An Evaluation Strategy For The Business Problem - 1471 Words

2. Introduction Background to the Business problem With the advent of the era of globalization, many companies fail to notice that a steady state rise in the low-cost rivals in the same market. An evaluation strategy during which an organization offers a comparatively low worth to stimulate demand and gain market share is the low cost pricing. It s one in every of 3 generic selling ways that may be adopted by any company, and is sometimes utilized wherever the merchandise has few or no competitive advantage or wherever economies of scale square measure realizable with higher production volumes which is additionally known as low worth strategy. Lower costs owing to the massive variety of competitive corporations are seen everywhere.†¦show more content†¦Since provide and demand shift perpetually in response to tastes and prices, however the government worth can amendment solely when a protracted political method, the government worth can effectively ne er be equilibrium worth. This suggests that the government worth is either too high or too low. The most common approach is to require advantage of scale. A customer representing an outsized volume of market transactions will hash out for a higher worth by threatening to backward integrate or to maneuver its business to a competitive provider. Moreover, an outsized customer provides efficiencies to the vendor. Lower dealings prices (one invoice, one negotiation, and one shipment), secure volume, and economies of scale produce value savings for the provider that the two parties will share. The personal sector provides innumerable samples of this approach; for instance, massive grocery chains pay lower costs for foodstuff than corner stores owing to large-scale central getting. Another way to get lower costs through the market is to supply data on the competitive alternatives to individual consumers. 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The Role Of The Learner In His Development Education Essay Free Essays

string(118) " are set out in the constructivist theory – this is based on the cognitive theory that was designed by Piadget\." In this essay I will be comparing two different theories and looking at how they contrast against each other when studied and applied towards the function of the scholar. The country we will be looking at in peculiar is development, and how these theories create two opposing political orientations that suggest separate waies the scholar takes. The first theory I will discourse is Behaviourism which views the function of the scholar as a inactive and ductile signifier that is the consequence of the environments input ( Bee, H. We will write a custom essay sample on The Role Of The Learner In His Development Education Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now A ; Boyd, D. , 2010 ) . Behaviourism classifies most actions as behavior, such as feeling or thought, therefore opening them up to observation of alteration. Behaviorists believe we learn through a rewarding procedure that emphasises our behavior and whether or non it was right ( Bee, H. A ; Boyd, D. , 2010 ) . Not needfully opposing the first theory but my 2nd theory of Constructivism takes a different stance on how it perceives the scholar. Alternatively of being a inactive being, constructivists feel the scholar plays an active function in his/her ‘s development. This is possible, as the theory suggests that we create different systems to get the better of day-to-day experiences and thenceforth an understanding upon contemplation ( Woolfolk, A. , Hughes, M. , 2008 ) . It is besides implied that we learn through a more synergistic attack, which includes job resolution ( Woolfolk, A. , Hughes, M. , 2008 ) . From both of these theories I will pull out the thoughts that form either a inactive or active attack and use those properties to compare the two. Within Behaviourism there are two immediate different types of conditioning. There is Classical conditioning and Operant conditioning. Classical conditioning believes larning takes topographic point between a stimulation and a response. This is a automatic response which in bend topographic points the environment in control – rendering the scholar as inactive, whereas operant conditioning expressions at behavior specifically and its links between different results. This means that through variable behaviors the scholar can derive different results – leting the scholar a grade of pick, but still inactive to the fact that the scholar can merely move upon an event driven by his/her ‘s environment ( Bee, H. A ; Boyd, D. , 2010 ) . This is non a split within the theory, but instead it is two different signifiers of behaviorism. Even though we have these two separate thoughts, we can still see a big similarity that bonds them together, due to the environment itself sti ll keeping a certain sum of control in the scholar ‘s development. This theory utilises the thought that human existences are an ’empty vas ‘ or in the words of John Locke â€Å" Tabula Rasa † ( A Blank Slate ) that is waiting to be filled by experience and cognition ( Woolfolk, A. , Hughes, M. , 2008 ) . Although, behaviorism does non concentrate on cognition as being the key to the scholar ‘s development, it observes alteration of behavior as the true key ( Doherty, J. A ; Hughes, M. , 2009 ) . This is interesting as it therefore can merely analyze discernible events – including those that are unwilled. By unwilled I refer to the thought of being incognizant during the procedure of development and attainment of cognition or experience. This brings me onto another factor in the scholar ‘s function as inactive. Due to how random these events can happen, the scholar has little or no clip to be after in front and hence, as Classical conditioning suggests, has to move instinctively ( Doherty, J. A ; Hughes, M. , 2009 ) . The lone clip contemplation occurs is when the scholar realises they have been developing. This can be a slow procedure and is the ground it is referred to every bit conditioning as it is physically and mentally exciting the physiological reaction system to be able to run better with the input and end product. Operant conditioning uses several different supports to distinguish between the acquisition processes. The three conspicuously used results can be ; positive support, negative support and penalty ( Doherty, J. A ; Hughes, M. , 2009 ) . Using these, it is observed and so ready to be broken down into events on a simple flow chart to see the input, procedure, behavior and end product. This peculiar thought can be seen in the experiment ‘The Skinner Box ‘ ( Doherty, J. A ; Hughes, M. , 2009 ) . Merely as the carnal receives positive support in the signifier of nutrient for executing the right action, such as pressing a button to let go of it, or finishing a maze – as does the scholar in a similar manner through footings of working within their environment. If the scholar carries out an action and receives a enjoyable result, the scholar is most likely traveling to execute the same action once more, in hopes of the same consequence. This once more adds to the inactive function of the scholar as he is still at the clemency of the environments boundaries and restrictions. Now that I have outlined the rudimentss of Behaviourism, I shall travel onto constructivism which believes the scholar is born with basic, natural and cardinal accomplishments. Therefore through geographic expedition of the environment and by manner of different phases in each person ‘s development, the scholar begins to get the better of the challenges that present themselves by utilizing experience and cognition ( Schaffer, H. R. , 2008 ) . It is through this that the scholar begins to besides understand his/her function as active, and acts suitably. A term used here is Adaptation – this refers to the ability that worlds have to alter and accommodate harmonizing to the environment through use of it ( Schaffer, H. R. , 2008 ) . By this I mean the scholar is able to use what it has around him and do it better. This is a large phenomenon as it challenges the behaviorists ‘ thought of the scholar being inactive to the environment, and alternatively the environment is the ductile signifier used by the active function of the scholar. Through ripening the scholar is able to develop through different phases that are set out in the constructivist theory – this is based on the cognitive theory that was designed by Piadget. You read "The Role Of The Learner In His Development Education Essay" in category "Essay examples" It is really elaborate and distinguishes between different ages and different abilities. Sensory-motor ( 0-2 ) , Pre-Operational ( 2-7 ) , Concrete operational ( 7-12 ) and Formal operations ( 12+ ) ( Schaffer, H. R. , 2008 ) . Harmonizing to Piadget, merely like a design at birth, this is all preset and we can non travel frontward to another phase until we are at the right age and have completed the anterior phase. For illustration we can non get down to run before we begin to walk. This may look like a restriction, but in existent fact it ‘s still analogous to our input to the environment and how we choose to research o ur universe through sing it. To further reflect the thought that the function of the scholar is active, we can get down to look at how constructivism breaks down larning into scheme ( which is an internal representation of actions we can execute ) and utilize it to explicate assimilation. Schemas are either a group or individual action that compile together to execute an overall action, and the scheme refers to them as a whole ( Doherty, J. A ; Hughes, M. , 2009 ) . The thought of assimilation is that with scheme that we already possess we are able to research different objects and obtain different experiences. The scholar is invariably constructing upon what we know and seting together a different method for each possible state of affairs ( Doherty, J. A ; Hughes, M. , 2009 ) . An illustration of this is the sucking action performed when suckling. This scheme can subsequently be adapted to a bottle as the kid needs to imbibe. The possibilities are infinite and we develop more com plex scheme as we grow and develop through life. This once more puts the scholar in a function that is active and invariably moving upon his/her environment. Aside from Piadget ‘s theory of constructivism is Vygotsky ‘s theory of Social Constructivism. This takes into history the societal context of the development. The scholar is non merely challenged by his environment physically but besides intellectually in society. He viewed civilization as a major portion in the scholar ‘s development such as the linguistic communication they use, the history and societal context ( Doherty, J. A ; Hughes, M. , 2009 ) . A construct that relates to the function of the scholar that once more shows how active they are is the construct of the Zone of Proximal Development. This concept positions instructors as the accelerator in the development of the kid. If the kid is in their comfort zone and is pushed farther than usual – the result is eventual scheme building to get th e better of the challenge ( Doherty, J. A ; Hughes, M. , 2009 ) . This construct causes the scholar to be seen as far more dimensional character other than an object at the clemency of his/her environment. I will now get down to contrast between the two theories get downing with their differences and traveling onto the little similarities. As we saw, the two chief differences are that both take a strong side with the function of the scholar. In Behaviourism the scholar can merely be inactive ( albeit with little pick operant conditioning ) , and Constructivism views the scholar as an active participant in his pursuit for cognition. This spread is non merely caused by the function of the scholar, but merely as important is how the theory places the environment. It seems that the environment is the key to understanding the function of the scholar. In behaviorism the environment is seen as the active member that through doing different events forces the scholar to have and react through physiological reactions. In constructivism it is close plenty opposite with its theory on the function of the environment. Alternatively the environment is seen as a governable variable that the scholar us es to their advantage. It besides ties in with the construct of ripening and that as we develop we obtain several different schemes that we use to get the better of challenges in life. This can be every bit simple as larning the alphabet to every bit hard as larning a new linguistic communication. The chief function of the scheme that we develop is to help us in sing and researching our universe exhaustively. On the other manus, Behaviourism takes a different attack. The theory suggests that we use our physiological reactions to cover with state of affairss we meet twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours. This can alter with clip and finally operant conditioning takes topographic point where we use our experience to derive preferred results. This may look to suggest that the function of the scholar is slightly active, but in existent fact it is still dependable on the environment to derive the experience and even put the scholar in a state of affairs that requires them to construct upon what they already know. Both theories are at either side of the spectrum and go on to stand as cardinal constructs for looking at the function of the scholar and their development. As we discussed, Behaviourism is more interested in detecting events that can be seen. The alteration in behavior is seen as the lone variable that is utile when analyzing development of the scholar. This may look like an uneven attack as human existences are believing animals, but we are besides natural. It is these physiological reactions that we unconsciously condition suitably to our environment. However on the other side is the theory of constructivism which looks at the ability of version and ripening. Through these two thoughts there is a platform created for analyzing development non merely physically but mentally. Using scheme it brings out an even more active function, as it shows us that we ever researching and larning to get the better of anything we face. I believe by utilizing a in-between land there could be infini te to larn more about natural physiological reactions alongside those that are constructed. Furthermore I would besides wish to raise a inquiry as to the importance of cognition and behavior between the two. It seems behaviorism is far excessively focused on detecting what can be seen, and yet most of our development, aside from obvious alterations in behavior, happens internally. Can it genuinely observe every alteration internally as an discernible event? Constructivism ‘s return on cognition and assimilation besides leaves a batch left to be desired. Schemas are one manner of depicting things, but I believe there should besides be consideration for anomalousnesss and that some people wo n’t follow the same ripening form. Is this still natural, even though it goes against the cognitive attack adopted within constructivism? Both these theories are every bit of import in the perusal of what function the scholar takes and should be treated as such, side by side. How to cite The Role Of The Learner In His Development Education Essay, Essay examples

