- Talent is more important and often cheaper than the latest tools.
- Find advantages in reducing waste, reusing equipment or at least recycling.
- Small businesses can be more attractive with green on their agenda.
In 1990, Earth Day resulted in 200 million observing individuals in 141 countries worldwide. Recycling programs were on the minds of everyone in America and abroad. Almost two decades later, apartment complexes still struggle to educate residents on how to sort their recycling rather than dump their garbage in the newspaper bin. Recycling isn’t as far along as many environmentalists would hope. It is serene inconvenient and there are many items produced that collected cannot be recycled. But there are thrifty means of recycling that could promote financial sustainability, especially for small businesses.
Reduce Waste
One of the notorious plagues of small business procurement is the short lifespan of equipment. Primarily in industries that thrive on tools, such as audio recording, construction, computers, engineering, design and even finance, these small businesses grab for the latest modern technology they can earn to be on top of the market, only to need the upgraded version six months to a year later. The extinguish created from quickly-discarded packaging, old CD-ROMS, cheap mice that failed after months of consume or marketing materials sent to registered owners of software to let them know about the next big upgrade are only a small part of the eco-unfriendly trap puny businesses fall into just to keep up with their competitors, and that is just computer software.
While vendor salesmen and online reviews of the new equipment may make upgrading sound ideal, remember that a true commodity in any service industry is the person that can do the job regardless of the tools at hand.
If a housewife can learn the best ingredients and methods to make a cup of coffee that can overshadow the burned, acidic popularity of Starbucks only using a consumer drip brewer, buying thousands of dollars of espresso equipment seems frivolous.
If a street musician can create an album, sell it only online, market himself through social media and word of mouth and make enough at his sold out coffee shop gigs to live, how much longer will crowded stadiums with made-to-toss food wrappers and megawatt power consumption be the ideal setting for a rock show?
Try researching your strategic needs compared to your company’s innate abilities before you resolve you need that original upgrade or fancy toy. Determined, even the most eco-friendly activist gets caught up in the new way to do things. But use the inconvenience of recycling and depreciation to consider holding onto your money, or reinvesting it into the resources that matter more, like your talented humans driving your company’s abilities.
Reuse Your Resources
One of the reasons middle America was strengthened in the 1980s was that middle management surged. By the raze of that decade, companies were looking to save money, so they started consolidating. The divestiture of the Bell Systems monopoly in 1984 has more or less been reversed into an oligopoly through acquisition, now only leaving Verizon, Qwest, AT&T and some local municipality exchanges for domestic land-line telephone service (not including all the new cable phone services and cell phone companies). Acquisitions are most successfully conducted when the two companies share similar functions but complement each other by filling in holes in their abilities. The same can be true for human and equipment resources.
In this economy and looming unemployment rate, anyone who considers consolidating a small business’ human resources could be hung in the streets. Instead of removing small-task workers, consider how they could help other departments not need so much overtime to obtain things done. Or maybe there are tasks that are not getting done that a worker with a light schedule could do. There is no shame in reusing your talent you already have over taking on more workers.
The stout thing about small businesses is that employees can feel more connected to their impact on the business itself. Do some internal marketing on how each employee could help your company sustain its success by chipping in when needed. An accountant who comes in to do filing during a whirlwind client surge means less admin time and no need to hire temps.
Equipment that seems to have no more exhaust could be repurposed instead of being trashed. Old printers and computer equipment could be donated to local community programs, such as Portland’s Free Geek computer recycling and education center; computer equipment and parts are refurbished and then given to needy individuals rather than being melted down into something else. Build some construction equipment and build a historical museum to show your business’ progress over the years. And you may not need a paperweight anymore, but an old printer can prop up books, serve as an inbox for incoming mail, or even be converted into a flower pot.
Find ways to keep that venerable stuff around so it isn’t sitting in a landfill, and you don’t have to buy other stuff that does the same thing anyway.
