Java Fix

Is our pint sized quick Java fix killing the environment?

In 2018 Keurig alone sold close to 10 billion K-Cups.  According to USA Today, over 40 percent of Americans use coffee pods.  These plastic pods are difficult to recycle so they end up in landfills.  In 2014 there were enough coffee pods buried in landfills  to go around the Earth 10.5 times. Plastic waste is an even bigger problem in 2019.  

“Some cities around the globe began banning K-Cups entirely, due to the product's recycle-resistant nature”

Will using refillable pods make a difference?

Read USA article Here

Marisa Palmer: Nespresso is the first single-serve coffee company to develop a facility dedicated to recycling their own coffee pods. Why? Because we have a coffee pod recycling problem.

Read Business Insider article Here

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Once Upon a Time

Ever After

Once upon a time a Man commuted for work into NYC on Northern State Parkway.  Married with an infant and another child on the way.  He had a nice home and liked his job.  

It was a beautiful sunny day, the sky was clear and as usual early AM traffic was light.  He was keeping up with traffic, doing about 75 MPH, car next to him doing the same.  Along with 2 cars driving behind him.  All 4 cars going at same speed, the skies were clear, good driving conditions.  Suddenly his tire blows out,  pulls him to the right, sideswiping the car driving in lane next to him. This creates a chain reaction and the cars behind them crash into them.  Man wakes up 2 weeks later out of a medical induced comma. He had been pulled out by the jaws of life and lost his right leg.  But even worse, the man in the car next to him was killed in the crash.  He also was married with an infant child.  The survivor lived the rest of his life wondering if he had been driving a little slower would the man in the other car survived. Does 5 MPH make a difference? He spent the rest of his life celebrating milestones with his family thinking of the child who was left without a father. There was no way to avoid the tire blow out, but would it of made a difference if he was driving the speed limit.

If a front tire bursts, you should feel the force mostly within the steering of your vehicle. With a rear tire, you should feel it more in the seat or body of the car. Whether the blowout occurred in the front or back, your response should be the same in either situation.

What to do

According to the National Safety Council here is what to do if you experience a tire blowout.

• Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel.
• Do not slam on the brakes.
• Let your car slow down gradually.
• Pull to the side of the road once you have slowed to a safe speed.
• Activate your emergency flashers.

The benefits of benefits

Penny Wise

Benefits are expensive but necessary to attract and keep talent. People are happier at their jobs when they have good benefits.  Although not as sexy as a six figure salary, more than ever, job seekers are considering benefits when job hunting.

The Race

Employers offer good packages to retain good employees. At the top of the list is medical insurance, but job seekers are also demanding a retirement plan, disability insurance and more.  USAA offers a strong 401k program with an 8% match and according to SHRM, the average company in the U.S. matches 6%.

Courtesy: Glassdoor

The reward

Give employees the benefits they value, and they'll be more satisfied, miss fewer workdays, be less likely to quit, and have higher commitment to meeting employer goals," says Joe Lineberry, a senior vice president at Aon Consulting.

Clean fuel the new cool

Green technology is the new thing these days 

Whisper quiet, no gas consumption and no exhaust fumes in the air.  The electric motorcycles are becoming more popular and beginning to offer more choices and lower prices.  The bikes come with apps that riders can download and customize.  Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Jawasaki are cooperating on an electric motorcycle.  

Just in time for riding season 

Electric motorcycle maker Lightning is joining Zero, Harley-Davidson and  Fuell with a more affordable model starting around $13,000.

California-based Zero Motorcycles newest electric bike the SR/F is available this week and starts around $18,000.  It has a smartphone App that allows for tracking and sharing rides, scheduled charging, and ability to customize the digital dash. The base model can make it 161 miles on a single charge. It comes with a 3kW rapid charger and will be sold in two different colors.