12 Green Tips for the Holidays

It’s that time of year again… the holidays, when everyone is thinking about presents and decorations and more presents. Well, in keeping with the holiday spirit, we want to share with you some green tips to keep the Earth a priority during this time of giving.

So here it goes… "Twelve Green Tips for the Holidays"

1. Have you ever heard of “treecycling” your tree? Once your decorations are off and you’re trying not to get too many pine needles in your carpet, think “what can this tree do next?” How about using it for mulching or composting? Click here for more information on where/how to recycle your tree. Be sure to check with members of your community solid waste department to find out if they collect and mulch trees.


2. Fiber optic trees and decorations are the ultimate in energy efficiency. In most cases, they use a single light bulb located in the base of the unit to light the entire decoration – now that's energy smart and budget smart.


3. Limit the time holiday lights are on. Wait until dark to turn on your Christmas lights and turn them off before you go to bed. Make your goal six hours or less of daily use. Afraid you’ll forget? Set a timer & forget about it!


4. When ordering merchandise online or for shipment, request the use of recycled packaging material (recycled paper, bamboo, or corn plastics) – these products biodegrade when composted. Specifically request no Styrofoam, which is made with petroleum, a non-sustainable and heavily polluting product. If you receive a gift stuffed with Styrofoam, find a company that will reuse it.


5. Having guests? Turn down the heat a little. Encourage layered dressing and let your guests know that you’re green conscious. Remember, by changing the temperature by 2 degrees all year, you can save about 2,000 pounds of CO2 a year.


6. Plan your shopping trips carefully. Make one trip to the mall instead of three, which will save gas. Walking to stores or carpooling with friends is even better. Another way to reduce fuel consumption is to buy locally; shopping in your hometown supports the local merchants and strengthens the community, and it cuts fuel use if you walk to town.


7. There’s no way you can reuse holiday cards, right? Wrong! Remove the back and create a postcard. Or, use the card as a gift tag for gift giving next year.


8. Take your own bags on shopping trips. Keep them in the car so they’re ready whenever you stop at a store.


9. Need party snacks and beverages? Buy in bulk to avoid extra packaging.


10. Turn it off! Common misconceptions sometimes account for the failure to turn off equipment. Many people believe that equipment lasts longer if it is never turned off. This incorrect perception carries over from the days of older mainframe computers.


11. Have a large family with a lot of gifts to wrap? Try creating a treasure map for the kids to find their gifts.


12. Green your holiday travel! If you are one of the many people planning to log a lot of travel miles this holiday season, don't forget to look into green options for getting around.

A Key Decision on SSA Disability Determination

On June 21, 2013, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division affirmed a trial judge’s decision to preclude reference to a Social Security Administration (SSA) disability determination during a personal injury trial.  The decision states, “An SSA disability determination is of dubious probative value in a personal injury action” because:

• With “due regard for the beneficent purpose of the legislation,” Administrative Law Judges in SSA disability claim hearings are advised to show leniency in establishing the claimant’s disability (whereas a personal injury matter requires the plaintiff to bear the burden of proving his/her disability);
• The jury could give inappropriate weight to the SSA disability determination, due to the SSA’s being a government agency, despite the questionable efficacy of that determination with respect to causation; and
• SSA disability determinations are periodically reviewed and subject to overturn, but a jury cannot be asked to reverse its decision years later based on these SSA reviews.

In short, the processes for determining disability for the SSA and in a trial are fundamentally different, and therefore, the conclusions from the former are unreliable in context of the latter.  A key difference is the attribution of disability to a specific accident.  The trial judge responded to the plaintiff’s appeal by aptly noting:

And what this case involves is plaintiff’s claim that she suffered a permanent injury as a result of this accident that resulted in her inability to work.  Those are the issues that this jury needs to determine based on the evidence presented here, not evidence of determination that was made by…[the SSA] that did not have the benefit of the evidence that might have suggested that this disability is not – or was not caused by this accident [emphasis added].

