Alt Attribute & SEO Optimization

SEO Optimization images has become more and more essential in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is often overlooked. This is often a lost chance of better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise using alternative text for that images on your web site:

Images:. Make use of the alt attribute to supply descriptive text. In addition, we recommend utilizing a human-readable caption and descriptive text around the image.

Why would they ask us to achieve that? The answer is easy, really; search engines have the same problem as blind users. They cannot begin to see the images.

Many webmasters and inexperienced or unethical SEOs abuse the use of this attribute, trying to stuff it with keywords, hoping to achieve a particular keyword density, which isn't as relevant for rankings now since it was previously.

On the other hand, high keyword density can, on some search engines like google, trigger spam filters, which may result in a penalty for your site's ranking. Even without this type of penalty, your site's rankings won't take advantage of this plan.
This process also puts persons who use screen readers at a greater disadvantage. Screen readers are software-based tools that really read aloud the items in what's shown on the screen. In browsing the net, the alt attributes of images are read aloud as well.

Imagine listening to a paragraph of text that is followed by repetitions of many keywords. The page will be not even close to accessible, and, to put it mildly, would be found quite annoying.
What exactly is an Alt attribute?

An ALT attribute shouldn't be used as a description or perhaps a label for an image, though lots of people utilize it for the reason that fashion. Although it may appear natural to assume that alternate text is really a label or a description, it's not!

The words used within an image's alt attribute ought to be its text equivalent and convey exactly the same information or serve exactly the same purpose the image would.

The goal is to provide the same functional information that the visual user would see. The alt attribute text should function as a "stand in" in the event that the image itself is not available. Think about this: If you were to replace the image using the text, would most users get the same basic information, and wouldn't it create the same response?
A few examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

If a search button is really a magnifying glass or binoculars its alt text ought to be 'search' or 'find' not 'magnifying glass' or 'binoculars'.

If an image is supposed to convey the literal items in the image, a description is appropriate.

If it's meant to convey data, then that information is what's appropriate.

If it's designed to convey the use of a function, then your function is what should be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

Always add alt attributes to images. Alt is mandatory for accessibility and for valid XHTML.

For images that play merely a decorative role in the page, make use of an empty alt (i.e. alt="") or perhaps a CSS background image to ensure that reading browsers don't bother users by uttering things like "spacer image".

Keep in mind that it is the function of the image we're trying to convey. For example; any button images should not range from the word "button" in the alt text. They should emphasize the action performed by the button.

Alt text should be determined by context. Exactly the same image in a different context may need drastically different alt text.

Attempt to flow alt text with the rest from the text because that's the way it will be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone hearing your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image is there.
Please keep in mind that utilizing an alt attribute for each image is needed to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, which are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and also the remainder of Europe. They are also necessary to meet "Section 508" accessibility requirements in the US.

It is important to categorize non-text content into three levels:

Eye-Candy
Mood-Setting
Content and Function

I. Eye-Candy

Eye-Candy are stuff that serve no purpose other than to create a site visually appealing/attractive and (oftentimes) fulfill the marketing departments. There is no content value (though there might be value to a sighted user).

Never alt-ify eye-candy unless there is something there which will enhance the usability from the site for somebody using a non-visual user agent. Make use of a null alt attribute or background images in CSS for eye-candy.

II. Mood-Setting

This is the middle layer of graphics which may actually set the atmosphere or set happens so to speak. These graphics aren't direct content and could 't be considered essential, but they're important in they help frame what is going on.

Try to alt-ify the second group as is sensible and is relevant. There may be instances when doing this may be annoying or detrimental to other users. Then avoid it.

For instance; Alt text that's just like adjacent text is unnecessary, and an irritant to screen reader users. I recommend alt="" or background CSS images in such instances. But sometimes, it's vital that you get this content in there for all users.

Most times it depends on context. The same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text. Obviously, content ought to always be fully available. The way you use this case is really a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

This is where the look is the actual content. Always alt-ify content and functional images. Title and long description attributes may also be in order.
The main reason many authors can't understand why their alt text isn't working is that they don't know why the images exist. You have to figured out precisely what function an image serves. Consider what it is about the image that's important to the page's intended audience.

Every graphic includes a reason behind standing on that page: because it either enhances the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is critical to what the page is trying to describe. Understanding what the image is perfect for makes alt text easier to write. And practice writing them definitely helps.
A method to check the usefulness of alternative text is to imagine reading the page on the phone to someone. What would you say when encountering a specific image to create the page understandable to the listener?

Aside from the alt attribute you've got a couple more tools available for images.
First, in degree of descriptiveness title is in between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and can add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered by the user agent. Remember they are invisible and never shown like a "tooltip" when focus is received through the keyboard. (So much for device independence). So use the title attribute just for advisory information.
Second, the longdesc attribute points to the URL of a full description of an image. If the information contained in a picture is essential to the concept of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost if the image was removed), an extended description compared to "alt" attribute can reasonably display ought to be used. It can offer rich, expressive documentation of a visual image.

It ought to be used when alt and title are insufficient to embody the visual qualities of the image. As Clark [1] states, "A longdesc is a long description of an image...The aim is to use any period of description essential to impart the details of the graphic.

It wouldn't be remiss to hope that the long description conjures an image - the image - in the mind's eye, an analogy that is true even for that totally blind."

Although the alt attribute is mandatory for web accessibility as well as for valid (X)HTML, not all images need alternative text, long descriptions, or titles.

