With supply chain shortages and shipping delays continuing to complicate things this year, there is a general lack of availability that a lot of consumers are starting to feel. Generally, retailers are urging customers to shop earlier and earlier this year. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many people may choose to minimize their in-store visits and instead shop online. But industry experts expect stores to be more crowded than they were in 2020.

Whether you plan on shopping online or in-store this Black Friday, these shopping tips will help you keep your gift budget in check, while also navigating this year’s uncertainties.

Read the full article here for 6 smart shopping tips for Black Friday 2021: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/6-smart-shopping-tips-for-black-friday-2021-11636062591

“Social responsibility is the factor most likely to influence brand loyalty compared with lower price, availability, quality, and product prestige.” – Goldman Sachs, GS Sustain 2021

Whether it is supporting human rights, protecting the environment, or removing community hardships like poverty or poor access to quality education, organizations are getting involved. Leaders, companies, and industries are responding to the growing demand for social good and they are reaping the financial benefits.

Benefit: Increased Trust and Loyalty

A company’s image and brand are viewed positively when they publicize their socially beneficial commitments. Companies looking to solidify that reputation have gone an extra step to prove that their impact efforts are prioritized and effective.

A great way for companies to build brand awareness in recent times has been through social media engagement, which has played a huge role in helping to promote philanthropic and social impact efforts. Consumers are also passionate about participating in these efforts for good. 52% of U.S. based social media users want to share their own photo participating in the collective moment (Cone, 2016). #SocialGood has 1.2 million posts on Instagram alone! Even though that strategy may get the message out and facilitate a conversation, social media has been confronted by a series of controversies in recent years. Many often wonder if they can believe what they read or see on social media. A growing number of companies have started to look elsewhere to certify their commitment to worthy causes.

One of the top third-party endorsements is the B Corp Certification. It is an additional verification that helps companies stand out among a crowd of competitors in their commitment to people, planet, and profit. While it is a strenuous process, B Corp designation reaps enormous benefits with consumers, such as increased brand loyalty and ability to attract top talent. (Learn more)

Benefit: Attracting Talented Teams and Strengthen Communities

Socially responsible companies tend to attract employees who are eager to make a difference in the world—in addition to simply collecting a paycheck. 88% of the majority workforce say their job is more fulfilling when employers provide opportunities to make a positive impact (Cone, 2016).

Community engagement both with employees and external community members are displaying substantial results through their strength in numbers. Employees are feeling boosts of productivity and morale, while locals are experiencing healthier cities, job opportunities, and accessible resources. Clearinghouse, a for-profit B Corp, created 2,400 jobs, 1,000 units of affordable housing, and 50,000 families with supported services all in one year (B The Change, 2019).

Benefit: You Can Join In!

The good part is that anyone and everyone can partner with other members of your community and professional network. Neighborhoods and teams are hosting Green Trivia nights, organizations are becoming B-Corp Certified, and people are finding ways to create community-driven and environmentally friendly experiences at work, at home, and online. (Learn more)

Currently, there are over 4,000, globally distributed B Corp Certified companies. Ben & Jerry’s, a well-known B Corp, is now the leading ice cream brand in the United States with revenue topping $6 billion. People want to work for, buy from, and invest in businesses they believe in. B Corp Certifications, getting involved, learning more, and having fun in the process has been the most powerful way to build credibility, trust, and value for businesses and for ourselves. As employees, employers, and community members, it is up to us to commit to improving the lives of people, caring for the planet, and building greater profit along the way.

Contact the author, Jenny Morgan, for questions on how to learn more and get your company involved! Learn more at www.pactthree.com.

Mark your calendars! Get ready to tune in on Tuesday, October 26th, 2021 at 12:00 PM ET to watch the worldwide reveal of the all new 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. The reveal will be followed by a panel discussion featuring a variety of individuals who will bring a unique perspective to this new supercar that will put the world on notice.

The all-new 2023 Corvette Z06 is Chevrolet’s newest supercar, and certainly makes its presence known with a wide stance and flared-out wheel arches. In the rear, we can expect to find quad exhaust tips mounted centrally in the rear bumper. The vehicle is also expected to feature the natural 5.5L V8 LT6 gasoline engine, which is expected to bring roughly 615 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. In addition to the coupe model, the Z06 will also be available as a convertible. Availability is expected to be announced Fall 2021.

Interested viewers can tune in on Tuesday, October 26th at 12:00 PM ET at www.chevy.com/Z06. We will also be tuning in in our showroom if you want to stop by and join us!

Stay tuned for more upcoming events happening at Maritime Chevy in the near future!

Fall is right around the corner and there are so many things to look forward to: pulling out your favorite sweaters, drinking warm coffee, and cooler weather. It doesn’t take much for us to get into the autumn spirit, but these fun activities are a great way for you and your whole family to celebrate one of the best seasons of the year.

Decorate Your Home

The best way to get into the spirit of any season is to decorate your home. Create a wreath, put out some ceramic pumpkins, add cozy throw blankets and light some candles with your favorite fall scents. Even if it’s still quite warm outside, these decorations can put you in the fall mindset.

