White Noise

Green, Functional and Sexy

I had to repost this from Re-Nest.  This is an incredible statement about what design can be and how it can be reached.

"The Aeron chair was designed to be ergonomic, functional but also "sparing of natural resources, durable and repairable, and constructed for ease of disassembly and recycling." The chair is up to 94% recyclable itself (36% aluminum, 31% steel, 31% plastic) and made from 62% recycled materials (41% post-consumer recycled content & 21% pre-consumer recycled content). "

Apparently not common knowledge

Trash Update

Date  Metal  Paper 

Aug 18th  10     10

Aug  25th    6             13

YTD Total  226 lbs  472 lbs

Not where I would put my money

The other day Macworld ran a report that the WSJ announced that Microsoft had just prepared a $300 million dollar ad campaign against Apple.  Jerry Seinfeld ( who I love ) will be getting $10 million for his piece in the ads.  I started thinking about why the Apple vs Mac ads are so effective.  I think it is because they use humor and each ad is targeted to one particular aspect that Apple excels in. They are not trying to be all things to everyone. 

So Microsoft comes out with some new ads.  People may go out and buy the product.  But what happens after? What happens when they get the product home and it does not perform like they imagined? or that they need a part time IT relative to help them use it.  Wouldn't it be more effective to use that $300 million internally to correct any issues and then launch an ad campaign to promote that?  Maybe it is just me....

I love this

Effective marketing.  A good simple message that everyone can get behind. Hopefully a small positive change. 

Whole Foods Experience pt. 2

The old saying goes bacon makes everything better and I usually could not agree more 

but this may be the exception to the rule. I could probably eat this and like it more than I can its cousin - Kalamata Olive Chocolate.  I found both of these when I was exploring in Whole Foods. Actualy I am sure it is really good and I like to see a store serving such a diverse set of options to their customers.  I am sure they do not sell hundreds of these candy bars a day, like perhaps a Snickers may sell.  But they are offering something very unique which only enhances the stores appeal. 

Trash Update

Date  Metal  Paper 

Aug  4th 12.5   12.5

Aug  8th 6.5            10

YTD Total 210 lbs 449 lbs

Whole Foods Experience

The other day Jackie Huba from Church of the Customer asked What should Whole Foods do?  They recently released earnings that were below the previous year.  John Moore at Brand Autopsy

did a very good job of looking at some of the economic things that Whole Foods could do.  

What I want to tell you is what Whole Foods is doing right. I realize I am propbaly one of 10 people in the world that have not been to WF.  That changed today when my wife and I went for the first time.  

1. Baggers: this used to be a constant at supermarkets now it is more of an oddity. They had them and they did a great job

2. Clean Store: Generally I think most stores are clean but the WF store was immaculate.  The floor shined and I am sure I could eat off of it.

3. People who actually retrieve the carts from the parking lot: This is my pet peeve.  Stores go to the effort to put carriage holders in the parking lot and then leave them there for the customers to get on their own.

4. Really helpful staff: Seems like an obvious thing but how many times have you been in a store where there was no help or they could not careless if you need something.

5. Amazing prepared food: I guess another obvious thing in a supermarket but their prepared food is incredible.

 

All over the place musically

My favorite app right now for my iPhone is called Shazam.  It allows you to "record" sections of songs that are on the radio and identify them.  Being a music junky it makes me crazy when I can not identify a song I really like.  Anyway I have been identifying things for the last week or so and then decided to buy them in iTunes.  I looked at the list and it looks like I was drunk when I was buying them.  Oh Well !

To Love Somebody : Nina Simone - This song I heard on the radio and had not heard this version of it - it is a classic

More Where That Came From: Dolly Parton - this is the background music for a Target commercial

Mama Told Me (Not to Come) : Three Dog Night - I was in a magazine store and this was on and I loved the the groove

Mr. Brightside (Acoustic Version) : Acoustic Version - I love the Killers and this Acoustic version(although not by them) is great

Hide and Seek : Imogene Heap - this is a really cool electronica song that reminds me a lot of Laurie Anderson Big Science

Recycle update

I am behind on posting these updates. Here is the most recent weeks.

Date  Metal  Paper 

July 21st 8.5   12.5

July 28th 11.5         12.5

YTD Total 191 lbs 426.5 lbs