Blackpool: the Las Vegas of Lancashire?

Blackpool is the original seaside destination and a model for other hotspots like Coney Island and Atlantic City (Jerde Partnership, 2003). Blackpool still remains the largest seaside resort in the UK but since the 1990s Blackpool has experienced a 30% drop in tourism (Jerde Partnership, 2003). Blackpool Borough Council commissioned EDAW together with experienced architects The Jerde Partnership to prepare a masterplan for central Blackpool. The need for the masterplan was clear, to transform the seaside resort from slow and steady decline to a future of achievable and sustained growth (EDAW, 2003). This report looks at where Blackpool has come from, where it is now and where it hopes to be. It will evaluate the effectiveness of Blackpool's strategy, examining the expectations and demands of the stakeholders. If will also examine the support of the proposed actions plans by the stakeholders and the local community. History Blackpool takes its name from ‘le pull', a stream which drains Marton Mere and Marton Moss into the sea. The stream runs through peat lands which discolour the water hence the name Black Poole (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). In the late 1700s Blackpool was frequented by the landed gentry following a national craze for sea bathing and the drinking of seawater (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). The building of the Preston and Wyre railway in 1840 provided cheap excursion trains to Blackpool from industrial Lancashire, making Blackpool a destination for thousands of visitors from Lancashire and Yorkshire. By the late 1800s Blackpool's visitors were predominately the working classes from Lancashire and Yorkshire rather than the gentry. Blackpool was seen as ‘the Playground of the Industrial Revolution': a town that grew rich on traditional Wakes Weeks (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). The development of the resort's entertainment attractions began in the 1890s to provide facilities for the 35,000 resident population together with approximately 250,000 annual visitors (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). Illuminated trams were first seen in Blackpool in 1897 as part of the Jubilee celebrations but static illuminations did not appear until 1912 (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). BASELINE DATA Blackpool has high levels of social and economic deprivation. Blackpool was ranked 32nd on the index of multiple deprivation out of 354 districts in England in 2000 (ODPM, 2003). Seven of Blackpool's wards are in the 10% most deprived in England, this equates to 32% of Blackpool's population (approximately 40,000 people). Tourism continues to be the major employer in the region, 88% of employment is in the service sector, linked to tourism and leisure. Blackpool has a lower gross domestic product (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½7,383 per head) than Liverpool (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½9,352 per head), which has European Objective 1 status. Blackpool's small manufacturing sector, accounts for 10% of jobs, has suffered a decline in recent years. Local specialisms are in vehicles, food and drink and plastics, with nationally known firms including TVR Sports Cars, Horizon Biscuits and Glasdon UK Ltd. Blackpool is also an important administrative centre, accommodating large national and regional office headquarters such as the National Savings (‘Ernie') and the Department of Social Security (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). Despite this Blackpool has lacked major investment and is very run down with a large number of houses, hotels and guesthouses in multiple occupation (HMO), particularly for benefit claimants. It also has very poor sea water quality and polluted beaches. Blackpool's population has risen from 473 in 1801 to 3,707 in 1861, by 1901 it had reached 47,348 and 101,553 by 1931. The population of Blackpool has now steadied at around 150,000. With a population of 4,366 per kmà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, Blackpool is more densely populated than Liverpool or Manchester. Outside of London, only Portsmouth is more densely populated (Blackpool Challenge Partnership, 2002). Blackpool has a high proportion of economically inactive people with 27.8% of the population retired compared with 18.9% nationally and 5.3% unemployment compared to a UK average of 3.3% (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). There are also between 2,000 and 3,000 homeless people in Blackpool (Blackpool Challenge Partnership, 2002). In 1989 a national survey found that 4,190,000 holidaymakers stayed in the resort and 12,590,000 people came on day or evening trips (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). Over the years there has been a significant shift in holiday patterns with more people using self-catering accommodation and many more people visiting the resort for day or evening trips or short breaks (Blackpool Borough Council, 2003). The bulk of visitors come from social groups C & D (manual skilled and non-skilled) with limited disposable income with the majority still coming from Lancashire, Yorkshire and Scotland. THE WAY FORWARD: BLACKPOOL'S OPTIONS * Do nothing (product continues to decline) * Upgrade existing facilities (prolong product life cycle but remain in same market area) * Radical change (move into new market area with new product) BLACKPOOL'S VISION AND MASTERPLAN Blackpool will be recognised as a vibrant, inclusive, healthy, safe and prosperous town where visitors and residents share the common goal of Blackpool being the number one visitor destination in the UK (BCP, 2003) ‘If Blackpool is to survive and prosper, it must find ways in which it can once again become internationally competitive as a destination resort.' (Marc W. Etches, Managing Director, Leisure Parcs Ltd) Stakeholder Expectations. The key stakeholder groups for the renaissance of Blackpool are public bodies, private sector organisations and members of the public & community groups. The following identifies some of the principal members of the stakeholder groups: Public Bodies * Blackpool Borough Council * The Blackpool Challenge Partnership (also the Borough L.S.P) * North-West Development Agency/Lancashire West Partnership * The European Union * The Government (SRB) and Government Office for the North-West * North-West Tourist Board & English Tourism Council * Blackpool & Fylde College * The Gaming Review Board * Lancashire Constabulary Private Sector * Banking industry * Blackpool Airport * Blackpool Chamber of Trade * Blackpool Pleasure Beach * Blackpool Seasonal Traders Association * Blackpool Town Centre Forum * Casino Resort Operators * Conference organisers * Construction companies * Consultants (to develop & deliver proposals) * Entertainment industry * Holiday operators & travel agents * ICT industry * Leisure Parcs (owners of Blackpool Tower, the Sea Life Centre, the Three Piers and the Wintergardens) * Local & national press * Service industry (hotels, catering) * Transport industry Community Groups/Members Of The Public * Blackpool Coalition against Gaming Expansion * Blackpool Diocese * Existing visitors to Blackpool * Future new visitors to Blackpool * Population of Blackpool These groups will comprise mainly those with an interest in developing the new Blackpool ‘product' (supply side) and those which will constitute the demand for the Blackpool product. However, market competitors will also be less direct stakeholders in Blackpool – these could include competitor resort casino operators (Las Vegas, Australia's Gold Coast, Sun City) and other ‘mini-break' destinations (Center Parcs, Euro Disney, Amsterdam, Dublin etc.) and UK weekend-break destinations (Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, London etc.) Since achieving the new Blackpool product will require huge and comprehensive changes to the physical and economic make-up of the borough, the process will require both a clear vision and a robust business plan, supported by the many stakeholders. Moreover, it will require a credible leader with the necessary skills, experience drive and determination to realise the vision. There are likely to be significant obstacles to achieving the new Blackpool, therefore a strong leader will essential in order to retain the support and enthusiasm of all the projects varied stakeholders. In order to gain extensive stakeholder support for the new Blackpool, their (probably) disparate expectations must be recognised and subsequently acted upon. Once stakeholders have been identified, a process of consultation should take place to discover what they want Blackpool to be. This will inform the visioning exercise and if stakeholder views are acted on, assist in building consensus. With a large range of stakeholders, it would be appropriate to adopt a flexible and multi-faceted approach to consultation; different methods (exhibitions, ‘listening' events, newspaper articles, focus groups, public meetings, questionnaires) would be geared to the natures of the various stakeholders. In reality, this is what Blackpool has done. The lead organisation for the project, The Blackpool Masterplan, is the Blackpool Challenge Partnership (since 2002 also the Local Strategic Partnership LSP for the Borough). The key funding for driving the Masterplan forward through development and on to delivery is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½20,000,000 of SRB6, secured in late 2000 and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½X million in EDZ money from the European Union, secured in 2001. As part of the bid process, the partnership undertook a significant amount of consultation via the Let's Talk Campaign. This included: * A 2-page questionnaire prepared by the Blackpool Town Centre Forum and sent out to more than 500 shops, pubs, clubs, banks and building societies (results indicated that 91% of respondents supported the Masterplan); * Focus groups and telephone canvassing of a random sample of 600 local people, undertaken by a specialist market research consultancy; * Meetings with specific groups (e.g. churches, youth organisations). Since securing the SRB6 funding, a comprehensive package of projects are being developed and delivered to bring broad social and economic benefits to Blackpool, as well as the development of the Vision Masterplan. The Marketing Plan. (2 Vision Statements – which is confusing!) The Vision statement is that ‘Blackpool will be a Vibrant, Inclusive Healthy, Safe and Prosperous Town.' As with many municipal vision statements, this in my opinion, is both vague and all encompassing and therefore not particularly useful (no measurable targets, so how do you know how to get there?). However, it gives a positive message which few stakeholders are likely to disagree with. The vision aims to provide a better quality of life for people in Blackpool by revitalising the tourism industry. The key strands for realising this vision are: * Building ‘state of the art' conference facilities; * Radically improving the hotel offer (more quality 3 and 4 star hotels); * Revamping existing attractions and revitalising the entertainment offer; * Creating an internationally recognised centre for tourism and casino training; * Tackling crime, especially burglary and car crime; * Improving the health of people in Blackpool through a range of initiatives; * Improving education outcomes and community learning opportunities. Building on existing physical and social regeneration funded through SRB2, the new Blackpool would be achieved through a series of projects and thematic activities. However, at the centre of the regeneration programme is the aim to improve the quality of life for local people by increasing local economic growth through enhanced tourism activity. And the hub of this plan is the proposal to create a purpose built conference centre and resort casino in the centre of Blackpool. Marketing Objectives. The Masterplan sets out the marketing approach for Blackpool. Since this has been developed; through extensive consultation with stakeholders, it would seem fair to say it reflects the broad wishes of most stakeholders (even the Blackpool Diocese†¦). Obvious objectors would be the anti-gaming lobbyists. The Masterplan sets out how radical physical changes coupled with capital investment will transform the town, making it attractive to new market sectors (i.e. visitors who will spend more money. So although Blackpool has undergone notable economic regeneration and diversification during the past decade, by SRB2 funding, the economy is still largely dependent on tourism (Source?) . However, with the current tourism offer in decline, the Blackpool ‘product' will need to undergo change in order to prosper(Source?) . Given that the town has so much existing experience and infrastructure based around tourism, the obvious theme for economic regeneration would be to deliver an improved tourism offer that meets current market demand, therefore bringing more money into the town. This is exactly what Blackpool is doing – instigating a comprehensive, economic regeneration programme, led by tourism. This is complemented by two further themes of physical improvements and to benefit the socially excluded sector of Blackpool's population. The latter would be principally around housing, health, education, training and entry to employment. Set out in the Blackpool Masterplan, the hub of the vision for the new Blackpool product is the development of 3 (?) resort casino hotels with associated purpose built conference facilities as well as broad appeal leisure facilities. These would include shops, restaurants, cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s, bars, cinemas, theatres and a large leisure pool. Since poor weather is currently a visitor deterrent, these facilities would be covered to allow for all year round use. Moreover, covered links are proposed to key existing attractions, such as the Pleasure Beach funfair. Access issues have already been partially addressed. In 1995 the new Blackpool Airport terminal building was opened and passenger number increased from 50,000 in 2002 to a projected 250,000 in 2003. This increase is principally due to the introduction of daily Ryanair flights to London Stansted and Dublin. Part of the forward programme of improvements are safer car parks and a modernised tram system. Bit more on resort casinos†¦ Associated economic benefits in Blackpool†¦ Associated economic benefits to the region†¦ Critical analysis of the Blackpool Masterplan STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES * Blackpool product radically transformed * Broad stakeholder support * Builds on existing strengths * Comprehensive regeneration package(economic, physical and social elements) * The product would be first of its kind in UK * Proposals too radical? * Timescale issues * Funding issues * No casino operator secured * New gambling bill not enacted until 2006 at the earliest * Planning issues * Old Blackpool image might remain; will new market sectors want to come to Blackpool? What happens if the gaming laws don't change? Blackpool Council leader Roy Fisher has stated that ‘ We believe the relaxation of the gaming laws will happen, which is why we're trying to harness the positive potential of that development now. However, casinos are just one facet of the wide ranging draft masterplan that includes building a host of other new attractions and facilities. Rest assured, the council is absolutely committed to a major programme of regeneration for Blackpool. With or without casinos, we are determined that Blackpool will be transformed once again into a destination of truly national and international calibre.' (Blackpool Today, 2003). In addition to this the Jerde Partnership (2003) acknowledge that the gaming reforms are an important ingredient in Blackpool's strategy but they are not required for success COMPETITORS U.K. * Seaside resorts (e.g. Southport, Lytham, Brighton, Scarborough) * City-break destinations (e.g. Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, London) * Mini-break destinations (e.g. Centre Parcs) * Conference centres (e.g. Harrogate, Brighton, Bournemouth) * Theme Parks (e.g. Alton Towers, Lightwater Valley, Legoland, Chessington) * ‘Hen & Stag' destinations (e.g. Nottingham, Chester, York, Newcastle) Abroad. * Casino resorts (e.g. Las Vegas, Sun City, Gold Coast) * Theme Parks (Euro Disney, Disneyworld Orlando, Disneyland Los Angeles) * Package holiday destinations (e.g. Spain, Greece, Tenerife, Florida) * Conference destinations in other European cities * ‘Hen & Stag' destinations (e.g. Dublin, Amsterdam, Prague, Barcelona) CONCLUSIONS * Blackpool needs radical change since the present product , principally a tourism offer, is at the end of its lifecycle and in serious decline * New product / new market * Comprehensive marketing plan * Balance of realism and informed risk taking

