Global Warming and how it Relates to Tsunami Essay

Global Warming and how it Relates to Tsunami - Essay Example Michael Crichton's "State of Fear," for example, claims of eco-terrorists creating ecological disasters like tsunami in an effort to reinforce paranoia about abrupt climate change (Apologetics 2005). Hundreds of scientists, however, including those from the National Academy of Sciences, the American Geophysical Union and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change consider the challenges raised by Crichton that global warming is here on account of human-caused emissions, not just natural factors (NRDC 2004). In its annual report, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) said higher temperatures may cause drought, disease, floods, and lost ecosystems and that global warming effects have already begun from sweltering heat to rising seas (GW, NRDC n.d.). Solutions are however in sight, with them knowing that most heat-trapping gases come from: power plants and vehicles. Hence, part of the action will have to come from curbing emissions, employing modern technologies and stronger laws, promoting online activism, pressing businesses to use less energy and build more efficient products, and fighting for laws that will speed these advances (Ibid). Global warming refers solely to the fact that the Earth's atmosphere is warming near its surface. It simply means the earth is getting hotter but does not imply a cause or speak to cause something. The scientific community believes climate changes like global warming have occurred throughout Earth's history and will continue to occur in the future (What is GW, WiseGeek 2005). Terms and meanings. Climate scientists who prefer references to climate, claim that the term, global warming, is imprecise and should be avoided in public communication as it is confusing. However one noted that the terms 'global warming' and "climate change" both emphasize the natural variability of climate, while downplaying the role of anthropogenic forcing. Accordingly, scientists should rather insist on scientific terms such as 'enhanced greenhouse effect', 'changes to atmospheric composition', 'climate disruption', and 'human climate forcing' as these terms are more precise, less controversial, and less politicized than either "global warming" or "climate change". (Tobis 2004). Moreover, "global warming" is too loaded a term and is threatening to people, and when the Bush administration introduced the term, "climate variability," people are really scared. The problem with the term, "global warming," is that it merely connotes increase in temperatures which is not. There is the hydrology part of it which can cause much destruction as in tsunami (Ibid). Scientific consensus. At an unprecedented rate heat-trapping pollution from fossil fuels and other sources is warming the planet according to more and more evidences supporting this conclusion. Moreover, climate models designed by NASA and others are also conclusive in their findings of human activities causing climate change (NRDC 2004). No evidences.. There is no evidence, however, that humans are responsible for increasing global temperatures. Furthermore, carbon dioxide emissions have actually been beneficial to the environment. (Robinson and Robinson 1997). The cause of global warming in the first place, is primarily natural, not manmade (Gerhard 2005). The earth evolves and has changes in orbit and in solar radiation (Ibid). Volcanic GW. Global warming caused by volcanic activity may have caused the

A Review on Lifeboat Ethics Essay Example for Free

A Review on Lifeboat Ethics Essay Lifeboat ethics: the case against helping the poor is a famous essay written by Garret Hardin, a human ecologist in 1974. This article aims to re examine the lifeboat ethics which was developed by the author to support his controversial proposal. In the theory, the world is compared to a lifeboat with a carrying capacity of 60. There are totally 50 people on board, representing comparatively rich nations, while the 100 others swimming in the ocean outside the lifeboat stands for the poor nations. To solve the dilemma of whether the swimmers should be allowed to climb aboard at the risk of lifeboat’s safety, Hardin suggested that no admission should be granted to boat, or to interpret it in a straight way, no humanitarian aids should be offered to the poor countries. Regardless of the additional factors which the author took into consideration from the real world in the essay, in my opinion, the basic metaphor itself is questionable. Firstly, the status of the lifeboat is not an accurate reflection of reality. Arguably, natural resources of the earth are finite, however, this does not equal to the scarcity of resources in the control of the rich nations. On the contrary, nowadays in the developed countries, what the rich have used is out of proportion to their actual needs, which not only leads to colossal waste each year but also creates disposal problems. A familiar example is the popularity of losing weight among the western world, which is not solely a way of pursing beauty but also a clear indication of the growing number of obese people who consume food excessively. In contrast, in the third world especially poverty-stricken nations like Ethiopia, millions of people are filled with untold suffering. They drag themselves on the street from day to day, begging for only a slice of stale bread. Due to the unfair distribution of resources caused by the affluent people’s favorable political position, most rich nations currently obtain more than enough resources and they are still casting their greedy eyes on the untapped poor regions. In the light of the facts above, in the lifeboat metaphor people on board actually occupy  more room than normal and the real carrying capacity of a lifeboat is more than 60. With no admission given to those swimmers who are in need, the room is not allocated to each according to his needs, a principle the author cited in explanation of the rationale behind the lifeboat ethics. The second doubtful point is related to Hardin’s computation of conscience. In defense of the survivors’ guilt arising from not helping the poor, he claimed that â€Å"the net result of conscience-stricken people giving up their unjustly held seats is the elimination of that sort of conscience from the lifeboat†. He defined guilty about one’s good luck as a type of conscience and the newcomer’s lack of guilt about the rich people’s loss as conscience drain; but the author deliberately omitted the morality of rich people’s indifference to the poor asking for help. Counting the negative effects on total conscience in the lifeboat if no rescue is attempted, the final solution to the lifeboat dilemma might be changed. Essentially, the author’s negligence of social injustice against impoverished people and the ethical issue indifference is just a result of his bias for the rich countries. To improve the general population quality, the author repeatedly emphasized the necessity of reproduction control in poor nations and increasing the proportion of rich nation’s population. This suggestion in fact is based on the assumption that the people in rich nations are innately superior to their counterparts in poor countries, which is an apparent violation of the creed that everyone is born equal. In conclusion, the poor people should not be the sacrifice of the population growth in the developed regions. Logic and rigorous as the essay Lifeboat ethics: the case against helping the poor may appear to be, the author wrote more on behalf of the countries on board, group of which he belonged to. The author urged people to get rid of sentiment and make rational decisions, but ironically he himself deceived his mind with prejudice and sense of superiority.