Responsibilities Of Government Management †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Responsibilities Of Government Management? Answer: Introduction General topic- In the modern world, protection of the environment is an important aspect of the society. It is the responsibility of the society as well as the organisations working in the society to maintain a clean and sustainable environment. Specific statement- In this scenario, it can be said that the responsibility for keeping the environment clean needs to be shared by the people of a country or the society. This can help in maintaining the sustainable development of an environment with an integrated approach. Issue statement- However, most people in a society believe that the Government need to take up the initiative in order to maintain the environment. The entire responsibility needs to be shouldered by the Government of each state. Thesis statement- In the light of this, it can be said that the responsibility for cleaning up the environment lies with the society dwellers as well. The Government does not need to take primary responsibility for addressing the issues related to the environment. Controlling ideas- The idea mainly lies with the private and public sector that sets up business management in the society. The corporate social responsibility needs to be maintained in order to gain the goodwill of the Government and the public. Responsibility of private and public sector Topic sentence- It is the primary responsibility of the private and public sectors to deal with the issues that arise in the environment. This is mainly because of the fact that these sectors utilise the resources available in the environment to manufacture its products. This may cause damage to the environment as the resources are depleted. Supporting evidence- This can be supported by the fact that the depletion of natural resources leads to change in climate (Jackson and Lynch 2011). The climate change can cause natural disasters that can affect the people. For example, if the reduction of trees in the forest can cause global warming this, in turn, affects the environment. This is evidence from the increased humidity in most part of the world (Mascia 2016). Counter argument- However, Smith (2013) countered this by saying that the entire responsibility does not lie with the sectors. This is because the Government itself provides entry to the private sectors. Moreover, the Government also runs the public sectors. Hence, it is important for the Government to take responsibility for the environment along with the organisations. Support for the counter- This is evidenced by the fact that the Government sets up rules and regulations related to the conservation of the environment. For example, the general rule that the Government of every country sets up is the less emission of harmful particles in air and water (Com?nescu 2010). This is because pollution of these natural resources can lead to harmful effects for the people in the society. Refutation- Nevertheless, it can be said that in order to maintain the environment it is necessary that the Government, as well as the sectors, maintain coordination. This is needed in order to stabilise the environment from any damage that may be caused due to the harmful emissions of pollution by the factories (Tai and Chuang 2014). Thus, this is necessary for the effective conservation of resources. Support of the refutation- This can be supported by the fact that the mutual collaboration can help in bringing about the conservative use of natural resources. The sharing of responsibility is required for balancing the work environment and the natural environment. In this way, the climatic change can also be controlled. This is evidenced by the fact that the less amount of wastage of resources can bring about the proper conservation of the natural environment. Concluding sentence- It can be concluded that the protection of the environment needs to be done by keeping in mind the ways by which different sectors contribute to the sustainability. In this regard, it can be said that the mutual responsibility can be effective for keeping maintaining of an environment. Government does not possess financial capability Topic sentence- Often it has been seen that people prefer private sectors instead of Government sectors. This is because of the fact that private sectors have more financial stability than the public sectors. Hence, the investment that a private sector can afford may not be carried out by the public sectors. Thus, people prefer private sectors to take control of protecting the environment. Supporting evidence- This can be evidenced by the fact that private sectors made effort in encouraging people to put extra effort for the loss suffered in Paris. The financial assistance that the suffered families needed was provided more by the private sectors instead of the public sectors (Bansal and Kanwar 2013). Hence, it is important that private sectors take up the role of protecting the environment and keep people safe from the harmful emissions of pollution. Counter argument- However, Kolk (2016) countered this by saying that the social responsibility needs to be taken by both the private as well as the public sectors. This is because some of the public sectors can also emit harmful particles and cause ill effects to the society. The funding may be a problem for the public sector, but the spread of awareness and creating campaigns can be done easily by this sector. Support for the counter- This is supported by the fact that the Government has initiated most campaigns that have resulted in the success in case of natural calamities (Montz, Tobin and Hagelman 2017). For example, during the Paris tragedy, the initial campaign contributors were the public sector of the country. This is evident enough keeping in mind the responses received and the way things took a turn for the good in the country (Blaikie et al. 2014). Refutation- Nevertheless, the collaboration between both these sectors is important for environment conservation. Frumkin (2016), stated that the contribution made by the people of the society is also essential for the maintaining the environment in a positive manner. Support of the refutation- This can be attributed to the fact that the people residing in the society also release wastes in the waters and on the street. Hence, the contribution of the people in keeping the environment clean is the first step for maintaining a sustainable environment. For example, if the society is clean then the people residing in the society can oppose the wastes dumped by the sectors. In this regard, financial stability does not play a role in the cleaning up of an environment. Concluding sentence- It can be said that the financial power of the private sectors gives it an edge over the public sector in terms of contributing and maintaining a sustainable environment. Conclusion Summary of main ideas- The main idea of the essay is the fact that the Government need to take up responsibility in terms of protecting the environment. However, the private sectors also play a vital role in providing financial assistance to the society. Restate the thesis- The thesis statement aimed at establishing the importance of Government responsibility in the protection of the environment. The essay also focuses on the ways by which private sectors contribute to the sustainability of the environment. Concluding comment- It can be concluded that Government, as well as the private sector, need to maintain the sustainability of the environment. Reference Bansal, N. and Kanwar, S.S., 2013. Peroxidase (s) in environment protection.The Scientific World Journal,2013. Blaikie, P., Cannon, T., Davis, I. and Wisner, B., 2014.At risk: natural hazards, people's vulnerability and disasters. Routledge. https://www.microdis-eu.be/sites/default/files/D4.4.5%20-%20Combined%20Literature%20Review.pdf Com?nescu, M., 2010. Increasing Responsibility towards Environment.Theoretical Applied Economics,17(5). https://store.ectap.ro/articole/467.pdf Frumkin, H. ed., 2016.Environmental health: from global to local. John Wiley Sons. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Professor_Eric_Noji_Md/publication/296667415_DISASTER_PREPAREDNESS/links/56d7641708aee73df6c30f51/DISASTER-PREPAREDNESS.pdf Jackson, T. and Lynch, W., 2011. Public sector responses to climate change: Evaluating the role of Scottish local government in implementing the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance, (8-9). https://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/cjlg/article/viewFile/2420/2651 Kolk, A., 2016. The social responsibility of international business: From ethics and the environment to CSR and sustainable development.Journal of World Business,51(1),pp.23-34.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280493611_The_social_responsibility_of_international_business_From_ethics_and_the_environment_to_CSR_and_sustainable_development Mascia, M., 2016. Science, responsibility, and government.Toxicological Environmental Chemistry,98(9), pp.1115-1118. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02772248.2015.1041958?journalCode=gtec20 Montz, B.E., Tobin, G.A. and Hagelman III, R.R., 2017.Natural hazards: explanation and integration. Guilford Publications. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=enlr=id=gw_kDAAAQBAJoi=fndpg=PP1dq=Montz,+B.E.,+Tobin,+G.A.+and+Hagelman+III,+R.R.,+2017.+Natural+hazards:+explanation+and+integration.+Guilford+Publications.+ots=DJ8pcdpeTjsig=3K5BEvOYkyoHqsA1TB4EpA4FHP0#v=onepageqf=false Smith, K., 2013.Environmental hazards: assessing risk and reducing disaster. Routledge. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=enlr=id=hOTfCgAAQBAJoi=fndpg=PP1dq=Smith,+K.,+2013.+Environmental+hazards:+assessing+risk+and+reducing+disaster.+Routledgeots=CTRJrwY68Ssig=bCMCTCVJOov9w1fFwl-GxRa9ESg#v=onepageqf=false Tai, F.M. and Chuang, S.H., 2014. Corporate social responsibility. business,6(03), p.117. https://file.scirp.org/pdf/IB_2014091916083406.pdf

Most Films, Even The Excellent Ones, Fit Squarely Into An Existing Tra

Most films, even the excellent ones, fit squarely into an existing tradition of cinema. You have seen the same sort of thing before, even though the approach and many aspects of the film are novel. Once in a great while, more often for adventurous movie-goers than for those who see only Hollywood films, you come across something that is really new and different. Even less often, it is new, different, and good. Such a film is like a revelation. The first Kubrick movie one sees, or the first Tarkovsky, or the first Fellini, can be this sort of experience, a sudden broadening of one's private definition of what film is. The cinematic experience of Horse Thief was created by director, Tian Zhuangzhuang, in order to explore the relationship between religion and humans in Tibetan society. A fragmented narrative and minimal dialogue, the Horse Thief deals with the conflict between a Tibetan tribesman, Norbu, who steals horses for a living and his religion. Religion is the controlling force of life in Tibetan society and although Norbu is a thief, he is also a devout Buddhist. His relatively quiet life comes to an end one day when he steals a gift from the government to the monastery, a crime for which he and his family are ostracized and expelled from the tribe. Soon afterwards, Norbu's son dies and his death is interpreted as punishment from God. Although destitute, Norbu gives up his profession. He and his wife become nomads and their wanderings bring them to many major Tibetan festivals. The story is set in Tibet in the 1920's, though it might as well be the 16th century, for all the effect that the modern age has on the area. Despite Norbu's disreputable occupation, he piously contributes the bulk of his spoils to the temple. From this simple situation, a very minimal plot propels the film. But horse thief is not a film to watch for plot. Rather, the film presents a slow, careful revelation of the difficult lives of Tibetans, with emphasis on the vital role of religion in their lives. Practically every action taken by anyone in Horse Thief is directly related either to survival or religion. The land is harsh, and only constant effort permits people to live there. The characters only take time away from this struggle to worship their god. Gradually, as one watches the film, one realizes that the constant attention to worship is an intimate part of survival. Life is so hard that only sacred intervention can save the characters from death. Every turn of the prayer wheel, every ceremonial dance, every sacrifice and devotion has the practical aim of supplicating for the divine intervention that alone can ensure survival. The greatest disasters of the film stem from unluckily angering the deity. One of the most surprising things about this film from the People's Republic of China is that the peasants' attitudes about religion are taken completely at face value. Perhaps Buddha does not exist, and does not intervene in the daily lives of Tibetans, but Horse Thief offers n o evidence that he doesn't, and seems to suggest that he does. Even the unexpected theme of Horse Thief does not capture the importance of this film. The photography and direction are the film's most innovative aspects. Tian Zhuangzhuang, the director, has a unique visual style, favoring long, static shots. The typical presentation of long scenes in most movies is to break the scene into several shots, each taken from a different angle, at a different distance from the subject. Often, the only reason for breaking up the scene is visual interest. The director fears that we will be bored by a single, static shot covering several minutes, so he jazzes the scene up. Taken to the extreme, this approach yields MTV-style films, in which no shot lingers more than a few seconds - editing as rock and roll. Only daring directors will let their camera be still, and then only on the most interesting subjects, as a calculated effect. Tian takes a vastly different approach. He treats the camera as a distant viewer, almost godlike in its unblinking perspective. A shot will last for several minutes, with the action taking

