Pollution prevention Essay Example for Free

Pollution prevention Essay The article written by Chris Wiant â€Å"What is the P2 trend all about, and how are environmental health professionals involved?† discusses the history, objectives and significance of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s pollution prevention (P2) program to the environment and public health. In the early 70s, there was already a conscious effort in protecting the nation’s vital natural resources which was pioneered by Congress. But EPA wanted to expand their strategy in environmental protection which resulted in the birth of the P2 program. The main thrust of the pollution prevention program is to encourage companies to get involved in the community level by taking the initiative in becoming leaders in protecting the environment. In addition, the application of the program has facilitated the identification of its â€Å"potential for significant economic benefits by avoiding the need for treatment at the end-of-the-pipe.† Since P2 has been well received by businesses and its positive benefits are eminent, the next challenge is â€Å"how to institutionalize P2 as a standard business practice, and 2) how to get businesses and communities to see that P2 can be a pathway to a new partnership between them† (Wiant, 1997, p. 24). Moreover, the pollution prevention program is not only a directive that is focused on conservation and preservation of the natural resources. It is more directed at the sustainable maintenance of the activities that were already started by companies and the EPA but in a larger scale. Th e certainty of the success of the program can only be guaranteed if all sectors of the society work hand in hand in order to achieve a single goal which is to reduce the damage inflicted to the environment. Another aspect of the P2 program that is very appealing is its emphasis on preventive measures. Its design of â€Å"reducing the emission of toxic Pollution Prevention 2  substances into the environment, focusing on the manufacturing process as the point in which to control toxin emissions† is an innovative idea that will dramatically trim down the production of harmful substances. Through this approach a potential problem can be addressed to its initial stage. Instead of using the end-of-the-pipe strategy, businesses can already start with prevention during the manufacturing process. As a result, massive damages to  the environment can be avoided and it can also eliminate the risk of inflicting impairment to the public’s health. Also, it can significantly reduce the cost for businesses in decreasing their toxic emissions. It is like shooting 2 birds in 1 stone because companies can save a lot of money and time by just implementing the P2 program in their business p rocedures. By mandating business to utilize the P2 program, changes in common business practices will occur. But this alteration would be for the overall improvement of the policies and procedures of a company. Moreover, in a community that practices such programs, the quality of life of the people will greatly improve and the relationship of coexistence between man and nature will continue to flourish for the better (Wiant, 1997, p. 24)†¦ †¦ Works Cited Wiant, C. J. (1997). What is the P2 trend all about, and how are environmental health professionals involved?. Journal of Environmental Health, 59, 24.

Fashion Essay :: essays research papers

It is quite evident as you walk around the streets of almost any city or town in America that the line between what was once considered the black style of dress and the white styles has become less and less evident. This is especially true with the younger kids in junior high and high school. The baggy pants and shirts with labels and bright colors that were once reserved for the inner city black and Latino kids, are now being worn by whites in wealthy suburban neighborhoods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I lived in a wealthy upper middle class area outside of Nashville Tennessee for most of my life and over the past five to ten years the change in style of dress for suburban kids has become more and more evident. Main stream stores such as Dillard’s and Castner Knot’s started carrying the underground hip-hop clothes that were once only found in the larger cities. Even major labels such as Tommy Hillfigger started designing larger clothes with brighter colors. There jeans were available in relaxed fit and even baggy. Hip Hop had now become a large market for young teenagers and people in their early twenties. I went to a private school with a very strict dress code and even there you could tell that the new urban fashion was having an effect on the way some students dressed. They would try to get baggier pants and would wear bright colored shirts with logos on the front. At ballgames they would wear baggy blue jeans and sweatshirts with â€Å"Polo† or â€Å"Nautica† emblems on the front. Whenever we had a casual day all the kids would go to the mall and you would see the baggy jeans and bright shirts on everyone. When the weather got colder kids at school started wearing the bomber ski jackets, so many people at my school had them that the school maid them illegal to wear. Also more and more guys started wearing the large hiking boots that were to bulky for their khaki pants, so they had to cut them at the bottom to fit around the boots.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I don’t know exactly how these trends came about but I remember it started when I was in seventh or eighth grade. At first it was the large â€Å"Starter† jackets with The Raiders or Miami Dolphins logos on them, and then it went to overalls and Adidas shoes and jackets.

