1. Weighing in

2. The Dumping Floor

3. Shaking and Tossing

4. Sorting the materials

5. Getting it ready to ship out

I was amazed at this facility how many types of items were being recycled; paper products, steel and aluminum cans, plastic containers, glass and other items.They have a dedicated employee that even looks at items they aren’t currently being recycled and pursues ways that vendors can reuse them. This facility services the city as well as other surrounding cities and counties. Even items that can’t be recycled at this plant are still being collected and transported to other facilities that can recycle  items such as car parts, household items and electronics. Their goal is to be Net Zero and to strive for 100% reuse of products in the  near future.

Some of the uses for the recycled materials so far:

I would say they are off to a good start.

The tour was truly educational and really made me think about how we treat our environment and things I can do as an individual to help make this world a better“Greener” place to live in now and in the furniture. I am encouraged to see so many people coming together to make our nation a more sustainable environment and a healthier place to live.

I encourage you to check out facilities and recycling programs in your area. Many government, schools and corporate initiatives and programs are available and waiting for you or your organization to be a part of.

Think Big, Start Small but START!

SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF RECYCLING
Recycling reduces waste that goes to landfills and produces revenue for our city.
Besides reducing waste, recycling also:

Saves Energy:
Recycling one aluminum can saves as much electricity as it takes to run a television for three hours.

Conserves Natural Resources:
Recycling a four-foot stack of a local newspaper produces as much paper pulp
as a 40-foot pine tree. Bottles and jars can be used to replace high grade sand, soda ash, limestone
and feldspar in making new bottles.

Improves the Environment:
Pollutants from manufacturing processes are reduced through recycling–50% for paper
and 90% for aluminum

Strengthens the Economy:
Reclaiming resources from our waste puts money back into the local economy and provides
many jobs in the recycling industry.

So every year for my kids birthday I make a special cake. This year by soon to be 13 year old wanted an Angry Bird cake. Now he is not big on cake but loves icecream, especially a limited addition Strawberry Shortcake addition.

Bingo I had my inspiration!

I would use short cake for the cake portion as a shell for the sundae and the icecream would round out the rest. So the Angry Bird Sundae was born. After walking around the store gathering more inspiration for flavors and accents this is what I came up with

.

 Hope you enjoy!

Makes 12 Sundaes

You will need:

2- pkgs of 6 dessert short cake shells

1 can white icing

red gel food coloring

1- bag mini oreos(for eyes,eyebrows and tails)

1- bag chocolate chips or at least 24 chips for center of eye

1 small pkg. almonds or at least 12 almond slivers ( for mouth)

1 oz. white chocolate

Can of Whipped cream

red sugar sprinkles

1/2 gallon -Ice cream of choice- We used Strawberry Shortcake but any flavor will do.Red Velvet or strawberry or vanilla take the sprinkles well and look most like the bird.

Microwavable bowl

wax paper on cookie sheet

traditional round ice cream scoop

serrated knife

small spatula to spread chocolate

Large Spatula to transfer to plate to serve.

 Once you have all the ingredients together get  a microwavable bowl  to heat up the icing. Make sure the bowl is big enough to dip the dessert shells in. Take the icing from the can add red gel coloring until you get the desired color. Microwave icing  in bowl for 25 secs. Stir. Make sure icing is melted and not clumpy.

Dip the shells one at a time in the icing. When finished set on wax paper/cookie sheet to dry. Coat sides and top.

Hint: Dip the top in the icing first. Bottom doesnt have to be covered.

While the shells are drying you can prepare the eyes and eyebrows and oreo tails. Take the mini oreo and separate. Take the side with the white and place a chocolate chip at the top edge for the pupil.

Note: I had to slice off the top of the chocolate chip to make it lay flat.

The part of the oreo that isn’t white you can use for the tails and the eyebrows. For the tail I used a serrated knife and cut in half and placed as shown below with the round edge facing down. Just place gently in the cake.

For the eyebrows I separated in three parts and tried to match up the eyebrows the best I could.Edges with edges and center sections with center sections.