In many cases, you're best just going with your gut instinct -- if it's not necessary to include it, and when you don't have a strong urge to do it, don't add that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary for the whole page to operate, then you've to add the alt text (or title or longdesc).

What's necessary and what's not depends a great deal on the function of the image and its context about the page.

Exactly the same image may need alt text (or title or longdesc) in one spot, but not in another. If an image provides absolutely no content or functional information alt="" or background CSS images might be appropriate to make use of. However, if the image provides content or adds functional information an alt would be required and maybe even a long description will be so as. In many cases this kind of thing is really a judgement call.

Image Seo optimization Tips

Listed here are key stages in optimizing images:

Choose a logical file name that reinforces the keywords. You should use hyphens in the file name to isolate the keyword, but avoid to exceeding two hyphens. Stay away from underscores like a word separator, such as "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

Label the file extension. For example, when the image internet search engine sees a ".jpg" (JPEG) file extension, it's likely to assume the file is a photo, and when it sees a ".gif" (GIF) file extension, it's going to assume that it is graphic;

Make sure that the written text nearby the image that's relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose an excellent opportunity to help your website together with your images in search engines. Use these steps to rank better on all of the engines and drive more traffic to your site TODAY.

Search Engine Optimization

Manufacturers of retails goods need to leverage their Facebook presences to manage product recalls more cost effectively.

Some companies like Johnson & Johnson are starting so see the damage product recalls are costing in the modern age of fast information sharing — the company estimates over $900 million in lost sales and related expenditures last year. The brand is just one example are one of many companies that have undergone recalls in the last year and are still working to regain customers’ trust.

Cautionary tale

Kraft experienced a big debacle last year of moldy kids’ juices — and the problem is still continuing — so the creation of a Facebook tab to help manage the issues started out as very proactive. Alas, the tab moved to the very back of the page within days.

Moms were upset and consumers visiting the Facebook page for moldy juice information (many times referred there by a friend) thought the the tab appeared was missing rather than moved. Kraft learned the hard way that moms and other concerned parties wound up going elsewhere for information. They Googled the issue and stumbled across any pages mentioning it — including the brand-damaging image shown to the right.

Then other moms who were upset looked for information on Facebook and found groups like “I wont buy CAPRI sun till it comes in a clear juice package!!” Such groups had only a couple hundred members and no centralized, authoritative source of information, but instead had lots of unverified information further fueling hatred of the company. Perhaps Kraft should have created a page just for recalls or even just the juice recall, and that would have preserved the brand’s integrity on the site.

Three questions

Here are three important questions for product managers to think about amid recalls:

What does this mean for our search engine optimization?

What about the amplification risk?

What would the newest consumer find about the brand online?

In case the anecdote above hasn’t sold you on why a product recall is best managed on Facebook, below are three reasons.

Facebook is free

Besides a staff or the intelligence behind outbound communications, social media in general is free. Companies have brand pages that were no cost to setup. Tabs are free to setup. Interested consumers generally like products they use. Put together is a stage and microphone, what is your corporation saying? Read 44% of Fortune 50 Brands Show Facebook Icons.

Leverage your fans

If fans and consumers are going to spread seemingly harmful information to keep their friends safe, companies should be the initiator of the dialogue. There could be encouragement to share recall information or even incentives like discounts. Some companies even have Facebook commerce pages for shopping, support for recalls and exchanges could be easily integrated.

Communicate with customers

While silence tends to be seen as the best policy in a real-time updated world, silence immediately is seen as guilt and even worse so, the holding back of information from consumers. Quick updates, even if on Facebook pages is a way to engage and even remind fans as to why they are following you. Even if the news is the most positive to share, consumers would be reminded why they choose to connect themselves with you.

Consumers understand mistakes happen and are happy to get involved. Facebook offers many ways to share information with others and track how conversations travel — that provides one of the best ways to manage a recall.

Ellie Cachette is the Founder of ConsumerBell.

Note the Client companies are based in either the US or Canada and the “percentage of traffic outside key service areas” are based on each client’s target market.

For instance, if a client only services the US only, any traffic outside the US would be traffic outside their service area.

Evaluating Your Own Traffic For Relevance

To use our own web design and Internet marketing business as an example, we service both Canada and the US, but were getting 24% of our traffic from other international countries. Big portions of that traffic were companies looking to sell their services to us.

These international visitors would fill in our web forms and call us to inquire, untimely skewing our website analytics data by not giving us a real understanding of how our website was performing to quality prospects.

A solution had to be implemented to significantly reduce the amount of resources we were dedicating to people outside our service areas.

Ultimately, we didn’t want to be contacted from people we couldn’t help. The four possible solutions we considered were:

1. Create a custom report in Google Analytics to filter out the unwanted data (reporting related)


2. Adjust the content of our website (website related)


3. Block the traffic from specific Countries from viewing our website (server related)


4. Don’t change anything.

Option #1

When evaluating the first solution, creating a custom report to filter out this data in Google Analytics, this would clear up our analytics data. Implementing a filter would provide a more realistic picture of quality prospects we could service in our geographic area instead of those prospects or solicitors in other counties we don’t service.

This option didn’t run the risk of blocking any traffic or robots that we do want. It’s also a simple filter to add in Google Analytics. We set up another Profile with the country exclusions filters. A new Profile was the preferred approach, rather than going through the extra steps of creating Custom Reports.

However, setting up analytical filters doesn’t fully resolve the issue, since these visitors could still access our site, fill in web forms, and contact us, ultimately wasting resources that we could dedicate elsewhere.

