Automation and Software Deliver Green Benefits

As the global economy worsens, company's capable of saving their clients time and money by simplifying and automating costly and environmentally harmful processes will thrive while others fall by the wayside.

Three such companies are Green Printer, Workforce Software, and Autodesk Inc. Here's a great read on these 3 companies:

Green Printer Inc. - While most printers struggle due to rapid decline of the overall print market, this environmentally friendly player has tacked on 2,100 new clients since its inception last June. The company has also, by its own account, saved its clients approximately 76,645 pounds of greenhouse gasses and 38,116 pounds of solid waste in its relatively short existence.

In addition to using recycled paper and non-toxic ink, the company's proprietary licensed software allows the user to identify local printing venues to help reduce transportation costs.

Workforce Software, a leader in workforce management software and time and attendance systems, has experienced +200% revenue and profit growth over the past three years due to the success of its EmpCenter software suite in easing employer fears of employee telecommuting by developing automated reporting solutions that provide them with increased visibility and control over their remote employees.

Lastly, Sustainable Minds, a green product design software and information service company has recently partnered with AutoDesk Inc. to develop software solutions that forecast the future environmental impacts of their clients product design decisions and help customers develop new offerings while utilizing the "greenest" possible formulations.

In our own portfolio, I know that we've been harping on it lately, but, Nighthawk Systems Inc. (OTCBB: NIHK) offers a very compelling and timely automated solution as well. The company's remote disconnect products enable the wireless connect and disconnect of virtually any electronic device from anywhere in the world. With energy conservation on the tip of the world's tongue as of late, NIHK should benefit from the ability of its products to help save consumers time and money.

Green Ideas for your World

Many people are focused on the home front when it comes to becoming more eco-friendly, or “green.” That’s all well and good, and you can apply all of the ideas mentioned below to your home lifestyle, but the often overlooked part of life that needs to change for many is the work environment!

1. First off, you can provide recycling bins for your workers, and yourself, or introduce the idea to the big-wigs. Place them next to all the trash cans, and what people have found is that placing pictures of the recyclable materials on the bins helps promote participation. Some even “seed” the bins by placing the materials okay to recycle inside the bins so others can see what’s okay to discard and follow suit.

2. Another idea is to stop buying disposable cups and invest in some good old fashioned coffee mugs. Most employees drink coffee or tea, even just water can go into those mugs. Have each person be responsible for cleaning the mug they use or dedicate the chore to someone in the office, or even rotate it. A little effort on everyone’s part goes a long way.

3. A great deal of business owners and employees alike are now working from home as the cost of commuting surges. It’s a great way to cut costs related to travel & fuel, leasing and owning property, and maintenance. As technology advances and an increasing number of our daily work tasks can be performed just as or more efficiently online than in the office, telecommuting should be given heavy consideration; even if it's just a few days per week.

4. Use natural remedies for pest control and for cleaning. The company Seventh Generations makes a great line of eco-friendly products, the latest of which is the toilet cleaner! It’s safe for the septic-tank and non-caustic to humans.

5. Here are a few more helpful hints to make your personal or work environment eco-friendly: If there are ants in your home or office sprinkle a line of pepper, they won’t cross it. If there are ample windows and it’s sunny outside, open the curtains and let the light in and turn off the overhead lights. And on moderate days, open those windows up to save on heating and cooling.

In regards to our current portfolio companies that are in some way focused on the green movement: Legacy Systems Holding (OTCPK: LGYH) has developed and patented a new, breakthrough process that employs "Green Chemistry" to produce an environmentally safe process for photoresist stripping and cleaning of any size silicon wafer. Legacy’s technology demonstrates a significant value proposition for the $7 billion per year silicon wafer cleaning industry in many ways and has already been adopted by the likes of Tyco and Micrel. Here's a corporate profile on Legacy that we put together a short while back.

These ideas mentioned above can help create a successful green life in and out of work. What other ideas can you implement to help preserve our planet?

Green Wi-Fi Now Available for your Home Network

D-Link Canada has recently released routers capable of dramatically reducing user power consumption. The eco-friendly features D-Link Canada has created have been added to their Xtreme N™ Wi-Fi internet routers to reduce energy costs without sacrificing performance.

The new technology is D-Link® Green Ethernet™, a smart power-saving technology that automatically detects link status and network cable length then adjusts power accordingly.The routers can also be set on timers, or a schedule, to turn the radio on and off at certain times to further save energy consumption. According to the company, using the scheduler to turn the wireless on and off during the day can save over 30% of energy consumed by the router.

In a recent press release, Lou Reda, vice president of channel sales, D-Link Canada stated "This announcement is an important one for D-Link Canada, as we continue to show our commitment to providing customers with new innovative ideas while not sacrificing performance or functionality,". "By providing these new green upgrades to our most popular Wi-Fi routers, customers are able to help protect the environment while saving money in the process"

The introduction of the Green Ethernet™ technology in to the Xtreme N series routers exemplifies D-Link’s commitment to green technology and eco-activism.

The company aspires to become a leader in facilitating cost savings for consumers while also helping save the environment through a number of efforts including: manufacturing environmentally-responsible products, optimizing devices for ENERGY STAR certification, providing consumer education and recycling programs, and distributing the network technology industry brief titled "Green Computing and D-Link: The Green Movement and Specific D-Link Solutions Reduce Detrimental Impacts on the Environment.