Company President goes to Federal Prison

St. Louis - According to the Post Dispatch the former president of Nationwide Janitorial Services was sentenced in federal court on Friday to 33 month in prison for embezzling $946,000 from the company.

Prosecutors say Herman Schamber, 54, of St. Louis County, took the money by fabricating invoices from 2008-2010 in the name of a company that he owned, Custom Janitorial Services and Supplies. Schamber had worked for Nationwide, which is based in Alexandria, Va., for about 30 years. He pleaded guilty in March to mail fraud.

Melvin Wylie

Delivery Fuel Charge is Price Gouging

Over the last few years when you order something form a supplier you are starting to see a delivery fuel charge. When you ask your supplier what that charge is they will tell you the cost of petrol has increased causing suppliers to implement a fuel charge to cover the rising price of gas. That sounds like a fair answer to the problem so many people on the receiving end accept the fuel charge and move on. It's not much anyway, only around USD $6.00 so it seems acceptable in this economy. Before you accept this fuel charge; let's take a look at it. Most suppliers mark their products up from %3 to %50 sometimes even higher. They mark the products up based upon overhead to cover the running of their business. Now think about that… if they are marking products up to cover overhead isn't gas considered part of that overhead? I think it is and talking to many vendors they admit that the mark up covers the running of the business. We all know that the price of paper and plastic goods are going up so manufactures are looking to alternative sources of production so it's understandable the mark up from demand, now tack on the  %3 - %50+ suppliers mark-up or price increase to cover overhead. Where does the fuel charge come into play? Let's do some simple math and say that the supplier charges you a fuel charge of $6.00 per delivery. They have a portfolio of 1000 customers that orders once a month that's a profit of $6,000.00. Does that money go into a fuel fund? Don't believe it, that $6,000 is pure profit. Now take a look at companies like Epedx or ACME Paper that has way over 1000 orders a month and you're looking at a nice in pocket profit. The suppliers can argue the point till they are blue in the face, as a customer I fell the cost of fuel can be rolled into the marked up overhead. If I order around $8,000.00 a month in supplies I find it ridiculous that I get a fuel charge so your corporate executives can use it as play money. There needs to be a change in the mindsets of the customers and we need to stop accepting petty charges from companies gouge us so they can make a larger profit. The excuse of fuel costs to drain customers needs to be stopped. We all know the fuel charge can be rolled into the cost of the products we purchase at a very, very, very (did I say very) small mark up. I refuse to use a company that will charge me a fuel charge and you should also. Question the suppler and demand that the fuel charge be done away with. It's ridiculous, petty and uncalled for. I'm tired of hearing the excuse that they have to incorporate a fuel charge for rising fuel costs. Stop lining the pockets of corporations playing upon our ignorance.

Melvin Wylie

Panasonic Launches Eco Ad Campaign in North America

SECAUCUS, N.J., June 10, 2011 - Panasonic Corporation of North America, a leader in the development of 3D and high definition television, will launch an advertising campaign to highlight Panasonic's growing leadership in green business innovation looking toward 2018, the 100th anniversary of the founding of its parent company, Panasonic Corporation. The campaign is part of a larger global communications effort which will launch in the United States on June 10, and features ads in major news and business magazines, including Newsweek and Bloomberg BusinessWeek, as well as television commercials on the National Geographic Channel and Bloomberg TV. The ads will emphasize the importance of pursuing a sustainable future and will highlight some of Panasonic's own eco initiatives. Panasonic's corporate eco commitment to further reduce CO2 emissions, increase resource recycling, save and reuse water and raise environmental consciousness is the subject of a series of 30 and 60-second commercials airing during the National Geographic Channel's series "The World Heritage Special" -- a monthly program which explores the world's natural and cultural wonders including the Taj Mahal, Machu Picchu, Yellowstone National Park and Stonehenge. The series will run through May 2012 and will be seen in more than 370 million homes across National Geographic Channel's global network including the United States. Further, Panasonic Eco advertising will appear on Bloomberg TV, together with supporting print ads running in Bloomberg BusinessWeek magazine and in online banners that will link visitors to Panasonic's comprehensive eco site -- www.panasonic.net/green_innovation. The Panasonic commercials feature famed soprano Sarah Brightman -- the voice behind Panasonic's corporate anthem "Shall Be Done" -- and they tie-in Panasonic's recently announced strategic partnership for the protection of the UNESCO World Heritage sites. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) leads efforts to preserve cultural and natural heritage sites of outstanding universal value for future generations. More information on the Panasonic-UNESCO sponsorship can be found at http://panasonic.net/worldheritage and the Panasonic Facebook fan page www.facebook.com/worldheritage.with.panasonic. The ad campaign also incorporates a series of print ads that will run monthly in Newsweek magazine which will profile the daily eco-activities of individual Panasonic employees from around the world and spotlight the company's eco-focused products and programs, including Panasonic's environmental education initiative, solar panels, batteries and recycling programs. "Launching this global campaign on the importance of sustainability and our efforts to grow our leadership in green business is a strong statement by Panasonic," said Peter Fannon, Panasonic's Vice President, Technology Policy. "In countries around the world, including the United States and Canada, this campaign will be a powerful platform for illuminating Panasonic's deep eco commitment, and best-in-class business practices for developing new green products."

