Alt Attribute & Seo

SEO Optimization images has become increasingly more important in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for websites. The ALT attribute is a critical step that is often overlooked. This can be a lost opportunity for better rankings.

In Google's webmaster guidelines, they advise using alternative text for the images in your site:

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

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

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

On the contrary, high keyword density can, on some search engines, trigger spam filters, which might create a penalty for your site's ranking. Even without this type of penalty, your site's rankings won't benefit from 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 displayed on the screen. In browsing the net, the alt features of images are read aloud as well.

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

An ALT attribute shouldn't be used as a description or a label to have an image, though many people utilize it in that fashion. Though it may appear natural to assume that alternate text is a label or perhaps a description, it is not!

What used within an image's alt attribute should be its text equivalent and convey exactly the same information or serve exactly the same purpose that the image would.

The goal would be to supply the same functional information that a 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 look with the text, would most users receive the same basic information, and wouldn't it create the same response?
A few examples:

 

Some SEO Optimization Tips

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

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

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

If it's designed to convey using a function, then your function itself is what ought to be used.

Some Alt Attribute Guidelines:

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

For images that play only 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's the function of the image we are attempting to convey. For instance; any button images should not range from the word "button" in the alt text. They should emphasize the action performed through the button.

Alt text should be determined by context. The same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text.

Attempt to flow alt text with the rest of the text because that's the way it is going to be read with adaptive technologies like screen readers. Someone listening to your page should hardly be aware that a graphic image is there.
Please remember that utilizing an alt attribute for every image is required to satisfy the minimum WAI requirements, that are used as the benchmark for accessibility laws in UK and 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 things 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's something there which will boost the usability from the site for someone 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 actually the middle layer of graphics which might serve to set the mood or set the stage as it were. These graphics aren't direct content and may 't be considered essential, but they are essential in that they help frame what's going on.

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

For instance; Alt text that's identical to adjacent text is unnecessary, as well as an irritant to screen reader users. I suggest alt="" or background CSS images in such cases. But sometimes, it's important to get this content in there for all users.

Usually it depends on context. The same image in a different context may require drastically different alt text. Obviously, content should always be fully available. The way you go in this example is really a judgment call.

III. Content and Function

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

Every graphic has a reason behind being on that page: since it either improves the theme/ mood/ atmosphere or it is advisable to what the page is trying to describe. Understanding what the look is perfect for makes alt text simpler to write. And practice writing them definitely helps.
A way to look into the usefulness of alternative text would be to imagine reading the page over the telephone to someone. What would you say when encountering a particular image to make the page understandable towards the listener?

Aside from the alt attribute you have a couple more tools available for images.
First, in level of descriptiveness title is in between alt and longdesc. It adds useful information and may add flavor. The title attribute is optionally rendered through the user agent. Remember they are invisible and never shown as 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 towards the Link to a full description of the image. When the information contained in a picture is important towards the concept of the page (i.e. some important content would be lost when the image was removed), an extended description than the "alt" attribute can reasonably display ought to be used. It can provide for rich, expressive documentation of a visual image.

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

It would not be remiss to hope that the long description conjures an image - the image - within the mind's eye, an analogy that holds true even for the totally blind."

Even though 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 are best just going with your gut instinct -- if it's not necessary to incorporate it, and if you don't have a strong urge to get it done, don't include that longdesc.

However, if it's necessary for the whole page to operate, then you have 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 on the page.

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

Image Search Engine Optimization Tips

Listed below are key steps in optimizing images:

Select 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 as a word separator, such as "brilliant-diamonds.jpg";

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

Ensure that the text nearby the image that is highly relevant to that image.
Again, do not lose an excellent chance to help your site with your images in search engines. Begin using these steps to rank better on all of the engines and drive more traffic to your site TODAY.

SEO Company

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Bench Craft Company on the specialty of ebay

A 75-year-old woman was recently arrested by the Georgian police after she single-handedly cut off Internet connections in Georgia and neighbouring Armenia.

AFP reports that the pensioner was digging for scrap metal with the intention of stealing it when she stumbled upon a fibre-optic cable which runs through Georgia to Armenia, forcing thousands of Internet users in both countries to lose Internet connection for several hours. Georgian Railway Telecom, the company that owns the cable, said that the latest damage was serious, causing 90 percent of private and corporate Internet users in Armenia to lose access for nearly 12 hours while also hitting Georgian Internet service providers.

“I cannot understand how this lady managed to find and damage the cable. It has robust protection and such incidents are extremely rare,” Giorgi Ionatamishvili, Georgian Railway Telecom’s marketing head, told AFP.

Apparently, this wasn’t the first time it happened. In 2009, another scavenger damaged a fibre-optic cable while hunting for scrap metal in the impoverished ex-Soviet state, forcing many Georgians’ Internet connections to get interrupted.

The woman has been charged with damaging property and could face up to three years in prison if convicted.

There has been a lot of talk as to whether or not social media is the front runner in another inflated internet bubble waiting to burst, leaving users “virtually” friendless and clueless. Will everyone be out of the loop, with no one keeping track of daily deals, happenings or status updates? Warren Buffet confirmed this fear stating that although it’s not as big as the dot com bubble, social media is not long term by any means. However, industry trends and buyer behaviors are stating otherwise.

Facebook has proven beneficial to marketing efforts for B2C companies, but B2B marketing has struggled to find its footing on the platform. That’s where LinkedIn has emerged as the go-to medium for B2B marketers.

A recent study done by BtoB Magazine, showed that when asked “Which of the following social media methods does your company currently use for your B2B marketing (i.e. not personal use)” 72% of B2B marketers said LinkedIn. After reaching more than 100 million users, LinkedIn has solidified its niche as Facebook in a business suit, and B2B companies have taken notice.

The 2011 State of Inbound Marketing (an annual report done by HubSpot, an inbound marketing software company) found that 61% of B2B marketers who participated in the survey acquired a customer through LinkedIn. The targeted and measurable aspect of inbound marketing is what makes it so attractive to smart business owners who are tired of spending money on marketing with no proof that it’s working. Former Chief Marketing Officer of McDonald’s, M. Lawrence Light said, “It no longer makes economic sense to send an advertising message to the many, in hopes of persuading the few.”

Continued on the next page


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Chicago Bears tight end Greg Olsen is locked out by a high school

Being locked out by the NFL is one thing, but Chicago Bears tight end Greg Olsen had to deal with another rejection recently when he was kicked off a high school field while trying to work out.

