The EPA has proposed adding a window sticker in cars that are for sale that displays a “grade” from A to F, depending on the emissions levels of the vehicle.

Some car dealers support the idea of the sticker, but other car dealers are understandably concerned.  With the economy in such turmoil and car sales in the United States almost at a 28-year low, auto dealers are nervous about the potential for more lost business.   After all, what consumer wouldn’t be concerned if they were interested in a car and saw a “D-“ sticker in the window for some reason?  If a consumer doesn’t understand what the grade is for, it could deter them from purchasing a vehicle that gets great gas mileage on the highway, but whose emissions are a little high on the EPA’s scale.

There are a few important questions anyone can pose regarding the proposed sticker.  Number one, could the sticker create a greater strain on the livelihood of individuals who work at car dealerships?  Number two, if the sticker did create a greater strain on those dealership employees, will the economy benefit or suffer?  Number three, what steps can the EPA take to prevent risking jobs with the unemployment rate so high while protecting the environment and potentially creating a number of “green” jobs?

Any which way you look at it, there are a number of viewpoints that could be argued for or against.

It is important to recognize that the environment should be protected, but it is vital to be realistic about what steps to take to preserve it and when the most appropriate time to take those steps will be.

Either way, Pacific will gladly take your old junker and bale it up for scrap after you upgrade!

With the economy in such turmoil, most people are tightening their budgets and saving what money they can.

However, some other people have taken to stealing items made of metals in order to sell them to scrap recyclers in order to put a little money in their pockets.  Nothing is safe from a determined thief, including church bells, wheelchair ramps, Internet cables, copper wiring from air conditioners, catalytic converters, cemetery plaques and more.  Any metal product that may have potential to be sold for profit can be targeted.

Although scrap yards are constantly on the lookout for stolen property, it is important for other businesses and individuals to keep their eyes open and to protect themselves from being victimized.  Installing security cameras, reporting suspicious behavior, and requesting your local law enforcement agency to make extra patrols through your neighborhood or past your business may help reduce the risk of being targeted by these thieves.

We all understand that business is tough and the economy will bring more business bankruptcies and closures. It’s simply part of everyday life. One thing to consider if it comes to that for your firm is the way you go about closing the facility. The common courtesies of life apply to business as well as personal relationships.

To be open for the first two shifts of the day and have the third shift show up to find a notice saying the shift is canceled and the plant is closed is not a kindly gesture. On top of that, not even answering the phone or providing a statement of any sort leaves so many questions unanswered.

Such action creates the feeling that something is or was amiss in the company – for surely providing no answers means there is something to hide. That kind of thinking is all too prevalent from the public with this type of closure. They might think that perhaps the owner is in legal trouble and is trying to escape the clutches of the law. You are also setting yourself up for future failure if people remember the way you handled things before. And with the internet, that is all too likely now.

Here are a couple of suggestions which would turn the situation less ugly. First, take the time and make the effort to call all the employees and inform them of the closure so they don’t make the commute only to find their drive in vain. Better yet, bring the employees in on the situation way beforehand, letting them know of the possible closure on a particular date if a way isn’t found to keep it open. Enlist their help. You’d be surprised at what employees will do to keep from losing their jobs if they know they have a chance.

Next, supply a simple notice to the press that things have been really tough and the firm can no longer stay open and you wish you had more to say but that’s all there is. And then have a live person to at least let callers know there is no further comment. It’s better than an answering machine to which everybody knows you have no plans for response. Better yet is to be open with the press – grant interviews and tell your story. People are a lot more forgiving and understanding when you use frankness and candor. Too many people today are quick to remember the past and make that the focus of their thoughts about you, even if you have changed for the better. So, giving them at least some positiveness to recall later serves both them now and you later.

A battery for utilities to store power until it is needed? No more brown-outs or forced rationing? That would be fabulous! And here comes GE with such a technology. Now, here is the big kicker – are they made from hazardous materials? Let’s hope not.

It seems GE has made a tremendous breakthrough in LED lighting. This has the potential of reducing the amount of energy used around the world dramatically. And all this without the mercury involved in CFL lighting. Unfortunately, it appears GE isn’t thinking of putting these in the hands of middle and lower income consumers. Only the rich will be able to afford the luxury of curbing their electricity usage.

You see, GE thinks that US consumers will be willing to pay $40 – $50 per bulb to make the trade. A mid-size home in the US uses about 30 bulbs. Currently, you can buy a package of 4 incandescent bulbs for less than $2. At $40 per bulb, it would cost $1200 to retrofit your home. Anybody just happen to have $1200 sitting around to spend on light bulbs when you could spend $16 instead?

I know, I know, we ought to think more about the environment. The only thing is, most middle and lower income people can’t afford a lump sum payment that high simple to save a little of the environment.

GE talks in terms of long-term savings, saying the bulbs will last 17 years. Well, in today’s mobile society, people don’t stay in the same residence for that long. I guess people will just start packing up their bulbs and taking them with them when they move, provided they have already made the $1200+ investment.

So, GE seems to have gotten it half right so far. Good on them for the invention, now it’s time to rethink that pricing policy.