Wellness in the Corporate Workplace - 1408 Words

What is Corporate Wellness? Corporate wellness programs are designed to help employers to be acclimated into wellness through their work environment. These wellness programs will help many companies attract and keep their employees healthy at the same time, along with reduce the cost of healthcare within the company. When there is â€Å"healthier employees,† then lower healthcare plans for the company. â€Å"According to BusinessWeek, Scotts Miracle Grow instituted a corporate wellness program, after the company realized that 20 percent of its net profits were spent on providing healthcare. When companies reduce their health plan this not only helps them, but it also helps their employees to lower their deductions and co-pays, as well as prescription drugs. When employers help keep employees healthy it helps to reduce absenteeism and a high job turnover. Wellness programs are designed to increase morale, and it lets the employees know that they are not just a number, but, tha t their employer cares about them. There are Corporate Wellness programs that are found in different types of businesses and corporations. It is used to help reduce the healthcare expense that many employers are facing today. There are many companies in the corporate world who want to help reduce healthcare expenses, along with making the work environment less stressful for their employees. The corporate world along with other types of companies have opened workplace wellness that consists of exerciseShow MoreRelatedEmployee Wellness And Corporate Wellness1174 Words   |  5 Pages Whether it’s called Workplace Wellness, Corporate Wellness, or Workplace Health, these types of programs have been on the rise. It’s uncertain who the first company was that started this type of initiative, but it is known the amount of companies offering these types of programs have been growing in numbers since 2010 since health insurance costs have been on the rise since the Affordable Care Act was passed five years ago. Fifteen years before the act was passed, a company called Johnson andRead MoreDeloitte And Touche Case Study1571 Words   |  7 Pagesstudy based on organisational wellness. First I will highlight four critical success factors of a wellness program and thereafter I will link those success factors to employees suffering from burnout and exhaustion in the South African retail industry and how they can be adopted to improve both burnout and exhaustion. Finally, the analysis/essay will be concluded by summarizing the key findings of the case study. Based on the content covered in the organisational wellness case study on Deloitte andRead MoreWhat Is Wellness As A Quality And State Of Being Healthy1522 Words   |  7 PagesMerriam-Webster defines wellness as a quality or state of being healthy. In common, wellness is defined as the motion of changing one’s lifestyle and embracing health enhancing behaviors. The notion of improving the state of health has a long history in an American culture. Common themes of eating the right foods, exercising, weight control and quitting smoking have been wildly spread in the last century and are echoed in every health promotion and disease prevention program. Wellness programs have beenRead MoreLegislators Argue That Employees Are Losing Out, Even Though1718 Words   |  7 Pagesrights and negotiate for better employment terms and conditions through collective bargaining. However, it is the unions job to obtain a healthy working relationship between employees and union officials. It is imperative to prevent and resolve workplace disputes. Although, there is support from the human resources department, leader and managers should help them maintain effective working relationships with unions. Nonetheless, organizations become unionized, after the company negotiates aRead MoreDefinition Of Wellness As A Quality And State Of Being Healthy1511 Words   |  7 PagesMerriam-Webster define wellness as a quality or state of being healthy. In common, wellness is defined as the motion of changing one’s lifestyle and embracing health enhancing behaviors. The notion of improving the state of health has a long history in an American culture. Common themes of eating right foods, exercising, weight control and quitting smoking have been wildly spread in the last century and are echoed in every health promotion and disease prevention programs. Wellness programs have beenRead MoreRecommendations For Wellness And Fitness1184 Words   |  5 Pages MEMORANDUM TO: Director of Health and Human Services FROM: Manika Gupta, Hofstra University President of the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) DATE: March 23, 2015 RE: Recommendation for Wellness and Fitness in the Workplace Summary Wellness in the workplace is an important part of all professions where employers need to promote healthier lifestyle. There should be programs to improve the overall health of workers without making employers spend more on insuranceRead MoreCsr : Corporate Social Responsibility1598 Words   |  7 Pages CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is defined by many groups like, Tata steel, Coca Cola, Reliance, Videocon etc. Although they all stand for similar meanings connecting to taking responsibilities of the society as a business individual, its definition has been getting broader from a established point of view, corporate social responsibility is a type of business instruction included in a business demonstration. CSR policy functions as a self-regulatoryRead MorePoor Health Habits Of Employees1383 Words   |  6 Pagesillness or medical conditions) (MedicineNet, n.d.). These issues have produced a renewed interest in creating a culture of health within the City’s workforce by instituting workplace wellness programs to be made available to the City’s employees. By offering the employees of the City of Jacksonville with a worksite wellness program, the City’s workforce can continue work towards achieving the goals of increased productivity, reducing absenteeism and a potential method of reducing expenditures theRead MoreWorkplace Health And Wellness Programs Essay730 Words   |  3 Pages al (2013) examined corporate wellness programs specifically within the American workplace. Texas and Florida are the two states with the highest percentage of individuals under the age of 65 without health insurance because the cost is too high. As a result, many employers are implementing workplace health and wellness programs in hopes to lower the costs of their health care plans. An average cost Mujtaba et. al (2013) has found for operating a workplace health and wellness programs per participantRead MoreCritical Issues Paper: Health and Wellness1730 Words   |  7 Pagessignificant wellness programs remain a minority. Demographic evidence suggests that the current laissez-faire attitudes toward workplace wellness found in many organizations will soon need to change. Its important to understand those needs to tailor a wellness program to the organization and its people. To be successful, wellness programs must be employee driven and management supported. (Walker, 2004) For the state of workplace wellness the question has been asked, Is your workplace well?