Marketing Channels Essays

Marketing Channels Essays Marketing Channels Essay Marketing Channels Essay Question: Should companies involve their marketing channels in the design of the promotional programs? What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing so? When a company is looking at promoting a new or existing product or service, the involvement of their marketing channel during the design of the promotional program is key component. According to the text Excellence in Business (Bovee, Thill, Mescon; p. 417-418), a market channel is the network of firms that work together to get goods and services from the producer to the customer. When a company is designing is promotional program, or the manner it wishes to get information about its product to consumers, it has numerous factors and stakeholders to involve. Walk into any grocery store chain or look at any number of weekly advertisements and you will be able to see the same product advertised in numerous ways across numerous vendors. These various ways of advertising the same product across multiple vendors can also be referred to as a promotional mix. A promotional mix can be described as the blend of personal selling, advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion, and public relations a company uses to reach potential customers. (Excellence in Business; Bovee, Thill, Mescon; p. 487) When a company is developing a promotional mix and working with their marketing channels, it is important to understand the five elements of promotion. Excellence in Business (Bovee, Thill, Mescon; p. 487) describes the five elements as: 1. Personal selling which is in-person communication between a seller and one or more potential buyers; 2. Advertising, or the communication which targets a market from an identified sponsor using mass communication; 3. Direct marketing sends advertising directly to potential customers; 4. Sales promotions includes sponsoring promotional events and activities such as coupons, contests, etc. ; and 5. Public relations which is the non-sales communication between business and their consumers. The inclusion of marketing channels into a company’s promotional program can help increase the products presence in the market and help ensure a solid hold. When a company brings new products to market they can include any of the five elements of promotion in their stragegies. Including the marketing channels into the promotional program has its advantages, it can also have disadvantages. For a company to launch a new product they must be willing to weight the advantages and disadvantges of the promotional element to decide what is best for them. Below is a listing of some of those advantages and disadvantages. Personal Selling Advantage Message is tailored to customer Direct personal communication Highly flexible Disadvantage Relative high cost Advertising Advantage Large reach Stimulates demand by presenting a constant message Disadvantage Low to moderate cost Limited message flexibility Direct marketing Advantage Direct personal interaction with large reach Tailored messages to key groups Disadvantage Relative high cost Sales Promotion Advantage Large reach Disadvantage Can vary depending on promotion Only meets short ter m sales objectives Public Relations Advantage Large reach Disadvantage No direct cost Unvarying message While this discussion only takes a very broad looks at the inclusion of marketing channels in the development of a promotion program, you can see that while there are advantages and disadvantages, it is something that companies must consider. The ability to reach customers is growing as more and more products flood the market. Companies must work to keep the name in the spotlight in order to strive and turn profits. 2. Under the Practice Your Knowledge section on page 511 of your textbook, read the Handling Difficult Situations on the Job: Extolling a Better Way to Buy Insurance scenario and respond to the questions in the Your Task section. (40 points) This assignment should be at least one page long but no more than two pages. As with the assignment above, be sure to use the short-essay format and refer to the grading matrix as you prepare your assignment. When looking at a company such as the one described in the scenario (Excellence in Business; Bovee, Thill, Mescon; p. 11) there are numerous factors to promoting the Web site and offered services that could help increase traffic. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, opined that to persuade an audience that your ideas (or in this case product) are better than somebody else’s, there are three appeals to persuasion: Ethos (creditability), Pathos (emotional), and Logos (logical). When looking at a logical (Logos) versus emotional (Pathos) ap peal to attract new business, you must understand the base difference between the two. When making a logical appeal to an audience, you are presenting facts and statements to the audience. In the case of attracting more businesses to join your Web site, the logical approach would be to show that you have more site hits than a competitor or are marketing on more car dealership Web sites, etc. Making a logical appeal to a consumer or business typically involves statements and supposed facts, rather that questions and theories. An emotional appeal can play on the hopes, fears, and desires of an audience. (Excellence in Business; Bovee, Thill, Mescon; p. 99) Since these scenario deals with the selling of insurance, an example of an emotional appeal could deal with the disastrous financial effect of being hospitalized without insurance, this could include images of sad faces, graphics of budget spreadsheets with negative numbers, etc. If you were to begin trying to increase the marketing of the discussed Web site and tried to make logical and emotional appeals to various au diences, you must also understand the five promotional categories as described in Excellence in Business (Bovee, Thill, Mescon; p. 87). Below is a listing of the five categories and the potential emotional and logical effectiveness of each. 1. Personal selling – Highly effective in both emotional and logical appeals because you have direct personal face-to-face access with customer and the ability to have a highly flexible message. 2. Advertising – Highly effective in both emotional and logical appeals by constantly presenting facts/figures and/or emotional messages to large audiences at the same time through various means. 3. Direct marketing – Somewhat effective or emotional appeals, but highly effective for a logical appeal. Direct market typically involves non-personal contact with consumers, which could cause difficulty in creating that emotional appeal. 4. Sales promotions – Highly effective in both emotional and logical appeals. Companies have the ability to offer special promotions to buyers that if they do not like a product they will offer a full refund (emotional), to showing how their product is better than the other company through taste or cost comparisons (logical). 5. Public relations – Somewhat effective for emotional and logical appeals. Public relations exist to try and create a positive image of the company through non-sales techniques. An example would be a company that attempts to present positive stories about how they are helping the environment by decreasing their waste. This type of promotion may not have anything to do with an actual product, but people will remember the company because of the supposed help in cleaning up the environment, which is an emotionally charged topic. When looking at future ways to increase sales and visits to the Web site, the use of on-line ads and blogs could be huge. A company like the one described in the scenario could easily and effectively market themselves through the use of on-line ads by working with other Web sites, such as car dealerships or doctors offices, to place banners on their Web site. A banner or an ad which is displayed along the top of bottom of a Webpage, (Excellence in Business; Bovee, Thill, Mescon; p. 503) is an excellent, highly visible, tool by which to market a product or service to consumers. Banners can also track statistics of how many times somebody clicked on it to follow the link and from what landing page. Going back to logical promotion, this could be valuable information to make that type of connection to possible customers. Another proven valuable tool to any business is word-of-mouth advertising. In today’s Web based world, word-of-mouth advertising in an electronic setting is called a blog. A blog, or Web based log our journal (Excellence in Business; Bovee, Thill, Mescon; p. G-1) is a highly effective way for today’s consumers to share information about products and services with other like-minded people. Take just about any product out there and enter it into an internet search engine and you will likely comeback with thousands of postings with reviews about the product. In the end, there are numerous opportunities for an on-line business, such as the one described in the scenario, to increase their advertising and marketing through any number of means. Picking the right mix is important and must be carefully weighed to ensure you are reaching the maximum number of consumers with the minimum cost and effort.

Everything You Need to Know History of The Great Gatsby

Everything You Need to Know History of The Great Gatsby SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What exactly makes The Great Gatsby so â€Å"great?† Why did your English teacher choose this book in particular, when there are dozens of other great American novels from the twentieth century? Has it always been this popular? This article explains how The Great Gatsbynovel went from an unpopular flop during its time to a great American classic today, and how that history could affect your approach to the book. Read on to learn the story of The Great Gatsby’s unlikely path to fame, and why you should care. Why Does the Critical History of The Great GatsbyMatter? Understanding what helped Gatsby take hold as an American classic – its beautiful prose, the elusive Gatsby himself – can guide your approach to writing about the book. You’ll understand what the big picture ideas are and what your teacher is most likely trying to get at in teaching The Great Gatsby. As a general rule, if you’re reading Gatsby in a literature class, you’ll likely spend a lot of time analyzing itsliterary devices, symbols, and characters. But if you’re reading Gatsby in a history or American Studies class, you can expect to focus more on itsbig-picture themes(particularly its exploration of the American dream)and historical context (Gatsby as a record of the 1920s). Understanding Gatsby’s history could also help you if you’re approaching the novel from a more modern perspective.If you’re writing about the role of gender, sexuality, or race in the novel (as opposed to the tried-and-true American Dream topic), it's important to understand how these aspects of the novel were initially recieved. If nothing else, thishistory explains why you have been assigned The Great Gatsby in class! The GreatGatsby in the 1920s and 1930s The Great Gatsbynovel was first published in 1925, during the height of the Roaring ‘20s (the nickname for the post-WWIeconomic boom). Great Gatsby Composition History Gatsby was Fitzgerald’s third novel, and in writing it, he consciously set out to write something more artistic and creative than his previous two books. It took him about two and a half years to write and edit it, in between a failed play production, financial struggles, and a move to France. (See our short biography ofFitzgerald’s lifefor more.) Fitzgerald also didn’t like the title his publisher insisted on – his preferred title was â€Å"Trimalchio† or â€Å"Trimalchio in West Egg† (read our articleabout the title and alternate titlesof theGreat Gatsbyfor more info). But he was facing a deadline, and both his editor, Maxwell Perkins, and his wife, Zelda, were pushing him to finish. Great GatsbyReviews Gatsby debuted in March 1925 to lukewarm critical reviews. Many critics in the 1920s didn’t think The Great Gatsby was as good as Fitzgerald’s previous novels, especially his debut,This Side of Paradise. While he received private letters of praise from the writers T. S. Eliot, Willa Cather, and Edith Wharton, the public critical reviews were mixed at best. As quoted in a New York Times retrospective of The Great Gatsby, critics at the time were rather cold, saying that Gatsby was"clever and brilliantly surfaced but not the work of a wise and mature novelist." Other reviewers felt it was "a little slack, a little soft, more than a little artificial, [falling] into the class of negligible novels." The noted writer H. L. Mencken said that it was "certainly not to be put on the same shelf with, say, This Side of Paradise," and Isabel Paterson remarked that "what has never been alive cannot very well go on living; so this is a book for the season only." However, there were some positive reviews. The Los Angeles Times critic said, â€Å"Character could not be more skillfully revealed than it is here."The New York Times critic called it â€Å"A curious book, a mystical, glamorous story of today. It takes a deeper cut at life than hitherto has been enjoyed by Mr. Fitzgerald. He writes well - he always has - for he writes naturally, and his sense of form is becoming perfected.† The Great Gatsby:Commercial Failure However, despite those small bits of praise, the novel was not a commercial success. Fitzgerald hoped it would sell 75,000 copies, but it didn’t even sell 20,000 in its initial run. Thislack of success probablycontributed to Fitzgerald’s alcoholism and writer’s block after the publication of Gatsby (he didn’t publish Tender is the Night until 1934). While The GreatGatsby was kept alive by the publisher (Scribner) through the 1930s, and attracted a small literary following, it wasn’t widely read. (One interesting exception is J.D. Salinger, whose character, Buddy Glass, says Gatsby was his Tom Sawyer.) In 1934,Gatsby was reissued byThe Modern Library, a renowned publisher of classics, but was again dropped in 1939. Apparently, at the time ofFitzgerald’s death in 1940, Scribner had molderingcopies of the book in their warehouse. In short, during Fitzgerald’s life, Gatsby always fell just shy of â€Å"great† in the American public consciousness. Revival During WWII During WWII, the Red Cross started a program to send pocket-sized books to U.S. soldiers stationed abroad, as well as those being held in prison camps. The GreatGatsby was one of the books selected, and was consequently shipped to thousands of American soldiers during the war. By 1945, 123,000 pocket-sized copies of Gatsby had been shipped to American soldiers. The story of unrequited love and the failure of the American Dream resonated with the young men fighting abroad. This allowed the novelto suddenly become popular with a mass audience, and to get more attention from literary critics. In 1945, a new edition of The Great Gatsbywas published. In the introduction, Lionel Trilling wrote,â€Å"Fitzgerald is now beginning to take his place in our literary tradition.† It was also reprinted by Bantam Books. Full-length articles about Gatsby appeared in 1946. One literary critic, William Troy, said in an article that the novelwas â€Å"one of the few truly mythological creations in our recent literature,† which speaks to not only Gatsby’s growing acceptance in the literary canon, but also the sense critics had that there was something special about it. Throughout the 1950s,The Great Gatsbycontinued to grow in popularity and was the subject of a lot of literary criticism (a.k.a. writing about literature) – which is important because critical attention by professors and graduate students causedThe Great Gatsby to be placed on more college syllabi. This eventually trickled down to high school classes and caused Gatsby to become more and more popular each year. The 1960s - Present By the 1960s, The Great Gatsby was regarded as an American classic. The New York Times, in the retrospective piece mentioned above, confidently stated: â€Å"It is probably safe now to say that it is a classic of twentieth-century American fiction.† With the 1920s firmly in the past, the novel could be appreciated both as a reflection of that particular time period and a well-written character study of Gatsby and those surrounding him. (Perhaps readers and critics in the 1920s didn’t take kindly to the brutally honest portrayal of those decadent times.) The prose, symbolism, and relatively short length also made it a popular choice with English teachers and literature professors. Moreover, the timelessness of the novel's themes – the broken promise of the American Dream, doomed love – make it a consistently popular choice to be assigned very commonly both in high school and in college classes. Literary critics and writers have continued to find new angles and approaches to Gatsby in recent years. For example, one professor contends Jay Gatsby is actually part black, but passing as white, while Dana Goldstein and other feminist critics have come to Daisy Buchanan’s defense. Finally, in the twenty-first century, Gatsby’s continued popularity has made it a cultural touchstone. Search for â€Å"Gatsby† online and you’ll find dozens of pages about Gatsby-themed parties and costumes, as well as all sorts of articles about the recent (2013) film adaptation. So even though Gatsby wasn’t popular in its time, it has now become a classic book and a cultural touchstone. Further Reading NPR: How Gatsby Went From a Moldering Flop to a Great American Novel The New York Times: Gatsby at 35 Maureen Corrigan, So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures What’s Next? Check out our biography of F. Scott Fitzgeraldto learn more about where and how The GreatGatsby was written. Ready to jump in? Check out our guides to Gatsby’s title, its opening pages and epigraph, and the first chapter. Or,start with a summary of The Great Gatsby, along with links to all ourgreat articles analyzing this novel! Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