Melvin Wylie

Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva a Green Key Hotel

BRUSSELS, June 10, 2011 - Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva in Vilnius has held onto its Green Key Hotel status, which it has held since 2004. The Green Key was created to raise awareness in the tourism and leisure trade about how to run a environmentally responsible business. To obtain The Green Key a hotel has to fulfil a long list of environmental requirements, which in themselves contain a number of criteria. Apart from purely environmental demands, the criteria also includes requirements on policy and action plans. The Hotel in Vilnius became involved in The Green Key project to ensure it was keeping an eye on costs to ensure the best prices and maintain a competitive position in the hotel market as well as to address concerns regarding the health, well-being and safety of its clients and employees and a concern for the surrounding environment. The hotel in Vilnius city center became involved in the project in a number of ways. These included saving water by washing laundry less often and installing water saving devices. It also aimed to save heat and electricity by using low energy light bulbs, installing equipment with a standby function and installing programmable thermostats. Rubbish is now pre-sorted so that a large amount of it can be recycled and the hotel started using eco-friendly materials and products such as non-chlorine bleaches and phosphate-free detergents. Finally, the hotel made other changes such as sourcing local food, providing on-going training for staff about the environmental activities of the company, informing the public and guests about the environmental activities of the company and improving the air quality in the hotels. All these changes will benefit the Radisson Blu hotels in Vilnius guests as they will now receive local food, fresher air, a cleaner environment, and they can get involved in the process by doing things such as pre-sorting their own rubbish or using towels for an extra day so they require less washing. Radisson Blu Hotel Lietuva is also taking part in the Rezidor Responsible Business program. This covers three main fields; taking responsibility for the health and safety of employees and customers, respecting social and ethical issues in the company, as well as in the community and reducing negative impact on the environment. The hotel also took part in the Lithuanian Environmental cleaning Action DARMON 2011, and Earth Hour 2011, where it dimmed the lights in the lobby and sky bar for an hour and switched off the lights in the Riverside restaurant which the guests ate a candle lit dinner.

Melvin Wylie

The Port of Antwerp Becomes Greener

ANTWERP, Belgium, June 8, 2011 - In order to further reduce emissions of pollutants such as NOx and SOx, the Port Authority is to reward "clean ships" calling at the port of Antwerp. As of 1 July the most environment-friendly ships will be granted a discount of 10% on the tonnage dues[1]. This measure follows on from an initiative by the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), in which the port authorities of Le Havre, Bremen, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Antwerp introduced the Environmental Ship Index (ESI). Shipping companies can register their ships for this index at  http://www.environmentalshipindex.org. On the basis of the data entered, such as fuel consumption and emissions, each ship is given a score on a scale from 0 to 100 (from highly polluting to emission-free). So far more than 250 ships have been given a score. The ports themselves decide what advantages to offer participating ships. In the case of Antwerp, seagoing ships with a score of 31 or more will be granted a discount of 10% on the tonnage dues. The Port Authority will guarantee this discount for a period of at least three years, so offering continuity for shipping companies that invest in improving the ESI score of their ships. If fewer than 25 seagoing ships qualify for the discount, then the Port Authority will reward the 25 vessels with the highest ESI score. This latter measure applies until the end of 2011 and has been introduced to encourage shipping companies to register their vessels for the index. The ships that qualify for a discount will be determined every three months on the basis of an update of the ESI. The Port Authority will then make the discount available retroactively for the past quarter. For example, the ESI for seagoing ships calling at Antwerp during the period 1 April to 30 June will be determined on 1 July. The introduction of the ESI forms part of the Port Authority's policy of sustainable development of the port. This new international standard is a useful tool for port authorities to promote investments in more environment-friendly ships. Antwerp Port Authority uses low-sulphur fuel for its own fleet. In addition, ships and barges are able to use onshore power supplies at various locations in the port, so they do not have to run their engines while at berth.

