What Americans Think of Labor Unions
Recent labor battles in states around the U.S. have brought the role of public-sector unions in a 21st-century workforce sharply into focus. How have Americans' attitudes about unions shifted over the years? The nation's latest political controversy recently came to a head when legislation was introduced in Wisconsin as a budget-saving measure but considered by many as a sweeping anti-union bill....
Read More »Product Spotlight: Acceleration Sensor Enhances Electric Vehicle Safety
Continental, a leading global automotive supplier, has developed a sensor, the evSAT, for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles that will immediately shut off the high-voltage battery in the event of a collision, which will allow emergency service workers to aid accident victims without the risk of suffering an electric shock. Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are powered by high-voltage...
Read More »Weekly Industry Crib Sheet: U.S. Exports of Construction and Farm Equipment Up in 2010
Plus: Durable Goods Orders Show Mixed Results, Marine Industry Expects Modest Growth and Jobless Claims Decrease. Durable Goods Orders up in January New orders for U.S. durable goods rose 2.7 percent in January, driven mostly by transportation equipment, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Excluding the transportation sector, however, orders actually fell dramatically for the month. New...
Read More »ISO on Target to Publish Energy Management Standard in Q3 2011
In development since 2008, ISO 50001International Standard for energy management will help organizations to improve their energy performance, increase energy efficiency, and reduce climate change impacts. It is intended to establish a framework for industrial plants, commercial facilities, or entire organizations to manage energy, and it is estimated that the standard could influence up to 60...
Read More »Rockwell Automation Launches Free Online Energy Evaluation Tool
Rockwell Automation, a leader in industrial automation control and information solutions, has available a first of its kind online tool that will help manufacturers identify and compare current energy management behavior and find areas that need improvement. The Rockwell Automation Energy Evaluator gives manufacturers a complete analysis of their current water, air, gas, electric and steam...
Read More »Sustainability Spotlight: RecycleMatch Makes One Man's Trash Another's Treasure
Believe it or not, there is an an online marketplace for business-to-business waste sales. Launched in 2009, RecycleMatch lets business list waste they want to get rid of, and then buyers can bid on the materials, with the seller choosing a winning bid. Sellers can offer one-time waste dumps as well as ongoing wastes they create, and they can also list trash they're willing to give away for free....
Read More »Global Steel Production Increases in January
Worldwide steel output continued to rise in January, increasing both on a monthly basis and year-over-year, while shipments of steel products have also been on an upswing, according to the latest data. Global production of crude steel increased 5.3 percent year-over-year in January, while the capacity utilization rate for steel manufacturing rose to 75.6 percent, up from a revised 73.3 percent in...
Read More »Everything You Never Knew You Wanted To Know About Bamboo (Which Is Why You Didn't Ask)
Imagine a plant that is so massively useful it can be used for food, textiles and clothing, commercial building materials, boat construction, wind turbine blades, furniture, musical instruments, flooring, scaffolding, bridge building, bicycles and cars, paper, medicine, beer brewing, wine-making, water desalination, household and kitchen goods, animal feed and landscaping. Now imagine that it's...
Read More »3M's Environmental Stewardship Program Drives On
As one of 3M strategic principals for sustainability, Environmental Stewardship hopes to "provide practical solutions and products to address our environmental challenges for ourselves and our customers." They have taken another step toward a sustainable future with the installation of an electric vehicle charging station at their headquarters in Maplewood, MN . Installed by Carbon Day...
Read More »The Dread Factor in Safety Training
In highly hazardous jobs, interactive types of safety training may help workers become more aware of on-the-job threats and avoid making fatal mistakes, according to a comprehensive new study. Last April, an explosion at Upper Branch Mine in West Virginia killed 29 coal miners. In the years leading up to the tragedy, the mine was cited for a high number of Mine Safety and Health Administration...
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