Constance McKinnon Essay Example

Constance McKinnon Essay When the people of Hinkley, CA experience a variety of health issues, with the help of Erin Brockovich, the company PGE is held responsible for these conditions. The Hinkley residents and the small firm that Brockovich works for believes that the cause of these medical illnesses is due to the hexavalent chromium (chromium VI, or chrome 6) in the water. Such accusations are surely false, for Hinkely can not be held responsible for such problems as miscarriages, birth defects and all types of cancer, for chromium VI is not proved to be liable for such extreme situations. No one agent could possibly have caused more than a handful of the symptoms described, and Chromium 6 in the water almost certainly couldnt have caused any of them, states author, attorney and science/health issues specialist, Michael Fumento.First, many studies have shown that only significant amounts of chromium VI can cause serious injury. The water in Hinkley had a mere .58 parts per million in their water, while r odents have been tested for illness and only with more than 200 ppm have their been dramatic malfunctions in these testings. In a laboratory testing done by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rats were given water with 25 ppm of chromium VI, and a second set of rats were given distilled water and no significant adverse effects were seen in appearance, weight gain, or food consumption, and there were no pathologic changes in the blood or other tissues in any treatment group, (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, integrated risk information system). Dogs dosed at 11.2 ppm showed no sign of illness, while Hinkleys water dosage of chromium 6 was a mere .58, and studies from EPA report that even a dosage of 400ppm, chromium VI has no toxic effect on the reproductive system in mice and rats.In the movie when Brockovich seeks professional scientific advice from a professor at a local college, the expert informs her that repeated exposure of chromium VI can be held responsible for liver failure, chronic headaches or nosebleeds, respiratory disease, heart failure, liver failure, reproductive failure, bone or organ deterioration and any type of cancer. Obviously this can not be accurate, considering that repeated studies of communities adjacent to landfills packed with chromium 6, including that detectable in residents urine, have found no ill health effects, cancer or otherwise, (Michael Fumento, Erin Brockovich Exposed).Residents near a New Jersey landfill evaluated by a panel are revealed to be at 1/1million risk of cancer. The expert in Erin Brockovich, however, describes the situation rather differently, that exposure to chromium 6 can cause ANY type of cancer, and after careful and accurate research and testings we can plainly conclude that these statements are incorrect according to science. Its (chromium 6) linked to cancer of the lung and of the septum, says Fumento in Erin Brockovich Exposed. Also, to contradict the expert from the film who infor ms Ms. Brockovich that chromium VI is extremely carcinogenic, EPA considers it a carcinogen only when inhaled, therefore its impossible for chromium 6 to be liable for the medical conditions of the people of Hinkley who have ingested the chromium in the water.Also, many, many testings on animals have been done to help research and discover the power and danger of chromium exposure. Testings show that malfunctions only come from inhalation of the chromium. Groups of eight male and eight female Sprague-Dawley rats were supplied with drinking water containing 0.45-11.2 ppm (0.45-11.2 mg/L) hexavalent chromium (as K2CrO4) for 1 year. The control group (10/sex) received distilled water..No significant adverse effects were seen in appearance, weight gain, or food consumption, and there were no pathologic changes in the blood or other tissues in any treatment group, this experiment shows that no harm came to the rats given a dosage over 10ppm, when in the movie the chromium 6 was supposedl y responsible for the medical conditions of residents exposed to a dosage of .58, a tiny fraction of what was used on these rats.A study also done by EPA showed that not even at a dosage of 400ppm did the hexavalent chromium is not a reproductive toxicant in either sex of BALB/C mice or Sprague-Dawley rats, (EPA, integrated risk information system). In the film Mrs. Jenson is reported to have breast cancer at an ingestional exposure of .58 and another couple blame their miscarriages on the chromium, compared to the ineffective exposure to the rat reproductive system at a whopping dosage of up to 400 ppm. Another study done by EPA shows that Similar no-effect levels have been observed in dogs. Anwar et al. (1961) observed no significant effects in female dogs (2/dose group) given up to 11.2 ppm chromium(VI) (as K2CrO4) in drinking water for 4 years. The calculated doses were 0.012-0.30 mg/kg of chromium(VI). Countless studies show that at a dosage of over 11 ppm (again compared to th e .58ppm in Hinkleys water) tested on animals