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Groundwater radiation level at nuke plant rises: TEPCO | Kyodo <b>News</b>

The concentration levels of radioactive iodine and cesium in groundwater near the troubled Nos. 1 and 2 reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have increased up to several dozen times in one week, suggesting that toxic ...

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Groundwater radiation level at nuke plant rises: TEPCO | Kyodo <b>News</b>

The concentration levels of radioactive iodine and cesium in groundwater near the troubled Nos. 1 and 2 reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have increased up to several dozen times in one week, suggesting that toxic ...

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As rumors of a later-than-usual iPhone launch for 2011 persist, a new report reveals that the notoriously secretive Apple is being even more careful than usual when dealing with overseas suppliers.



"Apple is keeping its iPhone 5 cards extra close to the vest on this launch to avoid a falloff in iPhone 4 demand ahead of a refresh, especially given the February launch of the CDMA iPhone 4 with Verizon," Analyst Brian White with Ticonderoga Securities said in a note to investors on Friday. He believes that the iPhone 5 could still launch in June or July, as previous models have.



White noted that various rumors have pointed toward a launch later than June this year for the fifth-generation iPhone. One report from March alleged that Apple has not even begun ordering components for the anticipated "iPhone 5," and the device is slated to arrive in the company's 2012 fiscal year, which begins in late September.



And a third report alleged that Apple is working on a major revamp of iOS, its mobile operating system, for version 5.0. New features like cloud-based storage of music, photos and video are rumored to arrive in the update this fall, likely alongside new iPhone hardware.



But despite all of those reports, White isn't yet convinced that the iPhone 5 will be introduced later than its typical June or July timeframe.



"Although we do not have a smoking gun that definitively rules out a delayed autumn unveiling or one that supports a launch this summer, there is a pattern of activity in motion with the supply chain that makes us question a delayed launch," he said.



White also cited sources who indicated that iPad sales could reach up to 40 million units in calendar year 2011. And supply chain sources also indicated that disruption from the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan will actually end up benefitting Apple, as suppliers will "rush to support Apple at the expense of competitors."



The analyst already revealed earlier this week that Apple has been offering upfront cash payments to component suppliers in order to secure components in the wake of the disaster in Japan. Apple has apparently also been using a "three cover guarantee," referring to capacity, stock and price, to block out competitors and prevent them from building ample supply of devices.

China is a notoriously tough market for American brands. The last few years has seen tech giants like Google struggle to do business due to restrictive censorship and retail giants like Best Buy and Home Depot have found that heavy price competition makes it hard to gain a toehold. Yet, despite the conventional wisdom, Apple’s business in China is booming and it’s not lower prices but better presentation that’s driving their success.

The Chinese economy is having some of its best years ever due to the rising world demand for consumer electronics, much of which is manufactured in China’s city-sized factories. The Mercury News reports that this has led to the average Chinese citizen being more flush with cash than ever before and ready to spend it on what would previously be deemed as unaffordable luxury.

Paul French of Shanghai-based Access Asia indicates that the increase in middle class affluence is behind the increase in purchasing power. “There is now enough of an urban middle class with enough money to afford Apple products. Five years ago — or even two or three years ago — there weren’t enough of those people.”

Five years ago, Apple didn’t have a retail store in China, now it has four, including a stunning split-level glass and metal flagship store in Sanlitun, an area of Beijing known more for its nightlife than its retail outlets. Those stores aren’t barely surviving either, with $2.6 billion in revenue this year, four times what we saw last year from Apple in China. This should mean that Apple is fighting the price war well in China, offering its products for less than they can be purchased in the US, but that’s not actually true. In fact, Apple sells a comparatively specced 13-inch Macbook Air for $180 more in China than it does stateside.

This success seems to fly in the face of conventional wisdom, typically premium products have not sold well in cost conscious China. Some, like Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, say that Apple will have to eventually compete on price or risk losing the Chinese consumer. “The iPhone is going to be huge in China. That’s a given.” he tells the Mercury News. “But if Apple wants it to flow out across China, it has to come up with lower price points.”

Yet Apple shows no signs of slowing down in the Chinese market, which is projected to account for 10 percent of Apple’s revenue within 5 years.

When asked, locals said that in a country where the people like to try products out before they purchase them, Apple is doing the best job of presenting those products. Apple’s retail stores offer the Chinese consumer a chance to test the products in a beautiful and visually stimulating atmosphere and those efforts are paying off with big sales numbers. This kind of attention to the senses and emotions of the consumer wasn’t pioneered by Apple of course, but they are one of the first major companies to bring that kind of experience to China’s city centers in a big way.

This difference in the way that the products are presented is doing its job in separating Apple’s products from the rest of the pack almost everywhere that its retail stores are located, but nowhere is that effect felt more than in China. A country where consumers are hungry for polished products presented in a stimulating atmosphere and they finally have the cash to afford them.

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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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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.”

Sign up for the free Miller-McCune.com e-newsletter.

“Like” Miller-McCune on Facebook.

Follow Miller-McCune on Twitter.

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Fox <b>News</b> Reports That GWU Student&#39;s Suicide &#39;Tragically Coincides <b>...</b>

UPDATE: As of 4:30 p.m. EST, Fox has apparently pulled the article in question from their site.

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GWU Suicide Tragically Coincides with Obama Speech - FoxNews.com

George Washington University students in Washington, D.C. learned of a tragic coincidence of timing on their campus Wednesday. As President Obama delivered a speech on deficit reduction in the Jack Morton Auditorium, ...

Roofing Companies Vancouver - 5 Inquiries to Wonder

Roofing Vancouver - Frequently Asked Questions

1. Repair or Replace?

There's no opinion as an expert opinion. Most contractors will provide you with a totally free estimate. Get a summary of a few trusted contractors and phone them well ahead of time of when you wish to obtain your roof fixed so you can compare costs and opinions.

2. Beauty versus Practicality?

Discuss this with your spouse or partner. (The kids could care less...at least the children.) The fact is, nobody wants an ugly roof just like nobody wants to be seen with bed hair. If you've got a good quality roof and you simply have to do the repair, it's worthwhile to pay the cost of the original shingle rather than doing patchwork. A roof replacement doesn't happen very often (we hope!) and thus make a decision that best suits you and your family well or it'll stick out like a sore thumb everyday you decide to go home.

3. Should I replace the roof so I can sell the house for additional?

Consider this very carefully prior to making a decision. Depending on the roofing material you choose, a new roof lasts between twenty, fifty, to one-hundred years! This means you have to check the year from the roof that's currently over your head first. Are you at year 18 of the 20-year warranted roof or year 30 of a 50-year warranted roof? Obviously, the quality is the reason why the rooftop keep going longer, but when you're not planning to stay in your present home for the rest of your lifetime, the larger expense might not be worth your investment. Although a brand new roof can improve the worth of your value, the increase might not be enough to cover your investment and that's definitely going to hurt your wallet.