Sustainable Rural Smart Development: The Balancing Act

Sustainable Rural Smart Development: The Balancing Act Regional perspectives are changing the way we approach regional topics, including water planning, open space habitat preservation, economic development, and housing. Emerging issues, such as climate change, renewable energy, and public health, are stepping into the regional planning field[1]. Although land-use and zoning regulations remain at the local level, today regional plans have evolved to address development patterns and land use. Regional development approaches can provide understanding on the dynamics of rural and peri-urban territories, or fringe areas. Many of the standards and principles that are applied to local planning initiatives can be applied also to regional planning and some of them in the opposite direction. For example, consider the possible contributions of location theories, such as the importance of physical proximity in growth mechanisms, in the context of these fringe areas and their development. One such approach to sustainable development in rural and fringe areas is the incorporation of rural smart growth principles and integrated regional planning approaches into Sustainable Rural Smart Development Rural Smart. Rural Smart growth is: Smart, by supporting fostering knowledge transfer and innovation in farming, forestry, and rural areas, skills and promoting resource efficiency and supporting the shift towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy in driving economic sectors, by recognizing the role of local expertise and consider how to utilize and develop it, but also by providing incentives for social innovation promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development; Sustainable, by increasing resource efficiency, maintaining the food, feed and renewables production base, providing environmental public goods, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing carbon sequestration, and development of renewable energy projects and green infrastructure, safeguard sustainable land management, and restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems related to farming and forestry; and Inclusive, by unlocking local potential in promoting food-chain organization, including the processing and marketing of agricultural products, animal welfare and risk management in agriculture, expanding rural economies, growing regional markets and jobs, and broadening opportunities to accompany agricultural innovation and diversification. Rural Smart practices are adapted to specific local contexts with the participation of a broad array of stakeholders residents, businesses, developers, elected officials in decision-making processes concerning the future of their communities. In particular, considering how territorial development is envisioned today the coexistence of different land uses, and coalescence, in certain areas and their associated implications require the adoption of new approaches to development strategies that go beyond the traditional divide between the old and the new. The ASP provides a framework for subsequent subdivision and development lands in the urban fringe as part of a proactive approach applied in early stages of industrial development projects. This framework incorporates approaches to sustainable development including low-impact and cluster development resulting in a higher quality industrial development in connection to a larger community. Additional design guidelines guide development and facilitate higher performance green buildings and operations, green infrastructure, and sustainable design approaches thus encouraging developing efficient industrial facilities and processes that: Systemically optimize material, energy, and water flows throughout industrial supply chains. Maximize productive use of input resources and by-products, waste is non-productive. Minimize impacts on the environment by moving toward zero waste and emissions. Integrate sustainable design in facilities and sites. Utilize clean production and eco-efficient technologies and processes. Maximize use of renewable energy systems and sustainably produced feedstocks. Establish the business relationships to share amenities and facilities. This approach to industrial development yields a triple tier of benefits for: Business Greater resource efficiency equals decreased operating costs. Enhanced competitiveness and potential for revenue generation. Increased return on capital investments and asset value. Energy security and independence. Stronger connections with suppliers, customers, and community. Access to eco-product markets capitalizes on the growing consumer demand greener products. Reduced future costs to business and community such as clean-up liabilities. Community More sustainable industrial operations and local prosperity creation (business, jobs, and capital). Can strengthen existing business base and enhance recruiting. Reduced long-term infrastructure and operations costs. Reduced emissions resulting in improved community health. Improved community industry relations, quality job creation, and workforce attraction. Enhanced community identity through eco-branding. Strengthens local economy through regionally produced feed stocks, products, and services. Environment Less waste, emissions, and pollution. More efficient use of energy and resources results in higher levels of clean production. Superior performance, goes beyond regulatory thresholds, and can help streamline regulatory processes. Replacement of fossil based energy and materials. Increased use of renewable energy and sustainable materials. Industrial system and supply-chain pollution prevention versus facility-based approach. 