Global environmental challenge: Doing our part by fully embracing telecommuting.

I’ve being “playing around” with the concept of a total new and radical approach to the way we do business, having in mind three priorities: 1) guarantying the success of our clients venture; 2) having a more productive and well-balanced workforce and; 3) reducing our energy consumption and carbon output at the same time.
To accomplish this challenge, I got to the conclusion that the best way to achieve those three goals (at the same time) is by fully embracing telecommuting, leaving our new energy-hungry corporate office and by that, reducing the use of our cars.

Background
Winston Churchill once said that “People trying to build the present merely in the image of the past, will miss out entirely on the challenges of the future.”
Futurist Alvin Toffler predicted a quarter of century ago, that “the rise of the electronic cottage would help usher in a more environmentally sustainable way of life, with new economic vitality and enhanced communities and families.”
Combining those two concepts and adding the technology advance of the century: the Internet; we have the answer we where looking for: Telecommuting.
CompuStream implemented Telecommuting (see News: CompuStream implements telecommuting to enable employees to perform some of their work from places other than their designated work location. - 6/1/2006) achieving great results, not only on employee morale but on client satisfaction.
The world is changing and this is now becoming a reality with a profound impact in energy consumption. One example: By 2005 telecommuters in Los Angeles and New York alone were saving almost $6 billion annually in energy costs. These telecommuters saved some 200 million gallons of fuel with attendant reductions in green-house gases – again, reduction of energy consumption and carbon output at the same time.

Conclusion
The future may not be as green as any of us would like, but if actions are taken now by small, medium and big companies across the corporate world, we may help reduce the damaging effects of climate change, have a better quality of life and, why not, increase profit…I am definitely considering leaving our new energy-hungry corporate office and by that, reducing the use of our cars.

What do you think?

Come on in, we are having a party!

Not long ago, a client from Atlanta-Georgia told me that every time he spoke to me he felt the joy and cheerfulness in the way I speak. He said that he related the feeling as if I was saying, “Come on in, we are having a party!”
Well, I am the first to admit that the atmosphere around the office is not one we would always describe as dancing-on-the-tables festive – especially when we are on a deadline – but he was right about the excitement and pleasure I find in what I am doing. Besides, a party is less about the setting and more about the people who are there and in this; I have always been very lucky with the client’s I worked with.
I am mentioning this because, yesterday, I spoke to a new client from Aruba and I felt the same way. I don’t know if the island had some influence but I am sure he was having a lot of fun doing what he was doing. I am very excited to start working with him.