Want to really save fuel? - 4 day work weeks

[liberal N proud]

If this nation really was serious about cutting back on fuel consumption, it would move to 4 day work weeks vs. the traditional 5 day.
This would amount to a 20% savings in fuel consumption for commuters as they would travel to and from work one less day each week.
This country could move much of it's business to a 4 - 10 hour days and achieve the same amount of work as we do with the 5 day - 8 hour work weeks.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. a good idea

also retrofitting vehicles for bio diesel and investigating h2 generators to boost mileage.

[CrispyQ]

2. And not all of us would ask for Monday or Friday off.

I use to work 32 hours a week & had Wednesday's off. Never had to work more than 2 days in a row without a day off. Ahhhhh, so nice!

[Nay]

3. And have you noticed no one talks about employees working at home?

Millions of us in cubicle farms could do most of our work at home but the bosses don't like it -- to them, you have to put in the "butt in the chair" time or you aren't working. The idea that an employee might get all her work done and then take an hour to do something fun -- well, we can't have that, can we?

[silverweb]

5. I work at home.

It's not for everyone, though.

Some people need the office setting to be productive and some would really miss social interaction, but I love working at home.

No office politics, no commuting, and no business wardrobe.

I can't think of a single down side except that sometimes it's hard to get focused and motivated without the external structure.

One thing's indisputable, though -- it saves energy!

[randy5235]

4. this is a great idea

I don't think this would be too hard to push either. I suppose you could point to the fact that more folks would spend money with this extra leisure time. It could dramatically cut down on energy use / car pollution and it could also be seen as a family strengthening measure. I used to work the ol' 4 X 10 as well having weekends and Wednesday off and lemme tell you it severely cut down on the job burnout. No matter how rough a day I was having I always knew that I never had more than one more day till I had a day off. I believe my productivity was higher as well. People in this country could definitely use an extra day off that is for sure.

[doni_georgia]

6. I have been saying this for years

I am a teacher in a school system that adopted a balanced calendar a few years back. Since then, our system has been hurting financially. Of course, the unfunded mandates of the Bush administration have a lot to do with this, but I have been saying that the energy cost of running schools during Georgia's hottest months is a huge contributing factor. Several of my teacher friends and I looked into how much operating schools during August alone is costing the schools - it's astronomical. We also looked at how much could be saved by going to a 4-day a week school week (very little learning occurs on Fridays anyway, since teachers often reward kids with "fun Friday" activities) - it was astounding. Of course, we were looking at it simply from a budget perspective. But just imagine the effect on the environment by taking school buses off the road one day a week - not to mention the working commuters.

[suziedemocrat]

10. I think states should offer "virtual classroom" options.

I got this idea while substitute teaching at a Middle School in the "In School Suspension" room. The kids worked quietly on their homework and had no classroom instruction whatsoever. I also sub'ed for low-level middle school math classes where the kids printed out assignments, did the exercises after the assignment and filled in the answers on a computer sheet, fed the computer sheet into a machine which decided which assignment they should print out and work on next. If they answered enough questions correctly, they moved onto a new topic, if they missed a lot of questions, they got another sheet on the same topic. The Teacher was there solely for discipline, and to answer the rare question that might come up. What a waste! Then I found out that PBS.org has a lot of lesson plans available to home schoolers. I thought, why doesn't the state offer lessons online. Unless it would be more expensive than sending kids to a physical school, it would be good to give kids the option - imho. I think they should still let these virtual students participate in regular brick-and-mortar school activities like plays and sports. Well, looks like they are trying it out.

http://www.bsu.edu/bbc/article/0,2338,121481-9563-49823,00.html

"Ball State has long been a leader in the development and promotion of educational innovations and best practices for all public schools, traditional and charter. We are pleased to continue our work with the approval of these five schools, particularly Indiana's first virtual charter schools, which is the next innovation in public education," she said. "Not every child can or will reach his or her potential in a traditional school setting, and virtual charter schools offer parents another public education option to help their children succeed, no matter what their circumstance."

A virtual charter school is defined as a charter school which provides in excess of 50 percent, but less than 100 percent, of instruction to students through virtual distance learning, online technologies or computer based instruction. With the approval of two virtual schools, Indiana now adds to a growing list of approximately 14 other states who currently offer virtual charters. Ball State's complete guidelines and policies for virtual charter schools are available online at www.bsu.edu/teachers/media/pdf/guidelinespoliciesvirtual.pdf

[gravity]

7. And a 20% reduction of the GDP

[NickB79]

9. Why would GDP fall?

If everyone worked 4, 10-hr days instead of 5, 8-hr days, the same amount of work should get done.

[suziedemocrat]

11. The same amount of work would probably get done if everyone worked 3 - 6 hour days!

I mean - I'm not productive a lot of the time because I'm burnt out. I walk through the halls and everyone is on the web. I think if we had more time off, we might be more productive when we are actually AT work. People could work 4 days and job share a 7 day a week job - with a one day a week crossover to hand off the work. Then we could have a 7 day a week work world. No more state offices closed on our days off, etc.

[ramapo]

8. does that mean no driving on the 5th day?

No taking the car for a drive in the country, etc.

[4dsc]

14. Mean's nothing

American's would probably end up going to the Mall on the 5th day to see all the sales!!

Remember its shop, spend and waste with the American consumer..

[SCDem]

12. A town in California has that

My father and his wife work for the city and they insituted this 4 day policy about 4 or 5 years ago. I like it but I really don't believe it saves them that much gas because what do people do on the weekends - they play and that involves a car.

[44mpg by 2010]

13. 4 day work/week & an alternative

First, a number of companies have been doing this for years in the 24-7 environment.

The potential problem is the tendency to find other activities ... often travel ... on 3 day weekends.

Here is an alternative.

In the USA today there are no "domestic" vehicles that have greater than 35 mpg(US) combined average, UNLESS you consider HONDA, NISSAN, and TOYOTA "domestic" .
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byMPG.htm

In fact the Detroit 3 have NO vehicles that have a combined average over 30 mpg using the 2008 EPA rating system.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/ratings2008.shtml

On the other hand, the auto companies with significant sales in the USA (or their Euro partners) have over 48 vehicles in Europe that achieve over 44 mpg(US) combined average. A majority are diesels meeting Euro Step IV emission with CO2 emissions below 140 g/km. By comparison, the typical "domestics" typically range between 240 and 400 g/km.
Here is a list of high mpg vehicles in Europe
http://www.40mpg.org/pdfs/021407_fuel_efficient_vehicle_gap.xls
This can be verified at
http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/search

Since these vehicles with greater than 44 mpg(US) combined average already exist ... all we need is for Congress to waive for 36 months (or a quantity) ALL restrictions and TARIFFS on these vehicles.

If you believe this is the right approach. please Call YOUR candidate for President as well as elected representatives in DC. Keep in mind that President Bush could do this immediately with an Executive Order under the War Powers Act since he has declared that "Oil Imports" are a National Security Issue! Days ... not months or years!

"44+ mpg(US) by 2010"

"NOT for ALL ... not for average CAFE ... JUST MORE CHOICES for those THAT WANT better than 44 mpg ...”

"Waive ALL import restriction (for 36 months or 300,000 units of any model satisfying the criteria = including clean diesels) if that is the only way!"