Free Webinar on May 16 to Introduce Tool that Measures Hardgoods Product Sustainability
Sustainable Apparel Coalition
Outdoor Industry Association
Boulder, Colo., May 8, 2013 ? The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) Sustainability Working Group (SWG) is launching a pilot program to test drive the Equipment module of the Higg Index, a new tool to help companies gain insight into the supply chain for outdoor equipment (bicycles, skis, snowboards, backpacks, tents, camp stoves, water bottles, etc.) and how to make more sustainable products.
OIA is offering a free webinar on May 16 2013 to introduce the tool and get companies involved.
Equipment manufacturers are encouraged to participate in the pilot, which is designed to provide a testing ground for the tool and to gather feedback on how to make it better.
?This is the culmination of many years of work and collaboration among dozens of outdoor industry companies,? said Beth Jensen, director of corporate responsibility for OIA. ?This tool was developed by and for the industry in order to help companies closely examine their supply chains and identify tangible steps to improve the sustainability of their products. We hope a diverse array of companies will participate in the pilot.?
The Equipment Index builds on Higg Index modules for Apparel and Footwear that have already been launched to the industry. From the early days of the OIA Eco Index in 2007, the outdoor industry wanted to ensure that its sustainability indexing tool was applicable to gear products as well as to apparel and footwear. The Higg Index for Equipment will fulfill this purpose, providing indicators tailored specifically to hardgoods while employing the same format as the other Higg Index modules.
The Equipment Index Pilot launches May 16, with feedback due July 15.
To learn more about the Equipment Index Pilot, visit outdoorindustry.org/equipmentpilot.
About Outdoor Industry Association Based in Boulder, Colo., with offices in Washington, D.C., Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) is the leading trade association for the outdoor industry and the title sponsor of Outdoor Retailer. OIA supports the growth and success of more than 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, sales representatives, and retailers of outdoor recreation apparel, footwear, equipment and services. For more information, go to outdoorindustry.org or call 303.444.3353.
About the Outdoor Industry Association Sustainability Working Group The Outdoor Industry Association Sustainability Working Group (OIA SWG) is a volunteer collaboration among more than 250 outdoor industry brands, retailers, suppliers and other stakeholders working to identify and improve the environmental and social impacts of their shared global supply chains. The OIA SWG is currently focusing on four key areas: 1) index development for apparel, footwear and equipment, 2) responsible chemicals management, 3) materials traceability throughout the supply chain, and 4) social responsibility and fair labor issues. Through the OIA SWG, the outdoor industry is demonstrating that it is possible to effect meaningful, scalable change through pre-competitive, business-driven collaboration. For more information, visit outdoorindustry.org/sustainability.
Ivan "Ironman" Stewart dominated professional off-road racing throughout the 1980s and 90s, with 17 Baja 500 wins, 17 victories in the MTGE series, three Baja 1000s wins, and 10 points championships among many other victories. Retired since 2000, Stewart has remained involved with racing and with his former sponsor, Toyota.
Last week we got some seat time with Stewart at an off-road demonstration at the Stagecoach Music Festival and had to ask a few burning questions?after he'd pulled off a few good donuts in a Tacoma, of course.
If you're a child of the 80's, you probably know Stewart best from the legendary video game Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Super Off-Road. The game ran in arcades and on the original Nintendo Entertainment System; it?emptied many pockets of quarters and kept lots of kids parked in front of TVs on sunny days. Here's a blast from the past:
Back in March, we simultaneously spread the and scorned the ?suspended coffee? meme: a concept originating in the Italian city of Naples where customers can order an extra coffee or food item for a stranger in need that they can request at any time. We dismissed the entire concept as something that a global chain like Starbucks would never implement because it is too complicated to administer and prone to fraud. We were wrong.
Apparently, we underestimated the popularity of the idea? and Starbucks? need for some good publicity in the United Kingdom after the news broke that the company hasn?t paid corporate income taxes since 2009. As it turns out, Starbucks partnered with a UK charity and has been suspending coffees since late April.
Instead of the suspended coffee scheme as described, where the coffees get served later that day in the very same shop, Starbucks is suspending food and beverages and sending them over to the ?hubs? run by Christian charity Oasis. They won?t be serving up nonfat triple macchiatos to the homeless. Starbucks explained on their Facebook page:
When you pay for a suspended coffee we?ll give coffee of that value to our longstanding charity partner, Oasis, who will then distribute it through its community hubs across the UK. We?ll also match the value of each suspended coffee with a cash donation to Oasis which will help provide warmth and comfort to those in need.
