Confronting the Challenges of Tomorrow
While Cherishing Today
Our world today confronts current economic hardship, which represent both a challenge and an opportunity for us to assert our ability to work together for the good of all. Efforts to combat abuse and waste have fallen short. Many countries around the world suffer from the shortage of resources such as water and energy, which threatens their stability and whose capacity and resources disable them from containing the panic, thus necessitating, in such a situation, assistance for those countries in dealing with the crisis. Our world also confronts numerous environmental challenges such as limited and declining natural resources, climate change, drought and desertification, all of which require the redoubling of worldwide efforts to address them in order to safeguard the right of future generations to a secure life. The scarcity of water and energy threatens the eruption of conflicts in different parts of the world, and the nations of the world are therefore called upon to maximize the benefit from, and the proper management of, available water and energy resources while respecting and protecting the acquired rights of nations to utilize and further develop those resources.
We must work together as a cohesive force to expedite development of natural resources, eliminate the abuse of the environment. Utilize today’s technology to expand the desalinization of water increase and expedite the development of Alternative energy with an environmental balance.
We must learn to appreciate what we have today while protecting and preserving our natural resources for our sake and for future generations.
Jay Draiman
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Sunday, October 5, 2008
111 Water savings tips
111 Water savings tips
1. There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you.
2. When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
3. Evaporative coolers require a seasonal maintenance checkup. For more efficient cooling, check your evaporative cooler annually.
4. Check your sprinkler system frequently and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
5. Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full and you could save 1000 gallons a month.
6. Avoid planting turf in areas that are hard to water such as steep inclines and isolated strips along sidewalks and driveways.
7. Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps.
8. Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost instead and save gallons every time.
9. Plant during the spring or fall when the watering requirements are lower.
10. Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks, so that every drop goes down you not the drain.
11. Check your water meter and bill to track your water usage.
12. Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours, when temperatures are cooler and winds are lighter.
13. Wash your produce in the sink or a pan that is partially filled with water instead of running water from the tap.
14. Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year.
15. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk and save 80 gallons of water every time.
16. If your shower can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, then replace it with a water-efficient showerhead.
17. Collect the water you use for rinsing produce and reuse it to water houseplants.
18. Divide your watering cycle into shorter periods to reduce runoff and allow for better absorption every time you water.
19. We're more likely to notice leaky faucets indoors, but don't forget to check outdoor faucets, pipes, and hoses for leaks.
20. Periodically check your pool for leaks if you have an automatic refilling device.
21. Only water your lawn when needed. You can tell this by simply walking across your lawn. If you leave footprints, it's time to water.
22. When you shop for a new appliance, consider one offering cycle and load size adjustments. They are more water and energy-efficient than older appliances.
23. Time your shower to keep it under 5 minutes. You'll save up to 1000 gallons a month.
24. Install low-volume toilets. Or power assist.
25. Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. Longer grass shades root systems and holds soil moisture better than a closely clipped lawn.
26. When you clean your fish tank, use the water you've drained on your plants. The water is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, providing you with a free and effective fertilizer.
27. Use the sprinkler for larger areas of grass. Water small patches by hand to avoid waste.
28. Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak. It's easy to fix, and you can save more than 600 gallons a month.
29. Plug the bathtub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
30. Use porous materials for walkways and patios to keep water in your yard and prevent wasteful runoff.
31. Direct downspouts and other runoff towards shrubs and trees, or collect and use for your garden.
32. Designate one glass for your drinking water each day. This will cut down on the number of times you run your dishwasher.
33. Water your summer lawns once every three days and your winter lawn once every five days.
34. Install a rain shut-off device on your automatic sprinklers to eliminate unnecessary watering.
#35. Don't use running water to thaw food.
#36. Choose a water-efficient drip irrigation system for trees, shrubs and flowers. Watering at the roots is very effective, be careful not to over water.
37. Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It's simple, inexpensive, and can save 140 gallons a week.
38. Reduce the amount of grass in your yard by planting shrubs, and ground cover with rock and granite mulching.
39. When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load.
40. Teach your children to turn the faucets off tightly after each use.
41. Remember to check your sprinkler system valves periodically for leaks and keep the heads in good shape.
42. Before you lather up, install a low-flow showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can save your family more than 500 gallons a week.