Research and development Essay

The Human resource management department of the business is responsible for the hiring and firing of the staff that work in Boots PLC outlet stores and any other jobs that are related to the company. Their main aim to make sure that there is the right amount of workers in the specified place at the right time in order to contribute to the maximum output that the staffing effort can help towards. The hiring and firing is very important as it makes sure that the right people are hired for the job that are in appropriate situations to fulfill vacancies. On the other hand however the firing is just as important. If staff are not pulling their weight or are incapable of carrying out the jobs they are meant to they may be fired. Also if there is no need for all staff then they may be laid off. This is a way of maximizing profits as less go on output of wages which is a great percentage of the businesses output. The HRM is also responsible for the training of staff. It is their responsibility to make sure that all staff is fully trained for the job they are employed for. These increases the customer reliability and satisfaction as when staff are asked questions they will hopefully know they answers and also that they are capable of approaching customers comfortably and in a good fashion. This adds to customer satisfaction and this is important to Boots it is also one of their objectives listed previously in the report. HRM are responsible for forecasting labour amounts and the amount of man power that will be needed at different times of the day week and year. If manpower is low in rush hours or periods such as Christmas then the company may not reach its maximum out put through mistake of their own. Staff receives appraisals when they work for Boots. This lets them know if the business is happy with them and if they are considered a valued member of the work force. The appraisals are again responsibility of the HRM department and they help to maximize business by insuring workers are reaching their full potential within in the business. Boots recently proposed to train up 7000 people to become more knowledgeable about technology so that the business will benefit from this. Boots PLC also employ a further 45% of their workforce on top of their usual numbers to help in outlet stores over Christmas period with tills, stock rotation and demonstrations. This shows the business has been planning the workforce amounts according to potential times of increases in demand. This area of the business can be very economical and save the business money when it comes to hiring and firing staff. This is however also very beneficial to the staff also. When jobs in the business become available instead of employing new staff they promote current staff. This saves money as described in management styles later on. The HRM area of the business works towards the organization and in turn globalization objective of the business. The statement of â€Å"we aim to develop staff and provide them with the right skills and attitude in order to achieve the organizations goals† suggests that it be aimed at all the objectives of the business, which will reflect on the globalization and expansion conclusively. The fact that more staff was hired acts on the objective of improving customer satisfaction as more staff means that there are more hands to deal with the tasks needed which leaves more staff to be available to help customers and aid them with their shopping needs. The Marketing section of the business is responsible for satisfying customers needs at the right prices and once again as in Boots objective consumer satisfaction. To do this the marketing section of Boots PLC is responsible for researching what the target markets want and interpreting what their future needs would be and how they will change. They persuade the customer to buy products by advertising. They either increase awareness by advertising to all on TV or radio, or advertise specifics. These include in store adverts for particular products, which they make the customer, think they need. Free demos of some products also help to draw in custom and Boots does this in its make-up and its perfume range where there is always trained staff available to recommend and advice. The marketing aspect of the business has lead to the birth of the Boots Advantage Card. Boots customer services is an outstanding department as they have been able to established customer loyalty by the use of this Advantage card. Referring back to Boots objectives the wish to increase customer loyalty is proven as the Advantage Card is used by more than 70% of all key customers. Boots objectives on marketing were to increase promotion and stature by globalization. This has been attempted by opening several firms in Taiwan. A strategy that separated them from their competitors and attracted thousands of consumers over the Christmas period was the three for two-mix and match strategy which was introduced after a market research poll into marketing strategies return the mix and match as a popular suggestion. This was reflected by the feedback it returned. It is very important to be able to forecast and predict what will happen to the market. In order for a company to success in the long term it must have an idea of where it is going. One of the best ways to do this, which also show the success of the business, is to look at its accounts. This will show if there is a gradual increase or decrease in profit and it will show what products sell, how they sell and in what quantity are they likely to still be required as the majority of tangible inessential goods reach saturation point and are no longer needed. The finance section of the business is the area that looks after the accounts and the money flow forecasting. The Financial area of the business makes sure all the finances of a business are properly recorded. This involves keeping detailed accounts either manually or on a computer of all the money that comes in, and how it comes in to the business and how and where it goes out. The financial information is used by Boots and published in the yearly reports to show how the business is getting on. Boots PLC uses computer technology to record all the information and trained staff regularly analyzes it to spot correlation in output or product relationships. This is done to try and find out where Boots could benefit from altering the market and changing product ranges or increasing product base. This section of the business is also capable of raising finance when the business needs to raise capital for an investment or expansion. There is only a small aspect of the objective system that it appears the financial function touches on. This is the objective to act towards modernization. Boots keeps its financial records in the form of computer files as apposed to storing them manually. This shows that Boots keeps up with the development of technology, which was a specific objective. This shows that an objective has been worked towards and met which has been beneficial as now the financial function is a lot less time consuming in storing data and retrieving it. Although there is always more problems with modern technology it is likely that in the long run it is less time consuming. Production is another one of the functional areas but as there is little that Boots actually produce due to the fact that they are in the tertiary sector this function does not really affect them. The only way it does affect them is that Boots must keep in touch with the production (secondary industry) business to ensure that they can meet the demands that they need in order to increase customer satisfaction. Coinciding with this the staff at Boots must check produce that is received from the production companies to make sure it is correct. This section does not really affect any objectives that the business has directly. However indirectly it does regard the objective of wishing to increase the proportion of their own brand. There is little evidence I can provide of this objective been carried out but they do have their own cosmetic range that goes by the name of No7. This appears to have been doing very well. The main cogs of the business are the Administration section. This keeps the day to day workings of the business going. Again these are skilled staff trained in their field and Boots pride them selves on the level of training and standards that their staff operates to. The administration maintains the business premises and equipment and if anything goes wrong they are responsible for fixing it of finding someone to do so. Anyone who works for Boots doing photocopying, printing (stationary jobs) catering, computer services, data storage, all these types of jobs come under the job description of Administration. As boots is expanding it is relying less on its own workers to carry out some of these tasks and it calls in people from out side the business, this is called ‘outscoring’, these people are usually found by the administration team. The administrative function as it is a necessity in the business and keeps it flowing hardly relates as a contribution to any objective at all. The only objective I can see that the administrative function applies to id the modernization of the company. This is due to the fact that in order for the administration staff to act efficiently they need to be modernizing as technology such as computers develops. This will benefit all areas of the business. As the target markets demands are forever changing and new fashions are coming in and the months of the years come in and out the products that Boots supply are always changing. It is hard to keep on top of the supply for goods, as there are so many aspects that alter the product demands it is hard to be aware of where they will go next. The research and development of the business is responsible for trying to find out where to go next. They keep the other parts of the business informed about changes as much as they can. This is a main part of the marketing for the business. The research and development sector look at sales figures, accounts, customer trends and spending and try and deduct where the majority of the money goes and also where it doesn’t. They do not look to replace products all the time but also to look for new products that would be beneficial to bring into the product range to increase sales or attract new business. It was the idea of the research and development of Boots to open the optician section of the business, as this was an area that they had not yet spread into and would be beneficial. The people in the research and development part of boots also look at other businesses and see how they operate, what they sell and how much they charge. All this contributes to the smooth running of the business. As Boots main objective is to produce a well-established firm that caters for the consumers needs research and development is a major part of decision making. Diversification is also reliant on this department as in order to diversify research needs to be carried out to find out which areas it would be beneficial to divert into in respects of the customers and the company as a whole. Boots has got a large research and development department. The paragraph below shown what affects the research and development has had on the company’s expansion. â€Å"The first Health and Beauty Experience store opened in Kensington High Street in September this year. It moves Boots into new areas of the expanding health and beauty market. Services include physiotherapy, osteopathy, homeopathy, herbalism, aromatherapy, reflexology and nutrition. These sit alongside beauty services including facials massage, false tan, ear piercing, pedicure, manicure, nail bars, and make-overs, plus lifestyle advice on weight management, smoking, sleep management, relaxation and stress management. All combine to offer a total wellbeing offer. † This paragraph gives list of some of the new products and services that have been introduced. These expansions in the business would not have been the result if research and development had not taken place. This shows that research and development has also contributed to the firm expanding, which was another objective of Boots.