1.1 Goals and Objectives The purpose of the East Industrial Hub Area Structure Plan (EIH-ASP) is to identify those lands within the plan area, as shown in Map 1, where multi-lot housing, industry / business or other types of development may be considered. The main goal of the ASP is to provide a policy framework indicating the preferred land uses, road access improvements, and servicing requirements to ensure orderly planning in the area. The ASP outlines sustainable development standards for industrial development and compatible uses in proximity of industrial development consistent with IDP and ASP policies, and the Countys Municipal Development Plan to respond to future subdivision and development proposals. In order to achieve this main goal of providing a framework for orderly, economic, diverse, and sustainable development of land amongst other things that support the benefits for business, community and the environment, this ASP Bylaw sets the following objectives: To describe the land uses for the area, both in general and with respect to specific parts of the area; To describe the density of population proposed for the area, both in general and with respect to specific parts of the area; To outline the general location of major transportation routes and public utilities; To prescribe and regulate for each part of the area the purposes for which land and buildings may be respectively subdivided, developed, and used; To implement the policies of the statutory plans of the County of Vermilion River; and To establish the procedures for making amendments to this Bylaw. The East Industrial Hub Area Structure Plan is partially located within the intermunicipal development plan area with the City of Lloydminster. Each municipality already has a number of supportive policies in place. Therefore, fostering knowledge exchange will support the overall policy harmonization work to balance, as far as possible, the differences between the pace of growth and/or the level of development. [1] EMERGING TRENDS IN REGIONAL PLANNING, PAS 586. Piro, Rocky PhD, FAICP, and Leiter, Robert FAICP, Eds, with Rooney, Sharon AICP. Chicago, IL: American Planning Association, January 2017. History of Skin Care| Cosmetic Company Analysis History of Skin Care| Cosmetic Company Analysis I. History of Skin Care Skin care is very ancient; it goes back to the prehistoric times where cave women and cave men deployed all their efforts to survive the severe weather conditions as they did not have any of the comfortable solution we benefit from today. Their skin structure was different from our skin, as it was rough enough to defend itself from sun rays and weather conditions. Even though their skin was enabled originally to fight those conditions, the prehistoric human was aware of certain skin care needs. Skincare the Ancient Civilizations Skin care for the prehistoric human was mainly associated with the relief of pain caused by severe weather conditions and sun exposure. The kind food they were eating was also one of the key causes of skin disease, as they were consuming fatty food that causes acne and skin inflammation. Human body has an impressive natural resistance and skin is considered very elastic having several layers. Human skin is greatly affected by environmental conditions; one can develop a layer of hard skin and get a tan but this process actually weaken skin barriers and decline its condition. The skin the largest organ in the human body and the most exposed to external conditions, as when it changes due to bad conditions it looses its elasticity and develop wrinkles, acne, spots and other symptoms. This is the reason why skin care is very ancient. The history of skin care in the ancient ages, show that the development of skin care remedies is related to the protection required during work performed by mankind. For example the farmers and fishermen have used skin care frequently in their history. Apparently the kind of job they were performing was inevitably exposing their skin to severe weather conditions. It was essential for these workers to preserve their skin against the environmental conditions. So the skin care products were invented to support the daily work life. Actually, it is very difficult to identify the precise time or year of skin care history. But scientist and researchers do have some information that let them determine that skincare dates back thousands of years. When we think about skin care, we generally think about the past fifty years. However, skin care has been around for thousands of years, dating back to the Ancient Egyptians. Skin care has been viewed throughout history as a compliment to beauty and hygiene. The Egyptians The human interest for beauty and appearance has been studied for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians constitute one of the first civilizations to develop advanced skincare remedies. Researchers found that the first anti-aging methods that approached the skin from a beautifying and well being angle rather than just protection and maintenance were created in Cleopatras age. Cleopatra is famous for her skin care routine, including sour milk baths and Lactic acid for skin exfoliation. Egyptians accorded a great deal of awareness to beauty and body care and they created treatments to maintain their skin health and beauty. In Ancient Greece Beauty was identified by nudity. Greek athletes took regularly olive oil baths and powdered their bodies with sand to balance bodys temperature with the heat and also to protect their bodies from the sun (to prevent it from aging). Women as well as men moisturize their bodies with honey and olive oil to improve their skin health and appearance. Ancient Roman Hair removal was common not only for women but also among roman men. The Romans developed new methods of shaving. Beauty for them was strictly related to skin cleanness. The Romans lived in a water-rich area and took lots of baths to cleanse the skin, removing dirt and oil, and leaving it smooth. Scented oils that they extracted from plants and flowers were then applied to the skin. Bathing was the most important beauty routine for the Romans who related skin health and well being to cleanness. Beauty Hygiene Evolution Beauty and hygiene finished products began to emerge in the late nineteenth century, beginning with antiperspirants and deodorants. From the 1910s to the 1950s, a more regimented program was developed and women began exercise, diet, along with the use of cosmetics, makeup, hair, and body products. During the World War I, women learned to become independent both socially and economically. Women became part of the working class and were able to purchase