You wouldn?t think that repairing a broken window would help the environment, but it does. The more electricity you use, the bigger your carbon footprint. Fixing and replacing your broken, worn, and outdated windows can save you money but it can also help save the planet. It?s less expensive than buying energy star-rated appliances and can save you just as much money if not more.

We harp on this a lot, but we do live in a harsh desert environment here in Arizona. We have extreme temperature variations and our heating and cooling systems bear the brunt. Just as we carefully select the insulation factors of our homes, we need to put the same thought into windows. A great deal of energy both enters and escapes through poorly fitted windows.

When we talk about changes in the macroeconomic situation, we cannot ignore the major steps made by U.S. glass manufacturers in their striving to survive. The competition has become so intensive that it is extremely difficult to expand and even simply preserve the existing market share. Not surprisingly, many U.S. glass industry players choose to move their facilities abroad or simply try to expand internationally.

This is what Corning Inc., one of the major US-based specialty glass manufacturers, decided to do. To the knowledge of Chandler Glass, the company wants to invest huge finances in setting up and running a manufacturing facility in India. The facility will be dealing primarily with optical cable. 270 people will be lucky to find their employment there. In addition, the local government has provided a five-year window for the investor to avoid excessive payments and taxes. This seems like a good decision for a competitive glass manufacturer, which is looking for the new ways to build and expand its business.

We at Chandler Glass know how hard it can be at times to remain successful against all odds. We have also noticed that moving manufacturing facilities abroad is no longer an exception; it is a common trend. U.S. glass manufacturers benefit from reduced costs and lower wages to be paid to local workers. The latter, in turn, benefit from additional employment opportunities and the investments made by foreigners in their infrastructure.

The only thing that makes Chandler Glass concerned is the future of U.S.-based employment. What is going to happen with those, who live in the U.S. and want to work in the U.S.? If everyone moves to the third world, Americans will simply have no motivation to improve their economic climate. Unfortunately, Chandler Glass alone cannot change the situation, but we still hope to see the triumph of the American economy and improved wellbeing of our citizens!

What if you aren?t an artist and your kid is more street gang graffiti artist than Picasso? There are cheesy peel-and-stick decorations at dollar and thrifty stores, but we have a few ideas that won?t leave you scrubbing with window glass cleaner or needing window glass repair. Hang ribbons from the top inside sill of the window using thumb tacks or removable 3M hooks and tie Christmas ornaments at varying lengths. Keeping it all in the same color family presents a unified look that is smart and attractive. Using those same kind of removable sticky hooks, you can outline or swag holiday lights around the window. But what if you want something special?

As always, Chandler Glass is monitoring the situation in the U.S. economy. We believe that information and knowledge are the most essential prerequisites for gaining and preserving a strong competitive advantage. We also believe it is imperative to inform our customers about possible macroeconomic changes, because these changes can become a crucial point in the development of anyone?s business.

Today, Chandler Glass refers to the situation in the American job market. Economists generally agree that the situation with jobs in the U.S. is not as good as it could be. It is due to budget cuts that the split between American companies and their employees continues to increase. Moreover, it is possible to assume that, in the coming months, the situation will become even worse. Millions of Americans are out of work. In this context, American companies are not very motivated to raise salaries and increase employee benefits. Meanwhile, those who already have a job are trying their best to keep it. Not surprisingly, most companies face considerable productivity gains without making any investments in their workers.

Chandler Glass speaks about macroeconomic problems, because the employment situation in the glass and construction sector is no better. Glass manufacturers may undergo a slight decline in their operations, mostly due to the similar declines in the construction industry. As professional glass product and service providers, we greatly depend on the processes that are currently taking place in construction. Between December and January, employment in the construction industry fell 2.7 percent. Now we are wondering whether it is a long-term change or just a seasonal fluctuation ? time will show.

What we know for sure is that no macroeconomic crises will change our commitment to high-quality glass. We at Chandler Glass believe in quality, efficiency, and consumer trust. We are here to fulfill our promise of unmatched quality despite all odds!

The bottom line ? it?s what matters most. Renovating a home or property is an expensive undertaking. It can be time consuming, stressful, intimidating, and it tests ones skills and spirit. Home remodeling has been known to make or break relationships. The arguments are rarely about finishes and choices of products or labor, they are about money.

Hiring people you can trust is, of course, imperative. Yet that is not all you can do. Often unforeseen circumstances advance the budget beyond the limit. When tackling a project it is important to remember the rule of thumb: it takes twice as long and twice as much money as you think to finish it.

Calling in friends and family seems like a good idea, right? Free labor? Not if they don?t know what they are doing. One of our employees had her laminate wood floors installed by a neighbor. He accidentally set her house on fire! The fire was put out, but the smoke damage took months to remove and was expensive. Hiring the right professional in the first place would have saved her a great deal of time, money, and aggravation.

Buying materials ?off the rack? sounds easy too, but not if they don?t fit! There are many custom cabinet makers that are affordable and custom countertop installers that can make your kitchen or bathroom just right when something store-bought would not fit and look terrible. Local craftsmen, small businesses, and artisans with affordable fees can be found quite easily with a little digging around.

A common mistake is using someone?s old paint. Paint does expire. It thickens, gets lumpy, the ingredients separate, and if you run out there?s a good chance that even a paint with the same formula won?t match right. Paint is cheap. Invest in fresh paint and your project will appear much better.

Don?t be afraid to buy used either. Habitat for Humanity has warehouses with used building products all over the nation and some of those carefully removed building materials can be a big boon if you have the right tradesman to install them in your home.

There are a lot of ways to cut costs ? for instance, using granite tiles instead of a solid slab of granite costs about a third as much. That?s far better than laminate or composite countertops! Finding appliances in unusual places ? like the clearance section at IKEA, for instance, saved a friend half of the cost of replacing her oven. It was heavy to haul home, but the find was worth it! Are you thinking of replacing your couch because the cushions are sagging? Why not just replace the foam and wash the covers instead?