Next microwave in a bowl 1 oz. bar of white chocolate for about 30-40 seconds. Stir. Take the small spatula and spread the white chocolate on the front part of the shell opposite the tail. It should angle down on each side like the bird. This gives the highlight effect of the bird but also acts as an adhesive for the eyes.

Make sure you put the chocolate on one shell at a time. Place the eyes on the shell so the pupils slightly face in giving the angry effect. Then place the eyebrows into the top of the shell above the eyes. Take the almond sliver and position under the eyes as the mouth.

Congrats! You have now completed your shell base.

You can place the shells into a sealed container and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

When you are ready place the shell on the plate and scoop up one rounded scoop of ice cream and place it in the shell. Cover with whipped cream. Use the whipped cream to give the top feather effect of the bird. Sprinkle with red sugar crystals.

There you have it. One delicious Angry Bird Sundae.

Tastes great….. I did a trial run just to be sure.

Enjoy

Baltix is a truly sustainable furniture company. They describe themselves as  “Abonormally Green” 

Sustainable- Capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment

What is Abnormally Green? This is Baltix description

In the past, we have used the term “authentically green” to describe ourselves, as we have been a leader in providing the greenest commercial furniture available since day one, back in 2002. “Authentically green” is great, but we aren’t sure it really conveys the uniqueness of our position in the furniture industry. We did not just jump on the green band wagon as a clever marketing ploy or to profit from a fad; we dedicated the resources of our company to provide truly sustainable furniture as our only offering. Our company has been trained in the principles of The Natural Step and strives to balance people, planet & profit. We have understood and supported LEED from its earliest days. Constantly looking at new materials and educating ourselves on best green practices is how we stay on the cutting edge of green in the industry. The core value of our business is sustainability, which is why we see ourselves as different from the rest… as “abnormally green.”

Baltix Believes…

• Style and value must be incorporated into every product
• Product design starts with raw material extraction and ends with disposal
• In eliminating the use of formaldehyde and petroleum-based materials
• Durability and long useful life is a critical path to a sustainable product
• Measuring one facet of sustainability while ignoring others is short-sighted
• In complete transparency and open discussion of how our products are made and what they are made from
• Exceptional customer service is part of a sustainable customer experience
• Using local supply partners is good for the environment and good for the economy
• It is better to use old than to buy new

These qualitites really make Baltix stand out as a sustainable furniture leader. Some of the ways Baltix carries out their beliefs is by the use of some really creative materials:

• Bio Surf- a proprietary technology and a 100% blend of soybean and corn biopolymer
• Forbo Linoleum- Made from natural materials such as linseed oil, pine rosin and wood flour.
  • It is biodegradable, anti- mircrobial and anti- static! 23 standard colors available
• Green MDF- This is made from 100% recylced wood fiber has no added formaldehyde and no harmful VOCs.
• Bamboo- This product is popular for its rapidly renewable properties. It is very light weight and strong.
• ShetkaStoneTM- This product is made from 100% recycled paper products and is a durable work surface that is water resistant, stain resistant and class “A” fire rated. Perfect for a educational environment.
• Nuxite- This product is actually made from crushed walnut shells and it absolutely beautiful.Walnut Shells are a sustainable and renewable by product of annual walnut food crop harvests.
• BioEdge Green Edgeband- A great alternative to PVS/ABS edgebanding. Made from a natural , non toxic, non VOC biobased corn polymer. Available in black, white and mushroom finishes.
• Recycled Steel Bases- Table bases are BIFMA standard and made from steel that includes post industrial recycled content. Finished with a powder coat non VOC process. Finishes include satin chrome and black with up to 14 colors available upon request.

Some of the other things that make Baltix unique…..

• UV stable
• Impervious to Bleach- perfect for Healthcare!
• Image under laminate
• Superior Impact and Abrasion Resistant surfaces
• Procucts on GSA schedule

ALL Materials sourced and Made in The USA!

Some of the products that are available are tables, workstation surfaces, and cabinets.

Curious about the cost? I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Most products are only about 10% higher than their standard non green alternatives. Not a bad trade off for a better environment.

Baltix is all about customs!  They encourage you to enlist their help on unique custom projects.  With the digital world at our fingertips, logos and custom design surfaces are readily accessible limited only by your imagination.