Sometimes the only thing that gets in the draw of repurposing equipment or employee duties is the work involved in converting such resources into different assets. Who has time to train your salesperson to sort incoming mail or convert your old, hazy monitors into fishbowls? The answer without sugar and spice is that you just make the sacrifice and create your own benefits of the accomplishment of finishing some of these small reuse projects. Make a blog that brags about your latest repurposing effort. Create an office award for the greenest employee. Or even execute a bonus program for employees who deem up a obliging use for the equipment of the month. If it makes sense for your business, make the sacrifice.
At Least Recycle
Being green is the new fashion trend of small business. Often, local markets are overrun with consumers looking to break their ties with the pollution of big business by pledging loyalty to local businesses who prove they can be good to the earth. While in many areas the cost of recycling is not much less than simple garbage pickup, that trend may not last. In the mean time, that little change with no real immediate savings could be a PR goldmine, bringing with it better consumer relationships and new sales opportunities.
Don’t just recycle and leave the “We Recycle” sticker on your door. Try tracking the response from your marketing of your recycling efforts and glimpse if there is a real market value to your newfound greenness. Make a marketing campaign specifically on ways you reduce, reuse or recycle. You could reach some frustrated consumers with money to utilize.
Cooperation Goes Green
One last suggestion is to believe a co-op with competitors to benefit improve the market. A great feature of a free market economy is the inherent strength of numbers. More companies showing their support for green initiatives means more options to choose from. This evening of the playing field could mean you use the popularity of greenness to bring the consumers in, and then remove that competitive advantage to focus on the rest of your talents. As well, co-ops can bring savings in the cost of recycling.
Established businesses don’t have to pay to haul off old equipment if the new guy is looking for hand-me-downs. And who knows, they could be a future acquisition or merger who now thinks of you as a friend. Being green can create networking opportunities you don’t usually find.
And find ways to cooperate with your clients and customers as well. How could they reduce, reuse or recycle when dealing with your company? How about incentives for paperless forms and email communication? Could support inquiries be conducted faster and with less electricity by using social media to follow solutions to common problems, such as a Twitter support feed? See if you could add e-signature options to your sales process, such as DocuSign, to speed up revenue generation and reduce your environmental impact from the printing, transporting and storage of a paper contract.
For small business, being green is both an ethical decision and a cost-saving opportunity. You will know what is right for your company, but consider speaking with business consultants who specialize in greening up your business; they may catch opportunities and risks you may not know yourself.
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Filed under Small Business Verizon by on Sep 16th, 2010. 
- Washington, D.C. is named for its first President, George Washington.
- Washington’s official song is the Star-Spangled Banner, written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key.
- Today, Washington, D.C. is a red-hot tourist destination.
Visiting Washington, DC for the first time? Frequent business traveler to the nation’s capital? Hitting the District for an internship, semester of study, or other reason? Whatever the circumstances, your stay in Washington, D.C. does not have to break the bank. True, Washington, D.C. has its sparkling share of world-class hotels with high-priced room rates to match. But, there are also many affordable and convenient lodging options in this exciting, capital city.
Where to earn affordable lodging in the Washington, D.C. metro region? Check out these great lodging options and accommodations that will make your next trip to Washington, D.C. both memorable and affordable.
Hostels in Washington, D.C.
Gallery Inn Hotel
Website: www.galleryinnhotel.com/
1850 Florida Ave NW
Washington, DC 20009-1709
Telephone: (202) 234-8788
Rates: From $50.
Bargain lodging in nation’s capital. Convenient to Connecticut Avenue, Dupont Circle metro stop, and downtown DC. Exec studios can handle up to 3 guests. Quiet, cozy and affordable. Big for students, interns. Clean and comfortable hostel at a price that can’t be beat.
Capitol City
2411 Benning Road, NE
Washington, D.C.
Telephone: (202) 387-1328
Rates: From $20.
No private rooms. About 20 minutes from Union Station, 2 miles from U.S. Capitol. Clean, comfortable, bunk house hostel. Hot showers available. Clean linen. Breakfast. Accepted rooms and areas. Free internet. Great for tourists, student visitors.
Campgrounds
Aquia Pines Camp Resort
Website: www.aquiapines.com
3071 Jefferson Davis Highway
Stafford, Virginia 22554
Telephone: (540) 659-3447
Open: Year Round
Rates: From $42.00 (no water/electric) to $48 (water/electric/sewer), plus other fees that apply. Rustic Cabin $52.50; Luxury Cabins $118.00.