American Express Company Essay

American Express Company, sometimes known as AmEx, is a diversified global financial services company headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. At present, there are 58,300 employees worldwide working in American Express earning annual revenue of $24. 5 billion. Its assets are valued at $124 billion, with $620 billion in annual purchase volume on American Express Cards and $87. 9 million cards-in-force. Each day, American Express makes it easier, safer and more rewarding for consumers and businesses to purchase the things they need and for merchants to sell their goods and services. An engine of commerce, American Express provides innovative payment, travel and expense management solutions for individuals and businesses of all sizes. Most of all, it helps the customers realize their dreams and aspirations through industry-leading benefits, access to unique experiences, business-building insights, and global customer care. It enables its customers to do more and achieve more. The vision of American Express is to work hard every day to make American Express the world’s most respected service brand. â€Å"Living up to our values is our first priority. † They believe in three operating principles they are: Offer superior value propositions to all of the customers Operate with best-in-class economics Support the American Express brand American Express is the world’s largest card issuer by purchase volume. They process millions of transactions daily as the premium network for high-spending card-members. The American Express is also known for helping mall business owners succeed by delivering purchasing power, flexibility and financial control. Adding on to its roles American Express also provides commercial payment tools and expertise that help companies control their spending and save billions of dollars, offer marketing and information management insights that help merchants build their businesses. The American Express employees are customer loyal experts with industry-leading rewards programs and platforms. They operate the world’s largest travel network serving consumers and businesses and are recognized as the most innovative company in our industries. They are dedicated to serving their customers, 24/7, around the world. The Values which they operate on reflect who the company is and what it stands for as a company. They believe in Customer Commitment, Quality, Integrity, Teamwork, Respect for People, Good Citizenship, Will to Win Personal and Accountability. Human Resource Practices at American Express Being a service industry firm, the employees form the base of all its operations and so the company gives a lot of importance to its HR practices which starts from assessing the need for new employees or new recruits. At American Express it starts with Projecting head counts, Assigning requisition number, identifying relevant profiles and estimating the number of candidates. The recruitment process starts with projecting the head counts i. e. by assessing how many candidates are required at a particular point in time in various departments. As per the requirements identified for different departments the company assigns a Requisition Number which differentiates various job requirements from one other. The Requisition Number is a unique code assigned by the company to different jobs which consists of the job description, minimum requirement for the job and the selection criteria. American Express then identifies the profiles that are relevant as per the requirements given by the Requisition Number and then estimates as to how many candidates will actually appear for the selection process. The company uses different sourcing channels for identifying relevant profiles as per its requirements. American Express uses both internal as well as external sources of recruitment. The Internal sources of the company consist of Employee Referral and Internal Sourcing Team under which the HR department asks its employees to refer the suitable candidates as per the job requirement. A candidate selected via an Employee Referral leads to the Employees getting a specific amount as a form of reward for contributing a resource to the Organization. As a part of the External sources the company contacts with External Vendors and Consultants and also goes to colleges for hiring. Beside this the company uses Job Postings also by advertising in job portals like www. Naukri. com, www. monsterindia. com etc. American Express also uses Social Networking Sites for inviting application by posting on www. facebook. com and www. linkedin. com . Beside the electronic media the company also advertise in newspapers like Times of India and Hindustan Times. American Express, for certain type of jobs, also invites walk-ins. After deciding when to hire and selecting different profiles as per the job advertisement given, the company goes for recruitment. For the recruitment process American Express generally prefers face to face interview. Face to face interview is given preference because of the fact that American Express being a service firm needs to test a candidate’s personality , his/her body language as how the person carries himself/ herself and his attitude towards work and also how he/she interacts with people. Face to face interview besides acting as a platform for assessing an applicant on the above mentioned parameters also allows the company to check the data provided by the candidate. The decisions regarding entry level staffing depends upon the attrition level of the company at a particular period of time. The entry level staffing is done in the form of bulk hiring and contacts from employment agencies are also utilized for the same. Wherein the company sends the required qualifications along with the Requisition Numbers for the vacant positions and then these requirements are matched up with the available candidates’ profiles. American Express hires students from across Campuses of local colleges if they are invited for the same by that particular college for recruitment else they don’t go for hiring in campuses by their own judgement. The interviews are usually held on Fridays, but as the need may be, sometimes they are