Adult Education free essay sample

Adult education in the contemporary society has been perceived as an avenue or tool for solving economic and social related problems.   Many scholars and educators including policymakers are for the idea of Adult education.   Adult education in the contemporary context took many different forms (Webster et al 2001).    Many institutions including universities and colleges put in place programs that could take care of the various adult education interests.   Programs for distance learning, programs that offered courses with no credit, evening programs and other suitably tailored programs were offered. Adult education has had sponsors over the years who acknowledge the importance of adult education.   This education has no age limit and anybody can join as long as they are past the recommended age for attending the normal childhood education.   Adults have been taken care of by being provided with schools that are specifically made for them.   Criticisms have always come up concerning the adult education (Webster et al 2001).   It is in this respect that a program has to be reviewed in order to address and fix the problems associated with this type of education. The Historical, philosophical and socio-economic Foundations Of Adult Education. Adult education came up as a result of the increase in the outcry of various educational bodies about adult education (Adelman, 2000).   People who did not have access to proper education or no education at all during their childhood would be given a chance to have their education in adulthood.   Such suggestions and implementations were widely appreciated and acknowledged as the best way of giving chance to the adults in terms of education.    The issues of jobs and wages for that matter have been so critical.   Adults are not given the same treatment and status in terms of job hiring and wage payment (Adelman, 2000).   This has been as a result of the fact that those who have had access to education have been given the first priority in the job market thereby locking out the adults who have had no chance of education.   This has led to socio-economic problems in regard to the adults.   It is in this respect that schools have been put up to take care of the adults by providing adult education to them (Allen et al 1994).   Many have benefited from these programs and have worn back their status in the society. The Program. The educational program in the OX community needs to be reviewed.   The program does not address issues that are pertinent to adult education. The program that was put in place is the type of program that is meant for adults above the age of forty.   It was a rigorous program that will only impart skills in the area of specialization.   All the adults attending the program ought to have some area of specialization so that their skills can be enhanced by the program. The purpose of the program ideally was to make the adults contribute back to the community by involving themselves in community building activities just as other people do.   It was deemed relevant to come up with such a program so that adults, no matter their educational background, are not left behind.   The community should be an all inclusive community and not just rely on the educated few. Sponsors of the program included the community based organizations, donors and other interested investors not forgetting the well wishers.   Proposals were made with the aim of asking for funding to help in the implementation of the program.   Participants mainly are adults above the age of forty and tutors who are also above the age of forty. This was arrived at because their was a general feeling that tutors above this age will teach with respect and experience. Such a program originated from the idea of educating the adults who missed their childhood education.   It was aimed at having an all inclusive community where the adults would be independent unlike other communities where adults depend on the youth in their day to day survival. The role of education in society cannot be underestimated in any way.   Besides guaranteeing someone a job, education plays a role in moral building.   Through education one is able to come up with amicable solutions to various problems in the society (Adult education, 2006).   A society that does not uphold education is viewed as a society with no vision and moral standing.   It is the view of this paper that education be acknowledged as the only way forward especially with the increasing technological inventions all over the world.   Socio-economic forces affecting the program include such aspects as gender, finances, the will and ability among others.   It is assumed that men are the only ones who can have access to education and not he women.   This force has really affected the program in that it becomes very difficult to incorporate women in the program. There is also the issue of funds (Adult education, 2006).   Many adults do not have money to enroll into the program.   It has left many people out as even the least amount needed cannot be raised by these people.   The program in turn has made it clear enough that even women are equal beneficiaries of education and gone are the days when education was a reserve for men.   The education has imparted skills to the people in the community and as a result they have been able to depend on themselves rather than depend solely on other people. Conclusion. The program has met its objectives and it has proved to be significant to the community.   The purpose of the program was to enlighten the community on the importance of education and also instill skills to the adults who had no formal education during their childhood.   This has been captured since the implementation of the program.   Many adults have had to get jobs from the skills imparted to them by the program, many women have had a chance to access education which they did not have previously and many opportunities have come up in the community as a result of this project (Adult education, 2006).