Location: About 45 minutes to 1 hour drive to Washington, D.C., depending upon traffic. Outside the Beltway. Convenient to I-95, Route 1, and I-495.
Full service campground & RV park. Swimming pool, mini golf, pavilion with fireplace. Super place. Clean and affordable. Summer in the city couldn’t be any easier. Convenient by car, bus or drawl to both Fredericksburg and Washington, D.C.
Burke Lake Park – Campgrounds
Website: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/burkelake/burkecamp/
7315 Ox Road
Fairfax Station, Virginia
Telephone: (703) 323-6600
Open: April through end of October
Rates: $25 (or first night’s fee) security deposit. County/Non-County Residents: $25/per night; Senior (63+ years) County Residents: $16.25/per night; Senior Non-County Residents: $20/per night.
Location: About 45 minutes to 1 hour drive to Washington, D.C., depending upon traffic. Outside the Beltway. Convenient to I-66, Fairfax County Parkway, and I-495.
100 campsites, but no electric or water hook ups. Full-service bathhouse. Grills, picnic tables, the works. Dump station. 218-acre lake with chubby service marina. Golf course, mini golf, and store. Groups welcome, per person fees apply. Pets allowed. A hop, skip and a jump by car from the nation’s capital or Vienna metro station stop.
Lake Fairfax Park – Campgrounds
Website: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/lakefairfax/fairfaxcamp/
1400 Lake Fairfax Drive
Reston, Virginia
Telephone: (703) 471-5415
Open: Year Round
Rates: $25 (or first night’s fee) security deposit. County/Non-County Residents: $25/per night; Senior (63+ years) County Residents: $16.25/night; Senior Non-County Residents: $20/night. Additional fees apply for electric and water hook up.
Location: About 45 minutes to 1 hour drive to Washington, D.C., depending upon traffic. Outside the Beltway. Convenient to Route 1, I-66, Route 123, and I-495.
54 sites with electrical hookups, grills, picnic tables, and fire rings. Full-service bathhouse, showers. Groups welcome, per person fees apply. Pets allowed. 18- acre lake, swimming hole, and other recreation. A hop, skip and a jump by car from the nation’s capital or Vienna metro place stop.
Motels in Nearby Northern Virginia
Americana Hotel
Website: www.americanahotel.com
1400 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, Virginia 22202
Telephone: (703) 979-3772
Rates: From $79
Fifteen or Twenty minutes and you’re in the District. Clean, cheap tourist hotel on Route 1 in Crystal City, a short drive or bus ride from the city. Convenient to Pentagon City mall, restaurants, bus and metro stops. Ten minutes from National Airport, rental cars.
Inns of Virginia
Website: www.innsofva.com/
3335 Lee Highway
Arlington, Virginia 22207
Telephone: (703) 524-9800 (local); (800) 677-4797 (toll free)
Rates: From $89
Short walk or drive from historic Georgetown. Close to I-66 and Spout Run Parkway. Near bus stop and steps from Metro rail. Well-organized, comfortable, and newly renovated. Everything for the business traveler, students and families alike. Free breakfast, parking.
Hotels, Inns, B&Bs & Suites in Washington, D.C.
Aaron Shipman House
Website: www.aaronshipmanhouse.com/
Q Street, NW (near 13th Street), P. O. Box 12011
Washington, D.C. 20009
Telephone: (877) 893-3233 (toll free); (202) 328-3510 (local)
Rates: $115 to $205 (off season); $145-$275 (in season). Shop online for deals and discounts.
Conveniently located, 1 block north of Logan Circle. Family-friendly and great for business travelers and singles alike. Features six (6) guestrooms and one (1) apartment. European style B&B, hot breakfast available daily. Walking distance to DC attractions, downtown Washington, Dupont Circle metro stop. Online reservations.
The Brookland Inn
Email: inn@theinnatdupontcircle.com
3742 12th Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20017
Telephone: (866) 467-2100 (toll free); (202) 467-6777 (local)
Rates: $150 to $250
Located in the delicate Brookland neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Arrive Catholic University of America, National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and Franciscan Monastery. 1 block from Brookland metro station discontinuance. One of several “Dupont Collection Inns” in Washington, D.C.
