Green Options

Where is the grid going, big or small?

In the continued effort for San Francisco to stay ahead of the green curve as well as the technology curve, the San Francisco EcoMap comes to a computer near you. Although still in “preview” stage the real deal launches in a couple days.

The EcoMap gives San Franciscans the ability to see the collective results of their individual footprint but also offers up nifty comparison of other zip codes so we can all spy on how Pac Heights compares to Potrero Hill. How many of the Marina crowd pours CO2 into the air from transportation, energy and waste versus their Russian Hill neighbors? With this map it’s easy to check out the various carbon footprints of the various ‘hoods.

NASA and Cisco, Inc. have joined together to implement and manage an online global environmental monitoring platform, which is named Planetary Skin.

The platform will be used for data collection and analysis utilizing sensors in space, the air, the oceans, and on land.

For most small businesses implementing web conferencing reduces carbon emissions, lowers expenses and improves productivity. In fact, if every small business owner in the United States conducted one teleconference in lieu of a domestic business trip, it would save $25.4 billion dollars in travel expenses and 10.5 million tons of C02.

In a week that also saw Sentilla roll out energy management software for data centers, Cisco yesterday introduced their EnergyWise technology for their Catalyst® family of switches. The new software suite measures, reports and reduces the energy consumption of Internet Protocol devices such as phones, laptops and access points. Cisco also announced industry partnerships that will ultimately enable the management of power consumption for entire building systems such as lights, elevators, and air conditioning and heating.

While not a radical approach, One Million Acts of Green is encouraging website viewers (and Canadians in general) to take the small steps, the small actions, that cumulatively add up to something significant.

It seems as if everyone is “going green” these days. Of course, that’s a good thing–especially when it is done correctly. Green Power Conferences, a group who offers professionally organized events around the world focusing on the sustainability sector, is part of a growing trend in green event planning. Not only does the company coordinate events that promote sustainable business practices, but it does it in an environmentally responsible way.

Green Power Conferences’ green policy includes a commitment to contribute 5% of its annual income to charitable causes, a vow to only work with eco-friendly industries, and a pledge to use environmentally sustainable strategies to operate its offices and conferences.