Archive for October, 2009
Is Green the New Black?
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
by Dennis Powell, e-Management
When Baby Boomers were growing up, “green” was all about money. Today, the term generally refers to sustainability. For instance, green IT or green computing is the notion that organizations can use information technology (IT) in environmentally friendly ways to reduce their “carbon footprint.” According to the Carbon Footprint™ official Web site (www.carbonfootprint.com), a carbon footprint is simply “a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular, climate change.” So, our carbon footprint is directly connected to greenhouse gases (i.e., pollution) we help to produce through burning fossil fuels for energy, heating, driving, and the like.
How fond are we of Green?
Just as in the years past when everyone wanted to get her or his hands on green money, new data suggests that the masses are now clamoring for more 21st century green. In fact, the American Marketing Association has reported the rise in marketing environmentally conscious products to consumers everywhere. Similarly, in a special 2007 report on eco-marketing or green marketing, Advertising Age described a world that has gone “ga-ga” over green, and where green has moved from enthusiastic consumers into bottom-line conscious corporate boardrooms. According to research conducted by Mintel, a leading market research group, only 1 in 5 people say they never buy green products. Additionally, nearly 7 out of every 10 people buy green products at least sometime. With consumer trends like these, some are even going as far as saying “green” is the new black—as in operating in the black.
But is going “green” all it’s cracked up to be?
It depends on who is answering the question. IDC, a marketing and consulting firm specializing in IT enterprises, cites the cost of energy as the leading reason why organizations are implementing sustainable technologies. Going green, however, could actually mean more than pinching pennies; it could save us all a lot of grief and aggravation for years to come, according to proponents of sustainability. In fact, more and more scientists are accepting the theory that carbon emissions promote global warming. Proponents of this position say global warming is the culprit behind severe weather trends, and could lead to grave economic conditions affecting food supplies, energy accessibility, transportation, etc.
How can you and your organization go green?
At e-Management, we participate in the Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR® program, which is designed to help reduce the carbon footprint of our individual employees (and we are proud to report we exceeded our goals for 2009). In 2006, EPA reported the ENERGY STAR program cut greenhouse emissions to the equivalent of taking off 25 million automobiles off the roads. Drawing from ENERGY STAR program and sustainability best practices, you can reduce your carbon footprint by simply turning off electronic devices; using automobiles less often; switching to low-energy light bulbs; and using a green energy supplier, which derives its energy from renewable sources such as wind or water.
For commercial and government organizations, we suggest putting in place a green IT strategy, which may include the preceding activities as well as a more formalized approach. First, we recommend agencies consider implementing a power-down policy for desktop computers if they have not done so. Getting staff to turn off their computers completely at the end of the work day is a way to greatly reduce energy consumption and save tons of green (money).
During his “Modernizing the Dinosaur: Best Practices to Follow When Going Green In a Legacy Data Center” webinar (September 2009), e-Management’s Vice President & CIO Ricardo “Ric” Colton discussed implementing green computing strategies such as increasing airflow, reducing cooling costs, and reducing power loads in datacenter operations. Green best practices in datacenters can save any government agency more than $9,000 per month in lighting expenses alone. What’s more, in a datacenter environment, government and private enterprises can significantly reduce costs by consolidating servers and racks, balancing IT loads, managing electrical cable and circuits more efficiently, and implementing virtualization technologies.
Oh, by the way, going green is the law.
Public Law 109-431 is a mandate that government agencies analyze and report on the growth and energy consumption of federal and private datacenters. The statute also required the government to analyze the industry’s migration to energy efficient microchips in server designs. As a result of Public Law 109-431, operational concerns have been elevated from “the boiler room to the boardroom.” So, government directors and executives are now responsible for leading the way for the greening of government.
In the “Report to Congress on Server and Data Center Energy Efficiency” (2007), the EPA cited that data centers alone consumed 1.5 percent of U.S. electricity. Additionally, 10 percent of that consumption or $450 million annually, was federal government usage. In fact, the same report suggested that green IT strategy could help organizations save $4 billion every year in electricity costs.
In addition to Public Law 109-431, Executive Order (EO) 13423 of January 24, 2007 put in place goals to increase the federal government’s commitment to transportation, energy, and environmental management. To that end, the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE) scores agencies on their pledge to sustainability. Specifically, the EO requires federal agencies to put in place complete environmental management systems (EMS). According to the EO, a successful EMS must involve top managers; have the buy-in of the agency; integrate with other management systems; and must be customized to meet the mission needs of the organization. With an effective EMS implementation, agencies will be in full compliance with federal environmental statues; reduce harm to the environment; prevent pollution through effective planning; and improve the public’s perception of the agency’s commitment to sustainability.
