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More employers offering 4 day work weeks.

Here is why this is a rant. The emphasis the entire time is that it is to combat the high cost of fuel. Shouldn't we be taking steps like this to reduce fuel consumption, regardless of the cost of the fuel? If this country could get to a point where we consume as much oil as we produce within our own borders (and let's throw in Canada, since they are a very close and friendly neighbor, who have more oil than they can use), many of our problems in this area could be curtailed for a long while.

How wide is that gap? Well right now, the US produces ~5.1 million bbl/day of crude oil. On average, we consume 20.1. Let's say oil sand production out west ramps up and we can easily import a few million bbls/day from Canada, for a total of 10 million bbl/day. That would mean we would need to cut domestic consumption in half. Can that be done over the next 10 years?

pop_haines wrote:Jimmy Carter from 1977:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carter/fil ... nergy.html

...and what did we do?

Not a damned thing.

And that's a shame.

I do think that there's a slight difference between then and now because of the "green movement" gaining popularity. People are starting to understand a bit more that taking care of the environment is more than just recycling. They're starting to understand that while their small steps as individuals don't seem like much, when it's spread across a nation of 250+ million people, it can be significant. Even more important, whether it's for marketing reasons or not, corporations are finally starting to buy in.

As Carter alludes to, it's just as important as a war. We're fighting the enemy within all of us to change our habits and our lifestyles. So let's fund it like a war.

I've been appointed to task force within my college (Arts and Sciences) at my university to study the feasibility of a four-day schedule. Our first meeting is in mid-June. Additionally, the university may unfold a pilot program in which several lectures of courses are streamed online, so that students come onto campus fewer times. The college wants to study the potential impact on students (most of whom are commuters) and staff who might benefit.

I don't know most of the details of this, so I can't answer any questions about it--I'm sure I'll begin to be informed in a couple of weeks.

My unit is already experimenting with some staff working four-day weeks (with longer hours each day). The rationale is to save money for everyone--staff (who would only go in four days rather than five), and the university (with fewer lights, computers, and other equipment being used).

sighyoung wrote:The rationale is to save money for everyone--staff (who would only go in four days rather than five), and the university (with fewer lights, computers, and other equipment being used).

That's my rant! The goal should be reduced consumption, not reduced costs.

But I guess if that's what sells it to the American public so that they do reduce consumption, so be it.

Popeye_Card wrote:That's my rant! The goal should be reduced consumption, not reduced costs.

But I guess if that's what sells it to the American public so that they do reduce consumption, so be it.

Isn't that pretty much the only way consumption will be reduced?

NOT doing what that doddering old peanut farmer says is always a wise move....

bring back the WIN buttons........

Radio_Bugtussle wrote:NOT doing what that doddering old peanut farmer says is always a wise move....

thanks for that bit of wisdom.