GREEN IDEAS FOR 2012!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE VIEWING OUR WEBSITE!

Here are some handy tips that will help you make 2012 a cooler and greener year!

1. Use CFLs instead of incandescent bulbs. A minimum of 30% savings could result.

2. Use a LCD monitor instead of a regular cathode-ray tube (CRT) computer monitor. Power usage on both differs widely.

3. Switch off the electric supply when not in use to devices we take for granted (Music systems, Microwave ovens, DVD players, TV sets, Mobile chargers, etc) so that they don't draw phantom power. Imagine the impact when a million such devices are shut!

4. Ensure that your refrigerator’s seals are fully functional and don’t leave the refrigerator doors open for too long. Refrigerators turn themselves off when they become cool to save energy, but when the air inside them warms, they switch on.

5. Use light / pastel wall colors with higher gloss sheens to reflect daylight, meaning your space will need less overhead lighting.

6. Make it a habit to turn off your computer—and the power strip it's plugged into—when you leave for the day.

7. Make it a habit to turn off the lights when you're leaving any room for 15 minutes or more and utilize natural light when you can.

8. Take advantage of Telecommuting / Telecommunications Technology: Many employers offer telecommuting as an option. Use the computer and telephone to replace vehicle trips for business, shopping and services when possible.

9. Use Carpooling / Public Transit / Non-Motorized Options: Ride the bus, carpool, bicycle or walk instead of driving alone. Sharing a ride to work with a friend or two effectively doubles your fuel economy for the trip and may allow you to use the diamond lane.

10. Conserve energy by purchasing major appliances with an Energy Star rating. Compared to a 1990 model, an Energy Star-qualified refrigerator would save enough electricity to light a home for more than four and a half months.

11. Use ceiling fans in the summer AND winter. By reversing the direction of the blades, warm air is pushed down, helping to keep rooms warm in winter.

12. Replace air conditioner filters Dirty filters restrict airflow and can cause the system to run longer, increasing energy use. Replace filters monthly for maximum benefit.

13. Use cloth towels or hand dryers instead of paper towels.

14. In the summer, water your garden during the coolest part of the day.

15. Do not leave water running when shaving or brushing your teeth.

16. Repair leaky fixtures: one drop per second from a leaky faucet can waste as much as 50 litres of water each week.

17. Install low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets. Low-flow faucets reduce water consumption and the cost of heating water by as much as 50 percent.

18. Ask for flooring products made from rapidly renewable resources, such as bamboo. Bamboo is one of the fasted growing plants in the world, requiring no replanting and little fertilization or pesticides.

19. Send business documents by e-mail in PDF format rather than printing and then faxing/mailing them. You no longer need to print, sign and send. Use an electronic signature and email documents that require a signature.

20. Pay your bills online and save a tree and money on postage.

Newsletter-1

Dear Orion Team,

Orion Software Services were always a conscious and sensitive company towards health, safety, social and environmental causes, and effective November 2009, at least once per quarter, we shall send you tips and general advise on what each of us can do you make things better.

It has been found that when we as individuals take even a small step forward or plan to do some good, the heavier thought that "what difference will it make when the rest do not follow it?" - is a very natural and negative thought that crosses our minds. But take a step back and think it differently...if EACH one only decides to sit quiet WITHOUT doing anything, will it help ANYONE? It will not, so remember that even the smallest thing that YOU do, will be of great value, and soon more will join in, and then more...and before you know it, we will see the effect of our own sensible and common-sense deeds!

Today we will focus on us and you all [ friends/relatives included] on being GREEN MOVERS, I.e doing something for the well-being of the environment.

If any of you wish to truly gain major awareness of the harm going on around us, watch " An Inconvenient Truth" by Al Gore on DVD at home. It will shake you up completely, and may trigger off actions in you way over what this note will advise you about.

As GREEN MOVERS, we will focus today on Save Electricity or Conserve Electricity, and the 2 places where YOU can be in CONTROL are the Work Place and your own Homes.

At home, perhaps each of you are MORE careful than you are at the office, but that's only a natural thing in humans. However, make sure you do the above AND more at home as the bills there are paid by you/direct family, and surely you are conscious of that..

By the way - whatever listed above is something the author has already implemented at home and offices as applicable. Now its your turn to consider improvements!

Newsletter-2

Dear Orion Team,