Eco-Built by Marco

Planet: Walmart vs. Timberland

2011-01-28T09:00:00.001-05:00

Green giants: the eco power list

Lucy Siegle | 01.16.2011

From David Attenborough to Rob Hopkins, founder of the Transition Town movement, the Observer Ethical Awards has honoured many movers and shakers in ecological and social justice. So it seems fitting to launch our sixth awards by profiling the 20 global figures who'll exert influence in 2011. For those on our list, the coming year might best be described as "take your partners" time, as activists and corporates scramble for power – and we're predicting some unlikely marriages ahead. Commentators have noted that big business is taking an unprecedented interest in the environment and are pushing for conservation capitalism. The really big decisions from the climate-change conference in Cancun have effectively been rolled over to December's summit in Durban when the pressure is on to come up with a successive treaty to Kyoto, and we highlight the likely stars in Durban. It also celebrates those who inform our cultural, political, business and activist lives.

From retail to politics, these are the people who will set the tone for how green issues are perceived and how the planet is protected.

Profits: The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) index

2011-01-26T09:00:00.005-05:00

Target is here for good!

A message from their CEO

"Target has always believed in strengthening the communities where we do business. It’s a commitment that began when we opened our first store in 1962, and one that now extends to more than 1,700 neighborhoods throughout the United States and nearly 30 countries around the world. Each week, we give more than $3 million and countless volunteer hours to make a positive difference in the lives of our guests and team members … and that’s just the beginning. We’re implementing rigorous programs to reduce our environmental impact; paving a path to graduation by supporting K-12 education; inspiring our guests, team members and their families as they strive to achieve well-being in every aspect of life; and operating safe stores that help our communities thrive. The way we see it, to truly be part of the community we have to play an active role in its progress, so we join you in making commitments that, together, we can keep."

sustainable retail... it's about a 'triple top line' agenda of people, the planet and corporate profits!

People: Steeler Nation still shopping!

2011-01-24T09:00:00.003-05:00

Pittsburgh Steelers fans make themselves part of the team
pennlive.com | 01.24.2011

In Pittsburgh, the team’s quest is known as the “Stairway to Seven,” or “Knocking on Seven’s Door.” Customized song lyrics have been written and recorded to the melodies of Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and Bob Dylan’s “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.”
These tunes, along with the latest updates of old-standards such as “The Steelers’ Polka” and the “Here We Go” song, are but a few of the signs of the black and gold buzzsaw that’s revving up in this football frenzied city.
Yet, with the Steelers long ago having risen from lovable losers to NFL royalty, does Pittsburgh’s perennial playoff party ever get old?
And after converting basements to black-and-gold man caves, stuffing closets with countless Steelers coats, hats, scarves and jerseys and even redecorating bathrooms into Steelers johns, could there be any more room in fans’ lives for more memorabilia?
Might Pittsburgh’s football fanaticism have reached its limit?
“Do people ever get tired of celebrating New Year’s?” retorted Jon Rubin, director of the Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University.
‘Pervasive Steelers culture’
The Miller Gallery is running an exhibit exploring Steelers fans’ seemingly boundless enthusiasm.
Steelers faithful do not simply cheer on a football team. They see themselves and their city reflected in the team’s mixture of blue-collar work ethic, family ownership and tough-as-nails mentality.
So when Steelers fans want to show their black-and-gold allegiance, they don’t just don jerseys and leave it at that. They make themselves part of the team, intertwining their own life experiences with those of the Steelers until the two are inseparable.
After months of trolling Steelers Nation for artifacts, Rubin and co-curator Astria Suparak assembled an eclectic exhibit of fan memorabilia that doesn’t just blur the line between fan and team, it obliterates it entirely.

here we go steelers, here we go, again... never underestimate what creating fan loyalty can do for your brand!

Planet: Consumers value serious commitment to the environment

2011-01-21T09:00:00.001-05:00

1% For The Planet®

Since 1985, Patagonia has pledged 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. We've awarded over $40 million in cash and in-kind donations to domestic and international grassroots environmental groups making a difference in their local communities. In 2002, founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, and Craig Mathews, owner of Blue Ribbon Flies, created a non-profit corporation to encourage other businesses to do the same.

1% For The Planet is an alliance of businesses that understand the necessity of protecting the natural environment. They understand that profit and loss are directly linked to its health, and are concerned with the social and environmental impacts of industry.

If you're a business owner (or have any influence over your boss), please consider becoming a member of this socially and environmentally progressive group. By contributing 1% of net annual sales to grassroots environmental groups, members of 1% For The Planet affect real change. And members receive other benefits: The satisfaction of paving the way for more corporate responsibility in the business community and the recognition, support and patronage of conscientious consumers who value serious commitment to the environment.

To learn more about 1% For The Planet, check out www.onepercentfortheplanet.org

Profits: Be more focused on long-term sustainability

2011-01-19T09:00:00.002-05:00

Five Green Business Trends for 2011

Kelly Spors | 01.07.2011

Here’s a look at some green business trends to expect in 2011:

1. Charting progress and success. Many big corporations like Microsoft and Walmart are creating teams of employees focused exclusively on environmental sustainability and have executives to oversee those teams. This will undoubtedly raise the bar for every company, large and small. More businesses will weave environmental sustainability into their business plans and budgets, writing full-blown sustainability plans and benchmarking their progress. Don’t be surprised to see more businesses devoting sections of their Web sites to describing their carbon- and resource-saving initiatives.

2. Eco-managing the supply chain. It’s easy to unravel a company’s green image if consumers find out its products are sourced in environmentally unfriendly ways. So companies will continue to dig deeper into the green practices of their suppliers and hold them to higher standards, such as creating supplier scorecards.

3. LEDs get more play. As the New York Times reported last summer, some LED (light-emitting diodes) light bulbs’ prices dropped to less than $20 in 2010, and prices are expected to drop substantially over the next few years. With lighting one of the biggest energy costs for so many businesses, a growing number of them are likely to start replacing older, less-efficient lights with LEDs, which use at least 75 percent less energy than incandescents and even less than compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). Moreover, many utilities are introducing rebates to make the upfront costs of LED lighting more palatable.

4. Greater employee engagement. More companies are realizing they need their employees’ help identifying ways to reduce their environmental footprint. As a result, they will be communicating with employees more frequently about their green practices and soliciting new ideas, using green teams and other engagement techniques.

5. Smarter green marketing. Companies are also getting savvier about communicating their environmental sustainability initiatives with their customers and the public. More will be engaging their customers in the conversation in creative ways, launching public awareness campaigns about green issues connected to their business and helping their customers see why their green practices make a difference. Don’t be surprised to see more businesses devoting sections of their websites to describing their carbon- and resource-saving initiatives.

everybody ready... what will you be doing different with your green practices in 2011?

People: Allowing staff time off from work to do good

2011-01-17T09:00:00.007-05:00

Give staff time off work to volunteer

Louisa Peacock | 01.12.2011

The business group made the call after nearly two-thirds of UK employers admitted to not helping their staff to volunteer, despite 58% of workers keen to get involved in local community projects. Managers were reluctant to promote volunteering because of a lack of time and money, the study of 1,010 employees and 502 managers by v, a volunteering charity, found.

However, Miles Templeman, IoD director-general, called on cash-strapped businesses to promote staff volunteering to help kick-start the Big Society. Mr Templeman said: "It's clear that in the current climate, many businesses simply can't afford large-scale financial investment programs to help communities, so allowing staff time off from work to do good is the ideal solution."

"Employee volunteering is now a major part of the corporate responsibility mix, enabling companies to leverage their most valuable assets – their staff – to address some of the most significant problems facing society."

Happy MLK Jr. Day... become a volunteer in your neighborhood and lead the way to a better future

Planet: The LEED Volume Program

2011-01-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

How the LEED Volume Program Works

The LEED Volume Program is a certification process that allows qualified participants to leverage technical uniformity in their building design, construction and operational practices, and managerial uniformity within their organization, in order to forgo the need for a full review of every LEED project.

Technical uniformity is established with the creation of a LEED prototype. The prototype depicts the technical guidelines, specifications and LEED credits that are to be included in each volume project. Once approved, the prototype becomes each volume project's template for implementation. Its approval is contingent on the applicant's ability to demonstrate how uniformity of systems and processes will enable volume projects to yield consistent technical outcomes across the organization.

Managerial uniformity ensures that clear procedures, roles, and responsibilities are established and followed throughout the entire volume project. It requires both a Quality Control Plan and an Education Plan.

The Quality Control Plan promotes the checks and balances that are in place to support the volume project's LEED credit strategy. It also illustrates how that LEED strategy will be systematically implemented. The Education Plan ensures that all team members not only understand their company's approach to LEED, but also appreciate how their work will affect and contribute to its success.

The net result: Large-scale participants will achieve LEED certification for their projects in a timelier manner and at a lower cost than would be possible with individual reviews.

marco is licensed to build your green roll-out project

Profits: Shoppers are still struggling with their finances

2011-01-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

Shoppers to spend more, stay thrifty: Deloitte

By Phil Wahba | 01.10.2011

(Reuters) - U.S. shoppers will continue to spend more this year, spurred by a slowly improving job market and an uptick in income, but enough shoppers are still struggling with their finances that any increase will be modest, a retail industry expert said.

Consumers returned to stores en masse in 2010 and gave retailers their best holiday season since before the recession. But December sales at top retailers such as Macy's Inc and Kohl's Corp disappointed Wall Street as shoppers proved to be more sensitive to prices than expected and showed they were ready to take a break from shopping now that Christmas has passed.

"For those consumers that have jobs and are not underwater with their mortgages, there could be a slight uptick in spending," said Ira Kalish, director of global economic at consulting firm Deloitte. The International Council of Shopping Centers expects same-store sales to be up between 3 percent and 3.5 percent in 2011.

"To the extent they spend, they will be very price sensitive and more apt to spend more on small things rather than big items," Kalish told Reuters on the margins of the National Retail Federation conference that began in New York on Sunday.

business as usual is over... marco can help you adapt to the new normal by managing your bottom line thru green design

People: Chocolate in mind

2011-01-10T09:00:00.004-05:00

How Your Brain May be a Smart Shopper

Tanya Thomas | 01.07. 2011

A new study has revealed that our brain cells can be quite the savvy shoppers, capable of finding the best candy bar we wish to eat. Rick Jenison of the University of Wisconsin-Madison said that understanding how these bean-counting neurons operate may help scientists get a better idea of how the brain assigns value to objects.

Jenison and his team studied participants who were undergoing a procedure that uses electrodes to pinpoint the origin of severe seizures. After the electrodes were in place, three participants viewed pictures of 50 different kinds of junk food, ranging from chocolate-chip cookies to M and M's to salty chips.

The participants came up with a subjective value rating of the snack by bidding amounts between zero and three dollars for the item. "The real goal here is to get them to give us an honest bid of what they value the food item to be," Jenison said.

food for thought... oh, i just got a craving for one of those leftover holiday truffels in the marco kitchen

Planet: A Lush Life

2011-01-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

LUSH GREEN POLICY

from lushusa.com

At LUSH we believe in protecting people, animals and the planet.

We take our commitment to this seriously. Since LUSH began, our founders have been conscious of how our products interact with the environment. We have always used creative and innovative solutions to make a positive impact on the planet. Our invention of the first-ever solid shampoo bar is testament to this practice.

The core of our philosophy is based on the highest levels of ethical standards with the lowest possible impact on the environment. Sustainability is a company-wide priority that flows through our products, from our hands to yours. We are committed to becoming more sustainable the more that we grow. So, environmental and social stewardship are critical elements in the business decisions that we make on a daily basis.