43. Soak your pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
44. Don't water your lawn on windy days. After all, sidewalks and driveways don't need water.
45. Water your plants deeply but less frequently to create healthier and stronger landscapes.
46. Make sure you know where your master water shut-off valve is located. This could save gallons of water and damage to your home if a pipe were to burst.
47. When watering grass on steep slopes, use a soaker hose to prevent wasteful runoff.
48. Group plants with the same watering needs together to get the most out of your watering time.
49. Remember to weed your lawn and garden regularly. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light, and water.
50. While fertilizers promote plant growth, they also increase water consumption. Apply the minimum amount of fertilizer needed.
51. Avoid installing ornamental water features and fountains that spray water into the air. Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation.
52. Use a commercial car wash that recycles water.
53. Don't buy recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water.
54. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save 4 gallons a minute. That's 200 gallons a week for a family of four.
55. Buy a rain gauge to track how much rain or irrigation your yard receives. Check with your local water agency to see how much rain is needed to skip an irrigation cycle.
56. Encourage your school system and local government to help develop and promote a water conservation ethic among children and adults.
57. Teach your family how to shut off your automatic watering systems. Turn sprinklers off if the system is malfunctioning or when a storm is approaching.
58. Set a kitchen timer when watering your lawn or garden with a hose.
59. Make sure your toilet flapper doesn't stick open after flushing.
60. Make sure there are aerators on all of your faucets.
61. Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant for year-round landscape color and save up to 550 gallons each year.
62. Install an instant water heater on your kitchen sink so you don't have to let the water run while it heats up. This will also reduce heating costs for your household.
63. Use a grease pencil to mark the water level of your pool at the skimmer. Check the mark 24 hours later. Your pool should lose no more than 1/4 inch each day.
64. Cut back on rinsing if your dishwasher is new. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones.
65. Use a screwdriver as a soil probe to test soil moisture. If it goes in easily, don't water. Proper lawn watering can save thousands of gallons of water annually.
66. Avoid over-seeding your lawn with winter grass. Once established, ryegrass needs water every three to five days, whereas dormant Bermuda grass needs water only once a month.
67. Do one thing each day that will save water. Even if savings are small, every drop counts.
68. When the kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it the most.
69. Make sure your swimming pools, fountains, and ponds are equipped with re-circulating pumps.
70. Bathe your young children together.
71. Landscape with Xeriscape trees, plants and groundcovers. Call your local conservation office for more information about these water thrifty plants.
72. Winterize outdoor spigots when temps dip to 20 degrees F to prevent pipes from bursting or freezing.
73. Insulate hot water pipes so you don't have to run as much water to get hot water to the faucet.
74. Wash your car on the grass. This will water your lawn at the same time.
75. Drop that tissue in the trash instead of flushing it and save gallons every time.
76. If you have an evaporative cooler, direct the water drain to a flowerbed, tree, or your lawn.
77. Make suggestions to your employer to save water (and dollars) at work.
78. Support projects that use reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and other uses.
79. Use a hose nozzle and turn off the water while you wash your car and save more than 100 gallons.
80. Encourage your friends and neighbors to be part of a water-conscious community.
81. If your toilet was installed prior to 1980, place a toilet dam or bottle filled with water in your toilet tank to cut down on the amount of water used for each flush. Be sure these devices do not interfere with operating parts.
82. Install water softening systems only when necessary. Save water and salt by running the minimum number of regenerations necessary to maintain water softness.
83. Wash clothes only when you have a full load and save up to 600 gallons each month.
84. Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on top of the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.
85. Pick-up the phone and report significant water losses from broken pipes, open hydrants and errant sprinklers to the property owner or your water management district.
86. Bermuda grasses are dormant (brown) in the winter and will only require water once every three to four weeks or less if it rains.
87. Start a compost pile. Using compost when you plant adds water-holding organic matter to the soil.
88. Use sprinklers that throw big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller drops of water and mist often evaporate before they hit the ground.
89. Listen for dripping faucets and toilets that flush themselves. Fixing a leak can save 500 gallons each month.
90. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering. Be sure only to water plants when necessary.
91. Cook food in as little water as possible. This will also retain more of the nutrients.
92. Adjust your watering schedule to the season. Water your summer lawn every third day and your winter lawn every fifth day.
93. Turn the water off while you shampoo and condition your hair and you can save more than 50 gallons a week.
94. Bathe your pets outdoors in an area in need of water.
95. Choose new water-saving appliances, like washing machines that save up to 20 gallons per load.
96. Water only as rapidly as the soil can absorb the water.
97. Aerate your lawn. Punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
98. Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.