A Critical Analysis of the Role of a Teacher Facilitating Children's Essay

A Critical Analysis of the Role of a Teacher Facilitating Children's Development in Speaking and Listening - Essay Example In the process of doing so, the paper discusses several speaking techniques and the role the teacher must possess to facilitate students in the process. The paper begins with the teaching aspects in listening and mentions several mild but powerful techniques, such as the teacher fronted listening technique where the teacher adopts the role of a reader who reads at a pace comprehensible by students, and the turn taking and topic management techniques where the teacher adopts the role of an expert in cognitive psychology. Sometimes the teacher has to adopt a role that encourages the students to explore the capacity of their minds. Several techniques for such a scenario have been discussed at length implying a deeper reflection used to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate (Dawes, 2008). Nowadays, language delay and word poverty are some of the biggest issue being generated in the society, therefore, the paper assess the role a teacher in the speaking up approach as well. In order to inculc ate the art of oracy, the paper discusses techniques that aid the development of a child’s thinking power which must be started from key stage 1. It has been established through the literature that there are many views focused on developing these skills at an early age, for the purpose of which, besides different techniques, the paper highlights the role of teacher as a facilitator and establishes this as of utmost importance. Teaching aspects in Listening After scanning the environment in which the session must be conducted, and collecting the material needed for the process, the teacher must also be well aware of the Key Performance Indicators of his/her job. Below are stated the most common strategies that are needed to instill the art of listening in children as well as the role required by the teacher when these strategies are applied. The teacher fronted listening technique One of the typical roles a teacher adopts when inculcating the art of listening into the students is the activity of listening to stories. For example the teacher selects stories for children that are from level 1 and 2 and contains only a few words unknown. Then the teacher slowly reads the story where each sentence is read at a pace comprehensible by the students. When an unknown word comes, the teacher writes it on the board and reads it twice. In this way, when the word comes again, the teacher quickly points to the board and the students identify it. This technique thus instigates the interest of learners to maintain their interest in what they are listening and also understand what they are listening to. Oral cloze exercises: Developing active listening in students compels the teacher to critically analyze the skills needed by the students and requires efficient strategies adopted by the teacher to meet them (QCA, 2003). One such strategy is the oral close exercise which involves the children to guess the next upcoming words. For example, the teacher starts the story and every 50 seconds stops so that the learners could guess the word without too much interruption in the story. The guess is immediately followed by the answer from the teacher (Newton, 2009). Picture ordering and ‘What is it?’ Technique: Another strategy is the Picture ordering and the ‘what is it’ technique. In the former, a wrong arrangement of pictures is used and the students are forced to use their listening abilities. For example, the students first listen to the description and then replace it with the right order. As for the latter strategy, this technique involves the teachers to describe something where the students have to further identify it.

Leadership that influence Implementation at Qantas Essay

Leadership that influence Implementation at Qantas - Essay Example In order to enhance the competitive positioning of Qantas in the market, its management decided to undertake a strategic alliance with Emirates. After vivid negotiation with its president, Mr. Tim Clark, the joint venture took place that proved extremely effective for the organization of Qantas to reduce its huge losses and debts. However, at the time of implementation of such a strategic change, various internal factors such as politics or political forces, culture and leadership styles resisted it.   At the time of implementation of the strategies and policies of Emirates within the organization of Qantas, there arouse a serious conflict among the senior management, employees and trade unions. This is mainly due to over-reaction of the trade unions such as Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA), the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA), and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) in order to resist the alliance among Qantas and Emirates. Moreover, both the employees and the trade union members decided to act against the management and joined hands with the other employees of industrial actions. Moreover, the employees also called up strikes that hampered the operations of Qantas thereby decreasing its total profit margin. Along with this, due to industrial strikes, numerous employees are terminated and many fleets are also grounded by the CEO Alan Joyce (Hazledine, 2008).   As a result of which, the reliability and dependency of the customers over the brand.

Political Science Essay Example for Free

Political Science Essay Chapter 1 1. Authority: the recognized right of officials to exercise power 2. Constitutionalism: the idea that there are lawful restrictions on government’s power 3. Corporate power: operates in part through the influence that firms have with policy makers 4. Democracy: a form of government in which the people govern, either directly or through an elected representative. 5. Elitism: the power well exercised by well positioned and high influential individuals 6. Free market system: operates mainly on private transactions. Firms are largely free to make their own production, distribution and pricing decisions 7. Judicial action: the use of courts as means of asserting rights and interests. 8. Majoritarianism: the situation in which the majority effectively determines what the government does 9. Pluralism: holds that, most issues, the preference of the special interest largely determines what government does 10. Political Science: the systematic study of government and politics 11. Political thinking: careful gathering and sifting of information in the process of forming a knowledgeable view about a political issue 12. Politics: the means by which society settles in conflicts and allocates the resulting the benefits and costs 13. Power: refers to the ability of persons, groups or institutions to influence political developments 14. Public policies: decisions of government to pursue particular courses of action Chapter 2 1. Anti-Federalists: raised arguments that national government would ne too powerful and would threaten self government in the separate states and the liberty of people 2. Bill of Rights: includes those as freedom of speech, religion, due process protections. 3. Checks and Balances: no institution can act decisively without the support or acquiescence of the other institution. 4. Constitution: a fundamental law that defines how government will legitimately operate; the method for choosing its leaders, the institutions through which these leaders will work, the procedures they must follow in making policy and the powers they can lawfully exercise; highest law of the land 5. Constitutional democratic republic: the type of government created in the United States in 1787. a. Constitutional: in its requirement to gain power through elections be exercised in accordance with law and with due respect for individual rights b. Democratic: in its provisions for majority influence through elections c. Republic: in its mix of deliberative institutions, each of which moderates the power of others 6. Delegates: officeholders who are obligated to carry out the expressed opinions of the people they represent 7. Limited government: one that is subject to strict legal limits on the uses of power, so that it would not threaten the people’s liberty 8. Self Government: one in which the people would be the ultimate source of governing authority and would have a voice in their governing 9. Inalienable rights or Natural rights: life, liberty and property, which are threaten by individuals 10. The Virginia Plan:/Large State Plan: included separate judicial and executive branches as well as two chamber congress that would have supreme authority in all areas 11. The New Jersey Plan / Small State Plan: call for a stronger national government than that provided by the articles of confederation 12. The Great Compromise: the agreement of the constitutional convention to create a two chamber congress with the House appointed by population and the Senate apportioned equally by the state 13. 3/5 Compromise: each slave was to count as less than a person. 14. Federalists: Constitution supporters 15. Liberty: the principle that individuals should be free to act, and think as they choose, provided they do not infringe on the well being of others 16. Grants of Power: framers chose to limit the national government in part by confirming its scope of authority to those powers expressively granted in the Constitution. 17. Denials of Power: a means to limit government to prohibit certain practices that European rulers had routinely used to oppressed political opponents 18. Separation of Powers: division of the powers of government among separate institutions or branches 19. Separated institution sharing power: 20. Checks and Balances: No institution can act decisively without the support or acquiescence of the other institutions 21. Judicial Review: the power of the judiciary to decide whether a government official or institution that has acted within its limits of the Constitution 22. Tyranny Sovergnty: a government cannot be sovereign if it can be overruled by another government 23. Federalism: a governmental system in which authority is divided between two sovereign levels of government, national and regional. 24. Unitary system: sovereignty is vested solely in the national government. 25. Confederacy: the type of government that existed under the Articles of confederation 26.

