Birmingham City tries a Four-Day-Week

2,400 city employees in Birmingham, AL will be working
four-day weeks this summer. The city believes this may save employees
up to $1 million in gas expenses alone, or about five million pounds of
CO2.

The motivation of the change was cited as fuel costs for both the
city and its workers, but the move also highlights how we can reduce
emissions and save money at the same time. In addition to the fuel
savings consider the savings in keeping the office locked down: no air
conditioning, no computers, lights, or elevators, all of which add up
to more energy savings for the city. And the effect on employees is
huge:

“People are more excited about having a four-day
week than they have been in the past about receiving a cost-of-living
raise,” said Deborah Vance, Langford’s chief of staff. “It’s savings
for the city, but it’s also actual savings realized by the employees.”

No wonder other cities are following the trend.

Perhaps the most refreshing thing is that you won’t find this
analysis on any academic studies of how to reduce carbon. Perhaps its
just a bit too radical, even if Birmingham is behind the innovation
instead of Berkeley? Hey, this is American Dream! You work hard and
prosper. You don’t want anybody telling you you can only work hard four
days of the week. But when reality of high energy prices sets in its
hard to argue with the rationale of these cities:

• 20% less commuting (and carbon)
• Significantly less
  energy use (the extra hours in the morning and evening will be worked
  at cooler times, so the A/C won’t need to crank so hard).
• More people starting earlier in the day (and finishing later) reduces road congestion at peak times, improving mileage.
• Perhaps
  everybody would use their extra day to get out in the sunshine and
  exercise and reduce obesity levels, thereby reducing health care costs
  in the city (or maybe this would increase emissions?

And can there be benefits to the business too? Some personal observations:

• People do less work on Fridays anyway.
• I’d be a happier employee (and therefore more productive) if I only worked four days a week.
• You’d save money in energy bills.
• Your Carbon Balanced Business offset wouldn’t cost as much.

Is anyone currently working a four day week, or thinking about it
and care to share their experiences? Do TerraPass members think a four
day work week is a reasonable “silver bullet” solution for climate
change?

Source: TerraPass