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6 June 2009 20 Comments

Are you green?

The World Environment Day was celebrated yesterday the 5th June 2009. Many companies have been showing their interest in this worldwide event while educational institutions have been organising the annual ‘Cleaning day”.

Green and clean classes

While seeing some adverts on tv, I realised that I was green too, in my own way…

This blog is hosted in a green environment. [learn more]

This blog is green!

As from today, you will be able to see a tiny banner in the sidebar and footer.

Well, I know, these may not be the ideal definition of “Being green” but there is a start for everything :-)

But one thing for sure, I love the nature and that may be a reason why I should be more green and caring for the environment.

Green...

Green initiative from MCB.

While reading newspaper today, I found a communiqué from the Mauritius Commercial Bank.

As from Tuesday 7th July 2009, every ATM receipt issued will be charged.

From what I understood :

Rs1 for any receipt issued after a transaction with the MCB, and Rs10 for some transaction with another bank, from the ATM of MCB.

The same communiqué encourages people to view their account amount on the screen itself.

Is it safe?

Some ppl found this picture funny...lol

But does all the ATM provide a secure and covered ATM machine which will enable people to check their total safely, without anyone trying to peep from the queue?

I think that despite the good initiative by the bank, they should first be providing a covered shelter/cabin for people using ATMs before starting to charge people for the receipts!

Personally, I won’t be taking the risk of people seeing my account details! I prefer to spend Rs1!

A few questions for you :

Are you green? How do you or your company contribute for a greener environment? How do you find the MCB initiative?

Belated world’s environment day to everyone!

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  • http://digitalgraphy.wordpress.com Shailen

    R10 for a transaction with another bank shows that MCB is making business.

    If it were to promote ‘green’, then every receipt should be charged Rs1, no matter what kind of transaction was performed.

  • http://themediaguru.blogspot.com carrotmadman6

    My blog is hosted in containers… the greenest data centre in the world, with 99.9% efficiency. :)
    (powered by Google)

    :D

  • http://www.yashvinawootar.com Yashvin

    @Shailen : Wow, nice saying here!

    Indeed if they were green, they would not be making any difference between their transaction and that of another bank! Its paper coming from the same trees!

  • Hash (ecologist)

    What the hell!?!?! How can u be green by charching ppl?? U had rather use recycled paper instead(not only for receipts but also for office use)! I personally keep receipts as a hardcopy of any transactions i make, a proof in brief. And if ever there is a error/fraud in my account, i’ll know where i stand. I still cant understand the green thing? if they want to be green, they can use part of their energy from solar panels, am sure it’ll help(especially CEB)!! Sorry, but i dont see it green at all! Its just a lame excuse for charging more.

  • http://www.yashvinawootar.com Yashvin

    @Hash :
    Just as the Shailen, you raised an interesting point.
    They had other alternatives, but they decided to do it business-wise strategy… that is get money out of a humble initiative!

    I think that the Financial crisis has a very bad effect on companies…
    Orange charging Rs25 per entry while they are offering free invitation on the net and by post, now MCB with its green initiative!
    I also find the WTE stupid as now they are fighting on billboards and newspapers to show that they will not be polluting more than the companies which are already contributing to the air pollution!

    We have been witnessing really strange strategies these last days!

  • Mike

    If I was green then I would be from Mars right?…
    Seriously though, I guess that the MCB are collecting those funds for the government eco-tax, or are they? Many moons ago I remember meetings and conferences about the future “paper-less office” when we thought that the E-office would no longer require paper. How wrong we were in our predictions. Having a print-out of receipts/statements is normal routine especially if you need to file for future reference and still the only legal method in many countries. Anyhow, we have noticed how most banks are now charging for even minor services. You even pay a fee for electronic transfers which is eco-friendly.

  • Bernardo

    Hi Yashvin,

    You forgot to mention that your company has started it’s very own green initiative. Cutting down on paper wastage and all.. And i’m very please to say that i’ve personally witnessed people using used paper to print non important/non-client documents..
    DCDMC has also changed it’s numerous CRT monitors and replaced them with LCD ones..

    Now about the banks.. I believe that someone checking his/her balance for more than X number of times per day SHOULD be charged a fee.. Just like Orange do for airtime checking. But i’m not too happy about getting charge for my 1st balance printout.
    Same applies for drawing money.. i believe a fee should ONLY be charged when someone has done more than X cash out per day… afterall … there’s a cost to paper which you don’t directly pay.

    Another thing.. i think it’s just normal that a bank to bank transaction cost more than a ordinary receipt.. cause of the extra paperwork that is initiated when a bank to bank transaction is done… However Rs 10 is just too much..

    My 2 cents…

    B.

  • http://www.morinnbuzz.com morinn

    This clearly is an attempt on the part MCB to fulfill its Corporate Social Responsibility; promoting the environment. As usual companies can’t stay put about it and have to advertise it (another example, Rogers when they funded PILS’ advertising campaign).
    However, in the case of MCB, I particularly love their billboards, they are poignant and well-designed; they pass the “think green” message through efficiently.

