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Deforestation and the Elimination of Natural Habitats Essay

The more forests that are destroyed, the more harm that is brought upon every species in existence, including humanity. The worlds last rain forests are vanishing. Despite a determined international campaign waged for years by an array of conservation and government organizations, the irresistible forces of population growth and rural poverty are consuming the lush tropics as never before. Environmentalists predict that more than half of the Earths total species will be extinct by the middle of this century2. Global warming, holes in the ozone layer, rising water levels, erosion of top soil, degradation of air quality, and ultra violet rays from the sun are plaguing this planet like never before3. All of this is a direct†¦show more content†¦This is a truly compelling argument. The more forests that are destroyed, the more harm that is brought upon every species in existence, including humanity. If humanity is to survive, it has to slow its population growth, and more specifically slow the cutting down of forests and the ruining of Earth?s ecosystems. According to anti-deforestation activists, the destruction is so bad that a vast number of species will go extinct before they are ever found. This is extremely wasteful and impedes the advancement of humanity. Locked away in what?s left of the forests and jungles of the world could lay secrets and medicines that could potentially cure the majority of diseases and viruses that plague humanity today. Vaccines for AIDS and cures for xancer, to name a few, could very well rest with an undiscovered species on the brink of extinction; or even worse, the organisms that held the secret could have already been destroyed. Destruction of possible cures to the world?s ailments is only one of the many relevant issues regarding deforestation. Gone are the days of families enjoying endless hours at the beaches and parks of the world; they have been replaced by limited exposure to sunlight, and even during this period of exposure, a number of uncomfortable and bothersome defenses must be worn5. Water levels around the world are rising, as the polar icecaps threaten to melt and fears of losing vast amounts of landmass due to rising tides haunt predictions of the nearShow MoreRelatedDeforestation Is The Permanent Removal1714 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"More than 80% of Earth’s natural forests have already been destroyed at the rate of 20,000 hectares per day† according to the World Resources Institute (WRI). Despite our dependence on forests for our means of survival, from the provision of livelihoods for us human-beings, the prevention of soil erosion, medicines derived from rainforest plants, to the air we breathe, we are still allowing them to disappear at shockingly high rates through deforestation. High deforestation rates, primarily as a resultRead MoreMajor Environmental Issues Facing Zimbabwe Essay1717 Words   |  7 Pagesa rich biotic heritage and is highly dependent on tourism. It has a long history of biodiversity preservation, through the national parks, forest reserves and innovative community-based sustainable-use schemes such as CAMPFIRE. Nevertheless, the natural resources are under pressure from a growing population with limited economic alternatives. Land quality Zimbabwe has the greatest fraction of its land area in good quality agricultural land. The economy of Zimbabwe has a large agricultural componentRead More Biodiversity and Land Quality Essay999 Words   |  4 Pagesimproved technology has created the need for better management of resources and transportation across the globe. This need has produced great leaps in infrastructure, such as roads and dams. However, the introduction of this infrastructure into the natural world has adversely affected the environment. 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Introduction Human life cannot exist in the absence of complicated interactions of millions of species in biological systems. Yet as humans, we live during a period of the greatestRead MoreMajor Environmental Issues Facing Zimbabwe1763 Words   |  8 Pagesa rich biotic heritage and is highly dependent on tourism. It has a long history of biodiversity preservation, through the national parks, forest reserves and innovative community-based sustainable-use schemes such as CAMPFIRE. Nevertheless, the natural resources are under pressure from a growing population with limited economic alternatives. Land quality Zimbabwe has the greatest fraction of its land area in good quality agricultural land. 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Today, tourism is one of the largest industries in todays world economy and is a great source of foreign exchange for many developing countries, whose major assets are their natural resources.1 At the same time, it is the environmental quality of a place that will determine the success of the tourism industry, since it is the main attraction for tourists. There have been a lot of arguments about whether tourism is beneficialRead MoreThe Negative Effects of Tourism3584 Words   |  15 Pagesand the environment have a very complex and interdependent relationship. Today, tourism is one of the largest industries in todays world economy and is a great source of foreign exchange for many developing countries, whose major assets are their natural resources.1 At the same time, it is the environmental quality of a place that will determine the success of the tourism industry, since it is the main attraction for tourists. There have been a lot of arguments about whether tourism is beneficial

