Secretary of Interior Restructures MMS and Turns one Entity Into Three

Now there will be two agencies to fulfill the duties of one. Two separate agencies will combine to implement offshore drilling operations that used to be delegated to the crooked Minerals Management Service, or MMS. On June 21 of last year the MMS was changed to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Regulation and Enforcement, or BOEMRE.
BOEMRE Director M Bromwich revealed the new structure and it’s functions as the regulating agency. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management  will be accountable for the improvement of the US’s offshore resources and they will conduct them in an ecologically aware and economical way. Functions of the new agency are not limited to but contain:
  • Renewable Energy Program
  • Economic analysis
  • Leasing
  • National Environmental Policy Act analysis
  • Environmental studies
  • Resource evaluation
  • Plan administration
One Entity Turns Into Three Entities to Oversee Offshore Drilling
A third entity, the BSEE, or Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, will oversee that all safety and environmental regulations are in use. Among their duties will be these:
  • All field operations
  • Training and Environmental Compliance activities
  • Oil Spill Response
  • Permitting
  • Offshore Regulatory Programs
  • Research
  • Inspections
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar remarked that he’s working diligently to establish a strong and independent management for offshore drilling to guarantee safe operation and compliance with the law.
The MMS was renamed BOEMRE in June of last June when Director Bromwich was sworn in to give a more accurate report of the immensity of the disaster and to get a more realistic view of the problem. The MMS restructure was made after the largest oil slick in the world’s history surged 4.1 (estimated) millions barrels of oil into the ocean waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The underground well blew April 20, 2010 and it jettisoned massive amounts of crude oil into the ocean until July 19, 2010 when the well was capped for good.
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Who Comes up With This Stuff?

Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) wrote a cutting letter to the EPA that’s being called both irresponsible and ignorant. Blunt is angry about a law suit to enforce the Clean Air Act upon a coal-burning power plant in Missouri that allegedly increased pollution with sulfur dioxide.
With all the scathing words and intentions, this letter did not have any facts supporting his claims. He claimed knowledge of things he had no proof of and he supported the innocence of a federal civil defendant and the guilt of a federal law enforcement agency.  It didn’t seem to matter to him that the law suit was filed by civil servant justice department attorneys, nor did it matter that these exact same kinds of law suits were prosecuted successfully during Bush’s presidency.
The senator accused the EPA of interfering with the state’s own authorities, citing that he is weighed down by the responsibility of examining measures that may not work for his constituents. Okay…
North Dakota Legislators Introduce Bill to Erase EPA Rules

It’s crazy, but true: North Dakota legislators actually had the nerve to introduce a bill that denies the EPA inspections and wipes out all previous EPA standards.
North Dakota Republican Representatives Jim Kasper, Jeff Delzer, Craig Headland, Dave Weiler and Senator Tom Fischer introduced a bill that cancels out all rules and regulations standardized by the EPA, and that the agency has no authority or effect in the state agency, and that the EPA has no right to inspect or visit without prior permission of the state.
If all the rules are voided, there’s no reason for them to ever give their permission for the EPA to conduct a visit or inspection. This seems a bit on the weird side; what about all those people that live in the jurisdiction that like to breathe clean air and drink/play/fish in clean water? If this can come to fruition, who else might they legislate against entering their state?
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EPA Makes Historical Move Against Spruce No.1 Coal Mine

Yesterday it was announced that the EPA invalidated the permits to run Arch Coal Inc.‘s Spruce No.1 Mine; a coal mine that’s gotten all the permits and requirements since 2007. It, at first, seems to be unfair and several politicians – including two of West Virginia’s Democratic senators, John Rockefeller IV and Joe Manchin III, and several cause groups are fighting it all the way.
The truth is that the company has been using a mode of mining that equals removing entire mountain-tops to look for ore. The remains of those mountain-tops are dumped in valleys and streams, wrecking habitats for the wildlife that live in/around those areas. This is a mining practice that’s already ruined environments and habitats all over Appalachia.
EPA’s Move Should Give the Mining Industry a Rude Awakening

It’s hoped to give the mining industry a wake-up call that the end of political favor is at hand.  No more is the ‘good old boy’ scenario is going to be tolerated. The EPA’s action is an accolade to itself, especially after facing such fierce opposition, and the same for the tireless West Virginians who oppose the mine. Take note, mining industry. The EPA has always had the power to do this, but only once has it ever been used.
The Spruce No. 1 Mine has been blowing off the tops of the mountains for two years. Those ruins were literally dumped in places that ruined an area that’s estimated (by the EPA) to be six miles long, with no plan for returning the land to it’s original ecosystem.  Around those six miles of land were thousands of miles of prime stream beds that have already been wrecked. The EPA said it’s a clear violation of the Clean Water Act.
Arch Coal, Inc. is suing, big surprise. They really should spend time making a different plan for extracting the coal from these mountains in an ecologically safe, environmentally friendlier manner.
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Use the Internet to Boost Your Business

You probably are already pretty familiar with the Internet because you use it for personal use. Your personal usage of it may be limited to sending e-mails and instant messages, helping your kids research school projects, or to keep up with the latest sports or financial news. But when it comes to your business, you may not be aware of just how much the Internet can boost your revenue. You may have a website and you keep it updated and well-maintained, but is it designed to let you interact with your customers in other ways besides just receiving their orders?

