Occupational Analysis Inventory Essays

Occupational Analysis Inventory Essays Occupational Analysis Inventory Essay Occupational Analysis Inventory Essay Occupational Analysis Inventory. Mohammed Adnan Waseem. Course Title: Advances in HRD Supervisor: Prof. Dr Syed Tahir Hijazi. What is Job Analysis? Acquiring information about the jobs in the organization is much important especially for Human Resource department. A job is a schedule of tasks, duties and responsibilities that can be performed by a jobholder. Job analysis is to study these schedules of activities to find out tasks, duties and responsibilities needed for each job. So we can say that, process of collecting and organizing knowledge about a specific job and its requirements is called job analysis For job analysis, questionnaires are basic requirement. There are different types of questionnaires being used to carry out job analysis procedure. One of them is Occupational Analysis Inventory, which is discussed in detail in coming lines. Occupational Analysis Inventory: The Occupational Analysis Inventory contains 617 descriptions of work activities and conditions also called work elements† on the basis of which occupations are rated. In some references number of elements is 622. ) The OAI work elements were produced within the broad framework of an information processing paradigm. It is a useful tool for collecting highly specific and related information about a job. The OAI reveals following five major categories: (1) Information Received, (2) Mental Activities, (3) Work Behavior, (4) Work Goals, (5) Work environment. These major categories a re further subdivided regarding to selected conceptual framework pertaining to the human behavior and work requirements. Model for the Occupational Analysis Inventory: AIl respondents have to rate each job element by selecting from four ratings given below: (1) part-of-job, (2) extent, (3) application, (4) a special scale designed for the element. Uses: OAI has a very vast use, from Army to industry, etc. The OAI has been used to gather information on 1,400 (approximately) jobs selected to represent five major occupational categories. To cope with the changing nature of the organizational activities, occupational analysis and classification system keeps an eye on the characteristics of the person performing the job, the context in which he or she is performing it and what output is being produced by him/her in the presence of (maybe) unstable environmental, economic, demographic and technological conditions. Implications for the Army: As other private and public organizations, Army is also experiencing changes in the nature of work. It is considered that these changes can create pressure in the structure and content of soldier’s duties. To meet these challenges OAI is considered very useful technique. Results: There are almost four main points that are emerging from OAI. Three relates to increasing heterogeneity of employers, jobs, and the workplace environment, and the fourth focuses on the need for an orderly approach to understanding work dynamics. First, the workforce is becoming more diverse with respect to demographics; these dynamics appear to have resulted in greater heterogeneity within traditional occupational categories. Second, the differentiation among jobs and departments is becoming another threatening issue. Third the work structure issue appears to be increasing, and these decisions are interdependent. The fourth and final theme emerges from this interdependency. Limitations: Results obtained by Occupational Analysis Inventory have been moderate not so much reliable. According to some analysts, their level is almost lower than other used methods (e. g. PAQ , WPS etc. ). Why do Occupational Analysis? There are three reasons that why we use OAI: . It is an appropriate way which guarantees highly competitive recruiting, hiring, classifying, training, promoting and out-placing your most valuable resource (your workforce); 2. Its an easy way to train and retain the best qualified people; 3. It is a more flexible on the item inventories (tasks, competencies, knowledge-skill-abilities, etc. ) Comparison with other Methods: If we compare it with Fleishman Job Analysis Survey, F-JAS model is a system to describe jobs from the point of view of necessary capacities. While OAI was designed to yield more specific job information relating to all elements of job, not only necessary capacities. If we compare it with Functional Job Analysis, FJAS requires specific additional skills or others that may not be as necessary as originally thought for conducting the survey. In this way it becomes specific task not a general purpose. While in OAI, there is no limitation of this type. If we compare it with MOSAIC, MOSAIC uses (almost) close ended questions, which limits its results. Because questionnaires at this level should be a mixture of both (open ended and close ended). Another negative of MOSAIC is that, it takes 151 job elements rated in terms of importance for effective job performance, while OAI uses 617 job elements. If we compare it with Position Analysis Questionnaire, PAQ does not describe the tasks, technologies, or duties of jobs. It just measures job characteristics and relates them to human characteristics. While OAI describes the occupation in much details. If we compare it with Work Profiling System, WPS is only computer-administered on-site at a company. It just measures ability and personality attributes, while leaving others.

