Stanford’s transition to a new contractor for campus custodial services on Dec. 1 created complications for a small number of custodial employees, who are now scheduled to enter an arbitration process through the employees’ union and the new subcontractor, UGL (UNICCO).

News of the change in contractors sparked e-mail petitions throughout the school and a lunchtime protest claiming that employees of the previous contractor, ABM, would not be guaranteed job security or seniority in the transition. Provost John Etchemendy Ph.D. ‘82 called those claims “not accurate” at an ASSU joint legislative meeting on Dec. 1.

UGL is required by union contract to offer all ABM employees the chance to stay on with the same seniority, wages and benefits they held previously. In the rehiring process, however, “several dozen” of the 134 ABM employees did not initially pass the security background check or the identity verification required by federal law, said Stanford spokeswoman Lisa Lapin. Since then, at least 18 have been rehired, and the rest are being given 120 days to obtain the necessary documentation required to work legally in the U.S., Lapin said.

More at source:Stanford Daily

Baking soda is one item that you can purchase that will help green your life in many ways.  Baking soda can be used for so many things.  I purchase a large bag of baking soda from Costco and use it for everything from cleaning to baking.  It is all natural, cheap, and green!  Here are some of my favorite uses for baking soda:

• Do you have an upset stomach?  Try dissolving a 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of warm water.  Drink over the course of a half hour to help settle the nausea and reduce stomach acid.
• 
  
• Does your vacuum cleaner smell when you use it?  Sprinkle some baking soda in the bag or canister and you'll eliminate the odor.  If you have some essential oils, you can mix those in with the baking soda before you add it to the canister.
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• Run out of toothpaste? A small amount of baking soda on your toothbrush will help get your teeth nice and clean and make your breath smell fresh.
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  More at the source: Savings.com

Around 7 a.m., Serinese and another employee were clearing snow from one of the trucks when they raised the flatbed to cause the snow to slide off, police Lt. Roger Reinson said. At some point during the cleaning, the second employee hit the controls on the driver’s side to begin to lower the flatbed, unaware of Serinese’s whereabouts.

Source: My Central Jersey

ALBUQUERQUE, NM {KRQE} - No one, not even the homeowner, is denying it's a big mess, and cleaning it up so she can move back in, won't be easy. But that’s exactly what neighbors want for the 82 year old northeast heights homeowner.

“This is monumental,” neighbor Robert Trudo said.

Junk and old appliances fill the backyard. The garage is packed with boxes of mason jars, baby strollers hang from the rafters, and fabric and decorations fill a back bedroom.

More at the source:KRQE

San Diego, CA, January 12, 2011-- Waterless Co. Inc., the oldest and one of the largest manufacturers of no-water urinal systems and other restroom products in the United States, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this month.

The company was founded by Klaus Reichardt, a leading advocate for water conservation and sustainability. His goal was to develop a firm that would help facilities use our most precious resource, water, more responsibly.

"We have grown from just a few distributors in the U.S. to having distributors throughout the country," he says. "And because of America's growing interest in sustainability, the last few years have actually been some of our biggest growth years."

Reichardt says the downturn in the economy has had unfortunate ramifications for other firms in his industry.

"However, we just stayed focused on our strengths, listened to our customer's needs, and re-focused our commitments to water conservation and sustainability," he says.

One of the key design features of the Waterless system, which has also proven to be one of its most important selling points, is the fact that the trap/cylinders, used to block sewer odors, are long-lasting and relatively inexpensive, costing less than $7.

This is in contrast to some trap/cylinder systems that can cost upwards of $40 each time they must be replaced.

"Looking back over the past two decades, it is clear now why the product line and ultimately the company have been so successful," Reichardt says. "The urinals work as promised, stay clean and odor free, and are cost effective."

The company has also been a leading innovator in its industry. About three years ago, it introduced the first urinals made of soy resin, which reduces the amount of petroleum and other natural resources used to manufacture urinals.

"Our soy urinals have been very successful," Reichardt says. "We consider them examples of the types of sustainable, water-conserving products we have planned for the future."

About Waterless
Waterless® Co. LLC. has established a reputation as an innovative manufacturer, serving the building, plumbing, and janitorial industry for over 18 years. Based in Vista, Ca, Waterless Co. offers quality, innovation and expertise in water conservation and high efficiency products for building owners with a full line of Waterless No-Flush urinals, cleaning liquids, and cost saving accessories. Visit: www.waterless.com

Waterless Co.
1050 Joshua Way
Vista, CA 92081 USA
888-NOFLUSH (888-663-5874)
sales@waterless.com

The new year is here, and what better way to celebrate than to clean house?

While I may not have the luxury of hiring people to clean for me, it is certainly something on my wish list. That's why I was intrigued when I first heard about a green cleaning company right here in Brooklyn called Greenhouse Cleaning.

Greenhouse Cleaning is owned by Saudia Davis, a Bed-Stuy resident who specializes in cleaning homes and businesses with organic, plant-based products. I have always been an advocate of using homemade products to clean.

So I asked Saudia about the products she uses for cleaning greener in the home to see if maybe we shared tactics. I learned that her staff uses a mixture of natural products and simple ingredients for cleaning chemical free. She even suggested using a little ketchup for cleaning glass and olive oil with vinegar for floors.

Full article at source:Bed-Stuy

John Boehner, who mopped floors as a janitor to put himself through college, was chosen the 53rd speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives two months after the 2010 elections swept his Republican Party into control.

The House in a roll-call vote selected Boehner, 61, of Ohio to succeed California Democrat Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as speaker. Boehner received 241 votes, Pelosi 173.

Democrats, who had controlled the chamber since 2007, lost 63 House seats in the Nov. 2 elections that President Barack Obama described as a “shellacking.”

Full article at source: Bloomberg.com

The NPMA will ask the federal government for research and development funding, Rosenberg said, and more money to treat homes and apartments where lower-income people live and where paying at least $300 for a single treatment isn't possible.

The industry has been meeting for two months, Rosenberg said, to develop consumer guidelines to ensure customers aren't getting ripped off.

"There's, unfortunately, a lot of people trying to make money on this right now," said Debra Kay, a member of the blue ribbon task force, which will release it's recommendations near the end of the month. "It's a consumer protection thing."

More at source:Denver Channel