PREVIOUSLY: Coffee Shop Owner: Quit Asking Me To Offer Suspended Coffees?Already Why Ordering ?Suspended? Coffees For The Needy Is Stupid And?Inefficient
The biggest story for Apple right now is that it is said to be on the cusp of redesigning the look of iOS, which is the software that powers iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches.
If Apple doesn't do more than just superficially update the way iOS looks, it puts itself at risk of seriously falling behind Google's Android.?
The new iOS look will be "flatter," supposedly abandoning the familiar design style that made the iPhone?a multi-billion success. Instead of glossy icons and images that mimic real life objects, Apple's design will become simpler, more minimal.
Jony Ive, the company's hardware design god, is leading the changes. He's the man who helped revitalize Apple by creating gorgeous hardware like the iMac, iPod, and iPhone.
In an executive shake up last year,?CEO Tim Cook put him in charge of the look and feel of iOS, booting long time iOS leader Scott Forstall.
Ive's flavor of minimalism, which is present in each sleek gadget Apple sells, is said to be coming to Apple's software.
A crisp new haircut, some new shoes, trimmed nails and a shower could make iOS sexier, and it is welcomed, but?what Apple really needs to do is to overhaul how the operating system?works.
The operating system has seen a variety of incremental updates since it was first introduced. For the most part, these updates have kept it ahead of Android. However, the gap between iOS and Android is increasingly narrow.
While it's nice that iOS is going to get a design overhaul that goes for the "minimal" look and not a "realistic" one, it's not essential. Apple's real iOS problems have very little to do with look and feel. The biggest flaws with iOS involve the core functionality of the operating system and Apple's native applications.
Making iOS look different is merely a fresh layer of paint. Making it work better requires a much greater effort. It's unclear if Ivecan or will, address these issues.
The iPhone's software, while excellent, struggles in a number of areas.
Every single one of Apple's built-in applications has been outdone by a third-party developer:
Google Maps is better than Apple Maps. It's better for search, it has transit directions, and it's generally more precise.
Evernote is better than Notes. Evernote syncs brilliantly across the web. It does photos, audio, and third parties can build into it.
Camera+ is better than Camera. There are more shooting modes, editing of photos is better.
Fantastical beats Calendar. The layout is better, and it's easier to add events.?
Weather Channel beats Weather app. It's more robust, more up to date.
There's more, but you get the idea. The reason these applications are better than what Apple offers has little to do with looks. It's all about function.
There are other creaks in Apple's operating system.
The Weather app's icon is stuck with 73 degrees and sunshine. It should be able to update in real-time, reflecting the actual weather.
When new notifications pop up on the screen, they cover your content. Josh Topolsky at The Verge pointed out how annoying these notifications can be. An example of this: In the morning, I check my email and I get dozens of notifications rolling at the top of my phone. I can't operate the top of the iPhone while those notifications take over my phone.
The settings menu needs work. It takes way too many steps to turn on and off blue tooth, or WiFi. Adjusting what appears in the notification center takes too much effort.
The notification center is great, but still needs work. To clear items you have to hit a tiny space twice. And there is no "clear all" option, like there is in Android.
And then, there's the big stuff, like search.
Searching through email is still horrendous on the iPhone. It can't search your message, making it weak compared to Google's Gmail app.
Searching in Apple Maps needs a major upgrade. Apple's Maps struggle with context.
Search is not something a person who just understands design can fix. It's about algorithms and data. It takes years, and millions, perhaps billions, of dollars to understand and fix the problem.?
Siri is another area of Apple's operating system that needs more than a design tweak. It needs a complete re-thinking. It's just not useful as presently constructed.
Google Now is a better version of Siri. It's a true personal assistant. In Siri, you have to ask for directions home. With Google Now, Google does its best to just have directions home already prepared. Google Now also gives you sports scores without asking. It gives you weather without asking. It basically has the information ready to go.
The good news is that Apple appears to know it has big problems to solve with iOS.
On Twitter, Apple reporter Mark Gurman tweeted cryptically, "there?s more stuff that hasn?t come out yet," when I tweeted, "I think iOS needs functionality update, not just a looks update."
Microsoft's former Windows boss Steven Sinofsky also chimed in on Twitter. There was a report saying that Ive taking over iOS could lead to some delays. Sinofsky seemed to hint that if there are delays, it means Apple is tweaking usability of iOS, not just design.
Pixels, it seems, are easily rearranged. Core functions are not.
