on tree species and forest type, the age can be from 150 to 500 years. Old growth forests typically contain a mixture of large live and dead trees or snags. Unharvested fallen tree logs in various states of decay litter the forest floor. Some environmentalists blame the dramatic loss of U.S. old growth forests to exploitation and disruption by Euro-Americans. It is true that old growth stands need a century or more to grow. How Will You Know You are in an Old Growth Forest? Foresters and botanists use certain criteria to determine old growth. Sufficient age and minimal disturbance is necessary to be classified as old growth. Characteristics of old-growth forest will include presence of older trees, minimal signs of human disturbance, mixed-age stands, canopy openings due to tree falls, pit-and-mound topography, downed and decaying wood, standing snags, multi-layered canopies, intact soils, a healthy fungal ecosystem, and presence of indicator species. What is a Second Growth Forest? Forests regenerated after harvests or severe disruptions like fire, storms or insects is often referred to as a second-growth forest or regeneration until a long enough period has passed that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident. Depending on the forest, to become an old growth forest again may take anywhere from one to several centuries. Hardwood forests of the eastern United States can develop old-growth characteristics with several generations of trees existing in the same forest ecosystem, or 150-500 years. Why are Old Growth Forests Important? Old growth forests are often rich, biodiverse communities harboring wide varieties of plants and animals. These species must live under stable conditions free from severe disturbance. Some of these arboreal creatures are rare. The age of the oldest trees in an ancient forest indicates that destructive events over a long period were of moderate intensity and did not kill all the vegetation. Some suggest that old growth forests are carbon sinks that lock up carbon and help prevent global warming.

Labor law and overtime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Labor law and overtime - Essay Example There is an exemption to-overtime-pay for employees working in police department, fire fighters, and employees working in the hospitals like nurses (Solis, 2012). Exemption from overtime applies to registered nurses and those who earn $455 per week. Nurses who receive an hourly pay will qualify for overtime. Additionally, labour laws give room for an agreement between the employer and the employees. A nurse can receive extra pay for working on weekends, on call, or working at night according to the agreement with the employer. There is a law that protects nurses from working overtime. According to New York Department of labour, restrictions on consecutive hours of work for nurses, law effected on 1 July 2009 prohibits healthcare employers from mandating overtime for nurses. This law covers registered professional nurses or licensed practical nurses that provide direct patient care through contracts with third party staffing providers. The law applies on part time bases, full time, and to nurses working under contracts, (â€Å"New York Department of labour,† 2012). It is not allowed for a nurse to engage in voluntary work ask for pay. At the time of employment, every nurse signs a contract that stipulates the terms of employment. A contract guides and binds the nurse, the employer to the terms recorded, and nothing outside the contract is

The Process of Managing and Design of Projects in the Construction Essay

The Process of Managing and Design of Projects in the Construction Industry - Essay Example The building has large gently sloping roofs with open vaulted ceilings and steel truss systems. It has large walls roofs and magnificent floor panels. The straight walls prevent bowing and curve hence enabling installation of tall shelves and cabinets. The building envelope considers the heated and unheated general warehouses for the rack, bulk, and storage of bins, shipping space, creating and toilet space. The design focuses on functionality and efficiency, safety, comfort, display of aesthetics, landscaping, and work safety among others. The form of the retail warehouse considers storage space, office space, and dockyard for loading, space for light industry and centres for computers. Meanwhile, warehouses are designing based on future and current needs; maximize space with good and sufficient employee movement and material handling. Layout and configuration should be optimized for quick material handling and storage. Connect the exterior and interior for goods flow in the process . Aisle widths, the design of lighting, mezzanine space, fire guards and egress design is provided for alternative material handling methods. This consists of narrow two-story terraced bungalows sitting on large block s in the city suburbs. These flats are indeed increasing in numbers. The locality may constitute both detached and semi-detached houses. The choice of terraced forms is its prevalence in the inner city which came into existence before the establishments of car bazaars. Population growth has necessitated the growth of multi-unit apartments. This has also been provoked by pressure on the environment and economy to reduce family numbers.

Teens and Guns Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Teens and Guns - Essay Example "In addition, during this same period, the number of juvenile arrests for weapons violations increased 117 percent." ("Reduce", n.d.). "When guns are the weapon of choice, juvenile violence becomes deadly." ("APA", 1993). The logical statistics show this to be true. During the period between 1976-1991, firearms were used by 65% of juvenile homicide offenders, and firearms were used in nearly 8 out of every 10 juvenile homicides in 1991, compared with 6 out of every 10 in 1976. Between 1979 and the present day, the rate of suicide among youth ages 15 to 19 increased over 31 percent, and firearms were used in 6 out of 10 of these suicides. Depression is statistically at a significantly high level among the youth of today; research has shown that approximately 1 in 5 teens will have at least one episode of major depression by the time they are 18 years of age. Depressed teens are at more risk for suicide, and research shows that teens and preteens commit suicide with guns more than any other method. "When teenagers are angry or depressed, they are more likely to kill themselves or harm themselves or others if they can easily get a gun." ("Focus", 2000). Violence is a learned behavior, and children learn this behavior from their family and their peers, as well as from items of media such as television, music, movie videos, and video games. Another form of learned violence occurs when a child is brought up in an abusive home, where they see violence or when they are physically or sexually abused themselves. Research studies have in fact shown that violent behavior can be decreased or even prevented if factors such as these were eliminated. Studies also show that if you have a gun in your home, you are 5 times more likely to have a suicide in your house than homes without a gun. In relation to this, there is a stance against guns which believes that there should be much stronger gun control laws, and that the subject of teens and guns should be taken significantly into consideration. Those who are involved in this stance believe that the only way to make a positive change in the current situation of teens and guns is by reducing the environment of fear and that in order to achieve the greatest reduction in the number of weapon-carrying youth is by directing any and all efforts at the most frequent weapon carriers. It is believed by Alfred Blumstein (2002) that "the dynamics are extremely different when a handgun is present; the conflict escalates well before anyone can retreat or intervene. Once handguns become prevalent in a neighborhood, each person who carries one has an incentive to make a preemptive strike before his adversary does." Blumstein's observations also suggest that "the growth in homicide committed by young people during the 1980s was attributable more to the weapons they used than to the emergence of inadequately socialized cohorts of 'super predators'." In retaliation against those who comprise guns and say that they are at fault for the strikingly high crime, homicide, and suicide rates among teens; these people attempt to make strong points such as that "cars kill more teens than guns. Alcohol kills more teens than guns. Disease kills more teens than guns." (Glover, 1999). The aim of those involved in this stance is to make known that guns are in fact not the leading killer among teens, and that the 'real' sources should be properly identified