Comfort Inn Convention Center DC
Website: www.comfortinn.com/hotel-washington-district_of_columbia-DC601
1201 13th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
Telephone: (202) 682-5300
Rates: $149 to $199; Shop online for best deals, discounts.
Steps from the Verizon Center where the Georgetown Hoyas, Washington Wizards, and Washington Capitals play. Short walk to Penn Quarter restaurants and hot spots. Great location. Easy access from I-395, 14th Street and Theodore Roosevelt Bridges.
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott®
Website: www.marriott.com
2305 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
Telephone: (202) 266-3000
Rates: From $135
While not in a walking neighborhood, this motel has 126 guestrooms and suites, complimentary hot breakfast and free shuttle service to Union Station (for Amtrak and metro rail and bus), and the downtown Convention Center. Not far from the National Arboretum. Shop online for rate deals. Marriott points may apply. Check it out.
Harrington Hotel
Website: www.hotel-harrington.com
436 11th Street, N.W. (11th & E St NW)
Washington D.C. 20004
Telephone: (800) 424-8532 (toll free); (202) 628-8140 (local)
Email: reservations@hotel-harrington.com
Rates: $99 to $179 (off season); $109 to $189 (in season)
What can we say about Hotel Harrington? First, it’s Washington, D.C.’s oldest continuously operating hotel. Second, it’s a primo tourist destination. Third, it’s cheap for a clean and comfortable downtown hotel. Steps from the White House, Washington Monument, museums, Metro Center, Theater District, and Convention Center. Adjacent to Penn Quarter which is known for its red-hot restaurants and night life. Within walking distance to Verizon Center. No, it’s not the Ritz, but this is one hotel that can’t be beat. Parking available.
Hotel Lombardy
Website: www.hotellombardy.com/
2019 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Telephone: (202) 828-2600
Rates: From $175. Check online booking for discount rates/packages.
Located in Foggy Bottom section of Washington, D.C. this bed and breakfast is convenient to the Kennedy Center, White House, theater district, and other DC attractions. 149 guest rooms and 20 suites. Charming hotel, but be sure to shop the discounts.
Inn at Dupont Circle (North)
Email: inn@theinnatdupontcircle.com
1620 T Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Telephone: (866) 467-2100 (toll free); (202) 467-6777 (local)
Rates: From $95
Steps from Dupont Circle, metro bus and rail, close to downtown Washington, D.C. Elegant and affordable lodging, hospitality plus. One of several “Dupont Collection Inns” in Washington, D.C. Affordable DC destination inn.
The Jackson Guest House
Email: inn@theinnatdupontcircle.com
3200 16th Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20018
Telephone: (866) 467-2100 (toll free); (202) 467-6777 (local)
Rates: $95 to $135
In attractive Brookland section of Washington, D.C. Convenient to Catholic University of America, National Shrine of the Immaculate Concept, and Franciscan Monastery. Rates that can’t be beat. Affordable DC destination inn. One of several “Dupont Collection Inns” in Washington, D.C.
Red Roof Inn – Washington DC Downtown
Website: www.redroof.com
500 H Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Telephone: (202) 289-5959
Rates: From $144
Steps from Verizon Center, Penn Quarter and Washington’s famous Chinatown arch. Minutes away from monuments, museums and DC attractions. Economy motel property. Lots of amenities, including bar and restaurant onsite. What could be easier?
The River Inn
Website: www.theriverinn.com
924 25th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Telephone: (202) 337-7600
Rates: $125 to $179. Best rate guaranteed
125 nicely-appointed guest suites in the West End. Great location adjacent to downtown section of Washington, D.C. Flat screen TVs, wireless access, and the works. Perfect hotel for the business traveler. Great discounts and rates available online. Within walking distance of White House, Georgetown, Washington, D.C. attractions. Onsite restaurant. Luxury rooms at discount prices.