With over 700 stores worldwide and an ever-emerging global presence, we use our buying power to affect positive change in the world. We keep on top of regional and national legislation and partner with many groups to lobby for new regulations that drive and encourage a shift towards a greener future. Our loyalty to these initiatives, LUSH supports hundreds of environmental groups through our Charity Pot program and ethical campaigns, who we see as an extension of our work, taking part in the direct action needed to help motivate change.

If you’re interested in learning more about our green initiatives, read more about the they're doing it… a wide range of initiatives!

Profits: small is the new BIG

2011-01-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Twin Cities on Target's short list for urban small-store expansion

Jim Hammerand | 12.30.2010

The Twin Cities market is one of 10 urban areas in which Target Corp. wants to build small-format stores.
The list includes cities where Target (NYSE: TGT) has already announced 2012 store openings — San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles — as well as other markets with densely populated central business districts such as Boston, Chicago and New York, Target spokeswoman Jessica Carlson told the Business Journal Thursday.
Also on Target's list are Philadelphia, Miami and Baltimore/Washington, D.C., she said.

in our new economy, think urban... small is the new BIG

People: Imagine if customers were told carbon footprint of purchase?

2011-01-03T09:32:00.001-05:00

Getting Green Products on More Retail Shelves

By Suzi Sosa | 12.23. 2010

I am an investor in an "eco start-up" based here in Austin. The company, Blue Avocado, creates green consumer products dubbed "hot products for a cool planet." They launched in 2008 with a set of stylish, responsibly produced, reusable bags for activities such as errands, grocery shopping and toting your lunch. So far, they've had pretty good success penetrating the mid-size retail market, gaining distribution through stores like Whole Foods, Sur La Table, and The Container Store.

But, the break they've been looking for is shelf space in big retail. To have any shot at reaching their goal of getting more than one million people to stop using plastic bags, they need scale—the kind of scale that comes at 20,000 square feet of retail space and thousands of customers per day.

Unfortunately, things are moving slowly. Why? Big retailers don't work well with early stage companies. They get nervous if you've been in business for less than three years or if your sales are lower than $10 million. They won't buy new products unless they're sure their customers want them, but often, ironically, customers don't know they want those products until they see them on the shelves. The net effect in this case is that eco start-ups are often shut out and big retailers don't carry the best, most innovative green merchandise. The consequences for our planet are millions more tons of carbon emitted, countless resources unnecessarily used, tons of excess waste dumped, and millions of people left outside of the green revolution.

This problem is intensified when it comes to consumer products, which make up both the bulk of household discretionary spending and as much as 20 percent of landfill waste. Most Americans purchase their consumer products in big retail but the green choices currently available to them are few. Some retailers are making strides in specific categories, such as food and personal care. For example, Walmart now carries most of the major green brands including Stonyfield, Tom's of Maine, Burt's Bees, and Seventh Generation. Several big grocery stores, like Kroger and Safeway, have launched their own line of organics. But, as a share of what goes into each customer's cart, the number of green products remains small.

In this quandary is the glimmer of an opportunity—an idea—that was shared with me by Amy George, Blue Avocado's founder and "Chief Ozone Officer," that could not only drastically accelerate our progress toward a sustainable future but would also support small and growing businesses such as theirs.

[click on title link above for complete article]

trend spotting... how & what will we shop for in the future?

Planet: REI’s green built environment

2010-12-31T09:00:00.000-05:00

Green Building
REI’s built environment — their stores, headquarters and distribution centers — connect us with communities and engage their members, customers and employees.

Collectively, they also account for one of their largest environmental impacts and offer opportunities to reduce their environmental footprint. Green building provides an opportunity to address several of their environmental priorities, including energy efficiency, renewable energy and waste reduction.

They strive to create buildings that reflect REI’s mission and values, and they work to integrate sustainable design elements into our new stores and existing buildings. Whether they are retrofitting an existing facility or building a new store from the ground up, their goal is for all REI facilities to be as energy efficient as possible.

They design for next year, and beyond... running all of their buildings to reduce environmental impacts and operating costs.

Profits: more retailers are conscious of their impact on people and the planet

2010-12-29T14:32:00.004-05:00

Is it Possible to Measure Sustainability Within the Retail Industry?

By Leon Kaye | 05.03.2010

At a fundamental level, there’s really nothing sustainable about the retail industry as we know it today. In the United States and abroad, as the economic engine evolved from one of production to one of consumption, retailers and their suppliers have become the dominant companies. Take a look at the Dow Jones Industrial Average: the index showcases companies including Walmart, Home Depot, Kraft, Coca-Cola, and other firms like 3M, Alcoa, Hewlett-Packard, GE, and Walt Disney, which have some role in our consumer-driven economy. The results? A flood of cheap goods, the increased consumption of energy and resources, and, some would argue, lower wages. Nevertheless, more retailers are conscious of their impact on people and the planet, and some are becoming sustainability leaders. But is this concern genuine or simply crass marketing, or even “greenwashing?”

Five Winds International, a strategic environmental consulting firm, released the first in a series of studies evaluating a select group of large retail firms and sets some benchmarks. Companies in this survey include big box chains Walmart and Target, UK-based Marks & Spencer and TESCO, and Whole Foods. Five Winds measured several factors, including logistics, carbon efficiency, green buildings, and how the companies’ employees—and the communities in which they operate—were treated. The results may surprise you, and of course will spark debate.

The way to view Five Winds’ study is that it is a compelling framework by which to benchmark a retail firm’s actions when compared to its words (i.e., the web pages devoted to sustainability and corporate social responsibility). The big winner? Marks & Spencer, chiefly because of its devotion to the greening of the company’s supply chain, energy efficiency, focus on greenhouse gas emissions, water conservation, and procurement policy. Meanwhile, Sears Holdings was considered a laggard, surprising to me considering the efforts the company has made to source more environmentally-friendly paper and its crown as the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Retail Partner for 2010. They survey may not be entirely fair: many of Sears’ and K-Mart’s locations are in older buildings, and with all the turmoil the company has experienced over the past decade, revamping and greening its stores may not be high on the list right now, but is now turning a corner.

happy 2011, and make it greener... let's reflect on our 2010 sustainability goals by measuring the results.

People: Who inspires us?

2010-12-27T09:46:00.005-05:00

Our ever-growing list of people, places, things, that hit us in a nice way.

www.nau.com... check out some the their influences below (great people are a not-so-secret weapon)

Hella Jongerius
Vintage Dior, YSL, Balenciaga
Peter Zumthor
Copenhagen Cycle Chic
Gerhard Richter
Nerd Boyfriend
GOOD magazine
magic seaweed
Alec Soth
David Burnett
Mt. Hood Meadows snow report
Andrea Zittel
Claudy Jongstra
Juergen Teller
Droog Design
John Singer Sargent
Glitch Mob
Pantone
Vice Magazine
National Park Service
space

we are the product of our experiences... what better way to live & learn, in the new year, than to be inspired by greatness?

Planet: A closed loop system

2010-12-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

Walmart Program Benefits Pets, Pocketbook and Planet

Tim Albinson, 12/20/2010

In an ingenious move that brilliantly illustrates how closed loop systems can benefit both consumers and corporations, Walmart has introduced a new line of pet products that are made from the retail giant’s own recyclable waste materials.

A “closed loop system” uses customer recyclables in the manufacturing process of new products, and in this case, Walmart teamed up with Worldwise, Inc., a leading environmentally responsible consumer products company, to create PoochPlanet and SmartyKat pet products. Using a proprietary processing method Worldwise will make these pet products from the following Walmart materials:

- Bottles are being recycled into dog beds,
- Hangers are being turned into cat litter pans, scoops, and scratchers,
- Bags are being converated into cat littler liners, and
- Corrugated cardboard is being processed into cat scratchers.

“This program will set a new standard for consumers looking for products that are better for themselves, their pocketbooks, and their planet,” said Aaron Lamstein, Executive Chairman for Worldwise. Inc. “We believe this has the potential to spark a revolution in how manufacturers and retailers can work collaboratively to offer better products for its customers.”

Recycling programs such as this one can have an enormous impact. Worldwise estimates that through PoochPlanet pet bed sales at Walmart and Sam’s Club in the next year, Worldwise will keep the equivalent of more than 100,000,000 16.9 oz. plastic bottles out of landfills. This includes the equivalent of approximately 25,000,000 16.9 oz bottles provided by Walmart and Sam’s Clubs.

Of course, Walmart, which has built a reputation as an industry leader in sustainability, also benefits from its partnership with Worldwise.

“This program is the type of innovative thinking that will help Walmart reach its company-wide goals for sustainability,” John Kunkel, Sr. Buyer, Pets for Walmart, said in a statement. “We are committed to creating zero waste and the closed loop partnership with Worldwise is a perfect example of how retailers and suppliers can cooperate to innovate and achieve greater sustainability.”

all good... kudos to these great people helping to make our pets green too!

Profits: Merchandising, marketing & online initiatives drive business

2010-12-22T09:00:00.003-05:00

New Strategies Improve Retailers’ Sales

By Nancy Klosek 12/20/2010

Throughout last year, dealers implemented many different strategies to increase sales, traffic and profits. Here’s a look at what several regional retailers did to improve their merchandising and marketing strategies last year and what they plan to do during the next.

Mark Reckling, CEO/President, Grand Appliance and TV, Zion, Ill: We ran promotions with a lot of green energy products in the appliances sector—mainly using either the states’ monies in the cash for appliances program or manufacturer monies for that segment of the business.

We’ve also expanded our website, with more money spent on Internet marketing and social networking. We are getting buyer inquiries and sales from that source. As print media are becoming less effective, we’ve been transferring our budget in that direction.

In the more rural areas where we market local newspapers are still an effective means of advertising, but in the urban markets we’ve had to turn to the Internet.

Neil Welsch, Vice President, Jeff Lynch, Inc., Greenville, S.C.: We’ve had to re-merchandise our floors at lower price-points because consumers are just not spending as much today because of the economy. Even though as an independent dealer we have better salespeople and better services, price is still a big factor in making the sale. In our advertising and in our floor assortments we’re having to carry a heavier volume of lower-priced goods.

We do not sell on the Internet, although we have a full catalog there of the brands that we carry. We sell by buyer inquiries and we get quite a few of them that translate into sales. As far as merchandising the floor with Internet, we’ve definitely been on top of that and we’ve got the merchandise that consumers are looking for when it comes to those Internet-based products. We show them widely on the floor. We are still getting our hands around Google, as that will have an impact ultimately. From a business standpoint, we are exploring it.

As far as selling online, we’re investing in other directions right now. I think the states need to get control of the revenue being lost through Internet sales. All of our economies—states, cities—are struggling; it’s not fair for companies like us who have invested in their franchise and in all that infrastructure in their marketplace for these Internet companies to be able to ship across state lines and not charge the tax.

bricks & mortar... Marco can help green your business with open space planning, designed for merchandising flexibility

People: Tempted to Spend Less

2010-12-20T10:28:00.000-05:00

The Ten Worst Holidays Since the Great Depression

Michael Sauter and Douglas A. McIntyre, 12/20/2010

Slow retail sales and the high unemployment rate this year might make people believe that this is one of the more economically difficult holiday seasons in memory. That is not true because the recession also made the 2008 and 2009 holidays hard for millions of Americans.

People are tempted to spend less when times are tough. Fewer presents are exchanged. People travel less. Those without work often despair. The joy that is supposed to accompany the end of each year does not exist for many people.

24/7 Wall St. compared 2010 against each Christmas since the Great Depression. We looked at unemployment, GDP expansion, GDP per capita, and the Consumer Price Index. These numbers show whether a holiday season was merry or not. High inflation erodes the ability of people to buy things. Slow GDP expansion or contraction means that consumer spending is likely to be in retreat. The effects of unemployment are obvious.

Many of the worst holiday periods coincided with deep recessions. This is certainly true with the harsh times in the downturns in the early 1970s and early 1980s. The 1982/1983 recession had a recorded number of months in which unemployment was more than 10%.