 I encourage you to check out their website. www.baltix.com . As allows I am always here to help with questions, projects and specifications as well. Contact Me

 Let’s make this world a better, Greener, sustainable place to be. “Abnormally Green”!

So this week one of my favorite reps stopped by the office with some LED task lighting.

I was really impressed with the offerings as well as the price. So I decided  to take the time to sit down and blog about what I saw. I think you will also find the products noteworthy.

ESI Ergonomic Solutions has always been  a leader in the ergonomic world and known for its keyboards and ergonomic offerings but now they have one more thing to brag about. I love their line of LED  task lighting.

The first thing that caught my eye on the lamps was the aesthetics. I loved the clean lines. I also liked that they are LED and energy effiecient and that makes for a more sustainable office environment.

When the rep told me the prices I was SOLD!

The pricing is  reasonable and the lights have some features I find worth mentioning.

Pixie

• Energy Effiecient 3W LED light
• Lamp life 50,000 hours
• Small profile, light weight
• Flexible neck for just the right angle
• ideal for desks and workstations with limited space and in need of extra lighting
• 11.8″ reach
• 7′ power cord
• detachable power adapter cord so that lamp can easily be  pulled through wire manager and be moved without having to diassemble the desk or work surface. This makes the lighting easily portable when needed

List Price $143.00

Vivid

• Energy Efficient multi-LED lighting array using just 6 W of power
• Lamp life 50,000 hours
• Flexible providing easy adjustment with tension-loaded joints for a wide range of motion and precise placement.
• Available in a 2 arm option model to provide further reach when needed.
• The sturdy 6lbs base assures the lamp remains firmly on the work surface while being adjusted.
• 180 degree rotation at the light source
• Single armature has 21″reach. While the double armature has a 36″ reach
• detachable power adapter cord so that lamp can easily be  pulled through wire manager and be moved without having to diassemble the desk or work surface. This makes the lighting easily portable when needed.

List Price Single Arm: $308

List Price Double Arm:$324

Solstice

• Utilizes side emmitting LED and only uses 6 W of power
• Lamp life 50,000 hours
• Lamp head rotates 350 degrees
• Allows you to adjust the light intensity with a continuous simple touch dimmer control
• Provides a USB port to conveniently charge handheld devices such as mobile phones and MP3 Players
• detachable power adapter cord so that lamp can easily be  pulled through wire manager and be moved without having to diassemble the desk or work surface. This makes the lighting easily portable when needed.

List Price $329.00

Omega LX

• 4 Energy Efficient LED lamps pulling 6.5W
• Lamp Life 40,000 hours
• Light weight aluminum slim design
• low profile base with 306 degree rotation
• 2 arms 13″ and 14″ connected by a fully articulating  joint
• 4 step dimming
• 6′ power cord
• Meets CA Title 20 Lighting Regulations
• Base mount,desk mount, slat wall mount and grommet mount options available

List Price Base Mount $360.00

List Price Desk top Mount $360.00

List Price Slat Wall Mount $376.00

List Price Grommet Mount $360.00

LEDUC

ESI also carries a line of LED undercounter task lighting that is truly unique

• LED lamp life 50,000 hours
• brushed silver finish
• includes cord management clips
• 9′ power cord
• Daisy Chain configurations includes 36″ jumper cord
• touch sensitive on/off control
• includes both magnetic and wood screw mounts standard
• light bar rotates 180 degrees to reduce glare
• comes in 24″, 36″, and 48″ lengths

List Price on Single 24″ unit $270.00

List Price on Single 36″ unit $375.00

List Price on Single 48″ unit $490.00

So as you can see ESI’s line of LED task lighting products have a lot to offer. If you are in the market for task lighting and would like your purchase price please feel free to Contact me or request a quote and I will gladly get back with you on pricing for your project.

So when you think Energy Efficient and Sustainable think ESI for Lighting!

Is your office planning a move?

If you are contemplating an office move whether big or small, you will want to check out the follow tips. There is a great deal of detail and preparation needed to make sure your office move goes smoothly.

The following Move Management Guideline will give you a great place to start.