conducted on Saturdays and Sundays as well. The turn ups on weekend drive ranges from 300-350 for Non Voice Requirements and 150-200 for Voice Requirements. For executive hiring American Express has tie ups with employment agencies wherein experienced people are searched for the Organization. Along with executive hiring American Express is into head hunting as one of its processes for executive hiring to have talented pool of people for the organization. American Express also prefers people from IITs & IIMs for filling up their executive positions. In case of executive hiring American Express generally sells its profile to have good resources for the organization. Once the selection mode is finalized then the series of face to face interviews gets started as the further steps of selection process. Executive hiring is process which requires time duration of 3-4 months at least. American Express is into Bulk Hiring for Voice Process as well as Non-Voice Process. Apart from Bulk Hiring it is also into Executive Hiring. American Express follows a set process for conducting these various levels of interview. Since the number of turn ups for the Voice & Non-Voice Processes are largely high they avoid taking an initial HR Screening Process; the reason behind this is lack of time. The Requisition Numbers that they get have a deadline that need to be met hence a HR Screening Process becomes too time consuming so it is avoided in the cases of Bulk Hiring. American Express is very staunch when it comes to hiring any candidate per se. Hence they believe that a Face to Face Interview & interaction would be an ideal way to judge the candidate. The American Express has four Levels of Interview. First, Personal Introduction Round, where the candidate is required to give an elaborate insight into his Educational Background, his past Work Experience, a glimpse into his personality & the Attitudes and abilities he possesses. Next step is the Voice Assessment Test for Voice Process and the Written Test for the Non-Voice Process. Wherein the candidates are judged upon various parameters like, their Communication, Accent, Voice Modulation, Pronunciation, Vocabulary, Spelling, Grammer etc. The reason behind doing these tests is to find the right candidate for the right role i. e. f one would suit for a Voice or a Non-Voice Process. The third step is the Operational or the Technical Round. In this the candidate is assessed on the skills that they possess and that are crucial to meet that particular job requirements. The candidate is interviewed on his Technical competencies & abilities. Finally, they have something called the Offer Round. It is also called the Salary Negotiation Round. This round is all about the Compensation Discussion, a discussion between the HR Manager & the Candidate over the expected compensation & the industry set Compensation Level. Once this discussion comes to a pause a final compensation is decided and an offer is rolled out to the candidate. The Levels of Interview slightly differ in the case of Executive Hiring. The First step in Executive Hiring is matching the profile according to the Requisition Number. Here the one thing that we need to make a note of is the fact that, a stringent HR Screening Process is followed, where the HR Manager strictly follows an HR Screening Checklist, to check whether the candidate matches the requirement as has been mentioned in and by the Requisition Number and the Job Description. All the other levels and steps being the same the only difference lies in the fact that they do not take any Written Test or Voice Assessment Test. This Step is eliminated from the process of Executive Hiring. The reason being that, this level generally constitutes of Top Level Management Employees & Officials and their mode of operation differs from the base or Ground level Employees. Rest they go through the same levels and steps of the Interview Selection Process. American Express believes in On the Spot job offer for Bulk Hiring wherein once the interview process is completed the candidate is given an offer letter. Executive Hiring or Non Bulk Hiring Offer is rolled out in 2days. (Within which the Candidate’s Confirmation is required). When the company hires the candidates in bulk then the entire process of interviewing to offer takes around 2 days and after the completion all the selected candidates are offered a job-letter. To close each Requisition an Average of 2 months is required starting from the process of selecting the forms, short-listing the candidates then conducting group discussion and PI and finally closing up of interview takes around 2 months. Niche Skills and Top Level Security Profiles take approximately an average of 3-4months. The technical skills which are niche, uncommon and difficult in nature to find takes approximately around 3 months because in this the company looks for a specific quality which can be used for further growth and development of the organization. Profiles of Vanilla Skills take 2 months to close. The American Express conducts a thorough Criminal Background Check, education verification and work experience. All portions of the check are completed before the Employee can begin his/her employment with the Organization. These checks are often used by American Express as a means of objectively evaluating a job candidate’s qualifications, character, fitness, and to identify potential hiring risks for safety and security reasons. The Background check at American Express is also used to thoroughly investigate the Employees Background and past information in order to get a security clearance. So this background check is extremely crucial in American Express recruitment process. They give huge importance in the same. If any of the above mentioned criteria doesn’t match in this process or a failure to adhere to the background check norms could eventually lead to the cancellation of the Candidates offer and Blacklisting of the candidate. Wherein the company cancels the application of the candidate or the candidate’s selection is being closed. Information’s which are being written in the resume has to be genuine and should be according to the actual background, experience of the candidate and