4. Could it be a good idea that i can repair the roof myself?

Sure it is. Before you do, consult a specialist first. You can perform it yourself, however, you shouldn't be considered a complete ‘lone ranger.' Depending on the extent of your repair, you may or might not change your mind. Either way, it helps to get a professional eye about 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 be mister or miss fix-it.

5. Just when was a good time to get the roof replaced?

Weather can cause delays from days to weeks. Most people plan ahead to have their roof replaced in the summertime when they know someone will be home during the day for any solid fourteen days. Once you've this period in your mind, make a call to a trusted contractor months ahead of time to obtain a quote. Some companies get reserved fast and chances are, they're probably the most reputable. Planning ahead from the summer also gives you time for you to ask around more and compare costs...especially if you want to have the roof done by a particular date.

 

The very best Roofing Contractor In Vancouver!

It is possible to leak inside your home's roof? Have you lost shingles or tiles in a storm? Have overhanging branches caused damage? Is the roof more than 20 years old and showing wear and tear? Are your gutters overwhelmed and draining poorly?

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

For over a century Crown Roofing continues to be the roofer of choice among our Vancouver neighbors. We provide complete roofing services, from emergency repairs and roof restoration, to accomplish roof replacement. All while using finest quality materials, installed with precision and also the highest degree of customer service.

YOUR Vancouver ROOF DESERVES Believe it or not!

The roof of the Vancouver house is the very first line of defence against wind, rain, snow, ice and other weather elements. Make sure it's as much as the job. Among Vancouver Roofing companies, only Crown Roofing has the depth of experience and successful track record to make sure your roofing system will be properly designed and installed.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS.

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

GET A FREE INSPECTION AND EVALUATION OF YOUR Vancouver ROOF.

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

 

Tacoma Roofing company: Make your Home Beautiful

Not many people understand the worth of a good roof, your knowledgeable Tacoma Roofing contractor does. From first hand experience, they'll be in a position to let you know the reason why you require a strong, secure, and leak-free roof in your home.

Your local Tacoma Roofer is knowledgeable how important a financial investment your house is for you, especially since it is a lasting one. Your house may have been damaged slowly through the years and you need to take steps to reduce this damage. For a number of people, keeping their property beautiful is also a matter of pride. There are those too who'd like to turn their property right into a cost effective and efficient living place. Your roof is an integral part of your house and contributes to each of the aspects mentioned previously. For this reason, you need to employ the expertise of qualified a Tacoma Roofer.

Kinds of Roofs installed with a Tacoma Roofer

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

Each type of roof invites distinct problems, but they can be easily taken care of by a trusted Tacoma Roofing contractor. It's vital that you nip roof problems within the bud before they become too costly or dangerous. You can schedule a scheduled appointment with the Tacoma Roofing company to consider a glance at your roof to see if you will find any issues or potential problems with it. If there are, they might be in a position to let you know how to approach them.

A Tacoma Roofing contractor Helps you to Build Strong Homes

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

If your gutters tend to clog all too often, or you will find leaks across the walls of your house, it may mean that there's debris piled-up on the top. Loose branches, piles of leaves, along with other light objects that are swept on your roof throughout a storm can all contribute towards damaging your homes roof, and these damages could be lasting. A knowledgeable Tacoma Roofing company will explain that birds, mice, and other types 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, it may also cause vermin infestation. After a storm, your Tacoma Roofing contractor will suggest that you inspect your roof for just about any signs of debris or damage.

Reverse Damages by using a Tacoma Roofing company

However top quality the roof might be, it will eventually wear down with time. You will find shingles that are known as "25 year" or "30 year" shingles, but those numbers are just associated with warranty produced by the manufacturers. They seldom last that long. Realistically speaking, "25 year" shingles will not last a lot more than fifteen to twenty years. Within an area that's prone to storms, shingles or even the entire roof should be replaced every ten years. With a Tacoma Roofing company, the price is going to be lower than what you believe.

If there you lose any shingles, or there is some damage to them, a Tacoma Roofing contractor can help you. Damaged shingles can lead to 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 potential hazard to people standing below. Missing shingles create a gap which allows rain, wind, ice, and debris to build up underneath the adjoining shingles, which results in a "domino effect" that affects other shingles plus they become loose or broken. A comprehensive investigation is going to be produced by the local Tacoma Roofing contractor, if you call them up with your suspicions of loose or missing shingles.

Your Tacoma Roofer will be in a situation to inform you what are the best option is perfect for your homes roof. If your roof is not in a good condition, it's advised you have it replaced completely. The Tacoma Roofing company may take you through the different roofing possibilities to you that will suit your requirements and your budget.

Tacoma Roofing contractor: Improving your Home's Efficiency

Your homes roof shelters you from storms, sleet, and hail. By giving adequate ventilation, your roof protects your house from overheating, and 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 any kind of weather emergency. A Qualified Tacoma Roofing contractor can provide help in this situation.

To begin with, inspect your homes roof thoroughly for just about any and all sorts of kind of damage, before the beginning of the year. The gutters ought to be clear, debris should not be piled on or trapped under shingles, there should be no homes of squirrels or birds in the eaves or attic, and the roof ought to be structurally sound. For your last part, you will need the assistance of the local Tacoma Roofing company. It may be quite dangerous to climb to the roof of your house. This is where the contractor from Tacoma Roofer is available in. He'll check out the strength and security of the roof and shingles, and do a general inspection from the entire roof structure, to make certain that it is in proper working order. They'll be in a position to point towards issues that you have to keep close track of and problems you may not have spotted.

You will need all the assist you to could possibly get in the Tacoma Roofer. You can help your homes roof by installing a gutter guard or leaf cover to help prevent debris from forming inside your gutters. The additional weight of debris prevents the gutters from draining and can even tear them down. Check the fasteners on your gutters and when they are loose, tighten them. Take steps 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 reliable mason can be recommended by your Tacoma Roofing contractor, if you will find any repairs to be done.

Tacoma Roofer: Someone You are able to Count On
In the event that you know or suspect that there's a problem, your Tacoma Roofing company should be contacted. They are able to use their knowledge and expertise to obtain your house back in ace condition simply by focusing on the roof. Your roof deserves attention. So give them a call today, to enable them to conclude caring for your roof.