For example, have you taken advantage of business tools such as online surveys? Many customers appreciate it when a business website offers them a chance to provide feedback through these, and most of them don’t mind completing them, especially if you have it set up to where they can simply “point and click” to mark their responses.

Another thing customers like about online surveys is the fact that the response is almost instantaneous. Even if it’s just a simple message thanking them for taking the time to respond and telling them when they can find out the results, they know you have received their input and it will be studied.

Online surveys can be designed so that responding to them will give customers an opportunity to receive “giveaways.” These can be as simple as discount coupons for products or services, or even a “freebie.”Not only will customers be more apt to respond to online surveys offering these advantages, but if you make the prizes something that they may not be as familiar with as they are other products or services, they may discover that this is something they truly needed. This gives you an advantage because it lets you know what your customers need or are looking for when they visit your website.

Filed Under: Business Finance

Relying Online Learning to Help Start a Business

Let’s say you’re interesting in starting a business. You’re already well into your professional life, but something’s been missing for quite some time. You’re thinking it’s the empty hole that exists from the American Dream you have a right to have in having your very own business! There’s just one problem:

You don’t know where to start.

Starting your own business can be a challenging feat, especially if you don’t have the experience necessary to run an operation. There are numerous factors to take into consideration: hiring, training, licenses, buildings, advertising, payroll, taxes, logistics, loss prevention. It’s not all as easy as it seems. Not to mention the inevitable truth that you might actually have to firesome employees who might not fit the bill.

This is the bottom line: allof these concepts with starting a business need specific qualified training to get down right. Who would’ve thought you’d need education on how to fire someone? The truth is you do. What essentially happens to most individuals looking to start a brand-new business later on in life end up going back to school for accounting and other training. A business degree usually gets them on the right track. As many of you might know, actually going back to college and getting the books and walking to the lecture halls can be daunting.

Enter: the convenient and important online college classes. Not only are they convenient, they’re quick. It’s a fast track to learning and success that will get you started right away on learning how to start a business. It’s a worthwhile trip to the internet for research on some online courses if you’re interested.

Either way you look at it, if you’re planning on starting a business, recognize the responsibility and learn what you need to do. Because you’re the one in control; so make sure you act like it.

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How to Be Friendly to the Environment While Shopping at the Grocery Store

Example of an American grocery store aisle.
Image via Wikipedia

Fortunately for anyone who is concerned about being kind to the environment, there is an ever increasing number of ways to live an environmentally conscious lifestyle through a variety of commitment levels.

One of the easiest ways to begin or enhance an environmentally conscious lifestyle is to start at the grocery store. As strange as that may seem, the reality is that grocery shopping is an essential part of everyone’s life in some form or another. Whether you are responsible for all the groceries in your household or merely have some supplemental input, you can make a different in the condition of the environment by doing a few easy things.

Start out by avoiding processed foods whenever possible. In general, normally processed foods are not as healthy as those that are minimally processed. In regards to the environment, food processing plants use a lot of energy and often are not environmentally friendly in regards to their business tactics.

Also, consider growing your own food, at least on a partial basis. Even if you live in an apartment and don’t have access to your own yard, you can grow herbs using nothing more than the ledge of your window. Usually, your local grocery store will have herb growing kits in the fresh produce section.

Finally, consider buying less meat. Most livestock used for food purposes is raised on huge farms. Normally such farms contribute to vast amounts of soil, air and water pollution. Additionally, the act of raising animals for slaughter requires a large amount of resources. If you aren’t ready to give up meat entirely, there are several ways to reduce your meat consumption without becoming a full vegetarian.

As you can see, if you are concerned about the environment, you can become proactive just by making a few alterations in your grocery shopping habits.

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How To Be Kind To The Environment and Save Money at the Same Time

Recently it has become clear that it is more important to do whatever you can to reduce your carbon emissions and save energy in a constant effort to be conscious of an overall environmental impact. However, you don’t have to break the bank while you save the environment. In fact, there are actually some things that you can do to save the environment and save money, too!

Your efforts can start by simply stopping into a vintage clothing store. Clothes require a lot of energy during the process of their creation. Therefore, shopping for secondhand clothes cuts down on the amount of energy that you are indirectly using when you buy things off the rack. Not to mention, with a bit of effort and creativity, you can use secondhand finds to create a style that’s all your own, usually at a much lower cost than if the clothes were new.