It is important to understand that “disability” can be defined differently depending on the venue in which one finds oneself.  Plaintiff’s counsel in the above matter stated that “the best evidence” that the plaintiff couldn’t go back to work was that the SSA had decided she was disabled; but is the SSA’s process the “best” way to determine disability?  Who can best determine whether an individual is disabled, or unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity due to impairment?  Does the SSA or others determining disability do enough to distinguish between impairment, a medical concept, and disability, a largely psychosocial concept?

For more on this critical distinction, visit our CEU articles on disability vs. impairment.

Prescription Painkiller Addiction – A Public Health Issue

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the prevalence of overdoses on prescription painkillers (opioids) – drugs available to us through our doctors’ offices and pharmacies – is a “public health epidemic” in the United States.  The CDC reports some alarming statistics:

• In 2010, 12 million Americans (age 12 or older) reported nonmedical use of prescription painkillers in the past year
• Nearly 15,000 people die every year due to overdosing on prescription painkillers
• Between 1999 and 2010, painkiller prescriptions increased by 300%

Everyday Health, a provider of health information, notes that the problem is worsening.  In 2009, more than 475,000 people were admitted to emergency rooms due to painkiller abuse – reportedly five times the number of people admitted for the same reason five years earlier.  Moreover, opioids are now much stronger and dependence is more likely.

“The question is whether we’re in more pain over that period,” notes Nicholas Kardaras, Ph.D., an addiction specialist.  “But I really don’t think we are,” he adds. 

We’ve written about chronic pain before, as it’s a significant player in absenteeism and other workplace issues.  This prescribing trend could certainly compound pain-related worker issues.  But what’s being done to curb the trend?  Several measures have been suggested, including

• Devoting more time to training in opioid addiction issues in medical school
• Extra vigilance from prescribing doctors in evaluating patients for the possibility of addiction
• Prescription Monitoring Programs for physicians and pharmacists

Tell us what you think - how do you see this phenomenon as affecting workers?  Is it just those with chronic pain who are susceptible to opioid addiction?  Are the recommendations listed above realistic and/or sufficient for fixing the problem?

Educational Effort: How Employers Can Benefit

Why are some individuals more capable than others?  One reason, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, is that the achievement gap between individuals begins early in life.

The Federal Reserve Bank?  What knowledge could they possibly have of this situation?

It turns out that this particular Reserve Bank has been conducting a longitudinal study of early childhood development.  The study tracked 123 low-income families since the 1960s.  Children were randomly selected either to be in a control group (no special schooling), or to attend a high-quality program with well-trained teachers and receive weekly home visits.

As we might guess, the outcomes are dramatic.  The study shows that the benefit-cost ratio is $16 for every $1 spent.  The bottom line is that when children are prepared for school, they are more likely to be productive in the workplace as adults.  So what should employers do?  The answers seems clear: 

1. Hire employees who have had pre-kindergarten schooling, and
2. Support by advocacy (i.e., by voting and participating in the local education conversation) the implementation of early childhood programs.

But, say the employers, they don’t have the time for these non-business ideas.  But, say the researcher, they cannot afford not to be involved.  The benefits are $16 to $1 to hire and support the preparation of the best.  What do you think?  Is it realistic for employers to investigate a prospective employee’s pre-schooling?  If not, is it worth the effort for employers to advocate for quality early education programs today to provide future employers with a capable, high-achieving applicant pool? 

Life Reimagined: Rebranding to Reinvent

The AARP (the new name for the American Association of Retired Persons) is transforming its mission.  The new mission is to work with Baby Boomers to get them to reimagine their careers.  Retiring is not an option for most Boomers.  The focus is on anything to start a second career, to think in terms of extending one’s work life.

To facilitate their new approach, AARP has created a “Life Reimagined Institute” and developed extensive online materials for Boomers to “explore” the future.  It all starts with an online assessment and then provides tailored applications.  The resources are specific and extensive, and those retired persons not really interested in a new direction may tire half way through.  But for the serious, these are extremely valuable insights and resources.  One does not have to be a member of the AARP to enroll in the process.