 

What is Distinction between Commercial Roofing Companies From Residential Roofing Companies

If you are getting a roofing company to re roof your home or building then you may be wondering what the differences are between residential roofing companies and commercial roofing companies. To start with, the one huge difference is that often times an industrial roofing company might have signed a contract with and be obligated to a roofing union in able to work on union commercial jobs.

If this is the case then their labor costs will prohibit them from working on non union residential jobs. Beyond that, if your commercial roofing company has not signed a contract having a union they might be outfitted simply for commercial jobs which of course means their workers and equipment might not be in line with smaller residential jobs.

Residential roofing contractors in general tend to run smaller companies and therefore, are more in a position to bid competitively on residential jobs, which tend to be small compared to comercial jobs. Actually, quite often residential roofing contractors will run one man operations, in which the contractor that you speak with may be the one that actually does the job on the building.

Also, liability insurance for commercial roofing is more epensive along with a larger bond is required for any commercial roofing work which will make it not cost effective for a commercial roofer to complete residential roofing jobs.

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

 

Difference 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 due to natural or other disasters leads to a considerable loss of property everywhere. The kind of materials accustomed to construct the roof which should be sturdy and long-lasting, the way in which the roof continues to be installed and even its timely maintenance are very crucial. There are two types of roofs which are used on all of the buildings that we see around us: commercial and residential. Although it may seem that commercial roofing is done just for businesses or offices and residential roofing is performed for apartments and houses, the truth is the differences tend to be more complicated than that.

Residential roofing is usually completed by just one hired contractor but commercial roofing typically takes an entire team to complete the task. The reason being an industrial roof tends to be larger in terms of sq ft than a residential roof.
Commercial roofs need to be made carefully keeping the character and reason for the building in your mind. For instance, when there is a cafe or 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 other than a chimney or two at most.
Commercial roofs is commonly flat in design to accommodate further changes at a later period, whereas most residential roofs have peaks and other architectural features like roof gardens.
Commercial roofing is much more expensive than residential roofing due to the special tools, materials and safety equipment which are needed onsite. Often the patching or maintenance work is completed in segments unlike for any residential roof in which the repair or replacement work can be carried out a short while. This really is one more reason why the equipment employed for residential roofs is usually smaller and less expensive as well.
Commercial roof installations take a longer time to complete in comparison to residential roof installations and are usually constructed in large sections. During this phase however, it is important to ensure that there are no leakages, cracks or other visible deterioration signs as it can cause considerable harm to the whole building.
It is important to install the right roof for any building depending on its purpose. Ensure that you hire a construction company that utilizes top notch materials and it has the right equipment to do the job or neglect the risk turning out to be considered a huge loss later.

 

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

If your business is looking to have work done on its roof, it is important to use commercial roofing contractors which have a keen understanding of any special needs that the business might have. For example, a roofing job is often disruptive for that operation of business as usual. Because of this, it may be essential for the company to be temporarily turn off, or for the roofing to take place after business hours have ended. A roofer that understands these needs can function together with a business to make certain these types of issues are minimized.

The first thing that a business must do when it's trying to find commercial roofing contractors is to discover who other businesses in the region will work through. Obviously, this article 't be helpful if it may come as a suggestion from competitors, but you will find circumstances by which it's not too difficult to find this information from suppliers or retailers. Since roofing is not an industry-specific service, this information is readily available.

It is a wise decision for just about any business to get in touch with at least three commercial roofing contractors to make bids on the price. In this manner, 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 can be found by getting touching the state contractor's board. This also makes it possible to determine whether there has been any claims filed against the company previously.

When examining bids, it is just as important to check out what services are being offered and which products will be used because it is to look at the overall cost. The prices can differ quite drastically, but as tempting as it can be to go for the lowest bid, this is not always your best option. Oftentimes, more costs now will mean fewer costs over time due to an undesirable roofing job. To help investigate the caliber of the work, it's a wise decision to check with the Bbb in order to see if the business has been accredited, and when it's not, to at least see what its rating is.

 

Selecting a Commercial Roofer

When you are looking for a roofer for your commercial roofing project you need to look for a contractor who understands the special needs of the commercial roofing project. For instance it can be harder to work on a business during business hours so either the business needs to be turn off for that repair or replacement or 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 that might involve working weekends or evenings?

When you begin your research for any roofing contractor not only do you need to answer those questions however, you also want to hire a company that will perform a high quality job with no great deal of time delays. Going about finding someone can seem as an obstacle by itself but there are some ways to make the search easier.

Ask friends and family for referrals and then try to find at least three contractors to give you written bids on your job. Prior to going any further you need to ensure that the contractors you are thinking about are fully licensed and bonded. An easy search using the state contractor's board will verify in case your roofer is licensed and if there are any past judgments or claims against their license.

When you select 3 or 4 roofers to place bids, you need to prepare yourself for the bids to be widely varied. Roofers may have brand preferences that will vary and could factor in more or less than the next guy for a labor estimate. The more detailed an itemized bid is the more helpful it will 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 might be tempting to consider, but if they're low because of poor quality workman ship it might not be worthwhile in the end.

As the saying goes, you generally get what you purchase, so if you can afford a mid-priced bid it's always a good idea to go up within your budget rather than down. You also should select your roofer depending on how professional they were and how comfortable you anticipate you'll be working with them.

Finally your cost will vary based on which kind of roofing material you select as well as the cost to haul your old roof towards the landfill. If you are looking for places to chop corners on your roof, instead of cutting labor cost you might want to inquire about metallic roof option. Metal roofs can be economical and efficient which makes them overall money savers for that long term, as well as on commercial buildings they may be really low maintenance. Plus given that they can be placed on top of a current roof, you don't need to have the old one removed and hauled away, that make a large impact on your cost.

Choosing a comerical roofing company nearer your home, does not have to be a difficult task. For more information, visit http://www.vancouverroofers.net

 

Seattle Roofing Contractors - How to locate The very best

In the home of rain and sleet, commercial coffee and grunge, and the famous space needle, you can find a house that will suit you. Seattle, Washington could be a good place to construct a house, but you need Seattle roofing contractors to help you out. Your homes roof is, after all, the crowning glory of your house, and your strongest type of defense from the elements. You need to have something that isn't just built to last, but created to attract and make your home more beautiful

Harsh Weather

Why are roofing contractors essential within this the main country? Because Seattle is usually bombarded by rain and other harsh weather conditions, you need a roof that can withstand all the forces of nature. With this in mind, you'll need individuals who be aware of Seattle weather best, and who know what materials can best go into your roof in order for it to last far longer in the area. In addition to all this, you need to blend with the remainder of the houses inside your living space, which means you cannot simply get whatever roof you please.