Scholarship Application Essay Writing

Scholarship Application Essay Writing Scholarship Application Essay Writing Scholarship Application Essay Writing: Secrets Scholarship application essay is one of the most exciting and one of the most difficult assignments to cope with at one and the same time. You have already struggled with your college admission essay and probably remember how it was difficult, panic striking, and brainstorming to write it. Now you are a student, our congratulations to you. That is why it is high time to think about getting scholarship for your study. The price for education is too high nowadays, and far not everyone is able to cover it. If you want to help yourself and your family to cover at least the expenses of your study, you can do nothing but win your college scholarship. Scholarship Application Essay Writing Pieces of Advice To receive the scholarship, you have to write scholarship application essay; this is not a secret: However, the question arises: how is it possible to write the successful scholarship application essays in order to win the scholarship? At this point, there are several secrets of the successful scholarship application essay writing and we are going to share them with you. The first secret is to look through several successful scholarship application essays in order you could understand what you have to write, which style you have to use, and how you have to advertise yourself in order to get your scholarship. The second secret is to spend a little time thinking before starting your scholarship application essay. You have to think over all the details you are going to write in your scholarship application essay in order to receive logically connected and coherent text. The third secret lies in the content of your scholarship application essay. Remember that the aim of your scholarship application essay is to get the scholarship. That is why you have to demonstrate all your strengths and to persuade the committee to award you with it. That is why you have to make them liking you and taking care of you. Final Tip: Use Custom Writing Service! The last but not the least secret in writing your successful scholarship application essay is to use custom essay writing service. With the help of our custom essay writing service, you will receive the professional consultation on the subject how to write the successful scholarship application essay. You can also order your scholarship application essay within the convenience of our site if you are not sure whether you can cope with such a task. Moreover, if you feel like writing scholarship application essays on your own, you can appeal to our site to edit your scholarship application essay. Read more: Editing Paper Term Term Paper Editing Free Literature Review Full Text Process Analysis Case Study Problem and Solution Essay

Myths of hair loss Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Myths of hair loss - Essay Example These commotion myths add to the anxiety of individuals, if not to the hair loss itself. Most people think that their hair loss may be as a result of wearing hats, caps, or helmets. This group mostly refers to athletes and construction workers. They trust that wearing hats, caps and helmets triggers a straining effect on the hair follicles; thus causing the hair to fall out. But then again this is not true as no harm is caused by the hair follicles, unless the hat, cap, or helmet is very tight putting additional tension on the hair. However, filthy hats, caps, or helmets can bring about scalp infection, which may lead to hair loss. Secondly, other people claim that their hair loss is a result of a rubbing act that their mothers or guardians performed on their heads with black tar soap. This is nothing but a mere misconception and not true at all. Another myth is that hair loss is inherited from the mother’s section of the family. This myth is not true at all. This is uttered b y individuals as the primary baldness gene is found on the X chromosome, which individuals get from their mothers. In addition, from biology lessons, we learn that an offspring inherits the genes from both parents. Obviously, there is a dominant and recessive gene, but the case does not mean that the gene from the mother is always dominant. Although the mothers’ side is more dominant, baldness is not always the case in most individuals as other factors also contribute to balding.

Current Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Current Issues - Essay Example This issue is identified as important as the nurses are the integral part of the health care sector. It cannot be denied that the nurses and other staff are the most important requirement of the health care sector. They are the one who are responsible for the care after the diagnosis of the sickness by doctors. The staff crisis is vital and has a direct impact on the health treatment of the patient. The work load on the nurses has increased and the risk of error, injury and occupational exposure might increase tremendously. The staffing crisis is affecting the health care industry and the patient’s life at large. The health care policies are framed with the objective of promoting the health of people in the society for ensuring healthy future. However, the nursing staff crisis can be seen to act as a hurdle towards achieving the goal of health care policy (Wong, 2012). Several American hospitals are facing the issue of staff crisis affecting the patient care needs and the nursing practices. Due to the increase in the staff crisis nurses are not being able to deliver quality service to the patients. According to Royal College of Nursing (2010), the nurses are being forced by the authority to work for more hours and serve every patient even if they are not competent. The crisis is creating an immense situation wherein the safety of the patients are at stake, increasing the chances of errors and accidents. Due to the crisis nurses are assigned with the responsibility of meeting the care needs of many patients than their ability to handle safely. This implies that the nursing practices might be affected leading to incorrect medication, patients accidents along with delay in providing care. This issue is indeed creating a negative impact on the patients as well as on the existing nursing staff in the form of increased work pressure (Needleman et al.,