Aristotle and John Wesley: On Being Truly Human :: Essays Papers

Aristotle and John Wesley: On Being Truly Human Many ideas presented by John Wesley are similar to those presented by Aristotle. These similarities become apparent in various areas, especially in the idea that each person has potential that can be actualized. Because these similarities are apparent, the thoughts of Aristotle can easily be employed to assist in understanding many of Wesley's thoughts. Specifically, the discussion of virtue presented in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics can assist one in understanding Wesley's ideas of affections and tempers, the process of Christian perfection, means of grace, and the importance of community. Aristotle Before moving on to discuss the similarities between the thought of John Wesley and of Aristotle, it is essential to understand many basic Aristotelian concepts. Prevalent in many of his works, Aristotle discusses how objects can change. In the Metaphysics and On the Soul, Aristotle presents his idea of the four causes, including material cause, formal cause, efficient cause, and final cause (Robinson: 15-22). Employing the illustration of a potter molding a clay mug, the material cause is the clay, the basic matter that is the subject of the change. As the clay undergoes the process of being molded, it is being made into a specific shape that has specific functions. This shape and function is called the form or formal cause of the object. In this case, the clay is changing into the form of a mug that is purposed to hold liquids. It should be noted that material is never without form. Before the clay was changed into the form of a mug, it was in the form of a lump of clay tha t has its own specified function. Each time matter undergoes change there is an agent responsible for the process. The agent is the efficient cause. In this case, the potter is responsible for transforming the clay matter into the mug form. The final cause, or the end, occurs when the matter is made into a particular form. Although every object has many intermediate ends, all these ends lead to a single ultimate end. The mug, for instance, can be used as a paperweight or as a decoration, but the ultimate end that is suitable for the mug form is to be an object that holds liquid. The process of an object functioning appropriately to its form, which is the actualization of its potential, is aimed at attaining this ultimate end. Aristotle and John Wesley: On Being Truly Human :: Essays Papers Aristotle and John Wesley: On Being Truly Human Many ideas presented by John Wesley are similar to those presented by Aristotle. These similarities become apparent in various areas, especially in the idea that each person has potential that can be actualized. Because these similarities are apparent, the thoughts of Aristotle can easily be employed to assist in understanding many of Wesley's thoughts. Specifically, the discussion of virtue presented in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics can assist one in understanding Wesley's ideas of affections and tempers, the process of Christian perfection, means of grace, and the importance of community. Aristotle Before moving on to discuss the similarities between the thought of John Wesley and of Aristotle, it is essential to understand many basic Aristotelian concepts. Prevalent in many of his works, Aristotle discusses how objects can change. In the Metaphysics and On the Soul, Aristotle presents his idea of the four causes, including material cause, formal cause, efficient cause, and final cause (Robinson: 15-22). Employing the illustration of a potter molding a clay mug, the material cause is the clay, the basic matter that is the subject of the change. As the clay undergoes the process of being molded, it is being made into a specific shape that has specific functions. This shape and function is called the form or formal cause of the object. In this case, the clay is changing into the form of a mug that is purposed to hold liquids. It should be noted that material is never without form. Before the clay was changed into the form of a mug, it was in the form of a lump of clay tha t has its own specified function. Each time matter undergoes change there is an agent responsible for the process. The agent is the efficient cause. In this case, the potter is responsible for transforming the clay matter into the mug form. The final cause, or the end, occurs when the matter is made into a particular form. Although every object has many intermediate ends, all these ends lead to a single ultimate end. The mug, for instance, can be used as a paperweight or as a decoration, but the ultimate end that is suitable for the mug form is to be an object that holds liquid. The process of an object functioning appropriately to its form, which is the actualization of its potential, is aimed at attaining this ultimate end.

Cooking Rice and Peas Jamaican Style

Many people identify Jamaica with beautiful white sand beaches with clear blue waters. Jamaica offers more than unspoiled nature, given its motto – Out of many one people, one will find a mixture of ethnicities and more which have impacted on some of the traditional dishes we now prepare today. One such traditional dish is rice and peas, which has become famous as one of our Sunday Jamaican dishes. Rice and peas is prepared using a combination of rice and peas. This dish provides a good source of complex carbohydrates and a healthy balance of proteins; the addition of herbs such as pimento seeds, fresh thyme and scallion gives this dish a wonderful aroma and an unusual â€Å"kick† to the olfactory glands. This dish is usually served with meat, poultry or fish, as the rice and peas counteracts the spiciness of the main meat dish. Preparing this dish is not as complicated as one may think, and if one takes a chance to try it, then one might just find themselves loving it. The four major steps that are involved in the making of this dish are the gathering of the ingredients, the preparation of the peas, the extraction of the coconut milk and the cooking process. First, you will need to gather all the needed ingredients to make the rice and peas. The appetizing set of ingredients vital for this dish are: red kidney beans, rice, garlic, green scotched bonnet pepper, escallion, thyme, salt to taste and coconut milk or a coconut. Please remember that the coconut milk and the herbs used are very essential for the taste of this dish and it will make the difference from the other types of rice dishes that you might have had before. Several pieces of equipment are also necessary: medium-sized bowl, measuring cup, fork and spoon and a pot. Having obtained all of the specified ingredients and equipment, the next step is the preparation of the peas or beans and the dry coconut. Many types of beans can be used such as red kidney beans, pigeon peas, gungo peas and black-eyed beans and cowpeas. If fresh peas are being used then these have to be washed and boiled for forty-five (45) minutes or more until tender. If dried beans are used, soaking them overnight in plenty of cold garlic water is recommended. After that rinse and drain the soaked beans and boil in fresh salted water until tender. The peas can be tested to see if they are cooked by crushing them against the lid of the pot. If they crush easily, then you are ready to move on to the next step. The next step is the extraction of the coconut milk. Using a metal skewer the softest eye of the coconut must be pierced to drain the liquid into a bowl. With a hammer or the back of a heavy machete break shell and with the point of a sturdy knife pry the meat out of the shell in chunks doing so carefully. Grate coconut on small tear drop shaped holes of a four sided grater or finely chop in a food processor or a blender. To make the coconut milk, water should be added to the grated coconut pulp and be left in the bowl for about five (5) minutes. Using a fine sieve or cloth pressed in the hand to extract the liquid and keep out the coconut pulp. It is important to note that once the liquid is extracted hot water can once again be poured on the same coconut flesh to make another extract. You are now ready to begin cooking. The previous step is very important because the coconut milk helps to add the unique flavour to this traditional meal. The extracted coconut milk along with garlic is added to the pot in which the peas and water have been simmering. When the peas are fully cooked, salt, uncut scotch bonnet pepper, thyme and escallion are added to the pot. The aroma from the herbs makes their presence known and there will be a strong sinus healing smell that will tickle the inside of your nose. After all the ingredients have been cooking together for a time or more importantly when the peas are fully tender and deemed to be cooked, the washed rice is then added to pot. A fork or wooden spoon can be used to combine everything. It is recommended that this dish be prepared on a low fire until done. If all the steps above are followed, one can say that they have now mastered the art of cooking Jamaican rice and peas from scratch using a combination of basic ingredients found in Jamaica. The processing time is approximately two (2 hours or more. I’m quite sure that given the tastiness of this dish it will be eaten in less time than that. Please follow all the suggested steps and include all the listed necessary ingredients and you will see or rather taste the end result.

