Status Line
- General Information
- May 07
- Issue: 212
What’s Up on the Web?
Taking care of yourself financially and learning more about improving the world around you: If these topics are of interest, then you may wish to explore the web sites below. I discovered them while recently perusing Librarians’ Internet Index http://lii.org, Neat New Stuff on the Net http://marylaine.com/neatnew.html and refdesk.com http://www.refdesk.com.
MyMoney.gov http://www.mymoney.gov/: The U.S. Financial Literacy and Education Commission has provided a site that provides convenient access to personal finance resources from 20 federal agencies including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Securities and Exchange Commission, Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Departments of Education, Labor, Treasury and Veterans Affairs. Topics covered include budgeting and taxes, credit, home ownership, “responding to life events” (birth, death, disability, etc.), privacy, fraud and scams.
Personal Emissions Calculator http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html: This curious title pertains to a self-assessment tool offered by the Environmental Protection Agency for determining the amount of greenhouse gas emissions one produces at home and via one’s automobile. When I first reviewed the questionnaire, I found myself wondering what the EPA based the numbers on, and then I noticed that the EPA provides a spreadsheet version of the calculator revealing the formulas (if you really want to decipher them!) along with a page explaining the assumptions and sources upon which the calculator is based. Several links are provided to related resources on the Energy Star program, fuel economy, and basic steps we can all take to conserve energy and other resources.
Fair Trade Certified http://www.transfairusa.org/: If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the fair trade products initiative, this web site from TransFair USA provides a helpful resource with detailed information about fair trade practices and certification; “fast facts” documents about coffee, tea, fresh fruit, rice, vanilla and sugar; and almanacs with fair trade statistics. Lists of brands and retailers are also provided. TransFair USA is a nonprofit fair trade certification organization based in Oakland, Calif., and is a member of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International http://www.fairtrade.net/.
[Ann Gunning, Member Services Librarian, Nylink]