Verbal Communication Essay Example for Free

Verbal Communication Essay Communication (from Latin communis, meaning to share) is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, visuals, signals, writing, or behaviour. In a simple definition,communication is the process of sending or receiving messages between two or more individuals.Communication involves 5 steps. 1: source- who transmits a piece of information or message. 2:message-message is the piece of information/codes/content . 3:channel-it is the way through which message is passed to the reciever. 4:reciever- person/people who recieve message and understands it. 5:feedback- response given back to source by reciever if he/she understood the message. Effective communication is not just a coversation among people ,rather it is essential for the well being of the individuals you care for.It is very important to be aware of non -verbal communication when interacting with your individuals at work.It includes body language,gestures,facial expressions,positioning and appearance. Being in a Health and social care sector,there are many reasons to communicate and it is essential communication is done effectively without misunderstanding others or being misunderstood.some common people with whom communication needs to be done are: Â ·Patients,clients,residents. Â ·Health care professionals, Â ·Managers and supervisors, Â ·Family and Friends. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION: People communicate with each other in a number of ways that depend upon the message and its context in which it is being sent. It also depends on a person about there Choice of communication.So, there are variety of types of communication. Types of communication based on the communication channels used are: 1.Verbal Communication 2.Nonverbal Communication Verbal communication Verbal communication refers to the use of sounds and language to relay a message. It serves as a vehicle for expressing desires, ideas and concepts and is important for the processes of learning and teaching. In combination with nonverbal forms of communication, verbal communication acts as the primary tool for expression between two or more people. Interpersonal communication and public speaking are the two basic types of verbal communication. Whereas public speaking involves one or more people delivering a message to a group, interpersonal communication generally refers to a two-way exchange that involves both talking and listening. According to Robert M. Krauss, professor of psychology at Columbia University, signs and symbols are the major signals that make up verbal communication. Words act as symbols, and signs are secondary products of the underlying message and include things like tone of voice,blushing and facial expressions. Non verbal communication is usually known as the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless (mostly visual) cues between people.Messages can be communicated through gestures ,touch, by body language or posture, by facial expressions and eye contact which are all considered types of nonverbal communication. Speech contains nonverbal elements such as voice quality, rate, pitch, volume, and speaking style, as well features such as rhythm, intonation, and stress. Likewise, written texts have nonverbal elements such as handwriting style or the physical layout of a page. However, much of the study of nonverbal communication has focused on face-to-face interaction, where it can be classified into three principal areas: environmental conditions where communication takes place, physical characteristics of the communicators, and behaviors of communicators during interaction. Picture below shows non verbal type of communication in which we can clearly understand the facial expressions without even talking or using verbal type communication.

America The Beautiful :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A terrible terrorist act was committed on American soil on September 11, 2001. Airplanes were hijacked, taken to important cities, and crashed into important buildings. This dreadful happening shocked all of America. Most are still in denial and grieving over the tragedy. It seemed that America was getting little support from other countries; unlike the support America gives many other nations when they are in trouble. One reporter from Canada, Gordon Sinclair, thought this was a terrible injustice. In a report given by Sinclair, many times America has helped out, even its enemies, were pointed out. Sinclair points out the fact that America has some of the best technology, the fact that America has helped its enemies with restitution after wars and bombings, as well as the fact that America is a watchdog that helps those who have domestic problems.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles. You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon – not once, but several times – and safely home again,† states Sinclair. This statement shows the vast amount of technologies America possesses. Later in the same paragraph, Sinclair remarks about the fact that America did not even pursue its draft dodgers for the fact that they ran to Canada. This shows that America’s domestic problems are not as important as helping others around the world. America lays its scandals on the table for all to view. To speak more on the issue of technology, America is the largest producer of airplanes in the world. America does not boast about its technological advances, it merely allows other nations to share in its glory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly the least appreciated people on the earth. Germany, Japan, and to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts,† states Sinclair. This quote refers to the restitution mentioned in the beginning of this expose. After bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, America gave much money to the Japanese to help rebuild their cities. Can a country that rebuilds its enemies be that bad, or is it simple minded and blind? In my opinion, America is just a good neighbor.