It wouldn’t give us a true picture of what was going on. It also wouldn’t resolve the problem – we didn’t want to be contacted by companies from some outside countries.

Option #2

Updating the website content to say you only service a specific area is another solution that we considered.  This would inject more geo-targeted keywords into your site, which would help in local SEO. Adding a graphical map, drop-down options and/or links that allow the visitor to select their country would help qualify visitors.

Some of the downfalls of this option include spending a much higher amount of time to implement versus the other options. The success of this would also be dependent on how honest the visitor is.

Assuming visitors are reading your website content, adding geo-targeted keywords into your site would set a clearer expectation of service area delivery. However, this option still doesn’t resolve the issue of sharing contact information that allows unsolicited visitors to contact us and invalid web form data.

Option #3

How about blocking or filtering visitors automatically based on their IP address? When considering to block website visitors by IP it’s important to first evaluate the reliability of the IP address(es). The accuracy of an IP list is over 99.5% on a country level and 80% on a city level. The smaller the location, the less reliable the IP address.

Internet Service Providers change IP addresses they designate to customers. Some change them more frequently than others, which is why you want to keep the database of IPs updated. Scheduling a monthly update is typically a good routine if city level IP authentication is required. Country level is much more static.

The benefit of blocking the country via IP address would not only clean up analytical data, but also ensure our sales funnel was more efficient and provide a more accurate picture of real prospects in all systems. We needed to consider other issues in this approach.

One concern was the potential for a search crawler coming from an IP in the location we were planning on blocking. For example, there was a possibility that Google’s search crawler would also be blocked if it came from the same country. The implementation of this option is more technical. One would need to obtain a list of IP addresses for the desired locations and update the websites htaccess file.

In our example, the inquiries from some countries became so frequent that we couldn’t ignore it any longer. After much debate, we decided to ban the countries; however, we would only ban one at a time to evaluate the effects.

For instance, one of the largest traffic sources, accounting for approximately 20% of this, was from India, a market we don’t service. These Indian visitors were companies looking to sell their services to us.

We executed the ban in the polite Canadian way. We also implemented the Google Analytics profile with the country filter to monitor future website statistics versus the past.

Those visitors that came from our blocked list would land on a different page that displayed a nice message. It read: “Thank you for visiting. However, we don’t provide services in your area.”

In sum, the tests have gone over very well. Banning the country from our website has significantly cut down the number of unsolicited calls, emails and web form requests. It also gave us a much more accurate picture of how our website was performing within our own target market and service area.

Considerations For Blocking Traffic By Location

If you’re considering this strategy, some factors to consider when filtering visitors include:

• Why do you want to filter website traffic?


• Which locations would you want to filter?


• How much traffic do you currently get from locations outside your service area?


• How important is this traffic?


• How to funnel visitors outside your service areas?


• The accuracy of the IP addresses locations in mind.


• Effects of non-human visitors.

A few months after we implemented this, we received a direct mail package that contained pens with our logo on them from a company that wished to sell us branded pens.

Guess what it said under our logo? “Thank you for visiting. However, we don’t provide services in your area.” We had a good laugh. Someone obviously didn’t read what they printed. It was evidence that our website block was working and a nice souvenir.

The key takeaway, as always, is monitor your traffic and conversions. Track where your quality traffic is coming from and decide for yourself if you should block the traffic of certain countries. Make sure to proceed with caution to ensure that you are not missing some opportunities.

Think outside of the box for other ideas of how you can use that traffic. Perhaps referring the traffic to a partner or creating a unique service for specific markets is another option to consider.

Opinions expressed in the article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.

Related Topics: 100% Organic - Search Engine Optimization Tips | SEO: General

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Charlie Sheen’s use of technology and web 2.0 has earned him big dollars and a ‘winning’ formula for his own personal brand.

The Two And A Half Men star has greatly benefited from his own ability to embrace the internet, exploring all the marketing tools available to him. From breaking a twitter record, to hosting his own internet show on Ustream, the actor has done what few in Hollywood have ever achieved. Parody videos created by fans and websites dedicated to his one-liners are giving the actor non-stop free promotion and this in turn has created an audience of marketers for Charlie Sheen.

His infamous ABC interview gave birth to many of the viral video spoofs we have seen of his ‘radical’ behavior, which in turn, has fueled his twitter fan growth, and other media interview requests. With so many people discussing and sharing his antics, his own brand of controversy has been implanted onto the web, and has helped him sell tickets for his tour dates.

On top of that, Sheen’s regular updates with his fans on twitter provide a direct relationship and route to market. Sure that sounds a little cold, but he does have a following he can reach out to about his products.

Looking at what he did this week, Sheen took the next step in his own web fueled marketing campaign by making a self-parody video. This clever twist gave yet another viral hit to his name, as bloggers and social media re-posted and discussed how outrageous it was to see him spoof himself.

With many dates left on Charlie Sheen’s tour, the actor has a non-stop ‘Bi-Winning’ 24/7 marketing campaign, and other celebrities in the entertainment industry should learn from his online success.

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Lee bounces back, fans 12 as Phillies blank Nats

Back at his best after an unusually brief outing, Cliff Lee struck out 12 in a three-hit shutout, allowing the Phillies to overcome their own problems at the plate in a 4-0 victory over the Nationals.

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Great <b>news</b>: Working population percentage drops to three-decade <b>...</b>

Great news: Working population percentage drops to three-decade low.