more and more beauty products. During this time, Hollywood stars looks became desirable and women began to copy the looks of their favourite actresses. In the 1950s when TV became available in almost every home, advertisements were created. Sponsors of major corporations began to support TV shows and the radio. Today, the beauty industry is increasing sales significantly each year. Although ancient civilisations didnt have our technology at their fingertips, they were able to create clever, though sometimes dangerous, beauty concoctions. Nail polish originated in China around 3,000 B.C. The Chinese painted their nails with a polish made of gum arabic, egg whites, gelatin and beeswax. Ancient Egyptians made soap, soaked in milk baths to soften their skin, exfoliated with a mixture of crushed pumice stones and water and moisturized with olive oil. During this time, Egyptians also experimented with dramatic eye makeup. They smeared colorful malachite and galena over their faces and rimmed their eyes in kohl. Kohl was a paste of soot, animal fat and lead. Lead was used in cosmetics for hundreds of years. Ancient Greeks slathered lead all over their faces to whiten skin and clear blemishes. Centuries passed before people learned that lead is a dangerous ingredient with devastating side effects. Documented complications ranged from scarring to infertility to madness. FDA Regulatory The American Medical Association published â€Å"Three Cases of Lead Palsy from the Use of a Cosmetic Called Lairds Bloom of Youth.† This case study paved the way for the formation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1906. Three decades later, Ruth DeForest Lamb, the FDAs chief education officer, published a book that documented the serious complications from beauty products. This prompted the passing of the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act in 1938, putting cosmetics and medical devices under the FDAs control. Beauty pioneers, 1907 to 1950s At the turn of the century, the beauty industry boomed. Many of the popular companies and best-selling products of today first launched during these years. 1907: French chemist Eugene Schueller creates the first safe commercial hair dye and forms LOreal. 1909: Max Factor, often called the father of modern makeup, opens his first store in the theatre district in Los Angeles. 1910: Elizabeth Arden Salon opens on Fifth Avenue in New York City. In co-creating her signature face cream with a chemist, Elizabeth Arden (whose real name is Florence Nightingale Graham) revolutionizes the beauty industry. Science-based skincare becomes the standard, and the modern day spa is introduced. 1914: Max Factor perfects the first type of makeup for film — a â€Å"thinner greasepaint in cream form, packaged in a jar and created in 12 precisely graduated shades,† according to Procter Gamble. 1917: Maybelline founder T.L. Williams launches the first modern mascara after getting the idea from his sister Maybel. 1920s: Eyebrow pencils become popular, thanks to Hollywood star Greta Garbo. The new ingredient, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, helps the pencil glide on more easily. 1932: Brothers Charles and Joseph Revlon and chemist Charles Lachman create Revlon and launch a new kind of nail enamel. 1936: LOreals founder Schueller invents sunscreen. 1944: Miami pharmacist Benjamin Green develops sunscreen for soldiers fighting in World War II. The formula becomes Coppertone Suntan Cream. 1950s: Max Factor introduces the modern-day mascara with a tube and wand applicator. Hazel Bishop creates the first long-lasting lipstick. Skincare Today Moving into the era of Anti-aging has begun with the Baby Boomers generation who are concerned with preventing the aging process. This trend has become so popular, both men and women begun to give a lot of attention to their looks and begun to look for solutions to stop the aging clock. Plastic Surgery, the most sought after solution for both women and men, has become the biggest industry in anti-aging. Even the Plastic surgery industry is changing by moving away from more invasive procedures, such as face lifts and moving to less invasive treatments, such as injectable fillers. Because these â€Å"non-invasive† treatments are available, more and more men and women beginning with the Baby boomers into the Generations X and Y are heading into Plastic surgeons offices to look and feel younger. Laser treatments, Botox, Dysport, huyoluranic acid, restalyne that are injectable fillers are becoming the newest and greatest treatments available among billions of men and women from the 20s and up. Baby Boomers created this trend and the twenty-somethings are beginning to catch on and follow in their footsteps by preventing aging before it even begins. Physicians have been involved in creating some of the most innovative skin care solutions in the last ten years. As we move into the era of Anti-aging, Men and women are concerned with aging and their appearance. More people are looking for advanced skin care solutions. Skin care products with breakthrough ingredients are being sought after. Skin care products are developed to help prevent and heal and protect the skin from sun damage, pigmentation, fine lines, and wrinkles. If we look back throughout history we see that our ancestors have used skincare products on their faces and bodies in their purest forms. Nevertheless newer skin care products are being developed with breakthrough formulas and have very strong claims for preventing and correcting sings of aging. Today, we use some of the same skin care regimens as our ancient ancestors once did, meanwhile technology and scientific research introduced a new era of beauty. Some skincare products still use available fruits, vegetables, dairy products and fats that have been ancient secrets of hygiene, sun protection and anti-aging for thousands of centuries. Even looking back at our mothers and grandmothers skin care regimen was so simple but made a difference in our skins appearance. Egg whites in the hair and cucumbers on the eyes these ingredients appeared in skin care creams, lotions and cleansers for aging skin care programs. Skin care has been used throughout