Editorials

At this time of year, when predictions for the future are so freely distributed, it is instructive to review predictions from the past to find out how well various seers’ crystal balls were working.

Shooting down one person’s foresight from the vantage point of hindsight is akin to shooting fish in a barrel. But when it is our fish and our barrel, we aren’t embarrassed to take a shot. Our embarrassment, instead, lies in admitting that our crystal ball was out of order.

While scanning the archives to glean the history of OSHA’s attempts to lower the 100 parts per million maximum exposure level for perc in drycleaning plants, we came across the following prediction in an editorial column from 1993:

Long-term drycleaning business plans should not count on that 100 ppm standard for long.

Sorry about that one, folks. Nine years out could be reasonably called “long-term.” And in view of OSHA’s decision to remove perc from its regulatory agenda, we are certain to add a few more years onto the life of that 100 ppm standard, even if the agency at some point decides to put perc back on the list.

So, sufficiently chastised about our prophesying abilities, we won’t try to predict again what OSHA may or may not do in the future in regards to perc. We’ll just stick to what we do know. For example, since we issued that false forecast back in 1993, the industry’s consumption of perc has declined dramatically — from 150 million pounds in 1993 down to 59 million pounds in 2000. Going back a little further, to 1988 when OSHA first began work on a lower perc exposure standard, industry usage of perc was 235 million pounds. This decline in usage correlates to a decline in exposure that occurred without any “encouragement” from OSHA regulations. Perhaps that is one reason OSHA has decided it has “other priorities” in 2002.

We would be foolish to issue another prediction at this time. So we will just say to the industry: Congratulations!

By the end of the first week of January, 25 percent of all New Year’s resolutions have already failed. Another 25 percent will bite the dust by the end of the month. If you look on the horizon to June, most resolutions will be a distant memory. So, why then, do we bother to make such sincere promises to ourselves?

The history of New Year’s resolutions dates back to the Babylonians who celebrated the holiday in March over 4,000 years ago. The reason for this was simple: crops were planted in the Spring, so it was a time of rebirth. The Babylonians believed that what a person did on the first day of the New Year would affect them for the rest of the year. That’s a lot of pressure.

Nowadays, we make our annual promises with the best of intentions, but we usually set our goals too high. Experts say that the key to following through on resolutions is to have resolutions that are within your ability to achieve. For example, people who vow to quit smoking cold turkey (going from two packs a day to none) almost always fail. Eventually, 97 percent will smoke again. A more realistic goal is to reduce how much you smoke. Once you meet that goal (dropping from two packs a day to only one, for example), then you should proceed to the next step. Moderation is the key.

It is also important not to try to make too many resolutions; only a few important ones are necessary. If you have a strong commitment, and don’t spread your resolve out in too many directions, then you are more likely to succeed. It also helps to make a plan and then keep track of your progress so that you can examine how well it is working. If you are confident and persistent, then you actually stand a chance.

Of course, by now you have already made your New Year’s resolutions. Have they already failed? If so, then you should remember this: the reason we make resolutions is that we have a strong desire to change something. That desire to change should not be limited to take effect on the first day of the year. If your resolutions have not come to pass, it isn’t too late to rethink your goals. You don’t need to wait until next year. Change can begin anytime.

requirements were changed to allow new perc equipment purchases until January 1, 2006, among other things.

But, don’t write those numbers down just yet. More changes may well be coming. It is still possible that perc will not even be eliminated at all in southern California. At the very least, SCAQMD’s amendments may be further amended.

The important thing to remember is that the industry has already made a difference. Cleaners voiced their concerns and the associations listened. When the associations voiced the industry’s concerns, SCAQMD listened. Now, industry representatives from IFI, HSIA, CCA and KDLA are working on a “counter proposal” at the request of SCAQMD. Both parties are trying to find an acceptable point of compromise. It may take a long time before one is found, and it’s anyone’s guess as to what the future will look like.

For now, the future is malleable and cleaners can help shape it.