show no level of effect.Next, throughout the movie many of the plaintiffs have blamed breast cancer, Hodgkins disease, brain cancer, heart failure, reproductive failure and more on the hexavalent chromium in Hinkleys water, there is no scientific proof that chromium VI causes any of the previously listed conditions. Stossel found that while chromium is indeed a carcinogen, blamed for lung and sinus cancer when inhaled, there is no proof that chromium in drinking water can cause cancer, (Stossel Questions Cancer Claims). Stossel also discovered that not only was there no proof that the chromium in the water caused cancer, but that compared to surrounding counties there was not an increased or abnormal amount of cancer in the town of Hinkley.Also, while the plaintiffs blamed the chromium in the water Fumento finds that no data were located in the available literature that suggested that (Chromium 6) is carcinogenic by the oral route of exp osure. (Michael Fumento, The Truth About Erin Brockovich'). Fumento raises a very good point concerning the death rate of PGE workers, the overall PG$E worker death rate was significantly much lower than those of other Californians.Are we to believe that something causing no harm at the plant itself is nonetheless wreaking havoc on those living nearby? (Michael Fumento, The Truth About Erin Brockovich'). This is something to take into consideration, not only is the death rate not either the same or higher at the PGE plant, but its significantly lower when compared to other Californians. If this is happening at the source of the chromium VI, then what is the reason and where is the proof that it is responsible for the illnesses that the plaintiffs in Hinkley claim? Another report given by the Monday Morning Briefing (Associate of Metropolitan Water Agencies) tells us that There is no evidence that hexavalent chromium causes cancer in humans when ingested in drinking water, according to an expert panel convened by the California Office of Environmental Health and Hazard Assessment (OEHHA).Study and report after report shows that there is no reason for hexavalent chromium to be blamed for most of the medical conditions in the film because there is no proof that this is so. The plaintiffs in Hinkley complain of being diagnosed with their illnesses through the chromium in the water, how can this be so when only a small amount can dissolve in water and move deeper in the soil to underground water, (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) and when it has already been made clear that there is no scientific proof that this substance causes cancer when ingested.

12 Effective Ways To Expand Your Facebook Engagement - CoSchedule Blog

12 Effective Ways To Expand Your Facebook Engagement Blog In the social media world, every tiny detail matters for the overall big picture. Social media engagement is one of those things that cant be overlooked, especially on Facebook. Facebook is the highest used social media platform, so its no brainer that you want engagement there. Plus, with organic reach declining, you want to make sure every post counts. There are some commonly known tactics for  increasing Facebook engagement: Using  visuals Curating content Posting at the best times But what about the tactics we dont think about? The ones that arent so obvious? Lets take a look at some unique ways to boost your Facebook engagement. 12 Effective Ways To Expand Your Facebook EngagementThe Facebook Engagement Tactics You Need To Try 1. Share videos for 135% more reach Visuals are eye-catching when your audience is  scrolling through their news feed. It's been proven time and time again that visuals help improve engagement, but what about videos? Research shows that videos have a 135% greater organic reach compared to photos. That's a crazy high number. Not only does adding videos into your social media strategy increase engagement, but it's also SUPER easy to upload videos. No really...it's as simple as 1, 2, 3: Click  Photo/Video at the top of your News Feed or Timeline Choose a video Click Post Facebook will process your video for you and let you know when it's ready to view. While it's processing, you can click Edit  to add a title and add tags. We've  also launched our new Social Video feature. You can schedule, share, and manage all of your social media videos directly in . Let us do all the work for you! 2. Post standalone graphics to share quick tips Most of the images you're posting on Facebook have a link relating to the image. At , we do this on our own Facebook page. We post a graphic and then add a link to a blog post. But then we had to stop and ask ourselves, "Are all these links benefitting our audience?"  