history to help achieve beauty, hygiene and maintain an attractive appearance. II. Current and Future Analyses Cosmetic Toiletries Market Background In the last decade, the cosmetics market has established a very good position and received a lot of attention around the world. The market targets consumers that are spending more and more on their appearances and skin health. The global Cosmetic Toiletries industry is currently worth $190bn, according to Euromonitors 2008 ‘Cosmetic and Toiletries World Report. This Market can be divided into five segments depending on the products use: SKINCARE: Including ‘Hand Body Care: Lotions and mosturizers and ‘Facial care: Moisturizers, cleaners, toners, Anti-aging products, etc MAKE-UP: lipsticks, lip glosses, mascaras, foundations, eye shadows etc. HYGIENE: Soaps Shower gels, deodorant, etc HAIRCARE FRAGRANCES Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic FDA defines cosmetics as articles intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance without affecting the bodys structure or functions. This definition includes skin-care creams, lotions, powders, sprays, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail polishes, eye and facial makeup, permanent waves, hair colors, deodorants, baby products, bath oils, bubble baths and mouthwashes, as well as any material intended for use as a component of a cosmetic product. The global cosmetics industry has a comprehensive structural growth than that of other consumer products. It aims to meet two needs: 1-the essentials (the basic hygiene) and 2-the superfluous (makeup, skincare, perfumes ). However, it is characterized by a constant rise in innovation, a promotional rate increased by signs and a continuous recruitment and consumers volatile. The Top 10 Groups in Cosmetics Toiletries Sales: LOREAL: France The LOrà ©al Group headquartered in Paris, is the worlds largest cosmetics and beauty company. LOrà ©al has developed activities in the field of cosmetics, concentrating on hair color, skin care, sun protection, make-up, perfumes and hair care. Loreal has five divisions: Consumers Division, Luxury Division, Professional Division, Active Cosmetics and The Body Shop. Loreal is very is active in the luxury segment with brands such as Lancà ´me International, Bià ´therme and Helena Rubinstein. LOrà ©al is also active in the dermatological and pharmaceutical fields with brands like Vichy and Inneov. Turnover: 17.063 Billion â‚ ¬ PROCTER GAMBLE: PG U.S.A PG is number two in the cosmetics industry The Procter Gamble Company manufactures and sells various consumer products worldwide. The company offers cosmetics, deodorants, feminine care, fine fragrances, hair care, personal cleansing, and skin care products. PG is present in several areas besides cosmetics. The Perfumes and Cosmetics Division consists of mainly mass market brands like Olays and some prestige brands like DDF (Doctors Dermatologic Formula) and SKII. Turnover: 13.566 billion â‚ ¬ UNILIVER: Europe U.S.A Uniliver depends on mass market sales and mainly hygiene products like the Dove brand. Turnover: 8.736 billion â‚ ¬ with a presence in several areas besides cosmetics. ESTEE LAUDER: U.S.A The Estee Lauder Companies, engages in the manufacture, marketing, and sale of skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products. Està ©e Lauder is ranked the fourth group in cosmetic sales worldwide. The Està ©e Lauder Inc includes other brand names such as Bumble Bumble, Clinique, Donna Karan, Aveda, Jo Malone, La Mer, MAC cosmetics and others. Turnover: 5.459 billion â‚ ¬ AVON: U.S.A Avon is a leading global beauty company, as the worlds largest direct seller, Avon markets to women in well over 100 countries through over five million independent Avon Sales Representatives. Avons product line includes beauty products, fashion jewelry and apparel. Turnover: 5.065 Billion â‚ ¬ in cosmetics which represent 70% of the group sales activity. SHISEIDO: JAPAN Its luxury brands: Carita, Decleor, Beauty Prestige International (Issey Miyake, Jean Paul Gautier). CA: 4.289 Billion â‚ ¬ Beiersdorf: Germany with main Brands Nivea, Labello Number Seven on the global cosmetic market and works on diverse markets include: toiletries and hygiene and health (BSN Medical). Turnover: 4.284 Billion â‚ ¬ CAO: Europe With brands such as Biorà © and Jhon Frieda. Number eight on the global cosmetic market and works on diverse markets but 50% of the global turnover of the group is due to its cosmetic activity. Turnover: 3.979 Billion â‚ ¬ JHONSON JHONSON: U.S.A Johnson Johnson engages in the manufacture and sale of various products in the health care field worldwide. Its Consumer segment offers products used in the baby and kids care, skin care, oral care, wound care, and womens health care fields. Turnover: 3.677 Billion â‚ ¬ and that is only 8% of the global turnover. HENKEL: Germany Henkel has diverse activities, mainly in laundry homecare, in beauty personal care and in adhesive sealants. Beauty care brands such as Schwarzkopf for hair care and Diadermine for skincare. Turnover: 2.972 Billionâ‚ ¬ Top 20 Groups on the Cosmetic Toiletries Market in 2008 U.S. Beauty Industry Having a year of recession in the US, the beauty market witnessed a decline in all its categories. According to research from NPD Group, Total US prestige beauty sales fell by 8% to 2.9bn in 2009 (January Through May) versus the same period in 2008. The Prestige beauty sales were the most affected by the current climate with 3.3 drop in sales in 2008. This decline is the first one posted by the research Group since 1997. Prestige Make-up and skincare sales were each down by 7% in this period. Even the skincare category that was showing a stable growth showed an important change with the crisis. This decline id the premium-priced skincare sales, affected the growth of the prestige market that has been significantly impacted and witnessed the first year of decline. Meanwhile private labels shares of the Cosmetic Toiletries market grew from 2% in 2007 to 3% in 2008 according to Euromonitor. This growth was driven primarily by the appeal of lower priced products, since private label products are usually priced at least 20% lower