MJ's Business IT Blog

Helping to Promote Sustainability

We are fortunate to be located in the beautiful Seacoast region of New Hampshire.  Nearby, slightly inland in the Town of Durham, we are also fortunte to have the University of New Hampshire, one of the nations premiere public universities.  Regular readers of this blog may remember that I am an alumnus of the University and an avid fan of the Men's Hockey program.  You also know that Jenaly has taken some specific undertakings this past year to promote Green IT and we have launched a Green IT section of our web site and a month Green IT tip in our Jenaly FYI.T. newsletter.  So, I am very pleased to announce that Jenaly is supporting UNH's sustainability efforts and participating in the first GO GREEN with the Wildcats, taking place during the opening home football game on September 5th.  Jenaly will have an educational booth offering infomation about Green IT and how businesses can be more sustainable in their use of IT.  If you will be in the area of Durham of Saturday, September 5th and want to see a great football game and learn more about sustainable practices, I hope you will come to the event.

Following is a copy of the press release put out today by UNH Athletics:

Aug 17, 2009
GO GREEN with the Wildcats: Join UNH Football to learn ways to protect the environment 

DURHAM, N.H. – Recognizing the rising interest among students to support environmentally responsible choices and the university’s commitment to sustainability, University of New Hampshire (UNH) Athletics is partnering with UNH’s sustainability office to focus on eco-friendly products and choices at the first football game of the season on September 5, 2009.

“The 'Go GREEN with the Wildcats'” event will set recycling and sustainability more broadly as the standards that will carry on throughout the year at all athletic events,” says Marty Scarano, director of UNH Athletics. “We are excited to give UNH fans ways to lessen their environmental footprints.”

Wildcat Corporate Partners will have tables around the stadium displaying their "green"
products and services. Volunteers will be on hand to remind fans to recycle. Some of the featured vendors will include: the Green Alliance, Ultra Geothermal, SEA Solar Store, the Jenaly Technology Group, ReVision Energy, The Fiddlehead Loop, Simply Green, The Green Tee, UNH Energy Club, and the Southeast Habitat for Humanity Re-Store. To learn more, click here.

UNH is a leader in integrating sustainability throughout its curricula, operations, research, and engagement efforts. Committed to being a model sustainable learning community, UNH has earned several awards for its sustainability initiatives, which range from having the largest transit system in the state and being the first in the nation to receive an EPA Energy Star building rating for residence halls to innovative research and engagement through efforts like Carbon Solutions New England and the NH Farm to School program. Discover the sustainable learning community at UNH at www.sustainablelunh.unh.edu and www.discoversustainability.org.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea and space-grant university, UNH is the state’s flagship public institution, enrolling 11,800 undergraduate and 2,400 graduate students.

GO GREEN FACTS:  Did you know…….?

1. UNH has committed to reducing its carbon emissions to 50% by 2020 and 80% by 2050 under its Climate Action Plan, WildCAP.

2. UNH's ECOline project will meet up to 85 percent of campus energy use with landfill gas. Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) will be sold to help finance the project and to invest in additional energy efficiency projects on campus.

3. UNH Dining services purchases produce from an on-campus organic garden as well as food from 88 local farms and producers.

4. UNH Dining offers beverage discounts for bringing reusable mugs.

5. UNH Dining composts 90% of pre- and post- consumer food waste in the dining halls. The composting program collects over 92 tons of compostable material annually.

6. UNH mandates that new construction and renovations meet LEED Silver or equivalent standards and use low-flow toilets, urinals, faucets, and showers.

7. UNH is installing a rainwater reclamation system at James Hall as part of its renovation; James is registered to pursue LEED certification.

8. The UNH campus features eleven Energy Star-labeled buildings. Congreve was the first Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR rating for residence halls in the nation.

9. The UNH Ecological Advocates is a student group that raise awareness about living sustainably at UNH. Students can also participate in a variety of organizations, including the Energy Club, the Organic Garden Club, and the Student Environmental Action Council.