Helping Boomers to navigate the future has turned into a big business, and the AARP isn’t the only player.  It does have a head start since they have 37 million members, almost one quarter of the size of the U.S. labor force.

Employers and others interested in the trend can learn more at:

• http://lifereimagined.aarp.org/

Similar sources:

• www.vocationvacation.com (career change)
• www.skillshare.com  (online courses)
• www.coursera.org (online college/university courses)
• www.openculture.com  (online courses)

Boomers: “Your new calling is calling.”

Employment & Happiness: Why Employees Stay with the Company

Do happy workers equate to higher profits?  If we believe in economic karma, as the USA Today article calls it, benevolent employers should see better productivity and earnings.  In fact, as Fortune Magazine’s 2013 list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” shows, companies who treat their employers well do indeed see their stocks prosper.

Google, ranked #1 on this year’s list, has seen its stock soar over 600% since its inception in 2004.  And Google employees have a lot to be happy about; perks offered include college reimbursement plans, legal aid, 100% health-care coverage, onsite fitness centers and childcare facilities, and even subsidized massages.

An effect of providing all these benefits?  Reduced employee turnover.  And in turn, by minimizing the need for continual retraining and hiring headhunters, for example, the employees who stay on board help their company save money and increase earnings.

However, a good benefits package is not the only contributor to employee retention.  Julie Gebauer, managing director for talent and rewards at Towers Watson, explains the key:

The data strongly support the fact that organizations that focus on the engagement of their employees deliver stronger performance…It’s not just making them happy—that’s not a business issue.  Engagement is.

The engaged employee, an employee who exhibits enthusiasm for work, commitment, organizational pride, and alignment with organizational goals, is more likely to stay with their company.  Moreover, as Gebauer notes regarding employee treatment: “What makes the biggest impacts are things that don’t have significant costs.”

CEC’s Fall 2012 New Worker delves into the topic of hiring and maintaining employees, but we’d like to hear from you: what do you think makes employees stay with a company?  Do you agree that the intangible aspects (e.g., maintaining a work environment that keeps employees engaged) contribute to employee retention as much as quality benefits packages do?  How might a company encourage employee engagement?

Let's Make It Easy To Be Green

Where we’re at:

• In 2012, the U.S. endured its hottest year on record,
• The 13 hottest years on the planet have occurred since 1998,
• The seas are rising faster than forecast, and
• The cost of the extreme weather is rising every year.

This data has been abstracted from David Leonhardt’s article, “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” published in the “Sunday Review” section of the New York Times on Saturday, February 9^th.

These facts are certainly astounding.  However, James Balog recognized that images illustrating undeniable evidence of climate change could more effectively inspire and raise awareness among the public.  So for visual proof, Balog, a photographer for the National Geographic, recorded the reality of climate change using time-lapse photography of the receding ice (that thereby raises ocean levels).  Balog’s cameras were placed in Alaska, Canada, and Greenland.  A documentary about Balog’s work and the results, Chasing Ice, is now being shown nationwide. 

On Sunday, February 10^th, CEC Associates, Inc., sponsored a showing of Chasing Ice at the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.  Over 250 people showed up for the movie, through our own efforts, as well as the Theatre’s advertising.  It showed us that people in this area are supportive of the climate warming effort.  Aside from some largely political holdouts, the human causes of climate change are now accepted by increasing numbers of the public as fact (as they have been for a long time accepted by climate scientists).

On Sunday, February 17^th, the Sierra Club, 350.org, the Hip Hop Caucus, and over 80 additional organizations will host the largest climate rally in U.S. history. If you would like to join the rally, it will start at noon from the National Mall in Washington D.C.  Visit www.forwardonclimate.org for more information on the rally and how you can show your solidarity even if you can’t make it to D.C.

If you or your company have ideas on the subject, please tell us about them.  When and how did you accept the reality of the human causes of climate change, and what have you done to help curb the change?  Share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments.  We’ll try to share your good ideas and good intention with our readers.

