ABC MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

This month's topics are:   

ORIENTAL RUGS

                              Shiraz Oriental Rugs

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

One Tree Planted.org

Senior Smart Homes

SPECIAL FOR AUGUST

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 SHIRAZ ORIENTAL RUGS

LOCATION

Shiraz Oriental Rugs are woven in and around the city of Shiraz, the capital city of the Province of Fars, located in southwestern Iran. The city has been a center of art and culture since Neolithic times (also known as New Stone Age) and was the capital of ancient Persia. Shiraz is and has been a dominant market center for rugs woven in the Fars area.

Though a rug labeled 'Shiraz' may actually be woven in the city of Shiraz, it is more than likely to have been woven in outlying villages by both village and settled tribal nomadic weavers. The term 'Shiraz' can actually be used generically to describe rugs made anywhere in the Fars region.  

The Shiraz weavers also produce a large number of flat-woven rugs or kilims (handwoven with no pile, usually reversible). Standard Shiraz designs, typically featuring a column of large medallions, can typically be found in these flat-woven rugs.

CONSTRUCTION OF SHIRAZ ORIENTAL RUGS

FOUNDATION

The warps (up and down cords) are usually made of wool, though sometimes goat hair, and can be a natural color or dark brown. The wefts (side to side cords) consist of 2 wool (sometimes goat hair) dark brown or dyed red cords after every row of knots (double wefted). Newer Shiraz rugs can also be found woven on cotton foundations.

Shiraz weavers using fixed looms typically produce a bit larger and often  coarser rugs than their tribal counterparts. The rugs often have irregular shapes and can also tend to pucker.

PILE

The hand-knotted pile is composed of wool with a medium size pile height.

KNOT

The knot can be asymmetric or symmetrical. The knotting can vary from medium to coarse and even to very loosely knotted rugs.

END FINISHES

Both ends consist of knotted fringe. Sometimes there will be a selvage (flat area) at the ends before the fringes. Thick strands of red, white, and blue yarn are often woven together in a coarse check pattern on this narrow selvage.

SIDE FINISHES

The sides consist of a single cord overcast in dark brown goat hair or overcast in a barber pole design.

Sometimes the edges are strengthened by using additional lengths of the yarns used for the pile, which are laid along the sides and bound in by the overcasting.

An ornamental use of this type of overcasting occurs when loops of these added strands are left outside the overcasting, and then cut, creating tufts along both sides of the rug.

COLORS

The older rugs had a somber color palette, mostly browns and reds.

Rugs woven after 1980 which have bright red fields may have dyes that are not colorfast.

Newer Shiraz rugs can also contain other colors such as khaki and soft green.

SIZES

Shiraz rugs are usually no larger than 6x9 feet.

DESIGNS & MOTIFS OF SHIRAZ ORIENTAL RUGS

To learn more about Shiraz oriental rugs complete with photos, please continue reading here.

ONE TREE PLANTED

THE ORGANIZATION and ABC REQUEST FOR CUSTOMER INPUT

One Tree Planted (OTP) is a relatively new nonprofit organization. We have researched the work they do and we are now considering the option of supporting and partnering with them.

We are writing this article to ask for feedback from our customers about whether this organization would be a good fit for our environmental responsibility goal.  

This goal is a core corporate objective at ABC because we care about helping to create a healthier, environmentally safer, and more sustainable world.  

We continually strive to provide environmentally safe cleaning for the items in your home and business, especially rugs, carpets, and upholstered furniture.

OTP MISSION

Currently, climate change, deforestation, and the finite nature of our planet's natural resources have put the subject of sustainability at the top of discussions.

The mission of One Tree Planted is to help reforestation efforts around the world by making it simple for individuals and corporations to take part in sustainability issues.   

Their slogan is super simple:  "One Dollar Plants One Tree."

WHY BE CONCERNED WITH REFORESTATION?

Every 2 seconds, man destroys an area of forest the size of a football field. Deforestation comes in many forms, including fires, clear-cutting for agriculture, ranching, and development, unsustainable logging for timber, and degradation due to climate change.

We lose about 46-58 thousand square miles of forest each year to products we buy and use every day. This would be unsustainable without active reforestation efforts, especially when you consider how long it takes for a tree to grow and mature.  

In 2017 in California alone, wildfires destroyed 462,397 acres and about 231 million trees were lost.

 HOW DOES ONE DOLLAR GET ONE TREE PLANTED? 

Although prices vary slightly in different regions, tree saplings cost about 50 cents, about 20 cents to get planted, and about 20% for administrative expenses, such as ongoing maintenance of trees and operating costs.  

Essentially, you can get a tree planted for a dollar! 

WHAT MAKES THIS TREE PLANTING NON-PROFIT DIFFERENT? 

TREE SURVIVAL 

One Tree Planted makes sure the tree survival is 80% or higher. This can only happen with an understanding of the local community who knows what type of trees to plant, who to work with, where to plant, what is the best time to plant there, what is the best soil type, etc.  

DONATIONS GO THROUGH REFORESTATION PARTNERS WHO UNDERSTAND THE REGION AND ITS TREES 

The tree planting projects around the world are run by carefully chosen reforestation partners that understand the local environment and can be there to maintain it after the trees are planted. 