Position paper Essay

For my own opinion, Why is it important economics in my life, Economics is about freedom as well in our economy, you’re free to do what you want economically speaking because the market itself will decide what to produce and how to produce. In order to do what you want let’s say, to buy what you want at the quantity you want you have to have the money. So another factor of economics that affects your everyday life is the distribution of the total income. Example Let’s say your income. Your income is not unlimited. With that limited income, you want to buy a lot of things. You have to choose what product to buy, at which price and how much quantity. Now let’s say that you have 200pesos last in your pocket. With that money you can either buy a ticket for a movie or buy food and drinks and watch the TV-show. What you do is what gives you more pleasure or as we say what maximize your utility. You make an economic choice. Economics basically the study of scarcity of resources and their allocation in society Everyday life is a never ending competition for scarce resources. For example: for me I need to earn money a scarce resource for which you provide labor another scarce resource so you can afford to purchase all the things you need in order to live gas, car, home, food, clothing, all scarce resources at the lowest price you can find. Also economics is about your income itself. The level of your income depends on the overall status of the economy. In my own example, if we have a recession, then the income for most of us will be less. If we have growth then the income will rise. If we have growth then I would have a job. If we have recession, then I might be unemployed. As you can see economics affects almost everything. And also it is important for me to embark the study of economics due to its strong relation in our daily lives. Economics help students to understand more about the modern world in making the decision for the future. It also helps us to understand the problems caused by the limited resources and helps students, as consumers to make rational choices when making decisions. Besides that, students are able to understand the function and role of banks and financial institutions, more over able to understand the information related to the economics. One of the most basic concepts in our daily life is wants/needs. Basically every human has different needs and wants. It is impossible to please every need and wants due to the limited resource or known as scarce. Scarcity is as well another basic concept of economics known as the limited resource of unlimited wants due to the incapability to provide one’s need they desired for. University Of Mindanao Roxas Extension, Digos City Position Paper Eco 1 Submitted By : Ken Joy B. Pugoy Submitted To : Adrian Raphael C. Aballe October 16, 2013

Buffer System

Buffer systems * prevent major changes in pH of body fluids by removing or releasing H+ * act quickly to prevent excessive changes in H+ concentration. Body’s major extracellular buffer system is â€Å"bicarbonate-carbonic acid buffer system†. There are 20 parts of (HCO3) to one part of (H2CO3). —- [20:1]. When the ratio is no longer maintained, it will result to acid-base imbalance. Carbon dioxide is a potential acid; when dissolved in water, it becomes carbonic acid. Lungs under the control of medulla control the CO2, and thus the carbonic content of ECF.They do so by adjusting ventilation in response to the amount of CO2 in the blood. A rise in PaCO2 is powerful response to stimulant. Respiratory Compensation * is a mechanism by which plasma pH can be altered by varying the  respiratory rate. * breathing  is altered to modify the amount of CO2  in circulation. Kidneys regulate bicarbonate level in the ECF; they can regenerate bicarbonate ions as well as reabsorb them from renal tubules. Renal compensation for imbalances is relatively slow (a matter of hours or days). The kidneys have two important roles in the maintaining of the acid-base balance: 1. to reabsorb bicarbonate 2. to excrete hydrogen ions into urine. Bicarbonate Buffer System * 2 components (H2CO3) carbonic acid, a weak acid and (NaHCO3) a weak base. * 1. If a potential pH change is created by a strong acid, the ff. takes place: HCL + NaHCO3 NaCl + H2CO3 (strong acid) (weak acid) 2. If a potential pH changes is created by strong base, the ff. reaction takes place: NaOH + H2CO3 H2O + NaHCO3 (strong base) (weak base)