basically those perfect information reflects the personality & the ability of the candidate. It is very easy for the candidate to prove or perform the same on the spot and simultaneously differentiate himself as the able candidate for the respective post. The American Express out sources its Background Check process to various firms. These are Syndicate firms which does the background check for its new hires in return for a fee amount. The On-Boarding Process begins when Candidate joins them for an informative first–day orientation where they learn the ins and outs of American Express history and culture. On-Boarding involves integrating and acculturating new employees into the organisation and providing them with the tools, resources, and knowledge to become successful and productive. It is a 2 day process. On boarding includes orientation collection of documents such as the Experience Certificate or Letter, Reference Letter, Educational Documents, Identification Proof etc. Orientation at American Express is a social function which serves as a familiarization programme provided to new employees. It stands as a ‘getting to know us’ programme. So they give information about their policies and working culture means how to work with American Express. In this on boarding process the new joiners are also made to fill various forms such as the provident fund and gratuity. A Separate Training Department with group or individual training in specified areas focused on carrying out assignments connected with related field they are working in which helps in improving the skills and knowledge of the employees. Special training is given to all the candidates from Campus Recruits to Bulk Hires to Executives who are recruited. This training focuses mainly on the rules and regulations the company follows and what all are the objectives the company has to achieve. The Training Methods or Forms of Training that American Express uses are vast. It comprises of Formal Training, for all employees whether they are new hires of existing employees. All and one have to undergo a formal training session in American Express. Another form of Training that American Express follows is Lectures and Classroom Trainings where in the Employees obtain training in a traditional classroom environment as per their convenience and time. It provides the employees with an environment that includes a lab, an instructor, and a structured approach to teaching. Another mode of Training that it follows is Online Training. This method is generally used in case of training the Top Level Officials and Managers. American Express Values every second of its Employees time especially when it is related to the Top management because they are involved with the major operations of the organization. So instead of disrespecting their time by calling them for a classroom session it looks for their convenience. They take up their training programs online which is quicker, simpler and convenient for them. The next form of Training method that they apply is Questionnaire. Where in the HR Manager floats a Questionnaire to it Employees / Trainees and they collect their responses and give them the feedback. â€Å"An unusual method of training its employees but it tends to be more effective than classroom sessions† says Saumyajit K. Pal, HR Manager (MIS & Analytics), American Express.

An Overview of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court handed down its historic decision in Roe v. Wade, overturning a Texas interpretation of abortion law and making abortion legal in the United States.  It was a turning point in  womens reproductive rights and has remained a hot-button issue within United States politics ever since. The Roe v. Wade decision held that a woman, with her doctor, could choose abortion in earlier months of pregnancy without legal restriction, based primarily on the right to privacy. In later trimesters, state restrictions could be applied. Fast Facts: Roe v. Wade Case Argued: December 13, 1971; October 11, 1972Decision Issued:  January 22, 1973Petitioner:  Jane Roe (appellant)Respondent:  Henry Wade (appellee)Key Questions: Does the Constitution embrace a womans right to terminate her pregnancy by abortion?Majority Decision: Justices Burger, Douglas, Brennan, Stuart, Marshall, Blackmun, and PowellDissenting: Justices White and RehnquistRuling:  A womans right to an abortion falls within the right to privacy as protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. However, while decision gave women autonomy during the first trimester of pregnancy, different levels of state interest for the second and third trimesters were allowed.   Facts of the Case   In 1969, Texan Norma McCorvey was a poor, working class 22-year-old woman, unmarried and looking to end an unwanted pregnancy. But in Texas, abortion was illegal unless it was for the purpose of saving the life of the mother.† She was eventually referred to attorneys Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee, who were looking for a plaintiff to challenge the Texas law. On their advice, McCorvey, using the pseudonym Jane Roe, filed a lawsuit against the Dallas County district attorney Henry Wade, an official responsible for enforcing criminal laws, including anti-abortion statutes. The suit said the law was unconstitutional because it was an invasion of her privacy; she sought the overturn of the law and an injunction so she could go ahead with the abortion.   The district court agreed with McCorvey that the law was unconstitutionally vague and violated her right to privacy under the Ninth and Fourteenth Amendments, but refused to issue an injunction. McCorvey appealed and the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, along with another case called Doe v. Bolton, lodged against a similar Georgia statute. The Supreme Court case filing occurred on March 3, 1970, when McCorvey was six months pregnant; she eventually gave birth and that child was adopted. She said she wanted to continue with the case to support other womens rights. Arguments for Roe v. Wade began on December 13, 1971. Weddington and Coffee were the plaintiffs lawyers. John Tolle, Jay Floyd, and Robert Flowers were the defendants lawyers. Constitutional Issues   The Roe v. Wade case was argued for the plaintiff Jane Roe on the grounds that the Texas abortion law violated the Fourteenth and Ninth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law to all citizens and, in particular, required that laws be clearly written.   