99. Place an empty tuna can on your lawn to catch and measure the water output of your sprinklers. For lawn watering advice, contact your local conservation office.
100. Turn off the water while you shave and you can save more than 100 gallons a week.
101. When you give your pet fresh water, don't throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs.
102. If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass from the freezer, don't throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.
103. To save water and time, consider washing your face or brushing your teeth while in the shower.
104. While staying in a hotel or even at home, consider reusing your towels.
105. When backwashing your pool, consider using the water on your
Land-scaping.
106. For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or dirt to give your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.
107. Throw trimmings and peelings from fruits and vegetables into your yard compost to prevent from using the garbage disposal.
108. When you have ice left in your cup from a take-out restaurant, don't throw it in the trash, dump it on a plant.
109. Have your plumber re-route your gray water to trees and gardens rather than letting it run into the sewer line. Check with your city codes, and if it isn't allowed in your area, start a movement to get that changed.
110. Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants.
111. Water your lawn at night to conserve water.
When you are washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather.
When you swimming pool is not in use, cover it to reduce evaporation. Sprinkler rain sensor
1. There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you.
2. When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
3. Evaporative coolers require a seasonal maintenance checkup. For more efficient cooling, check your evaporative cooler annually.
4. Check your sprinkler system frequently and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
5. Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full and you could save 1000 gallons a month.
6. Avoid planting turf in areas that are hard to water such as steep inclines and isolated strips along sidewalks and driveways.
7. Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps.
8. Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost instead and save gallons every time.
9. Plant during the spring or fall when the watering requirements are lower.
10. Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks, so that every drop goes down you not the drain.
11. Check your water meter and bill to track your water usage.
12. Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours, when temperatures are cooler and winds are lighter.
13. Wash your produce in the sink or a pan that is partially filled with water instead of running water from the tap.
14. Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year.
15. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk and save 80 gallons of water every time.
16. If your shower can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, then replace it with a water-efficient showerhead.
17. Collect the water you use for rinsing produce and reuse it to water houseplants.
18. Divide your watering cycle into shorter periods to reduce runoff and allow for better absorption every time you water.
19. We're more likely to notice leaky faucets indoors, but don't forget to check outdoor faucets, pipes, and hoses for leaks.
20. Periodically check your pool for leaks if you have an automatic refilling device.
21. Only water your lawn when needed. You can tell this by simply walking across your lawn. If you leave footprints, it's time to water.
22. When you shop for a new appliance, consider one offering cycle and load size adjustments. They are more water and energy-efficient than older appliances.
23. Time your shower to keep it under 5 minutes. You'll save up to 1000 gallons a month.
24. Install low-volume toilets. Or power assist.
25. Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. Longer grass shades root systems and holds soil moisture better than a closely clipped lawn.
26. When you clean your fish tank, use the water you've drained on your plants. The water is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, providing you with a free and effective fertilizer.
27. Use the sprinkler for larger areas of grass. Water small patches by hand to avoid waste.
28. Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak. It's easy to fix, and you can save more than 600 gallons a month.
29. Plug the bathtub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
30. Use porous materials for walkways and patios to keep water in your yard and prevent wasteful runoff.
31. Direct downspouts and other runoff towards shrubs and trees, or collect and use for your garden.
32. Designate one glass for your drinking water each day. This will cut down on the number of times you run your dishwasher.
33. Water your summer lawns once every three days and your winter lawn once every five days.
34. Install a rain shut-off device on your automatic sprinklers to eliminate unnecessary watering.
#35. Don't use running water to thaw food.
#36. Choose a water-efficient drip irrigation system for trees, shrubs and flowers. Watering at the roots is very effective, be careful not to over water.
37. Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It's simple, inexpensive, and can save 140 gallons a week.
38. Reduce the amount of grass in your yard by planting shrubs, and ground cover with rock and granite mulching.
39. When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load.
40. Teach your children to turn the faucets off tightly after each use.
41. Remember to check your sprinkler system valves periodically for leaks and keep the heads in good shape.
42. Before you lather up, install a low-flow showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can save your family more than 500 gallons a week.
43. Soak your pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
44. Don't water your lawn on windy days. After all, sidewalks and driveways don't need water.
45. Water your plants deeply but less frequently to create healthier and stronger landscapes.
46. Make sure you know where your master water shut-off valve is located. This could save gallons of water and damage to your home if a pipe were to burst.