Bake Your Favorite Fall Treats

Flavors like apple, cinnamon, pumpkin, and roasted pecan can teleport you into the holidays. These flavors are associated with cooler weather, coy nights, and time with family. Bake some cookies or your favorite pie with the kids or prepare a tasty treat to share with your extended family.

Get Outside

Fall offers a reprieve from the extreme heat of summer and it’d be a shame to waste the more mild temperatures by staying indoors. Hiking, biking, and visiting outdoor historic landmarks are all great ways to get some light exercise while spending time with loved ones. For avid outdoors enthusiasts, camping and backpacking trips can be even more exciting during the fall months.

Have a Bonfire

Whether you want to build a fire in the woods or your own backyard, it can be a great way to share time with loved ones and make some tasty s’mores. Just make sure to follow local guidelines and have a safe way to snuff out the flames if you need to.

Visit a Farm

Fall harvests make farms a fun place to visit during the fall. Many farms that allow visitors have attractions like corn mazes, hayrides, pumpkin patches, apple picking, and more. Ask around to find one that will be perfect for your next autumn day trip.

Go for a Drive

Once the leaves start changing colors, go for a drive with your family. You can drink hot coffee or cocoa, and check out the changing landscape. You could even venture into the mountains and enjoy how picturesque they look as the foliage begins to change. Need the perfect vehicle for a fall adventure? Our sales team can pair you with the perfect vehicle for your family. Contact us online today or visit our showroom to get started!

Here at Maritime Chevy, there are many reasons why now is the time to buy your next vehicle, even when the market suggests otherwise. Whether you’re looking to purchase new or used, upgrade your lease, or sell your current vehicle – now is the time to do so.

Learn more by visiting our website here: https://www.maritimechevy.com/Why-Buy-Now

As passenger cars and trucks have become more sophisticated and advanced, they’ve also become more reliable. This leaves some drivers wondering if their vehicles even need service at all. The answer is yes, and it’s more important than ever to get your vehicle serviced by qualified professionals familiar with your make and model.First, while modern cars and trucks carry multiple computers all networked together, computers can’t magically fix problems. They’re better at pointing to the possible source of an issue. Many times, a vehicle’s computer can even tell the driver where it senses trouble and what to do – such as stopping immediately if the problem is serious enough, but a technician is still necessary to identify internal computer codes and verify the actual source of any problems.

It’s also true that modern vehicles can’t be tinkered with by anyone with a set of tools. It’s important to have service, and even most maintenance, performed by properly-trained technicians with the right tools and software. That’s right, software. All automakers use their own computer programs to connect to your car, run diagnostic checks, update the software in your car’s computers and test and re-calibrate systems. Your dealer has the proper tools, diagnostic equipment and factory-trained staff to keep your car performing at its best. Your dealer also has the most up-to-date information, including service bulletins, updated parts and specific training.

Even though your vehicle may be more trouble-free than ever, it still needs regular maintenance. How often should be determined by the service schedule in your owner’s manual. Even if you don’t drive many miles, oil changes, tire rotations and other service is advised. Regardless of how many miles per year you drive, your owner’s manual or dealer’s service department will have the recommended service intervals appropriate for you.

When you take your car to your dealer’s service department, you’re getting it in front of the people who know it best. They have the most up-to-date information about what may be ailing it. Routine service also includes a multi-point inspection, which is handy for catching small issues before they become larger problems.

So, it’s still important to bring your car or truck in for regular service. It’s easier than you think, and there are often service specials and packaged offerings you can take advantage of, as well. With the change of the seasons coming soon, now is a great time to head in!

This year, we are extremely excited to announce that Sustainable Fairfield’s Green Wheels Expo is returning to a live, IN PERSON car show! Join us next month on Saturday, October 2nd, 2021 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. The event will be held in-person and located at Bob’s Plaza Lot, 889 Post Road, Fairfield, CT.

The Green Wheel’s Expo will be loaded with lots of EV Cars, bikes, motorcycles, scooters, and more! Loads of fun kids activities and all sorts of information on alternative energy options for businesses, homes, and multi-modal means of transportation! Learn more about the event

All attendees and volunteers will be required to wear face masks whenever they are within six feet of another person. All COVID-19 guidelines will be observed.

Don’t miss out on this great event! Learn more and register to attend now at:

https://sustainablefairfield.wordpress.com/green-wheels-expo-2021/#gwe-location

Saugatuck Sweets

Join Maritime Chevrolet this Friday, August 20th at 5:00 PM in front of Saugatuck Sweets in Fairfield, for the opportunity (3 throws for $5) to dunk our Service Manager, Ralph Cascella to raise money for the Fairfield Police Scholarship Fund! The fund began in 2014 and benefits the children of Fairfield Police Officers through scholarships. Learn more here.