OTP pools the donations received and then quarterly gives it to the reforestation partners in each region selected. One Tree Planted makes a commitment for giving X dollars per year, and then the reforestation partners factor that amount into their tree planting season. 

ACCENTUATING THE POSITIVE 

The organization accentuates the positive rather than focusing on the declining conditions of the environment.  

The simple fact  you can plant one tree for $1 and this will make a difference is an example of the uplifting language used by OTP to show that change is possible and people can help make it happen.

EDUCATION ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TREES 

Not only does the organization drive reforestation efforts, but it also promotes awareness and education about the importance of trees for our planet and future generations.

Elementary schools and Universities (especially those with sustainability programs) can also partner with OTP to help organize tree planting events in their local communities.  

IN WHAT AREA OF THE WORLD CAN I CHOOSE TO HAVE MY TREE OR TREES PLANTED? 

There are currently 4 regions of the world from which to choose:

North America:

British Columbia, California, Colorado, Florida, and Oregon         

Latin America:

Brazil, Guatemala, and Haiti

Asia:

India, Indonesia, and Viet Nam

Africa:

Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda

WHEN WILL MY TREE BE PLANTED?

To find out more about ONE TREE PLANTED, please continue reading here... 

PLEASE REMEMBER TO GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK!   Please give us your feedback by contacting us or by calling us at (607-272-1566) to let us know what you think about ABC lending support to One Tree Planted.  

We would love to hear from you and we will take into account any comments you may have.

SMART HOMES FOR SENIORS

Smart homes for seniors has become a topic of interest for many families, especially those who may not be able to afford professional care for their elderly relatives.  

Smart homes can contain technological gadgets to aid with vision, hearing, memory problems, and mobility, etc., all areas in which elderly persons in otherwise relatively good health could be able to live independently in their own homes much longer.

Seniors, those persons 65 years and older, now make up approximately 15% of our US population or almost 50 million citizens, and the number is growing. Smart homes for seniors can help to extend independent living until a home or clinic becomes the only option.

The technology used in smart homes for seniors can, in most cases, actually replace a nurse's visits. Gadgets can monitor a senior's health, remind them to take their medication, and respond to emergencies.  

While improving the life of a senior, the technology can also help other groups of people who may have one or more specific needs similar to that of an elderly person, such as vision, hearing, and mobility.

WHAT IS THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND SMART HOMES FOR SENIORS?  

The technology behind smart homes for seniors is a relatively new buzzword called 'Io T' or the Internet of Things. What is it? The Internet of Things is increased machine-to-machine communication built on cloud computing and networks of data-gathering sensors. It is basically the connection of machines and sensors.

But a machine is a just a tool and a sensor just gathers data. Unless there is an infrastructure to analyze the data in real time and transmit it to the machine, the data is useless.  

The answer is cloud-based applications used to interpret and transmit the data from the sensors to the machines. The Internet of Things makes gadgets and homes 'smart.'

HOW IS SMART TECHNOLOGY SPECIFICALLY DIFFERENT FOR SENIORS?

The 'smart' technology that must be made available for seniors has to take into account the inevitable health challenges a person faces as they age. Degrees of change in cognitive function, vision, hearing and small motor skills are some primary examples.

Therefore, the smart gadgets designed to be used by seniors should contain at least the following options: 

• Should be able to respond to voice commands, even able to recognize indistinct speech.

• Should have extreme simplicity in design. For example, easily recognizable icons on physical devices, such as a pill for medication, a light bulb for lighting, etc.

• Should have buttons that are very large and significantly different in color to account for small motor problems that make it difficult to hit targets such as buttons on a device. They should also be easy to press, especially for those who suffer from arthritis.

• Should have a single control center. If something goes wrong, a lot of buttons or controls may confuse or scare some seniors.

• Should have any kind of abnormality or warning signal highlighted.

• Should have protection against errorwhile avoiding the word 'error' since if an interaction fails, elderly persons may blame themselves for being clumsy and stop using the device.

• Should have protection against false calls. Rather than having the control system worn in a pocket, the devices should be able to be worn on the body, such as watches, bracelets and pendants.

• Should allow older people a choice of shape and design for their devices, so they can choose what they like.

• Should be durable enough to withstand accidental falls.

• Should have a long battery life. There should also be a way for the gadget to inform a person in advance that the battery needs charging or replacing, so that relatives of older people will have time to take care of it.

• Should have easy to read resultscollected by sensors, such as for blood pressure readings, and should have recommendations made available.

• Should have multi-language supportas well. If an older person doesn't speak English as their first language, there must be apps that support their native language.

The above recommendations are just the beginning. The ideal to strive for would be to test groups of older people with a range of different health problems and use their comments and concerns when designing gadgets.

WHAT KINDS OF DEVICES DO ELDERLY PEOPLE NEED?

To fine out more about smart homes for seniors, please continue reading here... 

SPECIAL FOR AUGUST...

BRING A FRIEND

You and Your Friend

Will Both Receive

Up to 30% OFF

RUG CLEANING IN OUR PLANT!!

(above our minimum charge)

*******************

TERMS:

Your  friend must be present

Both you and your friend must bring in rugs to be cleaned

30% off if paid by Cash or Check

25% off if paid by Credit Card

No other discounts apply

********************

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