CINCINNATI — Proctor & Gamble, the nation's largest advertiser, cut its ad spending by more than 19 percent last year, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The company spent $2.85 billion on advertising in 2008, compared to $3.35 billion in 2007, the story stated.
Proctor & Gamble was able to maintain the number of people its advertisements reach by negotiating better deals for its television, radio and print ads, the story noted.
P&G spokeswoman Martha Depenbrock said: "We're trying to reach consumers as efficiently as possible."
Monday, March 16, 2009
Kimberly-Clark named 2009 Energy Star Partner
DALLAS — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named Kimberly-Clark Corporation as an Energy Star Partner of the Year for 2009, according to the Daily Business News.
The award recognizes Kimberly-Clark's ongoing efforts to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its operations, the story stated.
Drew Barfoot, Kimberly-Clark's vice president of environment, energy, safety, quality and sustainability, said: "In these challenging economic times, our focus on energy efficiency is generating real cost savings for our businesses, while helping us improve sustainability, reduce our environmental impact and preserve resources for the future. This recognition as an EPA Energy Star Partner of the Year underscores our commitment to weaving sustainability through every aspect of our business."
There will be an awards ceremony in Washington, DC, on March 31 to honor the company that increased its worldwide energy efficiency by 3.2 percent in one year, the story added.
For the fourth consecutive year, Kimberly-Clark ranked No. 1 among personal products companies in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, which is based on the long-term economic, environmental and social performance of leading global companies across 57 industries, the story noted.
The award recognizes Kimberly-Clark's ongoing efforts to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its operations, the story stated.
Drew Barfoot, Kimberly-Clark's vice president of environment, energy, safety, quality and sustainability, said: "In these challenging economic times, our focus on energy efficiency is generating real cost savings for our businesses, while helping us improve sustainability, reduce our environmental impact and preserve resources for the future. This recognition as an EPA Energy Star Partner of the Year underscores our commitment to weaving sustainability through every aspect of our business."
There will be an awards ceremony in Washington, DC, on March 31 to honor the company that increased its worldwide energy efficiency by 3.2 percent in one year, the story added.
For the fourth consecutive year, Kimberly-Clark ranked No. 1 among personal products companies in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, which is based on the long-term economic, environmental and social performance of leading global companies across 57 industries, the story noted.
First-ever LEED certified pizzeria
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Pizza Fusion recently acheived Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold and Silver certification for two of its restaurants in Palm Beach Gardens and Weston, Florida, respectively, according to MarketWatch.
Sustainable elements in the LEED certified pizza shops include: Countertops made of re-used glass bottles; bamboo flooring; non-volatile organic compound (VOC) paints; insulation made from recycled blue jeans; and more, the story stated.
Mike Gordon, vice president of store development and co-founder of Pizza Fusion, said: "It's very rewarding to see our first two LEED projects officially comply with the strict specifications of the USGBC's building and operational standards. These certifications represent our commitment to building all our restaurants to this standard."
Pizza Fusion's LEED certified restaurants reduce water waste by 40 percent and electricity consumption by 20 percent annually, the story noted.
This recognition makes Pizza Fusion the only LEED certified pizzeria in the world, the story added.
Sustainable elements in the LEED certified pizza shops include: Countertops made of re-used glass bottles; bamboo flooring; non-volatile organic compound (VOC) paints; insulation made from recycled blue jeans; and more, the story stated.
Mike Gordon, vice president of store development and co-founder of Pizza Fusion, said: "It's very rewarding to see our first two LEED projects officially comply with the strict specifications of the USGBC's building and operational standards. These certifications represent our commitment to building all our restaurants to this standard."
Pizza Fusion's LEED certified restaurants reduce water waste by 40 percent and electricity consumption by 20 percent annually, the story noted.
This recognition makes Pizza Fusion the only LEED certified pizzeria in the world, the story added.
Torah-stealing janitor gets one year in jail
QUEENS, NY — A live-in janitor from a Kew Gardens synagogue who stole eight Torahs last summer received a one-year prison sentence for misdemeanor attempted grand larceny, according to The Queens Courier.
Eric Giraldo pleaded guilty to the lesser misdemeanor charge; he was originally charged with a felony that carried a 15-year prison sentence, the story stated.
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said: "This case is particularly troublesome because a trusted employee with access to valuable and important materials chose to break that trust for possible financial gain. The sentence is both justified and necessary."
Giraldo admitted stealing the Torahs with intent to sell them and confessed taking them to the home of a friend, the story noted.
According to the story, police searched the home of Giraldo's friend and recovered the eight Torahs and their silver adornments.
An order of protection was issued, barring Giraldo from visiting the Temple where he had lived while employed as a janitor for eight years, the story added.
Eric Giraldo pleaded guilty to the lesser misdemeanor charge; he was originally charged with a felony that carried a 15-year prison sentence, the story stated.
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said: "This case is particularly troublesome because a trusted employee with access to valuable and important materials chose to break that trust for possible financial gain. The sentence is both justified and necessary."
Giraldo admitted stealing the Torahs with intent to sell them and confessed taking them to the home of a friend, the story noted.
According to the story, police searched the home of Giraldo's friend and recovered the eight Torahs and their silver adornments.