Previous cases challenging abortion laws usually cited the Fourteenth Amendment, claiming that the law was not specific enough when a womans life might be threatened by pregnancy and childbirth. However, since attorneys Coffee and Weddington wanted a decision that rested on a pregnant womans right to decide for herself whether or not an abortion was necessary, they based their argument on the Ninth Amendment, which states: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. The framers of the Constitution had recognized that new rights might be developed in years to come and they wanted to be able to protect those rights. The state prepared its case primarily on the basis that a fetus had legal rights, which ought to be protected. The Arguments The argument for the plaintiff Jane Doe stated that, under the U.S. Bill of Rights, a woman has the right to terminate her pregnancy. It is improper for a State to impose on a womans right to privacy in personal, marital, familial, and sexual decisions. There is no case in the Courts history that declares that a fetus—a developing infant in the womb—is a person. Therefore, the fetus cannot be said to have any legal right to life. Because it is unduly intrusive, the Texas law is unconstitutional and should be overturned. The argument for the State rested on its duty to protect prenatal life. The unborn are people, and as such are entitled to protection under the Constitution because life is present at the moment of conception. The Texas law was, therefore, a valid exercise of police powers reserved to the States in order to protect the health and safety of citizens, including the unborn. The law is constitutional and should be upheld. Majority Opinion   On Jan. 22, 1973, the Supreme Court handed down their ruling, holding that a womans right to an abortion falls within the right to privacy protected by the Fourteenth Amendment. The decision gave a woman a right to abortion during the entirety of the pregnancy and defined different levels of state interest for regulating abortion in the second and third trimesters.   In the first trimester, the state (that is, any government) could treat abortion only as a medical decision, leaving medical judgment to the womans physician.In the second trimester (before viability), the states interest was seen as legitimate when it was protecting the health of the mother.After the viability of the fetus (the likely ability of the fetus to survive outside of and separated from the uterus), the potential of human life could be considered as a legitimate state interest. The state could choose to regulate, or even proscribe abortion as long as the life and health of the mother was protected. Majority: Harry A. Blackmun (for The Court), William J. Brennan, Lewis F. Powell Jr., Thurgood Marshall. Concurring: Warren Burger, William Orville Douglas, Potter Stewart Dissenting Opinion In his dissenting opinion, Justice William H. Rehnquist argued that the framers of the Fourteenth Amendment did not intend it to protect a right of privacy, a right which they did not recognize and that they definitely did not intend for it to protect a woman’s decision to have an abortion. Justice Rehnquist further argued that the only right to privacy is that which is protected by the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of unreasonable searches and seizures. The Ninth Amendment does not apply here.   Finally, he concluded that because this issue required a careful balance of the interests of the woman against the interests of the state, it was not an appropriate decision for the Court to make, but instead was a question that should have been left up to state legislatures to resolve. Dissenting: William H. Rehnquist (for The Court), Byron R. White The Impact The Texas statute was struck down as a whole, and further, Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in the United States, which was not legal at all in many states and was limited by law in others. All state laws limiting womens access to abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy were invalidated by the Roe v. Wade decision. State laws limiting such access during the second trimester were upheld only when the restrictions were for the purpose of protecting the health of the pregnant woman.   As for Norma McCorvey, four days after the decision, she publicly identified herself as Jane Roe. Living in a happy lesbian relationship in Dallas, she stayed relatively unknown until 1983, when she began volunteering at a womens health center. As an activist, she eventually helped establish the Jane Roe Foundation and the Jane Roe Womens Center, to help poor Texas women obtain legal abortions.   In 1995, McCorvey connected with a pro-life group and renounced abortion rights, helping co-create a new Texas nonprofit, Roe No More Ministry. Although she continued to live with her partner Connie Gonzalez, she also publicly rejected homosexuality. McCorvey died in 2017.   Sources Greenhouse, Linda, and Reva B. Siegel. Before (and after) Roe V. Wade: New Questions About Backlash. The Yale Law Journal 120.8 (2011): 2028-87. Print.Joffe, Carole. Roe V. Wade at 30: What Are the Prospects for Abortion Provision? Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health 35.1 (2003): 29-33. Print.Klorman, Renee, and Laura Butterbaugh. Roe V. Wade Turns 25. Off Our Backs 28.2 (1998): 14-15. Print.Langer, Emily. Norma McCorvey, Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide, dies at 69. The Washington Post February 28, 2017.  Ã‚  Prager, Joshua. The Accidental Activist. Vanity Fair Hive February 2013.  Skelton, Chris. Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973). Justia.  Supreme Court Cases: Roe v. Wade. The Interactive Constitution of the United States. Prentice-Hall 2003.Ziegler, Mary. The Framing of a Right to Choose: Roe V. Wade and the Changing Debate on Abortion Law. Law and History Review 27.2 (2009): 281-330. Print.