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News for Seattle, Washington
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So now Mike, a sheet metal contractor, has enlisted in a growing movement to change the way America does business. Whenever possible he and his men work four-day weeks – 10 hour shifts – as a way to cut costs, reduce pollution and congestion.
“It would be astronomical what states, the federal government and the nation and the world could save on energy consumption, pollution traffic congestion and everything else,” he said. The idea isn’t new one. The oil crisis of the 1970s prompted some employers to switch to a four-day work week, but the idea never took hold nationally. These days, though, energy and congestion issues may give the concept more traction. Several petition drives for a shortened work week are now circulating on the Internet.
A handful of cities in Nevada, California and Arizona are experimenting with the idea. Working four days instead of five would mean 20 percent fewer trips to and from work, reducing oil consumption by an estimated 40 percent. That’s about 65 million fewer gallons of gas used per day, not to mention more time with family, and for Mike Cummings, a bit more hope for the future.
Seems like a relatively easy solution. I switched to a 4 day work week about a year ago, between the fuel savings and the improvement in my attitude overall, its been nothing but positive. I highly recommend it.
#31–Brian==if the employee work group votes for the 4/10, overtime does not need to be paid. Forget if that is true of 3/12.
Saving of gas is quite minimal as other people drive in for the other days, but yes, slight savings are achieved==unless the off time is used for nascar practice?
Like all difficult to solve problems, the issue is multi-factorial with interacting issues.
Along with coal and ethanol, this all highlights for me the need to alternative energy sources to be carbon free/greatly reduced.
I’ve been working a 10hr/4 day work week for the past year and I love it. It has been saving me approximately $40 a month in gas alone from my previous 8hr/5 day work week. I also find myself eating out less and spending more time doing various projects and hobbies that I never had the time or energy for before. It’s going to be tough going back to a 5 day work week.
Don’t see any replies from those of us in competition with offshore software people making half or less as much. Which is not to say we are making a lot. Get another job? Funny. Ah, none of my cohort is typing here because we’re spared access to blogs &c. at work.
… I suppose I should add that one of these efficiencies, is to save workers two wasted hours a day on the road.
(most of you probably got that.)
what aboot all the people that want something for nothing?
To all those people who are so sure we are at our limets on oil all I can say is you do not live by a oil field. I live in one of the largest oil areas and I can tell you at least 30% of the rigs are turned off. Not because of no oil but because the owners do not need the income and know the oil will be worth more later.
>>#27 those are good links.
No they’re not. They’re just more links to sites describing the myth of extracting oil from sand and shale. Ethanol is a losing proposition (takes more energy to produce than it provides); extracting oil from sand and shale is a disaster, and abortion. Sure, if oil goes up to $300/barrel, it might be economically feasible to develop the technology (currently vaporware), but BFD. We’re still despoiling the planet, and just putting off the inevitable. Once everybody in India and China starts driving, how long do you think even the sand and shale oil reserves will last?