47. When watering grass on steep slopes, use a soaker hose to prevent wasteful runoff.
48. Group plants with the same watering needs together to get the most out of your watering time.
49. Remember to weed your lawn and garden regularly. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light, and water.
50. While fertilizers promote plant growth, they also increase water consumption. Apply the minimum amount of fertilizer needed.
51. Avoid installing ornamental water features and fountains that spray water into the air. Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation.
52. Use a commercial car wash that recycles water.
53. Don't buy recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water.
54. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save 4 gallons a minute. That's 200 gallons a week for a family of four.
55. Buy a rain gauge to track how much rain or irrigation your yard receives. Check with your local water agency to see how much rain is needed to skip an irrigation cycle.
56. Encourage your school system and local government to help develop and promote a water conservation ethic among children and adults.
57. Teach your family how to shut off your automatic watering systems. Turn sprinklers off if the system is malfunctioning or when a storm is approaching.
58. Set a kitchen timer when watering your lawn or garden with a hose.
59. Make sure your toilet flapper doesn't stick open after flushing.
60. Make sure there are aerators on all of your faucets.
61. Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant for year-round landscape color and save up to 550 gallons each year.
62. Install an instant water heater on your kitchen sink so you don't have to let the water run while it heats up. This will also reduce heating costs for your household.
63. Use a grease pencil to mark the water level of your pool at the skimmer. Check the mark 24 hours later. Your pool should lose no more than 1/4 inch each day.
64. Cut back on rinsing if your dishwasher is new. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones.
65. Use a screwdriver as a soil probe to test soil moisture. If it goes in easily, don't water. Proper lawn watering can save thousands of gallons of water annually.
66. Avoid over-seeding your lawn with winter grass. Once established, ryegrass needs water every three to five days, whereas dormant Bermuda grass needs water only once a month.
67. Do one thing each day that will save water. Even if savings are small, every drop counts.
68. When the kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it the most.
69. Make sure your swimming pools, fountains, and ponds are equipped with re-circulating pumps.
70. Bathe your young children together.
71. Landscape with Xeriscape trees, plants and groundcovers. Call your local conservation office for more information about these water thrifty plants.
72. Winterize outdoor spigots when temps dip to 20 degrees F to prevent pipes from bursting or freezing.
73. Insulate hot water pipes so you don't have to run as much water to get hot water to the faucet.
74. Wash your car on the grass. This will water your lawn at the same time.
75. Drop that tissue in the trash instead of flushing it and save gallons every time.
76. If you have an evaporative cooler, direct the water drain to a flowerbed, tree, or your lawn.
77. Make suggestions to your employer to save water (and dollars) at work.
78. Support projects that use reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and other uses.
79. Use a hose nozzle and turn off the water while you wash your car and save more than 100 gallons.
80. Encourage your friends and neighbors to be part of a water-conscious community.
81. If your toilet was installed prior to 1980, place a toilet dam or bottle filled with water in your toilet tank to cut down on the amount of water used for each flush. Be sure these devices do not interfere with operating parts.
82. Install water softening systems only when necessary. Save water and salt by running the minimum number of regenerations necessary to maintain water softness.
83. Wash clothes only when you have a full load and save up to 600 gallons each month.
84. Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on top of the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.
85. Pick-up the phone and report significant water losses from broken pipes, open hydrants and errant sprinklers to the property owner or your water management district.
86. Bermuda grasses are dormant (brown) in the winter and will only require water once every three to four weeks or less if it rains.
87. Start a compost pile. Using compost when you plant adds water-holding organic matter to the soil.
88. Use sprinklers that throw big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller drops of water and mist often evaporate before they hit the ground.
89. Listen for dripping faucets and toilets that flush themselves. Fixing a leak can save 500 gallons each month.
90. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering. Be sure only to water plants when necessary.
91. Cook food in as little water as possible. This will also retain more of the nutrients.
92. Adjust your watering schedule to the season. Water your summer lawn every third day and your winter lawn every fifth day.
93. Turn the water off while you shampoo and condition your hair and you can save more than 50 gallons a week.
94. Bathe your pets outdoors in an area in need of water.
95. Choose new water-saving appliances, like washing machines that save up to 20 gallons per load.
96. Water only as rapidly as the soil can absorb the water.
97. Aerate your lawn. Punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
98. Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.
