Reducing My Carbon Footprint

Yesterday Microsoft opened 150 “touch down” work spaces for temporary use by Microsoft employees as part of a broad company strategy to help Seattle-based employees deal with the ever-worsening commute.

Today, I took it for a test drive. I took the Seattle Metro bus to work instead of driving my SUV (Microsoft provides me a pass that sticks on my employee smartcard). I was the first to use the online reservation system for a cubicle, which was kind of fun.

The building is modern and airy, with a nice view of the Needle and the EMP to the west.

They have rooms to take speakerphone conf calls that don't disturb everyone nearby, and rooms to help me focus.

Even the toilets are new, and come with instructions (to help you save water). The green coating on the handle is to "reduce germs."

Press up for skinny flush (one drop) and down for full flush (3 drops). Back in the California drought days, the low-tech fix for saving water was to accumulate three number 1 ("fluid") deposits before flushing - same effect.