St. James Suites
950 24th Street, NW
Washington D.C. 20037
Telephone: (202) 457-0500
Rates: $139 to $239
Euro hotel in Foggy Bottom district of Washington, D.C. Convenient to Kennedy Center, George Washington University, DAR Constitution Hall, White House, Georgetown, and other DC attractions. Check online for great deals and discounts.
Tabard Inn
Website: www.tabardinn.com
1739 N Street, NW
Washington D.C. 20036
Telephone: (202) 785-1277
Rates: From $113 (shared bath); From $158 (private bath)
Check out this little Inn. Five blocks from the White House. 40 sleeping rooms. Conveniently located, but feels like a world away. Lovely accomodations. Great service. Restaurant onsite. Affordable DC destination inn.
William Lewis House
Website: www.wlewishous.com/index.htm
1309 R Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Telephone: (800) 465-7574 (toll free); (202) 462-7574 (local)
Rates: $79-$149 (off season); $89-$159 (in season)
“Washington, DC’s premier Gay Bed & Breakfast.” Ten (10) beautifully furnished bedrooms in Edwardian style. Continental breakfast during the week. Continental breakfast during the week. Home-cooked breakfasts on the weekend. A delightful property.
Windsor Park Hotel
Website: www.windsorparkhotel.com
2116 Kalorama Road, NW (Near Dupont Circle)
Washington, D.C. 20008
Telephone: (202) 483-7700
Rates: From $146
If you like small, intimate inns and guest houses, this one’s for you. Tidy, quiet, all the basics. Overlooks Rock Creek Park. Steps away from the National Zoo, Embassy Row, and several metro station stops.
Woodley Park Guest House
Website: www.dcinns.com/woodley.html
Email: woodley@dcinns.com
2647 Woodley Road, NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
Telephone: (866) 667-0218 (toll free); (202) 667-0218 (local)
Rates: $130-$230 per night
Find out why the Woodley Park Guest House is one of the most popular bed and breakfast inns in Washington, DC. Steps away from National Zoo, Dupont Circle, and Adams Morgan. Short walk to Woodley Park metro stop. Check out the $130-$155 private room/shared bath option. Good label for this neighborhood.
Resources
Capitol Reservations, Washington, D.C. Hotels Listing
www.washingtondchotels.com/hotel_listings.htm
Dupont Collection Inns – Washington, D.C.
http://thedupontcollection.com
Trip Advisor
www.tripadvisor.com
Frugal Travel / Change Up
www.changeupmag.com/tag/frugal-travel
Student Universe
http://www.studentuniverse.com/
Boots n All, Ultimate Travel Resource for the Independent Traveler
www.bootsnall.com/
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Filed under Small Business Verizon by on Sep 11th, 2010.
When I recently upgraded my cellular telephone through Verizon Wireless, there were countless options in models of cellular phone from which to choose. After considering various models, I settled upon the Mint Chocolate VX8500G from LG and Verizon Wireless. In this article I will review the pros and cons of the Verizon Mint Chocolate phone and go over some of the features and benefits, as well as drawbacks, that the Mint Chocolate phone has to offer.
Pros
MP3 Player: The LG Mint Chocolate Cellular Telephone from Verizon Wireless has a number of impressive features. Most fundamentally, the Mint Chocolate telephone is both an MP3 player and a cellular telephone in the same unit. To this end the LG Mint Chocolate phone has a Micro SD memory card slot that allows one to transfer music and photographs from one phone to another or from your computer to your telephone. Personally I have archived my entire music collection onto my telephone and now I am able to take my music collection with me wherever I go in just a cramped portable device.
Camera: The LG Mint Chocolate VX8500G also has a built-in camera that supports a resolution of up to 1280 x 960 pixels. While this is not the highest resolution camera available in a cellular telephone, it is a high enough resolution to be able to snap some acceptable-quality photographs very like a flash. I often use the built-in camera in my LG Mint Chocolate Telephone to snap speedily photographs that I can then upload to my personal blog or my business website very easily and quickly.
Attractive Color: Perhaps the most striking feature of the LG Mint Chocolate telephone from Verizon Wireless is its attractive minty green color, which is similar in color to the bright green of the Volkswagen New Beetle. I figured that as long as I was buying a phone I should do it in style and pick a telephone that would stand out in a crowd. I am very pleased with the bright and fun color of the LG Mint Chocolate telephone.
