Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the energy-saving OpenSure Free Press. There’s something of a local theme today – apologies to our more far-flung readers.
Virtual Machines
This sounds very space age, but is simply a way of dividing up a computer’s hard drive into several sections, each of which can be configured as a separate, ie ‘virtual’ machine. It has a number of virtues, not least saving money and power because one machine can be made to behave as if it were several, reducing your company’s need to buy and power extra hardware. This IT Donut article explains in more detail.
GreenLight is Go! this Thursday
GreenLight launches this Thursday evening, August 11th, 8pm at The Old Market Inn, Newmarket St, Hereford. We’re expecting people from lots of local companies and green/sustainability groups, so please do come along and join us. We’re keen to see people who really don’t know where to start with making their business more environmentally-friendly and sustainable just as much as we’re looking forward to meeting old hands. We’ve been chatting to New Leaf, Herefordshire Greenlinks, Caplor, Life Space Design and many other local groups and companies to make GreenLight just the free resource you need. Please come along and tell us if we’ve got the right idea! You can find us on Twitter @GreenLightLocal and via our website.
Herefordshire Business Booster Scheme
We thought our local readers should know about this – we quote from the official email:
The Business Booster Grant is a capital grant scheme: it can be used to support the growth or diversification of existing micro, small and medium sized businesses through a range of initiatives including the purchase of capital equipment, the modernisation of facilities or the ability to create or enhance a website. Successful applications will be offered a grant of between £250 and £4,000, which will have to be match-funded by the applicant paying up to 50 per cent.The scheme will be delivered in two tranches, with the first deadline for applications of September 23 at 4pm. Download application forms here.
Software Freedom Day and HLUG
HLUG is taking part in Software Freedom Day with an event at All Saints Church, Hereford, on Saturday 17th September, 10am-4pm – you may have seen the piece on p42 of The Hereford Times this week. We’ll be there to offer advice, support and encouragement. There will be all sorts of software freebies available, and we have a special guest lined up to speak on the subject of open source in education, which is the subject of HLUG’s outreach program due to start this autumn with several trailblazing schools.
The Green Bit
Special offer
We have recently taken out a listing with the green directory GreenFinder. As part of the deal we’ve struck, GreenFinder is offering any of our green clients 10% off a listing. Please get in touch with us for more details.
- Cloud computing will save carbon
- Football gets a green makeover
- Kingspan Insulation wins award for its waste management
- One simple way to reduce your energy bill
Other bits and pieces that have caught our eye recently include:
- Catalytic clothes
- Summer Holiday Project no 1 – tagging artworks
- Summer Holiday Project no 2 – Muuum, we’ve run out of radium!
- The “driverless” bubble car set to be built in Britain
And finally, our favourite energy-saving tip so far, from Gareth Kane, whom we worship (@GarethKane):
“Fav idea from energy workshops: eat cake, get fat, then you can turn down thermostat.”
Perfect advice for a chilly August. Until next time, keep warm and hope to see you in the pub on Thursday night.
(image credit: hotkey.net)