With summer fast approaching, I thought I would share some resources I have found helpful for those who will be traveling and still need to be “connected.”

For this post we’ll start with the basics—you’re connection to the internet—specifically wi-fi. While you can always pay for wireless access through your telecom of choice, there are plenty of free locations to choose from, you just need to find them. And, one great way to find them is through WiFiFreeSpot.com,  a directory of free wireless locations throughout the United Sates.

Remember, when using public wi-fi, that your connection is shared with others and is generally not encrypted, so it is not a great idea to be accessing your bank accounts and other sites with sensitive information through them. If you have the option, use a VPN, sites that have secure connections, and networks that have protected access.

Whatever your website’s purpose, it will most likey contain a form. Whether it is for lead generation, comments, or purchases, that form is in danger of becoming an obstacle.

Generally speaking, most post don’t like to fill out forms—online or off.

After reviewing my own sites, I realized that I am asking for too much information (or TMI)—information that I really don’t need up front. One bit of information that I never used and was rarely filled out was the physical address. In fact, I cut my form in half by eliminating everything that related to physical address.

In my case, I don’t send direct mail, visit clients, or even care where they are located. Most communication is done via phone, email, instant message or Skype. I haven’t met most of my clients in person. I have worked for organizations in several states and even Canada, so location isn’t an issue.

Yet, I was asking them to give me more information than necessary just to get in contact.

Now, after revising my forms, I only require their name and email, and have made their organization, phone, website URL, and comments optional. Time will tell if I get more leads or not, but I least I am now practicing what I preach.

Next on my list is to reduced my four-page Web design survey to essential information.

If you have been to Google this evening, you could’t help but notice something was different. Their site was “lights out” for Earth Hour. The concept is to turn your lights out from 8:00 p.m. on March 29th, 2008 to raise energy use awareness.

Then there are some links to other sites, like Climate Savers, Smart Computing.

I would say I have strong environmental leanings, and I certainly agree that saving energy (money) is a good thing, but I am bothered by everything being attached to the concept of global warming. I’d rather not get into the whole “is it real” debate, but there is also evidence of warming on Mars (Martian SUVs?). Warming and cooling seem to be cyclical events, rather than man-made, and influence more by happenings with the sun, than leaving my computer on.

I wish environmentalism could be separated from politics, global treaties that weaken the sovereignty of our nation, and new age Mother Earth concepts. I would be much more eager to embrace it. After all, taking care of the earth was man’s first job given to him by God.