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Most states pushing for efficiency standards, net-zero buildings

Scott E. Rupp Facilities & Grounds

U.S. states are investing more in their energy efficiency efforts to deliver increased power savings even as the federal government is freeing the reigns of some of its environmental rules, according to the 2018 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard. Per the report, the 12th annual version, dispatched by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), there are clear leaders nationally — Massachusetts and California — as well as most-improved states — like New Jersey. Some states lost ground from previous reports, and others are lagging behind, including North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Weaving MLK’s teachings throughout a class curriculum

Sheilamary Koch Education

Teacher Austin Crowder does not wait until MLK Day in January to present the work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to his high school students. In fact, he introduces "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" when students return to the classroom in August. Crowder shares his own reasons for intentionally initiating his semester-long government course at a public charter school in South Memphis, Tennessee, with King’s letter. "I could easily start the class with 'British philosophy on governance,' which would be fine," explains Crowder. "But I think it's important for students to see that this class goes beyond its content."

U.S. economy adds 304,000 jobs in January as unemployment climbs to 4 percent

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

The widely watched U.S. employment report for January is positive in spite of the partial federal government shutdown that spanned most of the month. Nonfarm employers added 304,000 jobs in January versus 312,000 new hires in December, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The January rate of unemployment rose to 4.0 percent from December’s 3.9 percent "potentially because furloughed government workers and contractors were counted as jobless in the household survey," according to Elise Gould, an economist with the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, D.C.

Did the Los Angeles teachers’ strike change US education?

Patrick Gleeson Education

The Los Angeles teachers’ strike — settled in January — was 1) an expensive waste of time or 2) changed the course of education in America. Take your pick. Your choice may depend more on your political views in general than the underlying facts. Here are the two opposing views and an attempt to determine an underlying reality that both sides might grudgingly agree on.

The mad dash to quell drivers’ fears about autonomous vehicle safety

Ryan Clark Transportation Technology & Automotive

Apparently, in an attempt to ward off the Skynet-led techno-apocalypse, people in the American Southwest are attacking self-driving cars. While this sounds insane, in light of recent incidents where autonomous vehicles have led to the injury and even death of citizens, it makes sense in a sort of morbid way. This type of consumer anxiety is not what a budding industry should want, especially if it wants to grow. Recently, carmakers have made efforts to address consumer fears about self-driving cars.

Technology improves the consent agenda

Wil Riley and Bob Harris Association Management

The consent agenda is a tool to facilitate more effective board meetings. Adding technology to the concept improves ease of use and impact. In today’s fast-paced world, we must respect volunteers’ contributions of time and talents. It will be difficult to convene a quorum if directors feel the meeting wastes their time. It is especially problematic when so much of a meeting is used for reporting: listening, reading, discussing and approving. One wonders how the board gets to the essential business of mission and goals if reports consume most the time. A consent agenda may be the solution, technology may be the mechanism.

Supreme Court upholds transgender military ban

Miranda Y. Brumbaugh Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

On Jan. 22, the Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 in favor of reversing the current standing policy of allowing transgender people in the military. Now the presidential administration and the Pentagon will be one step further in their mission to prohibit transgender service members in the U.S. armed forces. At this time, there are approximately 900 transgender U.S. service men and women who are active duty in the armed forces and are directly affected by this ruling.

Why are on-the-job deaths of large-truck drivers on the rise?

Terri Williams Transportation Technology & Automotive

The number of large-truck drivers who died in a traffic fatality reached a record level in 2017 — the last year with complete data available. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, large-truck occupant fatalities in multiple-vehicle crashes increased by 28.5 percent from 2016. Large-truck occupant fatalities in single-vehicle crashes increased by 8.7 percent from 2016. This increase is the result of several factors. "Behavior is at the root of most safety failures," according to Brian Fielkow, CEO of Jetco Delivery, a trucking company based in Houston that has been praised for its safety record.

Study: Oral-B Glide dental floss may contain harmful chemical

Scott E. Rupp Oral & Dental Healthcare

Potentially harmful chemicals often used for their water and grease resistance, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), may be harmful to our health and in common household items, including Oral-B Glide dental floss, according to a peer-reviewed study. The floss might lead to higher levels of toxic PFAS chemicals in people’s bodies. Perhaps somewhat shockingly, the researchers say they found higher levels of PFHxS (perfluorohexanesulfonic acid), a type of PFAS, in women who flossed with Oral-B Glide compared to those who didn't. The study was designed to explain how these chemicals enter the human body.

FDA issues warning letter to companies on dangerous, unapproved stem cell…

Lynn Hetzler Medical & Allied Healthcare

After 12 people were hospitalized for infections associated with unapproved stem cell treatments, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning to Genetech, Inc. about the umbilical cord blood-derived cellular products distributed by Liveyon, LLC. The FDA warned Genetech for processing umbilical cord blood into unapproved human cellular products and for significant deviations from current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) and current good tissue practice (CGTP) requirements.

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