Only Thing Constant in Life is Change
August 22, 2019
The only thing constant in life is change…
Over the last couple of years, we have seen a lot of changes in the energy industry. We have seen companies leaving the state (not selling energy in PA…NJ anymore). We have seen companies sell their books in NY and NJ to another provider and leave the state.
Then we have providers involved in outright sales…Struggling companies or upstarts are being bought out by the bigger providers.
The one fallacy you will always hear when something like this happens is….
Everything will remain the same…
The transition will be seamless…
When I hear those words…you know it is time to worry…
Yes, there has been a lot of movement in the industry. And what we find as a result is….
Lack of continuity
People like to deal with people they know, feel comfortable with and can trust. Business is all about building relationships.
Our clients tell us they get a couple of calls a week from people trying to bird dog and sell them energy. To get their attention, they will say just about anything….
You are probably paying too much for your electric. We have a 5 cent rate that can really save you money.
I met with one prospect who proudly showed me their contract. Yep, the contract said 5 cents but it also stated the price did not include transmission cost, line loss and taxes. When we reviewed their current bill, the owner found out they were actually paying over $.14 cents per KWH.
They turned to me and said…
How could they do that…
Can I get out of this contract…
One of our clients recently received an email from a new broker stating…
Gas prices are at all-time lows through 2023 at the moment.
Our client bit the bait and sent it to me.
Can you call me about this…
Please be careful…
Many salespeople will say just about anything to get your attention. They are not looking to build a relationship. They are looking for a quick sale…
A hit and run.
The old bait and switch….
However, they fail to provide all the facts.
Chances are… if you try to contact them in a year or so to resolve an issue or discuss your renewal…..
They will be long gone.
At HBS…
Continuity is the most important thing we can offer. We pride ourselves on the relationships we have built over the last 20 years. Customer satisfaction has played a major role in the success of our company.
We are committed to providing the best solutions for our clients.
And as an added bonus…
We even service your account thru the length of the contract, and we will work with you during your renewal.
In Our Blood
June 24, 2019
How many of you like going to the beach…
Our family has been going to the shore since 1956
I think our love for the beach…
Is in our blood
Growing up…
Our family would rent a house down the shore
For the month of August
Each weekend all the aunts…uncles and cousins
Would show up at the house and…
To see us all head for the beach
Probably looked like an invasion…
Here comes the Hutchinsons…
Umbrellas…chairs…blankets…kids…shovels and balls
Did I say kids….
There were 28 grandchildren
We stormed the beaches and…
Took over
There were Hutchinsons everywhere…
As we grew older and started having our own families
The tradition continued…
My Pop and Mom built a house
Designed to hold 6 children… their spouses
Plus 18 grandchildren
The people down the street once referred to our house as…
The orphanage
There was always so many kids running around
People often say…
History repeats itself
Just like when we were growing up
Every weekend…
All the siblings would head to the shore…
More…
Umbrellas…chairs…blankets…shovels and balls
As our children started to get older
We were fortunate enough…
To buy our own shore house
Our children were able to live my dream…
Spending the whole summer at the shore
It is our love for the shore
That sparked me to write my first book…
Beach Etiquette
https://beachetiquettebook.com/
Our beautiful beaches hold memories
For generations of vacationers and locals alike…
This book is a tribute to all who share the beaches…
With a little Beach Etiquette
We will preserve its’ beauty
And pay it forward…
Our book is available on Amazon
And makes a great gift to anyone who love the beach
https://beachetiquettebook.com/
Speaking about paying it forward
As I said earlier…
The Beach is in our families’ blood…
Our son Brenton has recently developed…
The World’s Most Eco-Friendly Beach Chair
He is another ocean child
Looking to aid the environment…
Introducing Low Tides Ocean Products
https://lowtidesop.com/
Each Lowtides chair is made with…
2.5 pounds of upcycled
Ocean bound plastics
With over 8 million tons of plastic flowing into our oceans each year,
Stopping the flow of waste into our oceans and upcycling the plastic
Can be the solution to cleaner tides.