Normans And Middle English Essays - English Languages, Phonology

Normans And Middle English The year 1066 had a resounding impact on the course of English history. William the First, Duke of Normandy, conquered England and took it as a stronghold in his reign. The French rule over England lasted for several centuries and brought about innumerable changes to the English state, language, culture and lifestyle. William imported French rulers to take over English government and religious posts. The French were not only the new aristocracy in England, but the new society. The English amended their language and their culture in an effort to more resemble the French and to communicate with their new lords. The English language was more changed by the Norman Conquest than by any other event in the course of English history. Middle English is defined as the four hundred year period between the Norman Conquest and the time the printing press was introduced to England in 1476. This essay will explore the specific effects that the French had on Middle English morphology, phonology, syntax, semantics and lexicon. During the period of French rule in England the standing of English as a valid language dropped substantially as French took over as the status language. Because so much of the French influence has been nativized by present-day speakers, many do not realize the impact that our language took in the years following 1066. Not one aspect of English life went untouched by the Norman presence in England, notably, its language. Phonology In addition to introducing new words into the English language, the Normans also introduced some new sounds. The English had previously had no phonemic distinction between /f/ and /v/; /v/ was merely an allophone of /f/ that occurred between vowels. However, with the influx of French loans which began in /v/ and contrasted as minimal pairs in English, this distinction made its way into Middle English: French loans English vetch fetch view few vile file The French also influenced the adoption of several new diphthongs into English. Diphthongs are two vowel sounds which are pronounced as one. Diphthong Old French Old English /eu/ neveu neveu (nephew) /au/ cause cause /Ui/ bouillir boille (boil) point point / i/ noyse noise choisir chois (choice) The new English diphthongs were not exactly like they were in French - they were modified by existing English vowels to create brand new diphthongs. The stress pattern of Old French words differed from that of Old English words, and often both stress patterns were present. Germanic languages, such as English, tends to place primary stress on the first syllable, unless that syllable is an unstressed prefix. French, on the other hand, prefers to stress the heavy syllable (one containing a coda) closest to the end of the word. Middle English loans from French often retained their native stress pattern, however, in Present-Day English, the majority of these borrowed words have conformed to the Germanic pattern. Lexicon Irrefutably, the largest influence that the Normans had on the English language was on its vocabulary. From the time William usurped the English throne until the end of the Middle English period, our language was inundated with French vocabulary terms. In fact, of the 2,650 words in the epic English poem "Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight," at least 750 are estimated to be of French origin. Even in Present-Day English, some of our most commonly used words are of French origin; table, tax, religion, trouble and pray are all derived from French words borrowed into Middle English. Hardly one syntactic category was left untouched by French loan-words during Middle English, although the majority of English words borrowed from Old French tended to be nouns, verbs and adjectives. The following is a very brief sample of some now-common words which had recently joined English in the Middle English period: Adjectives: inequales ?inequal,' principalis ?principal,' naturales ?natural' Verbs: strive, please, waste, join, cover Prepositions: French contributed to the constructions of according to and during Interjections: gramercy ?thank you' Nouns: ancestor, cellar, dinner, garment, kennel, music, noun, plague, statute The French gave the English language many specialized words, such as those used in culinary or legal situations. Because the Normans had taken over judicial and aristocratic roles, their high-prestige vocabulary was passed on to the lower-class English who acted as their clerks and servants. Thus, many cooking terms such as broil, goblet, and beverage were passed on by masters to their servants. The French influence on the lexicon was nearly nonexistent in areas where the French masters would have had little or no contact with their servants, for example, in the field.