Important Instructions for Your Move

1. Determine your space needs for each department. Do your Programming homework. This is one of the most important phases.
2. Appoint a Moving Committee to assist the mover before and during the relocation process.
3. Consider hiring a Risk Management and Disaster Preparation Consultant to evaluate your risk and profit loss before the move. How will this move affect your business profitability and how can you prepare for the unexpected?
4. Consider any new furniture you may need in your new space. Plan for any refurbishing of existing product. Allow time for new product and refurbished product to be completed when considering your timeline and move in date.
5. Review telephone system. Will you be moving your current system? Is now the time to upgrade or switch to a new type of phone system?Will connections be established at both locations during the move?
6. Coordinate with your IT department to make sure that Servers and computers are moved timely and efficiently to minimize downtime and profit loss.SET A SCHEDULE!
7. Prepare a Floor Plan for all departments and Private Offices. Hire or consult with an Architect or Interior Designer/Space Planner. This will help you see if your furniture will fit and if you have the right vision and space allotment for each department.
8. Prepare a Timeline and Move Schedule.
9. Destroy old records and obsolete forms. NOW IS THE TIME TO PURGE!
10. Reserve several  parking spaces at your CURRENT and NEW  locations,as close to the Front door as possible.
11. Reserve the Freight Elevator and Loading dock( if applicable) IN WRITING at both the CURRENT and NEW locations.
12. Have the Elevator Company placed on Standby at both locations.
13. Procure the Home and Cell Phone Numbers of the Building manager at each location.
14. Contact appropriate vendors to service the following equipment  before relocation. Computer Systems- Copiers-Word Processing Equipment-Commercial Cameras
15. Back up ALL data before disconnecting your computer. Disconnect computer cables and place in labeled bag before the move.
16. Remove ALL toner cartridges from printers.
17. Carry all discs and important information with you. MOVE ALL LAPTOPS YOURSELF.Do not leave that for the movers.
18. Have your copier company remove all dry and liquid toner from your copier.Also have your sorter detached. Check with your copier vendor to make sure you are not violating your service agreement by having the copier, printer or fax moved.
19. DO NOT MOVE LOADED FILES! Remove all items from desks, file cabinets and fire proof files as well as any cabinets with shelves and swing doors.
20. Review all insurance requirements in relation to new quarters.
21. Check all doors and window locks at new facility. Obtain new keys.
22. Arrange for security guards during relocation if deemed necessary.
23. If plants in office are on a rental basis, notify supplier you are moving. They generally prefer to move the plants
24. Prepare publicity releases announcing your new quarters. Pictures of new building or artist’s rendering.
25. Complete arrangements for security in new facility.
26. Complete arrangements for cleaning service at the new space.
27. Plan an emergency evacuation program for all personnel.
28. Inform your personnel of moving date and new location.
29. Fire, theft and liability insurance should be transferred and renewed for the new location.
30. Arrange for your company’s address and telephone changes on the following;Envelopes,Business Cards, Checks, Letterhead, Credit Cards, Invoices, Statements.
31. Make arrangements for change of listing in the telephone directory.
32. Notify Federal, State and Local offices.
33. Transfer services such as vending machines, towels,ect.
34. Send Moving notices to the following Vendors

• Suppliers
• Newspaper
• Trade Journals
• Phone Company
• Customers
• Utilities
• Government Regulatory
• Magazine
• Insurance Companies
• Banks
• Agencies

If your move requires any special or unique requests, be sure to notify your move coordinator or move supervisor.

Talk to your employees about the move in a positive manner. Delivering a well thought out plan makes for a much more productive office environment.

Be sure to inform your employees of the following:

• Nearest emergency medical care
• Public transportation facilities
• Parking situation at the new building
• Shopping facilities and convenient restaurants

Happy Moving!

Remember if you need more assistance I am here to help. Move Management is one of my specialties.

• The National Weather Service’s preliminary estimate is that there have been approximately 1,314  tornadoes so far this year.
• The previous yearly record number of tornadoes was set in 2004 with 1,817.

So what do you do “After the Storm” has passed?

Your first concern after a disaster is your family’s safety and health.The first thing to do when the initial chaos is over, is to check each person in your house hold for injury.  Unless the injured person is in danger of additional injury, do not move them.

