In this stagnant economy, everyone is focused on cutting costs to drive higher profitability--since doing it with revenue growth is not practical until we have a sustained recovery. Sustainable business practices are a great context in which to reduce expenses. Sustainability is about using less energy or fewer resources in the course of business. Since both have associated costs, using less is an automatic cost savings.Getting your employees engaged in sustainable business practices is a quick and efficient way to achieve those savings. While there will be some investment in communications, promotions, and incentives, it will likely be much smaller than infrastructure investments in IT, facilities, and HVAC (which can and should be part of a longer term strategy). What is more, behavioral change can be implemented relatively quickly.Some of your employees are probably already engaging in green business practices on their own. It could be as simple as turning out lights, shutting down computers, or reusing paper when printing. However, using a structured engagement program, you have the ability to focus that energy and to drive business results. Additionally, with a social network platform you can ensure that they help drive progress by encouraging each other. A green employee ...

The enormity of the health care crisis goes well beyond those who are able to pay for services and those who are not. Although, it is important to realize that there are many uninsured American's it is also important to realize that the high cost of health care in America lends itself to some of the greatest health care advances in the world. There is no question that a Nationalized Health Care system will benefit those who can no longer afford health care for a better life. But this system could very well mean cut back in research and development of new and better cures and procedures for disease victims of HIV and the many forms of cancer. There could be a greater than expected trade off. Part of the high cost of the American health care system stems from the desire to do the scientific research needed to further investigate the diseases that are killing people and assists in finding new cures and treatments as well as technological advances in the area of screenings for these illnesses. At first glance, it may seem that American's pay way too much for their health insurance and for health care, but in the ...

Enjoying your pool with the family during summer is something that we often take for granted. It's only when we add up the cost of running it, do we wonder if it was worth while. However, there are simple effective ways to cut your pool costs. By reducing the pools evaporation rate, the pool heating costs and pool pumping costs, you will be well on the way to have a cost free pool. At the very least, you will have a pool that has much lower environmental impact.The big advantages in looking at a Solar Powered Pool Pump is that they really cut the power use of your pool. A pool pump runs on DC power from from a nearby solar panel. If the pump does not have a backup battery system (which adds to setup costs) it can be connected to your grid power supply for a "no-sun" backup. The same applies for nighttime pool use - if you need to run the pump at night, then connection to the homes AC supply is recommended.When cost cutting, look for efficiencies. By using a pool cover, you can cut pool evaporation and lower any heating bills. By lowering your evaporation ...