We tested this theory by posting standalone graphics. We wanted test whether posts without links received better reach than posts with links and to mix up the kind of content we're creating and sharing. The results were impeccable. A standalone graphic is an image that gives useful information on its own without needing a link back to something. For our standalone graphics, we give tidbits of information and quotes from well-known marketers. We found that these graphics resonated higher with our audience and had an increased engagement rate compared to our link posts. Create standalone graphic using these awesome tools: Canva  (free, paid) Photoshop (paid subscription) Piktochart  (free, paid) Visage  (free, paid) 3. Show your brand's personality Every piece of content you post on Facebook should portray your company's personality. The best way to showcase this is by sharing  team pictures of your office shenanigans. Let your audience know that you aren't a social media robot you're a real person. We've tried this on our own Facebook and the results were outstanding. Wishpond's data  showed that  photo posts get 120% more engagement than the average post, so imagine the potential of personality photos. Don't spam your audience with information about your product or service all the time. Believe it or not, your audience wants to get to know the faces behind the logo. Share photos of all the awesome things that happen in your office. Update your header photo to display your team. Ask your audience to help you settle an office debate. When responding to comments, use names and include yours. Recommended Reading: 10 Fundamental Ways To Boost Your Facebook Organic Reach 4. Use  Facebook Live for 3x longer viewing As we know now, posting videos on Facebook does in fact increase engagement. Something even more powerful than Facebook videos is *drum roll please* Facebook Live. Studies show that people spend 3x longer watching video which is live compared to video that's been pre-recorded. Use Facebook Live to share tips, give demos, or just to thank your audience. To get started with Facebook Live get out your mobile phone and: Go to your Facebook business profile and open up the status bar. Tap the Live icon, which is a red button shaped like a person. Allow  Facebook to access your camera and microphone. Describe your live video (optional) Press the blue Go Live icon. There is a way to use Facebook Live on your laptop or desktop. Although this is not for creating live videos from your computer's webcam. This will create a live video, streamed directly from your professional video equipment or encoding software. Here's a walkthrough from Mashable: If you want to shoot Facebook Live from your laptop or desktop: Click on Publishing Tools at the top of your Facebook page. Then click on Videos on the left menu. Then click on the +Live  button on the top right. Then copy the stream key from your video software into the window that appears. (Most of the time it will already be filled in.) Click the blue Go Live icon. Facebook Live videos get 3x longer views than pre-shot video.Recommended Reading: How To Do Facebook Video Marketing The Right Way 5. Create a Facebook User group for maximum engagement Does your audience have questions often? Do you have super fans? If so, creating a Facebook user group for your business might be beneficial. Let your audience know that you've created a Facebook user group. This way your most dedicated fans can join and discuss your product with other users. Make sure you are checking this group page on a regular basis. You can even treat the user group like a VIP club, where members get exclusive info on  features before they launch. Some ways you can connect with these users are: Get feedback on new features.  With Facebook groups, you can create polls directly within the group. Ask these users how they feel about a new product or what they would like to see next. Share your company's  achievements.  Remember, these are your super fans, and they care about the progress you're company has made. If your business wins an award, share a quick post in the user group. Answer questions. One of the main reasons for a Facebook user group is so these members can interact and ask questions about your product. Don't let your fans do all the talking. Jump in and share your insights. Join our user group! 6. Pin posts for higher visibility According to SumoMe, pinning content onto Twitter brings 5x more engagement. The same goes for Facebook. Wait, what? Yes, you can pin on Facebook! Pinning posts on Facebook will bring that post to the top of your page for however long you want it there. This way, that specific post will receive high visibility when viewers visit your Facebook page. To pin on Facebook, simply: Select the post you want pinned on your Facebook page. Click the drop down arrow at the top right corner of the post. Select Pin To Top. Tada! You have a pinned post. To unpin a post from your profile page, follow the same steps except this time you will select Unpin From Top. Try it out! Recommended Reading: How To Increase Visibility With Social Media Optimization 7. Create Facebook Ads for quick engagement Here are some shocking stats to take away from Zephoria. At 1.49 billion, Facebook has more monthly active users than WhatsApp (500 million), Twitter (284 million) and Instagram (200 million)- combined. That's a lot of users to keep track of. The best way to target the right audience for your business, is through Facebook ads. You have to spend money in order to make money. Facebook ads are a guaranteed way to reach more people and bring engagement to your page. To create Facebook ads: Decide which type of ad you want.  