All we want is an appropriate dress code for the summer, sayu00a0a group of professionals who have come together to save the planet by saying no to ties

Stop wearing a tie and save the planet. As far-fetched as that claim might sound, a group of young professionals have decided to take up the cause, and gone ahead with declaring May 3 as No Tie Day.

"People who wear ties to work tend to feel hot, and ask for the AC temperature to be lowered," says Dhiraj Shrinivasan, co-founder of the No Tie Campaign.

So, instead of keeping an air conditioner at the average temperature of 24 degrees Celsius it is set to a lower temperature, which releases more CFCs into the atmosphere.

Mihir Gandhi breaks free.

"The higher the load on the processor, the higher the electricity consumption, which means more burning of coals.

This also leads to higher carbon emissions, which causes global warming," explains Shrinivasan, an engineering graduate.

Given that the state is already experiencing a massive power shortage with a gap of around 4,000 MW between demand and supply, energy consumption is another primary concern.

Members of the group comprise mainly corporate employees who typically have to follow a strict dress code.

A large part of the campaign has been spearheaded through social networking websites including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, apart from members directly approaching companies.

"During Earth Hour, not everybody switched off their lights, but at least some people were made aware about global warming.

Dedicating one day to our cause serves the same purpose," says Mihir Gandhi, one of the campaign organisers.

While the tie might be no more than a redundant item carried over from the British era, Shrinivasan stresses that the group is not necessarily anti-tie.

"We love our smart ties," he asserts. "All we are asking for is an appropriate dress code for the summer, in keeping with the climate of our country. Jaisa desh, waisa vesh."

Been There, Done That

The Bangladesh PM has ordered ministers and government employees to stop wearing ties and jackets to save electricity.

President Obama is credited with bringing "a kind of locker room experience" to the White House, courtesy his flip-flops, tennis shoes, casual wear and unbuttoned shirts.

Tony Blair is the first British statesman to attend public functions without a tie, and at times even without a coat.

To Tie Or Not To Tie?

Even the smallest effort taken towards energy conservation must be welcomed and not ridiculed. Not all efforts need to result in a big bang as it's not just about measuring the amount of electricity, in terms of wattage, that you save. Such endeavours create a butterfly effect. Shirish Deshpande, Advocate Read Next Story Peter has a plan› Trending Stories Latest Photos Latest Videos Latest Web Stories ADVERTISEMENT Mid-Day Fast ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT