Having been involved in green things for about 30 years it seemed appropriate to make a contribution
to the Training business in some way. This consumes energy, just like any other business, involving
travel, the use of facilities and consumables. In the case of the latter this is mainly paper.
Think about the energy content of a sheet of A4 copy paper. The trees were cut down by mechanical
means, transported to a paper mill where a large energy input is used to reduce the tree to pulp. Then
paper production including heating and drying. It then has to be transported - somewhere and it’s heavy.
Then run it through a photocopier and more energy input. So a single sheet of paper includes a high
energy content. Yes, it can be recycled, but if there is aother way why take the journey in the first place!
The paper content in a typical course can include:
Trainer’s Manual
Exercise briefs and details
Handouts
Certificates
Copies of slide presentations
Flip charts
Unwittingly we took a minor step on the journey to greener training delivery by producing an electronic
replacement for our previous paper based “tick sheets” when observing group behaviours.
However, the first real move down this road was to produce a virtual flip chart to work off a laptop. This
enables people to electronically record group work reducing the need to carry sheets of paper
back to their offices to decipher the writing and then type up the result.
A much bigger challenge came with the need to redevelop ready made paper based courses to work
electronically.
How to make these paperless?
Well, we think we have achieved this now. The “Trainer’s Manual” is actually a prompt screen which
also controls the display of slides, using the dual monitor option available, so that only these are shown
on the data projector. Included in the slides are the exercise details and a version of the virtual flip chart
has been added in as well. - so no paper!
Being in the real world too, we did allow for two pieces of paper to be printed - the Course Certificate
and a handout. We evolved a rule here - a one page handout only. So many handouts get buried in
filing cabinets never to be seen again.
And More?
This is only a beginning. Green Training has still along way to go and there are many opportunities
out there which have yet to be explored. In developing our ideas, we use web based communication
to produce material, so few meetings are involved, thus reducing travel significantly.
About us.
We have been involved in some way with the
green movement for about 30 years. Yes, there
was an energy crisis in the 1970s so we did
what seemed to be right at the time For example,
changing from oil to wood burning and building
our own box stove with the help of the local
foundary, making a set of solar panels and not
buying new cars!
We still burn wood and will be renovating a
wind generator to light the new office quite
soon. Even our associates burn wood too.
Now where did I leave the saw?
Jeremy Woods - Anglia Training Associates
Where are you going?
Support Earth Hour
Ovington in Norfolk, the home base of Anglia Training
Associates, has supported Earth Hour two years
runninng, being the first community in the UK to get
involved with this event. Earth Hour aims to create
enviromental awareness by asking people to switch off all
power for one hour.
The next event is:
EARTH HOUR 2009 –
SATURDAY 28 MARCH 2009 8:30 PM
See you there!