Get Rich Slowly features a reader story today on The Costs and Savings of Bicycle Commuting. It’s a good, short read. And don’t miss the discussion in the comments section.
Three years ago I wrote a blog post here titled Greener IT through bicycling and VoIP. I believe little has changed since then, except that a greater number of people are thinking “green.” Indeed, the bicycle paths from my house to work are seeing more traffic during the morning commute, and the bikes or riders are laden with bags that seem to indicate they’re riding to work and not just for fun.
We’ve done more video conferencing over the last few years. Our meetings use online agendas and notes rather than printed handouts, allowing participants to join by video and participate just as effectively as if they were in the room.
Two weeks ago, I attended a [popular IT training company’s] course using their online delivery method. The delivery platform is Adobe Connect, and the instructional designers have done a good job of making online students feel that they are part of the classroom. Some interaction is limited by the separation, but overall it’s an effective way to take the class. Furthermore, the university saved money by not paying travel, lodging and meal expenses for me, and I avoided the slight hassle of traveling. Three out of four days, I took the class from home; one day I took it from the office. Guess which location had fewer distractions? (Hint: I have a very distraction-free home office.)