Safety-Happy Holidays

Back in late October some of us here at Optimum attended a safety seminar conducted by Mr. Gary Hanson.
The theme was "Improving Profits Through an Effective Safety Program" and besides making good points about
helping the company by employees making safety a priority, it also improves everyone's personal lives.

A few bullet points from the seminar:

Safety is for Life
• It is not a project
• It is not a one time event
• Every decision employees make will impact their future and the future of the business

Why Accidents Happen
• Accidents do not happen by accident; they are caused
• There are many reasons for accidents
• Accidents usually happen from repeated activities

Things we do routinely are things we tend to not think about as we do them. We start thinking about what to have for dinner or about the kids, etc. In this age of multi-tasking our attention is divided. Safety issues should always remain at the forefront of our activities.



Have a safe and happy holiday!
Jim "Doesn't Run With Scissors" Stahl

TD Bank Gives to Capital Area Food Bank

This article originally ran on www.bizjournals.com:

Capital Area Food Bank, the area’s biggest, public nonprofit food bank, will get $25,000 this holiday season from TD Bank.

The Cherry Hill, N.J.-based bank’s charitable arm is giving $100,000 to four food banks to support families throughout the mid-Atlantic and in Florida.

Also receiving $25,000 each are Daily Bread Food Bank, which helps other Florida nonprofits feed needy people; Food Bank for New York, which nourishes low-income New Yorkers throughout the five boroughs; and Philabundance, which has a network of more than 600 agencies in the region to provide food for Delaware Valley residents.

“These donations support the basic needs of our communities,” said Elizabeth Warn, president of the TD Charitable Foundation, in a statement. “We are happy to step in and offer our help with the hope that no one goes hungry this holiday season and beyond.”

Its foundation has made over $40 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002.

After TD Bank Financial Group bought Commerce Bancorp Inc. on March 31, TD Banknorth and Commerce Bank merged on May 31 to become TD Bank.

Banking on the Green

These are cautionary times, indeed. Economists, public officials, and journalists address are struggling to find the best explanations for subprime mortgage collapse and the ensuing turmoil in the financial sector. The Federal Reserve continues to experiment with possible economic cures. There is no single solution can resolve the country’s financial problems. But that does not mean that we are without hope.

New opportunities are emerging, especially in the western states, where climate change has become an economic stimulus. Climate change has moved from an abstract to an inconvenient truth.

In the West, in particular, it has become intermingled with discussions of water shortages, sprawl, and restoration of natural resources, rural development, tourism, population growth, and industrial expansion.

• The Western Governors’ Association which represents 19 states and three U.S. territories recently adopted a resolution to increase the use of alternative fuels and improve vehicle fuel efficiency while reducing dependence on foreign oil and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

• There is an enormous demand for energy - particularly clean, affordable energy such as wind power and biodiesel, which can be produced in America while adding value to agricultural products. Clean coal technology is an important solution for the near future, bridging the petroleum economy of the past together with the hydrogen economy of the future.

• In another major action, eight of the nation’s largest water agencies have formed the Water Utility Climate Alliance, which will develop unified strategies to understand, prevent and respond to climate change.

• In Colorado, a new Solar Residential Program offers $1 million in rebates to residents who install solar systems in their homes. The program is part of Gov. Bill Ritter’s commitment to build a new “energy economy” in the state.

Setting the standards in a relentless battle
Battling something like climate change is a daunting task, especially when viewed in a global perspective. Yet banks can make a difference. The key is to take a ground-up approach: attacking climate change first within their own operations, then in their communities, and finally at state and national levels.

Lewis Bank of America, which began in San Francisco in 1904, is setting a high standard for all banks. Last year, it launched an $18 billion program to promote environmentally sustainable business activity that addresses global climate change. The 10-year initiative encompasses lending, investing, philanthropy, and the creation of new products and services.
Among the initiatives are financing real estate projects incorporating LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification; offering homebuyers, through its Green Mortgage Program, a reduced interest rate or $1,000 back for each home-purchase mortgage meeting the federal government’s ENERGY STAR specifications; and working with nonprofit organizations committed to improving the environment, such as the Redwood Forest Foundation, which acquired 50,000 acres in the Usal Redwood Forest by using $65 million attained with flexible long-term financing.

Becoming Green
Bank of America’s environmental efforts are external and internal, with $1.4 billion committed to achieving LEED certification in all new construction of office facilities and banking centers. Needless to say, most banks can’t match Bank of America; however, they can initiate programs that match their own capabilities and goals.

Mechanics Bank of Richmond, Calif., for instance, has launched a program to make all of its 31 retail offices LEED certified. Yet although the bank has gained customers and reduced its utility and maintenance costs, ROI is not the sole stimulus for the green program.

Uzel’s National Bank is promoting a paperless system of operations and using recycled materials where possible. The bank also was instrumental in the launch of Greenecco.com, an ecologically inspired website, and in the creation of a green credit card, where 50 percent of the proceeds from the card are donated to the environmental charity of the cardholder’s choosing. These types of credit cards will no doubt find increasing favor among banks. Bank of America’s new Brighter Planet Visa credit card, for example, allows customers to earn points used to help build community-based renewable energy projects across the United States.

