RETAIL
‘Green’ shopping options
The green revolution has reached well into the consumer realm, and created buying opportunities that can both have a positive impact on the environment and household budget.
If you’d like to reduce your ecological footprint and perhaps make a green-friendly statement, including during the holiday season, a variety of websites offer green shopping tips and guidelines. Here are a few:
• Consumer Reports Greener Choices: Offers shopping info on a variety of consumer products under the “Green Shopping” drop-down menu or product icons. Go to: www.greenerchoices.org
• National Geographic’s Green Guide: Covers several green living topics, and includes buying guides. Go to: environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/green-guide/
• Federal Trade Commission: Focuses on green shopping descriptions that consumers can use to determine if a product is actually green. Go to: www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/general/gen02.shtm
• Green America: Spotlights 10 tips for green shopping at holiday time. http://www.greenamerica.org/programs/shopunshop/buyinggreen/HolidayTips.cfm
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Provides green shopping tips, with additional links on green product purchasing. http://www.epa.gov/osw/education/pubs/shopping.htm
By Chuck Myers, McClatchy-Tribune News Service
AUTO SAFETY
Emergency kit necessities
Q: Can you recommend a kit to keep in the car for emergencies? I’ve seen them for sale but thought the parts were cheap quality and the kit not complete enough.
A: My list is large, designed for folks who really hit the road, or off of it. Others can pick and choose to suit their needs and available trunk space. Here goes: first aid kit; hand sanitizer and alcohol wipes; road flares (replace every five years); gloves; Zippo lighter; flashlight (Home Depot’s Rayovac Indestructible 2 AA LED light is my choice); AA batteries; space or foil blankets; whistle; signal mirror from a marine supply store; ponchos; granola bars, vacuum-sealed; gallon of drinking water, which can also be used as engine coolant; battery jumper cables (not cheap); tire pressure gauge, preferably dial type; a few sheet rock screws, for plugging small tire holes; nonflammable aerosol tire inflator/sealer; radiator stop leak, such as AlumAseal or Bar’s Leaks; roll of Rescue Tape or electrical tape to repair hoses; assortment of zip ties; small roll of baling wire; roll of duct tape for mending broken things; quart of motor oil; quart of automatic transmission fluid; $10 in quarters, a $10 bill; paper and pencil; paper towels; tarp or towel to lay or kneel on; “need help” sign or sun shade; orange smoke flare from marine supply store; sturdy bag for carrying supplies; Leatherman or similar multi-tool; slip joint and vise grip pliers; No. 2 standard and Phillips screwdrivers; scissors; previously replaced fan or serpentine belt; assortment of fuses — check if your car uses SFE, ATO, mini ATO fuses or low profile mini ATO; tire chains, seasonally.
By Brad Bergholdt
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
MANAGEMENT
Thoughts on marketing
Q: What are key components in marketing that business owners should understand?
A: Jeremy Sisk, president of Xperience4Higher Inc., a marketing firm in Durham, N.C., that focuses on small businesses, says: Having a plan and deciding on your budget is No. 1. It’s a real mistake not to have a marketing budget. If you are starting up, there is more marketing spend than on an established business. Typically, the marketing spend is somewhere between 2 to 10 percent of the total operating budget.
By Raleigh News & Observer