Lowtides has just began a kickstarter campaign
To introduce their chairs to the general public
As part of their kickstarter campaign…
Lowtides is currently offering special pricing options
With up to 30-40% off
Their chairs are designed to be…
Durable…stylish…and ecofriendly
They are also making a children’s chair
We invite you to learn more about Lowtides Ocean Products
With your purchase and support…
You will help begin to…
Turn the tide on ocean pollution
Preserve its’ beauty
And pay it forward…
Going to the shore and hanging at the beach
Has always held a special place in my heart
Heading over the bridge
Smelling the salt air
Has always been special
You can sense a transformation…
The ocean calls us to be one
Allowing us to create memories
That will live on and be shared for a lifetime
Every Day is a Gift…
It Is a Small World After All
July 14, 2018
I walked onto the beach the other day
After setting up my chair
I went over to one of the guys
I have met on the beach
Over the past couple of years
It was the 1st time I have seen him
On the beach this year
I said…
It’s good to see you again
Are you ready for
Another great summer…
At that point
I felt a little embarrassed
I stopped and said…
I’m sorry…
But I forget your first name
I’m George Hutch
He just chuckled and said…
Just call me JC
That’s always easy to remember
We got into some small talk
And then he started talking about the beach…
The beach is already getting a little crowded…
I can’t believe it…
People are just plopping down
Sitting on top of each other…
Look at all the beach over there
And those people going into the water…
The life guards are 2 blocks away…
What are they thinking…
They are putting other people at risk…
I casually said…
I think you will like the book I just wrote…
You wrote a book…
What’s the title…
Beach Etiquette…
He turns to his wife…
Hey KC…
Come over here
Remember that book you just bought me…
Beach Etiquette
Here’s the guy who wrote it
I love that book
I was always thinking I should write a book about
Beach Etiquette
You did a good job
I was sitting drinking my coffee the other day
And I read a couple of chapters…
I found myself laughing
It’s pretty funny…
I love the art work
Wow…
How about that…
It is a small world after all…
In case you are interested
Check out our website…
https://beachetiquettebook.com/
Several people have told me
They bought a copy
And after reading it…
They went back and bought more copies
To give to their friends
I’ll take that as a compliment
I am glad people are enjoying the book
If you would like a few laughs
I invite you to read the book
Leave a review on Amazon…
The buzz is out there…
This is a grassroots campaign
We need your help to keep it going
We can all brush up on our Beach Etiquette
Heading to the Beach…
June 28, 2018
Hey…have you read my new book …Beach Etiquette?
If not, you should pick up a copy.
It’s great summer reading.
Designed to be the next bestselling coffee table book.
Below are some snippets of the reviews coming in:
• Wait to you read it and allow yourself to chuckle. This book has a
special place on my coffee table
• Such a fun, easy read filled with beautiful illustrations reminding each
one of us on how exciting it is to spend time at the beach,
• It is an amazing collection of what really goes on. It will make you
laugh, it will help you remember those days when you went through many
of the experiences in the book yourself. George did a great job.
• A must-have for any friend of the environment, beach bum, or sun-soaked
surfer
• Most enjoyable book for Beach Lovers
• I loved the illustrations! And the observations…
• Good book Great memories
This is a grassroots campaign and we need your help to spread the word…
If you have a friend who loves the beach…share this email…
We sold over 100 copies in the 1st 30 days. We are hoping we can count on you to hit our next goal of breaking 200 copies.
It makes a great birthday gift for friends / relatives or…
Just a kind gesture…..
I was thinking of you and knew you would enjoy this book…
Visit our website to see a sample of our illustrations and layout…
https://beachetiquettebook.com/
The book is now available on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble
https://www.amazon.com/Beach-Etiquette-George-Henry-Hutchinson/dp/1979773386
Thank you all and hope you enjoy our new book and have a great summer…
Every Day is a Gift
Thank you for your referrals
A Little Spring in Your Step
May 11, 2018
Have you noticed the difference…
There’s a little more spring in your step
People are smiling again
They have shed their heavy coats
No more scarves and sweaters
The sun is shining
Temperatures have shot up to the 70s and 8os
Even hit 90 last week
The trees are blooming
Flowers are popping up out of the ground
Spring is finally here
After a long cold winter
Of running from house to car
People are out walking around
You are finally getting a chance
To meet the new neighbor
Who moved in down the street
During the winter
Wow…They seem like nice people
Enjoy these next few weeks of…
Open windows…
Sunshine and…
Fresh Air
Only 14 days till Memorial Day Weekend
But who’s counting
BICO
January 15, 2018
Baby it’s cold outside…(BICO)
It all started last week
Weather forecasters were calling for a…
Bomb Cyclone
That’s a new name….