Annual Bluefish Tournament

Maritime Chevrolet once again is a proud sponsor of the annual Bluefish Tournament, being held this year on August 28th & 29th. It is considered to have the most participants of any fishing tournament of its kind in the United States. Each year, WICC awards almost $40,000 in prize money, with $25,000 going to the heaviest fish caught! The goal of the tournament is, and has been, to promote the recreational greatness of Long Island Sound. The tournament’s continuing popularity and success has brought tremendous economic benefits to the shoreline communities of Connecticut and New York. Learn more or register now here.

Connecticut Auto Show

Lastly, Maritime Chevrolet wants to invite you to the Connecticut Auto Show, returning this year on the weekend of November 13th & 14th, 2021. Located at the Mohegan Sun Expo Center, the Connecticut Auto Show is the perfect place to browse hundreds of new vehicles! It’s the premier showcase of the newest model year imported and domestic vehicles — cars, vans, crossovers, hybrids, light trucks and sport utilities – cars to suit every budget and lifestyle. We will be available with dealer representatives on hand to answer your questions in a no pressure environment, and with your favorite car lines all under one roof, it’s easy to compare prices and features, saving both time and money. The Connecticut Auto Show is great entertainment for serious shoppers, car buffs and the entire family! Learn more here.

Reduce the stress of your workday with these five simple tips

Whether you work in an office, at a restaurant or on a construction site, work is always one of the major causes of stress. Small amounts of stress can sometimes be beneficial because it motivates workers to push themselves harder to reach goals, but too much stress can lead to depression and ultimately burnout if it is not properly dealt with. To avoid these feelings of overwhelming pressure and anxiety, consider trying these simple methods of reducing stress.

Exercise when you can

Exercising during the workday is an excellent method of relieving stress, according to WebMD. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to visit the gym or jog 10 miles before work. A simple walk around the office is enough to get the blood flowing, which allows mood-boosting endorphins to be released throughout the bloodstream. This can relieve stress and allow you to return to work in a better state of mind. In addition, Health.com reports that by taking a walk outside the office during lunch hours, the vitamin D from the sunlight can actually raise your body’s serotonin levels, which relieves stress. The smells, sounds and visuals also provide welcome distractions that allow people to get out of their own heads.

Talk about your feelings

If the stress of the workday is becoming unbearable, it could be time to pick up the phone to call a trusted friend or family member. According to the Mayo Clinic, sometimes the simple act of talking about stressful feelings can be helpful. In addition, the trusted person on the other end of the line could propose ideas on how to better deal with the situation. Also, once the conversation nears its conclusion, it could be a good idea to express your gratitude to the person on the other end of the phone call. Feelings of gratefulness can activate parts of the brain associated with dopamine, which also helps alleviate stress.

Find an outlet

Whether it’s taking your dog for a walk, writing in your journal or taking a bath each night before going to sleep, it’s important to create a relaxing routine away from the stress associated with work. Some people may argue that they don’t have time for these leisure activities, but setting time aside for fun events can help reduce tension, alleviate stress and avoid burnout. This allows people to be more productive when they do return to work. If you need help coming up with a hobby, WebMD suggests activities such as volunteer work, gardening or caring for pets.

Listen to music

Listening to music during stressful times has many positive effects on a person’s health. For starters, it can lower your blood pressure and also reduce certain hormones that are linked to stress. In addition, USA Today reports that listening to music can help improve overall sleep quality, help you eat less and reduce anxiety as much as a massage. In particular, listening to classical music can significantly help relieve stress, but if that genre isn’t your cup of tea, try listening to recorded sounds of nature.

Drink tea instead of coffee

While it’s true that caffeine provides a short-term rush of energy, after the effects of coffee finally wear off, coffee can make work-related stress even worse, according to Health.com. Instead of drinking coffee, try drinking green tea. This tea only has half the amount of caffeine as a normal cup of coffee and contains theanine, which is an amino that reduces agitation because it helps calm the nervous system.

Two of the best ways to reduce work-related stress are to eat right and get a good night’s sleep, but if that still isn’t enough to keep you calm and steady at work, then consider using one or more of the tips from the list above in order to alleviate that unnecessary pressure and anxiety.

August means back to school, and in a pandemic year fueled by the Delta variant, it’s inevitable that germs are going to spread when kids get back together. The CDC has advice for keeping children protected from this highly contagious version of the COVID-19 virus, and that is: mask up in schools and other crowded places, and make sure everyone age 12 and up in the family gets vaccinated.

If your child wakes up feeling sick, it’s best to keep them at home and get them tested for the virus before letting them go back to school. Even if those symptoms turn out to be “just a cold”, try not to spread it! If your child tests positive for the coronavirus, don’t panic! The first thing to remember is that children are incredibly resistant to the virus. Think ahead of time about who will take care of whom – and how – if somebody gets sick. Of course, keep your child at home until they are no longer contagious.

Your child may wear any mask that fits well – no gaps around the mouth, nose, or chin – and is comfortable. A cotton mask is typically the most comfortable, lightweight, and breathable for children in schools. If your child is unvaccinated and gets sent home from school after a possible COVID-19 exposure, quarantine your child, wear masks in the household, watch for symptoms and make sure they get tested! To learn more about keeping your child safe while going back to school this year, click here.