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Rice's OpenStax College doubles down on free, online textbooksPublic release date: 2-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jade Boyd jadeboyd@rice.edu 713-348-6778 Rice University
Laura and John Arnold Foundation underwriting 6 new books
HOUSTON -- (May 2, 2013) -- Rice University-based publisher OpenStax College today announced plans to more than double the number of titles in its catalog of free, online textbooks by 2015, thanks to a grant from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF).
More than 150 colleges, universities and high schools have adopted an OpenStax textbook since the nonprofit publisher's 2012 launch. OpenStax's introductory textbooks for physics and sociology have been downloaded more than 70,000 times, with two new biology books and an introductory anatomy book becoming available this fall. The LJAF grant will allow OpenStax to add books in six more subjects -- precalculus, chemistry, economics, U.S. history, psychology and statistics -- by 2015.
"Access is the future of higher education," said Rice Professor Richard Baraniuk, founder and director of OpenStax College. "With student debt at an all-time high, it has never been more important to make education more affordable. Our textbooks do that -- not just because they are free, but also because they are every bit as good as books that cost $100 or more. Philanthropic support from forward-thinking partners is critical to making this possible."
OpenStax College invests more than $500,000 to develop each book. It hires the same content developers that major publishers hire, and its books are peer-reviewed by hundreds of faculty reviewers. Grants make it possible for OpenStax to offer its titles for free.
OpenStax College ultimately plans to offer books for 25 of the nation's most-attended college courses. College students could save an estimated $750 million over five years if the publisher reaches its goal of capturing 10 percent of the market for each of the 25 books.
"OpenStax College has a bold vision for transforming education that is directly in line with the Laura and John Arnold Foundation's strategic, entrepreneurial approach to maximizing opportunities for all individuals to succeed," said LJAF President Denis Calabrese. "We are confident that these digital textbooks will generate the greatest possible return on investment -- expanded access to knowledge and additional educational opportunities for students."
OpenStax College also drives adoptions by partnering with for-profit companies and publishers. It has more than a dozen partnerships with companies that provide online homework, assessment and other fee-based products and services that are designed to be packaged with specific OpenStax titles. Because such extras improve student outcomes, instructors often look for them when deciding which book to adopt for their course.
"Changing textbooks is a lot of work for an instructor, so they only do it every few years," Baraniuk said. "Our goal is to make it very easy for an instructor to choose our book the next time they update their course curriculum."
Baraniuk said that high textbook prices are holding back some students. For example, the cost of textbooks frequently exceeds the cost of tuition for community college students today; and according to a Public Interest Research Group study, as many as seven out of 10 community college students try to get by without buying a book for at least one of their classes each semester.
"Instructors want their students to do well, and we want to provide instructors with a book option that helps students both in terms of price and performance," Baraniuk said. "Quality is the key. We believe the reason instructors have been slow to adopt open-source textbooks in the past has been that the free options weren't all that attractive. The rapid success of our books over the past year bears that out. If you offer a quality book for free, people will jump at it."
OpenStax's other philanthropic supporters include the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the 20 Million Minds Foundation and the Maxfield Foundation.
###
A high-resolution IMAGE is available for download at:
http://news.rice.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/0501-LJAF-OpenStax-5books-lg.jpg
CAPTION: OpenStax College founder Rich Baraniuk displays the nonprofit publisher's first five free textbooks. OpenStax will add six more titles by 2015, thanks to a grant from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.
CREDIT: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Rice's OpenStax College doubles down on free, online textbooksPublic release date: 2-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jade Boyd jadeboyd@rice.edu 713-348-6778 Rice University
Laura and John Arnold Foundation underwriting 6 new books
HOUSTON -- (May 2, 2013) -- Rice University-based publisher OpenStax College today announced plans to more than double the number of titles in its catalog of free, online textbooks by 2015, thanks to a grant from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF).
More than 150 colleges, universities and high schools have adopted an OpenStax textbook since the nonprofit publisher's 2012 launch. OpenStax's introductory textbooks for physics and sociology have been downloaded more than 70,000 times, with two new biology books and an introductory anatomy book becoming available this fall. The LJAF grant will allow OpenStax to add books in six more subjects -- precalculus, chemistry, economics, U.S. history, psychology and statistics -- by 2015.
"Access is the future of higher education," said Rice Professor Richard Baraniuk, founder and director of OpenStax College. "With student debt at an all-time high, it has never been more important to make education more affordable. Our textbooks do that -- not just because they are free, but also because they are every bit as good as books that cost $100 or more. Philanthropic support from forward-thinking partners is critical to making this possible."