Melvin Wylie

The Westchester Community College Gateway Center Certified LEED Gold

NEW YORK, June 7, 2011 - The Westchester Community College (WCC) Gateway Center, which officially opened to accolades in the fall, was recently certified as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold building by the U.S. Green Building Council. STV provided construction management services for the new Gateway Center, and also served as the contract administrator between the college, the architect and the prime contractors. The Gateway Center is a new, $40 million, 70,000-square-foot, three-story, V-shaped building that includes state-of-the-art classrooms, seminar rooms, a lecture hall, computer labs, and language labs equipped with leading-edge technology to integrate students learning English into the fabric of the campus. STV played a vital role in seeing that the LEED® construction requirements and administration requirements were successfully followed. The initial plans called for LEED® certification, but the project was on track to achieve a higher level. Located in Valhalla, NY, the Gateway Center is the first LEED®-certified building in Westchester County. The construction-side sustainable building elements included the recycling of construction waste, sustainable storm water management, the use of low-mercury light bulbs and indoor air quality monitoring. The Gateway Center recently was named Project of the Year from the former New York Construction magazine's Best of 2010 awards in the Higher Education/Research Category. The annual awards competition recognizes construction excellence in the region. Nearly 180 projects were nominated in total and 31 received awards. "It is gratifying that the Gateway Center was certified as LEED® Gold," said Steven Pressler, executive vice president for STV's Construction Management Division. "This building was designed and constructed to serve Westchester Community College's faculty and staff, including its expanding English as a Second Language Program. This is an extraordinary building, and our firm is proud of our work there." The Gateway Center features a complex structural steel framing system, masonry and a cold metal framing exterior wall with a field applied vapor barrier, an architectural stone cladding façade, and a glass curtain wall with numerous systems. The design requirements for the new building incorporate sustainable and low-impact development techniques and technologies. It was designed by Ennead Architects. The building provides a forward-thinking, practical and effective educational venue that houses resources for both foreign-born and traditional students. Having those resources in one location allows the college to have synergy within its departments and programs, which include language and cultural exchange, specialized job and career development, entrepreneurship, U.S. citizenship, and cultural skills for the corporate environment.

Melvin Wylie

DuPont Asks Can We Feed a Population of 9 Billion by 2050

WASHINGTON D.C., June 7, 2011 - The challenge of feeding a growing population of 9 billion by 2050 requires collaboration across all stakeholders on a scale never seen before and it has to start now, according to the DuPont Advisory Committee on Agriculture Innovation and Productivity for the 21st Century. The committee released a report today detailing recommendations for closing the food productivity gap. In 2010, DuPont assembled an external committee, which is chaired by former U.S. Senator Thomas A. Daschle, to examine the best public policy mechanisms and business practices to tackle the global challenge to increase agriculture productivity in a sustainable manner. Other committee members are: Charlotte Hebebrand, chief executive of International Food and Agriculture Trade Policy Council; Jo Luck, president, Heifer International; J.B. Penn, chief economist, Deere and Co., and Pedro Sanchez, director of Tropical Agriculture and Rural Development Program, Earth Institute at Columbia University. "Addressing the food and nutrition needs of a growing population is the defining challenge of this century," said Daschle. "The complexity of this challenge – substantial urbanization, diminished resources such as arable land and water, increased rates of malnutrition – are complex and can only be addressed with the kind of innovation that comes from partnerships and collaboration on a whole new level. Governments, private sector, universities, research institutions, NGOs and farmers must come together with a common purpose." The committee's recommendations were focused in three areas:

• Produce more food and increase the nutritional value of food – Unleashing innovation and ensuring farmers have access to the tools they need will be essential.
• Make food accessible and affordable for everyone – Barriers to moving food, such as infrastructure and government policies, must be removed.
• Address the challenge in a continuously more sustainable and comprehensive way – Continuously improving agricultural products and practices to address natural resource needs and building economic and social development in key markets will be critical.