Employers & MOOCs

An exciting revolution is emerging among the online higher education world – MOOCs (massive open online courses).  MOOCs are free online college courses taught by top professors from distinguished universities (e.g., Stanford, MIT, Harvard) through websites such as Coursera, Udacity, and edX.  Colleges typically don’t grant academic credit for completing MOOCs; however, the self-motivated participant will find him or herself rewarded by gaining new or necessary information or skills, as well as connections with other students with shared interests.

Thomas L. Friedman, in his article for the New York Times, “Revolution Hits the Universities,” sees this new online platform for education as being an egalitarian force and as having the potential to “unlock a billion more brains to solve the world’s biggest problems” and to “enable us to reimagine higher education.”  Perks include:

• Free courses taught by top professors
• Courses can reach a much broader demographic
• Connection to students around the globe
• Ability to sculpt your own college education

Friedman goes so far as to say that MOOCs will change not only how we teach and learn, but also our pathways to employment.  Courses are offered that teach real-world skills that employers want to see in interviewees and improve in their current employees.  Practical computer-related instruction and business development are among many areas that MOOCs cover:

• Udacity offers courses in programming languages and software debugging
• Coursera offers business/management courses, such as “Surviving Disruptive Technologies” and “Foundations of Business Strategy”
• edX provides a Harvard-sponsored course in current copyright law

However, the usefulness of MOOCs for employers is still being ironed out.  Many MOOCs do award certificates of completion, and through Coursera, if you complete a course taught by a Stanford professor, for example, you receive a certificate from Stanford.  This certificate, stamped by a respected college or university, could show prospective employers you’ve taken the initiative to gain usable job skills, as well as further your self-improvement.  Still, MOOC providers have not yet completely established a process, upon which an employer can rely, to guarantee credible credentials that verify a student has mastered the subject (and without cheating).

MOOC providers do have employment in mind – Coursera is developing their Career Services program, a recruiting service that matches you to potential employers based on your interests, skills, and knowledge.  By opting into the service, you allow Coursera to share your good marks in applicable courses with interested employers.  MOOCs, as they change the way higher education is perceived, may inevitably change the way hiring and ongoing employee development is approached.  What do you think – do you believe this trend will be helpful for employers in hiring?  How can MOOCs be used to further employees’ continued education? 

Mindfulness through Meditation: A Potential Tool for Employers

Mindfulness in the workplace has been an on-going topic of interest here at CEC Associates.  We’ve produced many emails and articles on the subject with the goal of sharing information with employers and human resources professionals.  Now, we’ve discovered a new book, Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes by Maria Konnikova, and a recent study, both of which explore mindfulness through meditation.  Konnikova, in an article for The New York Times, explains that “mindfulness is less about spirituality and more about concentration: the ability to quiet your mind, focus your attention, and dismiss any distractions that come your way.”  She uses Holmes, the quintessential “unitasker,” to illustrate how practiced mindfulness can help us in a quick-paced world:

Through modifying our practices of thought towards a more Holmes-like concentration, we can build up neural real estate that is better able to deal with the variegated demands of the endlessly multitasking, infinitely connected modern world.  And even if we’ve never attempted mindfulness in the past, we might be surprised at how quickly the benefits become noticeable.

The study was conducted in 2012 by faculty at the University of Washington.  The aim was to determine the effects of meditation training on the multitasking behavior of “knowledge workers,” presumably as opposed to workers who do repetitive labor or “mindless” work.  Those participants who received the 8-week training and subsequently engaged in a 20-minute frenzy of assigned clerical tasks reported:

·     fewer negative emotions at the end of the assignment;

·     that they could stay on task longer and switch between tasks less frequently; and

·     that they remembered what they did better than those participants who underwent the same task assignment without the meditation training.

The findings of the study and the new approach of Konnikova’s book both promote the benefits of mindfulness and suggest potentially useful ways meditation training can be used to achieve it in a work setting.  If any employers already train staff in mindfulness and/or meditation, please share your experience.  How do you think mindfulness would benefit you in your daily workload, if at all?  Do you think meditation training for employees would be the way to achieve that mindfulness, or just a waste of time?