Even as the economic outlook darkens in Europe, developers here are trying to further plans for the latest stage in the massive series of developments to rebuild Germany's capital after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Developers still get giddy when they recall those heady days after Germany unified and Potsdamer Platz, for decades buried under a minefield in the no-man's land that divided East and West, was transformed into a bustling commercial center. But that megaproject seems small compared with the ambitious development the city is hoping to kick off now. By the beginning of 2009, the first building cranes are expected to go up as development of the wasteland around Berlin's new central train station gets under way in earnest. More
Google Leases NASA Land for $146 Million
from MSNBC
Google has struck a deal to expand its office space by 50 percent by leasing land on the grounds of NASA's Ames Research Center, near its Silicon Valley headquarters. More
How Green is Your Facility?
from Advance
The environment seems to be on everybody's minds these days, as more companies search for cleaner and more efficient ways to produce energy. Fujifilm recently announced that its manufacturing complex in Greenwood, S.C., will use methane gas from a local landfill to power approximately 40 percent of the facility's operations. By using the methane as energy Fujifilm is preventing methane emissions, which are more than 20 times more damaging to the ozone than carbon dioxide, from being released into the atmosphere from the landfill. More
More of Us Are Sleeping at Work
from CNN
One-third of those surveyed for the National Sleep Foundation's annual "Sleep in America" poll had fallen asleep or become sleepy at work in the past month. The telephone survey questioned 1,000 adults in the continental United States.The poll also found that Americans are working more and sleeping less. The average amount of sleep was six hours and 40 minutes a night. The average workday? Nine hours and 28 minutes. More
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Product Showcase: LogiSon Acoustic Network
 More than 70% of employees say they would be more productive if their workplace was quieter. The LogiSon Acoustic Network increases speech privacy and reduces disruptions by introducing a masking sound that makes conversations and noises more difficult, or impossible, to hear. It’s a cost-effective method of improving overall acoustic comfort. More info
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Many U.S. Tech Workers Eager to Telecommute- Survey
from Reuters via Yahoo!
More than a third of U.S. technology workers would accept pay cuts of up to 10 percent to work from home and avoid the expense of commuting to the office, according to a survey released on Tuesday. More
Workplace Internet Bans Worry Generation Y
from Society for Human Resources Management
A sizeable percentage of Generation Y—those 18- to 24-year-olds also known as the Digital Generation—would quit their job if an all-out ban on personal use of workplace technology were imposed, according to a recent survey of 1,000 office workers in the United Kingdom. More
State Legislatures Ramping Up Efforts on E-Waste Bills
from Yahoo! News
At least 18 state legislatures, plus the city of New York, have considered electronics waste legislation this year, twice the number who considered it in the entire 2003-2007 period, according to a survey by Green Electronics Daily. So far, four states and New York City have passed e-waste laws, two passed less-extensive measures, two states seem close to passing laws, and five states have measures pending. More
Study Calls for ‘Energy Revolution’
from The Associated Press via The New York Times
The world needs to invest $45 trillion in energy in coming decades, build some 1,400 nuclear power plants and vastly expand wind power in order to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to an energy study released last week. More
 It is increasingly important to be aware of and respond to the pressures of our lifestyles and our business places on the environment. Biological Source Reduction (BSR) is one of the ways in which businesses can make responsible green choices to protect the environment in which we live. More info
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Airborne and Dangerous
from Public Service
The Health and Safety Executive has recently launched its Asbestos: The Hidden Killer campaign. Targeting workers involved with building maintenance and renovation, the campaign underlines that there is still much about the asbestos legacy that remains hidden from public perception. If asbestos material is disturbed or deteriorates over time fine fibers become airborne and these can easily penetrate deep into the lung. This is the health issue. More
Staycations: Alternative to Pricey, Stressful Travel
from CNN
About 1.3 percent fewer Americans are expected to fly this summer than last summer, according to the Air Transport Association. And for the first time since the economic shock following the 9/11 terror attacks, Americans were projected to drive less over Memorial Day weekend, the traditional kickoff of the summer travel season. AAA Vice President Mark Brown says the slowing economy and high fuel prices "have pushed some Americans to what we call the traveling tipping point. It's clear that a small number of us may choose to stay home ... and relax with friends and family rather than take a vacation. More
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Sguig Syncro by Keilhauer
 Sguig is the first task chair designed with Keilhauer's groundbreaking ergonomic research on gender differences related to the biomechanics of sitting. Sguig ergonomically supports BOTH men and women. More |
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Even as the economic outlook darkens in Europe, developers here are trying to further plans for the latest stage in the massive series of developments to rebuild Germany's capital after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Developers still get giddy when they recall those heady days after Germany unified and Potsdamer Platz, for decades buried under a minefield in the no-man's land that divided East and West, was transformed into a bustling commercial center. But that megaproject seems small compared with the ambitious development the city is hoping to kick off now. By the beginning of 2009, the first building cranes are expected to go up as development of the wasteland around Berlin's new central train station gets under way in earnest. More
