So, in our current situation, is it better to be optimistic with economic forecasts or to be realistic (what some people would call pessimistic in today’s economic climate)? Does either one have the potential to lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy? Meaning, if people continue to be pessimistic in their forecasts, will that cause additional cutbacks and restraint, thus deepening the recession? Or, if more forecasters are optimistic, will that lead more people to breathe a sigh of relief and begin thinking about expanding their purchases again, thus lifting the economy? What are your thoughts? I can tell you I am choosing to be optimistic and believe that articles like this one are for real.

How does this make sense? Allowing states to set their own regulations on auto emissions that are higher than the EPA will certainly cause a lot of grief for the automakers. Here we are trying to help bail them out and then you present the possibility of needing to manufacture different cars for different states in order to meet different standards. Either that or a state like California suddenly has the power to set emissions standards for the entire country. Isn’t that what the EPA is for? Why not request the EPA to set the higher standards? While I dislike the big 3 automakers and their previous greedy executives and lack of leadership, still, it doesn’t make much sense to then turn around and make it difficult at best (and very expensive) to meet all those demands. Let them get the pill down they already have to swallow.

Perhaps we’ve hit the bottom of scrap iron prices and are bouncing back up. What do you think?

For those interested in electronics recycling, this article includes information on possible locations for recycling. Considering that all of the ones mentioned are in partnership with the EPA, you can be assured that they recycle electronics in a responsible way – none of that sending electronics to China to have a bunch of underpaid workers strip components down while being exposed to hazardous materials. All of these companies will be on the up and up.

Litter is a bad thing. I used to not even think about the littering I did when I was younger. I know that many people do it today simply because they don’t think. Littering will continue to happen as long as those who litter don’t stop to think.

For me, it took getting caught and paying a fine, along with a stern rebuke from the officer (who was a friend of the family) who pulled me over. Suddenly, I had a complete change of outlook and that changed my behavior. And yet there are some people who want to place the blame on others, just because trash from their place of business ends up on the street. It’s just another example of shifting the blame onto someone else.

To someone who litters, putting anti-littering messages on the packaging doesn’t mean anything. There needs to be a fundamental shift in the way they think about litter.

Why not concentrate on young school kids – the younger the better. Once you convince youngsters of the importance of not littering, they will carry the message (including enforcement) to the rest of their family, much like seat belt education has greatly increased the use of seat belts. Then, implement a punishment such as spending one hour cleaning up litter for anybody caught littering plus a fine. Getting attention and changing habits is the only way to reduce litter; put total responsibility on the litterer, not the maker of the product.