Why now?
Mom and dad always said there is no better time like the present. And it is great to see government organizations and enterprises of various sizes around the world moving toward a more sustainable future. For any given federal government agency for instance, going green or implementing green computing strategies will help them remain compliant. Their commitment may reduce the overall impact on the environment, which could have a positive effect on future economies. Even more, in the short- and long-term, an effective green plan will mean less government waste. During an economic downturn and a record deficit, who doesn’t want that?
We have only touched on a few arguments regarding going green as individuals, corporations, or federal agencies. Now we want to hear from you. Here is fodder for the discussion: (1) Are you or your organization committed to sustainability? (2) What strategies are working for you? (3) Has the cost of going green been a deterrent for you or your organization? (4) Do you think going green (for individuals or organizations) should be a priority? (6) Is going green too little, too late?
We welcome your comments. Feel free to use the “share” function below to send to your friends, colleagues, and members of your social networks.
Tags: carbon emissions, carbon footprint, datacenter, DOE, , Energy, ENERGY STAR, environment, EPA, federal, Federal government, Going green, Green Computing, green IT, IT strategy, sustainability, thought leadership
Posted in Corporate, Economy, Government, Green Computing, IT Infrastructure, IT Strategy & Management, Risk Management | 19 Comments »
e-Management Offers Tips for Becoming a Fitness ‘PMP’
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009
by Dennis Powell, e-Management
Within the Beltway of Washington, D.C., there are gazillion acronyms. It’s out control. Think about it. There are COTR (Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative), FISMA (The Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002), DOE (Department of Energy), DoD (Department of Defense), HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), and our favorite here at e-Management, MIPP (Mission Information Protection Program). Since there is so much “Alphabet Soup for the Soul” to go around, e-Management would like to throw in our own ingredient (i.e., acronym)—PMP.
We don’t mean Project Management Professional®, although we are quite fond of our PMPs who do an excellent job at servicing our government clients’ projects and programs. (Our PMs made us write that). But we digress.
There’s a New PMP in Town!
e-Management’s “PMP” is simply a Physically Maintained Person. Regardless of work, school, or life challenges, a PMP makes time to stay active consistently, eat properly, and rest adequately. As working professionals ourselves, we know it’s hard sometimes to avoid the doughnut in the office or the 99-cent special at the local fast food restaurant next door. According to the American Heart Association, two-thirds of adults 20 or older are overweight—this can lead to serious health issues such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease (CDV). Furthermore, one in every three deaths in the USA is due to CDV. The good news, however, is the rate of deaths attributed to heart disease or strokes are in decline.
Eight Tips to Help You Remain Healthy in a Hectic World
This blog thread is an anomaly to our normal technology-focused series. Instead of risk management or project management, this blog posting focuses on health management and risk reduction. In fact, we are determined to help you “mitigate the risks” associated with your letting life challenges and tight schedules get the best of you. Here are our eight tips to help you to become an e-Management “certified” PMP.
Tip 1: Try to Always Eat a Sensible Breakfast
Even though Harvard University researchers have documented the potential health and longevity benefits of coffee (i.e., reduced risk of diabetes and Parkinson’s disease), remember coffee and doughnuts are not really breakfast. (You can wipe that blank stare off your face now!) Instead of caffeine and refined sugar, be sure to have a sensible breakfast to help you jump-start your day and help maintain good health. On your next visit to your doctor or nutritionist, ask her or him, what are the best breakfast foods to meet your special needs?
Tip 2: Replace the Word “Exercise” with “Fun Activity”
Exercise scares many of us. Americans’ aversion to “working out” may be rooted in those scary physical education (P.E.) classes from our school days. You remember afternoon P.E. class with the mean coach and the super athletes who made you feel less than adequate, don’t you? So, let’s just eliminate “exercise” from our vocab altogether. We recommend replacing “exercise” with “fun activities.” Depending on your sensibilities, “fun activities” could include kickball, volleyball, ice skating, swimming, hiking (with family or friends), scenic walking, yoga, landscaping, weight training, or ballroom dancing. (If former House Majority Leader Tom Delay can do it, so can you!). Fun activities have been found to help reduce stress, manage weight, and improve overall health. Be sure to make a commitment to fun activities at least three times a week. Oh yeah, feel free to engage in healthy fun activities during the weekend. After all, the weekends are not exclusively for your local mall or favorite eatery.
