This article was originally published in the August 2011 issue of Money Magazine.
By Katherine Reynolds Lewis
(MONEY Magazine) -- The season for natural disasters, it seems, is now year-round. Floods and a record number of tornadoes have already caused billions of dollars of property damage across the nation in 2011. Come fall, forecasters expect an unusually active hurricane season. Moreover, experts believe crazy weather is here to stay.
"Climate change is intensifying the extremes of rain and snow as well as drought," says Robert Henson of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.
Think homeowners insurance will cover your tab if your property is walloped by Mother Nature? Think again.
A 2008 study found almost two-thirds of homes were under-insured for disasters. Worse, about a third of homeowners have recently lowered their home or auto coverage to save money, according to a 2011 survey by the Insurance Information Institute. Finally, even if your insurance is adequate it may not have the right coverage for the risks you face. Below, key steps to limit the damage.
Shore up your property
For earthquakes. The roof is a key vulnerability. You'll spend 2% to 3% of your home's value to firmly strap down the roof to the walls and foundation, says Timothy Reinhold, senior vice president of research for the Institute for Business and Home Safety.
For tornadoes. Again, your roof is at greatest risk of being damaged by high winds, says Robert Schneller, a risk-management expert at the University of Houston. Spend $50 to $100 per hour to have a roofer secure loose shingles or flashing that a gust of wind could pull loose. Also install roof clips to better attach your roof to the walls ($1 per clip, plus labor).
The garage door is another weak spot. An impact-rated pressurized door will run you $1,300, but you can also retrofit your existing door with pressurized equipment, which will cost just $450 and provide reasonable protection, says Reinhold.
Worried about your finances? Send the Help Desk your questions.
Protect your home (and finances) from disaster
Virginia farm supplies D.C. eateries despite animal-care violations
This article was originally published by TBD.com on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010.
By Katherine Reynolds Lewis
Mie N Yu, Potenza, Zola -- they're all among a movement in Washington culinary circles toward locally grown, all-natural ingredients.
Another thing they have in common: dealings with Black Eagle Farm, a producer in rural Virginia that was found to have violated animal-care statutes and that lost its organic and humane certifications. Last December, a Virginia state veterinary inspector found that many of the animals at the Nelson County farm were emaciated and in need of veterinary care; the farm's working dogs ate raw meat rather than appropriate food; and one hen house contained eight chicken carcasses.
"The place was completely filthy," said Karen Davis, president of United Poultry Concerns, a Machipongo, Va.-based animal rights group that reviewed state records and photographs of the farm. "The company just stopped feeding the birds."
The state investigation was sparked by "numerous complaints" about maltreated dogs, livestock, and poultry on the farm, which is about 45 miles southwest of Charlottesville. A dead goat was tied to a fence, according to the records, and six dogs were allegedly being locked in a trailer full of feces for four days without water, and at least one was dying. The allegations and findings are spelled out in state records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by Gina Schaecher, general counsel for the Appalachian Great Pyrenees Rescue, based in Richmond, Va., which tried to rescue dogs on the farm.
Wire Hangers Caught in Twists of Trade Dispute
By Katherine Reynolds Lewis
c.2008 Newhouse News Service
Photo by Joe Epstein
In Westfield, N.J., Suho Chae urges customers to return used hangers to his dry cleaning shop. He's paying $50 for a box of 500 pants hangers, up from $24 six months ago. "Every time I order a new supply," Chae said, "the price goes up."
In Leeds, Ala., M&B Hangers, the only major hanger maker left in the U.S., has doubled its work force and still can't keep up with demand.
And in Monticello, Wis., a hanger factory once shuttered because of cheap foreign competition has reopened an about-face worthy of Alice in Wonderland.
Welcome to the latest chapter in the trade tug of war with China: the wire hanger. The twists and turns of this humble piece of steel illustrate how disputes between trade officials thousands of miles apart can ripple through the global economy all the way to your closet.
How to Be Kind to the Earth, and Your Wallet
By Katherine Reynolds Lewis
c.2007 Newhouse News Service
Before you head to the mall this holiday season, here's food for thought.
Discarded electronics are the fastest-growing source of hazardous waste. And with manufacturers increasingly viewing devices as disposable, this year's must-have cell phone or music player could be in a landfill before you pay off your credit card bill.
"In the last 10 years, the life span of these products has been cut in half. That is planned obsolescence," said Rick Hind, legislative director of the Greenpeace Toxics Campaign.
But can you resist the onslaught of holiday marketing for the latest products and their new bells and whistles? Some 22 percent of sales this season will be consumer electronics, costing more than $22 billion, according to the Consumer Electronics Association.
