The Green Journey

Group IT’s BSG’s progress

Posted by JLow on Sep 8, 2010

Just a quick update on further activities and momentum of our MH Green Office initiative.

Group IT’s Business Solution Group (BSG) has shared their progress with us, complete with photos to show for!

They now have their own-volunteered bins for their waste collection.

Thanks guys for joining in with your efforts. Looking good!

A stock exchange’s guidelines for sustainability

Posted by JLow on Sep 7, 2010

There is no mandate, and the government says it’s simply making suggestions to companies listed on the SGX. So how can Singapore convince companies to adopt sustainability reporting? The answer appears to be public pressure.

This excerpt, taken from the Fast Company’s website, titled “Singapore Stock Exchange Uses Peer Pressure to Encourage Sustainability Reporting“

Two things worth noting: That the Singaporean authority has taken the stance towards adopting sustainability, and that through the stock exchange, that they have also set out guidelines for awareness and adoption, and that it is also available for the public’s comments.

An interesting extract from the policy is the statement below:

The Exchange adopts a progressive approach towards the policy on sustainability reporting, which balances global and local developments. The policy statement sets the baseline for holistic reporting going beyond corporate governance to social and environmental aspects. We expect, with our statement, to generate awareness among listed companies, leading to acceptance and commitment to sustainability as an operating principle as well as to be reported on. As the pace of sustainability reporting gains momentum amongst issuers, the Exchange will review our policy on sustainability reporting to keep pace with global developments and will consider formulating formal rules to regulate disclosure if necessary.

While we are aware that there are already financial institutions with local presence looking into “alternative” investments such as in this space, it will be interesting to see how well this takes off regionally.

Also, as with all things “voluntary”, it will also be interesting to see how much of this is voluntarily taken up by the reporting companies, before the SGX considers “formulating formal rules to regulate disclosure if necessary.”

Maybe mandating something is the way to get adoption (of any and all initiatives) going?

IATA’s Fuel Efficiency workshop

Posted by JLow on Sep 6, 2010

We attended the IATA’s Fuel Efficiency workshop last week. This is part of IATA’s Green Team initiatives, where they look into ways of reducing the use of fuel in airline operations and practises.

Some of the measures and practises that lay people may find interesting to learn include:

• As a safety precaution, understandably pilots carry some extra fuel as buffer against unexpected weather, etc, that may require more than usual fuel for a flight;
• Some pilots prefer to “top up” the amount of fuel as a further safety buffer, even though calculations already made prior on the ground indicates the plane really only need less than that;
• Some regional airlines publish anonymously the amount of fuel each pilots use over a month, not to encourage competition (of who is most efficient) but to at least know where you rank among your fellow pilots (they can log in to find out their position among other pilots still anonymously);
• It is never a good idea to use pilot fuel efficiency as a Key Performance Indicator, for salary or performance bonuses. This is simply because it will start compromising safety standards;
• Airplanes are equipped with an Auxiliary Power Unit usually located in the tail of the plane, which acts as a power generator for the plane’s air conditioning, lighting, etc. One of the discussions revolved around whether the plane’s main engines (on the wings) ought to be cut off after landing and while taxiing to the airport, relying solely on the APU’s power;
• Other discussions also revolved around whether the APU should be used as a generator when the plane is parked at the airport gate, or should it rely on ground vehicles’ power generator;
• Finally, when the air conditioner should be justifiably switched on, ie 30 minutes before passengers board for their comfort, on hot days on the tarmac.

These are but some of the few things, among hundreds, that airlines and industry bodies such as IATA look into to save fuel use, which ultimately save costs and burn less fossil fuel over time, across an airline’s (whole) fleet.

Shouldn’t you be thinking green by default already?

Posted by JLow on Aug 18, 2010

At the end of this article on green prison (yes even prisons are going green), there is a comment by a reader suggesting that “Environmental consideration should be given to every new structure so that awards for ecological excellence should no longer be necessary. Improvement of existing built stock should be more of an issue.”

And rightly so.

Thinking and going green should already be inculcated into our mindset and lifestyle. It should not be something that is deemed “extra effort”, that then warrants some form of recognition or award. This is of course textbook HR/people management. But isn’t climate change life-related? That the result of our (in)action will be enjoyed/suffered/to be inherited by our kids?

How would you encourage your workforce to adopt green office practises? Should internal procedures and policies start to reflect this corporate direction? Should HR start playing a role in bringing about “forced” behavioural change, by way of adherence to policies (or not), KPI’s of activities?

We could go the Chinese government way and cut power to those who are not abiding! (“China province cuts power to 500 factories“) But that would make us very unpopular!

~~~ Update ~~~

But then again, there are still efforts that really do require recognition and award: “Achievement: Leading government and industry to deliver a quieter, cleaner and more energy-efficient aviation system.“- found here: 2010 Finalist—Science and Environment Medal

Bins are operational!

Posted by JLow on Jul 26, 2010

Just a quick update of the setting up of bins.

Here are Corporate Safety, Security, Health and Environment division, our recycling bins are “operational”. Just added the final touches of labelling the bins, and we are already using and practising recycling.

Walking the talk

Posted by JLow on Jul 13, 2010

Now that the workshop is out of the way, everyone should be underway with their plans on setting up their own teams, looking into greening their own offices.

We too have started our own efforts at CSSHE department.

As you can see, we have started collecting the individual bins from the staff, and have also “volunteered” some help to put together these 3 bins, ready for waste (paper) collection. All they need now are proper labeling or stenciling.

How are your activities and efforts going?

Clever use of plastic bottle

Posted by JLow on Jul 2, 2010

I was circulated this chain-mail.

As such, I cannot properly credit the originator, or genius, who thought to cleverly “re-use” plastic bottles.

This chain-mail was written in Chinese. But I think you can figure this out by the photos.

You can use the “body” of the bottle as a cheap pot for small plants or flowers, or your kids’ water container when they are painting