Choose from promoting your page, promoting a post, or promoting your sign up button. Choose your audience.  You can select your audience by location, age, gender, interests and more. Set your budget and schedule. Set a daily or lifetime budget and schedule how long you want it to run. Set your ad live.  Once you've narrowed down what type of ad, your target audience, and your budget. For more info, Kissmetrics has an awesome guide on Facebook ads to help get you started. Recommended Reading: Facebook Marketing Strategy: Why You Need One (And How To Build It) 8. Drive traffic from other social media sites Is your business on Twitter? How about LinkedIn? Maybe even Instagram? Chances are, your business is on more than one social channel. Use these sites as a gateway to bring your audience to your Facebook company page. For example, when your Twitter followers mention your company, you can occasionally respond back by encouraging them to check out your Facebook page. Remember not to respond to every mention this way so you don't come across as spammy. Only encourage your followers to check out your Facebook page if you truly think they would. 9. Add a CTA button to boost promotion Want to promote your website? Or a new video? Facebook provides several different Call-to-Action buttons you can add directly into your cover photo including: Book Now Contact Us Use App Play Game Shop Now Sign Up Watch Video Bring your audience a step further by promoting your business in a different way; with the click of a button.  You'll also need an an awesome Facebook cover photo  for  your Call-to-Action button to  be  successful. To add a CTA button to your Facebook page: Go to your Page's cover photo and click + Add a Button. Choose your call-to-action, and enter the URL for your website. Click Create. Customizing a CTA button is a simple method to bring more traffic to where ever you need it. It also makes your Facebook page look more professional. Consider adding one to your business page. 10.  Create graphics for your profile that are branded + clear Your Facebook profile picture and cover photo show your audience what your company is all about. In order for you audience to engage with you, your Facebook page must be inviting. This means that you need to have a SUPER, AWESOME, FANTASTIC profile and cover photo. Okay...maybe not that extreme, but you should create graphics for your profile that are clearly unique to your brand. Post Planner  noticed your profile picture appears in: The news feed of your followers. Posts on your page's Timeline. Replies in comments. Comments posts you make on other pages while using your page. It's seen in many different places! So be sure to use your logo as your profile picture that is clear and sized correctly. For your cover photo choose a photo that: Showcases your personality. Promotes a new feature or product. Describes your product, like how the Kissmetrics cover photo does. Highlight upcoming events. Above all, have fun with your profile profile picture and cover photo! Be unique and stand out. On Facebook, be unique and stand out.11.  Participate in Facebook groups within your industry We've talked about creating a Facebook user group page for your own company, but what about participating in other groups? Participating in Facebook groups allows you provide helpful and informative advice or to start relevant discussions that can help generate interest in your brand. Search for other brands within your industry and see if they have a group page, then simply join it. Your primary reason to be in a group is to participate in other people’s discussions, not to start them. So answer, chime in and let the community guide the discussion. When participating, don’t shamelessly promote your content. Don’t just  share, but participate! Join several different groups that are relevant to your company or brand that you can participate in regularly. This will help get the word out about you from other members. 12. Create  an event via your Facebook page Creating and hosting events on Facebook is something that often gets forgotten about, but is great for engagement. Rather than just updating a post about an upcoming event, create a Facebook event for it. It's like being invited to an exclusive party, except everyone gets invited. Consider creating events that are hosted by your page, such as: A sale. An ongoing promotion. A special event. A new feature launch. Then, invite people who have liked your page to the event. The great thing about Facebook events is that, whether they are attending or just interested in the event, they will continue to receive information whenever you update the event page. BONUS: Their friends will be able to see if they are attending and may also be drawn to your page. Sprout Social  found  the 13 best ways to plan and organize a Facebook event: