Essay topic:

Many people believe that an effective public transport system is a key component of a modern city.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of public transport.

Officials in many cities are keen to develop efficient public transport systems. While public transport has
many benefits, there are also some drawbacks which are worth considering.

Public transport has numerous advantages. Firstly, public transport can help to reduce air pollution in
cities that means it is environmentally friendly, because the number of vehicles in the road will be much
reduced. As a result, less carbon emissions which may not affect on global warming. Secondly,
investment in buses and trains will ease traffic congestion. This is because, it can accommodate so many
passengers at a time. To decrease traffic jams and traffic overload for example in London people prefers
to public transport rather than private transport. Thirdly, well-designed transport systems are
comfortable and more convenient to the public, it is often faster and cheaper compared to private cars.
Finally, the modern public transport system such as buses or trains are safer than the use of my-car. In
fact, a large number of people are victimized by a car accident every year. And public transportation are
well-operated by a specialized company or a government and all drivers or operators are well-trained to
save customer life.

On the other hand, the negative sides of public transportation cannot be avoided. It is often slow and
unreliable to people. Metro systems and trains are often dirty and crowded. For instance, sometimes
people get injured in the busy hour. And it is difficult for handicap passengers to use during during rush
hour. People feel like sardines in a can. Furthermore, as there are lots of passengers are travelling at
the same time, there are no privacy in the public buses and trains. From this perspective, I think that
cars are much more comfortable and convenient.

My conclusion is then that there are more advantages than disadvantages to use public transportation.
So, government should encourage more people to use buses or cars rather than driving.



IMPORTANCE and BENEFITS OF SPORTS
Have you ever thought why people do sports? Absolutely, many people seem not to know the reasons.
As a anectode, there are many people who do sports for nothing around us. Everyday we can encounter
with these people. They regularly do sports; however, none of them realizes the benefits and
importance of sports. In fact, vice versa, some people want to be fit and attractive, look smart.
Unfortunately, these people cant consider other benefits of sports. In my opinion, there are several
benefits of sports that people often do not consider: sports are required to be healthy people, are
needed for enjoyment, and are great market for countries economies.

The first advantage of sports for people is that they help people be healthy, and be fit. Throughout
history, people cant give up their interest at their body. I belive that now many people love themselves
no matter how beautiful or ugly they are. Naturally, peoples first aim should be healthy and fit with the
benefits of sports. Due to this fact that Sports keep our body healthy. As a possible example, imagine
that there is a car which has not worked for years. If you try to run the motor engine, it will not work
anymore since it has been rusted and its engine may be broken down. As a result, people is smillar to
engines and motors. If we dont do sports, we will be forced to rust, in other words, decomposition of
our body; afterwards, we may have some problems with our body when we even need to small walk. In
addition, sports balance our bodys blood pressure and circulation. According to many researchs which
have been done by scientists, we can prove the importance of sports for our health because 70% middle
aged people who did not do sports in their youth are now struggling with the problems such as high
tension, trouble with blood circulation, easily become tired due to the lack of sports.

The second advantage of sports for people is that they are required for our daily lives and competing at
the internatinal area because of enjoyment of sports. For many years, sports have been done by people.
For example, have you ever thought why people want to play football or other games? The answer may
be easy since sports are entertaining. They are sometimes magics as they catch our attention and give
us pleasure as much as we need. Sometimes overwhelming life conditions may be unfair and make us
unhappy. However, if there is a sport activity when we are unhappy, we will probably be motivated and
be refreshed again after the sport activity. This should be the most important benefit of sports because
many people do sports for this reason. In addition, have you ever thought why millions of people watch
World Cup match without breathing? There might be some reasons behind the action of watching
football match. The most important one might be the excitement and enjoyment of sport. Football
match is exhilating because it gives us pleasure to watch. In the pitch and near the pitch, there are more
than 18 men, and they are the representative of our sport culture. Within the excitment of sports,
countries are able to compete in the international area. Due to this fact people like sports since they and
their countries are able to compete and beat opponent countries and this is the most important reason
to take pleasure from sports.