People may look back on 2010 as a difficult holiday season for a number of Americans. But, it was not among the worst, as history shows.

The Ten Worst Holidays Since The Great Depression:

10. 2009
Unemployment: 9.3%
GDP Expansion: -2.6%
GDP Per Capita (Inflation Adjusted): $41,890
CPI: -0.4%

The recession which began with the collapse of the housing bubble in 2008 and continues to affect the American economy was at its worst during this year. 2009 saw a rash of bankruptcies, most notably the Chapter 11 filing of Chrysler, as well General Motors, long considered one of the great American blue chip companies. In this year, Barack Obama was sworn into office, and a national average unemployment rate of 9.3% the highest the country has seen in more than a quarter century.

9. 1958
Unemployment: 6.8%
GDP Expansion: -0.9%
GDP Per Capita (Inflation Adjusted): $14,802
CPI: 2.8%

The recession of 1958 created one of the few difficult economic climates during the post-World War II boom, and the first major one since the Great Depression. In the previous year, car sales had declined 31%, wreaking havoc on the American auto industry. In Detroit, unemployment rates reached 20%, and Packard, venerable automaker, ceases operation. Unlike most previous recessions in U.S. history, 1958 also saw a rise in consumer prices, severely hindering the purchasing power of Americans during the holiday season.

8. 1981
Unemployment: 7.6%
GDP Expansion: 2.5%
GDP Per Capita (Inflation Adjusted): $26,030
CPI: 10.3%

1981 marked the beginning of the early 1980′s recession, during which the Fed raised key interest rates in the hopes of slowing rampant inflation. Inflation continued to rise, however, and the economy entered a period of stagflation. In one of the defining moments in the history of labor, 12,000 Air Traffic Controllers strike over a pay dispute. After refusing to return to work, President Reagan fired them all. An assassination attempt was made on Reagan’s life, as well as in Pope John Paul II during this year. Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America, retires after 44 years of journalism.

7. 1974
Unemployment: 5.6%
GDP Expansion: -0.6%
GDP Per Capita (Inflation Adjusted): $22,861
CPI: 11%

The United States continues to face record oil prices as a result of an embargo by OPEC (Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries) beginning the previous year. The energy crisis was only one component affecting Consumers. Mounting costs from the Vietnam war, as well as a stock market crash after the collapse of the Bretton Woods monetary relation led to the first GDP contraction in 16 years. In this year, President Nixon is impeached after the Watergate scandal.

6. 1946
Unemployment: 3.9%
GDP Expansion: -10.9%
GDP Per Capita (Inflation Adjusted): $12,676
CPI: 8.3%

With the conclusion of the war and the return of millions of soldiers, a shortage of housing and consumer goods leads to a dramatic increase in prices and business costs. The United States begins testing nuclear weapons in the Bikini Atoll, signaling the commencement of the Cold War and nuclear arms race. “It’s A Wonderful Life” – a film about appreciating life in the face of financial hardship – opens five days before Christmas. The film is considered a box office flop.

5. 1947
Unemployment: 3.9%
GDP Expansion: -0.9%
GDP Per Capita (Inflation Adjusted): $12,324
CPI: 14.4%

The United States begins the Marshall Plan, devoting roughly 2% of American GDP to rebuilding war-ravaged Europe in the hopes of strengthening the West against the growing threat of Communism. Problems with inflation continue to worsen, and the Consumer Price Index rises 14.4%, the largest annual increase in recorded U.S. history, before or since.

4. 1980
Unemployment: 7.1%
GDP Expansion: -0.3%
GDP Per Capita (Inflation Adjusted): $25,640
CPI: 13.5%
In 1980, massive inflation and a dive in GDP leads to an increase in unemployment which would continue essentially unchecked until its peak in 1982. Discontent as a result of the recession leads to the election of Ronald Reagan as president in November. U.S. personal bankruptcies increase 47% to 367 thousand. An attempt to rescue prisoners held during the Iran Hostage Crisis fails. John Lennon is shot and killed outside of his New York City apartment.

3. 1949
Unemployment: 5.9%
GDP Expansion: -0.5%
GDP Per Capita (Inflation Adjusted): $12,365
CPI: 1.3%

The American economy contracts, producing the first decline in consumer prices since the Great Depression. The price of housing and health care, however, goes up. The Soviet Union tests its first atomic bomb.

2. 1975
Unemployment: 8.5%
GDP Expansion: -0.2%
GDP Per Capita (Inflation Adjusted): $22,592
CPI: 9.1%

The global economy suffered heavily from continued stagflation, with countries like the U.K. experiencing inflation rates of close to 25%. In the first quarter of the year, the U.S. sees GDP drop 4.8%. A stagnant economy increases wages, resulting in mass layoffs, and the highest unemployment rate since 1941. New York City nearly goes bankrupt after the Federal Government refused to bail it out, producing the now-famous Daily News headline “[President] Ford to City: Drop Dead.” Ford eventually gives in, loaning the city $2.3 billion.

1. 1982
Unemployment: 9.7%
GDP Expansion: -1.9%
GDP Per Capita (Inflation Adjusted): $25.282
CPI: 6.2%

1982 sees the worst of the early ’80′s recession, as unemployment rises above 10%, including a 10.2% rate for the month of December.

poised for a rebound... will this year provide momentum for a 2011 recovery?

Planet - Green retail delivers business sustainability

2010-12-17T09:27:00.000-05:00

Green retail: saving the planet can save on costs

No doubt about it: the economic downturn has caused consumers to cut back on spending. The retail industry is looking for new and innovative ways to cut costs even while encouraging consumers to increase the frequency and the size of their purchases. There's one move that has proven effective in both reducing costs and driving consumer demand: going green.
Green retail delivers business sustainability. It's a way to demonstrate corporate social responsibility by reducing the environmental impact of an enterprise while simultaneously delivering significant financial benefits. In short, what began as an initiative to improve our planet's health has evolved into a means of boosting profit margins. These efforts can offer significant benefits to businesses by:
Reducing the amount of energy used by data centers and point of sale (POS) terminals, lowering carbon emissions and slashing operating costs.
Optimizing the supply chain, which helps reduce waste, increase flexibility and tighten control of product delivery and demand-response time.
Migrating to green infrastructure, which provides an opportunity to re-evaluate operations for improved efficiency and to help locate surplus expenses.
Implementing green operations that can improve compliance with government regulations—now and in the future.
All of these advantages can produce a business that’s leaner, stronger and more competitive—without lowering prices. Going green can do wonders for a company’s brand. In fact, even as they seek to limit their spending, consumers continue to seek out brands and products that reflect their social concerns. Clearly, environmentalism remains a major priority. As evidence, given the choice between similar products, many customers will choose—and even pay a premium for—the one that is quantifiably better for the environment.

green your bottom line... Marco Eco-Built is designed to help manage your business goals, both environmentally & ecologically

Profits: Big Box or Not?

2010-12-15T13:11:00.002-05:00

Goodbye, Best Buy. Hello, specialty retail?

JP Mangalindan, 12/14/ 2010

Most times of the year, Best Buy's foot traffic tends to be healthy -- the chain plants its stores in areas where heavy volumes of customers are not hard to find. But during the holiday shopping seasons, all bets are off as throngs of people line up despite frigid temps at 4 a.m and limited parking. Customers wheel out of the store hours later with multiple flat screen TVs, PCs, games and other electronic paraphernalia. In fact, some families actually gear their holiday shopping towards the Best Buy Black Friday experience.

It was both magical and painful. The adrenaline rush and deals seemed worthwhile. But waking up at 4 a.m. and parking hundreds of yards away on the grass -- the parking lot was always full -- only to race against irate, pumped-up soccer moms for an extremely limited supply of in-stock products? Not so much.

Since then, our shopping habits have changed, as it seems have those of many other families, too. Regardless of the time of year, Best Buy isn't a must-visit for us, anymore. If we want specific items -- a new phone, a tablet, ereader -- we go directly to the source: an Apple (AAPL) store for a MacBook, an AT&T (T) store for most phones, or Amazon (AMZN) for the Kindle. While Best Buy did say their sales of newer gadgets like smartphones and tablets were doing well, it was weak television and laptop sales that actually brought their figures down. One could argue that even so, consumers choosing to shop elsewhere for a new television also deprived Best Buy of knock-on revenue from additional tablet and phone sales.

In some cases, the deals for gadgets simply aren't as competitive as Best Buy's, but oftentimes, they are. (Best Buy doesn't offer discounts on any Apple products, for instance.) I actually prefer going to the Apple store to Best Buy because, unless you're subjecting yourself to the madness of Apple's Fifth Avenue New York City location, the customer service is oftentimes superior. Employees usually know more about the products they're talking about because they're not responsible for stocking and overseeing hundreds of thousands of electronics that may include televisions, stereos, computers, games, vacuums and smaller tchotchkes. In a more specialized retail store, employees have a smaller product catalog to learn about, which likely enables a better understanding of the products, and a better customer experience.

So does all this mean Best Buy's days of ruling the retail roost are over? Could it go the way of Circuit City, into bankruptcy and oblivion? Hardly. The business seems too well managed, and there are too many places in the country where specialty shops are scarce and big box stores are plentiful. But Best Buy's bad results do probably mean that consumers are getting a better idea of what tech gear they want, and a better idea of where and how they want to go about getting it.

With the big box consumer gadget chain's revenues down, it seems shoppers are heading to specialty stores or online to get their goods.

People: Finding Balance

2010-12-13T12:01:00.002-05:00

Marco Contractors Doubles Down with Revenue Streams

Tim Schooley - 12/10/2010

After decades as a general contractor, Marty Smith
knew the foundation of his business could use extra support.

Smith started a construction company in the 1970s when he didn’t even know how to build so much as a dog house, but Marco Contractors has generated a strong list of major retail clients, building stores and restaurants throughout the country. The company now has a staff of more than 200 employees and revenue that has reached as high as $40 million to $50 million.

Yet Smith is aware stores close as well as open, contract as well as expand. “I always wanted to have different revenue streams so, if one failed, it could pick me up,” he said.

That’s what has happened through the latest downturn, which led retailers to stall plans to open new locations while often cutting back on the number of stores. Revenue at Marco has dipped to around $35 million as Smith has worked harder to generate more business.

At the same time, Smith’s Rockerz Inc., a firm incorporated in the mid-1980s but ramped up around 2002, finds itself busy serving a similar client base, providing them with flooring made from ground and polished concrete.

Using the leverage and resources of his larger contracting firm, Smith said Rockerz has been experiencing double-digit annual growth because it can more cost-effectively compete.
“We’re cheaper in the long run for a lot of national retailers because we do both,” he said.

The new flooring is a value proposition, giving retailers a flooring technique that is LEED-certifiable and can help save on heating and lighting costs with a reflective finish while improving the overall shopping experience by creating a brighter store. Rockerz flooring, which is long-lasting, was used at Giant Eagle’s Market District store at Settlers Ridge in Robinson Township and such retailers as Family Dollar and Dollar General, among others.
While retailers may not be opening as many new stores, they often are looking for ways to save money on established ones.

“Keep in my mind: We’re not talking about one store,” Smith said. “You can save them $10,000 a store on floors.”

Rockerz has ramped up to more than 50 employees and has been experiencing 25 percent to 30 percent annual growth at the same time Smith said Marco’s business trajectory has been going in the opposite direction.

While Marco continues to be profitable, Smith said it’s a challenge to juggle the demands of both businesses with those of Planet Pulse, his casual clothing store in Cranberry, which just opened a second location at Settlers Ridge.

“You’re constantly trying to find balance,” he said, noting that each business faces different needs. “I’ve got to find the right overhead to commit to the right amount of revenue to make sure that my bottom line is healthy.”