Workplace and Employee Motivation Free Essays

In recent years, the topic of workplace and employee motivation has emerged as a significant concern for both employers and management personnel. An analysis of such strategies at a Target Retail Store provides an example of how such motivational strategies affect the company†s sales, profits, workplace morale, and future. One of the most important issues at a Target Retail Store is the timely method and manner of placing and displaying the merchandise on the sales floor before the store actually opens to the public at 8:00 a. We will write a custom essay sample on Workplace and Employee Motivation or any similar topic only for you Order Now m. This must be effectively done with limited resources and staff. As a result, management must be able to appropriately and effectively motivate all staff employees and improve performance and employees† resistance to increasing productivity. This paper will examine the organizational efforts of Target Retail Stores in this area, and identify and analyze two motivational theories not currently in practice by Target. It will also apply the chosen motivational theories to management and discuss their impact and offer possible solutions that could have been implemented before employee motivation became an issue. In order to eliminate the time it normally took to neatly present merchandise on the sales floor, Target implemented a program that would effectively eliminate unnecessary packaging (EDA†s Waste Reduction Update, 2005). The results of this was the elimination of approximately 1. 5 million pounds of waste, an estimated saved $4. 5 million through packaging reduction, and the implementation of a more efficient method of merchandise distribution (EDA†s Waste Reduction Update, 2005). This led to an easier and more efficient merchandise placement in preparation for store opening every morning. Before the program†s implementation, Target†s management team observed both the amount of waste from packaging and the time workers spent opening and unwrapping shipments (EDA†s Waste Reduction Update, 2005). The team found that a great deal of labor was expended tearing apart packaging from merchandise. For example, one typical clothing shipment contained 20 individually wrapped sweaters. The sweaters had to be unwrapped before they could be displayed in the store. The team ultimately determined that an entire shipment of 20 sweaters could be safely shipped in just one outside wrapper (EDA†s Waste Reduction Update, 2005). The total reduction in packaging for the Target merchandise resulted in an estimated $3 million savings to the vendor for the reduced packaging material used in shipments (EDA†s Waste Reduction Update, 2005). To see whether the merchandise would arrive at the store in good condition, the Target Team asked its vendors to test its packaging reduction idea. After several shipments of clothing arrived unwrinkled and presentable, the team decided to change Target’s packaging specifications to the vendor (EDA†s Waste Reduction Update, 2005). Target’s current goal is to ship floor-ready apparel and minimize excess packaging; floor-ready means that the merchandise requires minimal preparation before being displayed on the sales floor (EDA†s Waste Reduction Update, 2005). As a result of an easier and more effective process, employee motivation in this area has been boosted. Although this method has increased efficiency, there are other methods that can still be implemented to increase employee motivation and productivity. One such theory of employee motivation is called motivation theory, which seeks to explain all kinds of motivated behavior in different situations, including behavior in organizations. Compensation administration is an application of motivation theory (Mitchell, 1992). Since the majority of behavior is sense motivated, individuals are greatly influenced by their environment. Thus, organizations can influence people†s behavior by changing environments and rewards. The best known theory of motivation in this area is Maslow†s theory of human motivation, which centers on the theory of â€Å"physiological needs (Maslow, 1943). As related to the theory of human motivation all people have a need or desire for a stable, formally based, high evaluation of themselves, for self respect, self esteem, and respect from others (Maslow, 1943). By firmly based self-esteem, Maslow†s theory was that which is based upon real capacity, achievement and respect from others. However, motivation is not the sole determinant of behavior. Ability and knowledge of what one is supposed to do combine with motivation in determining behavior in organizations. Also, an organization†s tasks vary in their requirements. Thus motivation can make little or much difference in performance, depending on the task. Another related motivational theory that could be applied to the Target Retail Store scenario is what is termed â€Å"content theory. † Content or arousal theories center on needs or drives. Several physiological and social needs have been identified and studied. A need for competence in mastering the environment is supposedly aroused when individuals are faced with new, challenging situations; it dissipates after mastery (McLelland, 1976). Closely related are curiosity or activity needs: people need and enjoy a stimulating environment, but they differ on this need and become adapted to certain levels of stimulation. A need for power has been suggested as a requirement for success in organizations. Effective managers may have a high need for power (McLelland, 1976). One problem with predicting behavior from individual needs is that people seem to have differing degrees of needs at different times of their lives (Maslow, 1943). An evaluation of the motivation theories based on needs probably focus on their limitations. Empirical studies have provided only modest support for them, and the proportion of the variance in performance explained has been low (McGregor, 1960). If Target was to follow Maslow†s theory of motivation, the organization could influence its employees† behavior by changing environments and rewards. This means that a reward based type of program could be implemented that would encourage employees to participate as a result of the possibility to receiving a bonus or reward. Since motivation theory is based on the fact that all people have a need or desire for a stable, formally based, high evaluation of themselves, management could use evaluations and other encouraging measures to increase self esteem, and respect from others in the workplace, thus enhancing employee motivation. Following a content needs based approach, Target management could implement an incentive program based on needs or drives. The management team could study different physiological and social needs as related to customer service and retail and implement a program based on the results of their study. A content-based approach consisting of a contest could assist the employees in mastering any new, challenging situations that may arise in their workday. Since content theory is also based on the need for a stimulating environment, target could conduct stimulating team meetings and outings that would be interesting and motivate the employees that way. Finally, research indicates that employee motivation is directly related to the success of any organization. In order to be effective, the management at Target would greatly benefit from the implementation of any of the programs and theories discussed above. This implementation would further enhance their continued success in the retail industry. How to cite Workplace and Employee Motivation, Essay examples