99. Place an empty tuna can on your lawn to catch and measure the water output of your sprinklers. For lawn watering advice, contact your local conservation office.
100. Turn off the water while you shave and you can save more than 100 gallons a week.
101. When you give your pet fresh water, don't throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs.
102. If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass from the freezer, don't throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.
103. To save water and time, consider washing your face or brushing your teeth while in the shower.
104. While staying in a hotel or even at home, consider reusing your towels.
105. When backwashing your pool, consider using the water on your
Land-scaping.
106. For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or dirt to give your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.
107. Throw trimmings and peelings from fruits and vegetables into your yard compost to prevent from using the garbage disposal.
108. When you have ice left in your cup from a take-out restaurant, don't throw it in the trash, dump it on a plant.
109. Have your plumber re-route your gray water to trees and gardens rather than letting it run into the sewer line. Check with your city codes, and if it isn't allowed in your area, start a movement to get that changed.
110. Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants.
111. Water your lawn at night to conserve water.
When you are washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather.
When you swimming pool is not in use, cover it to reduce evaporation. Sprinkler rain sensor
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Unauthorized Charges on Your Local Phone - Utility Bill?
Unauthorized Charges on Your Local Phone - Utility Bill?
How to Find Them, Eliminate Them & Get Your Money Back!
If your business still gets its phone service through the old "AT&T and Verizon, etc" local phone company (as opposed to one of the newer competitive phone providers) then you need to double check your phone bill each and every month for charges you did not authorize. You may not know it but the local phone company allows other companies to bill you through your local phone bill. And while the local phone company allows other businesses to bill you through your local phone bill, the local phone company does not verify that the charges being billed to you by the other company are valid. When these unauthorized charges fraudulently appear on your phone bill it's called "cramming". Unfortunately you as the business owner or manager are the only one that can spot the unauthorized charges and if you don't comb over your bill every month to spot these unauthorized charges - you'll pay for them.
Why does the local phone company allow other companies to pass charges onto your phone bill? "Third-party billing" is supposedly a great convenience in that you only have to pay one bill instead of separate bills for obvious authorized phone related charges like yellow-page advertising in the "real yellow pages", 411 information calls and long-distance calls from your chosen long distance carrier. Over the years though, some less-than-scrupulous companies have realized that most businesses rarely scrutinize their local-phone bills. To take advantage of this, these companies have come up with elaborate schemes to place
unauthorized charges on your phone bill that you'll end up paying for without even thinking. Unauthorized
charges you can end up paying for include charges for unwanted (and unused) email accounts, web sites,
directory information calls, directory advertising in obscure publications, voice mail accounts and other
services.
In theory, before these charges can be placed on your phone bill, the company that is originating the third-party billed charges is supposed to have a verification of the order like a voice recording. In reality though,
all the company needs to do to initiate the charge is submit your name and phone number to the billing
entity. The verifications are only required to be produced if a complaint is filed.
To prevent these charges from appearing on you business phone bill it's helpful to understand the four
parties that make unauthorized third party phone charges a costly reality. Party number one is any
employee who can answer your business phones. The unauthorized charge is rarely random and it usually
happens after one of your company employees gets a telemarketing call. Employees should be instructed to
document and report any overly aggressive telemarketing calls they receive. Party number two is the
telemarketing company that originates the unauthorized charges by trying to get your employee to accept
some service for which you'll be billed through your local phone bill. Party number three is the third-party
billing company that has billing agreements with your local phone company. The name of the third-party
billing is the one that is prominently displayed on your phone bill. After the third-party billing company's
name is the name of the company that is originating the unwanted charges. Party number four is your "former Ma Bell" local phone company that collects the unwanted charges (keeps a share for "Ma") and then passes the rest to the third-party billing company (who keeps a big share) and then passes the balance on to the company that initiated the unwanted charge.
Following are some of the top third-party billing names and unauthorized charge originators you'll find on
your phone bill. If you see these names on your phone bill you'll want to call the toll free number listed next to the charge to confirm it's a charge that's been properly authorized to be placed on your bill. Following are actual examples that we've recently found while auditing business phone bills.
We recommend customers should review any utility bills issued by deregulated utility companies. (In most instances today, consumers are paying higher charges to the deregulated gas and electric supply companies).