The final and least advantage of sports is that they are the huge market for countries economy. First of
all, if we look at only football industry. There are more than thousand professional team and at least
these team have 25 players. If this is calculated, there are approximately 25000 players without working
staff, scouts, coaches and managers. This shoud be the largest industry which employs many people in
Turkey. In addition, countries and clubs have to establish new facilities for sports game. Some of them
are the largest buldings in the entire country that represent countries, for example Ataturk Olympic
Stadium in Turkey. Supplying funds for this buldings may be the publicity of countries since constructing
well designed stadiums help country preapare or organize big competitons such as World Cup, Olympics,
and Tennis Tournaments. Finally, sports allow advertisement companies to make publicity of strong
brands. For example, sponsorship is one of the best publicity of one company. Everyone watchs thier
favourite team or atlethe, and audiance will probably see the sponsor of team or atlethe. For example,
in England, Manchester United which is one of the most powerful clubs in international area has a
sponsor called Vodafone. I am from Turkey, and I even know its sponsor. This will probably show the
effectiveness of sponsorship in sports.

All in all, we can conclude that there are several advantages and benefits of sports. First, sports are
required by people to be fit, smart, and good looking. Second, sports are entertaining due to many facts.
Third, sports are the huge market for countries economies. In my opinion, despite sports advantages,
many people cant believe that sports are useful and beneficial. I hope that in the future these people
will tend to be more optimistically to sports since they are the neccessity of our lives.

History of ancient Olympics
According to historical records, the first ancient Olympic Games can be traced back to 776 BC.
They were dedicated to the Olympian gods and were staged on the ancient plains of Olympia.
They continued for nearly 12 centuries, until Emperor Theodosius decreed in 393 A.D. that all
such "pagan cults" be banned.

Olympia
Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games, is in the western part of the Peloponnese which,
according to Greek mythology, is the island of "Pelops", the founder of the Olympic Games.
Imposing temples, votive buildings, elaborate shrines and ancient sporting facilities were
combined in a site of unique natural and mystical beauty. Olympia functioned as a meeting place
for worship and other religious and political practices as early as the 10th century B.C. The
central part of Olympia was dominated by the majestic temple of Zeus, with the temple of Hera
parallel to it.
The Games and religion
The Olympic Games were closely linked to the religious festivals of the cult of Zeus, but were
not an integral part of a rite. Indeed, they had a secular character and aimed to show the physical
qualities and evolution of the performances accomplished by young people, as well as
encouraging good relations between the cities of Greece. According to specialists, the Olympic
Games owed their purity and importance to religion.
Victory Ceremonies
The Olympic victor received his first awards immediately after the competition. Following the
announcement of the winner's name by the herald, a Hellanodikis (Greek judge) would place a
palm branch in his hands, while the spectators cheered and threw flowers to him. Red ribbons
were tied on his head and hands as a mark of victory.
The official award ceremony would take place on the last day of the Games, at the elevated
vestibule of the temple of Zeus. In a loud voice, the herald would announce the name of the
Olympic winner, his father's name, and his homeland. Then, the Hellanodikis placed the sacred
olive tree wreath, or kotinos, on the winner's head.
London 2012 olympics
London 2012 by numbers
The Olympic Games are one of the biggest and most complex events in the world, as highlighted
by some of these mind-boggling facts and figures
26 sports, featuring 39 disciplines, were contested during the Games across 34 venues
The Olympic Park, which held nine venues, was 2.5sq km in size equivalent to 357 football
pitches
8.8 million tickets were available for the London 2012 Olympic Games
About 10,500 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees took part in the Games, with
302 medal events being held
Over 21,000 accredited media communicated the Games to a potential worldwide audience of 4
billion people
There were also 2,961 technical officials and 5,770 team officials
A total workforce of around 200,000 people, including more than 6,000 staffs, 70,000
volunteers and 100,000 contractors, were involved in the Games
LOCOG had sourced over one million pieces of sport equipment for the Games, including 510
adjustable hurdles for athletics, 600 basket balls, 2,700 foot balls and 356 pairs of boxing gloves
During the Games, 20 million spectator journeys were made in London, including three million
on the busiest day of the Games
Approximately 14 million meals were served at the Games, including 45,000 per day in the
Olympic Village

Economy
The Indian economy grew at its slowest pace in a decade in 2012-13, posing another fresh challenge for
the UPA coalition to revive growth and boost sentiment ahead of the general elections next year.