Acid rain

The French chemist Ducros first used the term ‘pluie acide' in 1845. The phraqse ‘acid rain' ,was brought in 1872 by Robert Angus Smith (Wellburn, 1994). Back in fifties, there were observations of lakes in Scandinavia losing their fish populations. Anglers and naturalists noticed that fish stocks in many lakes of southern Scandinavia were diminishing. Freshwater acidification had rapidly worsened over a few decades. Although acid rain and the acidification are a not new problem that has received considerable attention for many years, it was not until 1960s that scientists were able to link these effects to any specific cause. Later it was found to be atmospheric pollution. Acidification is not a regional phenomenon. In Scotland, studies show that the acidification began around the middle of the last centuries and the process has accelerated in the last three decades. In southern Norway, It has reported that 87 lakes had a pH below 5.5 (Mason, 1996). Damaged forests were becoming widespread in West Germany. As these examples show, acidification is an international problem. Pollutants may be carried with winds over distances, from points hundreds or thousands of miles away. Some countries are net importers of pollution, and others are exporters. The effects of acidification are varies, not only pollution of lakes and forests as previously mentioned, but also effects on fauna and flora, soil, groundwater and direct or indirect harm on human health, and all things are influenced by water quality through hydrological pathway (Thunberg, 1993). The aim of this report is to discuss causes and effects of acidification that has been concerned until now, and present possible short-term and long-term soluti on to acid deposition effects on water quality 1. Acidification and its causes Airborne pollution can influence the environment both directly and indirectly. Primary pollutant is Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. When these are present in high concentrations, they can cause damage on environment and human's health. These direct effects are often peak in the vicinity of the emission sources. Industrial society discharges suphur dioxide and nitrogen that form sulphuric acid and nitric acid, which may be carried with the winds over long distances before descending in rain or snow. Indirect effects often occur as acidified soil and water far away from the sources of emission (Thunberg, 1993). There are gas-phase reactions, which produce acidity in the atomosphere. Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides form suophuric and nitric acids on coming into contact with water. When these acids reach the ground in rain and snow, it is called ‘wet deposition'. However, acid oxides may also be deposited directy as gases, or cles, which is called ‘dry deposition'. The rates of dry deposition velocity may depend on the nature of the land surfaces. Rates of wet deposition depend on the precipitation rate, the washout ratio of dissolved pollutant per unit mass of cloud water or rain divided by the concentration of the same pollutant per unit mass of air (Wellburn, 1994. A low pH value means a high level of acidification. Water in neutral condition has a pH of 7 (Thunberg, 1993). Sulphur and Nitrogen Cycles are presented below (Figure 1 and 2). Figure 1. Sulphur Cycle Source: ICU (2003) Figure 2. Nitrogen Cycle Source: ICU (2003) 1.1 Sulphur Sulphur compounds are responsible for about two-thirds of the acidification of rain. Sulphur in gaseous form, sulphur dioxide (SO2), is mainly formed in the combustion of oil and coal. The rapid increase in emission of pollutants came after the war followed by consumption of fuel and oil. It was reported that approximately 20 million tons of sulphur are now emitted every year in Europe. There is also a great deal of airborne pollution in North America, where about 12 million tons of sulphur is released every year. Sulphur can be formed by naturally by eruption of vulcanoes, from seas and oceans and certain processes in the soil. However, 90 per cent of the emissions of sulphur to the atmosphere are derived from industrialised parts of Europe and North America. This is ten times the level that can be considered natural (Thunberg, 1993). 1.2 Nitrogen Nitrogen oxides (NOX) are grouped term of nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitrogen oxides are formed in all types of combustion, most of the NOX are formed by the reaction of nitrogen gas in the combustion air with oxygen. When the mixture of nitrogen gas and oxygen is heated, they interrelate to form NOX. The higher the combustion temperature, the more NOX will be formed. The largest source of NOX emission is road traffic. These emissions are reported to have doubled during the 1960s, approximately 22 million tons of NO2 are released every year in Europe. Certain types of fertilizer are another source of nitrogen pollution. Nitrate leaching intensified the acidification of the soil, which release unwanted substances such as aluminium (Thunberg, 1993). 2. The environmental effects of acidification 2.1 water acidification and aquatic biota Acidification was first noticed in the lakes. The initial victims of acidification are nutrient-deficient lakes in areas where the soil has a poor buffering ability (Thunberg, 1993). It is reported that many lakes in the Rocky Mountain have little alkalinity to buffer increase in acid deposition, however loss of alkalinity has been observed caused by high concentration of acid deposition due to the emission in the Rocky Mountain region (Turk et al, 1989). Figure 3. Acidified lake: A deep blue colour of a lake is a sign of acidification. Source: ARIC (2000) In severely acidified lake, the fish will have vanished entirely, bog moss will have spread out over the lake floor, and only few plant and animal species will remain. The first victims of acidification are crayfish, snails and mussels, certain types of zoo- and phytoplankton, and some species of mayfly. Usually, certain types of bog moss and insects those are resistant to acidification remains. This is not only low pH value that takes a heavy toll of fauna and flora. In acid lakes there are increased concentrations of aluminium in ion form, which is highly toxic to many organisms. The loss of fauna / flora is due to the combination of a lowered pH and aluminium poisoning. The level of other heavy metals also rises such as cadmium, zinc, and lead. Those heavy metals including aluminium flow into lakes from the acidified soils of the surroundings. The relationship of prey and predators will also change, for instance certain insects on which they usually prey begin to thrive when their predators are disappeared (Thunberg, 1993). 2.2 Soil/water interactions Acidification process takes place naturally in the soil. The plant releases hydrogen ions as it uptake nutrients. Though the growth itself is acidifying, there is no net acidification where growth and decay are about equal. However, the cycle is broken by harvesting, the acidifying process will take over. Soil acidification may have biological effects in the respects through lowering of the pH value, an increase in the levels of aluminium and other toxic compounds and a loss of plant nutrients due to increased leaching, consequently may lower drainage water pH (Thunberg, 1993). Moreover, Long-term increase in nitrogen supply may be responsible for alterations in root and shoot growth of plants(Carrol et al, 2003). Figure 5. Soil pH range source ANRA (2003) 2.3 Effects of forestry practices Forestry practices can cause the soil and water to become acidified in several ways. Forest growth change drainage water pathways to stream, and increase stream water acidity. Extensive clear cutting can also accelerate the acidification of surface water. Applying acidifying fertilizer also helps to acidify soil and water (Thunberg, 1993). Twelve years studies of acidification-induced chemical changes in soils of Norway spruce and Scot pine in southern Sweden reveals that pH in mineral soil decreased on average 0.17 units between 1988 and 1999. It is said that these changes in forest soil are mainly due to the extensive deposition of acidifying substances (sulphur and nitrogen compounds) during the latter part of the 20th century (Jà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nsson et al, 2003). In addition, atmospheric pollution directly damages forest itself. Since the early 1970s, West Germany has experienced a rapid and widespread decline in the health of its forest trees; especially sensitive species were affec ted by exposure to low levels of pollutants (Ling et al, 1987). 2.5 Groundwater quality Most of the precipitation sinks to some extent into the ground. The more permeable the soil, the more water dribbles down. Normally acid rain will become less acid as it penetrates through the ground. However, where the soil becomes acidified and has less ability to neutralize, the effect will be decrease until it finally ceases. It is unlikely that acid groundwater will be harmful to human health, however toxic heavy metals, such as aluminium and cadmium may appear at elevated level where highly acidic. These metals are harmful for human health (Thunberg, 1993). 3. Solutions Solutions to the problems of acidification fall into two groups, which are cure and prevention. Remedial measures can be applied where the problems actually arise (i.e. soils and surface waters). Preventive measures can be applied at source (i.e. at point of emission of the sulphur and nitrogen oxides). The latter are expensive and the least acceptable to industry, however they are in fact more effective, more sustainable, and more immediately required (Park, 1987). Causal treatment by reducing aciditying emissions is the primary goal in a long-term as preventive measures, however outcomes from this approach are still uncertain and recovery may be slow. Indicative treatment, involving the addition of neutralizing agent such as powdered limestone to affected environment is the only realistic remedy in the short-term, and has become a widespread practice in Europe (Thunberg, 1993). 3.1 Short-term solutions Remedial action should be taken after the problems happen. This requires not simply the elimination of symptoms of damage (i.e. restocking fish in acidified lakes, planting new trees); it also involves restoration of natural chemical balances to ensure that damage does not reappear. Some materials in nature have ability to buffer, or neutralize, or offset acid input. Lime and limestone are the most accepted of a range of chemicals that can be used to buffer acidic materials. Lime has been added normally by spraying from helicopter to catchments, soils and forests to alleviate damage and improve conditions for environment (Park, 1987). With regard to the lakes and streams, this raises pH value of the water and decrease in the levels of heavy metals. After the liming many species quickly return to their former habitat (Thunberg, 1993). This approach has been most widely investigated in Sweden (Park, 1987). This measure had been made in UK as well. Stream chemistry and biological effect was monitored for 10 years after the catchments of three acidified Welsh streams at Llyn Brianne were limed in 1987/88. This monitoring reveals that chemistry in treated streams changed significantly as mean annual pH increased from 5-5.1 before liming to 6.1-6.2; mean annual aluminium concentrations decreased from 0.15-0.18 to 0.05-0.11 mg L-1, and calcium concentrations increased from 0.8-2.0 to 2.4-4.5 mg L-1. The abundance of Acid-sensive taxa in limed streams increased after treatment. Liming has also been used as a means of restoring acidified soils. This improves the productivity of croplands and forests. However, liming can cause negative impacts on stream, such as fine CaCO3 deposited on the stream banthos. In addition, liming is an expensive ‘cure' measure. Sweden spent approximately $10 million from 1980-1983 for liming. Moreover, it is not practical for many lakes and rives, for some streams it is no help at all. There is uncertainty in relation to the effect of liming in a long run. Many studies have undertaken for the effects of post liming over short timescales, yet little has known about the long-term effects. At least 10 years monitoring is recommended (Bradley et al, 2002). Liming is a interim measures that provide biological defence, however it does not attack the root caused of the problems. It has been said that ‘a sort of artificial respiration for dead lakes and streams'. Therefore, real effective measures are long-term prevention deliberate through a sustained policy, rather than cure. 3.2 Long-term solutions The only way to solve the problem of acidification in the long run is to reduce emissions of pollutants. The central point of the political debate over acid rain is the need to reduce rainfall acidity by controlling emission of SO2 and NOX at source, mainly from power stations and vehicles: Reducing emissions of SO2 from power stations by: > Burn less fossil fuel > Switch to low-sulphur fuel > Fuel desulphurisation > Sulphur reduction at combustion > Flue gas desulphurisation > Disperse flue gases Reducing emission of NOx from power stations by: > Reduce NOx emissions during burning > Reduce NOx levels after burning Reducing emissions of NOx from vehicles by: > Modify engines or exhausts to reduce emissions > Change to different type of engine > Transport planning It is said that technology of controlling and reducing such emissions already exist. Some methods should be applied separately or in combination to be able to bring reduction to agreed levels within agreed time-scales. However, this problem is not only to do with a technical one. Political goodwill is essential as this measures involves high cost. All the cost should be offset by positive side-effects such as the creation of new jobs and generation of useful by-products (i.e. commercial sulphuric acid), the values of conserving fish, forest and crops, and benefits in improved human health (Park, 1987). In recent decades, there have been national and international efforts to achieve reduction in emissions of sulphur and nitrogen compounds to the atmosphere (Ferrier et at, 2001). As previously mentioned, emissions of sulphur and Nitrogen are carried by air and deposited as gases and aerosols and dissolved in rainwater, in areas far from their sources. The quality of air is very much influenced by emissions in others, so it will benefit little for any country alone to reduce emissions. This is called transboundary Import-Export Budgets. Data for 1998 is presented in Appendix A Without international cooperation, there can be no real solution (Thunberg, 1993). The details of these treaties and protocols are presented in Appendix C 4. Improvement Recent data shows that both emissions seem steadily declined particularly after these treaties and protocols noted above have adopted (See appendix B). However, compared to reduction of SO2 emission, NOX emission need to be reduced further, especially U.S, whose emission has not been much reduced. Conclusion Acidification has a long history as posing adverse impacts on various ecosystems and human health. The main sources of pollution are SO2 and NOX. These pollutants are naturally exist, however recent increases of these pollutants are caused by human-induced factors, such as power generation and transportation. Remedial measures have been taken to abate damaged environment by acid deposition. Preventive measures have been adopted for preventing further damages. In attempts to make steadily progress for both redemption and prevention for solution of acidification for water quality, use of combination of short-term and long-term solution will be recommended. Acid Rain Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, i. e. elevated levels of hydrogen ions (low pH). It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infrastructure through the process of wet deposition. Acid rain is caused by emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which react with the water molecules in the atmosphere to produce acids. Governments have made efforts since the 1970s to reduce the release of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere with positive results. Nitrogen oxides can also be produced naturally by lightning strikes and sulfur dioxide is produced by volcanic eruptions. The corrosive effect of polluted, acidic city air on limestone and marble was noted in the 17th century by John Evelyn, who remarked upon the poor condition of the Arundel marbles. Since the Industrial Revolution, emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides to the atmosphere have increased. In 1852, Robert Angus Smith was the first to show the relationship between acid rain and atmospheric pollution in Manchester, England. Though acidic rain was discovered in 1852, it was not until the late 1960s that scientists began widely observing and studying the phenomenon. [6] The term â€Å"acid rain† was coined in 1872 by Robert Angus Smith. 