Censorship in Television and Movies: How It Has Changed Throughout the Years

1 1 Censorship in Television, Media, and Film throughout the Years: How Has it Changed? By Heather Soileau and Alexys Peron Abstract This project is about Censorship in television and movies: How it has changed throughout the years.This project will describe the past television shows and major movie productions’ use of nudity, profanity, and violence and what they did to protect censorship in our homes. This project will show that in our new day and age censorship is being pushed to the limit, the children of our nation will hear and see violence, profanity, and nudity through their lifetimes. Information for this project was secured from various sources such as, books, internet websites, and government documents. Also, included with the project will be interview from various adults, seniors, and children so that they can explain their view on censorship.This project intends to demonstrate that even though you trust you children to watch appropriate show we can’t help w hat comes on every channel. 4 4 The main purpose of this report is to learn and educate people of censorship over the years. Censorship is â€Å"the suppression of speech or other public communication which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient as determined by a government, media outlet, or other controlling body†. Many factors have influenced me and my partner to do our project on how censorship in American television, media, and films has changed over the years.Most of these influences come from lessons in our English I class about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and many other classic novels that have been changed and modified over the years. However, we found more of an interest in censorship on television, being that there is much more profanity on television than books. In this research, a few questions that were very important for us were, â€Å"Has censorship gotten stricter over the years, or less of a worry† and â€Å"How h ave people reacted to censorship over the years†.We found that in the past, women and society were very modest and it was very negative to speak harshly on television. Over the years, very foul words and actions have progressed to become tossed around and taken more lightly in America, such as in the popular antique television show â€Å"I Love Lucy†, the main character Lucy found out that she was expecting a baby with her husband. The television producers would not allow her to use the word â€Å"pregnant† on the screen. One of the main influences of foul language television is the channel MTV.MTV was largely debated over because of its inappropriate music videos and shows, which were accused of Satanism by many. The article on Wikipedia also states that MTV was criticized for being too â€Å"politically correct†. Many shows and movies these days are poorly censored, mostly sitcoms. The way most people with children react to poorly censored movies and sho ws in negative, because they don’t want their children being exposed to that. On the other hand, majority of young adults that don’t have any children find these shows and movies amusing.The show â€Å"Jersey Shore† which aired on MTV for 6 consecutive prosperous seasons, however, the show was protested against for a while because the town of Stanton Island, NJ thought that the show used stereotypical Italian people and that it poorly viewed Stanton Island. However, the viewer reacts to censorship depends on their age and personality. 5 5 6 6 Conclusion My partner and I have come to the conclusion that censorship has greatly changed over the years. Some features, such as more freedom, are better, but others, such as profanity, violence, and nudity, are causing society to change, and not for the better. 7 Bibliography Robicheaux, Ken. â€Å"Movie Censorship. † Movie Censorship. Key Light Enterprises, LLC, 2007. Web. 15 Jan. 2013. . Chicago Historical Socie ty. â€Å"Film Censorship. † Film Censorship. Encyclopedia of Chicago, 2005. Web. 13 Jan. 2013. . Corliss, Richard. â€Å"Censuring the Movie Censors. † Time. com. Time Entertainment Time Inc. , 02 Sept. 2006. Web. 18 Jan. 2013. . Anonymous Wikipedia Editors. â€Å"Censorship. † En. wikipedia. org. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. , 18 Jan. 2013. Web. 28 Jan. 2013. . Anonymous Wikipedia Editors. â€Å"MTV. † En. wikipedia. org. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. , 28 Jan. 2013. Web. 28 Jan. 2013. . Anonymous Wikipedia Editors. â€Å"Censorship on MTV. † Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Jan. 2013. Web. 28 Jan. 2013. .

Landfills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Landfills - Essay Example This paper includes the history and development of property type of landfills in Australia. The story of how the Australian comes up with this method is also discussed in this paper. The development and application of various methods for this property type is also described. This paper shows the comparison of landfills in Australia with other countries such as the USA, Canada and New Zealand. Graphs and tables are included in this study as your reference about landfills in Australia. The management of wastes is an important environmental issue. Some wastes are toxic and can harm living organisms and their disposal is of particular importance. Other wastes, while not directly toxic, can physically harm the environment. Effective maintenance of waste can help us a lot. Landfills were introduced in England in 1912. It was formerly called as the Controlled Tipping and involves natural fermentation brought about by microorganisms. Waste materials or refuse are deposited in shallow layer, compacted and covered within 24 hours with earth or other chemically inert material from an effective seal. (Britannica, 2006). United States of America and New Zealand are among the countries that use landfills and experienced controversy in using landfills as waste management. Below are some details about the history and development of landfills in both countries. United States of America At the end of World War II, urban growth accelerated. With this growth came increased refuse generation. The impacts of open-burning dumps on public health became a concern. Experience in the military with sanitary fill methods and the interests by some local governments in eliminating open dumps led to increased efforts to dispose of refuse in a sanitary manner, but what prescribed a sanitary manner was unknown. Many local governments that bragged about using the "sanitary landfill" method were actually using modified open dumps. The landfill in 1940 was described in a report prepared by the Sanitary Engineering Research Project of the University of California in 1952.1 The landfill studied in 1949 was described as a refuse dropped and spread out over a large to allow scavengers easy access. At the end of day pigs were allowed on the spread-out refuse for overnight feeding. It is in this year that the landfills made their appearance. Most of the landfills were located on former wetlands. This 1 Sanitary Engineering Research Project. "An Analysis of Refuse Collection and Sanitary Landfill Disposal." practice does not take long and was subjected to change because of obvious reasons. Open burning of refuse created air pollution. Allowing the pig to eat raw garbage was not a sanitary . During this time there were no minimum requirements set as to what constituted a sanitary landfill. Like the landfills in Australia, most of the landfills in USA where also subjected to closure because of the following reasons; it can cause air pollution, the leak is unsafe for the residents that surrounds the area, groundwater contamination and others that affect the health of the people. The commitment of the US Public Health Service (USPHS) to provide national leadership to eliminate open-burning dumps and replace them with sanitary landfills also served as the basis for a broader national strategy to improve the management

How the World might change in the next 25 years Assignment

How the World might change in the next 25 years - Assignment Example Deforestation is increasing the global warming problem and is diminishing the capacity of earth to generate oxygen through its plants. The purpose of this paper is to discuss and predict how advances in the management of natural resources are going to change the reality of humanity by the year 2037. The two social problems correlated to natural resources that are going to be emphasized in this discussion are food and air. The changes that are going to occur will come from exploitation of existing technologies and the creation of new innovations. There are a lot of people suffering from hunger today. Approximately 13% of the world’s population suffers from hunger which represents about 925 million people (http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm). A lot of experts believe that the world’s current agricultural capacity has the ability to feed everyone on the planet, but hunger is still occurring. One of the problems with the spread of hunger is that certain regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa do not have the arable land and the basic infrastructure such as water and electricity to create food. In the future this constraint will be eliminated as new technologies will enable the planet to turn salt water into drinkable water. About 20 % of the world land is covered by the five major oceans (http://www.gdrc.org/oceans/world-oceans.htm). The second innovation that will revolutionized agriculture worldwide is the creation on synthetic terrain. This new form of land can be transported anywhere and by used to regenerate the soil in places that lack arable land such as Haiti. A second major problem that is going to be resolved is the elimination of deforestation. This will occur prior to 2037 due to the fact that the paper wood milling industry will seize to exist. The world will not longer accept humanity cutting down trees to create books, magazines, or any form of wood pulp paper. Luckily this transition