Recently I came across a product line from Enwork that really caught my eye. It is called Grid.

When speaking to a rep about a particular project I was working on he suggested this new introduction from Enwork. I had priced out several products that were similar in concept but they were just too expensive.I was shocked at how affordable the Grid product was, especially since there were many options and configurations available. So I did some research on the line and was pleasantly surprised.

Customers today are wanting something different than cubicles. A great deal of my clients are looking for a more open environment in-which workers can team and collaborate,but they don’t want to give up the electrical and storage options cubicles offer. There are wonderful products out there that offer a great look and collaborative environment and are perfect for the company that can afford that furniture luxury. However, this new product by Enwork is a great alternative for the company that wants quality furniture at a great affordable price.

Grid can be totally freestanding with the use of T legs or it can be used in a linking or tethering environment using the straight legs. Everything works off the Grid frame. There is a 42′H frame with power and data above the worksurface or the 36″H frame with power and data below the worksurface. There is also a mini frame at 34″H with power and data above the worksurface and 28″H with power and data below the worksurface. The power that runs through the frame is a 5 circuit 3 wire system.Frames can be ordered with1 or 2 sided power, each with 2 duplex receptacles and 2 data openings per user per side.  Cable Management is handled through a trough or through slots in the support legs.The frames can connect at a straight run , 90* or 120*.

The idea of the Grid is quite simple. You start with your frame and then build from there. You can opt for a simple Topper Screen that is 12″ made out of Acrylic for a simple look, or you can opt for the wide variety of tile options listed below.

• Acrylic Full and Partial
• Steel Full and Partial
• Fabric Full and Partial
• Whiteboard Full and Partial
• Laminate Full and Partial
• Wood Full and Partial

Instead of tiles you also have several overhead configurations you can use. The storage options with Grid are plentiful. Some of the options include:

• Mobile pedestals
• closed and open overhead shelving
• low bookcase
• Bookcase and pedestal storage towers
• mobile and freestanding cubbie storage

The Grid Frame also acts as a hanging brace for work tools. They have the basics such as diagonal and paper trays as well as phone holders and pencil cups and an organizer tray. The LED lighting also hangs off the frames and tiles. The lighting is available to daisy chain and  has an average of  50,000 lifetime hours per unit.

There is also a modesty panel available for your more exposed environments.

Good Options,Good Quality,Good Value

There are many configurations for the worksurfaces as well. Recently as an environmental leader Enwork switched from PVC to ABS edgeband. They offer the specifier and end user chlorine free worksurface solutions as STANDARD product.

You can learn more about their environmental leadership initiative at www.enwork.com/environmental.php

Enwork tables can be integrated into Grid pods as well. The legs of the products are made to blend.

Enwork also has several other products worth mentioning. They have been widely known for their tables for years. They also carry laminate and steel casegoods and a variety of storage products and signage.

As an interesting end note I found out that Facebook after looking at several other high end manufacturers chose the Enwork product. So I have to say Enwork may just be on to something.

At least I think so!

What preparations have you made as a business or a family that would help you sustain a  natural or man made disaster?

A few weeks ago I met Earlene with Life Essentials. She helps individuals and business survive the unexpected.

 

“We show a business how to create an effective emergency/disaster preparedness and recovery plan for their business. A plan tailored specifically for their company.Whether it’s a natural or man-made disaster, anything that disrupts operations can put your business in jeopardy.  Every business needs a plan, not only to succeed, but to …”Survive the Unexpected”.

Earlene’s company helps you to prepare for the unexpected so that business and life survive. I asked her to share a few of her tips.She sent me some great information on Hotel Safety which you can read more about here. In light of the recent tragedy in Japan she also shared some useful information about the Potassium Iodide Radiation Pill.

Potassium Iodide, aka, Radiation Pill

Earlene Young

With the disaster in Japan on everyone’s mind, you have by now probably heard that there is a radiation pill to protect a person from radiation.  What does this pill do?  Potassium iodide has just one use.  It shields the thyroid from radioactive iodine.  It doesn’t protect any other organ or block any other type of radiation.

