Optimising your productivity

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Sustainability is not just about the environment but about people too - being productive while enjoying life and having time for yourself is importnat but seemingly increasingly harder in this day and age.

This link goes to a blog on habits of highly productive people.  Its makes for great reading and is timely as the academic year moves into a higher gear.  The habits covered in the blog are: 

1.  Meditate
2.  Optimize your morning ritual
3.  Visualize your ideal day
4.  Rest before you’re tired
5.  Get active during your breaks
6.  Work with intention
7.  Unplug
8.  Optimize your work set-up
9.  Learn to speed read
10. Be grateful
11. Practice optimal breathing
12. Ask for help

This set of ideas is of significant benefit to everyone trying to be productive - whether its study, in a paid work place, a stay at home parent, or life in general.  These tips will help help you optimize your day and improve outcomes and quality of life.

From my perspective the 'unplug' advice just on its own has made a huge difference.  I no longer take my laptop or iPad to bed.  They are now designated as office equipment only.  

Its about working smarter not harder - you pass this way but once so make sure  you make it a good one!

The link again is: http://www.marcandangel.com/2012/11/05/12-unconventional-habits-of-highly-productive-people/

Have a great week!

Change of drink vending machines

As our readers who are associated with Otago Polytechnic are aware, the polytechnic has made a committment to sustainability.  It is a slow process but over time changes are being made to the gardens and grounds around the living campus concept, buildings are being checked for energy efificency and being improved upon, and so on. 

A recent announcement is that there will be a change of vending machines from Coca-Cola to Frucor. As well as energy drinks, Frucor have brands for bottled water, fruit juices, the Pepsi range and the likes of 'Up and Go'. As part of the contract change, the polytechnic has specified that the vending machines contain NO energy drinks and they must offer healthier drink options. 

If you visit the Frucor website you will find information on what they term 'social responsibility'.  Their philosophy includes "community,environment and health," according to the website. You can read more about their social responsibility philosophy by clicking here. It is great they have this commitment, it is up to you to assess it. 

Firstly, I would like to commend the polytechnic on making changes - small steps towards something better.  I imagine the battle of the big corporates is a hard battle to fight and I am aware that the change from Coca-Cola to Frucor must have been a long running challenge. 

Secondly, I would like to comment that taking it further would be a fantastic step but a larger voice is required.  For students, as members of the student body, it is your campus, whether you are on campus or based remotely.  What commitments need to be made for us to be the leaders in terms of sustainability?  Consider what you would want/expect about sustainable leadership and lobby with your student voice through OPSA.  Vote with your money - will you spend it on bottled drinks or fill up your reusable water bottle? 

Perhaps we could lobby Frucor to supply vending machines that provide drinks in bulk refill packaging so that you can refill your reusable drinking vessels and reduce packaging waste.  Perhaps we could say 'no' to vending machines all together?  It really is up to the collective voice.  One person doing their best to try and negotiate changes is slow and requires huge efforts.  A loud collective voice will really start to be heard. 

I wanted to leave you with a parting diagram titled: The illusion of choice..................

Enough said

Have a great week

An alternative to coal?

I came across this product in a new magazine called "Green Ideas".  Carbon Scape, a company based in Blenheim, has developed an activated carbon product that is not only cheaper, but it has the potential to replace coal and cut steel mill emissions by 31%.  This new product is generated from sawdust - wood waste from the milling industry.  The company has won some international awards for sustainable technology in the development of this product.

A diagram of the process that produces Carbon Scape's products

See their website for more information: http://carbonscape.com/about/overview/

There is masses of information on this website about activated carbon and about other products as well.  It looks as though activated carbon can be used to soak up CO2 emissions too and clean water, another product biochar can be used to reduce leaching from soil and to improve soil quality.  This is a website well worth taking some time to read and digest. 

Don't forget to post your comments and thoughts.