Rhetorical Essay about the book SULA by Toni Morrison

Rhetorical about the book SULA by Toni Morrison - Essay Example Overall, the story revolves around Nel and Sula and how their friendship transforms over years. The main arguments presented include those regarding friendship, faithfulness, disloyalty, and forgiveness. Over time, the forms of friendship are shown to change. Initially, the book presents Nel and Sula to be very good friends. Nel is brought up by her mother so that she is well mannered and an obedient daughter. Nel does not like the way her mother treats her. It is mentioned in the book that Nel likes Sula’s house better as her mother is not scolding or screaming at her (Morrison 29). On the other hand, Sula does not like her mother as she sleeps with other men, and doubts her mother even likes her. One day Sula finds out her mother does not like her either. She feels sad and channels her grievance to Nel whom she feels really close to. In an attempt to be someone different than her mother – who sleeps around with many different married men – Sula eventually becom es more like her mother later on. Sula did not like her mother’s attitude and talks to Nel about it. After Nel gets married to Jude, Sula leaves the Bottom and returns after years. Initially, it seems as if Sula is very happy to meet her again and they are good friends until Nel finds Sula and her husband cheating on her. Nel who already has three children from Jude is extremely sad at seeing her very good friend with her husband. Jude decides to leave Nel after being caught with Sula (Morrison 105). Nel feels devastated and feels like crying, but the way she had been brought up does not allow her to show her emotions openly. The way Nel and Sula’s friendship slides as a result of the sudden change in Sula’s personality after years seems hurtful and illustrates the impermanence of friendship. Another argument made is that regarding betrayal and disloyalty not only in the conventional sense but also inadvertently happening and resulting in the characters getting hurt. Betrayal is obvious at various places. After Sula hears her mother saying that she does not like her, she feels said and betrayed. Her communication with Nel is good and she is able to share her thoughts with Nel. Nel and Sula had always been really good friends and after Sula returns 20 years later to the Bottom, Nel seems to be betrayed by Sula for being selfish and taking her husband away from her. Later, when Sula dies, Nel feels guilty of not having been a good friend and not having understood Sula. The story ends with a grieving Nel who finally forgives Sula. In another part of the book, Nel and Sula experience the death of a little boy named Chicken Little. Both Nel and Sula were swinging Chicken Little by the river when his hand slipped and he went underwater (Morrison 170). In a desperate need for help, Sula runs to Shadrack, but all he has to say is â€Å"always.† She gets afraid and both girls decide not to tell anyone about what happened. Sula feels guilty, but Nel reassures her that it was not her fault but was merely an accident. However, Sula seems to have taken the blame, and this causes her to change for good. Years after Sula’s death, Nel goes to visit her grandmother who says that she saw Nel letting Chicken Little drown. Sula’s grandmother blames both of them for his death. Later Nel does realize that it was really her fault as she enjoyed watching him drown rather than

The Marketing Concept and Marketing Communications Essay - 1

The Marketing Concept and Marketing Communications - Essay Example developed an online resume databank so job-hunters and employers can find each other more efficiently; or CarMax which invented a new way to sell used cars because people want more certainly when buying such vehicles, all illustrate a drive to turn a private or social need into a profitable business opportunity (Hansell, 2002; Healey, 2002). Companies must carefully monitor their customers and competitors, continuously improve their value offerings, carefully define the target market and value proposition, and take a long term view to satisfy customers, stockholders, employees, suppliers and channel partners. As a managerial definition marketing has often been described as the â€Å"art of selling products†. But Peter Drucker (1973) a leading management theorist says, â€Å"the aim of marketing is to make selling superfluous. The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well that the product or service fits him and sell itself. Ideally, marketing should result is a customer who is ready to buy.† The American Marketing Association offers this managerial definition: Marketing (Management) is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges that satisfying individual and organizational goals. The success enjoyed by many firms like General Motors has been a strong influence on the strategic school of management thinking. Not surprisingly, therefore as marketing emerged as a distinct management discipline in the second half of the twentieth century, many academics drew upon strategic management concepts to create the first ever-theoretical models of marketing process. Coca-Cola, McDonalds and Levi Strauss performance could be linked to the adoption of a marketing oriented business philosophy. This approach to management is based on the concept that financial goals can best be achieved by first determining the needs of the customer and then satisfying these by

Impact of Job Satisfaction on Staff Turnover Literature review

Impact of Job Satisfaction on Staff Turnover - Literature review Example Nature of work is one of the primary factors which help in the development of job satisfaction among the employees. The interest level of the employees in the nature of job which is imposed by the employer guides the job satisfaction. If the employees face person role conflict, then the job satisfaction of the employees will never be high. Person role conflict deals with the fact that employees have to undertake tasks which does not suit them and they are either under qualified or overqualified for the job. The role play of an employee in the job should also provide opportunity for them to utilize their skills which they have learned over the years. The employees should be provided with autonomy in carrying out their jobs. Another important job related factor which helps in the building of the satisfaction is the clarity in the role to be played by the employees. If the employees are made clear regarding the roles which the organization expects from them in carrying out, then a signi ficant amount of satisfaction is generated within them. Proper training regarding the jobs also helps in the development of job satisfaction among the employees as they generate confidence within them through the training process. The employee participation has been one of the crucial aspect in modern times and effective participation of employees in the decision making process of the organization generates a feeling within the employees that they belong to the organization and are an important part of it. This feeling within them in turn imbibes satisfaction regarding their job (Lee, 1991, p.9). The work pressure which an employee has to experience generates the satisfaction level within them. Often employees are dissatisfied with their job owing to the excessive job pressure which they have to face (Spector, 1997, p.24). The above study does not incorporate the factor of place of work and the ambience of the workplace which also often can raise dissatisfaction among the employees in the workplace. Pay package: Pay package is the most important criteria which dominates the level of job satisfaction among the employees. Employees always look for a better pay package and the pay package often helps in balancing the other limitation which an employee may face in an organization. The inclusion of additional facilities in the pay package helps to raise the satisfaction level of the employees and the fulfillment of the demand for increment in the salary structure makes them satisfied in their job. Other than the salary which the employees receive, often employees

None Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

None - Essay Example This normally gives room to committing fallacious reasoning whilst emotional temperament fosters it. Worldwide mainly imply to cognitive network of prevailing beliefs, attitudes, habits, memories, values and corresponding supplementary elements that are normally conditions and renders quietly meaningful the world that people dwell (Patrick, 156-198). Moreover, worldview normally emerges unobtrusively and intuitively from the pervasive influences such as cultures, language, sex and religion, politics, social and economic status. It influence normally manifest itself when an individual grow older via shaping forces of education and experience. Five characteristics of critical thinking in movie 12 are argument analysis, morality such as persuasion and obedience, manipulation, fallacies versus sound reasoning and corresponding effective Critical thinker (Patrick, 156-198). Conversely, five characteristic of uncritical thinking include contradictory perspectives, prejudices, predispositions that are manly based on the underlying barrier within their decision making and contradictory personalities that normally enrich prevailing actions and corresponding decisions of an individual. I would want argument analysis on the prevailing jury in case I was the defendant. The jury ought to embrace analyses of every the underlying in order make dependable arguments and correspondingly determine that the conclusion is imperfect based on the inappropriate reasoning via pointing out prevailing inconsistences within the judgment. Moreover, deductive reasoning will also aid in development of logic within the underlying case. Argument analysis method normally cast criticisms on the underlying second point and subsequent points via thoroughly analyzing every component

Final research project Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Final project - Research Paper Example We use plastics, as we turn on the television, microwave oven and the list could go on endlessly. We are on an era of plastic. Plastics are very convenient to use. It is cheap and durable. One time use plastic wares are convenient to both ‘on the go’ buyers and storeowners. It is cheaper to produce and to transport because of its weight lightness. However, plastic garbage is becoming a nightmare and a great waste of energy. After we’d use those plastic products it end up on our garbage bins and so long plastic garbage. Very few of us ever care where it ends up after the garbage trucks collect it. Who cares, as long as we are having a convenient life? But folks, I think it is high time we analyze our lifestyle and how do we contribute to the overwhelming plastic garbage in our society and in the entire world. Plastic waste constitute the majority of the world’? garbage and its becoming a threat to both human and marine life. The Extent of Plastic Waste Plast ics have only been in circulation in the last 100 years, but its harmful effect on the health and lives of people and marine life is increasingly becoming severe. Globally, it is estimated that more than 500 billion of plastic bags are consumed every year. Currently, in the United States alone, Americans are throwing 100 billion plastic bags every year which is roughly equivalent to 12 million gallons of oil as plastic are made from carbon drawn from petroleum (Mcnamee). Moreover, it is estimated that more than 350 tons of plastic waste are disposed directly into the sea world wide. A single plastic bag takes more than a hundred years before it breaks down. It is durable and very convenient to use and seemingly very harmless. Ironically, the single plastic bag, which was use to put on the classy shoe or bag that we purchase on the mall can cause the lives of several animals. Can we imagine how much damage the billion of plastic bags and other plastic waste can do to marine lives and to our own health? Plastic Waste as Threat to Marine life In 1997 during a Transpacific Yacht Race, between California and Hawaii, Captain Charles Moore accidentally discovered what is now known as the TRASH VORTEX or the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean. The trash vortex is approximately twice the size of Texas and four times the size of Germany in Pacific Ocean which is filled with various floating plastic waste from old toys, golf balls, kayaks, plastic bottles and a lot more which will not be able to decay in our lifetime. Besides to the floating trash vortex, it is assumed that 70% of the plastic waste sinks into sea bottom. According to Greenpeace, approximately 110 pieces of plastic waste were to be found per square kilometer at the sea bottom. It is calculated that a total of 600,000 tons of plastic waste are found at the bottom of the North Sea alone (Greenpeace). Plastic bags entangle birds which eventually strangled them death as they are unable to free t hemselves. Sea animals and other marine mammals have mistakenly eaten plastic, which causes their eventual death. According to a study conducted by marine biologist at the University of Kiel in Germany, 93% of the 180 dead birds which has been collected along the German shoreline, has been found to have plastic waste inside their stomachs (Altnau).In Australia, a crocodile named Whitey, which was part of a government wildlife tracking program was found dead and upon autopsy was