Emtional impact of Civil war essays

Emtional impact of Civil war essays The Civil War began July1861 when Union troops set out for Richmond, Virginia. They met Confederate forces soon after the left at a small stream in Virginia called Bull Run. The carnage that followed showed the nation that the war was anything but civil. In this war fathers fought sons, brothers fought brothers, and families fought themselves. This no doubt left emotional scars for everyone involved. An example of the emotional impact that the war had left on the soldiers, the families, and the nation is The Slopes of War by N.A Perez. This book is about the Summerhill family, which is going through the Civil War. Rebekah Summerhill has three family members who are fighting in the war. Buck Summerhill, Rebekahs brother, is accompanied by his friend Tully Willard. They are both privates in the Union Army. Custis and Mason Walker, Rebekahs cousins, are privates in the Confederate Army. During their childhood Rebekah, Buck, Custis, and Mason were close since the both grew up in the same area. Because of this Buck and Rebekah has the emotional dispute of fighting their own blood in a war. The purpose of this thesis is to show the emotional impact the Civil War had on the people involved. And how The Slopes of War portrayed it. I will show examples of this in a letter by Jno. D. Dameron, another letter by JN Bennet, and a song called, The Prisoners Hope by George F. Root. The letter by Jno. D. Dameron is to his father. In it he writes about his father not writing to him, I had concluded that I could not write to any more until I had received a letter from home. (Dameron, letter by author, December 1862) This shows how homesick Dameron was. This is exactly how Buck felt during the first parts of the book, Were getting close to home (The Slopes of War, N.A. Perez, PG 3) The quote came from when Bucks squadron i ...

Can I use body language to determine if a person is lying Essay

Can I use body language to determine if a person is lying - Essay Example While lying a person's body language substantially changes in a given social interaction and consciously disarrayed from a normal expected body behavior. Mind and body actions are not in total harmony with each other. The body language of a person can be read in the following simple ways. 2-The palms are usually put into the pockets or moved downwards. It can be construed that the liar is trying to hide something. The eyes pupils are wide open in the state of lying. Usually sweat appears on the forehead and hand palms become cold. 3- Liar would usually be touching repeatedly the nose and forehead, and would normally not stand with a straight back and according to McDougall's theory of emotions, the instinct to escape comes into play. Therefore an escapist behavior would be shown more than once. More accurate and scientific method of detecting a liar by studying internal body behavior is lies detection machine. This machine uses different human impulses and their change before and after the test. The normal blood pressure of a person in a normal state of mind is usually less than while lying. The heart palpitation and therefore electro cardio grapy measures are higher. The nervous system starts abnormal behavior. Lie detection is b

Social Performance, Part 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Social Performance, Part 2 - Essay Example This ensures that the company operates within the given guidelines. It is noteworthy that these guidelines are set under the federal sentencing guidelines for organizations. Every company should observe these guidelines whilst undertaking its operations. The federal sentencing guidelines are a set of rules, which enforces standardized sentencing policy to individuals and organizations condemned of criminal offences. These rules were set in the United States federal court system (Davidson, 2005). These set rules and regulations are only applicable to serious crimes, and offences. In this regard, the less serious crimes are excluded from these regulations. The primary goal for these guidelines aims at alleviating sentencing inequalities rampant in the established sentencing system. The guidelines promote the development of effective programs by the company in an effort to prevent and identify law violation and set steps for facilitating the program. Companies, therefore, should have se t codes of conduct to be followed to avoid and minimize violation of laws. This will improve the reputation of the company. The code of conduct is a system of behavior followed for maintenance and promotion of company’s dignity and reputation. Romco Company has set codes of conducts, which should be adhered to by its stakeholders including executives, board of directors, directors, company secretary, staff, and other employees. Each company has its own set codes of conduct, the codes of conduct are unique for each company, and thus, there is no uniformity or standardized codes of company. The freedom accorded to these companies have contributed to problems in the way companies operates this is because some misuse it by setting codes for the sake of personal greed and interest. Romco’s competitors are examples of companies with codes of conduct, which do not put