Whether it’s Marco licensed to work in all 50 states, Rockerz’s green flooring or the merchandise mix at Planet Pulse, Smith strives to make each business stand out.

Planet: Sharing Knowledge

2010-12-10T15:11:00.000-05:00

Nike Environmental Design Tool

Nike is releasing its Environmental Apparel Design Tool with supporting data and methodology for public review. We hope by sharing this knowledge it will accelerate collaboration and encourage broader adoption of sustainability principles. The Tool evaluates waste, energy, toxics and water in materials and manufacturing, enabling companies to affect the most significant components of a product’s environmental impact. It is a beginning; a building block from which something better can be created. We welcome your collaboration. The more that our industry works toward a common goal, the more likely we are to develop scalable, viable environmental solutions.

For more information on Nike sustainable business and innovation, please refer to the Corporate Responsibility Report. In addition, Nike will be hosting webinars to further explain and demonstrate the capabilities of the Environmental Apparel Design Tool.

collaboration is key... let's work together to build a sustainable retail economy

Profits: Fair trade has arrived

2010-12-08T12:48:00.000-05:00

Fair trade stores growing in cachet in North Jersey

BY JIM BECKERMAN, 12/08/2010

Every item in Fair World After All, an Englewood fair trade gift shop, has a story: handbags, bracelets, vases, gloves, chafing dishes, lampshades. And Thek knows them all.

"A couple of years ago there was a big drought in Kenya," she says. "The Maasai men would leave the women and children to go out herding goats and whatnot. So the women staying back had to find another source of income. A group of them work on these necklaces."

Here's a green and white bag, one of Thek's favorites. It's made of cotton thread woven with recycled cassette tape — you can see it glisten — and comes from a vocational organization in New Delhi. "They focus on children and young adults that have developmental or physical disabilities," she says.

Try going into a big chain store and asking the back story of one of their handbags.

Not only would the clerk not know but — if the words "made in China" or "made in Mexico" appear on the label — it might be tied to some sordid story of child exploitation or underpaid factory workers.

That's why "fair trade" has become a buzzword in progressive circles, and fair trade stores like Thek's are popping up across the country and around the world.

So much so, in fact, that the neighboring town of Teaneck has taken the next step. On Oct. 21, following a May vote by the township council and under the auspices of Fair Trade Towns USA, Teaneck officially became one of 21 fair trade towns in the U.S. (three others are in New Jersey: Montclair, Highland Park and Red Bank).

"It's a very exciting development," says Bruce Prince, owner of Teaneck General Store, which carries a large selection of fair trade goods: jars, mirrors, clocks, candles, cooking utensils, coffee, tea.

green your inventory... it's not just about your bottom line, but also about living wages for production of goods

People: Sense of Touch

2010-12-06T13:32:00.000-05:00

People want to touch items before buying

12/06/2010

Research indicates that people deter from online shopping because they want to see the items beforehand. Forty-five per cent of people said that they like to touch the items before making a decision to buy.

This comes as bit of a blow when today is expected to be the busiest day for online shopping. Dubbed Mega Monday, e-retail industry IMRG expects more than £0.5 billion to be spent on the web.

Twenga, the search engine which enables shoppers to look in one place for everything they want, conducted the annual Christmas shopping survey and asked internet users what reasons would prevent them from buying online.

Therese Torris, Vice President of Content at Twenga said: “E-Retailers have got the message – free return offers are very popular, so that customers can can touch the product or order two or three different sizes to try the product and choose the one they like.”

It also showed that 29 per cent of shoppers are worried that the products they buy will not match the description given.

David Smith, Managing Director at IMRG, told Retail Gazette: “2010 looks set to be another bumper year for online, with sales for Super Sunday and Mega Monday estimated to reach over half a billion at the end of a week when the festive spend really kicks in.

“Consumers have looked to spread the cost of Christmas a bit more this year due to the economic climate, but December 6th is the day that our retailers expect sales activity to be at its highest.”

bricks & mortar... connect with your customers online and invite them to visit in person for the human touch

Planet: Upcycling Program

2010-12-03T11:00:00.001-05:00

Zero Landfill

ZeroLandfill™ Co-founder, Jeff Krejci, began in 2004 to pick up expired carpet specification books and recycle during sales calls. The books would get broken down into the separate recycling streams. The carpet samples were shipped to InterfaceFLOR for recycling and the cardboard books were recycled locally. Mike Dungan, Amanda Dempsey and Krejci met to come up with a better way.

In 2006, ZeroLandfill™ began in the back parking lot of a furniture dealership in Cleveland, OH. What initially began as a recycling effort, quickly turned into a community reuse project. Christy Gray observed that artists and educators would love the materials.

Discovering the value of the materials to the creative community, the ZeroLandfill™ project team invited artists and arts educators to harvest materials for their own projects and educational materials. Over 300,000 lbs. later, ZeroLandfill™ program fills the gaps for educators material needs and creates behavior change for architects and interior designers as what was formally considered waste is redirected into the community.

next project site... Pittsburgh is meeting today to launch our program & Marco will help

Profits: Structural Shift in Shopping Behavior

2010-12-01T13:35:00.006-05:00

E-Commerce, Discount Stores Dominate Recovery In Retail Sales; Broad Implications For Retail Real Estate

Marcus & Millichap, 11/24/2010

Core retail sales fell steeply between mid-2008 and mid-2009 but have since staged a recovery to pre-recession levels, with further gains anticipated through the holidays. Despite this consumption recovery, vacancy rates at retail properties remain significantly higher than the levels recorded prior to the recession. This reflects record store closures and the housing-inspired run-up in retail construction. Hundreds of millions of square feet were delivered just as consumers pulled back, but a dramatic shift in consumer behavior also impacted vacancy trends. While monthly core retail sales have surpassed previous peak levels, nearly one-third of the recovered gains have come from e-commerce. Since the trough in monthly retail sales in December 2008, online retail sales climbed nearly $5.6 billion at the expense of many traditional retailers. Drugstores, grocery stores, and restaurants and bars also account for outsized shares of the increase, while clothing stores, building supply dealers and furniture retailers posted the weakest gains.

The recession has given way to a structural shift in shopping behavior that could change the retail landscape for years to come. As job losses mounted and budgets tightened, consumers became more price-conscious, and many discovered lower-price alternatives, such as discount chains and online stores. As the economic recovery gains momentum, consumers may have little incentive to revert to previous shopping habits. While major discount chains will continue to expand, more mom-and-pop retailers, which have already lost sizable market share, will be pushed to the edge. Marginal chains and those that fail to offer a competitive advantage to brick-and-mortar powerhouses or Internet-based services, such as movie rental chains or music stores, will also face steep challenges.

business as usual is over... let's move into a more sustainable future with green retail strategies

People: Generalists, not Specialists

2010-11-29T10:15:00.003-05:00

Why they call
us
General Contractors

David Roth, 11/29/2010

The core of Marco Contractors are our people. Each one are multi-talented team players. On any given day we each wear multiple hats in service to our 'Can Do' approach to each project.

A recent job, a small pop-up store for The Planet Pulse (Settlers Ridge), mostly involved finish work, painting, fixtures and logistics. Our long-time PM Tom Furge was the man for the job. He single-handedly was able to address all of these tasks and more, including small building code revisions required for the occupancy scheduled for 10 days after the company took over the space.

Marco got the store up and running in time for their mission critical Black Friday opening, on time and on a modest budget.... great work Tom!

Planet: Pop Up

2010-11-26T18:10:00.000-05:00

Planet Pulse opens Pop-Up ShopDavid Roth, 11/24/2010

The Planet Pulse has launched a new Pop-Up store in Settler's Ridge, a 10-week run and potential permanent satellite addition to our flagship in Cranberry township.

Any pop-up design needs to hit a budget sweet-spot. Spend too much and the investment won't pay-off. Too little budgeted, and the place won't have a sense of dependability for customer comfort. We have kept it simple with an uncluttered plan and lots of room for the busy holiday shoppers to take their time, hangout and feel the pulse of our fashion (clothing, jewelry), body (fragrance, grooming) and soul (books, art, etc) product offerings.

We're using the store (owned by Marty Smith of Marco Contractors) as a testing ground for products, build-out and the development process. It's kind of a living retail lab, advancing our great experiment... aka, a labor of love.

build it & they will come... the new location has already been visited by lots of my friends in the west pittsburgh area

Profits: Cost cuts offset tepid sales

2010-11-24T09:00:00.003-05:00

Staples Outpaces Rivals in Sales, Margins

By MAXWELL MURPHY (Wall Street Journal) 11/18/2010

Like its smaller rivals, Staples Inc. controlled costs in its fiscal third quarter to boost margins and drive profit growth but, unlike Office Depot Inc. and OfficeMax Inc., the nation's largest office-supply chain even eked out a bit of revenue growth.

The office-supplies retail sector has seen mixed results lately as persistently high unemployment pressures consumers, but its size and market share have allowed Staples to outpace its competitors and avoid some of their woes.

On a conference call to discuss its latest quarterly results, the company said early sales of Amazon.com Inc. Kindle electronic-book reader are "very good" since its was rolled out in Staples stores nationwide last month. It said it doesn't yet participate in the book-download business, but sales of Kindle accessories have been "very nice." Staples sells "one or two other off-brand" e-book readers, but is staying away from the brands "the book shops have," apparently a reference to Barnes & Noble Inc.'s popular Nook and the less-popular Kobo, made by the Toronto company of the same name and backed by Borders Group Inc.

North American retail sales, which accounted for the greatest share of Staples's revenue, increased 0.6% but were down 1% on a same-store basis, in line with the company's forecast. North American delivery revenue grew a better-than-expected 2.5%, and on the call it said it won "several new, multi-million-dollar contracts during the quarter."

eco-logics: margins are small... marco can help reduce your operating costs with an eco-built facility that make both economic & ecological sense for your business

People: Employee of the Year

2010-11-22T09:34:00.002-05:00

Quick-acting employee thwarts shoplifters at Planet Pulse, ends in arrests
by Dona Dreeland (www.yourcranberry.com) - November 18, 2010

What started out as an average Saturday at Planet Pulse clothing store in Cranberry ended with some quick-thinking heroics and a foiled shoplifting attempt.
Store manager Nicki Scalamogna and clerk Greg Dvorsky, 22, were talking to two female customers on the afternoon of Oct. 23. Then, the customers went into the fitting room to try on clothing, including True Religion jeans. The jeans sell for $300 a pair.
When Scalamogna, of Gibsonia, and Dvorsky, of Ingomar, were at the register, one of the women exited the store. The sensor went off, signaling that unpaid-for items were leaving with her. Dvorsky followed her out as Scalamogna called the storeowner, Marty Smith, and Cranberry police.
Dvorsky found the woman, later identified by police as Nicole Savage, 19, of the North Side, hiding by a car. She asked what was wrong, according to the criminal complaint, and he convinced her to return to the store.
"We just want our stuff back," he told her.
Dvorsky knew police were on the way.
Savage didn't want to go through the door with the sensor, he said, but she came inside the store. Dvorsky retrieved the woman's purse and put it behind the counter.
Savage grabbed other items and tried to leave again, police said.
She also called to her friend, Saundra Walker, 22, also of the North Side, who was in the fitting room, that they had to leave.
In those minutes, Dvorsky said he locked the front door. When Savage realized the door was locked, she bit Dvorsky on his left arm and began punching him, according to the criminal complaint.
By now Cranberry police had arrived, and Officer Justin Lee Hewitt detained Savage and Walker.
After a preliminary hearing on Oct. 29, according to the criminal records, Savage was charged with robbery to take property by force, retail theft, criminal conspiracy and giving false identification to the officers.
Walker was charged with retail theft, criminal conspiracy and giving false identification to officers.
Their formal arraignment is set for Dec. 7.
While Walker had nothing in her purse, the fitting room was littered with sensors that had been ripped from pairs of jeans, the criminal complaint read. Later, Scalamogna and Dvorsky found where she had hidden those jeans, now sporting holes where the sensors had been, Dvorsky said.
Had the theft succeeded, Planet Pulse would have lost nearly $5,000 in merchandise.
Each store has its own policy about engaging shoplifters, said Sgt. Chuck Mascellino, Cranberry Township's information officer.
"For employees, no money or items are worth endangering themselves," he said. "Dvorsky just wanted to keep (Savage) in the store."
"You can't use force to prevent a theft, but you have a right to defend yourself."
Dvorsky, who is 6-feet, 2-inches tall, 180 pounds, never thought he'd be harmed during the incident with the women who, he had guessed, were in their mid-20s or slightly older.
As a close friend of the Smith family, he was happy to help.
"If it wasn't for Greg, we wouldn't have caught her," Scalamogna said.
"He's my employee of the month," she said. "He's my employee of the year."

