If you have not seen it, you should see the award winning documentary ” An Inconvenient Truth” which is narrated by former US president Al Gore. It is an eye opening film that shows you how we are destroying our environment, and if we don’t start acting, there will be severe repercussions. The erratic weather that spawned various storms are already a result of this.
Thus, it is refreshing to see various companies respond to this. Many companies are already introducing environment friendly alternatives. For instance, for many years now, we have stopped using Freon as a coolant since it destroys the ozone layer, and we are also using mostly unleaded gasoline. The other significant thing is the use of fluorescent instead of incandescent light bulbs. Fluorescent sticks normally consume 5 times less than ordinary bulbs in producing the same light.
Technology giant HP is also announcing the redesign of their packaging of printer cartridges to make it friendlier as well. Since HP sells hundreds of millions of ink cartridges a year, the packaging makes a significant impact. According to HP, by their using smaller and lighter packaging, as well as more recycled content, they will cut down the use of over 15 million pounds of materials including 6.8 million pounds of PVC plastic. This will in turn reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 37 million pounds. Because the average shipping container, as a result of smaller packaging, will accommodate now an average of 203 units instead of 144, it will also cut truck delivery shipments by over 1.5 million miles a year as it requires less trucks to deliver the goods. This is an equivalent of taking out 3,600 cars off the streets. By using also multipack packaging, overall package use also have been reduced by over 80 percent since 2003.
Last month, there were a series of events that were done in UP Visayas College Cebu as UP President Emerlinda Roman visited the college. According to Dr. Roman, UP college Cebu will have the bulk of the budget in upgrades, and several new buildings and initiatives are being planned as UP celebrates its centennial year next year ( University of the Philippines was founded in 1908). Among the various initiatives inaugurated, like a bookstore for Philippine writers, increased support for Cebuano artists, was also an ICT incubation center.
What is an incubation center? It is a place where you nurture new companies as they go through the difficult process. In business, normally the first two years are normally the most difficult. An incubation center makes it easier by helping the entrepreneur go through the difficult first two years by helping the entrepreneur to take care of many ’small’ things. For instance, if you are a techie, you would be surprised at the time that is not related to technology that you have to spend to start up a company. An incubation center makes it easier by providing you with the environment, with ready facilities like office, telephone and internet, with secretarial, photocopy, research, and also assistance in forming and registering the company, as well as library facilities. Being near to the university itself, it allows you also to access and work with a pool of students who can help in the research and development of new products.
This is a laudable endeavor, and we have to commend UP and its ICT chairman, Pauline Wade for initiating this. Cebu has become a prime location for ICT locators, and multinationals are setting up shop as they recognize the ICT talents of the people in Southern Phiippines, but I am sure we want to be more than just a hub for multinationals, we also want to nurture indigenous, and local entrepreneurs in the ICT industry.
Talking about nurturing entrepreneurs, I have been teaching an entrepreneurship course for the UP Master of Management Program. The class is initiating a seminar for the public called Negosyo ta Bai, and invited well known entrepreneurs like Charles Liu of Matimco, Jay Aldeguer of Island Souvenirs, Glenn Soco of Coffee Dreams, and Tom Aliguiojo of Julie’s Franchise. These well known entrepreneurs will share their stories as well as entrepreneurial opportunities in franchising this Saturday, May 10 from 1 to 5:00 p.m. at the UP Cebu AVR Room.
This seminar will enable participants to broaden and change their perspective about entrepreneurship and further cultivate the Cebuano entrepreneurial spirit. Limited seats are available for a minimal P200 fee. Interested participants may get in touch with Lorna Abella at the UPV Cebu Graduate Studies Divison at tel. number 233-5634.
Another plug. I have been writing my person website blog at www.ngkhai.net/bizdrivenlife . This is a place where I write my thoughts and observations both as a family man, an ICT enthusiast and an Entrepreneur. I was happy to note just this morning that the blog has been nominated for the Philippine Blog Awards 2007. If you want to know many of the best Philippine bloggers also nominated for the awards you can go to http://www.philippineblogawards.com.ph/entries/nominees-main-categories/
Wilson Ng keeps a log of his articles in www.ngkhai.net/bizdrivenlife