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We’ve been hearing all kinds of Chatter that the next version of Final Cut Pro will debut in Vegas at NAB next week.  Thing is, we hear this every year and Apple hasn’t really done a NAB properly in awhile.  That’s OK, we’ll take that we can get.

Rumors are flying that Apple will be using the Vegas Supermeet to announce the next version of Final Cut Pro. Supposedly, Apple will be taking over the entire event for their announcement, cancelling all other sponsors, including AJA, Avid, Canon, BlackMagic, Autodesk and others, who were set to give presentations.

Philip Bloom just confirmed with me that Canon has canceled his appearance at the Supermeet. Canon was told last night that Apple has demanded ALL “lecturn” or stage time exclusively. Some sponsors who were not using presenters may continue to sponsor the Vegas event, but none of them will be presenting on the stage. I can’t imagine any news that would warrant this kind of “take-over” other than to announce and demonstrate the next full version of Final Cut Pro and possibly an entirely newly designed FCS4.

(UPDATE: Avid confirmed that Supermeet (Michael Horton) told them last night that their sponsorship had been cancelled. According to Avid, “Apple doesn’t want anyone to have stage time but them.”)

Who’s up for Vegas?

We heard the first concrete details about Apple’s all new Final Cut Pro coming during Spring this year, and recently some new information has come to light. Final Cut Studio expert Larry Jordan was one of the people at Apple’s meeting, demonstrating the upcoming upgrade to the professional film-making software.

Jordan can’t say much about the upgrade, due to an NDA with Apple, but he did say it is a “jaw-dropper.” Besides the “jaw-dropper” part, the thing we are taking most from his blog post is the fact that Apple allowed him to write it up. It appears that Apple already considers the software public knowledge. Afterall, Apple CEO Steve Jobs did tell a 9to5mac reader to buckle up for it.

Thanks to Charlie Sanchez

Related articles

• Next Final Cut Pro is a “jawdropper,” Apple considers it public knowledge, and will it drop at NAB? (9to5mac.com)
• Apple says last Xserve orders shipping in April, here’s what’s next for XSAN (9to5mac.com)
• Nasdaq to cut Apple’s weighting in rebalancing (9to5mac.com)
• Feeling the heat, HP and Dell execs lash out at Apple, pray iPad will fail (9to5mac.com)
• Certain MacBook Pro models ‘unavailable’ for reservation at many Apple Stores (9to5mac.com)
• Apple asks Toyota to remove the Scion theme from Cydia (9to5mac.com)
• New Final Cut Pro hits Spring ’11 and it’s the “biggest overhaul yet” (9to5mac.com)
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Apple has reportedly become more aggressive in securing components from overseas suppliers, making moves such as upfront cash payments to both ensure supply and block out competitors.



Analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities said in a note to investors on Thursday that Apple began "aggressively attacking" the component situation in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami that struck the country. The iPhone maker reportedly sent executives to suppliers immediately to ensure adequate supply of components, and also began offering upfront cash payments.



Separately, White's contacts in Taiwan also revealed that Apple is allegedly securing component capacity using what is known as a "three cover guarantee," referring to capacity, stock and price. Apple's move is seen as one that could potentially block out competitors and prevent them from building ample supply of devices.



The information comes as a separate report out of the Far East suggested that a one-month delay for Research in Motion's PlayBook tablet was as a result of Apple securing most of the available touch panel production capacity. The delay has forced the PlayBook to go on sale after Apple's in-demand iPad 2.



Last month, it was said that Apple could agree to price hikes in order to secure touch panel supply, particularly in the aftermath of the Japan earthquake. Apple was said to be in talks with component makers about touch panel pricing, and allegedly considered some price increases in negotiations.



In the company's last quarterly earnings call, Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook revealed that Apple had invested $3.9 billion of its nearly $60 billion in cash reserves in long-term supply contracts. He declined to reveal what components Apple had put its money toward, citing competitive concerns, but said that it was a strategic move that would position the company well in the future.



Analysts largely believe that the secret investment was related to touch panel displays that are the centerpiece of devices like the iPhone and iPad. One cost breakdown estimated that such an investment could secure Apple 136 million iPhone displays, or 60 million iPad touch panels.



It's a move similar to 2005, when Apple inked a major deal with Samsung to secure longterm supply of flash memory. NAND flash would go on to become a major part of Apple's products, including the iPhone, iPad and new MacBook Air.

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class="dropcap">Bill Thomas used to be a climate change skeptic, not believing that humans could have influenced the dramatic atmospheric shift, but two weeks in the woods — and chats with scientists — changed his mind.

“I remember vividly that first day with Dr. Jess Parker; he showed us a chart of CO2 levels increasing about the time of the industrial revolution,” says Thomas, who works for HSBC bank and participated in a 2007 Climate Champions training program. There, a personal epiphany led to a job title change — the former relationship manager for HSBC Technical Services is now group head of HSBC Technology and Services Sustainability.

Teaching employees the science behind green corporate values and how to make their workplaces sustainable isn’t just for “green” show — done right, it’s good business strategy.

“There seems to be a huge growth of interest among companies to not just keep the environmental initiatives within a subset of employees, but to make it a pervasive part of the corporate culture,” says Krista Badiane, who manages the business and environment program at the National Environmental Education Foundation.  And unlike broad, mandated rules — such as carbon caps — companies that create their own initiatives take ownership and credit for sustainable changes, which may well go beyond what laws would have dictated.

