Ethnography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethnography - Essay Example n which the members of this church maintain a close-knit, family relationship by examining worship practices, family relationships and subgroup relationships within the greater whole. The data for this analysis was collected over a period of weeks in which the author kept a journal of his observations while attending church. While the author was a participant in these proceedings, effort was made to step back and view the proceedings from the perspective of the outsider without sacrificing the insights available to the insider. Journal entries were made on a weekly basis beginning September 4, 2006 and ending October 23, 2006. There are approximately 250 listed members of this particular church, 230 of which attend on a regular basis. The members of the church range in ages from the very young to the very old, with a majority of the members falling within the middle age category. The congregation is also comprised of a wide variety of ethnicities, primarily Russian, Lebanese and Greek. The worship service itself functions as a reminder of a call to family togetherness. One of the first actions parishioners observe as they walk into the church is to light a candle in the Narthex in memory of a deceased relative or loved one – the author typically lights one in memory of a deceased uncle. They then kiss the icon and cross themselves on the chest three times before taking their places to ensure they are in proper frame of mind to receive the instruction to follow. The sermon, usually covering a topic that is loving and nonjudgmental, typically lasts approximately one hour. Following the sermon, the congregation files out, kissing the priest and the cross he holds as they pass. From here, most members of the congregation file into a large dining room in which they partake of foods brought in from individual members. Toward the end of the period of study, a young girl was baptized in a child-size plastic swimming pool that had obviously been purchased at

Replacing Leather Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Replacing Leather - Essay Example The Economics Indian Mirror in their article â€Å"The Indian Leather Industry†Ã‚  reported that the growth has been phenomenal, to say the least. From Rs.320 million in the year 1965-66 to Rs.69558 million in 1996-97. It also brings pride to the nation. The Indian leather industry today has been recognized for its quality and is now among the top seven foreign exchange earners of the country. From being a mere exporter of raw materials in the sixties, it is now a legitimate and dollar earning industry. The sector accounts for 2.5 per cent of the global leather-related trade of Rs. 387,200 crores. An estimated 15 per cent of total purchase of leading global brands in footwear, garments, leather goods & accessories, in Europe, and 10 percent of global supply is outsourced from India (Damodaran & Mansingh). The leather industry employs about 2.5 million people2 and has annual turn over of Rs. 25,000 crores (Damodaran & Mansingh). Engrained in the Culture The industry also goes b eyond economics, it has become a part of Indian identity. Many who work in the industry, entrepreneurs and workers, feel that making leather is beyond making a living. It serves as the connection to their past and the only thing they have known to do. Thus, the organizational structure of leather companies are usually set up in a way that incorporates Indian family tradition as well as an attempt to a modern approach primarily due to the influence of the West who has been India’s biggest leather consumer. Environment Damage One may find over half of India's leather industry around the Ganga river basin. Through Utter Pradesh and West Bengal, treatment plants transform raw hide into materials to be used by Hollywood superstars and international socialites. It is this interest of designers and rich and famous that made this industry a major player in the country's economy. In West Bengal alone, there are 600 tanneries employing and 20,000 units manufacturing leather products. T hey employ 200,000 people (Brown, â€Å"Told To Clean Up†). There is the negative side though. It does more damage to the environment, one that does not compensate for what India gains financially. For one, they used different chemical processes that would preserve the leather. They soak and line the hide, remove the grease ad pickling the hide, and other processes that use salt as the primary ingredients. Brown further reported that about 3000 tonnes of salt are used to preserve 5000 tonnes of raw hide. The problem is 90% of this salt goes into the river and groundwater systems causing pollution and contamination. They also use other products like formaldehyde, coal-tar derivatives, and various oils, dyes, and finishes—some of them cyanide-based. Most leather is chrome-tanned which has long been declared hazardous by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) also reported that tanneries produce pollutants like prote in, hair, salt, lime sludge, sulfides, acids, 2,000 pounds of solid waste including flesh and waste nearly 15,000 gallons of water a for every ton of hides that it processes. All these either say on the environment to damage the soil, water, and health of humans around or it goes straight to landfills together with the 800,000 tons of chrome shavings annually. In PETA’s article titled â€Å"Wool, Fur, Leather: Hazardous to the Environment† they said, â€Å"Groundwater near tanneries has been found with highly elevated levels of a variety of toxic substances. The Regis Tanning Co., Inc., operated a tanning facility from the early