In most these aspects, a Seattle roofing contractors should be able to assist you. All you need to do is search for Seattle roofing contractors online to be able to obtain the best value for your money without wondering when the contractor will suddenly try to escape by using it and then leave you roof-less.

Why the Contractor Model Works

If you wish to set up your homes roof by yourself, you'll have to buy a good deal of materials, secure permits and licenses, and get materials that are suited to help you stay safe against harsh extremes of Seattle weather. Which means that if you are a DIY sort of guy or gal, you will have to go through a good deal of legwork in order to get the task done.

However, a Seattle roofing contractor can perform all of the jobs for you and provide you with a package that can save you time and money. Because contractors operate under licenses and buy materials in bulk, they are able to get discounts on building materials that you'd not otherwise get should you be buying merely for your own home.

Roofing Associations

Most roofing contractors also fit in with roofing organizations that are bound by strict guidelines and standards. When they prosper on their roofing job, they are able to showcase their roofing contractors association; if they do poorly, they can ruin the trustworthiness of their roofing contractors association and keep other contractors within the association from receiving targeted roofing jobs. There is lots of pressure to complete well, so you can be confident that prefer a roofing job completed in Seattle, you can aquire a contractor from the roofing association to help you out.

For example, Seattle Roof Brokers operates with over five hundred roofing contractors within the Puget Sound. This group has over fifty years of roofing experience and experience dealing with Seattle roofing contractors, so it will know what type of roofing you want. The Roof Brokers group can hook you up using the contractor that you need so that you don't have to look for contractors individually.

What In the event you Demand from Your Contractor?

When you finally get a contractor within the Seattle area, you need to do lots of research about the roofing contractors themselves. Ask for a list of previous companies or persons that the contractor worked with to get a definite view of the roofing contractor's work ethics and roof quality. Your roofing contractor should also have the appropriate working licenses and city licenses required by the Seattle city government.

Select a Seattle roofers that insures its employees, which has courteous workers who'll respect your opinions and make sure that your needs are met. Ensure that you get the best value for your money: if you're not satisfied using the job, you need to be guaranteed either money back, or perhaps a free, new roof. Moreover, you also require the workers to get the job done promptly, so be strict with your deadlines - and find a contractor that is as strict when you are.

You'll need guarantees and warranties in your roof, so look for a contractor that can meet your financial allowance and roofing needs. If you get touching good Seattle roofing contractors, you may be guaranteed a great roof along with a better house right in this fantastic city.

Selecting the Right Roofing Contractor Company for Replacing Your Roof

The shingles in your roof need replacing and you're simply minded to locate a roofing contractor to change the them. Perhaps you have already known as a few and are evaluating which contractor for your upcoming roof repair. How do you select the best contractor for caring for your roof? Here are a number of things you should look at when searching for the best roofing contractor.

Where is the roofing contractor located? You should hire a roofer that's local. Then you will receive a higher level of service when the roofing company is located near your house or comes with an office near your residence.
References. To look for the reliability of the contractor, references should be provided of the previous customers who're willing to vouch that excellent service was received. This will 't be the only real factor in choosing your future roofer as some may claim they value the privacy of their clients and do not desire to bother them. If this sounds like the situation, ask for business related references. The locations that supply the contractor with supplies can reveal the amount of materials and regularity of supplying the contractor to help determine their stability.
How does the roofing contractor company handle complaints? There's a multitude of problems that can arise throughout the progress of a roofing replacement. Ask what their process is perfect for handling complaints when they arise. It is also an excellent idea to receive a past client reference who were built with a complaint which was resolved to the satisfaction of the client.
The payment schemes. Do you know the terms of payment for the job? What is the deposit and amount due upon completion? While it is certainly reasonable that the substantial payment be produced before a contractor begins focus on a project, it is highly recommended that full payment isn't made until following the entire job is finished.
Written contract. All the roofing replacement ought to be place in a written contract. No the main contracting job should rely on verbal assurances.
Bonding. There are things that will go wrong with roofing installations that end up costing quite a bit of money to repair. If this happens in your roofing replacement, you will feel a whole lot better knowing that your roofer is bonded. This can supply the funds to fix whatever mistakes were made. Find a roofing contractor that is bonded.
Manufacturer Warranty. Quality materials for roofing typically come with a warranty. It is important to verify that there is actually a warranty about the materials being installed. Request a duplicate of the warranty.
Period of time running a business Just how long has the company you're interviewing been in business? A short in time business may reflect instability. When the contractor has been in business under 3 years, verify just how long they've actually been in the market. A new contractor may have many years experience focusing on roofs before they form their own business. Seek a company that's been around for three years, or where the contractor has already established many more years performing roofing replacements. It can shouldn't be the only factor, all of us have to start sometime. Balance this with referrals and also the other points raised in this article.
Appropriate Permits. A Seattle roofer ought to know what permits are required for repairing your roof. They should be aware of how to obtain these permits for you. Ask the contractor whether they will have the permits necessary to repair the roof.
Liability. If a worker becomes injured, who is responsible for the workers comp? When the contractor's equipment damages your home, who is liable for the repairs? A good contractor will provide certificates of insurance for liability and worker's compensation before they begin repairing your roof.
Subcontractors. Verify if the contractor is going to be using subcontractors. If that's the case, it is highly recommended that everything contained in this article for verifying if the contractor is credible should also be applied to subcontractors. You should receive the names and license amounts of all subcontractors. You need to verify whether each subcontractor is also insured so you aren't held responsible for their accidents.
Pending Legal Actions. It is important to verify whether there are any legal actions from the contractor. This is not only necessary for verifying whether the roofing company is legitimate (credible roofing companies should not need to defend themselves in court), it is also important just because a lost lawsuit might lead to the contractor to visit bankrupt. If you have designed a substantial down payment for services immediately prior to the company goes bankrupt, you could lose thousands of dollars and not have your roofing completed.
Material Disposal. Who's responsible for disposing of the waste generated from the roof being replaced? Will your contractor handle every aspect of this? Is there one more cost for disposing of this waste?
NRCA Membership. Membership in local or national roofing associations, like the NRCA, shows commitment to staying current with the very best means of roof replacement and maintenance. Look for a roofer having a high standard of education regarding their trade.
Replacing your roof is really a significant investment. Celebrate sense to ask serious questions before using a roofing contractor. Here are a few more tips that you should consider when selecting the very best roofer for the upcoming roofing replacement.

