Work less, save energy

Found via Alas, A Blog.

The Center for Economic Policy and Research has put forth a paper Are Shorter Work Hours Good for the Environment? (pdf) that states that if the workers here in the US worked fewer hours, comparable to the hours of workers in most of Europe, we could save energy and decrease global warming. They conversely conclude that it countries in Europe that currently work fewer hours than the average worker in the US, that increase could lead to an increase in more energy use and an increase in global warming.

Along with hitting on the points that simply being at work compared to being at home uses more energy, they also point out the fact that many people who work longer hours tend to use time saving, but not energy saving, methods which correlate to more energy usage as well. For example, if someone works long hours they are less likely to line dry their clothes than if they had more free time to do so. Instead using a clothes dryer. Also, if someone does not have the time to paint their own house because they are busy with work, they are more likely to pay someone else to do it. And that worker will have to find transportation to and from the house in order to paint it while the original person is also going to and from work.

It is by no means an exhaustive study. But it is very intuitive and worth the read.