Data released by the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) on Friday showed that the economy grew 5%
in 2012-13, compared to 6.2% expansion in the previous year. It was in line with the advanced estimates
released earlier.

The economy grew 4.8% in the January-March period, the fourth quarter of the 2012-13 fiscal year,
marginally above the upwardly revised 4.7% expansion in the previous quarter, providing some hope of
a tentative turnaround. But the overall economic scenario still remains challenging and the GDP data
should come as a wake-up call for the government.
Us economy
Today, President Obama said the economy has had problems for ten years now, its not going to
reverse overnight. Ten years ago, the unemployment rate was 4.3% and national debt was less
than half of what it is today. In the last two years, President Obama has added over $3.7 trillion
to the debt, while unemployment has remained above 8.5% for the past 27 months. The numbers
simply dont support President Obamas revisionist history.

President Obama: No matter what you may hear, theres no silver bullet to reverse a
decade of economic challenges. Weve had problems for 10 years now, its not going to
reverse overnight. (President Obama, 6/28/11)

10 Years Ago:
National Unemployment Rate May, 2001: 4.3%
National Debt June 28, 2001: $5,663,970,068,775.88

5 Years Ago:
National Unemployment Rate May, 2006: 4.6%
National Debt June 28, 2006: $8,345,809,036,548.55

Today:
National Unemployment Rate May, 2011: 9.1%
National Debt June 27, 2011: $14,344,456,938,174.19

Reminder: President Obama Has Added Over $3.7 Trillion To The Debt
The National Debt As Of June 27, 2011: $14,344,456,938,174.19
The National Debt When President Obama Assumed Office: $10,626,877,048,913.08
Iraq benefits now..
AGHDAD/DUBAI, 24 April 2013 (IRIN) - Iraqs development has historically been linked to its ability to
sell and produce oil, and to world oil prices. Yet oil-related measures of economic growth may obscure
some of the economic conditions facing ordinary Iraqis.

In 1980, after the oil crisis of the mid-1970s led to higher oil prices, Iraqs GDP per capita was higher
than any other country in the region (except Israel and the Gulf states), at US$3,453, according to the
World Bank. But this number plummeted in the 1990s, during the Iran-Iraq war and years of sanctions,
hitting a low of $455 in 1997. After rising slightly in 2000, it dipped again, to $742 in 2000. By 2011, it
had returned to $3,501, though these figures are not adjusted for inflation.

Iraq is now the second-largest producer of crude oil and has the fifth-largest proven crude oil reserves in
the world. With an expected annual growth of 9.4 percent through 2016, Iraq has the regions fastest
growing economy, according to the government.

Rising oil prices brought in revenues of $94 billion in 2012 and are projected to bring in more than $100
billion in 2013, according to the Middle East Economic Survey. The International Monetary Fund projects
Iraqs GDP will grow by nine percent in 2013.

Public sector growth

As a result of its increased ability to sell oil post-sanctions, the public sector has expanded, and salaries
of public sector workers have increased significantly, giving rise to a strengthened middle class.

Before 2003, said government employee Saad al-Shimary, *former President Saddam Husseins+
Baath Party was everywhere. It was hard to work in such an environment. I feared they might write a
report against me, as they always did, if we tried to criticize their work for any reason. I feared I might
go to work and not return home.

Back then, he told IRIN, he had to work extra hours as a taxi driver to pay the bills. Now my salary is
enough for me and my family. I have no fear in the ministry. My life has changed for the better; I have
more money, and I have a new car.

Year-on-year, Iraqs recent economic growth (real GDP adjusted for inflation) has been more modest
than nominal GDP growth, though still healthy. The economy retracted by 28.3 percent in 2003,
according to Business Monitor International, but it rebounded by 39.6 percent the year after. Between
2005 and 2011, the economy grew by an average of 6.5 percent per year, even during the worst years of
violence.

Still, Bassam Yousif, a professor of economics at Indiana State University, describes Iraqs economic
growth in the last decade as anemic given its weak starting point - an economy depressed by sanctions
and a government restricted in trade, unable to spend any money domestically - and the sudden influx
of cash when it was able to resume oil exports.