into consideration the interest of its customers and competitors. Angels, Ramal, and Queens Companies fall in the same industry with Romco. The codes of these three companies are, however, different and do not agree with those of Romco. The directors of these companies are superior as decision-making is centered. They do not consult other stakeholders as they have a final say, and thus, they make decisions based on their personal gains and interest without considering other employees. Honesty and transparency among the directors are not observed, and thus, the allocation of resources to different departments is not uniform, hence affecting operations of the company. These companies have constantly become the victims of the federal sentencing guidelines. This is because of their failure to complying with the basic laws, regulations, and rules. In addition, they have failed to establish the appropriate business ethics and code of conduct appropriate for corporate governance. Ramco, unlike its competitors, have set rules of conduct, which are adhered to, and strictly observed by the parties i nvolved in the company. The interests of various stakeholders that are significant for the growth and success of the company should be considered. Romco has managed to achieve this role. Decision making in the company is reached by involving all participants. In this case, the decisions do not lie in the hands of directors, and managers, the decision-making is decentralized. The directors of Ramco execute their duties with fairness, honesty, and transparency. They are required to perform their duties professionally, with determination and

Air Pollution and Automobiles Essay Example for Free

Air Pollution and Automobiles Essay The automobiles that we travel in everyday play a vital role in our lives. They get us around from one place to another on a daily basis. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA 2010) many studies show that exhaust emissions from these vehicles are the number one air pollutant in the United States. Air pollution causes many different issues that affect personal health as well as environmental factors. Over the years many different studies have been done by different people and agencies showing how reducing air pollution from automobiles can only benefit the earth. The government has been one of the largest advocates of lowering emissions from automobiles. Because excessive exhaust emissions created by automobiles is a major factor in air pollution, the government has enacted many laws and regulations limiting the amount of emissions vehicles may produce. Automobiles are a major cause of air pollution around the world. As the number of vehicles on the road increases, the amount of emissions from these vehicles increases. As of 2003 Leslie Miller shows that the (World Almanac 2003) reported that there were more than 107 million households throughout the United States (U.S. ) Leslie reported that the Bureau of Transportation statistics show that there are roughly 204,000,000 vehicles registered in the U. S. That produces a ratio of 1. 9 cars to 1. 8 people per household in the U. S. The number of vehicles registered in the U. S. has been doubling every five years. If this trend continues as it has over the past 30 years, by the year 2030 there will be approximately 1,200,000,000 (1. 2 Billion) vehicles producing some type of toxic emission into our earth’s atmosphere. The vehicles that we drive produce many different toxic gasses affecting our earth negatively. These emissions affect our environment and damage the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is the process in which infrared rays are emitted from the sun into the earth’s atmosphere trapping heat that keeps the earth’s temperature in a habitable range. Toxic gasses from our automobiles released into the atmosphere do much damage to this natural process. As the gasses release, the atmosphere will deteriorate which allows the earth’s core temperature to rise. This process causes difficulty in farming as well as the melting of the polar ice caps virtually flooding the earth slowly. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is the most emitted gas into the atmosphere. The Environmental Protection Agency (2010) shows that cars release 76% of the CO2 that is present in the earth’s atmosphere. For every gallon of gas used by an automobile there is approximately 20 pounds of CO2 released into the atmosphere. CO2 is a heat-trapping gas released by the combustion process by our vehicles. (Cakmak 2006), Shows that CO2 is the largest contributing factor to the smog in highly congested areas around the U. S. The following is an emissions chart breaking down the source of the seven most common air pollutants. As you can see highway vehicles are the largest source of air pollution in the geographic area of The United States. The major pollutants abbreviations are shown below and correlate with the graph that follows. Geographic Area: United States Pollutant: Carbon Monoxide (CO), Nitrogen Oxides (Nox), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), Sulfur Dioxide SO2, Particulate (size 2. 5 micrometers) (PM 2. 