Frye Art Museum in Seattle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Frye Art Museum in Seattle - Essay Example ..Through different approaches that include product pricing, promotion, marketing, and circulation, Lui seeks to investigate, understand and discuss value – particularly the complex characteristics of value in art – as well as the rules, mechanisms, and politics behind the creation of value.† (introduction to Liu Ding’s Store) It is in light of this intellectual context that Liu Ding’s presentation will have to be viewed. And this politico-economic context adds richness and meaning to what would otherwise be dull, unimpressive works. For example, a prominent painting in this exhibition is that of a huge python whose body is not yet fully painted. By showing only the head and tail of the giant snake, the painter is prompting the viewer’s imagination to fill in the space. This feature opens up the scope for interpretation as well. Moreover, this artistic angle underscores the role of synthetic imagination in the discourse on aesthetics. Coming t o the politico-economic angle, the exhibition shows how method, planning, schedule and intermediary stages supplement the production of works of art – a fact that is often shadowed by the beauty of the finished product. Another painting under the theme of ‘unfinished paintings’ is the Die Svende, which is an elaborately decorated frame enclosing nothing. Far from the conventional, Liu Ding’s exhibition can prove to be either thought provoking or disappointing, based on the taste, refinement and patience shown by the viewer. Ties That Bind: American Artists in Europe is another exhibition in the Frye Art Museum. This exhibition, though, is quite conventional, in that, it showcases portraits and landscapes representing classical styles that evolved in 18th and 19th century Europe. When the dust settled after the end of the Civil War in 1865, many American artists ventured across the Atlantic to learn, assimilate and master the flourishing artistic culture in Continental Europe. Europe at the time was witnessing a peaking of artistic, cultural and intellectual expression, and American artists sought the excitement and stimulus of such an atmosphere. The result is a whole era of artistic production that adapted European techniques and traditions to American talents. William Merritt Chase’ Portrait of a Lady against Pink Ground (ca.1886) is one of the paintings on display. According to Chase’ experience â€Å"each sitter presents some new phase of personality that one has never done before. There is constant variety; constant study in my work† (from accompanying note). Seen in this vein, the portrait in discussion captures the bohemian attitude in the pose and posture of the lady (Miss Virginia Gerson). John Singer Sargent’s Mrs. Frederick William Roller (dated 1895) is similar in theme adapting a mature style of portraiture that captures â€Å"the interior life of the sitter against the backdrops of finely ar ticulated spaces† (from the explanatory note accompanying the painting). The elderly lady Mrs. Roller, dressed in a black gown, standing in the backdrop of an architectural frame, makes quite an impression. The impact on the viewer is heightened by the skilful depiction of the curves of her dress and in the attention to detail given to the room setting. The fact that Mrs. Roller is shown with minimal jewelry and accessories is a testament

Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes Essay Example for Free

Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes Essay An analysis of Langston Hughes’s poem Dream Deferred will reveal a significant commentary on the driving force in America today. It is undeniable that every one of us has dreams or goals that we want to pursue and achieve. Although all of us have their own little dream, this poem reiterates that in some cultures, it will be (and is) harder to achieve their goals. In this particular poem, Langston Hughes expressed his dreams and how they become during a hard time. The fact that he is a black man during the height of the African-American oppression, his ambitions and dreams was really hard to achieve—thus, he became frustrated. He expressed on how and what he really feels about a dream that he has had. Because he was succumbed under a great deal of frustration, he was unable to accomplish that dream. Each line in the poem symbolizes a typical moment in the author’s life. Furthermore, he was also very bitter about the conditions of his group because of their skin color. Hughes used many a great deal of simile in achieving his points. But perhaps the most powerful line in his poem is the â€Å"Or does it explode? †(Hughes) It is an influential conclusion of what could happen to a dream if they are neglected or is not pursued. In conclusion, this is a collective poem that articulates what could happen to dreams that left un-pursued even in times of struggles and oppression. This poem reflects the difficulties not just of African-American but moreover, it is also applicable to people (especially certain ethic groups that are discriminated) who experiences the same situation. This poem will never be obsolete. Works Cited: Hughes, Langston. Dream Deferred. March 2, 2008.