than prestige brands. Growth was also driven by retailers, especially drug stores chains, which are introducing higher quality products with more affordable prices. The luxury brands took action to change their strategies in order to fit to the current climate and make better sales. These brands have been highlighting the value approach above everything else; since consumers need to know that they are receiving real value for their spending has been more critical than ever. The actions conducted by beauty companies were not necessarily related to discounting. They have been re-evaluating the whole concept of the total value including the quality of the product, the packaging and the total shopping experience. With the new customers scientism it was essential for brands to raise their products values. The Strategies adopted to provide a better value for customers were concentrated on higher quality products, better services, pampering and a providing the consumers with a real understanding of the benefits they are offering. One of the obvious changed was seen also in the communications strategies of beauty brands, as they have reduced their advertising budgets in traditional media in favour of online campaigns. A rise in internet beauty sales has prompted this shift. PG for example, cut overall US media spending by 18% in the first quarter of 2008 according to TNS Media Intelligence data group, reducing its TV advertising budget by around 30%. On the other hand spending on the internet ads was tripled representing 4% of the groups total advertising budget. In this context social networking sites such as Twitter have taken a new importance, as for example MAC began using Twitter to send updates on backstage New Yorks Fashion Week. Other strategies include reaching out to beauty bloggers that are gaining more and more consumers trust and are representing a big buying influence. Evidently, CT sales in the US are unlikely to show growth as previous years. Euromonitor predicts a decline of 3% inconstant value sales between 2008 and 2013. However US consumers are preparing to spending more on beauty purchases that give them a real value for their money. The economy will recover soon, and beauty brands must set up new strategies to regain their positions in the beauty market. U.S. CT Sales in 2008 By Category $bn Category Sales $bn %Change 08/07 Haircare 10.24 -1.9 Makeup 8.82 -0.6 Skincare 8.30 +1.1 Oralcare 6.09 +0.9 Fragrances 5.57 -5.2 Other 15.59 N/A Total 52.14 -0.1 Source: Euromonitor While most of CT categories showed a decline, skincare was the only category that sustained a growth with +1.1% comparing to 2008. Skincare constitute the largest category in term of the US beauty sales. With 26.4%, of the overall US beauty sales, the skincare category has a promising future with the increasing importance consumers are according to their skin health. Europe Beauty Industry Due to the current economic Climate, 2008 has been a difficult year for the European beauty market. The European Cosmetic Association released the 2008 figures last May. The report data was consolidated by Euromonitor international and cover all 27 EU member stated. The western European market maintained its leading position in 2008, followed by Asia-Pacific and North America. Brazil had the biggest growth followed by Eastern Europe. Total sales for EU plus Switzerland and Norway reached â‚ ¬70bn ($103bn). The absence of growth is attributed to the drop in sales in the fourth quarter. Overall the decrease in Western European countries was compensated by the increase in Eastern EU countries especially Russia, Bulgaria and Romania. European CT Market Annual Growth In term of Volume, the top 5 are the same as 2007: Germany 17.9%, France 14.8%, UK 13%, Italy 12.9% and Sapin 11.1 accounting for 70% of the market. Germany is still the most lucrative market, with sales close to â‚ ¬13bn and 2% growth. Makeup segments grew the most, with a special success of natural products especially mineral based. German consumers tend to pay a lot of attention to ingredients. In France, the market only grew by 0.5%. Private labels contributed to keep a stable consumption. The UK market showed a great resilience to the current economic crisis. Sales of fragrances went up 11% and makeup up 9%. In Italy, the growth was 1%. Makeup was the best category at +3%. In term of chanels Italian consumers tend to favour chemists and direct sellers. In Spain, sales went down by 1.1% as a result of the crisis. Private Labels showed the best performance. Consumers spending show a different top 5: with 235 euros/per capita, Norway is still the number one market, followed by Switzerland 222, Denmark 187, Spain 171 and Austria 168. The European average stayed at 124 euros. European CT Market 2008 Sales by Country All Categories Dropped All five CT categories recorded a sharp slowdown in their growth in comparison with 2007: Fragrances plunged from + 4.8% to +0.4%, Make-up down from +6.7% to +2.3%, Skincare was the most affected by the crisis and dropped from +5.1% to -0.7% Hair care also went from +1.5% to -0.9%, Toiletries plunged from +4% to +0.5%. With the average total Europe fell from +3.8% to +0.1% Colipa cites the good sales in Romania, Bulgaria, Denmark and Spain, which compensated for the weaker figures in western countries such as the UK, France and Germany. Skincare remained the leading category representing 25.8% of the total sales. Toiletries came second with 24.4%, followed by haircare 22.2%, fragrances 15.3% and makeup 12.4%. Change in European Markets by Product Category (%08/07) Skincare Market Structure Skin care is a dynamic, rapidly evolving fragmented market with well established players, some good marketers, old companies, and new ventures. Consumers are well informed and demanding new products which offer more than just the functional benefits. Sensory and emotional features also play a very important role in the total product package. Baby boomers are still the core consumers, but the next generation in their 40s and beauty obsessed youth are also great potential customers for skin care industry. Product innovation is the driving force and the differentiation between mass