What you would have thought Iraq could do with this windfall money 10 years ago is very different
than what actually happened, he said.
Asias economy look back
A look back
In retrospect, the Asian financial crisis proved to be a temporary setback, despite its enormous
economic and social costs. Its hallmark was the sudden reversal of investor sentiment and abrupt
withdrawal of international capital. Doubts about the soundness of financial institutions and
corporates spread quickly across national borders, creating a vicious circle of capital outflows,
plummeting exchange rates, and crippling balance-sheet effects in the crisis-struck countries.
Private demand collapsed and output in the most affected economies contracted quickly and
sharply. The underdevelopment of social safety nets to protect those most exposed to economic
disruptions exacerbated the social and economic impact of the slumps.
The international community stepped in to help as private investors were stampeding for the
exits, providing external financing (including IMF assistance), while governments in the region
adjusted policies, taking increasingly strong and appropriate action, and steps were taken to
coordinate private sector financing. After some adjustments, this combination eventually turned
the tide: confidence recovered and capital started returning. As financial and real sector
weaknesses were tackled, output in the hardest-hit countries began expanding again. The most
determined reformers were the first to claw back the ground lost and, by 2003, GDP in all crisis
countries had surpassed its precrisis level (see Chart 1). GDP per capita took a bit longer to do
so.

Fast-forward
Today, Asia is among the star performers in the global economy. The region found strength in no
small part by turning crisis into opportunity. The testing times of the late 1990s have rekindled a
sense of regional identity and shared economic destiny. Regional policy forums have taken on
renewed importance. Policy cooperation is gaining traction, and initiatives like the Chiang Mai
network of bilateral swap lines among Asian central banks, which is now being converted into a
reserve-pooling arrangement, and the Asian Bond Fund project provide a welcome measure of
self-insurance and commonality of purpose. In addition, intraregional trade has grown rapidly,
with the development of complex supply chains centered on China.
At the same time, Asia has not turned its back to the outward-looking orientation that propelled
its spectacular rise on the world's economic stage. Intraregional commerce is so far
complementingnot substituting forglobal trade. With deepening financial and trade
connections inside and outside the region, Asia's economic vitality 10 years after the crisis stands
out. The countries that were most affected by the crisis have made good progress in laying solid
foundations for continued growth and their medium-term prospects are bright.
What lies behind their success? The key to today's dynamism has been nimbler macroeconomic
policy frameworks and comprehensive reforms in the financial and corporate sectors. More
flexible exchange rate regimes have cushioned external shocks and an impressive war chest of
official reserves has been built up; inflation targeting has provided a monetary anchor in many
cases; and fiscal policies have taken on a longer-term perspective to safeguard debt
sustainability. As for structural reforms, measures to deal with the immediate strains in the
financial system have been complemented by steps to address the underlying weaknesses.
Mechanisms to facilitate financial restructuring are now in place, regulatory and prudential
frameworks have been upgraded, and corporate governance has been strengthened. More work
lies ahead, but financial institutions and corporates in Southeast Asia have, on the whole,
regained a solid footing (see Charts 2 and 3).


While the hardest-hit countries were busy cleaning up the legacies of the crisis, the rest of Asia
was not standing still (see table). China and India have made further strides as regional
powerhouses, the Philippines has weathered bouts of turbulence and gained considerable
resilience, Vietnam has burst onto the global economic scene, and Japan has finally extricated
itself from its "lost decade" and entrenched deflation.