    About the paid receipts I am kind of skeptical that it will actually bring a change, although I hope it does. Most people, according to me, still need to keep receipts of their transactions to cross-check with the quarterly bank statements, unless we start taking a notebook with us and jotting down each and every transaction we make. :P

  • $pl@$h

    Most of the ATM users who do print their receipts or mini statement throw it in the bin -> its common to have bins full of receipts next to ATM.

    Being Green at Work:
    1) Print only if needed.
    2) Print on both side.
    3) Print two or more page on 1.
    4) Recycle the paper after it has been used – e.g no more needed of completion of a project [less waste + cleaner environment]
    5) Use the recycle paper [save money + trees]

    Step 1-3 use less paper
    Step 4-5 helps in the long run to reduce paper cost significantly.
    The shredded paper can be sold to a recycling company and buying recycle paper from the latter is a win-win situation.

    Hope the government and all the companies promote in this idea as it can help saving lots of money and our island ‘MID’ cause.

    Recycled paper can be used to make paper bags as well ;)

    Btw, where can we have a list of paper recycling companies in Mauritius?

  • Arvi

    Hi everybody,

    Its a excellent that companies, government and individuals take the initiative to go green, BUT its never been said at the detriment of ur CUSTOMERS…
    Why is that so….
    Better MCB use recycle paper at its ATM,now thats something more convenient….
    -you can keep a record of how much money u got in the bank….(pas conner ici maurice,ene jour ena Rs100 in ur bank and next day,all dissapear,
    - i think theres thousnad of ways to go green,but please stop this price bashing against people, we’d have enough….i have enough……
    CSR is also about integrity,honesty,care for others, your community, customers and most importantly a continuous dialogue with your stakeholders….
    And Yashvin…u doing a good job,keep up with it…
    Bye

  • mayeven

    lol about the policeman watching horses race …. In style

  • http://the-sundeep.blogspot.com Sundeep

    i never print the receipt..the transaction take more time..
    i use ATM only for retrieval..fast cash..tac tac and hop..max 2 min spent at the atm..

    i have Internet banking and i get all the details from there..

    besides..for those of u who keep the receipts as a proof..need i remind u that the prints fade over a couple of days leaving only a blank paper..i dnt think that a blank paper would mean any proof..hence whats the use of printing?

  • http://neodil.blogspot.com DIlraj

    Hi guys!

    I totally agree with Sundeep. To check for bank accounts, just use online banking since checking account is a free service online.

    And retrieve money at ATM. Don’t check your accounts at ATM!

    One another thing: CSR. CSR means financing for some community/environment project. With the Rs 1 or Rs 10 per paper issued, it’s not called CSR. It’s encouraging people to stop printing and throwing the receipt away in a fraction of a second (well, it actually takes a few seconds to check visually how much money you have and frown if the bank account is lower than expected or smile if you’ve got your salary or interest).

    Now comes Rs 1 vs. Rs 10. Well, this is a nice debate. And whatif the MCB charged for accessing your account from another bank’s ATM for processing and interconnections?

  • Rishab

    @$pl@$h:

    Some companies have already started to introduce the mauritian market with recycled paper bags to promote ecology, check what i found:

    http://www.orange.mu/annonces/viewlisting.php?view=171937

    and thats really a great idea i think!

  • Pingback: Mauritius Going Green « :: Ashesh R – Blog ::

  • Ranvir

    So are there paper recycling companies in Mauritius?

  • http://www.savonvert.com Greg

    Hello !

    Nice to read another article on green island !!

    So my opinion on MCB green initiative…
    They are so far the greener company in the island…
    Well maybe there are more involved company, but we don’t know and it’s quite hard.
    Being green doesn’t mean to do some ad with the word “green” or recycle and screaming it everywhere.
    But i have the opportunity to analyse the MCB case, and they are trying to be really green.

    Well i think that this idea of 10rs per ATM mini-statement is a good idea… and it has been submitted 5 years ago…

    We do have paper recycling companies in Muauritius, but for now they are exporting it to Singapour. The Chinese and Indian are building 2 plants for 2010, but i need to double confirm this news.

    You will find more informations on http://www.missionverte.com or http://www.savonvert.com.

    You guys can also sign a form asking the bank to stop sending you paper statements every months. You will save paper and 75 rs / year…

    Greenement votre !

  • meghA

    Hi,

    anyone has an idea where I can find paper recycling companies in Mauritius??

  • http://www.yashvinblogs.com Yashvin

    Hi @meghA.

    You should try to contact the authors of this blog : http://greenmauritius.blogspot.com/

    They might perhaps help you :-)
    Cheers

  • http://www.savonvert.com Greg

    Hello MeghA . What are you exactly looking for ? In Mauritius there are differents companies recycling paper. Most of them are collecting, and exporting and we have few of them who can recycle on the island. One factory have open last july, but due to water problem in Mauritius i dont really know if they are 100% efficient.

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