MINNETONKA, MN — UnitedHealth Group's new 10-story building is one of only eight commercial buildings in Minnesota to have earned a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification, according to Finance and Commerce.
The building incorporated environmentally friendly designs like reusing storm water runoff, installing low-flow water fixtures and a weather-sensitive landscaping irrigation system, and installing ergonomic employee workstations, the story stated.
UnitedHealth Group earned its gold-level certification by reaching requirements in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, sustainable materials and indoor environmental quality, the story noted.
The LEED Green Building Rating System is the most widely used environmental standard for commercial buildings and a nationally accepted benchmark for the development and operation of environmentally responsible architecture, the story added.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Even more job cuts for Dow
FREEPORT, TX — Dow Chemical will cut another 350 full-time employees from all of the company's 75 Texas plants and the administrative office, according to The Facts.
February 28 is the absolute last day a severed employee can be on-site, though many of them have already left their positions, the story stated.
Freeport plant Manager and Vice President Gary Hockstra said: "I have been impressed by the conduct and professionalism demonstrated by our employees and by our community and business partners here in Texas during this difficult period."
Each of the affected employees have been notified and both union and non-union employees will receive a severance package upon their release, the story noted.
Plants in Texas ran at about 35 percent capacity in December, but production had increased to about 60 percent by late January; weak demand, however, forced Dow to cut costs by laying employees off, the story added.
February 28 is the absolute last day a severed employee can be on-site, though many of them have already left their positions, the story stated.
Freeport plant Manager and Vice President Gary Hockstra said: "I have been impressed by the conduct and professionalism demonstrated by our employees and by our community and business partners here in Texas during this difficult period."
Each of the affected employees have been notified and both union and non-union employees will receive a severance package upon their release, the story noted.
Plants in Texas ran at about 35 percent capacity in December, but production had increased to about 60 percent by late January; weak demand, however, forced Dow to cut costs by laying employees off, the story added.
$22,500 in OSHA fines for paper mill
TOMAHAWK, WI — Packaging Corporation of America has paid $22,500 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fines for an explosion that occurred last year at their Tomahawk mill, according to an Associated Press story picked up by WKBT-TV.
The company was cited for four "serious" violations, including poor ventilation for flammable gases, the story stated.
The company's negligence resulted in three fatalities and another worker being injured in the explosion, the story noted.
The Lake Forest, IL-based company paid the fines in full last week, well before the February 12 deadline, the story added.
According to the story, the violations are fully or nearly fixed.
The company was cited for four "serious" violations, including poor ventilation for flammable gases, the story stated.
The company's negligence resulted in three fatalities and another worker being injured in the explosion, the story noted.
The Lake Forest, IL-based company paid the fines in full last week, well before the February 12 deadline, the story added.
According to the story, the violations are fully or nearly fixed.
County may charge inmates for toilet paper
DES MOINES, IA — Des Moines County is flirting with an idea to charge jail inmates for their toilet paper use, according to the Des Moines Register.
The idea comes in lieu of a $1.7 million budget deficit with two options for reduction: Cut costs or face employee furloughs and layoffs, the story stated.
According to the county's budget director Cheryl McVey, billing inmates could save more than $2,300 a year, a figure provided by the county jail's maintenance department.
It remains unclear whether inmates would be charged by the sheet, square or roll, the story noted.
Curt Braby, Louisa County sheriff and president of the Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association, said: "They've got budget problems, and they're looking for places to cut. But what do you do for the guy who hasn't got the dollar for the toilet paper?"
Inmates would likely spend money from commissary accounts if asked to pay for their toilet paper, an idea that is not on the books in any other county, the story added.
The idea comes in lieu of a $1.7 million budget deficit with two options for reduction: Cut costs or face employee furloughs and layoffs, the story stated.
According to the county's budget director Cheryl McVey, billing inmates could save more than $2,300 a year, a figure provided by the county jail's maintenance department.
It remains unclear whether inmates would be charged by the sheet, square or roll, the story noted.
