See also Guide to Podcasting
"Climate change is a major threat to global public health and doctors must lead by example." From Ian Roberts, 2007, BMJ
Reducing our carbon footprint on the environment has in recent years become a mandate for all citizens of this planet. As the evidence of the warming of our climate due to human activity pours in and is damning in its nature, we must seek ways to limit travel in our business and daily lives. You can calculate your carbon footprint here (www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.html - UK and USA only).
With this in mind, the Cochrane Collaboration Web Team decided to assemble a simple guide to user-friendly technologies related to distance communication and interaction. Technologies such as VOIP (voice-over internet protocol), remote PC desktop control software and other services which allow individuals or groups to communicate and share information via the Internet could reduce the necessity of traveling for meetings.
Many of the services we suggest are offered for free and could help you eliminate some face-to-face meetings and the associated environmental impact.
Communicating online (VoIP)
Remote PC control
Posting pages online
Sharing files
Other collaborative tools
Offsetting your carbon use
Communicating online - VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)
The telephone has come a long way and teleconferencing is now cheaper than you think! With so-called VOIP (Voice-over Internet Protocol) services there are many internet-based telephone options that include features such as chat and file-sharing bundled together with communication via the internet. Of the free services below, the Web Team has been using Skype for a while now as its primary tool in this area. For the most part it's worked out for us, though sometimes the connections are spotty, and we are aware that some people and institutions advise caution due to some unresolved security issues . We haven't tried Google Talk or Windows Live Messenger so if you do, let us know how it worked out for you. We've included some pay-for options below as well which claim to offer better connection and sound quality, if you have the funds.
Free Services:
- Skype - www.skype.com
- Google Talk - www.google.com/talk
- Windows Live Messenger - get.live.com/messenger/overview
- Meebo (Instant messaging from anywhere) - wwwm.meebo.com
Pay-for Services:
- Vonage - /www.vonage.com/lp/US/startsavingnow/
- Packet - http://www.packet8.net/
- VoIP Your Life - voipyourlife.com/?salesperson=VR
Remote PC control - "seeing" each other's computer screens
Often in our work, it's helpful for us to be able to literally see and take over a user's PC in order to troubleshoot problems. It can also be used to demonstrate software or slides or documents to several remote ‘observers’. Software that allows a user to remotely access a PC is useful also for so-called tele-commuting and could cut down on travel. Below are some free and pay-for options. We use Real VNC but try one of the free options listed below like LogMeIn which won PC Magazine's Editor's Choice award in 2005.
Free Services:
Pay-for Services:
- Real VNC - www.realvnc.com/
- GoToMyPC - www.gotomypc.com/
- PCAnywhere /www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/products/overview.jsp?pcid=pf&pvid=pca121
Ever wished you could quickly put some information or links up on a webpage without creating or going through the hassle of setting up a whole website? Google Pages allows you to VERY quickly and easily build a webpage or whole site and immediately share it with your colleagues. The interface is simple to use and it's free - we really can't recommend a better service for this purpose. Of course, if you already have an ISP (Internet Service Provider) and have software such as Dreamweaver running and have created pages before, best to just use your existing infrastructure. If not, Google Pages is the quickest way to get pages online.
Free Services:
- Google Pages - pages.google.com
Pay-for Services:
- Too many to name - most major ISPs now offer website builders for their customers.
The ability to share large files is essential to good online communication and interaction. Often, email isn't sufficient when one needs to send a large files such as images, videos or other bulky data. Below is a list of free services that facilitate the exchange of files on the internet. This allows you to share your larger files ahead of a teleconference or Skype chat for instance.
Free Services:
- Send This File - www5.sendthisfile.com
- You Send It - www.yousendit.com/
Pay-for Services:
- All of the above offer pay-for options with no ads, larger file sizes and storage services.
Online collaboration tools allow users to work collaboratively on documents, share ideas and online "office space" in order to complete projects. There are several free products listed below followed by a few complete solutions for a fee.
Free Services:
- SlideShare (share your Powerpoint slides) - www.slideshare.net
- Del.icio.us (social bookmarking) - http://del.icio.us
- DiscusWare (freeware discussion board software) - www.discusware.com
- Doodle (free and simple meeting scheduling site) - doodle.ch
Pay-for Services:
- Web Office (complete solution) - www.weboffice.com
- BaseCamp (complete solution) - www.basecamphq.com
If you must travel in order to meet in person, consider offsetting your carbon emissions. The following services allow you to calculate the amount of carbon you will emit for a specific journey and then they convert that into a monetary amount. You pay them the fee and they invest in alternative energy to offset your carbon emissions.
- Terrapass (offset your travel emissions) - www.terrapass.com
- Carbon Footprint (offsetting options as well as carbon footprint calculator) - www.carbonfootprint.com/carbon_offset.html
- World Land Trust - (more offsetting information) - www.carbonbalanced.org
Please send feedback about this guide to web@cochrane.org. We want to keep developing this material!
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