Planet: Sustainable Building Methods

2010-11-19T15:36:00.004-05:00

New Construction Materials

By Joe Peach

As global populations increase, so too will the need for accommodation. However, current mainstream building methods are unsustainable, producing large amounts of CO2 both during construction and throughout a building’s life. Thankfully, sustainability is becoming a priority for developers, and with many exciting innovations happening in the construction industry, sustainably addressing global accommodation needs seems possible. Here’s five materials that could help:

1. Wool Bricks - Developed by Spanish and Scottish researchers with an aim to ‘obtain a composite that was more sustainable, non-toxic, using abundant local materials that would mechanically improve the bricks’ strength’, these wool bricks are exactly what the name suggests. Simply by adding wool and a natural polymer found in seaweed to the clay of the brick, the brick is 37% stronger than other bricks, and more resistant to the cold wet climate often found in Britain. They also dry hard, reducing the embodied energy as they don’t need to be fired like traditional bricks.

2. Solar Tiles - Traditional roof tiles are either mined from the ground or set from concrete or clay - all energy intensive methods. Once installed, they exist to simply protect a building from the elements despite the fact that they spend a large portion of the day absorbing energy from the sun. With this in mind, many companies are now developing solar tiles. Unlike most solar units which are fixed on top of existing roofing, solar tiles are fully integrated into the building, protecting it from the weather and generating power for its inhabitants.

3. Sustainable Concrete - Whilst 95% of a building’s CO2 emissions are a result of the energy consumed during its life, there is much that can be done to reduce that 5% associated with construction. Concrete is an ideal place to start, partly because almost every building uses it, but mostly due to the fact that concrete is responsible for a staggering 7-10% of global CO2 emissions. More sustainable forms of concrete exist that use recycled materials in the mix. Crushed glass can be added, as can wood chips or slag - a byproduct of steel manufacturing. Whilst these changes aren’t radically transforming concrete, by simply using a material that would have otherwise gone to waste, the CO2 emissions associated with concrete are reduced.

4. Paper Insulation - Made from recycled newspapers and cardboard, paper-based insulation is a superior alternative to chemical foams. Both insect resistant and fire-retardant thanks to the inclusion of borax, boric acid, and calcium carbonate (all completely natural materials that have no associations with health problems), paper insulation can be blown into cavity walls, filling every crack and creating an almost draft-free space.

5. Triple-Glazed Windows - In fact, super-efficient windows would better describe this particular building material. The three layers of glass do a better job of stopping heat from leaving the building, with fully insulated window frames further contributing. In most double-glazed windows, the gas argon is injected between each layer of glass to aid insulation, but in these super-efficient windows, krypton - a better, but more expensive insulator - is used. In addition to this, low-emissivity coatings are applied to the glass, further preventing heat from escaping.

A building that combined all five of these methods would be an admirably sustainable option for housing. Whilst the construction industry tends to progress at a slow pace, the importance of sustainability is a high profile issue, and one which is only likely to increase. With sustainable building materials already fully developed, it is now up to consumers to actively demand their use and building developers to respond promptly.

evolution is green... these new materials will do their job & never be noticed, until the utility bills arrive at the end of each month

Profits: Re-imagining Retail

2010-11-17T10:49:00.002-05:00

The new sustainable business model
November 11, 2010 – 8:55 amBy Director of Insight, Karen Barnes

A lot of large corporations these days are struggling to convert their existing operations into a more sustainable model. They’re becoming more energy efficient, examining their supply chain, reformulating their products, reconfiguring their packaging and conducting full life cycle assessments in their efforts. But what they’re not doing is fundamentally changing the way they do business. Today, there’s a new crop of visionaries who are re-imagining retail and throwing away the old rule book.

You’ve probably heard about Blake Mycoskie of Tom’s Shoes – a five-year-old company founded on the premise of giving away one pair of shoes for every pair it sells. Just a few months ago, the company handed out its one-millionth pair of free shoes in Argentina. Tom’s Shoes are considered “must-haves” for celebrity A-listers, and regularly make the fashion pages of Vogue and Marie Claire.

In St. Louis, Panera Bread’s taking a different approach. Its Community Café is Panera branded, but that’s where the similarity ends. Set up as a non-profit, the café asks people to pay what they can afford, and according to a local journalist, at a recent lunch hour, almost everyone paid full price. According to company executives, about 65% of people leave the suggested price, 10-15% pay a little more, and 10-20% pay less. Those folks, Panera’s people say, are generally those who are struggling to make ends meet. If a patron can’t afford to pay anything, they’re encouraged to volunteer at the store for an hour. The store usually serves between 3,000 and 4,000 people a week. “We’re trying to set an example that corporate responsibility is not just about cutting a check,” said Panera’s executive chairman Ron Shaich. Started in May, the Community Café is now breaking even, and there are even expansion plans for 2011.

Social responsibility is at the very core of these businesses’ existence. It’s not some forced retrofit – it’s their fundamental mission. Even Nordstrom, a well-established brand, has figured out a new way of embracing sustainable values through leveraging its inherent strengths.

So my challenge to you is this: in addition to becoming more energy efficient, examining your supply chain, reformulating your products, reconfiguring your packaging and conducting full life cycle assessments, what else can your company do that’s game-changing yet still allows you to practice what you do best? If Panera can figure out a way to help feed the hungry because it understands how to run restaurants, what can your company do?

corporate social responsibility... we envision a new economy based on giving back

People: Why She Shops

2010-11-15T13:23:00.001-05:00

Fashionistas to the Rescue

By Susan Reda - Nov 2010

The style-conscious could be retailers’ ticket to a sales lift in the months to come, as these fashionistas tend to spend three times more than the average consumer on apparel, accessory and beauty purchases.

Before rushing out to jam the racks with the latest runway “musts,” however, merchants may want to delve into “Why She Shops: The 2010 Fashion and Beauty Study.”

The study, conducted by Bain & Company in cooperation with Vogue, surveyed more than 5,000 female shoppers in June 2010 and yielded some key changes from a year ago -- the most notable being a shift away from price vigilance to a renewed focus on quality and value. The study reveals that style-conscious women are still skeptical about paying full price and are explicitly seeking durability; 80 percent agreed with the statement, “I am willing to pay more for clothing and accessories that will last more than one season.” As a result, fashionistas are disproportionately investing in “classic” styles, with 65 percent saying they spent on those brands.

Bain & Company Study

quality & value are the future of retailing... we can educate consumers that timeless style is an investment in their own future

Planet: New Pop-Up

2010-11-12T11:03:00.012-05:00

Thanks Mr. Sign for all your help!

Planet Pulse
opens
Pop-Up Shop

David Roth, 11/12/2010

The Planet Pulse has launched a new Pop-Up store in Settler's Ridge, a 600,000 sq. ft. regional center development located in Pittsburgh (Robinson Township), PA.

The main store opened in Cranberry Township, PA two years ago and it's now expanding to other locations. Known for bringing a world of fashion to Pittsburgh, this new store will extend the brand into a great new market... Opening 11/15/2010.

The shopping center features a 150,000 sq. ft. Giant Eagle Market District, REI, LA Fitness, Barnes & Noble, a 16-screen Cinemark theater, and a P.F. Chang’s plus numerous specialty retailers. The regional center also features a 124-room Courtyard by Marriott, home and apparel fashion stores, plus a selection of complimentary restaurants.

The storefront was Eco-Built by Marco for an initial 10-week trial, and will hopefully extend to a full lease. We know it will be a big hit!

Profits: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

2010-11-10T14:06:00.003-05:00

Being a good corporate citizen helps small guys compete

CHRIS ATCHISON - Special to Globe and Mail Update - Published Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2010

Just how much can a business’ social and environmental activities affect its bottom line?

According to a 2010 survey by Toronto-based advertising agency Bensimon Byrne, 66 per cent of Canadians said that corporate reputation has a significant impact on the brands they choose. A 2009 study by Toronto-based market research firm GlobeScan found that 57 per cent of Canadian consumers have refused to buy from companies they felt were socially irresponsible.

“I think (CSR) is becoming so common now and companies are talking more and more about their CSR practices, that if you’re not doing this you’re conspicuous by your absence,” says Lara Ryan, a Ferguson’s Cove, N.S.-based CSR consultant. “One of the biggest reasons companies do this is for awareness and to gain a competitive advantage.”

For John Stanton, founder of Edmonton-based running shoe retailer the Running Room, sponsoring hundreds of fundraising events across Canada each year – and in turn raising millions of dollars to benefit charities – has been a core part of his socially focused business philosophy since founding the company in 1984.

“If you look after the customer, they’ll look after you,” Mr. Stanton says. “Great companies are those that look at what they’re doing for themselves, their customers and their community – they create a triple win.”

doing good is ethical... in life & business

People: Surgical Shopping

2010-11-08T09:00:00.001-05:00

The rise of the Surgical Shopper

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) — Think of the Mall of America as the Colosseum of American consumerism: It has more than 500 shops, 50 eateries and its own theme park, complete with an indoor roller-coaster.

And now it, too, seems a symbol of a bygone era.

Some 40 million people still visit each year. But many are like Michelle Hoppe of New London, Minn. She drove two hours to spend just $100 at three stores - Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret and a toy store.

Three years ago, she says, she would show up with a "pocketful of cash" and pop in and out of stores all over the mall. "We would just spend," says Hoppe, 45, who works as a home health aide.

The days when shopping was a leisure activity unto itself are over, at the nation's largest shopping center and beyond. Americans are being precise in how they shop, regardless of what they are buying.

They're visiting fewer stores, checking off their lists and walking away. They're spending fewer minutes online when they shop. They aren't stockpiling food or clothes.

Shoppers today visit an average of three stores during a trip to the mall, according to ShopperTrak, a Chicago research firm that tracks sales and customer counts at more than 70,000 stores. That compares with an average of five stores in 2006.

Inside stores, there's evidence that impulse buys are on the decline. Stores are messier because people dump so much merchandise before they check out, says Paco Underhill. His company, Envirosell, studies how consumers behave in stores.

It's "surgical shopping," says John Gerzema, a brand executive at advertising and marketing firm Young & Rubicam, and co-author of a new book about the changing ways we spend money.

The shift is greatest among low-income Americans.

You can see it during the wee hours of the morning on the first day of each month. That's when government assistance electronically drops into debit cards of millions of Americans. So they line up to get the basics just after midnight, a scene that's increasingly common across the country. Stores that close overnight report crowds first thing in the morning.

"I have a whole strategy. I shop for the big packs every six months," says Pia James of Harlem, who had just received her Social Security check and was clutching a fistful of coupons she had used as she left her local Costco an hour after the store opened at 10 a.m. She was pushing a cart filled with fresh vegetables and fish as well as big packs of soap and other toiletries.

