Every year (well, most years) Communication Services has a 'unit retreat'. This is a day when we all get together, have a nice lunch, and talk about what we did in the past year, as well as what we will do in the future.
This year we have been tasked with ways to make our different sections 'green'. So the Web Action Team had a quick brainstorming session, and this is what we have come up with:
First, some of Bryon's ideas. I had to take out a lot of his ideas, because they had to do with scrapping entire projects. But what remains is pure gold...-ish green.
1) Pedal powered computers. Forget power save mode, just pedal to power your computer.
2) Have stated "online" times where the servers will be running. Like 9-11, 2-4 M-F
3) Walk to work.
4) Remove the ability to "print" from any of our applications.
5) Remove password requirements so people can get into our systems (faster) saving more power.
Alex has this to say:
1. Cut out purchasing office equipment and offer one pen and 20 paperclips with each paycheck
2. Less managers or put them all in the same office
4. Drink coffee from the other offices (maybe pretend you have a meeting)
5. Turn off all extra lights, overhead and ambient ones, including lava lamps
6. Put a lock box on the thermostat
7. Reflectors/shades on the giant windows
8. Remove phones from each desk and have one per dozen people
10. Heat your food in the solar cooker
12. Charge for parking and use that to pay employees
Dave had these ideas:
1. Recycle old code
2. No A/C in the Action Cave
3. No Pants Fridays
4. Become the Web Team to conserve "Action"
5. Chalkboards instead of pads of paper
6. Have Alex hand-paint monitors to conserve energy used for colors
7. No more decorative lamps
8. Work half days
Some great ideas here. We could combine some of them for the greatest impact.
For instance: No pants day, combined with no air conditioning would make a lot of sense. Then add on the 'walking to work' and once again, the WAT would be the talk of the town.
Wait...Bryon had one more idea. This is what he came to work in today. I'm not sure he really understands the concept...
Well, he is green...