Green Diwali - oxymoron or tautology?

Folks who think "Green Diwali" is an oxymoron obviously don't know the spiritual / true meaning of Diwali.

While Diwali is popularly known as the "festival of lights", the most significant spiritual meaning is "the awareness of the inner light".

Diwali is the Indian festival of lights but more importantly (I believe) it is another God-gifted opportunity to go green! Here's how you can make this festival more green and more fun for yourself and others -

1. Promote community building and concept of saving - Spend the hard-earned money you saved all year for this day. Obviously you need to save first - a concept quite lost today. Wear new clothes, share gifts, and use the opportunity to make new friends by sharing and caring for others.

2. Save energy by burning diyas - To celebrate the victory of good over evil and light over darkness, you burn symbolic diyas. In today's modern age, people tend to turn on ALL the lights in the house. Try burning more diyas instead, with friends and neighbors. This is not only economically and environmentally better but diyas generally look more beautiful and create a more soothing atmosphere. If you really can't resist turning on all the lights, use this opportunity to buy energy efficient lighting.

3. Home hygiene and food - Take this opportunity to clean and decorate your home. Cook food at home. Try potluck parties with friends and family.

4. Reduce noise and smoke - Burning firecrackers are popular but I am not very sure if the pollution and noise generated are necessary. This is obviously a tough issue to address. There are some alternatives to fireworks. I would recommend using glow sticks, wands, necklaces etc. Make sure they are recyclable products.

So how are you making yours a greener Diwali? Would love to know your ideas even if you are not implementing them.

10 tips to go green (the Indian way)!!

10 tips to go greener at work or even at home (and why it's even easier for us, Indians!)

1. More work, less energy (optimizing and making more from less)
2. Digitize (using a computer to store documents - scan instead of print hard copies)
3. Don't be a paper pusher (if you really need to print then print double-side and reuse paper as much as possible)
4. Greening the commute (carpool or use a car sharing service - why drive when someone can drive for you once in a while, you get a chance to make new friends, and just by the way you save some gas as well)
5. Green sleeves (ironing your own clothes gives you more self-confidence at work then why give clother for dry cleaning)
6. Work from home (sure, why go all the way to work when you can use communication technologies like messaging, email, tele/web conferening, blogging, wikis, etc. Today anything can be done remotely. Grow up!)
7. Use green materials (buy in bulk so that shipping and packaging waste are reduced, and reuse the shipping boxes)
8. Lunch time (getting delivery and takeout means more waste, bring your lunch in your dabbaas, recyclable plates, spoons, and napkins are encouraged)
9. Get others in the act (share this with your fellow Indian friends and earn brownie points that your kids will remember you for)
10. There are probably a number of other reasons why you must go green but here's one you should never forget -- "Stay in touch with the Indian inside you -- at least for your habits.. they just might end up saving Mother Earth.. after all we were'nt just made that way.. you know what way ;)

Earning green by going green... I welcome comments (through this blog).

Technology Pattern? the socio-business trends

•Technology finally bridging the gap between social and economic values of business!
•Technology enabling humans to collaborate and do good, to connect and perform!
•Next generation business model:
–Unique yet unhurried
–The way it’s meant to be
–Feels right
–Everyone Wins!

Time for VCs, entrepreneurs, and investors to change the world?

"With today's rocketing gas prices and daily reports on global warming, entrepreneurs and investors alike are seeing new opportunities to do well by doing good." - Entrepreneur Magazine. Venture capitalists are flocking to green technology and looking for fresh solutions, those that preserve profitability as well as benefit the environment, those that will attract progressive investors who not only look for monetary dividends but also for environment dividends.

Conviction behind the world's most famous VC - John Doerr: Green Technology is the mother of all markets, a business opportunity of this generation. The "Greentech" boom is beginning to prove to be bigger and much more important than the trillion-dollar digital electronics business.

Post your apprehensions and/or good feelings about green ventures.

Momentum behind Green Computing campaign

Green Computing Charter will help to reduce IT operating costs and benefit the environment with these guidelines:

1. Find out how much energy your IT systems use and monitor ongoing consumption levels.
2. Ensure unused equipment is turned off when it is not being used.
3. Educate staff to the benefits of saving energy and recycling.
4. Establish a code of practice designed to minimise unnecessary printing.
5. Identify IT management practices that reduce power consumption.
6. When purchasing new IT equipment, chose energy-saving devices that have been manufactured in an environmentally-conscious fashion.
7. Dispose of old hardware responsibly; send old PCs to be reconditioned and recycled.

Post your thoughts on these guidelines.

Cut energy use with Green IT!

Can one of the most environmentally damaging departments (hint: IT) deliver major cost savings and environmental benefits? Vnunet shares a two-page report on how firms can cut energy use. Discuss your thoughts and experiences.

IT can lead the green revolution?

"The kneejerk reaction to current environmental damage and resultant climate change is to do the cause-and-effect calculations, and attempt to remove the technological causes of what all but the most shortsighted Clarksonistas regard as imminent catastrophe." - posts an IT Week article. Post your comments about how can environmentally-aware technologists be the planet’s best hope for averting disaster?