A Topic Generating Debate
Controversy around the exact formula to dramatically reduce global warming does not exempt us from action. To that end there are measures we as a community can take to bring awareness to the topic of carbon emissions and thereby take personal responsibility for environmental well-being and sustainability. Below are some positive, albeit baby steps, taken for the upcoming SAP TechEd event in Las Vegas. These are direct outcomes of relentless lobbying of our own community members.
Some First Steps
Here's what will be happening at SAP Teched '08 Las Vegas this year:
https://weblogs.sdn.sap.comcs/weblogs/images/1915/RecycledPaper.JPG
- We will be using recycled paper and reducing the amount of paper handouts. Using marquees, info stations and mobile devices to orient participants and using them to check agendas will help in these efforts as well.
Use flask repeatedly and you will be replacing the likes of these plastic bottles in landfills
Picture Chris Jordan via Mark Finnern
- Refillable water bottles will be provided to all attendees of SAP TechEd and are pre-washed for your convenience. Water coolers for filling them are available throughout the event meeting spaces. Saving them for future use is also recommended.
- We'll be distributing 90% carbon-neutral concert t-shirts produced in factories using only solar and wind power (special thanks on this one go to chip.rodgers/blog)
- We'll donate all unused and recycled backpacks locally to needy school kids. You may return them to the registration check-in counters before you leave.
Community Evangelists for Sustainablity
Props to folks like linda.bortolus/blog (tireless TechEd event waste reduction champion), Jim Spath (the Going to Sapphire / ASUG 08 in Orlando? Want a cool reusable water bottle?? dude), Eddy de Clercq, (the environmentally friendly grumpy) donna.kennedy-glans/blog (a woman of vision), paul.centen/blog(provider of personal reflections), James Governor and Tom Raftery (Greenmonk - voices of conscience) , mark.finnern/blog (water bottle advocate), Craig Cmehil(posted Berlin SAP TechEd - commute? thread) and Chip Rodgers and Mark Yolton (executive sponsors for these measures). Thanks to all of them for ensuring the topics remain active as we take steps, however fledgling, in our first public community efforts to reduce, recycle, reuse.
I am sure that there are countless others that number in the ranks of people supporting this topic.
In fact, I would highly encourage you to add your names as supporters of these measures declaring your community identification with these kinds of activities.
Creating Awareness and Dialog
It's our responsibility to act towards a sustainable future. We can do that by promoting awareness.Some of our community has been looking at the topic of calculating carbon footprints.
Links to do so can be found at Terrapass. I track my own travel and carbon expenditure on dopplr. A recommended site for further reduction tips can be found at Carbonfund.org .
Linda Bortolus outlined a number of education session during TechEd that will focus on sustainability topics. They include:
- A Greener Supply Chain Using SOA and SAP Netweaver BI
- Surf on the Virtualization Wave- Run SAP Systems on Virtual Server Technology
- Real Life Examples of SOA for CRM and Supply Chain Management
In addition the community is welcome to create ad hoc dialogue and generate discussions about further and future steps to be taken.
We may begin our carbon neutral diet by awareness that each of us has a role in reducing our collective carbon footprint. Join us in the Community Clubhouse for live conversation or in the Sustainability & CSRonline.
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