Joining Forces: “The force behind the force.”

“Joining Forces” is a campaign initiated by Michelle Obama and Jill Biden to highlight the challenges of military families: the wives, husbands, and children of the 2.2 million soldiers, sailors, and airmen/women serving abroad. Mrs. Obama has said, “Our military families deserve our respect and support at every stage of their lives–no matter who is in office” (as announced on NBC’s “Dateline” on May 2, 2011). The focus of the initiative is “helping families cope with issues related to employment, education and health” (according to USA Today). Among the early commitments to Joining Forces are: - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce (who will hold 100 hiring fairs around the country to help 50,000 veterans and military spouses find jobs outside of government). - Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club (who will guarantee a job at a nearby store to military family members who have been transferred to another part of the country). - The YMCA, National Military Family Association, and Sierra Club Foundation (who will offer free summer camp to 7,000 military kids at camps in 35 states this summer). - NASCAR (who will partner with Wal-Mart to produce a public service announcement campaign recognizing the sacrifices and challenges military families face throughout the United States). An extensive study of how returning military members and their families are faring was conducted by Capella University, Minneapolis. The conclusion: “Needs aren’t being met. Despite increased national attention on these issues, too many servicemembers and families aren’t getting the help they need.” What do you think? Any ideas to help? Any commitments?

How to Choose a College Major: and/or How to Hire the Best Applicant for Your Business

College students agonizing over what to major in will want to consider the advice of Bill Gates. Or is it Steve Jobs? Or Jasen Walker? Here’s an opportunity to take sides. Mr. Gates, in an address to the nation’s governors in early March, urged “work-related learning,” that the emphasis should be aimed at academic disciplines that are “well correlated to areas that actually produce jobs.” Mr. Jobs, on the other hand, said, “It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough – it’s technology married with the liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the result that makes our heart sing and nowhere is that more true than in these post-PC devices.” Dr. Jasen Walker, President of CEC Associates, Inc., wrote on this same subject in March. The article was published as the Spring 2011 edition of the New Worker newsletter on CEC’s website. In this article, Walker suggested that employers feel they can do the technical training needed for their business if the individual employee brings a positive attitude and resilience to the job. But, to settle the issue once and for all, we’re asking you to vote. You can find the poll on the right side of your screen. Tell us which of the three pieces of advice, Gates, Jobs, or Walker, you favor.

Earth Day: Industry Leaders Setting Green Examples

As our world becomes more aware of the need to preserve our environment, more and more companies are making the switch to sustainable packaging. In particular, Whole Foods and Procter & Gamble are passing new regulations for sustainable and recyclable packaging.

Whole Foods’ new regulations, which went into effect in September 2010, mandate that suppliers use packaging materials that are easily reused or recycled and non-toxic, and that they switch from plastic to glass when possible. And over the next couple of years, Procter & Gamble will make the switch to sustainable packaging made from sugarcane for their top three global brands – Pantene Pro-V, CoverGirl, and MaxFactor.

It is estimated that the global sustainable packaging market will exceed $142 billion by 2015. Other “green” companies include big names such as Boeing, Chevrolet, and Clorox. Chevrolet’s 2011 Cruze Eco has been billed as a “shape-shifter” that can become more fuel-efficient on the fly, with highway mileage of up to 42 miles per gallon. And Boeing has conceptualized an aircraft, the Sugar Volt, that will burn 70 percent less fuel. This project is expected to come to fruition over the next 30 years. While this may seem a long time to wait, we believe it will be a worthy investment.

As always, we love to hear what our readers think. Do you purchase products in sustainable packaging when possible? Would you purchase the Cruze Eco or a similar car for the sake of fuel efficiency? We hope that others will do what they can to support a greener environment, not just in honor of Earth Day this month, but all year round.