10. A Living Green community will house 25 students during the 2009-2010 academic year.

11. The Sustainability Internship Program engages students in internships on and off campus.

12. UNH strives to run all of its diesel fleet on B20 low sulfur diesel and is expanding its compressed natural gas, hybrid, all-electric, and other clean technology vehicles as part of its Clean Fleet program.

13. The Cat Cycles bike program allows any member of the university to sign out a bike and accessories for up to one week at a time.

14. The university has an extensive public transportation system with numerous routes both on campus and off and with links to regional bus and train services.

15. UNH uses GoLoco ridesharing and will offer ZipCar in the 2009-2010 academic year.

Personal Health Technology

I've been casually keeping abreast of the wealth of technologies that are coming to the market to help us live more healthier lives.  Along with the overall cultural awareness for sustainability practices in our lives, improving our health fits right in.

Nike + is an intriguing technology that Nike has developed that is somewhat akin to a pedometer on steroids, if you will.  It comprises a small sensor that fits into a holder that is inside nearly all of Nike's fitness shoes, that transmits to your iPod or a sport band that Nike has developed, to track your distance, calories burned and other details about your exercise.  The information is synchronized to a web site where you can track, set goal and even get coaching on your progress.

Weight Watchers, the weight loss guru's, have their eTools, that let dieters track their activity, food consumption, weight and more.  Here too, users can set goals, receive coaching and track their progress, practically in real time.

These are just two ways that technology is helping us live healthier lives.  There are tons more.  SparkPeople is a health and fitness website, devoted to helping you live a better life and there are many more just like it.  Check out the tools available and if you are looking for a personal trainer or coach, some of these technologies may be a great complement to help you achieve healthier living. 

To your health!

UNH Hockey Lives STRONG!!!!!

Another non-technology post, so I apologize, but yesterday afternoon two of my kids and I, along with thousands of others witnessed what may very well go down as the greatest men's hockey game in University of New Hampshire history.  I've been a UNH hockey fan since my days in Durham from 1982-1986.  Over that span, I've seen my share of great hockey games, but yesterday takes the cake.

UNH was the underdog number three seed in the matchup against the number two seed, the Fighting Sioux of the University of North Dakota.  UNH struck first, which everyone knew would be a huge boost to the team and the game that ensued was a hard fought one on both sides.  Some of today's media reports characterize UNH's win as a come from behind effort, but personally, I didn't see it that way.  It was a back and forth game with great play from both teams.  With 5.7 seconds left in the 3rd with UNH trailing 5-4, the faceoff was ruled into the North Dakota zone after a lengthy official review.  UNH Goalie Brian Foster was drifting far in front of the defensive circles, itching to get to the bench and give UNH the extra skater if it controlled the face off.  I took note of Coach Lassonde trying to motion Foster back further into the defensive zone and Foster straining forward against his Coach.  The crowd at Manchester, NH's Verizon Wireless Arena was loudly behind their home town Wildcats and the intensity of the moment was something you just had to experience.  UNH got control of the puck, Foster hit the bench and with 0.1, yes you are not misreading that, one tenth of a second on the game clock, UNH tied the game and forced overtime.  Just look at the picture I snapped of the scoreboard just before they posted UNH's tieing goal , it tells the whole story.  The place erupted like I've never seen or heard in all the games that UNH has played there over the years and I was so glad for the team and the fans.  It was poetic.  Just 45 seconds into overtime, Peter LeBlanc scored the game winner and sends UNH to the Northeast Regional Final this evening at 5:30 PM.  All NH is a buzz about the win.  My phone started buzzing the moment the tieing goal was scored, including a friend from OH who was hoping for an Ohio State upset for a UNH/Ohio State matchup, but that was not meant to be.  Instead, we face #1 overall seed BU.  Who knows what will happen.  What I do know is that I am grateful to live in a state that loves it's college hockey.  I grew up on the pros, watching the Boston Bruins in their hey day.  And while the Bruin's are turning Boston into a hockey town again, once I got the UNH Wildcat fever in me, I haven't looked back.  There is nothing like Division 1 college hockey.  We are very lucky to have a great University that supports a great hockey program, both men's and women's.  We are fortunate to have such excellent coaches and such great players.  They work hard and year after year put a top Division 1 team on the sheet.  UNH has one of the premiere college hockey programs in the nation and last night underscores that fact.  Check out this awesome post from the UNH Hockey Blogger and check out this fantastic video clip from last evening.  I can't say it any better.