An order of protection was issued, barring Giraldo from visiting the Temple where he had lived while employed as a janitor for eight years, the story added.
Janitor charged with theft of Haleigh Cummings reward cash
SATSUMA, FL — A janitor who cleaned the Baker County School District's bus garage is charged with stealing reward money for information in the disappearance of Haleigh Cummings, a five-year-old who went missing February 9, according to The Florida Times-Union.
Jeremy Leonard was charged with grand theft after being confronted about the missing $670, the story stated.
Leonard told the Times-Union that he found the money and denies stealing anything.
According to the police report, the only person who had access to the building before the money was found missing was Leonard, a substitute janitor who works on an on-call basis. Deputies confronted Leonard and recovered $600 from his home.
Leonard claims he found the unmarked envelope on the floor while cleaning and called his boss to report the discovery but could not reach her, the story noted.
As a result of the incident, and regardless of his innocence or guilt, Leonard no longer works for the school system, the story added.
Jeremy Leonard was charged with grand theft after being confronted about the missing $670, the story stated.
Leonard told the Times-Union that he found the money and denies stealing anything.
According to the police report, the only person who had access to the building before the money was found missing was Leonard, a substitute janitor who works on an on-call basis. Deputies confronted Leonard and recovered $600 from his home.
Leonard claims he found the unmarked envelope on the floor while cleaning and called his boss to report the discovery but could not reach her, the story noted.
As a result of the incident, and regardless of his innocence or guilt, Leonard no longer works for the school system, the story added.
Acidic soap closes several rest stops
BAY MINETTE, AL — The I-10 West Welcome Center on the Alabama-Florida state line is closed due to an "acidic odor" an employee noted coming from a soap dispenser in the men's restroom, according to WWLP-TV.
Similar instances have been noted at rest stops in Chilton County, Alabama, and in Marion County, Florida, the story stated.
Trucker Lee Godfrey said: "You don't know if it's a truck driver or some crazy person. I mean, why do people snatch kids? People are sick."
Little is known about the substances other than that they are foreign to the ingredients of the bulk soap used in the dispensers, the story noted.
Both the Alabama Emergency Management Agency and the Florida Division of Emergency Management are testing the soaps, the story added.
According to the story, no injuries have been reported so far.
Similar instances have been noted at rest stops in Chilton County, Alabama, and in Marion County, Florida, the story stated.
Trucker Lee Godfrey said: "You don't know if it's a truck driver or some crazy person. I mean, why do people snatch kids? People are sick."
Little is known about the substances other than that they are foreign to the ingredients of the bulk soap used in the dispensers, the story noted.
Both the Alabama Emergency Management Agency and the Florida Division of Emergency Management are testing the soaps, the story added.
According to the story, no injuries have been reported so far.
Custodian teaches literacy and social responsibility
BURNABY, BC, Canada — A custodian at Capitol Hill Elementary School started a club three years ago to promote literacy and teach students social responsibility, according to the Burnaby News-Leader.
Fran DeTracie, a 21-year veteran custodian whose job begins when students leave for the day, started the Junior Custodian Club as a way to liven her quiet evenings cleaning the desolate school, the story stated.
According to the story, she began leaving notes on the blackboards and desks praising students for cleaning up their areas; sometimes the notes would have spelling or grammatical errors for them to correct. On some occasions, when she was stripping wax off the floor, she would write questions into the old wax and students would write the answer back the next day before she’d clean it off.
DeTracie's janitorial closet is painted with notes from the students who reply to her overnight messages; there are so many that soon she’ll have to begin pasting them to the ceiling, the story noted.
DeTracie said: "These walls are quite an inspiration to me. Some of this work gets pretty monotonous and all I have to do is look up and get inspiration. The neat thing is to watch their literacy skills develop over the years."
Although most kids take the janitor for granted because they don’t see the work involved, her notes teach them about doing the right thing and taking more responsibility for their own situation, the story added.
According to Principal Susan Masson, she knew DeTracie and her club were a hit one day when a little boy came rushing up to her and said proudly, “I came to tell you there’s a mess in the washroom that needs to be cleaned up. I’m a junior custodian, you know.”
Fran DeTracie, a 21-year veteran custodian whose job begins when students leave for the day, started the Junior Custodian Club as a way to liven her quiet evenings cleaning the desolate school, the story stated.
According to the story, she began leaving notes on the blackboards and desks praising students for cleaning up their areas; sometimes the notes would have spelling or grammatical errors for them to correct. On some occasions, when she was stripping wax off the floor, she would write questions into the old wax and students would write the answer back the next day before she’d clean it off.
DeTracie's janitorial closet is painted with notes from the students who reply to her overnight messages; there are so many that soon she’ll have to begin pasting them to the ceiling, the story noted.
DeTracie said: "These walls are quite an inspiration to me. Some of this work gets pretty monotonous and all I have to do is look up and get inspiration. The neat thing is to watch their literacy skills develop over the years."
Although most kids take the janitor for granted because they don’t see the work involved, her notes teach them about doing the right thing and taking more responsibility for their own situation, the story added.
According to Principal Susan Masson, she knew DeTracie and her club were a hit one day when a little boy came rushing up to her and said proudly, “I came to tell you there’s a mess in the washroom that needs to be cleaned up. I’m a junior custodian, you know.”
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)