7] Canadian Harold Harvey was among the first to research a â€Å"dead† lake. Public awareness of acid rain in the U. S increased in the 1970s after The New York Times promulgated reports from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire of the myriad deleterious environmental effects demonstrated to result from it. Occasional pH readings in rain and fog water of well below 2. 4 have been reported in industrialized areas. Industrial acid rain is a substantial problem in China and Russia and areas down-wind from them. These areas all burn sulfur-containing coal to generate heat and electricity. The problem of acid rain not only has increased with population and industrial growth, but has become more widespread. The use of tall smokestacks to reduce local pollution has contributed to the spread of acid rain by releasing gases into regional atmospheric circulation. [13][14] Often deposition occurs a considerable distance downwind of the emissions, with mountainous regions tending to receive the greatest deposition (simply because of their higher rainfall). An example of this effect is the low pH of rain (compared to the local emissions) which falls in Scandinavia. Acid rain The French chemist Ducros first used the term ‘pluie acide' in 1845. The phraqse ‘acid rain' ,was brought in 1872 by Robert Angus Smith (Wellburn, 1994). Back in fifties, there were observations of lakes in Scandinavia losing their fish populations. Anglers and naturalists noticed that fish stocks in many lakes of southern Scandinavia were diminishing. Freshwater acidification had rapidly worsened over a few decades. Although acid rain and the acidification are a not new problem that has received considerable attention for many years, it was not until 1960s that scientists were able to link these effects to any specific cause. Later it was found to be atmospheric pollution. Acidification is not a regional phenomenon. In Scotland, studies show that the acidification began around the middle of the last centuries and the process has accelerated in the last three decades. In southern Norway, It has reported that 87 lakes had a pH below 5.5 (Mason, 1996). Damaged forests were becoming widespread in West Germany. As these examples show, acidification is an international problem. Pollutants may be carried with winds over distances, from points hundreds or thousands of miles away. Some countries are net importers of pollution, and others are exporters. The effects of acidification are varies, not only pollution of lakes and forests as previously mentioned, but also effects on fauna and flora, soil, groundwater and direct or indirect harm on human health, and all things are influenced by water quality through hydrological pathway (Thunberg, 1993). The aim of this report is to discuss causes and effects of acidification that has been concerned until now, and present possible short-term and long-term soluti on to acid deposition effects on water quality 1. Acidification and its causes Airborne pollution can influence the environment both directly and indirectly. Primary pollutant is Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. When these are present in high concentrations, they can cause damage on environment and human's health. These direct effects are often peak in the vicinity of the emission sources. Industrial society discharges suphur dioxide and nitrogen that form sulphuric acid and nitric acid, which may be carried with the winds over long distances before descending in rain or snow. Indirect effects often occur as acidified soil and water far away from the sources of emission (Thunberg, 1993). There are gas-phase reactions, which produce acidity in the atomosphere. Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides form suophuric and nitric acids on coming into contact with water. When these acids reach the ground in rain and snow, it is called ‘wet deposition'. However, acid oxides may also be deposited directy as gases, or cles, which is called ‘dry deposition'. The rates of dry deposition velocity may depend on the nature of the land surfaces. Rates of wet deposition depend on the precipitation rate, the washout ratio of dissolved pollutant per unit mass of cloud water or rain divided by the concentration of the same pollutant per unit mass of air (Wellburn, 1994. A low pH value means a high level of acidification. Water in neutral condition has a pH of 7 (Thunberg, 1993). Sulphur and Nitrogen Cycles are presented below (Figure 1 and 2). Figure 1. Sulphur Cycle Source: ICU (2003) Figure 2. Nitrogen Cycle Source: ICU (2003) 1.1 Sulphur Sulphur compounds are responsible for about two-thirds of the acidification of rain. Sulphur in gaseous form, sulphur dioxide (SO2), is mainly formed in the combustion of oil and coal. The rapid increase in emission of pollutants came after the war followed by consumption of fuel and oil. It was reported that approximately 20 million tons of sulphur are now emitted every year in Europe. There is also a great deal of airborne pollution in North America, where about 12 million tons of sulphur is released every year. Sulphur can be formed by naturally by eruption of vulcanoes, from seas and oceans and certain processes in the soil. However, 90 per cent of the emissions of sulphur to the atmosphere are derived from industrialised parts of Europe and North America. This is ten times the level that can be considered natural (Thunberg, 1993). 1.2 Nitrogen Nitrogen oxides (NOX) are grouped term of nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitrogen oxides are formed in all types of combustion, most of the NOX are formed by the reaction of nitrogen gas in the combustion air with oxygen. When the mixture of nitrogen gas and oxygen is heated, they interrelate to form NOX. The higher the combustion temperature, the more NOX will be formed. The largest source of NOX emission is road traffic. These emissions are reported to have doubled during the 1960s, approximately 22 million tons of NO2 are released every year in Europe. Certain types of fertilizer are another source of nitrogen pollution. Nitrate leaching intensified the acidification of the soil, which release unwanted substances such as aluminium (Thunberg, 1993). 2. The environmental effects of acidification 2.1 water acidification and aquatic biota Acidification was first noticed in the lakes. The initial victims of acidification are nutrient-deficient lakes in areas where the soil has a poor buffering ability (Thunberg, 1993). It is reported that many lakes in the Rocky Mountain have little alkalinity to buffer increase in acid deposition, however loss of alkalinity has been observed caused by high concentration of acid deposition due to the emission in the Rocky Mountain region (Turk et al, 1989). Figure 3. Acidified lake: A deep blue colour of a lake is a sign of acidification. Source: ARIC (2000) In severely acidified lake, the fish will have vanished entirely, bog moss will have spread out over the lake floor, and only few plant and animal species will remain. The first victims of acidification are crayfish, snails and mussels, certain types of zoo- and phytoplankton, and some species of mayfly. Usually, certain types of bog moss and insects those are resistant to acidification remains. This is not only low pH value that takes a heavy toll of fauna and flora. In acid lakes there are increased concentrations of aluminium in ion form, which is highly toxic to many organisms. The loss of fauna / flora is due to the combination of a lowered pH and aluminium poisoning. The level of other heavy metals also rises such as cadmium, zinc, and lead. Those heavy metals including aluminium flow into lakes from the acidified soils of the surroundings. The relationship of prey and predators will also change, for instance certain insects on which they usually prey begin to thrive when their predators are disappeared (Thunberg, 1993). 2.2 Soil/water interactions Acidification process takes place naturally in the soil. The plant releases hydrogen ions as it uptake nutrients. Though the growth itself is acidifying, there is no net acidification where growth and decay are about equal. However, the cycle is broken by harvesting, the acidifying process will take over. Soil acidification may have biological effects in the respects through lowering of the pH value, an increase in the levels of aluminium and other toxic compounds and a loss of plant nutrients due to increased leaching, consequently may lower drainage water pH (Thunberg, 1993). Moreover, Long-term increase in nitrogen supply may be responsible for alterations in root and shoot growth of plants(Carrol et al, 2003). Figure 5. Soil pH range source ANRA (2003) 2.3 Effects of forestry practices Forestry practices can cause the soil and water to become acidified in several ways. Forest growth change drainage water pathways to stream, and increase stream water acidity. Extensive clear cutting can also accelerate the acidification of surface water. Applying acidifying fertilizer also helps to acidify soil and water (Thunberg, 1993). Twelve years studies of acidification-induced chemical changes in soils of Norway spruce and Scot pine in southern Sweden reveals that pH in mineral soil decreased on average 0.17 units between 1988 and 1999. It is said that these changes in forest soil are mainly due to the extensive deposition of acidifying substances (sulphur and nitrogen compounds) during the latter part of the 20th century (Jà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nsson et al, 2003). In addition, atmospheric pollution directly damages forest itself. Since the early 1970s, West Germany has experienced a rapid and widespread decline in the health of its forest trees; especially sensitive species were affec ted by exposure to low levels of pollutants (Ling et al, 1987). 2.5 Groundwater quality Most of the precipitation sinks to some extent into the ground. The more permeable the soil, the more water dribbles down. Normally acid rain will become less acid as it penetrates through the ground. However, where the soil becomes acidified and has less ability to neutralize, the effect will be decrease until it finally ceases. It is unlikely that acid groundwater will be harmful to human health, however toxic heavy metals, such as aluminium and cadmium may appear at elevated level where highly acidic. These metals are harmful for human health (Thunberg, 1993). 3. Solutions Solutions to the problems of acidification fall into two groups, which are cure and prevention. Remedial measures can be applied where the problems actually arise (i.e. soils and surface waters). Preventive measures can be applied at source (i.e. at point of emission of the sulphur and nitrogen oxides). The latter are expensive and the least acceptable to industry, however they are in fact more effective, more sustainable, and more immediately required (Park, 1987). Causal treatment by reducing aciditying emissions is the primary goal in a long-term as preventive measures, however outcomes from this approach are still uncertain and recovery may be slow. Indicative treatment, involving the addition of neutralizing agent such as powdered limestone to affected environment is the only realistic remedy in the short-term, and has become a widespread practice in Europe (Thunberg, 1993). 3.1 Short-term solutions Remedial action should be taken after the problems happen. This requires not simply the elimination of symptoms of damage (i.e. restocking fish in acidified lakes, planting new trees); it also involves restoration of natural chemical balances to ensure that damage does not reappear. Some materials in nature have ability to buffer, or neutralize, or offset acid input. Lime and limestone are the most accepted of a range of chemicals that can be used to buffer acidic materials. Lime has been added normally by spraying from helicopter to catchments, soils and forests to alleviate damage and improve conditions for environment (Park, 1987). With regard to the lakes and streams, this raises pH value of the water and decrease in the levels of heavy metals. After the liming many species quickly return to their former habitat (Thunberg, 1993). This approach has been most widely investigated in Sweden (Park, 1987). This measure had been made in UK as well. Stream chemistry and biological effect was monitored for 10 years after the catchments of three acidified Welsh streams at Llyn Brianne were limed in 1987/88. This monitoring reveals that chemistry in treated streams changed significantly as mean annual pH increased from 5-5.1 before liming to 6.1-6.2; mean annual aluminium concentrations decreased from 0.15-0.18 to 0.05-0.11 mg L-1, and calcium concentrations increased from 0.8-2.0 to 2.4-4.5 mg L-1. The abundance of Acid-sensive taxa in limed streams increased after treatment. Liming has also been used as a means of restoring acidified soils. This improves the productivity of croplands and forests. However, liming can cause negative impacts on stream, such as fine CaCO3 deposited on the stream banthos. In addition, liming is an expensive ‘cure' measure. Sweden spent approximately $10 million from 1980-1983 for liming. Moreover, it is not practical for many lakes and rives, for some streams it is no help at all. There is uncertainty in relation to the effect of liming in a long run. Many studies have undertaken for the effects of post liming over short timescales, yet little has known about the long-term effects. At least 10 years monitoring is recommended (Bradley et al, 2002). Liming is a interim measures that provide biological defence, however it does not attack the root caused of the problems. It has been said that ‘a sort of artificial respiration for dead lakes and streams'. Therefore, real effective measures are long-term prevention deliberate through a sustained policy, rather than cure. 3.2 Long-term solutions The only way to solve the problem of acidification in the long run is to reduce emissions of pollutants. The central point of the political debate over acid rain is the need to reduce rainfall acidity by controlling emission of SO2 and NOX at source, mainly from power stations and vehicles: Reducing emissions of SO2 from power stations by: > Burn less fossil fuel > Switch to low-sulphur fuel > Fuel desulphurisation > Sulphur reduction at combustion > Flue gas desulphurisation > Disperse flue gases Reducing emission of NOx from power stations by: > Reduce NOx emissions during burning > Reduce NOx levels after burning Reducing emissions of NOx from vehicles by: > Modify engines or exhausts to reduce emissions > Change to different type of engine > Transport planning It is said that technology of controlling and reducing such emissions already exist. Some methods should be applied separately or in combination to be able to bring reduction to agreed levels within agreed time-scales. However, this problem is not only to do with a technical one. Political goodwill is essential as this measures involves high cost. All the cost should be offset by positive side-effects such as the creation of new jobs and generation of useful by-products (i.e. commercial sulphuric acid), the values of conserving fish, forest and crops, and benefits in improved human health (Park, 1987). In recent decades, there have been national and international efforts to achieve reduction in emissions of sulphur and nitrogen compounds to the atmosphere (Ferrier et at, 2001). As previously mentioned, emissions of sulphur and Nitrogen are carried by air and deposited as gases and aerosols and dissolved in rainwater, in areas far from their sources. The quality of air is very much influenced by emissions in others, so it will benefit little for any country alone to reduce emissions. This is called transboundary Import-Export Budgets. Data for 1998 is presented in Appendix A Without international cooperation, there can be no real solution (Thunberg, 1993). The details of these treaties and protocols are presented in Appendix C 4. Improvement Recent data shows that both emissions seem steadily declined particularly after these treaties and protocols noted above have adopted (See