April 2011: Due to my parent’s decision to sell everything we had in Delhi and move to South India, I had to re-evaluate where I should stay. A true nonconformist that I am, I had no intention of buying a house of my own and payback loan to the banks for few years. Alternative idea of paying rent to a landlord seemed rather wasteful. I am saving money to catch the Aurora Borealis (Northern lights) live.
Trust me when I say, siblings are very useful in scenarios like the one was in. I spoke to my elder brother in Bangalore and said “Bro, I am going to look to move to Bangalore with my current job, but if it doesn't work out, I will put in my papers and stay with you in Bangalore”. He replied “Sure”. Then I started the conversation in my company to move me to Bangalore. Details of the conversation with my employer are unfit for public consumption…so, let’s leave it at that.
October 2011: I moved to the Bangalore office. In fact, I didn’t quite move to the office, I started working from home in Bangalore. It was an unintended/indirect gift from my employer in turning me into a first green employee of theirs in India. I definitely know, no one in my company really cares about how much they have given back to the environment by letting me work from home…but for the sake of this blog, let me write it anyway:
1. I don’t shave and shower everyday: Saving at least 150 ℓ of water every week. Project it over 52 weeks; my company has given back 7,800 ℓ to the environment through me. Please don’t say “Ewwww, yuck Vinayakan”….I am a hygienic guy. The weather is nice in Bangalore through the year and one can go without taking shower every day
2. I don’t drive to work: Saving at least 12 ℓ petrol every week. Project it over 52 weeks; my company has ensured 624 ℓ of petrol is not consumed through me. And one less car on the road
3. I don't need to wash & iron my clothes: Working from home, I am wearing shorts and a T-shirt, so there are no special office clothes to be washed or suits to be dry cleaned. Saves water and stops detergents from polluting the water bodies. No ironing required...which again leads to reduction in my electricity consumption
As 'getting ready' and 'commute to office' time is saved on an everyday basis, I have more time to work on my fitness and write this blog. Through this medium, I wish to spread the "Sustainability" message to the world. I dream, some other organization somewhere in the world will read this and let the employees go green with its direct/indirect action.
And by the way...other than my friends - whom I coerce into reading my blog, no one else reads my blog. But I just can't stop dreaming.