Cons
Lousy Touch Pad: One of the major drawbacks to the LG Mint Chocolate VX8500G telephone is its extremely lousy touch pad. The circular touch pad is convenient as a means of controlling the MP3 player portion of this intention, but the sensitivity on the touch pad is very low quality. The idea unhurried the Mint Chocolate’s touch pad is to emulate or copy the the touch pad on the various models of the Apple iPod. But while the sensitivity on the Mint Chocolate touchpad is adjustable, it is not adjustable enough. The touch pad is either far too sensitive or far too insensitive, which makes the procedure difficult to control.
No Java or Flash Support: While the LG Mint Chocolate from Verizon does have the ability to browse the internet and check email via the telephone, the mobile web browser is extremely limited and lacks Java attend. And with the ever-increasing presence of Java and Flash applications on many websites, the end result is that the Mint Chocolate phone from LG is next-to useless on those major websites that require a Java or Flash fine web browser.
In conclusion, the LG Mint Chocolate VX8500G telephone from Verizon wireless is a balanced blend of functionality and features. There are several advantages to this telephone, including the quality camera and the MP3 player features, but the lack of Java and Flash support for the phone’s web browser severely limits this phone’s usefulness as a gateway to total connectivity.
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Filed under Small Business Verizon by on Sep 7th, 2010.
The LG EnV Touch is fairly new in the Verizon Wireless phone lineup. First released in early summer 2009, the phone has held its beget. For Verizon customers wanting easy access to e-mail, Word, and other business and home computer type programs, the smart phones including Blackberry and various other makes, are very pricey. It costs at least thirty dollars a month just to have the smart phone activated…and that does not include an unlimited data package for e-mail and internet use on the phone. Therefore, it is worthwhile to investigate Verizon’s high tech basic phone options.
Out of Verizon’s regular cell phones, the LG EnV Touch takes the cake. It has not only a fully-functioning touch mask, but also a convenient clamshell design with full QWERTY keyboard. The attached QWERTY keyboard does make the phone a bit heavier than other touch screen models, but it is expansive for texters. The keys are nicely spaced apart and the design is very user-friendly. The EnV Touch has several stand-out features. In addition to full-spectrum Bluetooth capabilities, it has a document viewer which is mammoth for business people and students. Though Word and PowerPoint documents cannot be edited from the document viewer, they are still downloadable from a computer to the phone. Extra memory from a card may be needed for adding on multiple titanic documents. Students can use the document viewer to discover over class PowerPoints, while businesspeople can use the viewer to practice presentations and notion quarterly reports. The document viewer supports at least the file types .doc, .xls, .ptt, and .pdf . LG’s EnV Touch is currently the only basic phone offered at Verizon with a document viewer-making it the closest thing to a gleaming phone without paying the much higher label. Also, with a smaller unlimited data price ($9.99 a month) than a smart phone ($44.99 a month), users can surf the web, access e-mail, and listen to music. The touch screen is easy to expend with zoom in and out features as well as a scroll panel to allow for full viewing of web pages. Shortcuts to Facebook, Myspace, and other favorite websites can be placed on the phone’s main veil.
Adding to EnV Touch’s features are a drawing pad, notepad, and notebook. A notepad icon can be added to the main touch screen. It displays notes and memos at a spy. The larger notebook, found in the tools section of the phone menu can hold much larger notes. Continuing, the 3.2 mega pixel camera is not bad. It has enhanced photo features to perfect images. Also, the touch screen camera mode allows the user to take a photo from multiple angles.
Music listening is a breeze on the EnV Touch. The side of the phone’s headphone jack fits all standard headphones. Many cell phone models need some sort of adapter for music because the headphone jacks are too small for standard headphones. Using a memory card, the phone can hold all kinds of music files. Video viewing and making is also accessible through the phone’s multimedia section.
Overall the LG EnV Touch should be rated a 4.8 out of 5 stars. As with all touch screen phones with only a touch-lock screen feature, dialing contacts can happen accidentally.
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Filed under Small Business Verizon by on Aug 22nd, 2010.