All Utility - Energy, gas, electric and water bills should be reviewed for proper reading and tariff.
If you suspect that you have been overcharged ask for detailed explanation and or file a complaint with your State Utility Commission.
Compiled by: Jay Draiman, Utility Auditor
How to Find Them, Eliminate Them & Get Your Money Back!
If your business still gets its phone service through the old "AT&T and Verizon, etc" local phone company (as opposed to one of the newer competitive phone providers) then you need to double check your phone bill each and every month for charges you did not authorize. You may not know it but the local phone company allows other companies to bill you through your local phone bill. And while the local phone company allows other businesses to bill you through your local phone bill, the local phone company does not verify that the charges being billed to you by the other company are valid. When these unauthorized charges fraudulently appear on your phone bill it's called "cramming". Unfortunately you as the business owner or manager are the only one that can spot the unauthorized charges and if you don't comb over your bill every month to spot these unauthorized charges - you'll pay for them.
Why does the local phone company allow other companies to pass charges onto your phone bill? "Third-party billing" is supposedly a great convenience in that you only have to pay one bill instead of separate bills for obvious authorized phone related charges like yellow-page advertising in the "real yellow pages", 411 information calls and long-distance calls from your chosen long distance carrier. Over the years though, some less-than-scrupulous companies have realized that most businesses rarely scrutinize their local-phone bills. To take advantage of this, these companies have come up with elaborate schemes to place
unauthorized charges on your phone bill that you'll end up paying for without even thinking. Unauthorized
charges you can end up paying for include charges for unwanted (and unused) email accounts, web sites,
directory information calls, directory advertising in obscure publications, voice mail accounts and other
services.
In theory, before these charges can be placed on your phone bill, the company that is originating the third-party billed charges is supposed to have a verification of the order like a voice recording. In reality though,
all the company needs to do to initiate the charge is submit your name and phone number to the billing
entity. The verifications are only required to be produced if a complaint is filed.
To prevent these charges from appearing on you business phone bill it's helpful to understand the four
parties that make unauthorized third party phone charges a costly reality. Party number one is any
employee who can answer your business phones. The unauthorized charge is rarely random and it usually
happens after one of your company employees gets a telemarketing call. Employees should be instructed to
document and report any overly aggressive telemarketing calls they receive. Party number two is the
telemarketing company that originates the unauthorized charges by trying to get your employee to accept
some service for which you'll be billed through your local phone bill. Party number three is the third-party
billing company that has billing agreements with your local phone company. The name of the third-party
billing is the one that is prominently displayed on your phone bill. After the third-party billing company's
name is the name of the company that is originating the unwanted charges. Party number four is your "former Ma Bell" local phone company that collects the unwanted charges (keeps a share for "Ma") and then passes the rest to the third-party billing company (who keeps a big share) and then passes the balance on to the company that initiated the unwanted charge.
Following are some of the top third-party billing names and unauthorized charge originators you'll find on
your phone bill. If you see these names on your phone bill you'll want to call the toll free number listed next to the charge to confirm it's a charge that's been properly authorized to be placed on your bill. Following are actual examples that we've recently found while auditing business phone bills.
We recommend customers should review any utility bills issued by deregulated utility companies. (In most instances today, consumers are paying higher charges to the deregulated gas and electric supply companies).
All Utility - Energy, gas, electric and water bills should be reviewed for proper reading and tariff.
If you suspect that you have been overcharged ask for detailed explanation and or file a complaint with your State Utility Commission.
