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The ability to stay connected through technology plays a pivotal role in our everyday lives, but in some areas of our lives we are only beginning to realize the life-saving potential of smart technology. This is particularly true in the world of fire and carbon monoxide (CO) safety, where timing can be the difference between life and death. We know that having working smoke alarms in the home can double the likelihood of safely escaping a house fire. Due to modern synthetic materials and open floor plans, fires today are burning hotter and faster. In an emergency, every second counts. Smart technology that provides real-time notifications and remote monitoring capabilities is emerging as a crucial tool for protecting both lives and property. This is especially vital when we have elderly parents who might not respond quickly to alarms, or beloved pets who can’t communicate their distress when smoke or CO threatens their safety and were not at home. Building these smart capabilities into both smoke and CO alarms could help save lives. Stay informed from anywhere with smart tech According to a 2023 survey, 85% of Americans own at least one smart home device. With smart and connected technology becoming a household staple, it is our goal to make sure that safety is prioritized at the same rate as convenience. Families who invest in connected safety devices are not merely adopting the latest trendy gadgets, but are in fact investing in the most efficient way to help protect what matters mostour loved ones and the home we create memories in. The most effective smart safety solutions operate seamlessly in the background of our busy lives, providing peace of mind without requiring constant attention. These systems can alert us to potential dangers whether we’re at home cooking dinner, sleeping upstairs, or traveling around the world. At Kidde, we leaned into this idea when collaborating with Ring to introduce a collection of smart smoke alarms and smoke and CO combination alarms. With built-in Ring technology and an optional monitoring service to help protect homes from anywhere, this connected technology can be used to help save lives and property. But this is just the tip of the iceberg for how connected tech can transform the home safety landscape. Smoke and CO alarms can communicate with other smart devices The integration of smart technology into home fire safety and CO devices is in the process of revolutionizing how we protect our homes. Strategic collaborations present massive opportunities for brands that are willing to combine their expertise and identify avenues for innovation that will put smarter safety solutions into the hands of consumers. Remote alerts and monitoring: Today’s connected smoke and CO alarms can send immediate notifications to smartphones regardless of location, allowing for faster emergency responses even when no one is home. Many systems now offer the option of professional monitoring services that can dispatch emergency services if needed. Interconnected systems: Modern smoke and CO alarms can communicate with each other, ensuring that when one alarm sounds, all alarms in the home activate. This is crucial for multi-story homes where occupants might not hear an alarm on a different floor. The most advanced safety technology doesn’t operate in isolation. Smoke and CO alarms can now communicate and act in conjunction with other smart tech in the home. Regulations help keep consumers safe Despite the many benefits that smarter technology can provide for the fire safety industry, its only one piece of the puzzle. Common sense standards and regulations are also necessary to ensure the public health is consistently and equitably protected. Regulations covering fire and life safety technology are key to our safety given that Americans spend roughly 90% of their time indoors. Voluntary standards, which are often adopted into code or incorporated by reference in legislation, are developed in a consensus-driven method by industry experts, firefighters, academia, consumers, and other stakeholders to help set minimum performance requirements for products and services. Our input into this process, alongside key partners, helps us innovate to meet the demands of present and future customers and help keep more people safe. However, consumers are often unaware of safety codes and standards. Recently, Miller Gardner, son of former Yankee Brett Gardner, died from exposure to carbon monoxide, while vacationing in Costa Rica. The U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica underscored these travel safety concerns, noting that most countries in Latin America, including Costa Rica, do not have widespread laws mandating carbon monoxide detectors. However, some businesses (like hotels) or embassies may voluntarily install them due to safety concerns. To avoid tragic situations like this, Kidde suggests all travelers take a battery powered CO alarm that fits in their luggage. Ultimately, knowledge of standards and emergency preparedness is perhaps the most important tool anyone can have at their disposal. Because of that simple truth, weve made fire and CO safety education one of our core missions to help keep consumers informed. And now, smarter technology is helping consumers have more knowledge than ever about the state of their home. Connected, smart technology can save lives Humans are flawed. We forget things, we mess up, and we assume a home fire will never happen to us. Technology can function like another version of ourselves, always keeping an eye out for our safety. Our partnership with Ring demonstrates how essential and transformative collaboration can be to developing solutions that meet this type of need and make home safety an integral and seamless part of your everyday life. When it comes to the safety of our families and homes, theres no such thing as being over-prepared. Isis Wu is president of Residential Fire & Safety at Kidde.