10 Sets of Doublet Nouns

10 Sets of Doublet Nouns 10 Sets of Doublet Nouns 10 Sets of Doublet Nouns By Mark Nichol The store of nouns in English, just like that of English verbs, is enhanced by the language’s generosity in permitting adaptation of words from other tongues more than once. In the case of most of the word pairs listed below, the terms were introduced at different periods of history, hence their slight differences in spelling. (Two of the pairs demonstrate how words that are superficially similar can stem from the same Indo-European roots.) 1. Aperture/overture (Latin apertura, â€Å"opening†): Both words refer to an opening, but aperture means â€Å"a physical opening,† as for a camera lens, or applies to the diameter of such a hole, while an overture is a more figurative concept; it can be an introduction (as in music), a prelude, or a proposal. 2. Car/chariot (Latin carrus, â€Å"vehicle,† borrowed from Celtic also the source of carry): The first word, denoting an automobile, a vehicle that rides on rails as part of a train, an elevator compartment, or an airship or balloon component for carrying passengers and cargo, is an abbreviation of carriage, in the sense of a horse-drawn vehicle, though carriage has other senses, including the figurative one of posture. A chariot is a two-wheeled vehicle formerly used in parades, races, and warfare, or, later, a type of carriage; the word is also sometimes used jocularly to refer to a car. 3. Castle/chateau (Latin, castellum, â€Å"fortress†): Castle refers to buildings or compounds formerly employed as fortified structures, or to an excessively large house or any place figuratively considered a refuge. A chateau is a French castle or a mansion or a vineyard estate. 4. Cattle/chattel (Latin, capitalis, â€Å"of the head† also the source of capital): Cattle refers to domesticated bovine animals (or, figuratively, humans collectively as a mob easily manipulated); chattel, from which cattle is derived, denotes personal property. 5. Cave/cavern (Latin, cavus): A cave is a natural or excavated underground hole, chamber, or tunnel; cavern refers to an especially large, complex cave. 6. Chef/chief (Latin, caput, â€Å"head†): Chef, another word for â€Å"cook,† is from the phrase chef du cuisine (â€Å"head of the kitchen†), and chief means â€Å"leader,† or â€Å"the most important.† 7. Corn/kernel (Old English; related to Latin granum): Corn refers to the edible seeds of a plant originally cultivated in Mexico and to the plant itself, as well as to grains in general. The word also applies to something old-fashioned and sentimental (hence, the adjective corny). Kernel, from an Old English diminutive of corn, applies to the seed or, technically, the inner part of a seed or similar plant part. It also denotes the impetus or essential component of a phenomenon. 8. Guile/wile (distantly related: guile from Middle English gile; wile from Old English wil): Guile means â€Å"deceit or trickery†; wile is a direct synonym that also means â€Å"a stratagem or trick.† (The latter word’s adjective and plural-noun forms, wily and wiles, are more common.) 9. Hostel/hotel (Latin, hospitale, â€Å"hospice† hospitable and hospital are also related): A hostel is an inn or a permanent residence that is part of an institution or a temporary, simple, and inexpensive one for travelers, especially younger people. A hotel is also a place of lodging, but one that is designed to provide primarily for mainstream travelers. 10. Static/status (from a common Indo-European root: static from Greek statikos, â€Å"causing to stand,† status from Latin status, â€Å"position† state, in its various meanings, is also related): Static, from â€Å"static electricity† (the adjective means â€Å"stationary, or slow moving†), refers to noise produced by artificial or natural electrical interference, or the interference itself; it’s also used figuratively to refer to criticism or interference. Status means â€Å"condition or state.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Beautiful and Ugly WordsConfused Words #3: Lose, Loose, LossPunctuation Is Powerful

19 of the Best Project Management Training Opportunities for Marketers

19 of the Best Project Management Training Opportunities for Marketers Like it or not†¦ Project management is a skill a lot  of marketers need. From campaign planning  to budgeting and tracking, marketing managers need to have acute project management skills to get their projects off the ground. Problem is, many marketing managers are so bogged down wrangling tasks and chasing down status updates that they have little or no time to do *real* work that moves the ball forward. Having a clear project management process is an important element for both your sanity AND your marketing ROI†¦ Why? You ask For starters, a clear project management process ensures everyone knows what they’re doing and when. So you’re not stuck herding cats all day. AND Having an organized process means your marketing campaigns are more likely to be successful. In fact, 86% of employees  and managers  cite ineffective communication as the main contributor to project failures. Better project management = better communication. Thing is†¦ Many marketing managers don’t have any formal project management training. Fear not, trusty marketers. This post breaks down (almost) every type of project management style and the best training opportunities to help you make sure your PM skills are up to snuff.