Tip 3: Add Power Foods to Your Menu at Home and When Eating Out
The American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and numerous other health-focused nonprofits tout the importance of proper eating. So to help you out, we recommend you add power or super foods to your menu at home as well as dining out. Nutrient-packed foods such as sweet potatoes (yams), cherries, greens (e.g., kale, spinach, collards), avocado, and certain nuts/legumes have been linked to better health. If you think finding great-tasting super foods is hard, we suggest you pick up All Heart Family Cookbook: Featuring the 40 Foods Proven to Promote Heart Health (RodaleBooks; February 2008) by Kathy Kastan, LCSW, MA.Ed; Suzanne Banfield, Ph.D., with Wendy Leonard and members of WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease. The book lists 40 super foods that have been linked “to reduce, prevent and even reverse heart disease.” A sampling of the 175 recipes contained in the book includes Turkey Cutlets with Avocado Salsa; Spiced Salmon Tacos; Pomegranate and Banana Salad; and Green Tea-Oatmeal Pancakes.
Tip 4: Explore Local Farmers Markets
More and more people are turning to farmers markets as a way to help local farmers, communities, and economies thrive. Even the First Lady has become an advocate for these commercial gatherings. But farmers markets are more than just places to get locally grown produce. Farmers markets oftentimes have higher quality, more nutrient-packed foods that cost less than what you typically get from many supermarkets. Even more, farmers markets are the perfect way to introduce or re-introduce yourself and your family to healthy eating practices.
Tip 5: Consider Fiber Whenever You Eat
According to a September 2009 report from the not-for-profit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), eating foods rich in high-fiber may significantly reduce one’s chances for colon cancer. So how do you get your fiber into your busy schedule? You can bring some of those locally grown fruits you got over the weekend from your neighborhood farmers market. We suggest you skip the office chocolate confection and instead snack on super foods like apples, raspberries, strawberries, kiwi, or dried fruits (raisins). You may also want to reduce your protein (e.g., fish, meats, poultry) consumption and replace with high-fiber foods like leafy vegetables, legumes, lentils, pistachios, broccoli, almonds, or pecans.
Tip 6: Replace Sugary Drinks with Good Ol’ H2O
In case you slept through middle school chemistry, H2O is simply water. Most of us are made up of 60-75 percent water depending on our body types. Experts say drinking water helps us to maintain good energy levels, keep our muscles strong, keep us alert, and reduce the risk for dehydration, which can lead to headaches, dizziness, or more serious ailments. So, drinking water is a no-brainer. We suggest purified (i.e., filtered or distilled) water or enriched water complete with minerals and/or electrolytes. So drink up.
Tip 7: Avoid Skipping Meals
Skipping meals throughout the day is foolhardy. Why? Many studies have pointed to the fact that people who skip meals are more likely to be obese. Even more, skipping meals often leads to overeating, which is never a good thing. We recommended you bring fruits, yogurt, nuts, and low-sugar meal replacement bars and beverages to work or when you are on travel as a way to avoid the trap of skipping meals, especially on those meeting intensive days.
Tips 8: Remember to Make Time for Laughter
Depending on your point of view, this may be the most fun, easiest, or the funniest of all our tips. Recently, two recent studies on laughter were released during the annual meeting for the American College of Sports Medicine. Guess what they reveal? You’re right: Laughter is great for your health. Specifically, your funny bone may help to reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. So, feel free to add watching old re-runs of Seinfeld or running out to see the most recent romantic comedy starring Jennifer Aniston to your list of fun activities. We are sure couch potatoes everywhere are rejoicing. ::: smile :::
That’s all the tips we have space for. We could go on and on. But now, it is your turn to sound off. What are your favorite “fun activities” that help you to maintain good health? How do you find time in the day to eat properly or be active? Do you have any healthy recipes you can share for people on the go? We look forward to your help in advancing this conversation.
Disclaimer: The preceding thread is for entertainment purposes only. This posting should not be construed as medical advice. Prior to starting any physical activity, training, workout plan, or diet plan, you should consult your primary care physician or an equivalent expert.
Tags: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, diet, DOE, , federal, Federal government, fitness, health, heart health, HIPAA, Jennifer Aniston, PMP, powerfoods, risk, Seinfeld, superfoods
Posted in Lifestyle, Uncategorized | 37 Comments »
|
|