Payment. Do not make a full payment for services unless all jobs are finished.
Inspection. Do not make a full payment without doing a final inspection of all services rendered.
Workers liens. Do not fully pay for the roofing replacement job until worker's lien releases happen to be obtained.
Oral Agreements. No agreement ought to be made verbally without backing it up in writing. All points that are important to you ought to be made in writing.

 

To your SEO needs, you should check out Vancouver web design and Vancouver Seo agency

It cannot be denied how the worldwide web is just about the biggest financial market nowadays. Practically things are anchored on the internet. Up to now, there are other than 182 million internet sites in the internet and still counting. If each of these websites offers opportunities to earn money, consider the limitless opportunities which can be perfectly located at the internet. More importantly, with all the emergence of web sites, the requirement of internet hosting and Search| Engine Optimization is significantly defined.

Search Engine Optimization is basically the process of helping the visibility of your internet site. As a result, if you would like your internet site to become visible to visitors, you should search for SEO Company. The optimization strategy considers how search spiders work and what folks usually and what keywords they'll use. The key objective of SEO is making web sites visible in search sites with the natural or organic way.

Search engines optimization or natural seo is a term used in describing unpaid, algorithm-driven connection between any particular engine. Quite simply, organic SEO uses natural strategies in achieving serp's ranking. While there's two camps that search engine optimization companies may fall to, and these would be the 'White Hat' as well as the 'Black Hat', organic SEO would never come under the 'Black Hat' camp.

Organic search engine optimization is a highly specialized and complex practice which could literally dictate the success or failure of an internet business. Since search sites often modify their algorithms, organic SEO is not super easy in any way. When search bots modify their algorithms, factors that allow your internet site to seem facing clients are drastically changed also. Thus, in order to cope up using these changes, SEO tactics and strategies must be employed.

It is always ethical to make use of organic search engine optimization since search sites nowadays have become extremely advanced they can easily see whether an online site is wanting to control their search indexes. Thus it really is empirical to utilize search engine marketing practices which can be carried out wherein appear natural.

The approaches employed by organic search engine optimization and artificial SEO are very significantly different. Basically, organic SEO uses content when compared with artificial SEO's technical loopholes. Moreover, natural search engine optimization provides attracting links rather than linking schemes employed by artificial SEO. Natural SEO also creates valuable resource as opposed to artificial SEO's algorithm chasing. With all these, you can clearly see why organic search engine optimization is preferable over artificial seo. Although the latter may be more challenging and complicated, it makes favorable results which are good for any site. Fortunately, there are plenty of Vancouver SEO companies today that offer the organic method in affordable rates and packages.

Seo Appears to the picture

There was a time when seo was actually not required.

Even while late like a decade ago, in the event you developed a Web site anywhere, Google indexed it and you gained visibility in their search engine results. Your page might have been in one of the free "estates" where anybody could put in a page and Google didn't mind. It may also have been a pure affiliate page without any original content and Google still indexed it.

The situation is unrecognizably different now.

Affiliate pages with "cookie-cutter" content duplicated everywhere might never reach the Google index; the same fate is likely for those pages you add in over a free-for-all website. And even "proper" websites with your personal url of your website did not achieve visibility among the proliferating sites in millions.

These wouldn't have mattered, except for a very important factor. It had been Google that provided the bread and butter for your an incredible number of small businesses which could not afford expensive marketing campaigns. If the site was one of the top few sites the appeared before a searcher's eyes when that individual looked for your product or service, you got hundreds as well as 1000s of visitors, many of whom even bought your product or service.

Search engine optimization (SEO) entered the scene. Internet search engine specialists "reverse-engineered" to recognize the factors that Google consider for showing websites towards the top of its serp's pages. These factors were then consciously integrated into your internet pages in the hope that Google can have your website among the first ten results it showed about the first page.

Weight loss of the competitors adopted search engine optimization practices, things became difficult again. Your role started to slip if your competitors did the SEO better. SEO battles became serious fights with every dirty trick working.

There was "black hat" SEO practitioners who showed one page to search engines and the other to human visitors. As search engines like google were not bothered with readability, you might fill the "search engine" page with pure gibberish, but gibberish written in wherein the engine dutifully indexed high.

A war of wits followed between unscrupulous SEO practitioners and check engines. Google changed its ranking algorithms regularly to work around practices that allowed low value content to look at the top of its serp's. In the end, Google's success leaned on providing value to searchers, not merchants. And SEO practitioners developed new tricks.

We'll take a look at search engine optimization inside a number of articles, beginning with an beauty at on-line or Internet marketing.

 

For the SEO needs, you should check out vancouver web design and Vancouver Seo agency.

 

Cedar Roofing: Advantages

Cedar shakes are just in regards to the most aesthetically pleasing shakes on the market today. Frequently designed from red-colored cedar on the coniferous forests of northwestern United states of america, they're just the best roof covering materials for proprietors who prefer supplying their roofs an organic look.

Unique cedar shingles are naturally resistance against the weather, this is the key answer why cedar shingles are widely-used generally around various climatic conditions. They're generally obtainable in a few specific qualities. One or more will be the shingle made from red cedar even though the other is produced out from the white colored variety. Red cedar shakes are designed from tight-grained particles which might be previously saturated with tannic acidity that experts say is definitely an all-natural additive. Red cedar shingles that will be dipped in creosote to prevent corrosion and so are desirable to homeowners given that they put in a rich and unique turn to one's property or home.

You need to note that red cedars usually change dark-colored if exposed continuously to seaside weather. Consequently, sea side homes have to have white cedar shakes. Red cedar shingles are generally a lot more expensive compared to white cedar types, despite the fact that cost factor doesn't diminish its reputation in anyhow. They could be preferably well suited for classic New England houses while white cedar shingles seem to be image suited to bungalows and bungalows which have been integrated Nantucket design.

Through the years, classic cedar shakes have mislaid in a place to synthetic shingles that emulate the cedar appear. Superior systems are used to make these kinds of shingles use a for an extended period life-span in comparison with unique cedar shingles. Most include advanced UV inhibitors and possess about 5 decades of steady guarantee. These shingles tend to be great insulators and several superior ones give a chilly inside during summer months plus a warmer inside during harsh winters.

Cedar shakes, mostly for sale in honey, cinnamon, and silvery gray colors, need several amount of repairs and maintenance. Needed initial treatment method ahead of installation. White cedar shakes for instance, might be given bleaching oil which needs to be done virtually every six to seven years to boost their durability.