By cultivating current workers’ energy-saving ideas and environmental passions, companies can save resources, energy and money as well as boost their eco-friendly reputation. The key is to help employees learn why sustainability matters — for instance, unless it’s slowed, climate change could alter global landscapes and increase natural disasters in our lifetimes. And if employees realize what’s at stake, they’ll find ways to save resources at work — as well as at home.

Worker to Citizen Scientist/> In a patch of woods in Edgewater, Md., bordering Smithsonian Environmental Research Center campus buildings, HSBC technology managers are intently straightening a measuring tape wrapped around a mature oak. Phil Clarke, from Portland, Ore., leans in and meticulously gets a reading of its diameter: 94.8 inches. During this weeklong Sustainability Leader training, he’s learning what scientists do and what shape the planet is in. He knows that the measurements taken today — even though what they reveal won’t be known for awhile — will help guide decisions that will keep our world sound for future generations.

His employer, HSBC bank — a global financial services company with 300,000 employees working in 8,000 offices and pre-tax profits topping $11 billion — decided to go carbon neutral in 2005. For the past three years, HSBC bank has partnered with EarthWatch Institute for an international study on climate change’s effects on tree growth, as well as a program that trains employees around the world in sustainability. When workers return to the office after their forest immersion, they find ways to integrate newly learned sustainability lessons in their spheres of influence.

Clarke and the other HSBC technology services managers from around North America — key decision-makers hand picked for the training — earn the title of Sustainability Leader. A larger two-week program trains HSBC employees from all levels — from cashier to marketing staffer — to become Climate Champions.

Such citizen science training helps corporate employees understand the mechanics of science — that systems are complex, and that there are no easy answers. “You learn what a critical state the world is actually in,” says Annette Fasolino of HSBC’s payment operations division in Buffalo, N.Y.

Having that up-close experience with scientists and ecosystems helps employees better grasp how climate change is impacting, and may impact, the world. “Many of these people go back and question their decisions, and make sure they’re making the most sustainable decisions,” says Thomas.

Cultivating the Grassroots/> Though the partnership between HSBC and EarthWatch is unique, other companies are also looking to their staff for sustainable solutions. “There’s no one best program for a company to educate their employees,” Badiane says.

Some companies or groups of motivated employees organize green teams, which promote eco-friendly changes and teach colleagues sustainable alternatives. Initiatives range from banning disposable utensils in the lunchroom to redesigning an operating system to save raw materials. “Ideally, you’re getting some new ideas out of your employees,” says Deborah Fleischer, president of Green Impact, a sustainability consulting service.

Businesses also use social media sites such as Yammer — a private social network for companies — or online training to generate sustainable ideas.

Other companies dangle a carrot — awards and incentives — to get workers to make sustainable choices. Yogurt maker Stonyfield tied facility energy savings (based on energy use per ton of product) to employee bonuses. In this way, the company reduced energy use by more than 22 percent, according to a NEEF report.

To engage workers of all levels, eBay employed competition: a Big Green Idea Contest. To enter, employees identified ways the company could meet greenhouse gas reduction goals; then, employees voted on the top ideas. One idea, the eBay Box — simple, eco-friendly packaging that’s meant to be reused for eBay shipments — has become a useful tool that saves money and resources.

Unfortunately, some companies’ efforts are no more than greenwashing stunts to appear eco-friendly and keep up with their competition. Producing disposable trinkets with “green” logos or launching environmental-focused public relations initiatives while pushing pollution limits does not jive with true sustainability. The companies mentioned here, however, offer genuine solutions that leave a lighter footprint.

Two Kinds of Green/> Such engagement can yield significant savings: One North American HSBC Climate Champion noticed that co-workers weren’t shutting down their PCs every night, wasting energy. Now, NightWatchman software automatically shuts down more than 6 million computers left on. During fiscal year 2010 in North America, the software coupled with an awareness program saved 4 million kilowatts per year of electricity and about 900 metric tons of carbon dioxide, which shaved $332,000 on energy bills.

At defense contractor Lockheed Martin, a Camden, Ark., building uses a software system to control lighting and air conditioning, leading to more than $200,000 in reduced costs and savings of 2,332 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, according to the NEEF report. And at drugmaker Genetech,  green teams slashed the use of bottled water, saving the company $200,000 a year by using filtered water machines paired with reusable bottles, according to a white paper by Fleischer, “Green Teams: Engaging Employees in Sustainability.”

But benefits to a company can’t always be calculated in dollars.

“By creating an engaged employee base, we’re really putting it into hearts and minds of employees, and that’s going to be much more powerful and long-term than saying ‘you must turn off your PC,’” says Sharon Walck, senior vice president of sustainability at HSBC North America.

Investing in and teaching sustainable values to workers also boosts retention, according to NEEF, which is extremely important to large corporations. The foundation says losing and replacing a good employee can cost a company between 70 percent and 200 percent of that employee’s annual salary.

And, Badiane says, “employees who are motivated want to work for a company that has the same values.”

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The PPIC study Kolko co-authored sheds light on why historically California’s economy has grown on pace with the national economy even though it usually ranks low in surveys of states whose laws are favorable to business.

While the research suggests many factors that determine long-term economic growth lie beyond the reach of policy makers, Kolko cautioned that policy could still someday trump warm, sunny days on the Pacific coast.

“If California loses its ability to incubate and encourage fast growing industries to be here, that would be unfortunate” in the long term, she said.