Curt Braby, Louisa County sheriff and president of the Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association, said: "They've got budget problems, and they're looking for places to cut. But what do you do for the guy who hasn't got the dollar for the toilet paper?"
Inmates would likely spend money from commissary accounts if asked to pay for their toilet paper, an idea that is not on the books in any other county, the story added.
Working together to reduce greenhouse gasses
WASHINGTON — The Clinton Climate Initiative and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) expanded their partnership to radically reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment, according to a press release.
Green building creates green jobs that save energy and money — and green building will help save our climate, the release stated.
Former President Bill Clinton said: "Retrofitting buildings represents an immediate and measurable opportunity to cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve our economy; they are a priority for my Climate Initiative which is encouraging retrofit projects around the world. I'm proud to strengthen my Foundation's collaboration with the USGBC to accelerate this important work."
To date, the Clinton Climate Initiative’s Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program has helped partners initiate more than 250 retrofit projects in more than 30 cities around the world, the release noted.
Homes, schools, offices and other buildings account for 38 percent of CO2 emissions globally, the release added.
Green building creates green jobs that save energy and money — and green building will help save our climate, the release stated.
Former President Bill Clinton said: "Retrofitting buildings represents an immediate and measurable opportunity to cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve our economy; they are a priority for my Climate Initiative which is encouraging retrofit projects around the world. I'm proud to strengthen my Foundation's collaboration with the USGBC to accelerate this important work."
To date, the Clinton Climate Initiative’s Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program has helped partners initiate more than 250 retrofit projects in more than 30 cities around the world, the release noted.
Homes, schools, offices and other buildings account for 38 percent of CO2 emissions globally, the release added.
W.W. Grainger to lay off nearly 400
LAKE FOREST, IL — JanSan distributor W.W. Grainger announced plans to lay off as many as 400 workers, according to an Associated Press story hosted by Forbes.com.
The news comes in response to a January sales slump of nine percent, the story stated.
The company hopes to save $25 to $35 million annualy from the layoffs, the story noted.
Grainger says it will not fill any open positions and will cut the hours of part-time workers for the time being, the story added.
The news comes in response to a January sales slump of nine percent, the story stated.
The company hopes to save $25 to $35 million annualy from the layoffs, the story noted.
Grainger says it will not fill any open positions and will cut the hours of part-time workers for the time being, the story added.
Animosity between unions
NEW YORK — The animosity between members of UNITE-HERE, the union representing 450,000 workers across North America, is becoming increasingly more intense, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
UNITE is the former Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, and HERE stands for the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union; the unions came together in 2004 as a marriage of convenience: UNITE had the money but a declining pool of garment and apparel workers to organize, while HERE had growing restaurant and hotel industries to tap into, but was short on cash, the story stated.
Bruce Raynor, UNITE-HERE's general president, said: "The union is now engaged in a 'civil war' and is leading the charge for a break-up."
Raynor alleges that the former HERE leaders have used their majority on the executive board to undermine his leadership and essentially control UNITE-HERE's assets, the story noted.
On Monday, board members voted on a resolution to divorce the two unions, but it failed.
According to the story, 15 executive board vice presidents announced Tuesday that they have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New York seeking to dissolve the merger of UNITE and HERE, the story added.
UNITE is the former Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, and HERE stands for the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union; the unions came together in 2004 as a marriage of convenience: UNITE had the money but a declining pool of garment and apparel workers to organize, while HERE had growing restaurant and hotel industries to tap into, but was short on cash, the story stated.
Bruce Raynor, UNITE-HERE's general president, said: "The union is now engaged in a 'civil war' and is leading the charge for a break-up."
Raynor alleges that the former HERE leaders have used their majority on the executive board to undermine his leadership and essentially control UNITE-HERE's assets, the story noted.
On Monday, board members voted on a resolution to divorce the two unions, but it failed.
According to the story, 15 executive board vice presidents announced Tuesday that they have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New York seeking to dissolve the merger of UNITE and HERE, the story added.
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