As Americans are increasingly selective, stores are under more pressure. One or two fewer trips per shopper per month may not seem critical, but multiply that by millions of consumers, and the impact can be devastating for the retail industry.

In the first nine months of this year, the nation added about 23 million square feet of retail space, according to CoStar Group, which tracks the data. Four years ago, that figure was nearly 149 million. About 700 shopping centers broke ground compared with more than 7,000 in 2006.

shopping may never be what it was... especially with an aging population that's more interested in doing things rather than acquiring things

Planet: Upcycling

2010-11-05T09:30:00.000-04:00

Keepin’ It In the Loop

Date: September 21, 2010

Since the beginning of apparel manufacturing there has been fabric waste. In 2006 American’s alone generated more than 11.8 million tons of textile waste. Thankfully, certain companies have developed ways to recycle this leftover fabric and turn waste into revenue and revamped clothing. Looptworksmakes all of their products from 100% pre-consumer excess material that was meant for the landfill – including every zipper, button, and thread.

Estimating that factories produce 60,000 pounds of useable waste each week, Looptworks operates on the conservation of matter principle, that matter can’t be created or destroyed, only rearranged. That’s a lot of wasted fabric that can be rearranged for good! By using this fabric the company creates unique clothing from what already exists and reduces the demand for new fabric, “We can assure you that no new materials were used to create our clothing and that each item is as individual as the person who wears it,” says co-founder Gary Peck.

UPCYCLE... A term coined by William McDonaugh and Michael Braungart. The process of converting an industrial nutrient (material) into something of similar or greater value, in its second life.

Profits: Glimmers of Hope Appear

2010-11-03T09:00:00.001-04:00

Economy Still Impacting Shoppers

Shoppers to Spend on More Discretionary Items, Non-Gift Purchases

Washington, October 19, 2010 – Though Americans are still operating with the recession in the back of their minds and many have fundamentally changed their shopping habits, some findings from NRF’s first holiday survey imply consumers won’t only be focusing on low prices and basic necessities this year. According to NRF’s 2010 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, U.S. consumers plan to spend an average of $688.87 on holiday-related shopping, a slight rise from last year’s $681.83*.

up is not down, but these numbers look a bit flat... Marco can help your bottom line with lower o&m costs thru green design & IPD.

People: Shoppers seeking value, authenticity, purpose

2010-11-01T09:00:00.007-04:00

Five traits of the new American consumer

By Kimberly Palmer, U.S. News & World Report

A survey taken late last year by JD Power and Associates found that younger consumers, in particular, have been gravitating toward brands that provide value, such as Old Navy, Forever 21 and H&M. Meanwhile, pricier brands known for stylishness, such as Abercrombie & Fitch, have suffered.

Here are five traits that define today's consumer.

Optimism. Consumers that Gerzema and D'Antonio classify as "spend shifters" — 55 percent of Americans, based on their research — are optimistic and resilient. They still believe in opportunity and good things to come. That means they don't want to go overboard with secondhand shopping or "radical frugality"; they simply seek value for their money.

Brand consciousness. While the new consumer isn't chasing ever-changing retail trends, they're often drawn to brands known for providing value. That's partly because they have so many choices, and it's hard to know what to trust. So if presented with the option of spending a little more for a brand that they know they'll like, they'll probably do that.

Authenticity-seekers. Benett and O'Reilly point to the "slow food" movement, where people strive to enjoy their meals instead of rushing through them, along with the related "slow travel" movement. The relatively new concepts of "voluntourism" and "staycations" suggest "a desire for a more ethical and sustainable approach to consumption — and life," the authors write.

Purpose-driven. "There is a pervasive sense that consumerism needs to be tempered by a thoughtful awareness of its negative social and personal implications," say Benett and O'Reilly. That's why people want to focus on simpler pleasures, such as lazy afternoons, instead of marathon shopping sprees that lead to clutter and the constant feeling of wanting more. The authors point to books and blogs and urge people to simplify their lives. Their own research found that most respondents enjoyed cutting back and decluttering their homes.

Maturity. Instead of delaying adulthood, young adults are increasingly likely to embrace responsibility and a more mature lifestyle, the authors of "Consumed" report. Compared with their parents and grandparents, 20-somethings are "even more focused on achieving their goals and attaining their dreams," Benett and O'Reilly say.

These five shifts represent some big changes from the heady days of the previous decade, where credit was easy and consumers seemed to always want bigger cars and bigger homes. Now, companies have to come up with creative answers to the question: How do you market to consumers who aren't as fond of consuming?

design for change because, you never know... our kids are now more mature than we were!

Planet: Sustainable Consumption

2010-10-29T09:00:00.001-04:00

University of Arizona Launches Consumers, Environment & Sustainability Initiative

About CESI

Vision

To be recognized as providing the best instruction and consumer research on sustainable consumption. As we define it, sustainable consumption encompasses the decisions made and actions taken by consumers to improve their quality of life without compromising the ability of other consumers and living species to flourish on our planet Earth, today and in the future.

Mission

To provide consumers, as shoppers and employees, with validated tools to help them reflect on and improve the sustainability of their consumption patterns by making more informed choices about their use of goods and services and its impact on natural resources. To provide organizations, as firms and employers, with instructional tools for implementing sustainable business practices and scientific data on consumer consumption of sustainable goods, services, and natural resources.

The Story of CESI

Although there is a considerable amount of ongoing academic research and corporate interest in topic of sustainability nationally and internationally, most of the work being done is related to developing business strategies and supply-side products, methods and/or technologies. Missing from these and all other worthwhile and important activities is the voice of the consumer – the human factor, demand-side perspective.

To fill this void, we conceived of CESI in summer 2009, coinciding with The University of Arizona’s campus-wide initiative in support of scholarly activity and scientific research about the environment and its sustainability. The goal of CESI is to facilitate collaborative, innovative and integrative effort to support research, teaching and outreach activities that focus on 1) consumer rituals, attitudes and behavior associated with the consumption of food, water, and energy and 2) consumers’ sense of social responsibility as it relates to the sustainability of these and other resources.

Retailers have significant potential to affect change in society like no other industry, as they are located in a key position between suppliers and consumers.

Profits: sustainability must be relevant to our daily lives

2010-10-27T09:00:00.007-04:00

How going green can save you money
By MARGARET CASE LITTLE, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER | Published: SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

From leading the EPA’s Climate Leaders program to consulting for a company at the forefront of sustainable business practices, SAP’s Jim Sullivan knows a thing or two about corporate sustainability.

For a retailer just thinking about a sustainability program, what are the most important things to keep in mind when getting started?

The key factor in any corporate sustainability program is to create a solid business case on how the program will increase overall profitability and then get the appropriate buy-in at the senior management level to make sure it can be well-executed. In retail, the two main drivers for profitability are the opportunity to improve margins (primarily through operational efficiency) and the opportunity to increase revenue growth. Over time as the program matures, there is also the opportunity to improve the company’s valuation multiple (primarily by improving risk premiums such as predictable access to insurance/capital).

After creating a solid business case, the second most important thing to take into account is the scope of the program. “Sustainability” is an intentionally broad concept and a key factor for success is to narrow the scope of a corporate program to a manageable number of material indicators that are extremely relevant to an individual company, their customers, and their broader stakeholder community. For example, SAP reports out on eleven core metrics around the environmental, social and economic dimensions.

The final ingredient necessary for a successful program is an early commitment to transparency in tracking progress. Senior management and stakeholders must realize sustainability is a journey on which most companies are on their initial steps. For the long-term credibility of the program, companies should commit to not only reporting on their success but also on lessons learned and challenges in achieving their goals.

measure & verify... define business 'core-metrics' & track your progress. marco is here to help you mange the margins, so you can grow!

People: Embracing Sustainability

2010-10-25T14:51:00.000-04:00

Women in Design: Paulette Cole

The head of ABC Home is shaking up the retail world by embracing sustainable design.

ELLE DECOR: What design trends do you see having lasting value?

Paulette Cole: Everyone wants to jump on the green bandwagon, but it's much more than a trend. It's a complete shift in human consciousness that is going to trigger so much innovation in design. People want better-quality products, not throwaways, and they want things that will nurture and sustain them.  

ED: How have these educated consumers affected your business?  

PC: Five years ago people didn't know much about unhealthy chemicals in household cleaners and weren't so concerned about off-gases being emitted by carpets. Now they recognize these things are bad. At ABC Home we've done lots of homework on making functional furniture and art that doesn't hurt the planet. We have 650 pieces of furniture composed of reclaimed or naturally fallen wood whose harvesting doesn't endanger old-growth forests. You can invest in something that is good for the planet but is also beautiful.  

Green is good design, providing context for a range of possibilities and leading the way to a healthy future.

Planet: new green changes come at no additional cost to their Franchise Owners

2010-10-22T11:54:00.004-04:00

East Toasty, Be Green

Their goal is to save over 6,000,000 pounds of material from reaching landfills annually by using packaging containing significant amounts of post-consumer materials and updating our packaging to be either compostable* or use less paper in the production.

But they're not perfect...yet. They know that packaging changes are a small step in the grand scheme of going green. But by taking this first step, they're creating a larger market for post-consumer materials and attempting to reduce the flow of packaging waste to landfills in 2010 and beyond.

All Quiznos stores now feature several new types of packaging, including:

100 percent compostable wax-coated paper cups
Pulp salad bowls made from renewable sugarcane
Plastic lids made of 30 percent post-consumer-recycled PET bottles
Napkins made from 100 percent recycled material and fibers (90 percent post-consumer)
Catering lunch boxes made of 100 percent recycled paperboard (35 percent post-consumer)
The sub chain is also helping its team members embrace its new green shift by beginning to change their uniforms to items made from 100 percent from recycled soda pop bottles. Each hat saves approximately six bottles from reaching a landfill and each apron saves approximately 25 bottles.

By making its packaging more environmentally responsible, Quiznos claims its taking steps to lessen the impact each of its thousands of independently owned and operated U.S. stores has on the eco-health of the nation.

Green & Good... as my personal research just verified.

Profits: Environmental Performance

2010-10-20T10:57:00.002-04:00

NEWSWEEK's 2010 Green Rankings

To produce the 2010 Green Rankings, NEWSWEEK collaborated with MSCI ESG Research—a leading source of environmental, social, and governance ratings—which served as lead research organization; Trucost, which specializes in quantitative measurements of environmental performance; CorporateRegister.com, the world’s largest online directory of social responsibility, sustainability, and environmental reports; and our editorial partner, ASAP Media. The goal was to assess each company’s actual environmental footprint and management of that footprint (including policies and strategies), along with its reputation among environmental experts.

COMPANIES WE RANKED

The U.S. 500 list includes the largest publicly traded U.S. companies, and the Global 100 list (new this year) includes the largest publicly traded companies based in developed and emerging markets. A number of U.S.-based companies appear on both lists. Company size was evaluated according to revenue (most recent fiscal year), market capitalization, and number of employees, all as of March 31, 2010. Changes resulting from various corporate actions, such as mergers, were taken into account until July 1, 2010, when the company lists were finalized to allow time for the rankings to be calculated and compiled.

who's who of green... search the list to find leading retailers in the field

People: Giving Back

2010-10-18T13:32:00.010-04:00

Toys For Tots 2010

Toys for Tots Coordinator Mrs. Cora Pucci

Monetary donations can be mailed to:

"Toys for Tots" % Mrs. Cora Pucci

651 Glenwood Avenue

Ambridge, PA 15003-2446.

Please make all checks payable to:

Toys for Tots

Our 2010 office/warehouse will be located:

641 Glenwood Avenue

Ambridge, PA 15003

Once again this year... Marco is supporting this great cause with collection boxes set-up at our HQ.

Planet: Corporate Social Responsibility

2010-10-15T14:06:00.004-04:00

Joe Pettus, Eco-Pioneer: Safeway is leading the way to a

green future... they get it!