market and premium category is becoming vague. Besides traditional retailer market supermarket, drug store and mass merchandise, skin care products are now also sold through professional channels like spas, dermatologists office, and plastic surgery clinics. According to Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FDC) Act, cosmetics and their ingredients are not required to undergo approval before they are sold to the public. Skin care product sales by mass marketers are increasing especially with the development of new products that claim to have same benefits of premium products with affordable prices. Department stores account are losing market share to other retailers such as drug stores, and professional circuits where sales of skin care products are significantly increasing. The Skincare Industry Segments Natural: there is no actual definition of natural. All ingredients are chemicals by definition. Derived ingredients are unnatural both according to the original substance and the method of derivation. Organic certified: an independent party guarantee of an organic claim. Certified organic products must contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients excluding water and salt/minerals, with a small allowance for natural, non-organic ingredients that must comply with very rigorous processing criteria. Professional skin care brands: dermatological and clinical brands sold in outlets such as spas, dermatologists offices, plastic surgery clinics, and other professional channels. Cosmeceuticals Nutraceuticals: The term â€Å"cosmeceutical† was introduced for the first time by the dermatological professor Albert Kligman in the late 70s, to describe agent that are applied to the skin that are more active than cosmetics but not so active that they have uncomfortable or harmful side effects. Cosmeceuticals are the hybrids products between cosmetics and drugs, for topical application S. Cosmeceutical products are formulated with biologically active ingredients claiming to have medical or drug-like benefits. This market was initialised in the United States by dermatological doctors like Dr. Perricone and Dr. Murad who declinated their formulas through their own brands. At present the term has no regulatory standing, and the FDA does not recognize it, therefore these products do not need any form of additional regulatory. It is used more in a marketing context to highlight formulations or ingredients that claim to have perceptible effects on the skins structure and appearance. â€Å"Nutraceuticals† is emerging in the form of nutraceuticals-products taken internally in order to obtain an external skin care benefit. Because the skin is such an efficient barrier, and its upper layer has no blood supply, its difficult to get nutrients and other vital materials from the skins surface down into the deeper layer of the epidermis, where the cells are nourished. That is why nutraceuticals are vital to complete the role of topical application as they nourish the skin from within. The Skincare Market Metrics The global skin care market constitutes that largest category in the Cosmetic and Toiletries industry and is predicted to show 7% annual growth according to data from Euromonitor International. This market is driven by an aging population, growing consumer prosperity and the increasing importance of the emerging markets, according to a report by Global Industry Analysts. Skin care market shows a significant growth, mainly due to growth of anti aging products. Currently anti-aging products are the first category in sales and Hand body is expected to be second largest after that. Europe and U.S. represent the largest regions in global skincare market. Asia pacific is an important market for skin care. Japan has a large and affluent market, with beauty routines involving 5 or more steps in comparison to North American or European women who use a 3 step regimen. China is the second largest market in the region. Skin care is the largest category in the global CT market and it maintains a stable growth rates with a fluctuation due to the economic crisis. With sales up 6.8% in the overall market, facial skin care is the most profitable, but we are also seeing manufacturers such as LOreal and PG extending their facial brands to other parts of the body as the hand and body care is stating an important growth. Firming/anti-cellulite body care enjoyed growth of approximately 9.5% in 2008, making it the worlds most dynamic skin care sector and pinpointing to a growing consumer obsession with body-focused skin care. Other factors fueling skin cares growth in 2008 are the continued obsession with anti-aging products and Mens skin care. Skin care continues to be a core category. Skin care industry market retailing is confronted with changes in product segment, market segmentation, consumer preference and taste changes etc. Research and development are driving the creation of new generation of high-tech, innovative products. New technology, especially Internet, is providing new marketing tools for promotion and sale of skin care products. The Anti Aging Segment On a worldwide dynamic skincare market we do notice in spite of the dynamism that there is an erratic growth depending on the market segment. We notice that the anti aging category represents one of the highest growth rates in the beauty industry. The anti-aging segment is characterized typically into boomers and the youth anti-aging market. These markets vary in terms of products and service, market structure, and positioning. The global population of 200 million boomers is growing at 38%, in comparison with to the population, which is showing a 13% growth. This significant growth is making the boomer population more appealing for anti-aging business. Anti-aging groups are adjusting their strategies while targeting the boomer market, which differs with race, sex, income level, family status, young and old boomers, insurance status, and distribution channels; we see that companies interests in this market is making a big shift in products offers in term of innovation and high technologies that allow them to offer right, proper and effective products for this particular segment.