  Among the specific recommendations were calls for improved public policy in the areas of trade, regulatory approval of agriculture innovations, subsidies and intellectual property protection. The committee also called on the private sector to invest in developing markets to build sustained economic growth. Key areas where large-scale collaboration was recommended included public/private efforts in research and development, especially to develop and implement a strategy for improving productivity and nutritional value of indigenous crops; investment in farmer extension services and financing; and development of enhanced science-based education systems worldwide and youth and leadership development programs in key developing markets, such as Africa. "We are grateful for the hard work and perspective of the committee. DuPont is ready to take action to help implement the recommendations," said DuPont Executive Vice President James C. Borel. "If we work together and listen to farmers of all disciplines, we can tackle this challenge. Together we can do what no one can do alone." According to the United Nations, world population has been increasing by an estimated 78 million each year and is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, requiring global food production to be 70 percent greater than today's levels to feed the population. This must all be done while addressing sustainability needs such as land and water use. Ensuring that enough healthy, nutritious food is available for people everywhere is a key focus for DuPont. The company invests 60 percent of its $1.7 billion annual R&D dollars to ensuring that the world's population has enough food. From working with farmers and growers around the world to help them increase crop yields, to developing a wide range of packaging materials that enable food to be transported without spoilage, and developing more nutritious food options and ensuring food safety, DuPont is working every day to get food to people who need it.

Melvin Wylie

Guy Harvey, Giving Sharks a Fighting Change in Shark Tournaments

With shark populations around the world continuing to spiral downward, the result of devastating commercial fishing techniques and an exotic taste for 'shark-fin soup', marine scientists such as Dr. Guy Harvey, are working around the clock to give these magnificent animals a fighting chance for survival. In his latest mission, Dr. Harvey—better known throughout the world as a celebrated and award-winning marine wildlife artist—has brought his cause into the epicenter of one of the nation's oldest and largest shark fishing tournaments in Ocean City, Maryland on June 15-19. Thanks in part to Dr. Harvey's efforts and a willingness to continue to adapt by the tournament founders and organizers, The Ocean City Shark Tournament's cash and prize package payment in the catch and release division has increased to over $15,000. Last month, the Second Annual Guy Harvey Ultimate Shark Challenge, a catch and release only tournament, was held on the West Coast of Florida in Punta Gorda. The tournament—created as a model for catch and release only shark tournament formats—drew some 3,000 competitors and spectators and paid out over $15,000 in cash and prizes. The Ocean City Shark Tournament will continue to feature two divisions that allow anglers to bring sharks to the scales. However, knowing that competitors tend to pursue whatever division has the biggest payout, tournament directors are looking to make the release division cash and prizes so attractive that, by their own choosing, fishermen will voluntarily opt to release more sharks. In 30 years, the Ocean City Shark Tournament has evolved from a small "club" event to one of the largest shark tournaments along the East Coast. In the early years, only trophies and new rods and reels were given out to winners. Last year, more than $142,000 was awarded to the top anglers in the tournament. Dr. Harvey, founder of the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University and the internationally regarded Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF), in recent years has joined the growing ranks of individuals and organizations calling for strict regulations to ban the commercial fishing of all sharks in The Bahamas. Scientists with the International Union for Conservation of Nature have estimated that 30 percent of shark and ray species around the world are threatened or near threatened with extinction. The loss of these animals could cause irreversible damage to the ocean's ecosystem and result in the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in the tourist trade. Dr. Harvey's message regarding shark protection initiatives is heard loud and clear in the recently released documentary "This is Your Ocean: Sharks", co-staring fellow artist Wyland and photographer Jim Abernathy. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPdZVnkoMCM[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn6kCzgurCA[/youtube]