The IMF has worked closely with economies in the region on their reform programs throughout
the past decade. Increasingly, this has been done as part of the Fund's normal surveillance
activities, including under new transparency and financial sector initiatives.
The next 10 years?
So what is ahead for Asia? Much will depend on whether it can tackle a number of issues over
the medium term. While priorities differ across countries, a common theme stands outcoping
with globalization and harnessing the tremendous upside it could deliver. For instance, the ever-
greater participation of China and India in the global economy is opening up new horizons for
the rest of the region, but the potential benefits do not come without risks. Nor does the increased
fluidity of global capital movements. More broadly, as the pace of world integration quickens,
vulnerabilities and social strains from rapid structural change and external shocks are bound to
come to the fore, hand in hand with new opportunities. Governmentsin Asia, as elsewhere
need to put in place shock absorbers to mitigate the impact of negative outcomes, as well as
adopt policies that help capture the gains from deeper integration.
Although the challenges are many, here we focus on just two of the most importantthe need to
address worsening income inequality and learning to live with potentially unstable capital flows
(for a more comprehensive take on Asia's policy agenda, see "Asia's Winds of Change," F&D,
June 2006).
I ncome inequality. Over the past decade, inequality has risen steadily across the region. For
example, China displays now a more skewed income distribution than the United States or
Russia. Even Japan, once the poster child of a fairly equalitarian society, is today more unequal
than the average industrial country. In fact, widely used measures of income dispersion, such as
the Gini coefficient and indicators of the size of the middle class, all point in the same
directiona more unequal sharing of income (including along a rural-urban divide) and more
polarization for Asian societies (see Chart 4).

The causes of Asia's growing disparities are complex. Several factors may be at play, but skill-
biased technical progress in the more advanced economies and the transition from agriculture to
industry in developing ones appear to be the main forces shaping income distribution in the
region. Globalization is of course providing the broader context for the changes in technology
and patterns of production that are at the root of differential wage and sectoral developments.
Besides ethical or social implications, worsening inequality is a concern for economic
policymakers. If unattended, growing disparities could strain social cohesion and undermine the
support for further engagement in the global economy, in spite of great potential benefits. More
broadly, tears in the social fabric could lead to inferior economic outcomesnamely, lower
long-term growth, macroeconomic instability, and dwindling room for maneuver when adverse
shocks occur.
Asian policymakers are looking for ways to stem the trend. Specific measures depend on
individual country circumstances, but in all cases need to be supported by sound macroeconomic
management, which is necessary for sustainable growth. Growth holds out the greatest promise
for lifting the poor out of poverty and providing better opportunities to the disadvantaged. Policy
options to address inequality more directly include greater and more effective spending on
education and infrastructure to build human capital and enhance the allocation of resources;
labor market reforms that facilitate hiring and improve the employment conditions of nonregular
workers; more equal access to financial markets to empower the poor and improve economic
efficiency; and regulatory reforms to bolster the investment climate. Because the old tend to be
poorer, steps to better absorb the fiscal impact of rapid population aging will also help redress
income and geographical disparities in several countries.
Unstable capital flows. The other big challenge facing Asia relates to the ongoing integration of
its capital market, both within the region and globally. The region's large current account surplus
continues to be the main reason for its overall balance of payments surplus. But, whereas net
inflows to emerging Asia remain close to their long-run average relative to aggregate GDP, gross
capital inflows and outflows are at record highs (see Chart 5). Capital is pouring in because of
ample global liquidity and an expanded international investor base. It is being attracted by
improved fundamentals, favorable interest rate differentials on domestic assets (especially
against the yen), and broader and deeper regional financial integration. Savings have also been
flowing out of the region as never before. Active official reserve management in some cases,
more relaxed restrictions on residents' investment abroad in others, andthroughout the
regionbetter integration of markets and production structures have provided powerful drivers
for gross outflows.

Gross flows have also become more volatile in recent years. The increased importance of
portfolio and other investments (notably bank lending and derivative transactions) explains the
trend and underscores the possibility of financial swings in either direction. Surges in capital
movements (at times, in the context of yen carry tradesthe practice of borrowing yen to invest
in higher-yielding assets denominated in foreign currencies) have become a policy concern (see
Chart 6). As the 199798 crisis made all too clear, rapid capital inflows carry the dangers of
disruptive real appreciations, asset price bubbles, and imprudent domestic lending, on the one
handand may lead to widespread economic and financial dislocations if they come to a sudden
stop or turn into panic outflows, on the other.