Compiled by: Jay Draiman, Utility Auditor
Saturday, January 12, 2008
ENERGY EFFICIENCY ECONOMICS:
ENERGY EFFICIENCY ECONOMICS:What You Need to KnowUsing sophisticated financial modeling to make the most-informed decisions when upgrading multi-tenant office buildingsIn 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted a review of all of the office buildings that had used its online Energy Star benchmarking system (www.energystar.gov).A startling statistic came to light: The lowest-scoring buildings used four times as much energy as the highest-scoring ones. Granted, the buildings with the highest scores were extremely energy-efficient. Still, the gulf between them and the lowest-scoring buildings makes one wonder about the magnitude of energy wasted in this country.The benchmarked buildings included both income-producing and owner-occupied properties.One might expect income-producing properties to take energy efficiency more seriously than their owner-occupied counterparts because lower energy costs imply higher net operating income (NOI), the mother’s milk of real-estate investors.However, too many income properties continue to have very inefficient building systems for a variety of reasons: “lowest-first-cost” decision-making, dysfunctional owner/tenant dynamics, and popular myths that lead owners and managers to ignore or reject worthwhile energy upgrades.If you were to ask a roomful of income-property owners and managers if improved energy efficiency could make their buildings more profitable, competitive, and valuable, most, if not all, probably would say yes. Pose the same question to a roomful of engineers, vendors, and consultants, and most probably also would say yes. However, only those who understood leasing and real estate finance would be able to support their yes with compelling mathematics.To make the most-informed decisions when selecting energy projects to approve, it is vital to know how a property’s leases might allocate energy savings between the owner and the tenants (see the sidebar “Understanding the Basic Types of Leases”), how much the tenants would be obligated to contribute toward the cost of an expense-reducing capital project, how the owner’s share of savings could boost NOI, and how a higher NOI could support an increase in appraised value. Clearly, replacing myth with math goes a long way toward better decision-making regarding energy throughout the life cycle of a typical income property.This article offers new time- and cost-effective best practices for analyzing the merits of proposed energy-efficiency upgrades to multi-tenant; income-producing office properties (see the sidebar “Huge Potential in Office Sector”). Keep in mind that, as with most analytical approaches, the “devil is in the details.” The ultimate value of this analysis depends on many factors, such as the reliability of projected costs and savings and the volatility of utility prices. Moreover, unless energy-saving equipment is properly installed, intelligently operated, periodically re-commissioned, and otherwise well maintained, any predicted savings may prove elusive. In multi-tenant buildings, other devilish details, such as disturbances associated with installations, can be important as well. Fortunately, knowing about each of these issues is the first step in addressing them. Each year, countless energy-saving projects are successfully implemented in income properties because the right questions were asked and answered at the right time.WHO PAYS? WHO BENEFITS?Before you can quantify the value of improved energy efficiency in a leased property, you need to evaluate carefully who will pay for the improvement and who will benefit from it (see the sidebar “Calculating the Owner’s Share of Savings”). Only then can you take the next step: determining how those savings might drive improved profitability, competitiveness, and value.Take the example of an income producing office building. If the operating expenses are lowered, the owner, the tenant(s), or both will realize the savings, depending on the expense sharing provisions of the leases and certain other factors. The portion of the savings that goes to the owner will increase NOI, which, in turn, could improve the appraised value of the building when it is refinanced or sold.Meanwhile, the improved comfort and convenience that often accompany energy-efficiency upgrades may help with tenant retention and attraction. The portion of the savings captured by the tenant will lower occupancy cost, which will improve the tenant’s ability to pay rent. The combination of energy savings and the improved look/feel of the space may make the tenant more interested in renewing the lease.The moral of the story: It does little good for engineers to focus on kilowatts, kilowatt-hours, simple payback period (SPP), and other commonly used metrics to describe and evaluate projects if they forget to consider other vital issues, such as who would pay for the upgrade, who would benefit, and the downstream effects of the projected energy savings.WINNING STRATEGIES NEED - WINNING MECHANISMSAccording to Jim Collins, internationally known management expert, even the best strategies will fail without well conceived mechanisms for executing them. If you are serious about saving as much energy as possible:• Have you adopted best practices for finding, evaluating, and approving expense-reducing capital projects for your properties?• Do you apply these best practices on a systematic, portfolio-wide basis so that you know you are focusing your limited time and capital on the most promising upgrade opportunities at all times?• Are you on the lookout for rebates and other incentives (tax credits) so you can be sure you are not missing “free money” (see the sidebar “The Money Is Out There”) that could help you improve your properties?• In the case of income-producing properties, does every proposed expense reducing capital project include a financial analysis of who would pay for the improvement, which would get the savings, and how that allocation of costs/savings might influence the owner’s total return?