OpenStax College invests more than $500,000 to develop each book. It hires the same content developers that major publishers hire, and its books are peer-reviewed by hundreds of faculty reviewers. Grants make it possible for OpenStax to offer its titles for free.
OpenStax College ultimately plans to offer books for 25 of the nation's most-attended college courses. College students could save an estimated $750 million over five years if the publisher reaches its goal of capturing 10 percent of the market for each of the 25 books.
"OpenStax College has a bold vision for transforming education that is directly in line with the Laura and John Arnold Foundation's strategic, entrepreneurial approach to maximizing opportunities for all individuals to succeed," said LJAF President Denis Calabrese. "We are confident that these digital textbooks will generate the greatest possible return on investment -- expanded access to knowledge and additional educational opportunities for students."
OpenStax College also drives adoptions by partnering with for-profit companies and publishers. It has more than a dozen partnerships with companies that provide online homework, assessment and other fee-based products and services that are designed to be packaged with specific OpenStax titles. Because such extras improve student outcomes, instructors often look for them when deciding which book to adopt for their course.
"Changing textbooks is a lot of work for an instructor, so they only do it every few years," Baraniuk said. "Our goal is to make it very easy for an instructor to choose our book the next time they update their course curriculum."
Baraniuk said that high textbook prices are holding back some students. For example, the cost of textbooks frequently exceeds the cost of tuition for community college students today; and according to a Public Interest Research Group study, as many as seven out of 10 community college students try to get by without buying a book for at least one of their classes each semester.
"Instructors want their students to do well, and we want to provide instructors with a book option that helps students both in terms of price and performance," Baraniuk said. "Quality is the key. We believe the reason instructors have been slow to adopt open-source textbooks in the past has been that the free options weren't all that attractive. The rapid success of our books over the past year bears that out. If you offer a quality book for free, people will jump at it."
OpenStax's other philanthropic supporters include the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the 20 Million Minds Foundation and the Maxfield Foundation.
###
A high-resolution IMAGE is available for download at:
http://news.rice.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/0501-LJAF-OpenStax-5books-lg.jpg
CAPTION: OpenStax College founder Rich Baraniuk displays the nonprofit publisher's first five free textbooks. OpenStax will add six more titles by 2015, thanks to a grant from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation.
CREDIT: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Many options here for improving or decorating our home by improving the home furniture items in the bedroom, kitchen and entire spaces. Now it is easy to shop those products by online shopping service providers.
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People say that only women can decorate the home as she is caring about all the members as well as home also. They all are know the how to assemble a home for decorating the all interior for home. All the house keeping products are here for keeping on the right place only. Many more about our home, those only women can do easily. If we talk about bedroom then they can only furnish smoothly.
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As we all know that home is the most sooth relaxing, loving and peaceful place where we live with all our family members. But in the other side empty home is so boring to spend only few hours. If we are not able to furnish our home suitably then there is no feeling to live at the home. So furniture plays a vital role to decorate the interior of our home. There is home furnishing item by which we can decorate our home for making our lifestyle so better.
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If we talk about home improvement as decorating our home interior like bedroom, kitchen and all the spaces where we can see in our home. Now there are many furnishing products in the market from which we can easily decorate our home as so beautiful way. There are many companies in the market for online shopping for home furnishing items in India. They are responsible for providing the best service to our doorstep.
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It is very useful for the persons who are very busy in the offices and never can go to the market for buy some products and other items. Online shopping sites are offering some better option from the gallery to choose the item which any person wants to buy and never need to go to the crowded market.
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Its suggestion for people to shop the daily uses products online with these responsible companies which are offering the services for online shopping products. If we talk about the home furnishing items for our home bedroom then there are many products for bedroom to decorate itself.
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Bedroom furniture is very important for decorating and feeling some cool when we enter ever. All available bedroom furniture is available on website like bed, table, sofas, TV cabinet Consoles etc. If we talk about bed sheet, many types of bed sheet available in the market. If you want to buy some online bed sheet, only you have to browse the website for online shopping service provider via internet and your can get your product bed sheet in your doorstep.
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If anyone confused about the payment mode, that how to pay to these shopping sites then there are two method for paying them, one is online payment like net banking, visa, master card etc.. And other is cash on delivery.
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There is popular method for cash on delivery to buy some products. Many products are here for sale for our home like mattress protector online which for our bed room as well as.
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So that due to improving the technology by safe browsing for internet and other web designing and developing, people can do more from home only if we talk about shopping online.
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Public release date: 2-May-2013
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