5), Particulate (size 10 micrometers) (PM 10), or Ammonia (NH3) [pic] Emissions by Category Chart (Environmental Protection Agency, 2002). The exhaust systems on our vehicles also produce another pollutant known as hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons are produced by our vehicles when fuel molecules in these vehicles do not fully burn and then travel through the exhaust system. In addition to these deadly hydrocarbons, Nitrogen Oxide (Nox) is another large contributor of air pollution in the U. S. today. The EPA’s (2010) studies links approximately 30% of the NOx in the atmosphere to the vehicles on the road in the U. S. today. NOx has been linked by studies to the formation of acid rain in our in our environment. Simply said the reduction of vehicle emissions will cause the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere to lower creating less negative effects on our earth’s environment and our health. Cakmak, Dales and Jedek (2006) says that air pollution has many negative effects on the environment as well as our personal health. Many respiratory issues come from breathing in the gasses released from automobiles. CO2 affects us by lowering the amount of oxygen our blood can carry throughout our bodies causing death in some cases. Air pollution is linked to lung cancer as well as lower birth rates that are common among people in cities that record higher vehicle registrations. The EPA has shown that these cities are at a higher risk for many health issues. Children residing in areas with higher concentrations of air pollution are three to four times more likely to develop asthmatic conditions. Automobiles are a major cause of vehicle deaths in the form of vehicular accidents. EPA (2010) statistics show that approximately 120 people are killed by a vehicular accident with each day that goes by. Many environmental issues caused by automobile emissions are overlooked by the average person. The acid rain produced from vehicle emissions has caused many bad health problems for humans. Acid rain is has been shown to cause eye irritation as well as coughing as well as asthma in more extreme cases. Urban smog in addition to global warming are the most common factors in air pollution. Smog is a product of different greenhouse gasses mixing together which produces a visible layer very close to the earth’s surface known as the ground ozone layer. The smog acts like a blanket around the earth trapping the harmful emissions allowing us to breathe them in each day. Over the years the effects of air pollution have been noticed by many from politicians to auto manufacturers. Many within these agencies have worked to reduce the emissions that our automobiles produce. One of the major changes in our society that created focus on the issues of air pollution caused by automobiles was the Clean Air Act of 1963. This bill was introduced to allow the government limited enforcement power over interstate pollution issues. In 1965 a Motor Vehicle Act was introduced. Melosi(2004) explains that this act allowed auto manufacturers the ability to practice stricter emission standards for new vehicles with government funding such as grants. In 1970 the acting president of the U. S. Richard Nixon, signed an amendment to the Clean Air act enforcing stricter fuel regulations on auto manufacturers. This Act was the most stringent air pollution law ever passed in the U. S. The Clean Air Act has been revised throughout the years to conform to stricter guidelines as air pollution becomes more of an issue throughout the U. S. The Clean Air Act was not originally designed to prohibit pollution; rather it was enacted to define an acceptable amount of pollution allowed to be emitted from vehicles. Despite the fact that the Clean Air Act was passed there are still major issues that emissions from vehicles create including health and environmental issues. Crabb and Johnson (2010) wrote an article in The Energy Journal showing the main issue that does contribute to the amount of emissions from automobiles is the fuel economy that is attained by each vehicle. The Energy Policy and Conservation Act established guidelines known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE. ) During President Nixon’s time in office the 1975 CAFE regulations were written to require manufacturers to obtain a corporate average of 18 miles per gallon (MPG) or higher starting with 1978 model year vehicles. Between 1985 and 1992 multiple adjustments were made to make the cafe regulations stricter. By the mid 1990’s the government increased the MPG requirement to be raised to 27. 5 MPG corporate average. As we move forward in time the regulations have only become stricter for auto manufacturers. The year 2009 brought on many new accomplishments for the U. S. in that auto manufacturers began making newer models that will take us into the next decade. An article written by Tarlow (2009) shows that President Obama fought hard for his place in the White House, one of his main concerns being air pollution and the amount of emissions caused by automobiles. After being elected President Obama revealed a proposal for new CAFE regulations that will reduce emissions and further reduce the U. S. dependency on imported oil. The regulation that President Obama has proposed will require auto manufacturers to meet the strictest guidelines for fuel economy ever. Obama’s proposal will require auto manufacturers to meet a strict 35. 