• If you are an engineer, a vendor, a contractor, or a consultant advising a client on opportunities to improve energy efficiency, do your analyses go beyond SPP and consider the impact of the estimated energy savings on your client’s business?These are just some of the questions that need to be answered with a yes if you want your winning strategies to have a positive impact on the bottom line. Applying energy-saving strategies to properties and projects becomes more practical if you keep a few key lessons in mind:Expense-reducing capital projects must be positioned properly to compete for two precious commodities: time and money.There is only so much “management bandwidth” to select and pursue initiatives. Similarly, there is only so much capital to fund even the best projects. Staff cutbacks and the current economy have only tightened these two constraints.Whether you work with owner-occupied or income-producing property, can you honestly say that energy-saving projects compete effectively for the owner’s time and money? Might there be ways to raise the perceived importance of energy projects so that they receive the attention they deserve?Does your organization need to grow its income properties’ NOI and asset value? Could low-risk, high-return expense-reducing capital improvements to your existing portfolio provide “internal growth” that would offset the present lack of opportunities for “external growth” (i.e., building or buying additional properties)?If you are a vendor or service provider, do you understand your prospect’s business well enough to position your offerings as being more compelling than whatever else may be distracting the decision-makers?Finding the opportunities that most deserve a share of that finite time and capital requires a systematic, portfolio-wide approach.This implies that (1) all decision-making criteria are clearly listed and prioritized; (2) the building portfolio is systematically screened for these criteria in the order of least to most expensive to study; (3) the decision-making chain is well-defined, and each stakeholder in that chain understands not only his own goals, objectives, and responsibilities, but those of the stakeholders directly above and below him; (4) all of the costs and benefits are analyzed; and (5) the cost/benefit analysis is communicated in a language that all stakeholders can understand.When it comes to devising a strategy for pursuing energy savings, have all of the decision-makers agreed on which criteria make projects the most compelling?If you are working with a large, geographically dispersed building portfolio, has a top-level screening of all buildings been performed so that the top projects worth pursuing can be ranked?Is there a well-defined decision chain from the person with the authority to approve the project down to the frontline person charged with finding/evaluating the opportunities?Are the downstream benefits of improved energy efficiency fully understood by the individuals preparing the proposals? Do these individuals know how to quantify the positive impact reduced operating expenses have on NOI and appraised value? What about the positive effect lower operating expenses can have on tenant retention and attraction?Do they realize that lower operating expenses may allow the owner to set lower expense stops for leases signed after the upgrade is completed?Do you find your engineers trying to convince senior management to fund energy upgrades with elaborate analyses calibrated in kilowatt-hours, therms, or other decidedly non-financial language?If you are an income-property owner, wouldn’t it be great if your energy-service company took the time to translate projected energy savings into benefits that you consider when making other capital decisions?If you get the right answers by asking the wrong questions, you are just lucky.So many building owners, property managers, and vendors/contractors are guilty of placing too much emphasis on SPP. This mistake is particularly egregious in the case of income properties.If you own/manage a multi-tenant office building, which do you think is more important to know: the SPP of a project or who would get the savings—the owner or the tenant(s)? Would it surprise you to learn that, depending on the leases in place, a four-year SPP project may be a more profitable investment than a two-year SPP project when viewed from the owner’s perspective (Figure 3)?How do you feel about your project being judged solely on the merits of its SPP, with financial benefits realized after the SPP ignored?In the absence of math, decisions often are governed by myths. Do not let fiction fill the vacuum left by a lack of facts. Blindly accepted myths and inappropriately applied “rules of thumb” play a major role in the continued waste of energy in this country. When selecting projects to fund, you need to know the facts. Who pays? Who benefits? You need access to tools that deliver actionable information automatically. If your financial analysis requires an impractical level of time and effort, it will not get done, especially if you need to see multiple scenarios before approving a project. If your people lack the time or skills to perform and present these calculations, you should consider outsourcing the financial analysis to someone who has Automated the number-crunching.In the case of a multi-tenant building, are the people who approve/reject capital expenses the same people who signed the existing leases? If not, have they at least read the leases lately? How much of the energy cost is paid by the owner? How much of the projected upgrade’s savings would inure to the landlord on a tenant-by-tenant, month-by-month basis? Can the owner assess tenants for capital?Improvements that reduce operating expenses for tenants?If you are an engineer recommending an energy-saving capital project for a multi-tenant building, have you detailed the costs/savings of the project on a tenant-by-tenant and common-area basis? Do you know how much of the projected savings will inure to the owner and how much capital cost could be assigned to the tenants according to the terms of the existing leases? Do you have a best practice of including a leasing analysis in every proposal you present to multi-tenant building owners/managers?See the sidebar “Winning Strategies, Winning Mechanisms” for three sets of strategies and mechanisms you might want to consider adopting.
Compiled by: Yehuda Draiman.
Compiled by: Yehuda Draiman.
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