No surefire policy tool exists to deal with potentially unstable financial flows, but mutually
reinforcing and consistent policies hold the best promise. Greater exchange rate flexibility in the
context of sound macroeconomic policiesand, perhaps, intervention to smooth exchange rate
movements without undue "leaning against the wind"may be the least costly approach to
absorb surges in capital inflows, after all.
A complementary strategy for Asia is to push forward with the development of domestic
financial markets, including in the context of intraregional financial integration. Regional
financial markets outside Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, and Tokyo are small, especially bond
markets, and equity markets are less liquid than those in mature economies. Deeper and broader
capital markets will provide a first bulwark against disruptions from unpredictable capital
movements and perhaps add a measure of stability by retaining Asian savings within the region.
Intraregional financial integration can be spurred by further steps to strengthen market
infrastructure, corporate governance, and risk management at financial institutions, as well as
coordinated efforts to harmonize financial regulations and tax treatments. Government-led
initiatives in these areas are providing helpful support to a market-driven, bottom-up process in
the background. Further liberalization of remaining restrictions on outflows can also support
deeper integration and potentially offset swings in capital inflows.
Growing income inequality and potentially erratic capital flows are but two examples of the
challenges that globalization presents to Asia. The to-do list for Asia's policymakers is longer.
Steps are needed in many cases to encourage household consumption and private investment to
reinforce the domestic underpinnings of growth and limit the region's reliance on external
demand. Stronger domestic demand will go hand in hand with stronger currencies throughout the
region, facilitating a global rebalancing of world growth and an orderly resolution of current
account imbalances.
At the same time, protectionism must be resisted as external pressures to open up domestic
markets build. By the same token, it will be important to avoid distortions to trade that the
proliferation of preferential trade agreements in the region threatens to create. Additional product
and labor market reforms may also be necessary to facilitate the development of new areas of
comparative advantage as patterns of production and trade shift. Finally, many countries need to
put in place welfare systems that cushion, but do not obstruct, structural change, while policy
space must be found to deal with the environmental impact of rapid growth.
* * * * *
Ten years after a major financial crisis, Asia is looking at the future with renewed confidence
and has good reason to do so. Ground has been regained where it had been lost, and Asia is well
positioned to be an ever-greater force in the world economy. Encouragingly, policies are
increasingly attuned to the quickening pace of globalization, and the foundations for a sustained
expansion are being laid. Although the list of policy issues still to address might seem daunting
at first, reforms must be a continuous process in today's fast-paced and interconnected economy,
and policies that address any one of these issues are likely to help on the other fronts as well. For
its part, the IMF will continue to work closely with economies in the region to help them move
forward with this reform process.
Solar energy
Solar cells are long lasting sources of energy which can be used almost anywhere. They are
particularly useful where there is no national grid and also where there are no people such as
remote site water pumping or in space.

Solar cells provide cost effective solutions to energy problems in places where there is no mains
electricity. Solar cells are also totally silent and non-polluting. As they have no moving parts
they require little maintenance and have a long lifetime. Compared to other renewable sources
they also possess many advantages; wind and water power rely on turbines which are noisy,
expensive and liable to breaking down.
Rooftop power is a good way of supplying energy to a growing community. More cells can be
added to homes and businesses as the community grows so that energy generation is in line with
demand. Many large scale systems currently end up over generating to ensure that everyone has
enough. Solar cells can also be installed in a distributed fashion, i.e. they don't need large scale
installations. Solar cells can easily be installed on roofs which means no new space is needed and
each user can quietly generate their own energy.
Advantages of Solar Energy
No green house gases

Advantages and disadvantages of solar energy: The major benefit of solar is avoiding green
house gases that fossil fuels produce.
The first and foremost advantage of solar energy is that it does not emit any green house gases.
Solar energy is produced by conducting the suns radiation a process void of any smoke, gas,
or other chemical by-product.
This is the main driving force behind all green energy technology, as nations attempt to meet
climate change obligations in curbing emissions.
Italys Montalto di Castro solar park is a good example of solars contribution to curbing
emissions. It avoids 20,000 tonnes per year of carbon emissions compared to fossil fuel energy
production.
Infinite Free Energy
Another advantage of using solar energy is that beyond initial installation and maintenance, solar
energy is one hundred percent free.
Solar doesnt require expensive and ongoing raw materials like oil or coal, and requires
significantly lower operational labor than conventional power production.
Lower costs are direct as well as indirect less staff working at the power plant as the sun and
the solar semi conductors do all the work, as well as no raw materials that have to be extracted,
refined, and transported to the power plant.
Decentralization of power
Solar energy offers decentralization in most (sunny) locations, meaning self-reliant societies.
Oil, coal, and gas used to produce conventional electricity is often transported cross-country or
internationally. This transportation has a myriad of additional costs, including monetary costs,
pollution costs of transport, and roading wear and tear costs, all of which is avoided with solar.
Of course, decentralization has its limits as some locations get more sunlight than others.
Going off the grid with solar