Kolko identified two policies in particular, a simpler tax structure rather than a lower tax rate, and a lower share of government expenditure on welfare and transfer payments, as means of hastening economic expansion.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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Breaking tech <b>news</b>? Get email notifications as it happens. - TNW Voice

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ABC News' Jake Tapper reports: President Obama named retired General Stanley McChrystal to co-chair a White House commission on military families this week, but according to perhaps the most prominent military family of the last decade, ...

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Roofing Vancouver - Faq's

1. Repair or Replace?

There's no opinion like an expert opinion. Most contractors provides you with a totally free estimate. Get a summary of a couple trusted contractors and contact them well ahead of time of when you want to obtain your homes roof fixed so you can compare costs and opinions.

2. Beauty versus Practicality?

Discuss this together with your spouse or partner. (The children could care less...at least the young ones.) The fact is, nobody wants an ugly roof the same as nobody wants to be seen with bed hair. If you've got a great quality roof and you just have to do the repair, it's worth it to pay for the cost of the initial shingle rather than doing patchwork. A roof replacement doesn't happen frequently (we hope!) and so make a decision that suits you and your loved ones well or it'll stand out just like a sore thumb everyday you decide to go home.

3. Should I replace the roof in order to sell the house for additional?

Consider this very carefully prior to making a choice. With respect to the roofing material you choose, a new roof can last between twenty, fifty, to one-hundred years! This means you have to look into the year of the roof that's currently too deep first. Are you at year 18 of a 20-year warranted roof or year 30 of a 50-year warranted roof? Obviously, the standard is the reason why the roof keep going longer, but if you're not likely to remain in your current home for the rest of your life, the larger expense might not be worth neglect the. Although a new roof can improve the worth of your selling price, the increase might not be enough to pay for neglect the and that's definitely going to hurt your wallet.

4. Is it advisable that i can repair the roof myself?

Sure it's. But before you need to do, consult an expert first. You can perform it yourself, but you shouldn't be a complete ‘lone ranger.' With respect to the extent of the repair, you may or may not convince you. Either way, it helps to obtain a professional eye on the problem first and maybe a free quote so you can do the math later and find out if it's truly worth your time, sweat, and cash to become mister or miss fix-it.

5. When is a great time to get the roof replaced?

Weather can cause delays from days to weeks. Most people prepare yourself to have their roof replaced in the summer once they have a friend will be home during the day for a solid fourteen days. Once you have this era in mind, make a call to a trusted contractor months ahead of time to get a quote. Some companies get reserved fast and chances are, they're probably the most reputable. Planning ahead from the summer also provides you with time to discuss with many compare costs...especially if you want to have the roof made by a specified date.

 

The very best Roofing Contractor In Vancouver!

It is possible to leak inside your home's roof? Have you lost shingles or tiles inside a storm? Have overhanging branches caused damage? Is your roof more than Two decades old and showing its age? Are your gutters overwhelmed and draining poorly?

If the answer to any of these questions is "Yes" it's time to call the top roofing contractor Vancouver - Crown Roofing & Drainage.

For more than a century Crown Roofing has been the roofer of choice among our Vancouver neighbors. We offer complete roofing services, from emergency repairs and roof restoration, to complete roof replacement. All while using finest quality materials, installed with precision and the highest degree of customer service.

YOUR Vancouver ROOF DESERVES NO LESS!

The rooftop of the Vancouver home is the very first type of defence against wind, rain, snow, ice along with other weather conditions. Make sure it is up to the job. Among Vancouver Roofing companies, only Crown Roofing has got the depth of experience and successful track record to ensure your roofing system is going to be properly designed and installed.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.

One reason Crown Roofing has been probably the most successful roofing company in Vancouver is our resolve for our neighbors. We treat your house as though it were our own and that we were building a roof to protect our very own family. That's what neighbors do, and you can rely on Crown Roofing being here to support you and back our work. In the end, we've been repairing and replacing roofs in Vancouver since 1902!

Obtain a FREE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION OF YOUR Vancouver ROOF.

Go to the Roofers Vancouver for any FREE inspection and evaluation of the roof. Make sure you get the very best roof for your Vancouver home, in the best value. We build roofs to last!

 

Tacoma Roofing company: Help your house be Beautiful

Not many people understand the value of a good roof, your knowledgeable Tacoma Roofing company does. From top notch experience, they will be able to let you know why you require a strong, secure, and leak-free roof on your home.

The local Tacoma Roofing contractor is knowledgeable how important a financial investment your house is for you personally, especially as it is a long term one. Your home might have been damaged slowly through the years and also you have to take steps to minimize this damage. For a lot of people, keeping their house beautiful is also a matter of pride. There are those too who'd prefer to turn their property into a economical and efficient living place. Your homes roof is a valuable part of your house and plays a role in each of the aspects mentioned above. Because of this, you need to employ the expertise of qualified a Tacoma Roofing contractors.

Types of Roofs installed with a Tacoma Roofing company

Among the more common kinds of roofs are asphalt shingles, steel or metal sheeting, fiberglass, slate and terra cotta tiles.

Each kind of roof invites distinct problems, however they can be easily taken care of by a trusted Tacoma Roofer. It's imperative that you nip roof problems within the bud before they become too expensive or dangerous. You are able to schedule a scheduled appointment with the Tacoma Roofing company to take a look at your homes roof to determine if there are any issues or potential issues with it. If you will find, they may be in a position to let you know how to approach them.