A Mexican Farmer Worker in USA Essay -- Immigration Immigrant Essays P

A Mexican Farmer Worker in USA The first immigrant I interviewed will be referred to as â€Å"Jess†. Jess is from Guanajuato which is in southern Mexico. Jess, his five brothers and sisters, and his parents were farmers. They grew corn as their main crop. Jess’s family lived in a three-bedroom brick house in Mexico. Their house surprisingly had water and electricity. He only made 100 pesos a day ($10.00 U.S.). According to Jess, this was not enough money to get by on his own. He said that the average person in Mexico needs at least 150 pesos per day to live on their own and someone raising a family needs much more than this. This is why in 1985, at the age of 18, he came to Arizona to find a better job and to help his family. Jess paid the coyotes $150.00 to get him across the border, walking through the desert for 12 hours and riding in the back of a truck for the rest of the way. The coyotes that helped him were a very nice family and they were not threatening at all. He says that cro ssing the dessert was a scary experience and that he feared they would be burglarized, but claims that he made it across without running into trouble. It only took Jess two days after arriving in Phoenix to find a landscaping job. According to the statistics in Transnational Villagers, between 1996 and 1999, 60.3% of Non-Dominican Hispanics, like Jess, were employed in the U.S. and 45.3% of them worked full time. Jess did not require the help of job agencies to find work. Of course, he was undocumented at the time but this was not a problem in the landscaping business. With the money from this job, he was able to buy his first car which he paid $300 for. Landscaping paid $4.00 per hour which was minimum wage back then. He remain... ...ct each other. Its first objective was to reduce the number of undocumented immigrants. The second objective was to provide undocumented immigrants already working in the U.S. with a chance to become legal and obtain rights. The Act established employer sanctions against businesses that knowingly employed undocumented immigrants. It also provided those immigrants who had been living illegally in the U.S. since 1982 with a chance to obtain temporary resident status. The United States is slowly realizing how important these immigrants are to the U.S. economy. There service to the United States deserves the respect and gratitude of every U.S. citizen. Works Cited Chang, Grace. Disposable Domestics, South End Press: Cambridge, MA. 2000. Levitt, Peggy. The Transnational Villagers, University of California Press: Berkley, CA. 2001.

The Absolute True Diary of a Part Time Indian

One thing Arnold does not do is complain. Even though he was â€Å"born with water on the brain†, gigantic feet, ten more teeth then normal, stutter and a lisp, Arnold still doesn't complain though. Just because he does not complain does not mean he loves the life he was given. Junior still thinks life would have been much easier if he was white. He tends to put himself down quit often. Alexie Sherman illustrates what differences there are between the Indians and the white people. Indians covered their private parts with their tiny hands† (Alexie 11). Saying that Indians have tiny hands indicates that the whites had bigger hands therefore meaning that they were more powerful and/or superior over the whites. Another thing Alexie Sherman shows the readers is that Arnold has very low self-esteem because he's used to people calling him retarded so often that he starts to believe he really is. And then you'd be wondering why you're reading a story written by uch a retard† (Alexie 4). It shows that Arnold doesn't have that much confidence in himself and he believes Indians are treated the way they are because they deserve to be. Alexie Sherman is saying that Indians don't be live that white people are truly better then Indians. â€Å"Some Indians think you become white if you try to make your life better, if you become successful† (Alexie 131). This shows how Indians have lost all hope for themselves and that's probably why they don't even ry to make their lives better, because no matter what they do they still aren't as good as the Indians. Some of the Spokane Indians believe if one Indian becomes successful then he is no longer an Indian but instead a white. In conclusion Alexie Sherman uses alot of metaphor does/says many things to express how the Spokane Indians feel about themselves and how they have low self-esteem. And because of this many Indians think they can't get anywhere far in life.

Property Taxes

Property taxes – local taxes, immovable property/land tax, motor vehicle tax . (Lukas Szita) A property tax also known as millage tax is a charge on possessions that the holder is obligatory to pay. The tax is imposed by the governing authority of the area in which the property is placed; it can be a national government of country, a federated state, a county/region, or a municipality (In Slovak Republic property tax is the most important income for municipalities).We basically distinguish four general kinds of property: land, improvements to land (which are immobile man-made objects, such as buildings), personal property (transportable man-made objects), and intangible property. Combination of land and developments are called real estate or reality. Under a property tax system, the governing authority implements assessment of the financial value of every single property, and tax is measured in quantity to that value. Methods of property tax utilized differ significantly among different countries.Tax on property is often confused with special assessment tax. There are two basic forms of taxation which are the most popular: first (ad valorem tax) depends on the fair market value of the property. The second one other also called special assessment depends on a special enhancement also named a â€Å"benefit† for its reason. The property tax rate is frequently specified as a proportion. To compute the property tax, the local government uses multiplication of the evaluated value of the property by the mill rate and then divide by 1,000.For instance, a property with weighed value of 100,000EUR situated in a municipality with a mill rate of 20 mills would have a property tax bill of 2,000EUR per year. Property tax in Netherlands is imposed on homes on a municipal origin in two fragments: for the individual who lives in the household, and for the landlord of the house. Individuals who rent house are accountable only for the living part of the tax. Austral ia’s property taxes are known as property or parcel rates. Parcel rates and regularity of payment are set by local municipialities or councils.Each council has employees who value the land's price. The land value is value of the just land; they do not include existing non-moveable buildings on property. The measured worth of the land is base for the total charges of rates. Those charges differs from $100 per quarter to 1$, and frequencies of payments are differs according locality. Water rates are also common charges for property owners in Australia. Australia furthermore has stamp duty, used at the time when a property is sold.Fee is paid by the purchaser to the Office of State Revenue. Moreover to mentioned stamp duty there is also a Land Transfer Charge under the NSW State Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill 2010. Stamp duty rates are from 1% to 6. 75% based on the value of property and the state of Australia. Denmark has much simple system for taxing property. There it is 1% fee for property appreciated at less than DKK 3 million and 3% rate for above DKK 3 million. In Greece, property tax is set upon floor-area and bills for electricity.