NERC in the News
Thinking Small And Simple Yields Great Benefits
 |
Hartford Courant, November 30, 2012
Often it's the simple, imaginative ideas, rather than the grand bargains, that make life a little easier for people. Think, for example, of the curb cut and what it has meant to countless people with ambulatory challenges.
Here are two recent ideas from the state we think some folks will find helpful:
•The Reuse Marketplace. This is a free regional website that businesses, towns, institutions and nonprofit organizations can use to sell, donate or obtain reusable or surplus materials that otherwise would be dumped in the landfill. The Marketplace includes more than 30 categories of items ranging from agricultural to textiles - on a recent day the postings included dorm mattresses, burlap bags and prefab buildings.
The site is intended to help save money and reduce waste. It is available in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont, according to a spokesman for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
•Veteran Identifier. After the first of the year, the Department of Motor Vehicles and AAA offices will begin issuing drivers' licenses and ID cards that will include the symbol of an American flag to identify veteran status. To get the designation, veterans must submit an application and proof of honorable discharge to the state Department of Veterans' Affairs at least 30 days before visiting a DMV or AAA office. Go to http://www.ct.gov/ctva and click on "Application for Veteran's Flag."
This will be a huge help to the many vets who don't have veterans identification cards - and can thus miss some benefits - and to health care providers in identifying veterans who are eligible for medical services.