Cedar shakes and cedar shingles are either CCA treated or not CCA treated. CCA stands for chromated copper arsenate. CCA can be a chemical that stops the rise of mold, mold and fungus so it helps maintain insects from eating away your own personal wonderful cedar roof. CCA cedar will make your homes roof go longer, but CCA just isn't A hearth TREAMENT. Cedar that has been fire treated can be acquired, your roofing company need to special order it. CCA treated cedar shingles cost 15 - 20% a lot more than non-CCA cedar. Most cedar roofs usually are not CCA treated.

Cedar shakes and cedar shingles are wonderful, plus they are additionally a good purchase. Information of terms for example CCA, advanced quality, Number one, blue label and black label will assist you to select the right cedar roof for your personal home.

Elite Roofing & Home Improvements, LLC provides more information about shingles, cedar shakes, fiberglass shakes and more. Elite Roofing & Home Improvements, LLC is associated with the nation's Roofers Association.

Discover more about cedar shingles, and acquire more articles and resources about cedar shakes at cedar roofing materials and shakes website.

 

Cedar Shingle Roof Vs Asphalt Shingle Roof

A cedar shingle roof remains highly coveted by homeowners. It is one of the oldest roofing products which includes always been constantly being used inside the hundreds of years. Just as much as new roofing materials remain developed, cedar shakes still endear themselves to many. Below can be a comparison analysis of the cedar roof versus an asphalt roof.

Pros of Cedar Roofing shingles

Cedar shakes contribute to much better air circulation within the whole house. The shingles enable the home to breathe well without trapping moisture around. It will help to maintain the structure of the home who is fit longer. Cedar Shakes are durable and strong. They enjoy a greater resistance to bugs. A cedar shingle roof will stand up well on the various weather onslaughts. Storms, hurricanes, powerful winds and flying debris will barely damage the surface of your cedar roof. The colour matures beautifully with all the passing years, which makes it much more desirable. A cedar roof adds a distinct charm to your house. Cedar is instantly accessible in lumber yards and need a large amount of expertise or specialized tools to put in.

Cons of Cedar Shakes

If rot takes hold, you would be compelled to change the complete lot. It is not easy extracting only the affected pieces. They may happen to be nailed down in a way that each elimination proves difficult. Cedar Shingles don't hold up well to constant wetting. If you reside within an area where rainfall is heavy or frequent, cedar shingles aren't an ideal choice. Frequent wetting causes mold or mildew setting in. Replacement and repair might be a costly business. Your very best protection against constant wetting should be to use wide overhangs. Also, should your property is shaded by many trees or nearby buildings, cedar shingles often develop mold. You will end up compelled to change them sooner than you planned. Cedar Shingles tend to be flammable than asphalt shingles. Many areas possess a building code in place that restricts cedar shingles to reduce the danger of fire. To set up a cedar shake roof, you need to have your financial allowance concerning the higher side. Frequent maintenance can also be important to maintain the roof in good shape. Mildew and rot are ever-constant threats with a cedar roof.

Pros of Asphalt Shingle Roof

An asphalt roof is among the most inexpensive to purchase and install. These come in various designs and colours, including a typical, flat use a 3-dimensional look. Asphalt shingles have a superior effectiveness fires unlike cedar roofing. An asphalt roof can certainly reduce the risk of fires caused by flying embers. Asphalt roofs are easier and cheaper to put in than cedar. They are also low maintenance roofs.

Cons of Asphalt Shingle Roof

Algae is more susceptible to grow on asphalt roofing than cedar shingles. It causes the top to produce somewhat from the stain which spoils the looks. You will get an anti-algae coating carried out your asphalt shingles but this increases the cost. With regards to stability, an asphalt roof is a lot more apt to be blown off by strong winds than the usual cedar roof.

Discover more about cedar roofing materials, and obtain more articles and resources about cedar roofing shakes at cedar roofing materials and shakes website.

 

How to locate Great Vancouver SEO Services

The number of online businesses as well as e-commerce websites is actually continuously increasing simply because everyone knows that it may generate lots of profits. It's additionally brought about another kind of providers that really help companies in attaining their goals and making them grow. Amongst these are the Vancouver Search engine optimization; because the SEO market is pretty youthful you will notice that any kind of SEO Vancouver company will not be more than a 10 years old. However, you can be assured that they actually know what they have to do to get a business developing.

If your company depends on the Internet to get people to your site and to obtain conversion rates, you certainly need help searching motor optimisation or SEO as it is more commonly known. When people put searching in their preferred internet search engine, the most likely matches come at the very top. If you wish to draw visitors to your site or online business, you need to take the help of a Vancouver SEO company to obtain to the top of those search results. The SEO Vancouver providers provided is going to be worth the money you spend and will also be viewing the results shortly after.

Nevertheless, achieving a top position on the internet might not always be always easy and much more therefore if yours is an extremely aggressive business which they frequently refer to like a market. It's no surprise after that that you need all the help that exist. If you don't possess the response to "What is Search engine optimization?Inch then you need in order to first understand the subject. But your best option is to leave the task to people who realize it greatest; the actual SEO Vancouver professionals in the Vancouver SEO company. You will have to shell out some money but you may enjoy the rewards as time pass.

The SEO Vancouver professionals will begin upon market and keyword research which is usually the starting place associated with SEO. You should know the kind of phrases or even phrases which potential customers will be keying into Google to get to your website. The Vancouver SEO company is going to do this tiresome task for you because they have a much better idea about how exactly people go about their own searches. You, from you have to provide them with a much better knowing about your business and some fundamental keywords which they'd perform their research.

If your SEO marketing campaign begins with keywords selection, then its link building which feeds seo; any good Vancouver Search engine optimization company can help you understand. The perfect method for your site to rank higher for a provided keyword would be to possess a great link building strategy designed for it. The secret would be to depart your link on higher rated web sites. The actual SEO Vancouver experts will tell you that the most common way of doing this is to submit content articles that contains the required keywords in the proper proportion to article directories with links back to your website in the resource box.

What exactly have you been awaiting? Take the help of the actual Vancouver SEO company right here; the actual SEO Vancouver professionals will make your company grow so that you will reap higher profits.

 

Dependable SEO Services For Your Company in Vancouver

Professional sophisticated Vancouver SEO services help you to are available in the top listing of the actual organic search leads to attract traffic. Moreover, the actual visitors of natural outcomes is going to be keen to purchase products and these services may prove to be helpful in your company.

You'll need Search engine optimization Vancouver to profit your business by allowing you to get the most presence from the search engine as well as thereby getting good visitors to your web website. With the help of search engine rankings, these types of services will hugely assist your internet website get in touch with the field of people accessing web and therefore, sketching increasingly more visitors to your internet site. When the web site has begun producing traffic to it, your business will enjoy benefits as your website will become probably the most searchable on top search engines.