5 MPG by the model year 2016. The following graphs show the minimum combined miles per gallon that manufacturers are required to meet and post on the vehicles. The graphs break down different types of fuel as well as the amount of CO2 released per mile driven. Chart 1 shows the requirements prior to the EPA changing the way they figure a vehicles MPG. With model year 2009 and newer the EPA became stricter when figuring MPG for different fuel types. Chart 2 reflects the new criteria with the stricter guidelines enforced. As you can see, the Greenhouse gas (GHG) score is higher as a vehicle produces less CO2 per mile. [pic] Chart 1 (Environmental Protection Agency, 2010) [pic] Chart 2 (Environmental Protection Agency, 2010) Meeting the strict guidelines does not come at zero cost. Meeting the guidelines will cost auto manufacturers no matter how it is broken down. The research and development in meeting stricter regulations does have a cost attached to it. On the other end if auto manufacturers do not meet the CAFE guideline the government has allowed civil liabilities to be charged. The liabilities allowed by the government may cost manufactures approximately $5. 50 for each tenth of a mile that they are under the minimum requirement set forth. The EPA (2010), reports that between the year 1993 and 2004, various manufacturers paid approximately $618 million in penalties. This report also included the fact that in the same period no Asian or U. S. manufacturers have ever been charged any penalties. Many have argued that the cost of meeting increasingly difficult fuel emissions has added cost to the bottom line value of a vehicle as well as slowing sales and potentially putting smaller car dealers out of business. Much research has been done in the area of estimating costs of incorporating better emissions equipment on newer automobiles. Initially, when emission regulation were introduced in the U. S. around 1970, many manufacturers were concerned that to meet the guidelines there would need to be costly research done to find the most cost effective practices to lower emissions. Crabb and Johnson (2010) show that many manufacturers estimated initial costs for catalytic systems designed to reduce emissions would cost approximately $3,000. The government challenged the manufacturers and discounted these findings proving that with some changes to the processes the cost can be cut down by two thirds the initial cost that was estimated. The government was able to show that the systems could be incorporated on motor vehicles for about $1,300. , which is significantly less than estimated. The EPA (2010), reports that many other agencies have conducted research regarding any issues caused by stricter guidelines from the government as well as the cost factor included. The Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) has not been able to document any negative sales because of the Clean Air Act or stricter guidelines. On the contrary, they have been able to show that the sales of new vehicles have fluctuated between 13 and 17 million new vehicles each year for the past 20 years and never declining below these numbers. Much of the fluctuation has been attributed to the changing economical times throughout the history of the U. S. over the last 20 years. Many believe that because diesel engines typically produce a higher rate of exhaust emission than gasoline engines, which may make it more difficult to purchase diesel vehicles in Clean Air States. Diesel engines are most commonly used on vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of more than 8500. The CAFE regulations do not affect the sales or use of these diesel vehicles. The more common everyday on-road use vehicles such as the GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 series as well as the popular Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 series vehicles are the vehicles that will feel the greatest impact on emission regulations. Passenger vehicles such as the Volkswagen Golf TDI are not currently certified under the California Air Resources Board (CARB. ) CARB is a set of standards that the state of California has enacted to control the amount of emissions vehicles registered in the state may emit. Many states followed California in adopting these strict standards that go above and beyond the government requirements. Massachusetts, Maine, New York, New Jersey and Vermont are some of the states that have adopted CARB standards for vehicles sold in those states. As more states adopt their own standards that are stricter than government guidelines, auto manufacturers have difficulty selling certain new vehicles in certain states. Many of the diesel engines used in vehicle applications do not meet the strict EPA and state regulations. In 2010 most new trucks with diesel engines will utilize Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) to lower the NOx released by diesel engines by injecting a urea compound that breaks down the NOx. Cummins, the world’s second largest diesel engine manufacturer has met all emission guidelines that went into effect for all 2010 and newer model year vehicles since the model year 2007. This is helped