UPBEAT: It seems that distributors are not obsessed with the apparent recession we’re in and the bad news it generates daily. They are very tenacious and tend to be pragmatic with a coating of optimism. I came to this conclusion when I learned that a recent National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW) Executive Summit in Washington drew one of the largest audiences of distributor executives in years. The executives at this conference were not focused on the negative numbers assaulting the economy, nor did they dwell on any aspect of business over which they had no control. Rather, they concentrated on collecting sound ideas on how to get leaner, improve profitability and fine-tune strategies. Attendees found the program rewarding and the speakers and forums exciting and enlightening. Our own NAFCD is a member of NAW.

IMPROVING: There is no doubt Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the environment and its responsibility for its preservation. According to a recent poll by Mintel, a Chicago-based market research company, Americans are quickly moving to the greener end of the spectrum. The survey revealed that 36% claim to “regularly” buy green products. Just 16 months ago, only 12% was in that group. And, the number of people who say they “never” purchase green products has been cut in half in the past 16 months. Colleen Ryan, senior analyst at Mintel, explains, “We’re seeing the green movement rapidly transition from niche to mainstream.” Young adults have been key in the green movement; for 51% of the 3,085 respondents were from 18 to 24 years old. The kids will show us the way.

TEAMWORK: Pierce Flooring & Design of Billings, Mont., rededicated itself to practicing carpet reclamation through its StarNet membership. Then, being the flooring contractor for the Billings Clinic renovation project, it teamed up with the medical facility to put its recycling initiative into practice. Pierce is the only company in Montana to offer carpet reclamation services. The project is expected to produce 180,000 square feet and 90,000 pounds of carpet, which will fill three or more semi-truck trailers that will be sent to a collection site in Georgia where it will be sorted based on fiber type. The recycle process allows the old carpet to be remanufactured into other useful products. The environmental impact of the project equates to roughly 444 cubic yards of landfill saved, 274,000 gallons of water saved, and an average equivalent of 900,000,000 BTUs of energy saved—enough to run five average homes for an entire year. That’s incredible.

FUNDRAISER: Here’s an easy and painless way to raise money for your favorite charity— the Floor Covering Industry Foundation (FCIF). The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. has launched Meaningful Meetings, a program to reward groups booking 10 or more nights at any of the chain’s properties in the United States, Canada or the Caribbean. The reward? You can donate 5% of total room revenue to a charity of your choice—I suggest the FCIF— and another 5% will be donated to the Community Footprints Fund, which is sponsored by the hotel company. Ten nights can take care of two conventions or meetings, maybe three. Think about it and think about your favorite charity—the FCIF.

R-E-A-L-L-Y: When you think of Surfaces, you think of Las Vegas. When you think of Vegas, you think of casinos and you are inclined to think the biggest gaming houses are there. Wrong. The five largest casinos in the world are: 1) The Venetian Macao, Taipa, Macau, 546,000 sq. ft. 2) Casino de Montreal, Canada, 526,488 sq. ft. 3) San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino, Highland, Calif., 480,000 sq. ft. 4) Island Resort & Casino, Harris, Mich., 408,520 sq. ft. 5) Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket, Conn., 344,000 sq. ft. Three of the five are in the U. S., so aside from the money, we also supply the flooring. Fair enough.