A Tacoma Roofing company Helps to Build Strong Homes

The exteriors associated with a house, primarily the roof and gutters, face the onslaught of bitter and varying weather conditions, day after day. Painting, repairing, and cleaning gutters may be necessary. In some instances you might want to replace them completely. Usually, when your gutters show signs of trouble, your homes roof must also be inspected for problems. Whatever issues there may be, a skilled Tacoma Roofing contractor can examine them in detail and suggest the remedy.

In case your gutters tend to clog all too often, or you will find leaks across the walls of your house, it might mean that there's debris piled up on the top. Loose branches, piles of leaves, and other light objects which are swept onto your roof throughout a storm can all contribute towards damaging your roof, and these damages could be lasting. An educated Tacoma Roofing company will tell you that birds, mice, and other kinds of rodents often build nest within the debris that collects on the top. While these nests may look rather innocent, they're great at collecting moisture, be responsible for loose shingles, mold, and indoor leaks in your home. Additionally, this may also cause vermin infestation. Following a storm, your Tacoma Roofing company will claim that you inspect your roof for just about any signs of debris or damage.

Reverse Damages by using a Tacoma Roofing company

However high quality the rooftop might be, it is going to wear down with time. There are shingles which are known as "25 year" or "30 year" shingles, but those numbers are just associated with warranty produced by the makers. They seldom last that long. Realistically speaking, "25 year" shingles will not last more than fifteen to twenty years. In an area that is vulnerable to storms, shingles or the entire roof should get replaced every 10 years. Having a Tacoma Roofer, the cost is going to be lower than what you think.

If there you lose any shingles, or there is some damage to them, a Tacoma Roofer will be able to help you. Damaged shingles can result in indoor leaks, as the substrate from the roof becomes subjected to the elements. Shingles which are loose or broken can slip off and pose a possible hazard to individuals standing below. Missing shingles produce a gap which allows rain, wind, ice, and debris to build up under the adjoining shingles, which creates a "domino effect" that affects other shingles and they become loose or broken. A thorough investigation is going to be produced by the local Tacoma Roofer, if you call them track of your suspicions of loose or missing shingles.

Your Tacoma Roofer come in a situation to tell you what are the smartest choice is perfect for your homes roof. If your roof isn't in a good shape, it's advised that you have it replaced completely. The Tacoma Roofing contractor may take you thru the various roofing possibilities to you which will fit your requirements as well as your budget.

Tacoma Roofing company: Enhancing your Home's Efficiency

Your homes roof shelters you from storms, sleet, and hail. By giving adequate ventilation, your homes roof protects your house from overheating, by holding within the heat, it keeps your home warm. That's why you ought to ready your roof from indoors in addition to outdoors for just about any sort of weather emergency. A Qualified Tacoma Roofing company can provide assist in this situation.

First of all, inspect your roof thoroughly for any and all kind of damage, before the beginning of the new season. The gutters should be clear, debris should not be piled on or trapped under shingles, tthere shouldn't be homes of squirrels or birds in the eaves or attic, and also the roof should be structurally sound. For your last part, you'll need the help of the local Tacoma Roofing company. It can be quite dangerous to climb to the roof of your house. This is where the contractor from Tacoma Roofer comes in. He will read the strength and security of the roof and shingles, and perform a general inspection from the entire roof structure, to make sure that it is in proper working order. They will be in a position to point towards problems that you have to keep close track of and problems you might not have spotted.

You'll need all the help you could possibly get in the Tacoma Roofing company. You are able to help your homes roof by installing a gutter guard or leaf cover to assist prevent debris from forming in your gutters. The extra weight of debris prevents the gutters from draining and can even tear them down. Check the fasteners on your gutters and when they're loose, tighten them. Do something to alter worn screws and brackets. For those who have a chimney in your house, inspect the bricks and mortar signs and symptoms of wear. A trusted mason could be recommended because of your Tacoma Roofer, if there are any repairs to be done.

Tacoma Roofer: Someone You are able to Rely on
In the event that you know or suspect that there is a problem, your Tacoma Roofing contractor ought to be contacted. They are able to use their knowledge and expertise to obtain your home back in ace condition simply by working on the rooftop. Your roof deserves attention. So call them today, to enable them to conclude working on your roof.

 

What is Difference Between Commercial Roofing Companies From Residential Roofing Companies

If you are considering hiring a roofing company to re roof your house or building then you may be wondering what are the differences are between residential roofing companies and commercial roofing companies. To begin with, the one big difference is usually that times a commercial roofing company might have signed a contract with and be obligated to a roofing union in in a position to work on union commercial jobs.

If this is the situation then their labor costs will prohibit them from focusing on non union residential jobs. Beyond that, if your commercial roofing company hasn't signed a contract with a union they may be outfitted simply for commercial jobs and that means that their workers and equipment might not be in line with smaller residential jobs.

Residential roofing contractors generally often run smaller companies and hence, tend to be more capable of bid competitively on residential jobs, which are usually smaller than comercial jobs. In fact, quite often residential roofing contractors will run one man operations, where the contractor that you simply speak with could be the one that actually does the job about the building.

Also, liability insurance for commercial roofing is more epensive and a larger bond is needed for a commercial roofing work which will make it not cost effective for a commercial roofer to do residential roofing jobs.

Still an additional factor is that commercial jobs can operate on tighter time period for just about any number of reasons, requiring a commercial contractor to employ a larger crew or crews which again makes smaller jobs not as profitable on their behalf.

