Well watching my favorite news gal last night, Diane Sawyer. she was talking about the recent climb of gasoline prices (that spells diesel) that we are undertaking. some predictions of $5.00/gallon in Calif. by summer. Why, simple-Iran and the middle east instability jacking up the price. Well we're here in Marcellus shale country and I can tell you we have no shortage of natural gas. When we think of fuel many of us focus on oil and diesel which grab a great deal of attention in the US. This week however it is the dramatic drop in natural gas costs that is making news.
PS Wonder how long before we switch to NGV (Natural Gas Vehicles). Japan has been using them for decades. Click this link for real cost savings when you add to your fleet.
Natural Gas Price Plunge from USA Today
A 35% collapse in the futures price over the past year has been a boon to homeowners who use natural gas for heat and appliances and to manufacturers who power their factories and make chemicals and materials with it.
The country is flush with natural gas as a result of new drilling techniques that have enabled energy companies to tap vast supplies that were out of reach not so long ago. The country's natural gas surplus has been growing even as the country burns record amounts.
Realistically unless replacing your heating system or ovens is already on your list of things to-do this year it is unlikely that the dramatic drop in natural gas prices isn't going to influence an immediate buying decision but it may give you an opportunity to negotiate with your energy supplier and save, at least in the near future.
What it should do, however, is remind you to stay on top of your energy costs and look for improvements that may have been put off over the last few years while we were all watching expenditures throughout the recession. Here is a quick checklist of energy cost saving tips you should run through so you're not throwing money away.
- First and foremost shop for your energy - With the recent deregulation of energy costs and constant changes in market conditions energy companies are fighting for customers and as a smart shopper you can benefit.
- Go over the basics, again. - Back in Issue 67 we touched on some basics to get you prepared for the upcoming summer months, but that was 5 years ago! How long has it been since you really thought about your building insulation? Are the door flaps worn down, broken off, or pinned back?
- Stop fighting yourself. - Do you have space heaters in your cooler? (Check under the desks of your receiving and shipping staff before you answer.) Not only are you wasting money, this is a pretty strong sign you've got your employees working in a less than ideal environment. Consider an inexpensive partition to keep the people warm and the product cool.
- Don't stand there with the the door open, you're letting the cold air out! - Do everything you can to automate the shipping and receiving process and minimize the amount of time you spend with doors open and food out of the cooler. Remember, every degree the food rises in temperature you're going to pay to lower it again. When possible utilize bar code scanning to minimize the time spent counting and recording product weights. Printed pick labels (stickers) are a great way to organize product during the pick in the cooler so you can quickly and confidently sort and ship wasting as little time (and energy) as possible.
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