Melvin Wylie

Huatulco in Southern Mexico EarthCheck's Gold Certification

HUATULCO, Mexico, June 3 - The coastal paradise, Huatulco in southern Mexico, became the first destination in the Americas to receive EarthCheck's Gold certification today, in yet another display of Mexico's sustainable tourism credentials. Huatulco received the prestigious certification for meeting the rigorous sustainable tourism requirements of EarthCheck across a range of aspects such as environmental legislation, energy usage, water conservation, wastewater management, biodiversity, and waste reduction. Speaking at the EarthCheck Sustainable Tourism Forum, also held this year in Huatulco, Adriana Perez Quesnel, director of the Fondo Nacional del Fomento al Turismo (FONATUR), said, "We are immensely proud to receive this certification and even more so to be the first destination in the Americas to do so. This achievement is a clear demonstration of how government, the private sector and local communities can work together to deliver significant benefits to the world in which we live." "FONATUR has driven sustainable practice in the Mexican tourism industry and has forged a vision of respect for nature conservation in Integrally Planned Resorts, to promote tourism, help strengthen the local economy and promote local traditions and culture." Huatulco has gained EarthCheck certification for the previous five consecutive years. As a result of the certification, Huatulco will be one of 13 global destinations featured on a new program on the Discovery Channel in 2012. The documentary will be broadcast to over 200 million people over the next two years. "In Mexico alone, EarthCheck member organizations have saved a combined total of 26,349,880 kg of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) since data started being collected in 2003," explained EarthCheck Ambassador, Gustavo Ramos Fumagalli. "They have also reduced water consumption by 2,196, 674,635L of water, dramatically reducing pressure on natural resources in a country that is familiar with the unforgiving effects of drought." To meet Earth Check's strict requirements, Huatulco constructed new water management infrastructure including:

• 17 km of storm protection channels,
• 23 re-lift stations for sewage treatment and management and
• Harvesting structures which collect storm water runoff.

In May 2011, Mexico was also recognized by the Rainforest Alliance in New York for its achievements in sustainable tourism in the Mayakoba region and the forestry practices of the Mexican government.

Melvin Wylie

Canadian Geese Feces Can Equal 94% E. Coli in the Summer

ARVADA, Colo., June 2, 2011 - United States Wildlife Service demonstrated the presence of human pathogenic E. Coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter bacteria in geese feces. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/researchreports/report06.pdf According to the Center for Disease Control, Campylobacter, E. Coli, Cryptosporidium and Salmonella are just a few of the many health issues. http://www.cdc.gov/search.do?q=geese+feces&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&ud=1&site=default_collection Majestic and full grown the Canadian Geese eat 2.5 lbs of grass a day, leaving frequent deposits at the rate of 2 lbs a day. Ed Tomlinson of Arvada, Colorado says, "The Canadian geese population is doubling every 5 years or so and is a public health hazard. It's a controversial subject but in overpopulated golf courses, airports, parks, businesses, HOAs, and playgrounds the Department of Wildlife must allow more permits to fill local food banks nationwide." Best results? Lasers at night that disturb their sleep. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/9/pdf/goose%20conflicts/gooseconflict-11.pdf Water ropes work for months, and then the ropes deteriorate.

1. Many localities are oiling the eggs with vegetable oil. That keeps the egg from gaining oxygen through the shell.
2. There are food type chemicals that can be spread around on grassy areas and this inhibits reproduction.
3. Native American Indians in Washington D.C. are harvesting them yearly, having them tested, dressing them and giving them to local food banks. They can only be rounded up during their molting season during the summer when they can't fly. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/about_aphis/programs_offices/anawg/downloads/ANAWG_newsletter_September_2009.pdf
4. There are lots of devices available. Some of these are hazing, using dogs, falcons, cardboard alligators, electronic-predator calls/eyes at night/geese warnings, fake predator signs, all kinds of noise makers, and different varieties of grass. Testing results are mixed or are short-lived as the geese get used to it.
5. Trapping is generally illegal. Killing is prohibited unless you get a United States Department of Wildlife permit.

  Background State and federal laws generally protect Canadian Geese. They were an endangered species in the 50's and reintroduced to the United States. The geese used to pass through the United States each year, but many are now staying year-round.

Melvin Wylie