Potassium is a salt also known as KI.  It comes in pill or liquid form and you can buy it over-the-counter.   People who are allergic to shell fish or iodine could have a reaction to the Potassium Iodide.

Children are the most at risk for thyroid cancer from radiation exposure.  It is most important for children and pregnant women, and should be given within a few hours of radiation exposure.  The pill can help prevent radioactive iodine from causing thyroid cancer in children, but is not considered to be that effective for adults over 40.

Is that to say that you’re wasting your time taking it if you’re over 40?  I’m not going to tell you that.  With no other alternative, I’d take them.   You’ll need to have enough on hand for your whole family; everyone will need to take the Potassium Iodide for a minimum of two weeks.   Every family that lives near a nuclear facility should have a supply on hand in case of a local radiation emergency.   Don’t depend on the government to provide for you and your family.

Now with all that said, do I believe that we’re at risk here in the U.S. from the disaster in Japan right now?  No.  Homeland Security Director Napolitano says there is no threat to the California Coast.  The situation is getting worse daily.  If the weather conditions are such that the winds are blowing toward the coast, it could carry radiation ashore in the U.S.  To what level, I have no idea.

We have over 100 operating nuclear power plants here in the U.S.  We also have a large number of nuclear fuel and weapons facilities.   There are two Fixed Nuclear Facilities here in Tennessee and the National Laboratory at Oak Ridge.  The best way to avoid radiation exposure is to get as far away from the leak as possible, as fast as possible.

My concern for the person reading this post is not how you should prepare for a nuclear disaster, but how you should prepare for an emergency or disaster PERIOD.   You need a well thought out plan for emergencies in general.   Scenario planning is the best method for planning what you will do “IF” happens.  Consider the most likely scenario first.  (Thinking about what you would do in the event of an emergency or disaster is your first step to surviving it.)  This doesn’t have to scare you.  Being prepared will give you peace of mind and help your family to have peace of mind.  You should plan with your family, so that when something happens, everybody knows what to do.

Whether it’s a natural or a man-made disaster you prepare in the same way.  We have to have certain things to survive.   Shelter, water, food, sanitation and first-aid/survivor-aid.   Go to www.redcross.org for the information you need to get ready.  Get a plan, get a kit, and get ready to survive the unexpected.

Earlene Young

Life Essentials …Preparing Business to Survive the Unexpected

www.survivetheunexpected.com

What if it seemed YOU were living the wrong life?

 

I couldn’t live with myself any longer. And in this a question arose without an answer: who is the ‘I’ that cannot live with the self? What is the self? I felt drawn into a void. I didn’t know at the time that what really happened was the mind-made self, with its heaviness, its problems, that lives between the unsatisfying past and the fearful future, collapsed. It dissolved. The next morning I woke up and everything was so peaceful. The peace was there because there was no self. Just a sense of presence or “beingness”, just observing and watching.

Others results are wrenching, some are baffling and a few are downright alarming. Grierson shares commentary from philosophers, psychologists, researchers and theoreticians to his discussion of personal change. Some stories crumble under scrutiny.

Daily someone experiences a wake-up call. They sense they have gotten things terribly wrong. Somehow, they are on the wrong side. Something” tells them that life can’t go on this way. And so, on moral, or at least deeply personal, grounds, they make a “U-turn”. All of us dream from time to time of overhauling our lives. Of shedding the old self, with its tired habits, complacency, and disillusionment, and taking on some utterly different, more focused and fulfilled identity. 

The shift may be sparked by an external event—the collapse of a marriage, the loss of a mentor, a close brush with death a dead end route that leads straight to jail or prison—that sharpens the urge to invest what life remains with meaning. Very few experience the flash of desire for change act on it as Malcolm X did in his transformation from petty criminal to revered African-American leader. With most of us it stops with the dream or thinking.

Grierson cites Buddha:

Only by finding and acting on our true calling can we save the world.

And Gandhi:

We must be the change we wish to see in the world.

According to Grierson, it’s possible to save the world only if individuals collectively create a tipping point by embracing “an irresistible truth whose time has come.” I don’t know exactly what that means but I want that hope.