Who do they pay to come up with this stuff…
El Nino, La Nina, Polar Vortex and…
Last summer they came out with Dew Points
Now it’s a Bomb Cyclone
An artic blast dipped into the south and came up the coast
It was snowing in Jacksonville and Tallahassee
It snowed in Savannah and Charleston
The storm was 800 miles out at sea
Yet it dumped from 12 – 18 inches along the NJ coast line
While the Phila area got 4-6 inches
I was out shoveling in 2-inch intervals
Easier on the back…
Winds were howling at 30- 40 miles an hour almost all day
Then….
The Bomb Cyclone was officially listed as a blizzard…
The National Weather Bureau defines a blizzard as a storm
which contains large amounts of snow OR blowing snow,
with winds in excess of 35 mph and visibilities of less than 1/4 mile
for an extended period of time (at least 3 hours)
I will say it again….
BICO
I went on retreat last weekend
While there…
I decided to venture outside for a walk
On Saturday the temperature was 8 degrees
With feels like temperature of -4 below
On Sunday…
I woke up and it was 0 degrees
Yea…You got that right…
Zero (0)
The feels like temperature was again -4 below
The rooms were having problems
Keeping up with the frigid temperatures
So…. I just threw on an extra blanket
I drove home from work on Monday
The roads, sidewalks and my driveway were…
One big sheet of ice
It may look nice and shiny from a distance
But it was a real mess
After all this
My wife has just about had it with this cold snap
She walked into our office and said…
“It’s freezing out there
I can’t take this cold anymore
When can we go to Florida”…
She didn’t have to ask me twice…
I booked a flight that afternoon
We’ll just have to tough out the cold
Till mid-February
Every Day is a Gift
Thanks for the referrals
The Economic Crisis and the Environment
October 18, 2008
Written by Michael Klare as reported in Huffington Post Green
Given the magnitude and scope of the current economic crisis, the world will no doubt experience a significant economic downturn — of what degree and duration, no one can say — profoundly affecting all aspects of U.S. and international society. Of the many areas that will be impacted by the downturn, the environment stands out in particular. It’s closely tied to the tempo of resource consumption, and significant efforts to ameliorate environmental decline will prove very expensive and out of reach for already-stretched budgets. The question thus arises: Will the crisis be good or bad for the environment, especially with respect to global warming?
To put this question in perspective, it is necessary to first look at the environmental situation prior to the crisis.
Gathering Crisis
By all accounts, the steady growth in the world economy — much of it driven by phenomenal economic expansion in China, India, and other nations — was producing a corresponding increase in demand for energy of all forms, especially greenhouse-gas emitting fossil fuels. According to the latest pre-crisis projections by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), combined energy consumption by all nations of the world was expected to grow by 22% between 2005 and 2015, from 462 to 563 quadrillion British thermal units (BTUs). Most of this increase, almost 90%, was expected to come from fossil fuels — oil, coal, and natural gas.
The result, not very surprisingly, was a dramatic projected increase in the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), the leading source of climate-changing greenhouse gases. Again using DOE projections, total world emissions of CO2 were expected to increase by a frightening 22% between 2005 and 2015, from 28.1 to 34.3 billion metric tons. This increased rate of greenhouse-gas emissions would precipitate global climate change, resulting in persistent droughts, increased storm activity, and a significant rise in the sea level.
At the same time, however, the rising price of oil — itself caused by the sharp increase in demand — combined with growing awareness of the risks of global warming to create an unprecedented spurt in investment in alternative energy ventures. Many governments, energy firms, and venture capitalists have announced plans to spend vast sums on the development of climate-friendly alternative fuels and improved methods for obtaining energy from wind and solar power. In November 2007, for example, Google announced that it would invest hundreds of millions of dollars in the development of advanced renewable energy sources. These efforts, and others like them, wouldn’t reverse the trend toward higher CO2 emissions between 2005 and 2015 but could set the stage for a dramatic turnaround in the years that follow.
How will the current economic crisis affect this picture? As in so many things, there’s both good news and bad news.