10 Eco-Tips from Safeway

1. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL).CFLs use roughly ¼ of the energy, of incandescents and deliver the same amount of light.

2. Keep your reusable shopping bags in the trunk of your car. That way, you will have them each time you do your shopping.

3. Take advantage of electronic coupons. Visit CouponLink at Safeway.com and download coupons onto your Safeway Club Card.

4. When you are busy around the house, turn down the thermostat. Your own energy will keep you warm, and you will save on the heating bill.

5. Pay as many bills as you can online. This will reduce the amount of paper sent out and eventually thrown away.

6. Make recycling easy. Create designated holding bins for each type of recyclable product and place in convenient locations in your home or garage.

7. Take showers instead of baths. Try to keep them to five minutes or shorter. Replace existing shower heads with the lowest flow ones you can find.

8. Steam your veggies rather than boiling them. Each time you do, you will save roughly a quart of water.

9. Compost your food scraps. Composting provides vital nutrients for your garden.

10. Donate your clothes. Next time you are cleaning out your closet, consider donating your clothes rather than throwing them away.

it's not easy being green... Safeway is an Eco-Pioneer and shared their CSR experiences with us at the ICSC Retail Green conference last week

Profits: The Power of Business

2010-10-13T13:42:00.000-04:00

What are B Corporations?

B Corporations are a new type of corporation which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. B Corporations are unlike traditional responsible businesses because they:

Meet comprehensive and transparent social and environmental performance standards.
Institutionalize stakeholder interests.
Build collective voice through the power of a unifying brand.

Beyond construction certification programs... organizations are now fine tuning their operations to change the world.

People: Perception of Class & Elegance

2010-10-11T10:54:00.002-04:00

Make People Want To Shop At Your Store

By: George Battles on Oct 9, 2010

It is convenient to say that a retail clothing store is a result of all details carefully put together. In running a retail clothing business, you already probably have and know the details, regardless of how big or small it is. You are ought to be keen when it comes to details. From selecting among wooden clothes hangers from wooden clothes hanger manufacturers or metal hangers to selecting the type of light to use, from wall color to mirrors, everything has to blend perfectly together to attain a conducive shopping environment that potential customers would want to shop in.
Your clothing display greatly impacts on the image of your store. People's perception of class and elegance are the top things people want in a clothing store. As a matter of fact, even a diminutive detail such as your choice of mirrors can set the image you want to portray.
Most high-end stores prefer wooden clothes hangers; they have a certain level of elegance and classiness, which is not available with other types of hangers. Metal hangers, for instance, are prone to deformities. Using these to hang clothes is like saying quality is not an important consideration in your store.
On the other hand, wooden hangers are perfect tools to achieve a sense of sophistication and subsequently relaying it to customers. They are not only functional, but they also serve as a perfect complement to any high end clothing like a long elegant evening gown or a well-tailored tuxedo and pants.
Aside from its functional and aesthetic value, this kind of clothes hangers also has an added advantage of being heavy-duty. Compared metal, wooden hangers have rare chance of getting bent or distorted. Wooden hangers are also not vulnerable to rust. Go ahead and buy from wooden clothes hanger manufacturers so you can hang your clothes in a well-displayed manner.

Perception is reality... shoppers are attracted to quality, the new definition of value.

Planet: Green Retailing

2010-10-08T10:21:00.004-04:00

Retail in 2020

Arguably the single most important issue for retailers today is the environment. Once considered a niche playing field, green retailing has moved from "nice to have" to "must have" as both customer and regulatory demands tighten for the industry. And some of the biggest players are leading the charge to more environmentally aware practices.

With the likes of Tesco, Coop as well as Sainsbury, Home Depot, Marks & Spencer, Starbucks, Zara and Wal-Mart leading the way, not having a distinct environmental plan built into retail strategies has become the exception, where only a few years ago it was the rule. What to expect then in 2020? Premium payments for enviro-friendly products, more low-energy production and the creation of new—higher—standards for ethical trading.

green is no longer an option... it's at the heart of providing true value for your customers

Profits: Industry Research

2010-10-06T10:12:00.000-04:00

Retail Split Widens Between Luxury, Value

By Robert Carr

CHICAGO-Growth in consumer confidence, though slight, is translating to a boost in the retail market, according to Jones Lang LaSalle in a recent global report. Retailers are continuing to talk about new stores and plan for the holiday season, while investors are seeing better quality properties come on the market, and lenders opening up cash flow.

Many projects put on hold during the global financial crisis are underway again, according to the report. However, the retail landscape for the next few years will be challenging, particularly in mature markets. The growth hasn’t come without change, says Greg Maloney, president and CEO of JLL Retail. Both retailers and owners have had to improve business practices, and lenders are finally pushing properties off balance sheets, in some cases through foreclosure. “This will start the process, get activity going for investors. It’s slow improvement, we’re not on a sharp curve upward,” Maloney says.

green retail is about providing value... which these days has also become the definition of luxury

People: the larger general public

2010-10-04T09:50:00.000-04:00

iPad now available at more retail chains
October 4th 2010

Over the weekend Apple’s iPad extended further outside of Apple’s retailsystem. The tablet device can now be purchased at resellers such as Target, Frys, and Amazon. The new resellers, with more likely to follow, join Best Buy and Apple’s network of authorized resellers. Prices are the standard Apple MSRP, however, various resellers often have general promotions that may help trim the price.

It appears that Amazon is the only reseller selling the iPad online, while Frys and Target are in stores. All resellers sell accessories both online and in stores. It also appears all models and configurations are available.

This is good news for both availability and a chance to check out an iPad to the larger general public, particularly at Target.

power to the people... look for new hardware & software from apple later this fall , now that this first wave is readily available

Planet: LEED Retail

2010-10-01T10:06:00.001-04:00

LEED for Retail Finally Set to Debut

By Marianne Wilson (Sept 01, 2010)

It’s official: After years in the development and pilot phases, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Retail has been approved. At press time, the U.S. Green Building Council was expected to announce an official launch of late 2010.

“Once it launches, all retailers seeking LEED certification will be required to build according to this new rating system,” said Justin Doak, founder and CEO, Ecoxera, Austin, Texas. “In the meantime, retail projects can continue to register under LEED 2009 for New Construction or LEED 2009 for Commercial Interiors.”

The new certification actually consists of two separate rating-system tracks—LEED for Retail: New Construction and Major Renovation and LEED for Retail: Commercial Interiors. The difference between the two is all based on control, according to Doak.

“New construction is for retailers that control the shell of the building and influence over the site,” he explained. “Commercial Interiors is a green benchmark for the tenant improvement market, where site or shell of building is typically out of control, so mall and lifestyle retail tenants should use this path.”

LEED for Retail was developed specifically to address the unique needs and issues of a retail facility (including supermarkets, freestanding stores, in-line mall tenants, restaurants and banks). It took many of the existing credits in other LEED ratings systems and tailored them to meet the specific needs of retail outlets. LEED for Retail captures both a building’s physical systems (design, equipment, land use, etc.) as well as its operation.

“The pilot project teams provided real market feedback on how to apply LEED for New Construction and LEED for Commercial Interiors to retail spaces,” Doak explained.

Marco is reviewing this new program and we are ready to strategically align the rating system with your business goals

Profits: Fashion

2010-09-29T10:46:00.003-04:00

Profits up but margins down at H&M

Sales and profit for the year-to-date at fashion retailer H&M have increased according to financial results today.

Total profit at H&M Group for the first nine months of the financial year is up 26 per cent year-on-year, whilst total sales rose seven per cent and sales in local currencies increased 14 per cent.

The third quarter has been particularly strong for sales with an overall increase of 14 per cent and a rise in local currencies of 21 per cent. Profits were also up during the period, rising 23 per cent year-on-year.

One slight worry for the retailer is that gross margins have dropped 60.5 per cent from 61.6 per cent at the same time last year, due to higher costs.

Neil Saunders, Consulting Director at Verdict Research, said: “H&M has been able to offset the erosion in margins by driving volume growth and by keeping a tight grip on operating costs.

“However, it will be more difficult to follow this formula in the future. Input costs are still rising and demand from US and European consumers could soften as they feel the squeeze from government austerity measures. H&M has also said that its pipeline for new stores is not as robust as planned.”

grow your profits by focusing on core success areas... eco-build your retail facilities to reflect this strategy with great ideas & green design

People: Superstars

2010-09-27T14:00:00.000-04:00

What makes a retail superstar?

Posted by Jennifer Kruger on April 13, 2010

“What makes great retailers? How are they different from others?” asked PMA 2010 Official Business Session speaker George Whalin, author of the book, “Retail Superstars.” His presentation is featured in the April issue of PMA Magazine – Connecting the Imaging Communities.

“If you have a small business that is not distinguishable from your competitors, you are going to struggle,” Whalin said.

There are many ways to stand out – such as having a unique store design, an unusual selection of merchandise, a major commitment to employee training and development, unrivaled customer service or a revolutionary business model. Each store Whalin profiled in his book differentiates itself in one of those ways. They all offer remarkable customer service. They all share another trait as well. They don’t care what the competition is doing. In-stead, these superstar retailers focus on what is happening in their own businesses.

we're here to mind your business, and align it to make sense, both economically & ecologically... let us know if we can help

Planet: Retail Recycling

2010-09-24T14:00:00.001-04:00

Retail Operations

Recycling in your retail operation can actually help you sell product. By implementing a recycling program - and showing it off! - you will communicate to customers that you care about the environment and are cost-conscious. Packaging materials, particularly corrugated cardboard, make up a large portion of any retail store's waste. Because much of this waste is generated outside the retail establishment, reduction efforts must be made in cooperation with vendors.

Incoming packaging such as bags and boxes can be reused as packaging for customers. However, while this reduces disposal requirements, it does not solve the problem of unnecessary packaging. If vendors ship products in unnecessary or non-recyclable packaging, ask them to reduce packaging or switch to materials that can be recycled or reused.

planning for the future includes end game prep... we're also looking for improved quality products which are to be kept out of the landfill

Profits: Shoppers looking to save money by trading down

2010-09-22T09:58:00.000-04:00

Dollar General 2Q profit rises, boosts outlook

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS August 31, 2010

Dollar General Corp. said Tuesday that its net income rose more than 50 percent as more customers shopped the discount store and spent more money when they did. The chain boosted its full-year profit outlook.

Amid a shaky economy with high unemployment, the strong quarter is a sign that many shoppers are still looking to save money by trading down to lower-priced stores.

our client continues to grow... filling a much needed service to recession weary consumers

People: A new science of creativity

2010-09-20T08:49:00.000-04:00

Two Is the Magic Number

By Joshua Wolf Shenk

Updated Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010, at 7:00 AM ET

What makes creative relationships work? How do two people—who may be perfectly capable and talented on their own—explode into innovation, discovery, and brilliance when working together? These may seem to be obvious questions. Collaboration yields so much of what is novel, useful, and beautiful that it's natural to try to understand it. Yet looking at achievement through relationships is a new, and even radical, idea. For hundreds of years, science and culture have focused on the self. We talk of self-expression, self-realization. Popular culture celebrates the hero. Schools test intelligence and learning through solo exams. Biographies shape our view of history.

The Myth of the Lone Genius

If relationships shape us so fundamentally, how—in the study of creativity—could they also be so obscure? Why are we preoccupied with the lone genius, with great men (and, more now than in the past, great women)? Evolutionary psychologists might point to how our ancestors focused on the alpha male of a pack or the headman of a tribe. But there are contemporary explanations.

1 + 1 = Infinity

To take on the myth of the lone genius, we need not only to draw on the best science and history, we also need to focus on the fundamental social unit: the pair. As Tony Kushner writes in his notes to Angels in America, "the smallest indivisible unit is two people, not one; one is a fiction." Buckminster Fuller got at the same idea when he wrote that "[u]nity is plural and, at minimum, is two."