If you’re the type that likes to invest your money in order to enjoy future gains, consider investing in companies that have demonstrated a commitment to creating sustainable living and other environmentally friendly practices.

Finally, see if your local area offers a produce cooperative. This would allow you to purchase locally grown produce on a payment plan that is usually very cost effective. However, since the types of produce received will largely depend on the type of produce that happens to be in season, you may have to learn how to cook vegetables that you might not have ordinarily purchased if you were just shopping at the grocery store. However, if you are serious about making an environmental impact in your local area, the act of joining a produce cooperative allows you to support the livelihood of farmers who operate out of small establishments that are often very environmentally friendly.

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The Importance Of Conservation Efforts When Helping The Environment

It is now more important than ever that you consider doing what you can to protect the environment through your everyday activities. However, luckily you’ll soon see that it may be easier than you think to make a positive impact on the environment through your lifestyle.

One of the foundations of an environmentally conscious lifestyle is simply an awareness of usage, and an attempt to conserve whenever possible. This can be as simple as turning off the lights in a room that you are not using, in a pledge to save energy. Additionally, you can consider installing energy efficient lightbulbs in your home. With this method, you can save energy by just spending a few dollars more than it might cost to buy traditional lightbulbs. Actually, even though the initial cost is a bit higher, you’ll usually find that it will even out with time. This is because energy efficient lightbulbs often last much longer than the traditional types, so that you may only have to replace them once every few years.

Also, if you currently buy a lot of bottled water, plan to buy a water filter. Some types of water filters fit directly on your current faucet with minimal installation requirements. If you don’t wish to use that method, there are also water filter pitchers and water bottles with a small filter integrated into the bottle’s design. In this way, you will be saving money, and saving the environment at the same time. The costs of creating disposable plastic water bottles are significant, especially when considering that most users throw away the bottles after just a single use. When thinking about the above reasons, it’s easy to see why more and more people are choosing to buy water filters and reusable containers instead of relying on traditional packaged water consumption.

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Raising Environmentally Conscious Children

As scientists uncover an increasing amount of compelling evidence for the global climate crisis, it is important to do your best to encourage environmentally conscious living throughout your household. It is easiest to do if you introduce your children to the concept of caring for the planet from a very early age.

Teach them about the values of recycling and let them help sort the recycling materials before they are collected. If possible, see if you can arrange a tour of a local recycling center, so that your kids can enjoy a first hand experience of knowing how their contributions play a role in preserving the environment.

Also, make sure that they learn to enjoy all nature has to offer. See if your city or town has a public camping area nearby. There are so many life lessons that can be learned by simply spending a night out under the stars. If you are camping with particularly young children, or concerned about the possibility of bad weather, consider staying at a public campground that offers cabins for rent. This offers the perfect combination of rustic living and and appreciation of nature without having to deal with many of the unpleasant factors that can arise.

Talk to your kids about the positive impacts that they can have on the environment by doing simple things such as biking or walking instead of taking a car or by becoming involved in community cleanup efforts. These activities will not only instill a sense of environmental responsibility in your children but will also help them to understand the many benefits that come from a selfless attitude of service and awareness of the world around them.

Finally, when they are old enough, rent environmental films that teach about the hazards of pollution and a lack of environmental efforts.

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How To Have An Environmentally Friendly Home Office

If you have a home office, you may be curious about how to make your space more environmentally-friendly. Luckily, you can get started in the process by simply participating in a few simple steps.

Many inhabitants of a home office environment would be stunned to find out just how much paper they use in an average week or month. From notes to bank statements to proposals, paper seems to be present in almost every home businessperson’s life in one way or another. However, you can make a small but noticeable improvement by using a whiteboard or chalkboard to make notes instead of using traditional paper.

Also, investigate the possibility of sending documents in an electronic format rather than printing them out on paper. If you have clients who are not accustomed to documents that are in electronic formats, you can urge them to use one of the many free document readers that allow documents to be edited, saved and viewed without ever having to make use of a printer.

Consider the use of energy efficient appliances and electronics. Many tools such as printers have a “sleep” mode so that they will only turn on when they need to be used.

Finally, consider outfitting your home office space with organic accent such as bamboo rugs, organic linen curtains or recycled artwork. There are many companies that specialize in creating artwork from recycled glass or other materials. When it is time to update your home office with a coat of fresh paint, consider buying brands that pledge to be committed to the environment through their business and manufacturing practices.

Often, you’ll find that by taking the above suggestions and coming up with some of your own, you’ll be more productive as you work, since you are inspired by your personal efforts to conserve the environment.

Filed Under: Business Finance, Environment, Land Grants Tagged With: , , , , ,
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