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E-Commerce
U.S. hospitals generate nearly six million tons of waste each year, and a single patient can be responsible for more than 30 pounds a day. Much of that waste comes from the operating room (OR), which accounts for up to a third of a hospitals total output and is among the most expensive areas to manage. A large portion comes from single-use devices, packaging, and transport materials. These practices are often criticized, and not without reason. But in settings like transplantation, much of that waste is directly tied to protecting patients. Im often asked, Why not make devices reusable? or What about the environmental impact? After years in the OR and working alongside transplant teams, Ive asked those same questions. The answers arent black and white, but that doesnt mean we should stop asking. Sustainability often gets reduced to packaging claims or material swaps. But the real impact lies in the systems we build around the product. Thats the conversation we need to be having. Why single-use still matters Some of the industrys most criticized practices, like single-use devices, are also the least negotiable. Single-use eliminates the need for sterilization between uses, simplifies prep and cleanup, and reduces the risk of infection. The FDA permits reprocessing of certain single-use tools, but only under strict conditions. Nowhere is that margin tighter than in organ transplantation. There are no do-overs when youre handling a human organ. Transplant patients are especially vulnerable to infection due to immunosuppression, and even small lapses in sterility can lead to serious complications. Device-associated infections, from central lines, catheters, and ventilators, are among the most common and serious complications following transplant. The CDC also notes that while concerns persist about reusing single-use devices, more research is needed to define the risks. Devices that reduce infection risk and prevent complications can lead to fewer readmissions, which means fewer hospital resources used and better sustainability over time. The systems around the product Many conversations about sustainability start and stop with the product itself, whether its recyclable, biodegradable, or made with green materials. But many of the most wasteful decisions happen in how a product moves through the system that supports it. And when that system spans hospitals, suppliers, procurement teams, and legal departments, its not built for fast change. Even when the intention is there, funding constraints, liability concerns, and the challenge of making changes across large networks often stand in the way. While a fragmented system cant solve the footprint of a single device, medical device companies still have control over how their products are moved and managed, and thats where meaningful change can start. Flying devices around the world might be fast, but it adds unnecessary emissions to an already resource-intensive process. And its often done not because its needed, but because its familiar. Shifting to road transport takes more coordination, but it significantly cuts emissions and gives teams more control over when and how products arrive. What happens after delivery matters just as much. Without a plan for how products are returned, stocked, or moved, operations can shift into reaction mode. Thats when waste shows up through emergency shipments, over-ordering, and unused inventory. In kidney transplant, for example, reusable machine perfusion systems have improved outcomes, but broader use has revealed logistical friction, including turnaround delays and higher discard rates. Inefficient habits tend to stay hidden until the consequences catch up. For years, private air travel has been the default in time-sensitive cases, but it comes with a steep environmental cost. At my current company, our team found that one chartered jet can emit as much carbon as manufacturing 200 single-use medical devices. With better planning, commercial flights can often meet the same clinical timelines and reduce emissions without compromising care. Sustainability has to show up in the operational decisions because if the systems around the product are wasteful, it doesnt matter how recyclable the product is. Recyclability wont negate the carbon footprint of wasteful shipping, inefficient production, or reactive inventory habits. A product isnt sustainable if it arrives on a private jet, was rushed through the supply chain, or sits unused on a shelf. Sustainability starts with better questions Healthcare wont eliminate waste entirely. But small changes matter. Reducing reliance on private air travel. Avoiding emergency shipments. Moving production closer to where products are used. None of it sounds radical. But over time, it adds up. And more often than not, it comes down to refusing to accept waste as the cost of doing business. For healthcare leaders, its worth stepping back to examine the systems tied to a product and where a few deliberate improvements could make an impact. Not every change requires an overhaul. But the right operational shift, at the right point in the process, can reduce waste without ever touching the safety of patient care. And if enough companies commit to that kind of thinking, thats how you move an industry forward. Lisa Anderson is president and founder of Paragonix Technologies.
Category:
E-Commerce
Bulgaria is a step closer toward becoming the 21st country to adopt the euro and join the euro zone. On June 3, the European Commission announced that the Balkan nation now fulfills the four nominal convergence criteria requirements to adopt the single currency and enter the euro zone, and it may transition as soon as January 1, 2026. “The euro is a tangible symbol of European strength and unity,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement. “Bulgarias economy will become stronger, with more trade with euro area partners, foreign direct investment, access to finance, quality jobs and real incomes. Bulgaria will take its rightful place in shaping the decisions at the heart of the euro area.” Bulgaria first joined the European Union in 2007, and like other members, agreed to eventually adopt the single currency. Out of the 27 member states, only 20 countries currently use the euro, which is the second most-used currency in the world with 341 million users. While the green light from the commission paves the path for the poorest EU member state to integrate into the euro zone and get rid of its national currency, the lev, its road to getting here hasn’t been easy, and not all Bulgarians are happy about it. Here’s what to know. What is the euro zone? All 27 European Union members, who had to formally apply and be accepted into the union, coordinate economic policy as a part of the European Monetary Union. However, not all EU members use the single currency, and only those who have replaced their national currencies for the euro are considered to be part of the “euro zone.” While countries have slowly been admitted, the latest addition to the euro zone was Croatia in 2023. In addition to Bulgaria, the six other nations who are yet to transition to the euro zone include Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, Romania, and the Czech Republic. Upon being accepted into the European Union, members (except Denmark, due to an “op-out” clause) are required to adopt the euro once they meet the convergence criteria. The criteria requires countries to fulfill requirements for price stability, sustainable public finances, sustainable interest rates, and stable exchange rates. Before formally adopting the single currency, the decision still needs approval from EU ministers, which are expected to green-light the transition per the commission’s recommendation. Why now? Bulgaria had failed to meet convergence criteria in the past, as it requires countries not to have consumer inflation higher than 1.5% above the top three euro zone performers. Now, with a new review by the European Commission and the European Central Bank, Bulgaria has met the requirements, setting itself up for a transition early next year. Not everyone is happy about joining While long awaited, the transition has met opposition from Bulgarian citizens and Bulgarian pro-Russian and anti-euro political leaders. A recent survey showed the country is split, with 50% of Bulgarians opposing the euro. The country, which has a population of 6.4 million, also saw several thousands of protesters earlier this year opposing the currency adoption, with thousands more demanding a referendum.
Category:
E-Commerce
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