Energy - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

[VIDEO] Why Wall Street Is Investing in Trash

October 20, 2023

This video looks at the evolving operations of North America’s largest landfill operator, WM. Using capital provided by federal subsidies, the waste management company is investing in tech that could change the future of trash disposal, from sophisticated scanners that sort recycling to capturing methane gas to convert into fuel.

Questions:

Why is WM upgrading its operations to include more automation as well as methane gas extraction?
Do you think WM’s operational upgrades will make the company more sustainable Continue reading →

Ethics, Product Development, Entrepreneurship, Energy, Manufacturing, Product Distribution, Supply & Demand, Recycling, Subsidies, Operations Management

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Videos

[VIDEO] How Inflation Impacts U.S. Households

June 10, 2022

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Over the last year, Americans have seen prices skyrocket for everything from food to fuel, leading to higher bills and strained budgets. This video looks at how inflation has played out across the economy, from increased costs for consumer staples like meat and eggs to rising rents that are a result of low housing supplies.

Questions:

What long term economic factors have led to increased meat prices in recent months?
How has a lack of housing construction since the 2008 Continue reading →

Russia, Supply chains, Operations Management, Energy, Global, Manufacturing, Product Distribution, Petroleum, Ukraine, Food & Drink, Supply & Demand, Housing

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Videos

[VIDEO] Why Electricity Costs Could Keep Climbing

May 12, 2022

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Although electricity prices usually tend to increase alongside the temperature, this summer Americans could see their utility bills rise to record levels. The video below explains how climbing natural gas costs have made air conditioning more expensive than ever, a situation made worse by tangled supply chains and the war in Ukraine.

Questions:

How do rising natural gas prices impact utility costs for consumers?
Do you think utility providers should invest more in renewable energy sources to reduce their Continue reading →

Ukraine, Supply & Demand, Supply chains, Sustainability, Operations Management, Energy, Global, Natural Gas, Ethics, Product Distribution

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Videos

Prices for Gas, Food, and Shelter Continue to Climb

April 12, 2022

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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in March 2022 consumer prices rose by 8.5 percent compared to the same period last year, amounting to the largest increase since 1981. Not only must businesses contend with pandemic-related supply chain issues that have persisted for well over a year, but also Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to spiking fuel and food costs. As a result, inflation continues to rise alongside prices for essential goods like housing, groceries, and gasoline. Continue reading →

Global, Energy, Ethics, Product Distribution, Oil, Ukraine, Supply & Demand, Gas prices, Pricing, Russia, Operations Management, Supply chains

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution

Gas Prices Increase at Fastest Rate on Record

March 25, 2022

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Anyone who’s had to fill up their car lately knows how the cost of gas has shot through the roof in recent weeks. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average price per gallon increased to $4.24 on Monday, the highest rate in more than four decades. Although the inflation-adjusted price does not quite reach the heights of the 1970s energy crisis, consumers must nevertheless deal with the largest month-to-month gas price increases on record.

Some parts Continue reading →

Russia, Energy, Oil, Operations Management, Ukraine, Global, Supply & Demand, Manufacturing

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management

Gasoline Pipeline Hack Causes Fuel Shortage on East Coast

May 12, 2021

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Last week, hackers began a ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline, a major conduit that supplies nearly half of the East Coast’s oil. The hack completely shut down petroleum transportation as the Colonial Pipeline Company “proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat, which has temporarily halted all pipeline operations, and affected some of our IT systems.” Although the company expects to have most of its capabilities returned by the end of the week, the shutdown has resulted in Continue reading →

Energy, Oil, Economics, Logistics, Operations Management, Supply & Demand, Ethics, Transporatation

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution

[VIDEO] How the Oil Bust Could Reshape Global Markets

April 17, 2020

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With millions of cars off the road and thousands of airplanes sitting idle on tarmacs, oil consumption has plummeted since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. This has led to a drastic drop in petroleum prices that could have an enormous impact on the global economy in the months to come. This video looks at how trade tensions caused prices to fall before the Covid-19 crisis and how oil producing nations are now rethinking their priorities.

Questions:

How has Continue reading →

Ski Resorts Start Producing Their Own Energy

February 22, 2018

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From keeping lodges toasty to powering chair lifts that must frequently scale mountains, ski resorts go through enormous amounts of energy during the winter months. Along with taking a toll on the environment, this heavy dependence on power can also be quite expensive. That’s why many ski resorts throughout the country are setting up their own utility systems to produce energy efficiently and sustainably.

Colorado’s Aspen Skiing Company, for instance, generates 24 million kilowatt hours of energy per year to Continue reading →

Colorado, Sustainability, Energy, Operations Management, California, Ethics, Skiing, Sports, Entertainment

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Low Renewable Energy Costs Encourage Companies to Go Green

April 22, 2016

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In recent years companies have been under increasing public pressure to ditch fossil fuels and switch to renewable energy sources like wind or solar power. Although this idea may be easy to accept from an ethical standpoint, the high costs associated with such a drastic change have sometimes prevented companies from taking action. This excuse isn’t as reliable as it used to be, however. In the past year renewable energy prices have fallen worldwide. As a result, more companies than Continue reading →

Renewable Energy, Green, General Motors, Texas, Sustainability, Wal-Mart, Energy, Solar Power, Ethics, Wind Power

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

[VIDEO] A History of Oil’s Booms and Busts

March 25, 2016

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Gasoline prices are lower than they’ve been in decades, but this is far from unique. Throughout oil’s volatile history the commodity has experienced several surges and sharp declines in value. This short but informative video tracks some of the biggest petroleum price jumps over the last century.

Questions:

Why does the price of oil change so frequently?

Should world governments invest more money into alternative energy sources in order to decrease their dependence on the unpredictable oil industry?

Global, Pricing, Energy, Oil, Petroleum, Commodities, The Middle East

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