The Upside
The good news is that economic hard times will cause people to drive less, fly less, and otherwise consume less energy, thus lowering expectations for greenhouse-gas emissions. According to the most recent projections from the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris, global oil demand in 2008 will be 240,000 barrels per day less than in its earlier predictions, and 440,000 barrels per day less than in its predictions for 2009. Many experts believe, moreover, that demand will drop even further in the weeks and months ahead as the economic crisis deepens and consumers around the world cut back on their travel and energy use — and the less oil consumed, the less CO2 emitted.
As petroleum consumption declines, the price of oil is also likely to drop — thereby discouraging investment in many costly and environmental hazardous energy projects.
Already, the price of oil has plunged by nearly half over the past three months, from $140 to $70 a barrel, and some experts see prices going even lower. Fifty dollars a barrel “is now within the realm of possibilities,” according to oil analyst Stephen Schork. At these prices, it may no longer be profitable to advance some of the more technologically challenging energy projects with a significant environmental risk, such as the development of Canadian tar sands or Rocky Mountain shale oil. These projects might make economic sense when oil is $80 per barrel or more — despite strong objections from environmentalists — but won’t attract support from investors when the price of oil slips much below this level.
The current economic crisis is closely linked with housing, and this too has a silver lining. Many dwellings built in the heyday of subprime lending were oversized homes in distant suburbs far removed from public transit, or second homes in Sunbelt vacation sites far from owners’ primary residences. These houses consumed a lot of energy and necessitated long commutes. Now, many of these exurban/vacation homes are up for sale and it is doubtful that many of them will be occupied for a long time to come. People are staying where they are, moving closer to public transit, and flying less to second homes. This will also produce a substantial decrease in energy use and CO2 emissions.
The Downside
But there is a downside to all this as well. Most serious is the risk that venture capitalists will refrain from pouring big bucks into innovative energy projects. At an energy forum organized by professional services firm Ernst & Young on October 9, experts warned of a sharp drop-off in alternative energy funding. “The concept of alternative energy has a lot of momentum,” says Dan Pickering, head of research for Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. Securities in Houston. “But lower oil prices make it harder to justify investment. At $50 a barrel, a lot of that investment will die.”
Governments could also have a hard time coming up with the funds to finance alternative energy projects. Moderators at the presidential debates repeatedly asked both John McCain and Barack Obama what programs they would cut in order to finance the massive financial-rescue packages the Bush administration has engineered in order to avert further economic distress. Both insisted that their respective energy initiatives would be spared any such belt-tightening. It is highly likely, however, that costly endeavors of this sort will be scaled back or postponed once the magnitude of the financial rescue effort becomes apparent. The same is true for Europe and Japan, who have also pledged to undertake ambitious energy initiatives in their drive to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
Indeed, leaders of some European Union countries are calling for a slowdown in efforts to curb emissions of greenhouse gases due to the burgeoning economic crisis. Under a plan adopted by the EU in 2007, member countries pledged to reduce such emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, which is far more ambitious than the Kyoto Protocol. European leaders are scheduled to implement a detailed plan to achieve this goal by December of this year. But at a rancorous summit meeting of the EU heads of state in mid-October, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy and the leaders of some Eastern European countries indicated that due to the current crisis, they were no longer able to finance the high costs of attaining the 2020 goal and so weren’t prepared to adopt a detailed plan. “We don’t think this is the moment to push forward on our own like Don Quixote,” Berlusconi declared at the summit. “We have time.”
At some point, the price of gasoline will fall so low that many drivers will once again engage in the wasteful driving habits they may have given up when the price of gas soared over $3 per gallon. This may not occur right away. But with crude oil at $70 per barrel, half of what it was in August, a corresponding drop in the price of refined products will eventually follow. And that could lead people to see cheap gasoline as the one bright spot on an otherwise dismal horizon.
It’s unclear at this point whether the crisis will do more good or more harm for the environment. In the short term, it will certainly slow the increase in carbon dioxide emissions. It will also cause a delay in developing environmentally hazardous projects like Canadian tar sands. But if the crisis also sets back the development of energy alternatives for any significant length of time, it will cancel out any of these positive developments. Many people are waiting and watching what happens in the global financial markets. Likewise, the verdict is still out on the ultimate impact of the crisis on the environment.