What A Great Day!

OK, this has absolutely nothing to do with technology, but it's well worth a blog post...

June 17, 2008 is a great day.  My daughter's softball team, Darleen's Subs and Pizza won their second Portsmouth Girls Softball Association Championship after a tough two game series and the Boston Celtics won their 17th World Championship.  It just doesn't get much better than this.

My daughter, four of her teammates and two of their coaches age out this year, so they are going out on top.  The Celtics have ended their 22 year drought with a commanding performance.  Just awesome!  Congratulations to all on both teams and all your fans.  WAAAAAHOOOOO!!!!!

       

Is March Madness Affecting Your Network?

I had an interesting question asked of me today.  A reporter was wondering if any of clients were experiencing slowdowns in their networks as a result of their employees surfing for March Madness information online.  I've never been asked that one before...

It's actually an interesting question, though I doubt it impacts a corporate network that heavily.  Certainly employees spend a fair amount of time online not related to business.  The question was whether these activities negatively impact the efficiency of the corporate network during these times.  It may depend on how many people are actually using the Internet to track March Madness.  However, all things considered, I doubt very much that it will have a noticeable effect on the corporate network.

More than March Madness specifically, the question raised is really about how much impact personal use of the Internet at work effects the business.  This is what has led to a new class of network device that helps manage the use of the Internet on the network.  Unlike a traditional firewall that may allow or deny certain types of traffic or certain sites, these devices actually shape and measure the traffic.  You can assign priorities to classes of network access, allowing traffic to say fedex.com to have priority over a site like amazon.com, just as an example.

If you think personal use of the Internet is effecting your company network, please let me know.  I'm interesting to know your experience.

Streaming Technologies are Great

Streaming technologies are great enablers.  If you listen to the radio or watch video online, you have used streaming technology.  As I'm typing this, I'm listening to a wild college hockey game between my Alma Mater the University of New Hampshire vs. Providence College.  The game is being played in Providence, Rhode Island and I'm listening to the game on Yahoo Sports.  It makes for a very convenient way to keep up on things that interest you when you aren't able to be there live.  SlingBox does this for TV and works on a computer or mobile device.  During last years hockey season, I watched my cousin score the first goal of his college career on my Treo during the Hockey East Tournament when I was stranded in Chicago by weather and couldn't make it home in time for the game.  If you're a fan of NPR, they offer streams of their radio broadcasts as well, as do many other traditional and new media outlets.

SlingBox

If you haven't seen the SlingBox from SlingMedia, you should.  It's a wonderfully simple device that lets you watch TV anywhere you have a computer or mobile device connected to the Internet.  That's right, it lets you watch TV on a computer or mobile device that's connected to the Internet.  Pretty cool.  The Sling Box connects to your network and cable TV via two connections, the COAX cable from your cable TV and an ethernet cable to your home network or router.  Once that's done, you install the SlingPlayer software on a computer, PDA or other supported device and then you can watch TV on those devices.  When you travel, it's great.  Last year I got stuck in Chicago during a snow storm and was able to watch my second cousin score the first goal of his college hockey career for my alma mater, the University of New Hampshire Wildcats during the Hockey East tournament at the TD BankNorth Garden in Boston.  Just last weekend, I watched the Red Sox play game 3 of the World Series while at the UNH hockey game.  It doesn't get much better than that.

A Break From Technology...Sort of

I was starting to blog that this post has nothing to do with technology and then I realized that's not quite true. It's a sunny fall Saturday morning and I'm at the ball field with my son for "Fall Ball". That's him at the rear of the pitchers mound. I was simply thinking that it's nice to do these things and how much fun the kids are having. So, I thought why not post a blog post about how nice it is to take a break from all the technology I work with everyday. So I started playing with my Typepad Mobile software on my Windows Mobile Treo. I was fiddling with using the camera, to be able to post a picture with the text and then it hit me...so much for a break. I'm busily playing away with my tech gadgets, in between watching my son in action. Oh well.