Month: November 2010

Low-Tech Ways to Save Energy at Workplace

These are simple ways, smart energy initiatives that any business can do. By targeting appliances that are of the most use – like photocopy machines, lighting, coffeemakers, printers, etc. –  you help your business conserve energy and cut energy bill. However, you got to train your employees, to have them become active participant of your energy savings program.

A good tip I saw from Saving Energy. “Make sure that equipment, like copy machine, is not place near the thermostat. The heat from the copier can affect how thermostat works and throw the system out of balance.”

Another tip. University of Georgia cooperatives recommends installing a motion sensor light switch. Because motion sensor automatically turn lights off and on whenever anyone leaves a room. And there’s the mother-of-tips for all sorts of workplace from Energy Savers, DOE, including for businesses with HQs at home.  

When you put these smart energy initiatives in place, you save money, reduce carbon footprint, and make your stakeholders happy 🙂

Save Energy at Work
http://d1.scribdassets.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=43675000&access_key=key-1189bx39s0pi38j1ozc&page=1&viewMode=list

Kick-off Ecotwist Radio

RESCHEDULE TO NEXT TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23: So my guest didn’t call in. That prompted me to reschedule the show.

UPDATE: He just called in (tied up in a meeting) and we agree to do it on Tuesday the 23rd. (There’s some learned lessons to improve the show for next time).

President Obama announced that tomorrow, November 19, 2010, is as National’s Entrepreneurs’ Day in conjunction with Global Entrepreneurship Week. Each November, GEW connects people everywhere in the world through activities to help them unleashed their idea by exploring their potential as self-starters and innovators. 

Connects the dots. I’ve been kicking around with the idea of hosting an educational radio show on business and sustainability for a while. So today is the day. The kick-off of my show, Ecotwist.

My first guest is Andy Shallal, an Iraqi American, who is an activist, artist and restauranter. Andy is a successful entrepreneur. His flagship restaurant, Busboys and Poets, has been a success from the opening. He is someone who is recipient of multiple awards on sustainability, activism and business. I met Andy a while back in the summer through a networking group, Net Impact. NI hosted their event at his restaurant. So after the event, I approached Andy to be on my show, then still in the thinking process. 

Busboys and Poets is a local DC restaurant chain. The restaurant chain is an example of good business practice of the triple bottom line – people, planet and profit. It’s a certified B Corporation. They have a number of sustainability initiatives in place, i.e. uses renewable energy via wind energy, recycle their oil for biofuel, uses 100% recycled products, copy paper, carry-out items, serves sustainable seafood. And believes that ‘transparency is an important component of their environmental agenda.’

If you happen to be around, you can listen via your browser at http://blogtalkradio.com/ecotwist. You can also join the conversation at 323-693-3030. 

Steal this Presentation! Seriously.

Doing a lot of presentation? Make it a CRAP.

C= CONTRAST

Text and images are all the same size and style is extremely boring and not communicative. Add some contrast to make it interesting.

R= REPETITION

Repeat colors, fonts and images throughout your presentation for a cohesive feel (remember color mix?). Each new topic slide should have related styles so that your audience knows you are moving into a new point. 

A= ALIGNMENT

Text and alignment on each side should be visually connected. Nothing should be out of place.

P= Proximity

Related elements should be grouped together.

And finally.. 

America, Are you Ready?

President Obama understands the importance of Asian market. It’s about dealing with the sustainability of our economy within the global market. Asia, is home of 3 of the 5 largest economies in the world. China, India and Indonesia have more than one-third of the world’s population. It is a huge market.

The question is: are we ready?

From the President op-ed, via NYT.

The great challenge of our time is to make sure that America is ready to compete for the jobs and industries of the future. It can be tempting, in times of economic difficulty, to turn inward, away from trade and commerce with other nations. But in our interconnected world, that is not a path to growth, and that is not a path to jobs. We cannot be shut out of these markets. Our government, together with American businesses and workers, must take steps to promote and sell our goods and services abroad — particularly in Asia. That’s how we’ll create jobs, prosperity and an economy that’s built on a stronger foundation. 

 – emphasis added.

The Social Business and Customer Service

Businesses got to love change. Not just change, but sustained change. That’s the message from Frank Eliason. If that hasn’t sunk in your business culture yet, listen to this interview on social business and customer service. Brian Solis interviewed Frank, who Brian says is “one of the fathers of modern customer service.” At Comcast he started using Twitter to interact and communicate directly with their customers. He was the guy behind @ComcastCares. Speaking about career development, Frank Eliason is now the Senior VP of Social Media at Citibank.

The money quote:

“One day, customer service will be marketing.”

50+ Innovative Products from Emerging Markets

A while back I posted the “Business Case for Sustainability: Reason No. 1,” which is population. It’s estimated that the world’s population will reach 9 billion people by 2050. At the current population growth, according to Carnegie, “developing economies have accounted for nearly 70% of growth the past 5 years.” Surprised? The market is shifting from developed towards emerging markets. The global emerging middle class now stands at 2 billion people, who collectively spend $6.9 trillion per year, a figure that estimated by McKinsey will grow twice US current consumption by 2020. 

No matter how big or small your business is, you can’t ignore the stats and trends, especially if you’re looking into new opportunities. If you’re not looking for expansion abroad, the least that you can do is to look for new ideas from there and bring it here.

So here it is. Check out this month’s edition of trendwatching look at the 50+ innovative products coming from emerging markets for ideas and inspirations.