European Union And Its Application In Zara Commerce Essay

European Union And Its Application In Zara Commerce Essay In todays competitive world, the organisations have to focus on the development of effective logistics and supply chain that will ensure that it is able to meet the demands of its customers at a consistent pace. With the advent of time and increased trend of globalisation across the world, the trade barriers are fading out and favourable trade policies are promoting fast and quick exchange of goods and services (European Commission, 2010). The latest trend in the market is creation of an integrated logistics and supply chain infrastructure that is supported by the technologically advanced systems such as SAP, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), E-Retailing, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and many more (European Logistics Report, 2012). All leading corporations that are operating on international level have ensured that they have a well-coordinated Supply Chain Management and Logistics system that will employ the best systems for procurement, warehousing, inventory management, storage and inbound and outbound logistics (Johnson Turner, 2006). In order to gain competitive edge in the market especially European market, the logistics and supply chain system has to be developed after exploiting all available options so that the inventory is effectively managed and there is proper balance between the demand and supply of raw materials, inventory and goods (DeMeyer, Van Dierdanck Vercecke, 1996). There has been drastic shift in the European Logistics and Supply Chain Business operating systems as its market has been transformed into single market that allows the operating firms to take advantage of various economies of scale. European Logistics and Supply Chain System In the European economy, both logistics and transport are considered to be its primary means of support that have mean the contributing factor in the robust growth of economy. According to European Union (2012), there is strong relationship between the economic growth and level of transportation escalation. It is believed to be the fundamental part of every society that is the main factor for intensive growth of every countrys economy and creates ample opportunities of job for the citizens. In European Union, more than ten million people are employed in the transport and logistics industry which makes a significant contribution in GDP i.e. almost 5% (Evans, 2000). The European Commission (2011) highlighted in its annual report that a well-developed system of transportation is the primary driving force for dynamic performance of the member states. For all European companies, their logistics are the vital areas of concern as the storage and transport cost accounts for about 10-15% of the total cost of a product that is completed and finished. Almost every corporation is spending certain percentage of the budget on effective transportation system for its goods and services which is usually about 13.2% (European Commission, 2011). The market of European Union can work smoothly only when there is a well-integrated transport system which provides assistance in free movement of the goods within its territory; it is mandatory for the cohesion of territories and long-term economic growth. The pre-requisite for an effective logistics and supply chain system is the transport system that has interoperability of networks and harmonisation among rules. European Transport Policy In order to develop an excellent and well-defined European Transport Policy for the entire European Union region, the European Commission has undertaken various steps to address the obstacles that are hampering the creation of an effective transport system. It is reported by European Commission (2012) and Harps (2002) that the region is the central hub for manufacturing of products for various leading companies and they are looking for accurate logistics and supply chain system that can boost their performance in the market. The key mediums of transportation used are air, sea, road and rail but the latest trend is of intermodality. Intermodality is defined as the mechanism in which different modes of transportation are used along the entire chain of transportation to ensure that the overall supply chain system is effective and promotes the attainment of desired efficient logistics system objectives (Tseng, Yue Taylor, 2005). The European Transport Policy has been developed to provide guidance to the companies about developing an appropriate and highly efficient logistics and supply chain system so that they can supply goods and services with precision worldwide (Cooper, Browne Peters, 1994). Since there are many companies that are operating in European Union region, both markets and European Transport Policy have been modified to a greater extent to incorporate all the requirements of the players of the diversified industries (). Changes in European Market for enhanced growth of Logistics and Supply Chain system Up till now, the market of European Union has evolved from national emphasis to regional and finally to pan-European but now it is moving more towards customer-oriented. With the advent of Single Market which is also known as Common Market, the logistics networks of all companies have evolved and they have been developed to ensure compliance with the latest market trends (EIU, 1999). The organisations are restructuring their strategies of distribution in Europe and even revisiting their networks so that they can move closer to internationalisation by sourcing the products from other fields and ensure supply of products from one central location (). The developmental phases of the single market can be broken down into three parts i.e. pre-1993 period, 1993-present period and future period. In pre-1993 period, there was no specific European logistics strategy has European Union was not established at that time. All companies had a single national setup along with a distribution centre that was located in every major country of their operation. Every organisation used to do sourcing directly from the plants of manufacturing present in Europe and the logistics strategy differed among every country as it was developed in accordance to the respective country. Most of the offerings for supply chain services were similar as the suppliers followed the one-size-fits-all concept. The domestic carriers were the main source of transportation and majority of the third-party logistics providers were either regional or local companies (Harps, 2002). Larsen (2000) has stated that after the formation of European Union, all member states have been able to achieve robust growth in their economic performance and they have exploited all benefits for doing expansion globally at an accelerating rate. After the era of 1993, European Union opened its borders internally because global outsourcing was heavily demanded by the companies and factories of the manufacturers were starting to become focussed on global level. As a result of shift in the logistics strategy, the organisations revamped their supply chain management structures so that they were consistent with the European Logistics and Supply Chain Business Operations System. In major countries across Europe, the Pan-European Distribution Centres marked their developments in the region and they extended their importance by incorporating all processes required in the effectiveness of logistics and supply chain system. These centres postponed the role of manufacturing and combined some value-added activities to various traditional activities such as receiving of raw materials, transportation of inventory and shipment of the finished goods. In fact, Pan-European Distribution Centres allowed the companies to transfer their transport needs to the integrators who had the facilities of doing direct shipment from one central location (McDonald Deardsen, 1994). With the help of the centralised and Pan-European networks of distribution the products were easily shipped to the customers living in far off distant places and they helped the companies in saving huge amount of time and money. However, the companies are changing their logistics and supply chain systems to develop a perfect blend of both decentralised and centralised facilities for distribution so that they can strategically fulfil all their business objectives. With the developments taking place at an accelerating pace in the market, the entire logistics and supply chain system will get extraordinary efficient and competent for the organisations (Cousins, Lawson Squire, 2006). Key Drivers of change in European Transport Policy Since transport is the crucial element of logistics and supply chain system, the European Transport Policy has been developed by the European Commission so that the companies can abide by the laws related to the transportation policy. According to Walker and Jones (2012), the main driving forces that are impacting the European Transport Policy are as follows: Political Developments The liberalisation in the transport sector like US-EU Open Skies Initiative has a significant impact on Europe as it is expected to increase the traffic and create competition within the region. The international liberalisation of the trade has even boosted the transport as there is an increase in need of transportation of goods and services because of growing trend of outsourcing. There has been a rise in the environmental concerns which is leading immense pressure on sustainability within the environment. Economic Developments There are many economic drivers that are impacting the development of Europes economy on the targeted level. The key economic factor impacting the economy is the rising oil prices along with an increase in the transportation level that is closely linked to the economic growth level. As the income of people is increasing, there is an increase in the number of car ownerships and there is an increase in the GDP of the country as a whole. Environmental Issues The environment is one of the main areas of concern for any country and the transport sector has responsibility of about 28% of the Carbon dioxide emissions in European Union. The policymakers are identifying the alternatives that control the emission of Carbon dioxide by investigation various options for the road transport. As a result of growth in transport, the routes have become congested that have been hampering the transportation at both commercial and passenger level. Technological Drivers Since both increase in prices of fuel and environmental issues are primary areas of apprehension, there is an increase in the work of researchers to indentify excellent alternatives for the transport technologies. However, an enhanced level of efficiency is expected in the transportation of all goods by adoption of latest technologies such as RFID. Socio-demographic Changes The European workforce is getting older now and there is a huge reduction in the labour force. The companies are forced to recruit women in the manufacturing and logistics sector. The organisations are even compelled to provide additional training to the workforce so that their skills are enhanced and they have to incur more cost for recruiting new workers who are more competent and skilled. ZARA Leading Fashion Retailer in Europe ZARA is a top-ranked Spanish retailer of clothing and accessories that is headquartered in Artexio, Galicio. It was founded by Rosalia Mera and Amancio Ortega in 1975 and it is the leading flagship chain store of the Inditex group. ZARA has been successfully meeting the demands of its customers by employing an entirely different strategy from its competitors. According to Zhelyazkov (2011), ZARA follows a differentiation strategy of Porters generic strategies and focuses on enhancing the value chain by developing highly efficient and effective logistics, distribution and supply chain system. According to Cook, Heiser and Sengupta (2011), ZARA used to follow time-to-market strategy i.e. competing on the basis of time before the formation of European Union. After 1993, it shifted its policy to agile supply chain which meant that every step in logistics and supply chain was visible and well-coordinated. It is believed that the company needs only two weeks of time to develop the unique products and deliver them to the stores and it has made a reputation of launching more than ten thousand new designs on yearly basis (About US, 2012). The three key success factors of ZARA are short lead times, limited number of products and extensive range of styles. Agile supply chain of ZARA In order to get competitive edge in the market, ZARA is employing an agile supply chain which allows it to make the best use of Quick-Response System. Agile supply chain is described as the supply chain in which all elements work together in the form of a cross-functional team with the aim of eliminating unnecessary steps and predicting the demands of customers beforehand so that the products are available in advance in the market (Zhelyazkov, 2011). ZARA has been successful in the market because of its focus on designing of an excellent and efficient logistics and supply chain system. The entire process of supplying the goods to ZARA stores is started at the cross-functional teams who are working in the design department located at the headquarters of company in La Coruna. Almost all the designs are contemporary and inspiration for them is drawn from conducting various researches in the market by visiting university campuses, pubs, fashion shows, competitors offerings and cafes in addition to other places where the target customers can be found. Further data about the customers is gathered from EPOS data and online sources from across the websites. When the design that has been proposed is accepted, the specialists of commercial department move ahead with their tasks and do negotiation with the suppliers, decide about the purchasing price, carefully analyse the cost and margins and then fix price position of cross-currency for garments. It has a global sourcing policy which is organised by the buying offices present in the Netherlands, China and UK; the wide supplier base ensures that the best fabric is selected and there is less risk of dependence on one supplier. More than 40% of the garments which have the least transitory appeal are mainly imported in the form of finished goods from various low-cost centres of manufacturing located in the Far East, while, the rest are produced on quick responses in Spain by using the automated factories of ZARA that has a small network of contractors (Godsell et al., 2011). Value Chain Analysis of ZARA ZARA ensures that there is a proper balance between in-house and outsourcing operations. The operations that enhance the cost-efficiency of the company via economies of scale are done in-house such as packaging, labelling, cutting and dyeing. The labour-intensive tasks required at the finishing stages are usually done by the subcontractors network that comprises of more than 300 firms and each one of them has specialisation in specific garment type or process of production. In order to respond quickly to the demands of the customers, the process is flexible and the production level is always kept slightly less that the expected level of sales so that the stock is always moving. It believes in having under-supply of stock as opposed to stocking huge amount of inventory. When the finished goods have been labelled, packaged and price-tagged, they are then transported by the third-party contractor either by road or air to their destinations. There is only one distribution centre that is located in the companys headquarters i.e. La Coruna. Every store of ZARA gets fresh stock twice a week that has been pre-determined by the design department of the company (Zhelyazkov, 2011). Figure : Designing, production and marketing cycle of ZARA (Source: Godsell et al., 2011) The entire cycle of designing, production and marketing has declined to 22-30 days that is too less when compared to the industry average of nine months as the lead time. The main factor that has supported such an efficient logistics and supply chain system is the investment in Information technology. The 500,000 sq m. and five storey centre of logistics comprises of about 200 kilometres of moving rails along with an automated routing system that delivers all electronically tagged garments at the proper bays of loading for dispersal through the third party distributors. Almost all the products can be dispatched within eight hours of their arrival and it has been found that almost 98.9% perfect and the shrinkage level is even less than 0.5%. Implications of changes in EU Policy With the changes in EU Policy especially transport policy, ZARA has been able to develop a highly competent logistics and supply chain system. It has been able to utilise all available options within European countries to a maximum level. With the help of development of a good logistics system within the region, the transportation of goods, materials and inventory has become quick and responding to the customer changes on fast pace has become convenient for the companies. The biggest advantage for ZARA has been that it has been able to expand into European countries strategically and has even exploited all available opportunities so that it can maintain its core competencies in the production and operations area. Future of Logistics and Supply Chain System in European Union Since European Union is continuously striving to develop a good transportation system for development of an effective logistics and supply chain, there are huge chances that the countries are able to take advantage of developments in the transport and logistics sector. In years ahead, there kind of revolutions are expected in this sector i.e. increased trade globalisation, development of the information era and continuously changing preferences and demands of customers. In order to provide excellent logistics and transport sector to the companies, the concerned authorities will have to take certain steps to develop the best logistics and supply chain system for the business operations. Some of the suggestions made by the European Commission (2012) are: Improve interoperability by standardising the processes of loading units. Set up an entire network of transfer of nodes across Europe. Eradicating all differences found in the national regulations that are the barriers for achievement of flexible and smooth interoperability around Europe. Using Information Technology to boost the performance of key players and define a single most authentic and worthwhile ICT system that can meet all requirements of the participants. Ensuring harmonisation of paperwork and reducing and simplifying the number of the documents required for transportation. Review the current regulations at both international and European levels for development of an approach that is integrated for implementation of the measures required for security related to the transportation along with the assessment of risk along the entire chain. Enhance the co-operation among the players among the supply chain that can result in improved competitiveness via the reduced costs, high service quality and smaller lead times. Conclusion All organisations that are competing in todays dynamic and ever changing environment have to ensure that they have a well-coordinated and highly integrated transport and logistics system that will allow them to meet the requirements of their customers. E-commerce and RFID are gaining immense popularity in the market and it is expected that the every supply chain will have to employ these technologies in their systems to have an efficient inventory management system along with warehousing facilities, cordial relations with suppliers and enhanced production locations that assist in appropriate deployment of finished goods. Third party logistics service providers have become an integral part of the entire logistics and supply chain systems and it is vital for the companies to implement an appropriate policy of logistics management. All the companies in Europe have huge potential of growth as the trade barriers have faded and there are ample opportunities available for them to enhance their production and operations within the region. Hence, European Union offers immense range of options to the organisations for development of a cost-effective and flexible logistics and supply chain system for efficient management of their business operations.