 

Distinction between Commercial Roofing and Residential Roofing

Are you aware that the roof of the building includes a huge impact on the entire structure itself? Damage caused to roofs because of natural or another disasters leads to a considerable loss of property everywhere. The kind of materials accustomed to construct the roof that ought to be sturdy and long-lasting, the manner in which the roof continues to be installed and even its timely maintenance are extremely crucial. There's two types of roofs which are used on all the buildings that we see around us: commercial and residential. Even though it may seem that commercial roofing is done just for businesses or offices and residential roofing is done for apartments and houses, in reality the differences tend to be more complex than that.

Residential roofing is generally completed just by one hired contractor but commercial roofing typically takes a whole team to accomplish the job. This is because an industrial roof is commonly larger when it comes to sq ft than a residential roof.
Commercial roofs need to be made carefully keeping the nature and purpose of your building in your mind. For instance, if there is a restaurant in the building then external components like ventilation systems, smoke stacks and pipes will be required. Residential roofs usually do not have such components apart from a chimney or two at most.
Commercial roofs is commonly flat in design to support further changes in a later period, whereas most residential roofs have peaks and other architectural features like roof gardens.
Commercial roofing is a lot more expensive than residential roofing because of the special tools, materials and safety equipment that are needed onsite. Often the patching or maintenance work is completed in segments unlike for a residential roof in which the repair or replacement work could be carried out a short while. This really is another reason why the gear used for residential roofs is often smaller and less expensive too.
Commercial roof installations take a extended period to complete in comparison to residential roof installations and therefore are usually constructed in large sections. In this phase however, you should ensure that there are no leakages, cracks or any other visible wear and tear signs as it can certainly cause considerable harm to the whole building.
You should install the right roof for a building depending on its purpose. Make sure that you hire a construction company that uses first class materials and has the right equipment to do the job or neglect the risk turning to be considered a huge loss later.

 

Commercial Roofing Contractors: How to Find a Qualified Commercial Roofing Company

If your clients are seeking to have work done on its roof, you should work with commercial roofing contractors that have a keen understanding of any special needs that a business may have. For example, a roofing job can often be disruptive for that operation of business as always. Because of this, it may be essential for the company to be temporarily turn off, or the roofing to occur after business hours have ended. A roofer that understands these needs can function plus a business to make certain these kinds of issues are minimized.

First of all , a company must do when it is searching for commercial roofing contractors is to discover who other businesses in the region will work through. Obviously, this information will 't be helpful whether it comes as an indicator from competitors, but you will find circumstances in which it's not too hard to locate these details from suppliers or retailers. Since roofing is not an industry-specific service, this post is easily available.

It's a good idea for any business to obtain in touch with a minimum of three commercial roofing contractors to create bids about the price. In this way, the company could get a better price. It's also important to make sure that each one of the roofing contractors is licensed and bonded. These details are available by getting in touch with the state contractor's board. This also makes it possible to determine if there has been any claims filed against the company in the past.

When looking at bids, it is only as vital to check out what services are now being offered and which products will be used because it is to look at the overall cost. The costs can differ quite drastically, but as tempting as possible to choose the lowest bid, this isn't always your best option. In many cases, more costs now means fewer costs in the long run due to an undesirable roofing job. To help investigate the caliber of the job, it is a wise decision to check on using the Bbb to be able to see if the business has been accredited, and if it has not, to at least see what its rating is.

 

Picking out a Commercial Roofing Contractor

When you're searching for a roofer for your commercial roofing project you need to find a contractor who understands the special needs of the commercial roofing project. For instance it may be harder to operate on a business during business hours so either the business needs to be turn off for the repair or replacement or even the job needs to be done after conventional business hours. Is the roofer you are considering to do the job ready to operate around your schedule constrictions which might involve working weekends or evenings?

When you start your research for any roofing contractor not only do you need to answer those questions however, you also want to find someone that will do a top quality job without a great deal of time delays. Going about finding someone can feel like an obstacle by itself but there are several ways to make the search easier.

Ask people around you for referrals and try to find at least three contractors to give you written bids on your job. Prior to going any more you have to ensure that the contractors you are thinking about are fully licensed and bonded. A simple search using the state contractor's board will verify in case your roofer is licensed and when there are any past judgments or claims against their license.

Once you select three or four roofers to put bids, you need to prepare yourself for the bids to become widely varied. Roofers may have brand preferences which will vary and could element in pretty much compared to next guy for any labor estimate. The greater detailed a written bid is the more helpful it will likely be to focus on in which the cost will be incurred. Don't, however, pick a roofer based solely about the bid price. Any low ball bids may be tempting to take, but when they are low because of low quality workman ship it might not be worthwhile ultimately.

As the saying goes, you generally get that which you purchase, so if you can afford a mid-priced bid it certainly is smart to increase within your budget instead of down. You also ought to decide your roofer based on how professional they were and how comfortable you anticipate you will be working with them.

Finally your cost will vary based on what type of roofing material you choose as well as the cost to haul your old roof towards the landfill. Should you be looking for places to cut corners in your roof, instead of cutting labor cost you may want to inquire about a metal roof option. Metal roofs could be economical and efficient making them overall money savers for the long term, and on commercial buildings they can be really low maintenance. Plus since they can be put along with a current roof, you don't have to have the old one removed and hauled away, which can make a big impact on your cost.

Choosing a comerical roofing company nearer your home, doesn't have to be a struggle. For more information, visit http://www.vancouverroofers.net