A business needs such services since the Search engine optimization experts have the basic knowing as well as knowledge of how you can do it. You as the webmaster can spend time on the internet dealing with blogs, discussion boards, along with other materials. However, you need to focus on other facets of your internet site as well as SEO experts focus all their initiatives on SEO since this is the things they're doing best.

The Search engine optimization companies promise to increase more traffic to your web site on a regular basis giving an guarantee that when individuals search for services or products, your internet website comes on the top most sought after search engines like Yahoo, Google, MSN as well as AOL.

Quite simply, to enhance web site traffic as well as visibility, it is crucial that a web site ought to obtain updated constantly. The entire process of seo isn't a one-time attempt. A successful SEO support consists of marketing, ranking, web site marketing, link exchanges and many more. In order to contain the modifications to Search engine optimization techniques and strategies every day, professional SEO services preserve experienced and officially skilled SEO experts, web site creative designers, copy writers, Search engine optimization publishers, advertising specialists and task supervisors.

A professional and result-oriented search engine optimization support consists of the following:
. Study as well as report pre-optimization position
. Search phrase choice as well as optimization
. Competition evaluation report
. Description associated with labels
. Themed link web page development
. Optimisation associated with pictures
. Keyword-rich content building
. Search engine optimization copy writing
. Link campaigns
. Code
. Search engine submissions

SEO businesses offer the support associated with keyword research. These types of organizations will appear in the clients' web sites and their competitors and can look for suitable keywords. They follow the best strategy that will ensure on the internet presence as well as publicity.

Right now, let us point out the advantages that will assist an company's web site reach the surface of a search engine.
• Personalized SEO answer
• Long term best rankings in search motors
• Greater web visitors an internet-based sales
• Worldwide business protection
• Business company identification
• Suggestions for business development
• Follow-up service
• Optimum results

 

'Counter-Terror' Policy Targets Uyghurs

2011-04-07
A new report says China uses the threat of terrorism to crack down on Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

AFP
Uyghur men and women chat outside a mosque in Urumqi, July 17, 2009.

China's anti-terrorism policy deliberately targets ethnic minority communities such as Uyghurs and Tibetans struggling for greater autonomy, according to a white paper by a rights group.

The policy equates terrorism with groups pushing for more self-governing rights, is too broad in scope, and shirks international human rights commitments, said the Hong Kong and New York-based Human Rights in China (HRIC).

The paper looked into human rights concerns within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a regional intergovernmental organization which includes China and five other member states-Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan-with a total population of 1.5 billion people.

It said the SCO approach to counter-terrorism, modeled on China'sThree Evils doctrine, and highlighting principles of territorial integrity, noninterference in internal affairs, and social stability, contributes to supporting repressive regimes at the expense of human rights.

A failure to demand accountability from the SCO undermines the effectiveness and integrity of the international system in countering terrorism and advancing rule of law, peace, and security, HRIC said.

"China's approach to counter-terrorism is the Three Evils doctrine, and it links terrorism with separatism and extremism," HRIC director Sharon Hom said in an interview.

"This Three Evils approach is overbroad, highly politicized, and while not exclusively applied only to ethnic minority groups, it is regularly applied to Uyghurs and Tibetans in its practice."

Hom said other SCO member states follow China's lead by recognizing Xinjiang and Tibet as inalienable territories of China and repatriating its ethnic minorities who seek asylum within their borders.

"China has enormous clout in the SCO, and you can also see it in the ways in which the other SCO member states and the SCO will completely parrot China's line and China's policy on these two so-called autonomous regions."

Treatment of Uyghurs

The HRIC white paper said it found "serious issues" concerning China's treatment of Uyghurs, including the principle of non-refoulement and potential use of torture during interrogations.

Regulations specific to Xinjiang became part of China's domestic counter-terrorism legal framework in December 2009 when provincial-level lawmakers revised the region's Comprehensive Management of Social Order.

Through the revisions, Chinese authorities were ordered to specifically crack down on the three threats of "terrorism, separatism, and extremism" in the aftermath of the July 2009 ethnic violence in Urumqi which left hundreds dead, according to official media reports.

HRIC called the amendments "unique" to Xinjiang, adding that "such singular focus by the Chinese government ... suggests that the concept of terrorism has been applied in a biased fashion, with the Uyghur community the subject of intense scrutiny and suspicion."

It noted that while China does face real threats of terrorism, "the limited involvement of Uyghurs in terrorist acts cannot serve as justification of widespread repression throughout [Xinjiang] or the labeling of peaceful Uyghur activists under the rubric of the Three Evils."

Adherence to rules

But despite its reliance on the Three Evils doctrine, HRIC wrote, China continues to claim that it is acting to "firmly uphold and fulfill the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council," according to a statement by the Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS).

Under U.N. rules, China pledged to oppose the "arbitrary widening" of the scope of fighting terrorism and identifying terrorism with any specific ethnic group or religion.

"The Three Evils doctrine undermines this principled approach and, in doing so, compromises human rights guaranteed under international law, and international counter-terrorism efforts as a whole," HRIC said.

HRIC recommended that Beijing narrow its "Three Evils"-based approach to national security and reformulate its definition of terrorism.

On June 24 last year, Chinese authorities announced they had broken up a "terrorist" ring of a Uyghur separatist group, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), after arresting more than ten of its members involved in an alleged major plot against China.

The announcement said that information leading to the arrest had been obtained through the investigation of 20 "individuals of Chinese citizenship" who had been deported to China on December 20, 2009-the exact date that Cambodia deported 20 Uyghurs seeking asylum following the July 5 ethnic unrest in Urumqi.

The statement also indicated that several of the alleged ETIM members had confessed to participating in a wide array of terrorist activities during interrogation.

Human Rights Watch said in February that the Cambodian government has a "dismal track record" of deporting refugees granted asylum status by the UNHCR, particularly those from neighboring countries such as China and Vietnam.

Ethnic tensions

Millions of Uyghurs-a distinct, Turkic minority who are predominantly Muslim-populate Central Asia and the Xinjiang region.

Ethnic tensions between Uyghurs and majority Han Chinese settlers have simmered for years, and erupted in riots in July 2009 that left some 200 people dead, according to the Chinese government's tally.

Uyghurs say they have long suffered ethnic discrimination, oppressive religious controls, and continued poverty and joblessness despite China's ambitious plans to develop its vast northwestern frontier.

Chinese authorities blame Uyghur separatists for a series of deadly attacks in recent years and accuse one group in particular of maintaining links to the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

Reported by Mamatjan Juma for RFA Uyghur service. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
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