So this is the task of this series, to see how creative relationships work. I start with a few assumptions.

First, we can't answer the question with theory. Though science offers some context and insights, we need to look at real lives and see what lessons they offer and what patterns they suggest.

Second, collaborators exist across fields, and in many forms. I'll look for cases in the sciences, arts, business, and philosophy: Watson and Crick belong here alongside Gilbert and Sullivan, Engels and Marx. Hidden partners need scrutiny, as do the frontman and his sidekick, mentors and mentees, masters and muses. Let's define collaboration broadly, as a mutuality that shapes a body of work.

Third, this project won't come from a single mind. Of course, as with everything I've ever written, I'm dependent on my colleagues. But for a subject so vast, I need to invite new relationships—with each of you. If I'm right, your questions, observations, ideas, and criticisms will not only add to my work—it will change its character fundamentally.

Here are some questions I have for you:

Which relationships do you find most compelling? Which bonds suggest some kind of electrical charge? Where does 1 + 1 add up to infinity? Your cases may be historical or contemporary, high culture or lowbrow, famous or obscure. Please give some detail along with your nominees. What do you think accounts for their success? What do you know about their dynamic?

Second, can you suggest a form of relationship that probably eludes mass attention? For example, it was news to me, when I heard from the food writer Amanda Hesser that every star chef has a crucial partner behind the scenes. (She gave the example of Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich.) The music writer Richard Gehr told about the role that the arranger played in making jazz compositions sing. (He mentioned Gil Evans and Miles Davis.) The Jewish scholar—and surfer—Tony Michaels told me about the role of the "board shaper," who observes and intuits just what a particular surfer needs, and custom-crafts a board that best rides the waves. Al Merrick, Tony said, is a legend in the profession

design is a dialog between need & use during conception, and then becomes a topic of conversation upon completion

Planet: Cut Costs, Save the Planet

2010-09-17T09:12:00.003-04:00

Green Retail

No doubt about it: the economic downturn has caused consumers to cut back on spending. The retail industry is looking for new and innovative ways to cut costs even while encouraging consumers to increase the frequency and the size of their purchases. There's one move that has proven effective in both reducing costs and driving consumer demand: going green.

Green retail delivers business sustainability. It's a way to demonstrate corporate social responsibility by reducing the environmental impact of an enterprise while simultaneously delivering significant financial benefits. In short, what began as an initiative to improve our planet's health has evolved into a means of boosting profit margins.

let's lead by example... this is a natural process: evolve or die!

Profits: What should LEED cost?

2010-09-15T08:58:00.001-04:00

LEED’ing the Contractor’s Bid: What Should it Cost You?

In a recent commercial project John Koppe of Koppe-Wagoner Architectsreceived bids from ten contractors with a line item for LEED Process Oversight and Documentation. “Although this wasn’t to be a deciding factor, we were curious when the number for this line item ranged from $5,000 to over $60,000 (twelve times the lowest bid). What’s your take on this variability?” O’Brien & Company Principal Elizabeth Powers responds:

Actually, the range of bids doesn’t surprise me. For the commercial projects O’Brien & Company has worked on over the years, I’ve seen a similar variability, and it has to do with the contractor’s level of comfort and expertise with the LEED Rating System. I can share anecdotally that for a contractor new to LEED it can take their project engineer up to a month of two of full time work to figure it out. On the other hand, we’ve seen contractors that have embraced LEED requirements and integrated them into their normal bid collection process. For these companies, they probably spend about 50 hours over the whole project, roughly equivalent to that $5,000 figure. And this is fairly consistent across construction types within the commercial sector.

we are integrating green services into all our new projects and will provide great value for yours... let us know how we can help

People: Incorporating Sustainability

2010-09-13T06:00:00.002-04:00

You have the Power to Choose Green

Friday, September 10, 2010 by Julie Urlaub

We are all faced with an endless number of choices every day that can lead us in one direction or another. Standing at a decision intersection, some may choose to turn right while others may choose to turn left. The outcome of a left versus right turn is not the concern. Our sustainability consulting simply asks the question: was sustainability part of your decision making process?

The factors that lead to one choice over another are usually based upon personal value drivers present at that particular point in time. Therefore, a choice to turn right for one person may be perfectly valid given the criteria present at the time.

Green is a top level direction, which will organize and inform all subsequent decisions.

Planet: Green your Site

2010-09-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

Grow it & they will come

We're really looking forward to fall and its colors that make Western PA so beautiful this time of year... It's also a great time to improve our site with some new planting.

Also in the plans... a rain garden this spring in the backyard.

Profits: Good for the Body

2010-09-08T09:00:00.000-04:00

Profits Improve at the Body Shop

The beauty specialist, which is owned by cosmetics giant L’Oreal, said that growth in profits had reflected the “sharp reduction” of its fixed costs over the last year. Its profits represented 4.1% of its sales, compared to just 1.9% the previous year.

Business Designed With our Beautiful Planet in Mind.
Being a green retailer is in their DNA at The Body Shop®. It always has and always will be. From day one, their policy has been 'Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.' They avoid excess packaging whenever possible. In fact, they're currently introducing bottles made from 100% post consumer recycled plastics. Whether seeking out renewable resources, sustainable raw ingredients, or finding better ways of protecting the rainforests, their commitment to protect our planet drives them to do more and be better corporate citizens.

Green is good for business & translates into value for customers.

People: Retail Data

2010-09-06T09:00:00.000-04:00

Americans still cautious in August

NEW YORK (AP) — Not even skinny jeans for $20 are pulling Americans into stores.

Nervous about jobs and an unraveling economy, shoppers spent — at best — only slightly more this August than last, according to data released Wednesday by MasterCard's SpendingPulse.

The figures confirm a flurry of anecdotal evidence that retailers will be disappointed by this year's back-to-school season — a time they see as second only to the winter holidays.

"We are still not seeing a rebound," said Michael McNamara, vice president of research and analysis for SpendingPulse, which includes transactions in all forms including cash.

The good news is for consumers: Those who hoped for prices to fall and held off spending may be in luck if stores deepen discounts further to get rid of fall merchandise.

SpendingPulse's figures show shoppers spent more on children's clothing and consumer electronics than last August. But they pulled back on most other merchandise, including women's and men's fashions and luxury goods. In fact, spending in August on many types of nonessentials remained about where it was five years ago.

Women's clothing has been hit particularly hard, with revenue shrinking to about $300 million — about the same as 2004 and 2005, according to McNamara.

Online sales, up for a 13th month in a row, remained a rare bright spot. They rose 7.2 percent from a year ago, when they were up 1.5 percent.

All the figures compare spending from Aug. 1 through last Saturday with the first four weeks of August 2009.

3BL... shoppers want and deserve value, which is not the cheapest first cost

Planet: World has Seen a Dramatic Increase in Public Eco Awareness

2010-09-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

Does Buying Green Make a Difference?

When you consider that just in the last few years the world has seen a dramatic increase in public eco awareness, specifically in ‘green’ consumer knowledge, it is no wonder why there have been so many changes on market shelves.

At the PEW Center for Climate Change's Energy Efficiency Conference held in Chicago last April, one of the plenary session speakers stated a remarkable statistic. Only 8% of what you DO is sustainable -- the other 92% is in the supply chain -- in other words, what you BUY. So in essence, your eco actions add up but the products you purchase really add up because of the cascade affect in a sustainable businesses supply chain.

together, we are remaking the economy thru ecology... improving our triple bottom line

Profits: EPA & AIA Best Building Product Award

2010-09-01T08:40:00.000-04:00

Facility Flexibility + Reduce Operation Cost + Add Leasing & Resale Benefits

Allows Reconfiguration of Walls for changing occupant requirements. With minimum interruption to occupants which maximizes profits; and, without noisy, dusty, time-consuming demolition which is often restricted to Nights & Weekend overtime work & facility manager supervision. Allows Opening Walls to facilitate repairs, run new data cables or dry the inside (wet from AC condensation, fixture overflow, or building envelope leaks to prevent Mold)

LEED Credits

Provides at least 1 and up to 3 full LEED Innovation Credits + Assists with other LEED Credits like Materials and Resources. LEED-AP and GREEN ADVANTAGE principal is on staff.

Government Incentive

$3 to $14 per rentable square foot is typical; with this patented and commissioned system.

Compare to Traditional Drywall

Can be disassembled and reused — quietly during normal working hours which shortens the remodel schedule; and, it provides a government incentive typically equal to about $3 to $14 a square foot depending on the quality and quantity of the improvements. Green-Zip Partition construction cost is normally the same as normal drywall.

great substitute for joint-compound tape... allows for reuse of drywall to save the planet & you money

People: Work = Fun

2010-08-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

Lynyrd Skynyrd Concert 2010

All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy … and owner Marty Smith ain’t having none of that. In Marco culture, we work hard and we play hard. Is it any wonder then that Marco was just named one of the 2010 “Best Places to Work” in western Pennsylvania again (we’ve had the distinction before) by The Pittsburgh Business Times?

One of the Marco team’s many get-togethers recently included a trip to see Lynyrd Skynyrd, with special guest Bret Michaels, play in concert for their Gods and Guns tour on July 11. A good time was had by all, but come Monday morning, the Marco team didn’t miss a beat.

Despite the Sunday night fun, they reported for duty bright and early as usual.

Planet: What’s in a Name

2010-08-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

Sustainability is more than ‘design-speak.’

“If you ask a designer to name the most important issues facing design today,” wrote Alice Rawsthorn in The New York Times earlier this year, “one is bound to be sustainability, which is design-speak for helping the rest of us to live responsibly, ethically and environmentally.” Design-speak? “I wasn’t implying that designers and architects invented the term,” Rawsthorn tells me. “They didn’t. They simply appropriated it.” “Appropriate” means “to take exclusive possession of.” So we didn’t invent it—we just stole it.

“Our profession’s word of choice is ‘sustainable,’” Doug Steidl, past president of the AIA and new dean of architecture at Kent State University, wrote in 2005. “If ever there were a word more calculated to evoke misgivings … or, at best, a yawn, it has to be ‘sustainable.’” The term suggests sacrifice, Steidl complained, and architects should champion growth. “We cannot … be boxed in by our own language.”

we will all be judged by our triple bottom line accounting for all the systems we specify

Profits: Green your Office

2010-08-25T10:43:00.000-04:00

OFFICE DEPOT: Smart Steps to a Greener Office

Why Green?

Every organization operates differently and has its own reasons for thinking about going green. It is important therefore to establish the priorities and goals of your greener office program. The key to prioritization is deciding what you care about as an organization. If cost-cutting is your organizations priority,then choosing green products and practices that deliver immediate cost savings is key - buying remanufactured ink and toner cartridges or switching to double-sided printing are simple,cost-saving solutions. You may be concerned about climate change, so your focus would be products and practices that reduce fuel, energy and related greenhouse gases. Or you may be concerned about potentially harsh chemicals in every day products - in which case you would seek certified non-toxic alternatives to your current product choices.

Green your work process and you'll be on the way to a sustainable business.

People: What's in your vending machine?

2010-08-24T13:56:00.000-04:00

Eat Healthy At the Vending Machine

Don’t let those seemingly “controlled” portions fool you!

Much of what's contained in those tiny, behind-the-glass packages, explains Elisa Zied, author of So What Can I Eat?!, is "deceptively high in fat, salt and calories." In other words, press the wrong button one too many times, and you can easily sabotage your own best dieting efforts. So what can you eat -- when you're too broke, stressed or pressed for time to hit the local health food store? Get an energy-boosting, low-cal quench for your quarters, say experts, with this moment-by-moment plan.

You are what you eat... what would you like to see in the machine?