By Gerard Howell

A few weeks ago I met Earlene with Life Essentials. She helps individuals and business survive the unexpected. 

“We show a business how to create an effective emergency/disaster preparedness and recovery plan for their business. A plan tailored specifically for their company.Whether it’s a natural or man-made disaster, anything that disrupts operations can put your business in jeopardy.  Every business needs a plan, not only to succeed, but to …”Survive the Unexpected”.

Earlene’s company helps you to prepare for the unexpected so that business and life survive. I asked her to share a few of her tips. She sent me this information on Hotel Safety. The information is very enlightening and I wanted to pass it on to my readers. With spring break and summer plans already in the making, I know you will find this information as useful as I did.

Hotel Safety

What makes a safe hotel?
Never compromise your safety for a dollar. A great deal on hotel room can certainly cushion you budget, but it’s worthless if the hotel is in a bad neighborhood or isn’t up to code on things like door locks and surveillance cameras. Once you find the right location, narrow down your hotel choices by taking into consideration the following:

•  Is each room equipped with a dead bolt lock and a peephole?
• Does the hotel room have an electronic guest room lock? Key locks are cute and add a bit of charm, but electronic doors track the comings-and-goings of all who enter.
• Do the hotel rooms have a telephone enabled with emergency call button or the ability dial outside of the hotel?
• Do photos of the hotel show well-lit hallways, parking garages and lobby areas? (Side note: never book a hotel without viewing pictures first).
• Hotels with limited entry/exit options usually have less foot-traffic, which keeps stragglers off the premises.
• Does the hotel provide 24-hour concierge/security? Knowing someone is on duty at all times allows for peace of mind if you’re feeling unsafe.
• Before booking a hotel room in an international destination, make sure it’s in a safe area by checking with the US Embassy in that country.

When arriving at your hotel:

Stay with your luggage at all times. If a bellman offers to take your bags, make sure to keep the bag with your laptop, wallet and jewelry in it, and get the Bellman’s name.

Once you check in, grab a few hotel cards or matchbooks with the hotel’s address on it and place them in your pocket or purse. If you get lost, you have the address and phone number ready to give to a cab driver.

Selecting the safest hotel room:

While the higher floors have the best views, the lower floors have quicker access to the ground. In the event of an emergency, you want to get out fast. Keep in mind that some fire departments, including those in the United States, can only reach as high as floor 8 in an emergency.

Whenever possible, do not take a hotel room on the ground floor if it has doors and windows that open to the outside. This is particularly important for motels with rooms off parking lots. If you can’t get a room on a higher floor, forgo your view and choose a room facing the interior or courtyard.

Guestrooms near the elevators are generally the safest, but can also be the noisiest. If you’re staying alone, request that your room is in the middle of the hallway or near an elevator – while the alcoves and corner rooms are very intimate and offer great views, they are also somewhat hidden making it easier for thieves to access.
After arriving in your room, check for the following:

• If the hotel room you’re staying in has older door locks (metal keys instead of the electronic key cards) make sure to check the deadbolt and safety chain when you arrive in your room. If they seem jittery or loose, ask to change rooms.
• Check the closets and bathrooms for anything left from the last guests and ensure all windows and adjoining doors shut and lock properly.
• Check the phone to make sure an outside line is accessible.
• Locate the nearest fire exit and count how many doors along the way until you reach the exit. In the event of a fire and heavy smoke, counting the doors will ensure you get to safety if you can’t see.

When you leave your hotel room:

Leave the television on – it gives the impression someone is in the room. Ask the maid service to keep the TV on or turn on the radio during turn-down service.

The ‘please make up my room’ sign is also code for ‘I’m not here’. Don’t worry about making your bed or needing clean towels – maid service keeps track of the rooms and what’s been cleaned, so they’ll get to you regardless of whether you have the sign on your door. If you don’t need your room serviced, place the “Do not disturb” sign on your door when you leave. This gives the impression you’re inside.

If you have valuables and don’t have an in-room safe, ask to use the security vault in the hotel. If you have an in-room safe, use it!

Thanks again Earlene for this great information. To learn more about Life Essentials contact me or Earlene.

Life Essentials….Preparing Business to Survive the Unexpected