The Cold War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The Cold War - Essay Example The thrust of his call for unity was the English speaking world and the Commonwealth. The US being the biggest power in the world, and English speaking, was a natural ally that he wanted to woo. He indirectly told his American audience that support for communism in many countries was a direct threat to US itself whose influence over the â€Å"free† world would diminish as a result. Churchill expressed his fear that the emerging polarization between communist and democratic blocs of the world may result in war. He asserted that the Russians, even if they didn’t like war themselves, desired â€Å"indefinite expansion of their power and ideals† and enjoyed â€Å"fruits of war† (Churchill). Indirectly mentioning sea, land and air capabilities of the military, he advised that it was through military strength that a sense of security would prevail. This strength could also provide the negotiation leverage to find a mutually agreeable formula with Russians under the umbrella of United Nations Organizations. Joseph Stalin, in an interview to Pravda some time later, responded to Churchill. At the outset, he termed the idea of a brewing war ludicrous and a product of the mind of someone â€Å"who lost one’s reason† (Stalin). Picking up cleverly on Churchill’s call for the English speaking world to unite, Stalin termed it as an attempt to create a racial divide, linguistic superiority and a holier-than-thou approach to achieve his goals of fomenting an imaginary war. He compared Churchill’s speech with Hitler’s policies who believed in the superiority of those who spoke the German language. Stalin recalled in detail the sacrifices Soviet Union had made during the world war and termed them higher than any other country involved in the war. In doing so, he tried to bring home the point that Russia was committed to peace in the world

A-level Writing - Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A-level Writing - Environment - Essay Example We are a long way from Mesopotamia at this point in our history, however. Many of our modern efforts to control or adapt the environment for the benefit of humans have created environmental degradation and damage. We are actually at a point where humans are no longer making the world a better place to live. We are damaging the planet due to excessive use and waste of our natural resources. This is most clearly visible through the global phenomena of climate change, desertification and water pollution. Global climate change is a very contentious topic. Many scientists believe that greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane that are being released into the atmosphere at historic levels by human activity is causing the earth’s atmosphere to heat up. Other scientists believe that the recent warming that has been measured is nothing more than a part of the earth’s natural cycle of warming and cooling (Press, 2004, p.55). Assuming that the science is correct, it is important to understand that much of these greenhouse gasses that are being emitted are a result of conveniences we demand as a part of our modern lifestyles. They are not vital for human existence. Having a car, electricity and high-speed air travel are vital parts of our global culture, but they are not necessary for the sustaining of human life. Our world would be radically different without these modern inventions and services, but there is a chance that our continued use will damage the planet deeply. Entire ecosystems may disappear simply because people are unwilling to pay more for alternative forms of transportation or because they refuse to acknowledge scientific data because of a certain religious or political belief (Letcher, 2009, p.133). This is indeed proof of the danger humans pose to the earth. Even when there is a chance our actions are detrimental to the environment; many of us still refuse to change our ways. Desertification is another way that humans are degradin g the environment. Pasturing animals is an ancient occupation, but the modern demands of six billion inhabitants of earth to eat an animal rather than a plant-based diet is starting to stress many ecosystems. Grazing animals in areas of marginal rainfall can lead to a process known as desertification. The soil dries out and loses its fertility, leading to an encroachment of desert soils or a barren hardpan. Desertification claims many acres of land each year. The real problem with this phenomenon lies in the fact that once soils are degraded in an arid region, they are almost impossible to rehabilitate. A few seasons of over-grazing can result in ruined soils that took millennia to develop. Traditional grazing practices were much gentler on the environment, but modern methods of grazing have proven disastrous in many areas of Africa, Southwest Asia and even North America (Geist, 2006, p. 42). A final way that humans are causing irreparable harm to the environment is through water po llution, specifically through the runoff of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. The green revolution of the 1960’s greatly increased the output of the world’s farms, but we are now reaping the negative consequences of the overuse of agrichemicals. Estuaries such as the Chesapeake Bay have entire areas