Friday, September 19, 2008

Green Inc.

The other day we received a flyer in the mail with some information on waste reduction/management and green practices in companies. As I was reading through the list of recommendations (reducing paper consumption, electricity usage etc.), I realized that companies in India operate in an environmentally conscious manner.

One thing you notice as you walk into large corporate offices is the lack of paper. Desks are remarkably clean and a majority of the work is done on-line. Also - you don't see much food waste (such as sandwich wrappers, cans, plastic bags etc.). Most companies have cafeterias where lunch is prepared home style for the employees and glass or steel plates and cutlery is available. Most restrooms in corporate buildings have electric hand dryers and power saving devices are installed to minimize power consumption by turning lights on and off based on motion detection.

As rapid growth continues, it is heartening to see that many of these companies are committed to responsible growth in terms of the environment!

Saturday, September 06, 2008

Hurdle Race?

On Friday, we celebrated Mona's birthday with dinner at Mugan's - a restaurant in the upscale neighborhood in Indira Nagar. Due to a minor miscalculation by Mona, we ended up parking about 300m away from the restaurant. Decided it wasn't a big deal and that we would just walk up to the restaurant. I for one was not prepared for the adventure that lay ahead of us.

We found the pavement to be a major obstacle course as we made our way to the restaurant. Mounds of dirt, piles of steel construction pipes, blocks of stone, deep puddles of water and mud added a sense of adventure to our walk as we navigated various obstacles on our way to our destination. Sections of pavements were simply non-existent and would disappear with no early indication or warning. You have to be extremely vigilant and pay careful attention to where you put your foot down next. Of course, you must also be aware of other above the ground obstructions such as a tree branch or crooked light pole or a hanging sign to avoid banging your head while looking down.

At times, it might appear that walking on the street might be safer than walking on the pavement. But be aware of vehicles that are battling for street space and will not hesitate to squeeze you off the road in their attempt to get ahead.

We did make it safely to the restaurant and back without a major incident!