Solar Barn: Going off grid is a huge advantage of solar power for people in isolated locations.
Solar energy can be produced on or off the grid.
On grid means a house remains connected to the state electricity grid. Off grid has no connection
to the electricity grid, so the house, business or whatever being powered is relying solely on the
solar or solar-hybrid.
The ability to produce electricity off the grid is a major advantage of solar energy for people who
live in isolated and rural areas. Power prices and the cost of installing power lines are often
exorbitantly high in these places and many have frequent power-cuts.
Many city-dwellers are also choosing to go off the grid with their alternate energy as part of a
self-reliant lifestyle.
Solar jobs
A particularly relevant and advantageous feature of solar energy production is that it creates jobs.
The EIAA states that Europes solar industry has created 100,000 jobs so far.
Solar jobs come in many forms, from manufacturing, installing, monitoring and maintaining
solar panels, to research and design, development, cultural integration, and policy jobs.
The book Natural Capitalism has a very appropriate view of the employment benefits of green
design and a prudent approach to using resources.
The book proposes that while green technology and increased employment cost alot of money,
much greater money can be saved through simple but drastically improved resource efficiency.
With solar energy currently contributing only an estimated 4% of the worlds electricity, and an
economic-model where raw materials dont have to be indefinitely purchased and transported,
its reasonable so assume solar jobs are sustainable if the solar industry can survive the recession.
Solars avoidance of politics and price volatility
One of the biggest advantages of solar energy is the ability to avoid the politics and price
volatility that is increasingly characterizing fossil fuel markets.
The sun is an unlimited commodity that can be adequately sourced from many locations,
meaning solar avoids the price manipulations and politics that have more than doubled the price
of many fossil fuels in the past decade.
While the price of fossil fuels have increased, the per watt price of solar energy production has
more than halved in the past decade and is set to become even cheaper in the near future as
better technology and economies of scale take effect.
Furthermore, the ever-abundant nature of the suns energy would hint at a democratic and
competitive energy market where wars arent fought over oil fields and high-demand raw
materials arent controlled by monopolies.
Of course, a new form of politics has emerged with regard to government incentives and the
adoption of solar, however these politics are arguably incomparable to the fossil fuel status quo.
Saving eco-systems and livelihoods
Because solar doesnt rely on constantly mining raw materials, it doesnt result in the destruction
of forests and eco-systems that occurs with most fossil fuel operations.
Destruction can come in many forms, from destruction through accepted extraction methods, to
more irresponsible practices in vulnerable areas, to accidents.
Major examples include Canadas tar sands mining which involves the systematic destruction of
the Boreal Forest (which accounts for 25% of the worlds intact forest land), and creates toxic
by-product ponds large enough to see from space [1].
The Niger Delta is an example where excessive and irresponsible oil extraction practices have
poisoned fishing deltas previously used by villagers as the main source of food and employment,
creating extremely desperate poverty and essentially decimating villages [2].
A more widely known, but arguably lower human-cost incident is the 2010 BP oil spill in the
Gulf of Mexico. It killed 11 people and spilled 780 thousand cubic meters of crude oil into the
sea.
The best is yet to come
Solar technology is currently improving in leaps and bounds. Across the world, and particularly
in Europe, savvy clean technology researchers are making enormous developments in solar
technology.
What was expensive, bulky, and inefficient yesterday, is becoming cheaper, more accessible, and
vastly more efficient each week.

Reference: http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2007/06/burton.htm ( international
monetary fund)
http://exploringgreentechnology.com/solar-energy/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-solar-
energy/
http://majorityleader.gov/blog/2011/06/the-economy-10-years-later.html
http://www.theblaze.com/blog/2013/07/10/5-years-later-more-still-blame-bush-for-economy-
than-obama/
http://www.irinnews.org/report/97909/iraq-10-years-on-economy-grows-but-how-many-benefit

http://www.olympic.org/ancient-olympic-games
http://www.olympic.org/london-2012-summer-olympics