Criteria for eco-hotel

Criteria for eco-hotel Introduction Tourism is one of the leading growth sectors of the global economy, bringing in billions of dollars annually in developing countries and transporting millions of people internationally. But the tourism industrys growth through the years has created an increasing amount of stress on the environment. Ecotourism is nature-oriented and environmentally focused and is growing rapidly. Ecotourism aside, many in the hotel industry have recognized the negative impact their business activities have on the environment and have taken action to alleviate those impacts. Environmentally responsible business practices dovetail well with the newfound popularity of ecotourism. They harmonize tourism and environmental sustainability. Eco-hotels are a name given to represent a hotel or an accommodation that has made the surroundings improvements to its structure so as to reduce its impact on the environment. This is known also known as green hotel which are environmentally-responsible accommodation that follow practices of green living. To be considered as environmentally responsible these hotels have to be certified as ‘green by an independent third-party or by the state they are located in. Traditionally, these hotels are qualified as Eco Hotels because of their location, their design inspired by the use of traditional building and the eco activities they offer. Chapter 1 Literature Review 1.0 Criteria for eco-hotel: An eco-hotel must as a rule meet the following criteria: Rely on the natural environment Environmental sustainability Should be able to safeguard the ecology Should sensitize people about the environmental training programs Should be able to bring intercultural exchange Should be able to increase the countrys revenue Maintaining the organization building by using non-hazardous cleaning agents and laundry detergent 100%organic cottonsheets, towels and mattresses Non-smoking atmosphere Renewable power sources like solar or wind energy Bulk natural soap and facilities as an alternative of individual packages to reduce waste Guest room and hotel lobby recycling bins Towel and sheet re-use (guests can tell housekeeping to leave these slightly used items to reduce water utilization) Energy-efficient lighting On-site transportation with green vehicles Serve natural and local-grown food Non-disposable dishware Offers a fresh-air exchange structure Gray water recycling, which can be used in the kitchen, bath and laundry water for garden and landscaping Newspaper recycling plan 1.1 Hotels having this Criteria Copenhagen: No.1 Green hotel in the World. Eco star: 1 Stars: 4 Location: Europe Country: Denmark Copenhagen Towers in line with the Green Building Standard is the first hotel in Denmark that has got linked with the UNs Global Compact. It has been considered that the building can saved about 1.373 tons of carbon dioxide annually and it has also been awarded the golden nail for being the most pioneering eco-friendly building. The Crowne Plaza Towers was constructed in 2009 using the most modern renewable and most sustainable resources. According to the president of Copenhagen Hotel Management, Sandeep Sander, the notion used by the hotel was to be more sustainable first to produce most of the energy used and to save as much energy as possible. â€Å"One of the key power saving initiatives is the mechanism of a groundwater based system, is based on the idea of recycling energy, and provides both heating and cooling to all 366 hotel rooms, the conference room section, kitchen, restaurant, and the ancillary office building.†Actions such as intelligence control of lightning and low-energy light sources have been taken to guarantee that the consumption is kept low. The majority of the part of the hotels IT infrastructure were used on foundation of energy saving and renewability. Managing director for Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers, Allan L. Agerholm acknowledged: â€Å"The bikes invite the guests to move in new habits that benefits their personal health and wellbeing as well as the environment in general. The guests plainly provide the energy in the hotel. On one hand, the biking might represents an emblematic sustainable act. Yet on the other it also presents that the socio-eco-awareness now also apply for the service area.† The Crowne Plaza Copenhagen has used this new concept- green concept- for the interests of the hotel, its employees and the guests. the prominent Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, the Hotel Nikko Hongkong occupies one of the citys choicest locations in Tsimshatsui EastISO 14001 plus other awards. Eco star: 2 Stars: 5 Location: Asia Country: Hong Kong In line with ISO 14001, Hotel Nikko Hong Kong has dedicated itself to the ecological shield. Its purpose has been to give environment-friendly services in their industry so as to be distinctive competitive as compared to others. Its aim is to provide good biodegradable services for its guests. It has also committed itself into taking appropriate techniques to stay away from pollution and towards the preservation of resources. To sponsor tourism marketing, Hotel Nikko has joined Friends of the Earths 2008-09 as a Saturn corporate member, the second highest contribution tier. The hotel management and staffs also helps to support environmental services to the guests so as to diminish wastage of natural resources and pollution done to the environment. To encourage its employees, the â€Å"Green Innovator Award† was the mechanism used to award the most innovative and convenient environment initiatives anticipated by the hotel. The concept used by Hotel Nikko Hong Kong is the 6R. Th e 6R concept consist of the following aspects: Reduce, Reuse, Replace, Repair, Refill and Recycle. The hotel has used this concept to control waste water organization. It is done in the safest way. The orchid- ECOTEL licensed by HVS Eco Services website has a wealth of good information Eco star: 3 Stars: 5 Location: Asia Country: India A tree always grows from its roots; every building needs a strong base The Orchid Hotel is found in Mumbai and it is Asias first qualified environmental friendly five-star hotel and it has been approved the ISO 14001. They just think in having a sustainable development which can build up an experience where: Deluxe need not disturb, Comfort need not compromise and Enjoyment need not be insensitive. The creation itself was designed particularly in such a way that is eco-friendly and even the resources used are sustainable and can be conserved. For the civil work, they have used: Cement They have opted for the PPC (Portland Pozzalana Cement) which hold 15-20% fly ash, as compared to OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement) Their internal partitions were built from wall panels made of compost waste and they can be reusable later. AAC (autoclaved aerated concrete) Water conservation by adopting the 6R theory Aerators/flow restrictors Sewage management plant Drip irrigation Drinking water treatment (aquazone) Rubber wood Medium thickness fibre wood Reused wood Triple glazed windows 1.2 Environmental Management In the 1980s and 1990s environment pressures has greatly affected the various industries and nowadays it has become such an important thing that it is not only affecting the outputs but even the inputs and process. Hotel industry has provided a major benefit to local and national economies; its growth has also put in danger the environment and socio-cultural area of where its developing. David Kirk (1981) argue that the hospitality sector is more affected as most hotels restaurant are situated near beauty and historic places where the need to protect is greater and even more vital. The addition of services to attract more tourists has already affected such places and thus more constrains crops up when building such facilities. Moreover tourists dont care about their action which contributes to the degradation of the environment. They expect to be pampered and dont pay attention to lashings of hot water, long time showers, and huge amount of supply of towels, copious food and more the need to be taken to the airport in limousines. We can say that nothing can be done to reduce the amount of waste without the help of the tourists, even if manager applies new ways of doing in the management of waste guests plays an important role. Environmental management is such a broad concept that it encloses aesthetic, cultural, ecological and social. There is a whole big work that should be done to educate people about the importance of a proper management of them. The hotel industry is one that consumes a lot of energy as a huge amount is to provide comfort and service to guest that are ready to pay for a unique treatment and entertainment. The amount of energy varies from Hotels due to their size and volume of guests. In the investigation of Paulina Bohdanowicz (2001) she finds out that Heating and air conditioning represent the highest energy consumption and is even consuming twice as catering which can be found at the second position. There is a wide misconception in the hotel industry about reduction of energy use. Tourism is not giving an important consideration to this aspect as there is no proper planning to directly influence the output of energy consumption. Local resources could be used like solar, wind, hydro these are excellent source of alternative energy as they have low impact over the environment. As tourism is a growing and evolving industry eco-(sustainable) tourism represent a currently small market but with time it may become the leading industry with millions of environmentalists and more consumers aware of environmental issues. Unfortunately more developers, planners believe that doing a sustainable development cost more and take more time. It will also provide less profits as more investment and less services will be available. It is true that green building offer many advantages like better economic opportunities, more comfort and convenience, better working and enhanced working environment, competitive advantage through the marketing and technology advancement, greater profits as building green cost less if it is correctly control and operated, offer an increase product and asset value as it represent the new era. The slogan â€Å"think globally, act locally† has been around in green politics for a long time but it is still very relevant. Problems are created at a local level through the business, leisure and activities provided by hotels. Robert F. Bruner (2004) clearly states that when you look around, it as if as economy has gone global, each one is copying on others ways of doing. These activities may result in effects on the environment at a local level and collectively at a national and global level therefore to change global trend one must change locally. Tourism objective is to offer service entertainment, comfort and luxury as well as a numerous range of services in an aggressive competitive market. There is a must to consume more energy to provide such services. The only way to control the production of such services is to get in close cooperation with all the stakeholders involved right at the beginning of the planning stage. 1.3 Some Important events in Environmental management: 1956: Clean Air Act; 1970: Department of Environment established; 1972: publication of â€Å"Limits to Growth†; 1973: formation of Green Party; 1974: Control of Pollution Act; 1987: Montreal Protocol (CFC emissions); 1987: Treaty of Rome; 1987: Bruntland Report (sustainable development); 1987: HM Inspectorate of Pollution; 1990: European Environmental Agency; 1990: White Paper on Environmental Strategy; 1992: Rio Earth Summit Conference; 1993: UK National Sustainability Plan. Environmental management was given more importance with the rise of health problem due to pollution from industries. Industries expanding themselves caused great damage to environment with the massive pollution they were doing. Without the interest of the highest level of an organization it is less likely that a company will involve itself in environmental management. Therefore to be able to do such thing there should be the participation of everyone in a company so that ideas develop flourish. The first step is to have a vision and to transform them into objective and targets with clear monitoring so as to have control and communication being done for everyone to go into the same direction. The next step is to conduct an environmental audit into the company so as to identify areas to be made targets. Environmental Management touches sector like purchasing policies, waste management and waste disposal in a company. A department should be created in order to fulfill those required task so as to enhance and to show a real endeavor towards environment protection. 1.4 Environmental management in the hospitality industry Not much interest was put in the hospitality sector until the creation of the International Hotels Environment Initiative, which was launched by the Prince of Wales. The first main objective was to create a manual on environmental management for hotels. The Hotel Catering Institutional Management Association (HCIMA) and the World Travel and Tourism Council have established an initiative on environmental management awareness. The programme, known as â€Å"Green Globe†, has as its main objective the aim to provide practical and low-cost means by which hospitality companies can follow rules to undertake environment improvements base on international guidelines. 