appendix B). However, compared to reduction of SO2 emission, NOX emission need to be reduced further, especially U.S, whose emission has not been much reduced. Conclusion Acidification has a long history as posing adverse impacts on various ecosystems and human health. The main sources of pollution are SO2 and NOX. These pollutants are naturally exist, however recent increases of these pollutants are caused by human-induced factors, such as power generation and transportation. Remedial measures have been taken to abate damaged environment by acid deposition. Preventive measures have been adopted for preventing further damages. In attempts to make steadily progress for both redemption and prevention for solution of acidification for water quality, use of combination of short-term and long-term solution will be recommended. Acid rain The French chemist Ducros first used the term ‘pluie acide' in 1845. The phraqse ‘acid rain' ,was brought in 1872 by Robert Angus Smith (Wellburn, 1994). Back in fifties, there were observations of lakes in Scandinavia losing their fish populations. Anglers and naturalists noticed that fish stocks in many lakes of southern Scandinavia were diminishing. Freshwater acidification had rapidly worsened over a few decades. Although acid rain and the acidification are a not new problem that has received considerable attention for many years, it was not until 1960s that scientists were able to link these effects to any specific cause. Later it was found to be atmospheric pollution. Acidification is not a regional phenomenon. In Scotland, studies show that the acidification began around the middle of the last centuries and the process has accelerated in the last three decades. In southern Norway, It has reported that 87 lakes had a pH below 5.5 (Mason, 1996). Damaged forests were becoming widespread in West Germany. As these examples show, acidification is an international problem. Pollutants may be carried with winds over distances, from points hundreds or thousands of miles away. Some countries are net importers of pollution, and others are exporters. The effects of acidification are varies, not only pollution of lakes and forests as previously mentioned, but also effects on fauna and flora, soil, groundwater and direct or indirect harm on human health, and all things are influenced by water quality through hydrological pathway (Thunberg, 1993). The aim of this report is to discuss causes and effects of acidification that has been concerned until now, and present possible short-term and long-term soluti on to acid deposition effects on water quality 1. Acidification and its causes Airborne pollution can influence the environment both directly and indirectly. Primary pollutant is Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. When these are present in high concentrations, they can cause damage on environment and human's health. These direct effects are often peak in the vicinity of the emission sources. Industrial society discharges suphur dioxide and nitrogen that form sulphuric acid and nitric acid, which may be carried with the winds over long distances before descending in rain or snow. Indirect effects often occur as acidified soil and water far away from the sources of emission (Thunberg, 1993). There are gas-phase reactions, which produce acidity in the atomosphere. Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides form suophuric and nitric acids on coming into contact with water. When these acids reach the ground in rain and snow, it is called ‘wet deposition'. However, acid oxides may also be deposited directy as gases, or cles, which is called ‘dry deposition'. The rates of dry deposition velocity may depend on the nature of the land surfaces. Rates of wet deposition depend on the precipitation rate, the washout ratio of dissolved pollutant per unit mass of cloud water or rain divided by the concentration of the same pollutant per unit mass of air (Wellburn, 1994. A low pH value means a high level of acidification. Water in neutral condition has a pH of 7 (Thunberg, 1993). Sulphur and Nitrogen Cycles are presented below (Figure 1 and 2). Figure 1. Sulphur Cycle Source: ICU (2003) Figure 2. Nitrogen Cycle Source: ICU (2003) 1.1 Sulphur Sulphur compounds are responsible for about two-thirds of the acidification of rain. Sulphur in gaseous form, sulphur dioxide (SO2), is mainly formed in the combustion of oil and coal. The rapid increase in emission of pollutants came after the war followed by consumption of fuel and oil. It was reported that approximately 20 million tons of sulphur are now emitted every year in Europe. There is also a great deal of airborne pollution in North America, where about 12 million tons of sulphur is released every year. Sulphur can be formed by naturally by eruption of vulcanoes, from seas and oceans and certain processes in the soil. However, 90 per cent of the emissions of sulphur to the atmosphere are derived from industrialised parts of Europe and North America. This is ten times the level that can be considered natural (Thunberg, 1993). 1.2 Nitrogen Nitrogen oxides (NOX) are grouped term of nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitrogen oxides are formed in all types of combustion, most of the NOX are formed by the reaction of nitrogen gas in the combustion air with oxygen. When the mixture of nitrogen gas and oxygen is heated, they interrelate to form NOX. The higher the combustion temperature, the more NOX will be formed. The largest source of NOX emission is road traffic. These emissions are reported to have doubled during the 1960s, approximately 22 million tons of NO2 are released every year in Europe. Certain types of fertilizer are another source of nitrogen pollution. Nitrate leaching intensified the acidification of the soil, which release unwanted substances such as aluminium (Thunberg, 1993). 2. The environmental effects of acidification 2.1 water acidification and aquatic biota Acidification was first noticed in the lakes. The initial victims of acidification are nutrient-deficient lakes in areas where the soil has a poor buffering ability (Thunberg, 1993). It is reported that many lakes in the Rocky Mountain have little alkalinity to buffer increase in acid deposition, however loss of alkalinity has been observed caused by high concentration of acid deposition due to the emission in the Rocky Mountain region (Turk et al, 1989). Figure 3. Acidified lake: A deep blue colour of a lake is a sign of acidification. Source: ARIC (2000) In severely acidified lake, the fish will have vanished entirely, bog moss will have spread out over the lake floor, and only few plant and animal species will remain. The first victims of acidification are crayfish, snails and mussels, certain types of zoo- and phytoplankton, and some species of mayfly. Usually, certain types of bog moss and insects those are resistant to acidification remains. This is not only low pH value that takes a heavy toll of fauna and flora. In acid lakes there are increased concentrations of aluminium in ion form, which is highly toxic to many organisms. The loss of fauna / flora is due to the combination of a lowered pH and aluminium poisoning. The level of other heavy metals also rises such as cadmium, zinc, and lead. Those heavy metals including aluminium flow into lakes from the acidified soils of the surroundings. The relationship of prey and predators will also change, for instance certain insects on which they usually prey begin to thrive when their predators are disappeared (Thunberg, 1993). 2.2 Soil/water interactions Acidification process takes place naturally in the soil. The plant releases hydrogen ions as it uptake nutrients. Though the growth itself is acidifying, there is no net acidification where growth and decay are about equal. However, the cycle is broken by harvesting, the acidifying process will take over. Soil acidification may have biological effects in the respects through lowering of the pH value, an increase in the levels of aluminium and other toxic compounds and a loss of plant nutrients due to increased leaching, consequently may lower drainage water pH (Thunberg, 1993). Moreover, Long-term increase in nitrogen supply may be responsible for alterations in root and shoot growth of plants(Carrol et al, 2003). Figure 5. Soil pH range source ANRA (2003) 2.3 Effects of forestry practices Forestry practices can cause the soil and water to become acidified in several ways. Forest growth change drainage water pathways to stream, and increase stream water acidity. Extensive clear cutting can also accelerate the acidification of surface water. Applying acidifying fertilizer also helps to acidify soil and water (Thunberg, 1993). Twelve years studies of acidification-induced chemical changes in soils of Norway spruce and Scot pine in southern Sweden reveals that pH in mineral soil decreased on average 0.17 units between 1988 and 1999. It is said that these changes in forest soil are mainly due to the extensive deposition of acidifying substances (sulphur and nitrogen compounds) during the latter part of the 20th century (Jà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nsson et al, 2003). In addition, atmospheric pollution directly damages forest itself. Since the early 1970s, West Germany has experienced a rapid and widespread decline in the health of its forest trees; especially sensitive species were affec ted by exposure to low levels of pollutants (Ling et al, 1987). 2.5 Groundwater quality Most of the precipitation sinks to some extent into the ground. The more permeable the soil, the more water dribbles down. Normally acid rain will become less acid as it penetrates through the ground. However, where the soil becomes acidified and has less ability to neutralize, the effect will be decrease until it finally ceases. It is unlikely that acid groundwater will be harmful to human health, however toxic heavy metals, such as aluminium and cadmium may appear at elevated level where highly acidic. These metals are harmful for human health (Thunberg, 1993). 3. Solutions Solutions to the problems of acidification fall into two groups, which are cure and prevention. Remedial measures can be applied where the problems actually arise (i.e. soils and surface waters). Preventive measures can be applied at source (i.e. at point of emission of the sulphur and nitrogen oxides). The latter are expensive and the least acceptable to industry, however they are in fact more effective, more sustainable, and more immediately required (Park, 1987). Causal treatment by reducing aciditying emissions is the primary goal in a long-term as preventive measures, however outcomes from this approach are still uncertain and recovery may be slow. Indicative treatment, involving the addition of neutralizing agent such as powdered limestone to affected environment is the only realistic remedy in the short-term, and has become a widespread practice in Europe (Thunberg, 1993). 3.1 Short-term solutions Remedial action should be taken after the problems happen. This requires not simply the elimination of symptoms of damage (i.e. restocking fish in acidified lakes, planting new trees); it also involves restoration of natural chemical balances to ensure that damage does not reappear. Some materials in nature have ability to buffer, or neutralize, or offset acid input. Lime and limestone are the most accepted of a range of chemicals that can be used to buffer acidic materials. Lime has been added normally by spraying from helicopter to catchments, soils and forests to alleviate damage and improve conditions for environment (Park, 1987). With regard to the lakes and streams, this raises pH value of the water and decrease in the levels of heavy metals. After the liming many species quickly return to their former habitat (Thunberg, 1993). This approach has been most widely investigated in Sweden (Park, 1987). This measure had been made in UK as well. Stream chemistry and biological effect was monitored for 10 years after the catchments of three acidified Welsh streams at Llyn Brianne were limed in 1987/88. This monitoring reveals that chemistry in treated streams changed significantly as mean annual pH increased from 5-5.1 before liming to 6.1-6.2; mean annual aluminium concentrations decreased from 0.15-0.18 to 0.05-0.11 mg L-1, and calcium concentrations increased from 0.8-2.0 to 2.4-4.5 mg L-1. The abundance of Acid-sensive taxa in limed streams increased after treatment. Liming has also been used as a means of restoring acidified soils. This improves the productivity of croplands and forests. However, liming can cause negative impacts on stream, such as fine CaCO3 deposited on the stream banthos. In addition, liming is an expensive ‘cure' measure. Sweden spent approximately $10 million from 1980-1983 for liming. Moreover, it is not practical for many lakes and rives, for some streams it is no help at all. There is uncertainty in relation to the effect of liming in a long run. Many studies have undertaken for the effects of post liming over short timescales, yet little has known about the long-term effects. At least 10 years monitoring is recommended (Bradley et al, 2002). Liming is a interim measures that provide biological defence, however it does not attack the root caused of the problems. It has been said that ‘a sort of artificial respiration for dead lakes and streams'. Therefore, real effective measures are long-term prevention deliberate through a sustained policy, rather than cure. 3.2 Long-term solutions The only way to solve the problem of acidification in the long run is to reduce emissions of pollutants. The central point of the political debate over acid rain is the need to reduce rainfall acidity by controlling emission of SO2 and NOX at source, mainly from power stations and vehicles: Reducing emissions of SO2 from power stations by: > Burn less fossil fuel > Switch to low-sulphur fuel > Fuel desulphurisation > Sulphur reduction at combustion > Flue gas desulphurisation > Disperse flue gases Reducing emission of NOx from power stations by: > Reduce NOx emissions during burning > Reduce NOx levels after burning Reducing emissions of NOx from vehicles by: > Modify engines or exhausts to reduce emissions > Change to different type of engine > Transport planning It is said that technology of controlling and reducing such emissions already exist. Some methods should be applied separately or in combination to be able to bring reduction to agreed levels within agreed time-scales. However, this problem is not only to do with a technical one. Political goodwill is essential as this measures involves high cost. All the cost should be offset by positive side-effects such as the creation of new jobs and generation of useful by-products (i.e. commercial sulphuric acid), the values of conserving fish, forest and crops, and benefits in improved human health (Park, 1987). In recent decades, there have been national and international efforts to achieve reduction in emissions of sulphur and nitrogen compounds to the atmosphere (Ferrier et at, 2001). As previously mentioned, emissions of sulphur and Nitrogen are carried by air and deposited as gases and aerosols and dissolved in rainwater, in areas far from their sources. The quality of air is very much influenced by emissions in others, so it will benefit little for any country alone to reduce emissions. This is called transboundary Import-Export Budgets. Data for 1998 is presented in Appendix A Without international cooperation, there can be no real solution (Thunberg, 1993). The details of these treaties and protocols are presented in Appendix C 4. Improvement Recent data shows that both emissions seem steadily declined particularly after these treaties and protocols noted above have adopted (See appendix B). However, compared to reduction of SO2 emission, NOX emission need to be reduced further, especially U.S, whose emission has not been much reduced. Conclusion Acidification has a long history as posing adverse impacts on various ecosystems and human health. The main sources of pollution are SO2 and NOX. These pollutants are naturally exist, however recent increases of these pollutants are caused by human-induced factors, such as power generation and transportation. Remedial measures have been taken to abate damaged environment by acid deposition. Preventive measures have been adopted for preventing further damages. In attempts to make steadily progress for both redemption and prevention for solution of acidification for water quality, use of combination of short-term and long-term solution will be recommended.