Alpine South Rifle At Alpine Bank, with 38 locations located throughout western Colorado, a Green Team was created two years ago to study every facet of the bank’s operations. The result is an impressive list of environmental initiatives. Among the many achievements are attaining ISO 14001:2004 certification — the internationally recognized gold standard for environmental management — and receiving LEED certification for its South Rifle location.

Getting Started
The creation of jobs related to climate change and the restoration economy translates into unprecedented opportunities for banks willing to be leaders and innovators, even when the risks may be high. Here are a few suggestions:

• Become involved in local, state or regional organizations as a member of a working group or advisory committee.

• Explore how to become an equity partner or a participant in a public-private partnership to promote local, county or state green projects.

• Develop lending programs to encourage existing customers — and potential new customers — to invest in green technologies, such as solar power and green construction.

• Help existing businesses to become more environmentally friendly and establish programs to help new businesses dedicated to helping the environment.

• Introduce new products and services, such as green credit cards, that strengthen your relationship with customers seeking ways to help the environment.
Make your bank green, such as gaining LEED certification for your facilities and introducing programs such as Alpine Bank’s “Reduce, Recycle, Renew.”

The banks mentioned here realize that improving the environment helps their customers, their communities, their own institutions and their business outlook. If you are still caught under the yellow caution flag, it may be time to explore how to turn your institution — and your community — green.

First Snow

If you are lucky enough to live in Hawaii, you probably aren't getting pelted. But here in Ohio, we've seen a few large fluffy snowflakes fluttering down.

Kawaii (sounds like Hawaii with a K)is the Japanese word for cute. This video is a collection of pets experiencing snow for the first time:

Little Lost Grey Kitties! Adorable kitties on The Daily Squeak @ Yahoo! Video

Hopefully this video can warm a few hearts up a bit.

Do you remember your first experience with snow? How about the first time you took your pet out into the winter wonderland?

10 Things to Do if You're Alone for the Holidays

For a wide variety of reasons, many of us might find ourselves alone for the holidays.

With the emphasis on families and being with others, the holidays can be an especially lonely and trying time, even for the most introverted among us. Don’t worry, there are many things you can do to make the holidays a little less lonely when you’re alone.

1. Adjust expectations. There are so many categories of expectations about the season being just right that it brings up all sorts of issues relating to family, stress and anxiety, eating disorders, sobriety, self-esteem, competency — the list goes on. The number of “traditional households” in this country is not in the majority.
2. Pick up the phone. Call friends and ask to be included in whatever they’re doing. Offer to bring a recipe or another way to help the host contribute to the gathering. Most people love opening their homes and expanding the celebration. It works for everyone.
3. Be proactive. Create an “alternative family” made up of people whose company you enjoy. Plan and prepare a potluck feast if you like. Remember that you are not alone in being alone during the holidays. Get together with others and have some fun.
4. Plan an outing. Go on a hike, a park or a museum, or see a movie. Enjoy the outing with a friend or by yourself.
5. Pamper yourself. Treat yourself to a day of beauty at a spa, get a massage or find some other special way to luxuriate. Do whatever you enjoy doing.
6. Reach out. If you can’t be with family or loved ones physically during this time of the year, send them letters or e-mails or call them — in other words, reach out to them.
7. Remember your bonds and blessings. Pull out photo albums and read old letters. If possible, get on the phone and talk with loved ones who are still living.
8. Help others. Volunteering at a mission or shelter for the homeless will help you feel connected. Participate in activities with this organization at other times of the year, not just on one day of the year. This will make the experience more fulfilling.
   
9. Travel. If you have the finances, get away for a few days. Go skiing or take a tropical holiday. Singles groups often have tour groups during the holidays.
   
10. Get through the day. If you’re unable to do any of these things, just get through it. Read. Sleep. Rent a video. And remember, tomorrow it’ll all be over.

The holidays can be a lonely time, but that doesn’t mean you have to feel alone. Stay focused on acknowledging and meeting your needs, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly the holidays are over.

- article requested by John Martin

6 Ecofriendly Terms Everyone Should Know

It should be easy to be green.

To make it a little easier, here is a list of some of the commonly used product labels.

Organic: Produced without using fossil-fuel fertilizer, synthetic pesticides or genetically modified plants.

Sustainable/Renewable: made from sustainable or renewable materials that can be replenished easily, i.e.: using plant fibers such as bamboo, hemp or cotton rather that wood or materials made from petroleum.

Reusable: Designed to be used repeatedly for an extended time period.

Recycled: Made from recycled materials that come from previously used consumer products (post-consumer waste); from scraps created during the manufacturing process otherwise earmarked for landfills (post-industrial waste);or other waste (elephant dung).

Recyclable: Produced using materials that can be reclaimed and reinvented into usable products.

Compostable/Biodegradable: Manufactured from materials able to decompose safely in the environment. Both natural, biodegradable materials such as paper or plastic made from polylactic acid (PLA) derived from corn starch and synthetics such z bio-plastics with added accelerators belong in this group.