1.5 Policies and Standards set for Eco-Hotels There are several places in the world whereby green hotels/ eco hotels are now being practiced. In most cases, by setting up several laws and regulations on hotel construction, government has forced the hotels builder in constructing eco-hotels. There are also several associations which are fighting for a more eco-friendly buildings and hotels. A few key building environmental assessment tools presently in use comprise of: Canada: LEED Canada / Green Globes China: GBAS India: Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) / GRIHA Japan: CASBEE United States: LEED / Living Building Challenge / Green Globes / Build it Green / NAHB NGBS / International Green Construction Code International Green Construction Code (IGCC) United Kingdom: BREEAM A few key building environmental assessment tools such as BREEAM (United Kingdom), and CASBEE (Japan) are a great help for the consumers in determining a structures aim and level of the environmental accomplishment. They reward credits for optional construction features which sustain green model in categories such as the site location and upholding of building site, conservation of water, etc. The stage of achievements are then determined through the number of credits. Governments have begun to command a reduction in the use of energy and emissions. In US in the construction industry, â€Å"Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design† also known as â€Å"LEED,† is being developed as a widely-accepted standard. The LEED certification has been modified by the U.S. Green Building Council to give facilities to all buildings to earn points in many categories, helping thus the hotel operators to be able to obtain certification for their existing services. They thus earn points by being sustainable in: The low energy use which reduces the release of air pollutants and greenhouse gases By reducing water consumption by 30% The use of recycle products to renovate. The use of innovative technologies that help in reducing energy usage thus achieving other types of sustainability. There is on about 1,200 LEED-certified buildings till the end of 2008, most of which are new instead of renovated buildings. The government also plays a very significant role in the industrys eco- environment, not only by creating environmental resources to help the industry. The government officials also shared their acquired experience on ecological work with the practitioners. According to the United Nations Environmental Program, 2001, the French Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environment along with some hotels has been sponsoring the making of teaching materials for environmental issues. The Hong Kong and French government also shows the importance of pursuing sustainable tourism by funding two cases. Referring to: Hotels environmental management systems (ISO 14001) by Wilco W. Chan and Kenny Ho we can see the chart with the different departments and its aims. Introduced in China during the year 2003 with the publication of China Hotel Associations standards for green hotels, it was targeted to build and develop 10,000 green hotels by 2010. In May 2007, URBN Hotels Resorts, a hotel situated in Shanghai, entered into an accord with Emissions Zero, a company which sells offsets greenhouse gas emissions. URBN plans was to calculate the hotel ‘s total amount of energy consumed, to then purchase credits in order to reduce its footprint by investing In the local green projects. In the islands where tourism industry is backbone for economic growth, due to the fear of losing developers, there is often a lack of regulations. Two examples are Barbados and Jamaica, whereby they utilize funds raised to coordinating the Plan for a Sustainable Tourism and the Tourism Product Development Company. They have developed curriculums concerning sustainable practices for the different hoteliers. The Government initiatives for examples such as Energy Conservation Building Code 2007 are mostly focused on how to preserve environment. A new code had been launched June 2007 clearly specified that only the energy performance requirements for all commercial buildings will constructed in India. 1.6 IPD Environment Code In February 2008 the IPD Environment Code, which was supposed to be a good practice global standard, has been launched. The Code was introduces in order to measure the environmental performance of corporate buildings. Its aim is to accurately assess, evaluate and deal with the environmental impacts of commercial buildings. The Code covers a broad array of building types which have as aims to: environmental plan creation Communicating a responsibility to the improvement of the environment. Create performance targets Environmental improvement plans Life cycle assessments United Nations (UN) has introduces an Agenda 21 which is connected to sustainable development, a blueprint of action. It is supposed to be taken internationally, on a national scale and locally by different types of organizations of the UN, governments, and major groups that is in every part in which the humans has an effect on the environment. A great number of organizations, due to the increasing interest in eco-building concepts, are now developing the different standards and rating systems which are encouraging the governments regulators as well as the construction professional in adopting eco-buildings with more conviction. There are also different codes being written which are now being adopted by the government in order to reduce the different environmental impacts of all the buildings. 1.7 Eco activities offered to tourists by Eco-Hotels Over the past years, the tourism industry has begun to promote and expand and some tourists adopted and supported the concept of ecotourism, especially in coastal and marine locations (Miller, 1991; Miller Auyong, 1991b; Grenier et al.,). Ecotourism dates to year 1965 when Hetzer required a reconsidering of cultural education in tourism context and promoted ecological tourism (eco-tourism). Today eco-tourism has become an international concept that makes up the principles of preservation, conservation and sustainable development. According to Valentine (1991) in the literature ecotourism is also recognised as ‘adventure tourism, nature-oriented tourism, alternative tourism, appropriate tourism, soft tourism, responsible tourism, ethical tourism, environment-friendly travel, green tourism, sustainable tourism, and nature tourism. The list could be extended with other alternatives like equality tourism, ethnic tourism, ‘cultural tourism, socio-ecological tourism, photo-saf ari tourism, dive tourism or surfing tourism. A tourist activity, a private venture or government service, and a guide for ethical conduct are some technical definitions given to ecotourism. For Hetzer (1965), responsible eco-tourism is assessed against four standards: Minimum environmental impact; Minimum impact on and maximum respect for host cultures; Maximum economic benefits to the host countrys grassroots; and Maximum recreational satisfaction to participating tourists. The Ecotourism Society, a non-profit organisation created in 1990 to serve tour operators, conservation professionals, protected area management specialists, researchers, and guides, among others, defines ecotourism as responsible travel that conserves the environment and sustains the well-being of local people. For example in Shanti Maurice hotel, along with the local inhabitant, use composting for waste reduction. However, there is not yet any standard method to quantify the amount of ecotourism. Bangs (1992) notes that, while generic tourism increases around 4% annually, ecotourism is growing at a rate of 30%. Lindberg (1991) stated that nature-based tourism contributed between $2 and $12 billion in 1988 to the economies of developing nations. According to Miller (1993), today, demand for travel shows greater deviation and magnitude than ever before, so making the tourism industry the biggest business on the earth. The increase in availability of public transport, car ownership, outbound travel, and new interests in nature based ecotourism, with the increased leisure time implies a promising future to marine eco-tourism. As a result more careful and detailed preparation and planning is necessary to accommodate the estimated arrival of tourists to coastal areas. But still ecotourism is often disadvantaged by limited access, lack of transport and poor resort facilities, including lodging facilities. It is essential to achieve a good balance between the development of leisure and the preservation of natural resources is to sustain the high quality of recreational activities. The concept of the 3s (sea, sand, sun) tourism is changing to more sustainable tourism activities. There are different eco hotels which offer different activities to tourists depending on their surrounding environment. Hereunder is a list of eco hotels of different eco star ratings and the eco activities they offer to the tourists. 3 star Eco hotels Leaves and Lizards Arenal Volcano Cabin Retreat(Central America-Costa Rica) Guests learn about consequences of deforestation and its effects on biodiversity, climate and water during their stay at Leaves and Lizards. Information is shared and discussed during guided tours, through casual conversations and written material in guests rooms. Activities available there to tourists are horse riding, white water rafting, zip lines (Tyrolean traverse) and canyoning. Admirals Inn-north (America- USA) Information of all the local environmentally-friendly activities that are in the area, including beach walking and hiking are given to guests. Al Tarfa Desert Sanctuary Lodge Spa- (Africa-Egypt) Al Tarfa is an adventure destination, offering daily activities such as guided walks in the desert, local community experiences, camel or horse rides inthedunes or 44 visits to local pharaonic, as well as Islamic ruins and natural hot springs. Other rewarding experiences can be arranged, including trips to theadjacent Oases, theWhite Desert Protected Area and theGilf Kebir National Park. Lake Manyara Tree Lodge- (Africa-Tanzania) This offers a number of specialist safaris as activities to guests. Ants Nest and Ants Hill- (South Africa) The aim of Ants Nest and Ants Hill is to provide a uniquely flexible safari experience Club Afrodit- (Europe-Turkey) This hotel provides various activities like morning gymnastics, nature walks, tennis, ping-pong, aerobics, basketball, volleyball, darts, water polo. Eco-Lodge Itororà ³- (South America-Brazil) Eco-Lodge Itororà ³ offers a range of activities from hiking tours to horseback riding and swimming in the crystal-clear natural pool. Ferme de Candeloup- (Europe-France) This eco hotel also acts as a Yoga centre .During the Winter, a forty minute drive brings guests to the nearest ski station, which is also just a short walk to the Spanish border. Whitewater rafting, horse riding and many other activities can also be pursued in the neighbourhood. For those of a more leisurely disposition, Candeloup is at the heart of the Juranà §on wine region, which begs to be explored. Finca del Buen Consejo- (South America-Ecuador) They offer activities in many of the local beautiful sites such as waterfall visits, mountain climbing, fly fishing, and pre Inca civilization ruins Hotel Planinka- (Europe-Slovenia) Activities organised by the hotel for the guests include mountain adventure park, paintball, hiking mountain biking, sledging, ice skating. Best Western Kamloops- (North America-Canada) In the area guests will find some of the finest golf courses in the country, horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking, fossil exploring, and Western Heritage visit. For more winter activities nearby is the excellent ski Sun Peaks Resort, which is quickly becoming one of the premier ski areas in the country. Hosteria Huechulafquen- (South America-Argentina) Guests can enjoy different excursions with diverse difficulty levels like horseback riding, trekking, mountain biking, long walks, kayaking, bird watching, scenery hiking, and the hotel specialises in catch and release fishing. Ibo Island Lodge, Quirimbas Archipelago- (Africa-Mozambique) Ibo Island Lodge provides turtle and hatching viewing opportunities to guests to the island. Iglu-Dorf- (Europe-Switzerland and Germany) Activities available there are snow show walking, igloo building and sculpting. Inkaterra Machu Picchu- (South America-Peru) Group eco-activities, such as bird watching or a guided orchid walk, are provided on their 12-acre grounds. Laguna del Lagarto Eco Lodge- (Central America-Costa Rica) The Lodge is operated in harmony with nature following extensive ecological guidelines. It is a perfect place for passionate bird-watchers and rain forest lovers. More than 10 km of well marked rainforest trails make birding and exploring easy, whether guests prefer to go alone or with a naturalist or birding guide. Matemo Island- (Africa-Mozambique) For guests who enjoy water sports, sailing, windsurfing, water skiing and banana boats, these activities are offered. Kayaks and snorkels are also available for guests to explore the islands clear waters. Rivertime resort and Ecolodge- (Asia-Laos) Rivertime resort and Ecolodge provide river tours to guests. And Tours most fascinating temples, monasteries, museums and many other sites of interest take guests to the city and local areas in the resorts minibus. Sosian Lodge-africa Kenya Sosian offers a huge range of activities including walking, horse-riding, camel safaris, game-drives, night-drives, fishing, bird-shooting, archery, tennis and swimming in the waterfalls behind the ranch house. 4 star Eco hotels Belvedere Bed Breakfast- (Europe-Italy) All sorts of activities, are provided at this hotel, like walking, trekking, mountaineering, cycling, skiing, snowboarding, snow shoeing or just relaxing surrounded by good food, wine and beautiful scenery. Brompton Lakes- (Europe-England) The site is directly on the Coast to Coast long distance footpath and ideally placed for walking, cycling and other outdoor activities. There is also a tennis court, free mountain bike hire and small rowing boats on the lakes. Cedar House Inn and Yurts- (North America-USA) Cedar House Inn and Yurts provide horseback riding, kayaking, canoeing, tubing down the Etowah or Chestatee Rivers and swimming in Dicks Creek. Mountain biking on rugged trails or road bike on the same mountainous route used by professional racers is also available. Chem chem- (Africa-Tanzania) Guests at Chem chem can experience unforgettable walking safaris and bird watching excursions. Cotton Tree Lodge- (Central America-Belize) All guest excursions are focused on the local environment and community. Guests visit waterfalls, caves, Mayan ruins, wildlife reserves, an