On February 24th, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Italy had reached 229 and the World Health Organization and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control arrived to support authorities.
Contship Italia Group terminal operations will continue as normal in the northern Italian ports of La Spezia and Ravenna. Contship, “will continue to monitor the evolving situation and issue updates when necessary.”
The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel in coordination with Compass Family Services is re-purposing used furniture that would have ended up in a landfill to families in need. The project is the inspiration of JLL Senior Project Manager, Matthew Boone. The hotel is renovating and new furniture is being installed. Crown is honored to be managing deliveries of furniture to families benefiting from this contribution.
Green Business Profile: Crown Worldwide Moving & Storage
In 2020, the San Leandro Sustainability Office is highlighting different green businesses around San Leandro. Businesses can become certified green businesses through the Alameda County Green Business Program after completing a certain set of criteria. Among those is Crown Worldwide Moving and Storage LLC in San Leandro.
Crown is a world-class full-service global provider of transportation and relocation services (International transport, Commercial relocations, Domestic household good transportation, Storage and Asset management and Automobile transport).
Pinpointing San Leandro as both a hub of the Bay Area and close to the Port of Oakland, Crown moved its headquarters here from San Francisco in 1976. Not only did this move reduce overhead in the form of less expensive office and warehouse space, but Crown was able to decrease drive-time for local moves thus reducing vehicle emissions, fuel cost and labor cost.
Over the years, to protect the environment and its community, Crown has made numerous changes in order to become more sustainable. This meant helping avoid the depletion of natural resources and purchasing products to minimize environmental impact, toxins, pollution and hazards to workers and safety to the community. This in turn helps maintain and protect an ecological balance for society at large.
Some of the changes had the added benefit of overhead cost reduction. Crown’s installation of LED lighting and T-5 fixtures was the greatest success from a cost standpoint. As Crown’s Chairman Robert Bowen notes, “There was a considerable reduction in Crown’s electric bill afterwards and it was supplemented by a rebate from PG&E. Furthermore, the purchase of electric forklifts reduced the cost of propane and eliminated the need to store hazardous products. Getting acceptance from some employees was challenging since they were used to having products of convenience no matter their impact on the environment. However, through consistent messaging from management, they began to see the value of these improvements.”
Crown has managed to achieve a number of sustainability best practices, including:
Replacing the light fixtures in warehouses with T-5 and LED
Installing motion light fixtures in warehouses
Eliminating plastic bottles from vending machines
Replacing paper, plastic and polystyrene products in lunch rooms with glassware and silverware
Placing containers at every work-station, rest room and lunch room to collect and dispose of products for recycling
Placing containers in every lunch room for food waste
Covering the office windows with reflective film to reduce heat infiltration
Installing interior motion detector light switches in offices
Installing exterior day-light sensors on flood lights
Purchasing electric forklifts for warehouses
Recycling all corrugated medium products
Recycling metal and e-waste
Conducting work sessions to educate employees how to conserve energy and eliminate the use of household products harmful to the environment
Setting default settings for printers to be double-sided
Focusing management software and processes on the elimination of paper documents and digitization of documentation
Chairman Bowen urges business owners and managers, “Make the protection of our environment a top priority. Promote and educate your workforce to do the same, not just at work, but at home. Create a team to drive your program each and every day, otherwise, your efforts will be ineffective and not taken seriously. Finally, voice your opinion on environmental issues with your local, state and federal elected officials, your friends, your co-workers and your family.”
If you are planning to take your indoor house plants with you on your next move, there are several important items you must consider before moving day.
According to federal guidelines, house plants qualify as “perishable” items and are not allowed on regulated moving vans traveling more than 150 miles to their destination. They are also not allowed to be packed on regulated moves that will take more than 24 hours to complete. Ask your moving agent for specific details about your move so you can make necessary accommodations.
STATE REGULATIONS
Some states like California, Arizona and Florida have laws that regulate plants and soil to prevent the spread of certain insects and diseases. It is generally recommended that you repot your plants several weeks ahead of time in commercially available soil to avoid unnecessary quarantine. Check with your destination’s department of natural resources to get the most current information about plant regulation.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The changing temperatures and lack of fresh air in a moving container can be harmful to your plants. When preparing for a long-distance move, the safest, most certain way to transport houseplants is in a stable, temperature-controlled environment like the back seat of your car.
If you are unable to make accommodations for your houseplants, consider taking cuttings to replant. You’ll want to wrap cuttings in wet moss and packing paper to pack in a plastic grocery bag. Place bags in a small box and fill gaps with crumpled newsprint.