to benefit sales for the companies that use the Cummins Diesel engine. One such company is Chrysler Corporation that uses the Cummins Diesel in their Dodge Ram Heavy Duty line up. Hirata shows that by using this engine Chrysler has been able to stay at the forefront in technology. As others struggle to find ways to meet regulations, Chrysler will benefit from the technology because their vehicles meet all regulations. The only change Cummins made was adding an inexpensive technology called Selective Catalytic Reduction to further reduce NOx emissions into the earth’s atmosphere. Other manufacturers utilizing diesel engines will be developing systems that require the addition of urea at an additional cost to the customer driving consumer cost through the roof. Cummins has the advantage that the prices for their system will not fluctuate as other diesel engine manufacturers prices will increase because of the cost associated with their new technologies. To reduce the emissions throughout the U. S., not only are the government and auto manufacturers responsible, we are each individually responsible to do our part in reducing the greenhouse gasses we contribute. The manufacturer changing the design of automobile systems is a key part in the reduction. The way we personally use our vehicles will also contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gasses. Things that can be done on our part may include reducing the allowable amount of vehicles in an area by issuing quotas and permits for different areas. Many people have looked into the use of hybrid vehicles as alternatives to fully gas or diesel powered vehicles. Lowering the personal use of our vehicles as well as participating in car pools will fully reduce the amount of green house gasses that we individually release into the atmosphere. In doing the things necessary to lower emission we must be proactive and take an interest in the positive things that will benefit us by reducing the amount of emissions. Although the government has worked with auto manufacturers to reduce vehicle emissions, our cars still produce toxic emissions into the air. With the increasing regulations on fuel economy we will only benefit from less emissions being released into the air. Many things may be done on a consumer level as well. We have access to alternative fuels such as E-85 (ethanol) which comes from corn as well as compressed natural gas which releases very little emissions if any. The government and auto manufacturers are always looking for ways to reduce emission further. As time goes on unless we completely stop using automobiles we will still be faced with the release of toxic emissions from automobile exhaust systems. The available resources will always become better as time goes on and companies create the next best thing to reduce the amount of emissions released by their vehicles. The only way to ensure that our children have a cleaner environment is by educating them with the necessary information that will allow a greener environment over the years to come. References Cakmak, S. , Dales, R E, Judek, S. (Jan-Feb 2006). Respiratory health effects of air pollution gases: modification by education and income. (Author abstract). Archives of Environmental and Occupational Health, 61, 1. p. 5(6). Retrieved January 22, 2010, from General OneFile via Gale: http://find. galegroup. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/gps/start. do? prodId=IPSuserGrou pName=uphoenix Crabb, J. , Johnson, D.. (2010). Fueling Innovation: The Impact of Oil Prices and CAFE Standards on Energy-Efficient Automotive Technology. The Energy Journal, 31(1), 199- 216. Retrieved January 22, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1942210741). Environmental Protection Agency. (2010) [Graphs that show Greenhouse Gas Score Criteria that vehicles must meet as per the EPA regulations on emissions. ] Greenhouse Gas Scores. Retrieved from http://www. epa. gov/greenvehicles/Aboutratings. do Environmental Protection Agency. (2002) [This is a picture of a chart breaking down the sources of the 7 major air pollutants in the United States] Air Data. Retrieved from http://www. epa. gov/cgi- bin/broker? _service=airdata_program=progs. webprogs. emcatbar. scl_debug=2 geotype=usgeocode=usageoname=United+Statesepol=CO+NOX+VOC+SO2+PM 25+PM10+NH3years=2002mapsize=zscreqtype=viewmap Hirata, K. , Masaki, N. , Yano, M. , Akagawa, H. , Takada, K. , Kusaka, J. , Mori, T.. (2009). Development of an improved urea-selective catalytic reduction-diesel particulate filter system for heavy-duty commercial vehicles. International Journal of Engine Research: SPECIAL ISSUE ON EXHAUST AFTER-TREATMENT SYSTEMS FOR DIESELS, 10(5), 337-348. Retrieved January 22, 2010, from Research Library. (Document ID: 1873528061). Melosi, M. (2004). The Automobile and the Enviornment in American History. Retrieved from http://www. autolife. umd. umich. edu/Environment/E_Overview/E_Overview1. htm Tarlow, S. (2009). President Obama’s CAFE Standards Will Reduce Auto Emissions. Retrieved from http://personalmoneystore. com/moneyblog/2009/05/19/cafe-standards-car- emissions/ U. S. Enviornmental Protection Agency. (2010). Air Pollution Effects. Retrieved from http://www. epa. gov/ebtpages/airairpollutioneffects. html.