LABJ’s LA Stories
Sow’s Ear
One man’s trash is literally treasure for Gregg Shapiro.
A little bit of research led him to believe most companies paid too much for waste removal and they lacked the resources to revamp their waste management programs.
Enter Shapiro and his Cost Reduction Solutions, which companies hire to outsource those functions.
“It was a no-brainer,” Shapiro said from his home office in Simi Valley. “Our client only pays us if we can save them money.”
Savings come from reducing the frequency of trash hauling, eliminating redundant services or renegotiating vendor contracts. Shapiro splits the savings with the client.
David Borovay, controller at Sign of the Dove, a client, said its savings would amount to $15,000 to $20,000 annually.
Matt Myerhoff
Car Talk
Imagine the thrill environmentally conscious Angelenos felt when Ford announced plans to offer a hybrid SUV, according to its Web site due out in mid-2004. Muscle? Height? Fuel efficiency? Where do we sign up?
Not so fast.
An informal survey of five L.A. Ford dealerships found nothing but confusion. One said the vehicles would be ready for tire kicking in December. The next said, no, it was more like late September, and though they were not being sold in California, they would place an order for an out-of-state model. A salesman at No. 3 said he had no idea when they would be delivered, but he had a waiting list of 15.
Over in the San Fernando Valley, the first salesman reached was surprised to hear Ford was offering a hybrid SUV at all and promised to call back with more information. Finally, another Valley salesman tried to put the kibosh on the whole dream. “They’ll be out at the end of next year,” he said.
The real story, said Ford spokeswoman Angela Coletti, who was surprised to hear of the confusion, is that the vehicle will be in showrooms about this time next year.
Jonathan Diamond
Wet Set
Long Beach Airport last week unveiled its “Cool Zone,” featuring two large flat screen monitors showing footage from the Aquarium of the Pacific. Passengers in the two departure areas watch film of the sea life, from jelly fish to sharks, shot at the five-year-old facility in downtown Long Beach.
The exhibit both promotes the attraction and calms anxious flyers, according to Cecile Fisher, a spokeswoman for the Aquarium.
“It’s been scientifically proven that watching fish reduces stress,” she said.
While the airport and aquarium have discussed a live feed from the aquarium, bringing in live animals is not an option.
“It would be pretty much impossible, given the space limitations,” said Fisher. “But it would be a lot of fun.”
Danny King
Muscling In
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s gubernatorial bid has already had an economic impact, at least for one man.
Lyndall Grant, a Schwarzenegger impersonator, has seen demand for appearances skyrocket since the actor tossed his hat in the ring last month.
“After ‘Terminator 3’ came out I didn’t get many calls, but when he announced he was running for governor, the calls started coming,” said Janna Joos, president of International Celebrity Images, Grant’s L.A. agency. “He’s a little bit shorter than Arnold is but he’s pretty buff.”
The agency charges anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000 for each event, which includes transportation, meals, hotel and a few hours of Schwarzenegger impressions.
Grant, 49, is a Bay Area landscape designer now fielding five to 10 calls per week.
“Mostly I do ‘Terminator’ stuff,” he said. “But recently I’ve been asked to say governor stuff.”
Michael Thuresson
The Roving Eye
Natural Gas Guzzler
Want an eco-conscious image but can’t fit your swank rock star posse into a Toyota Prius? No problem. A local start-up operation is making it possible to cruise around L.A. in a natural gas burning Chevy Suburban.
EVO Transportation Corp., an L.A. firm launched in April, can convert any General Motors truck or SUV into an Ultra or Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV or SULEV). Or, you can just rent one of theirs for $75 an hour.
The company’s chief executive, Seth Seaberg, says the conversion technology has been available for several years, “but nobody has ever deployed it in anything other than a fleet setting. Nobody ever brought this to the average consumer.”
But even EVO isn’t bringing luxurious, fuel-efficient SUVs to the average consumer.
“Basically we’re marketing to 21- to 35-year-olds with the means,” he said. “Since there are few of them, that means rock stars. We’re not a yellow pages limo company. Environmentally responsible entertainers are our core clients, because this is good for their public image. We won’t discriminate, though.”
Citing confidentially agreements, Seaberg won’t say just which celebrities have chosen to be shuttled to LAX in one of his Suburbans, but his drivers have already racked up 500 hours of service.
Will L.A.’s chic motorists redefine the luxury vehicle as a heavy behemoth instead of a sleek stretch limo? Seaberg thinks so.
“SUVs aren’t going anywhere because people want a vehicle that means business,” he said. “In L.A., there’s a style conscious market, but people want to be responsible too. The popular conception is that you can’t be environmentally responsible without compromising luxury. We’re letting people have their cake and eat it too.”
Rachel Rosmarin
