4 ms·

My comment from a thread last week We saw how much less pollution there was during the pandemic https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/03/04/8110190 h

My comment from a thread last week We saw how much less pollution there was during the pandemic https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/03/04/8110190 https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/03/04/8110190... I worked from home but a few times I needed to go to my parents house during what used to be rush hour. Less than 5% of normal traffic and fuel demand dropped so much that prices were lower. My job went hybrid in 2022 and then return to office full time last year. Everyone hates it. It's a waste of time and resources. Less pollution, less traffic means we don't need to use tax revenue to expand roads and less wear and tear means less repairs. Take it one step further and give tax breaks to businesses that let employees work from home and close physical offices. Then this means less new office construction which can be used for housing to help the housing crisis. It's a win win for everyone except control freak managers.

ryandrake 7mo ago
> Take it one step further and give tax breaks to businesses that let employees work from home and close physical offices. At this point I'd rather use the stick than the carrot. Make employers 100% shoulder their employees' commute costs. Don't like it? Allow WFH or pay them enough to afford to live close to the office.
- doom2 7mo ago
  In some recent recruiter calls for hybrid positions in New York, I asked if the employer would pay for roundtrip Amtrak tickets 3x/week from where I live (a ~1.5 hour train ride). Of course the answer was no and I knew that already, but if the company policy is that all employees must live within 50 miles of the office, surely they know that a 50 mile commute by car could be as long or longer than an 85 mile train ride.
  - SenHeng 7mo ago
    That's so weird. Employers have always paid for employees' commuting expenses here in Japan [0]. It's not even mandated by law and there's a legal limit of 150k yen / month, roughly $1000 though most companies limit it to 25k (~$200). Still it's enough that commuting by bullet train is a thing [1]. Even part timers get reimbursed. [0]: https://japan-dev.com/blog/employee-benefits-in-japan https://japan-dev.com/blog/employee-benefits-in-japan [1]: https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/y1nurn/places_outside_of_tokyo_where_i_can_commute_to/ https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/y1nurn/places_outsid...
swed420 7mo ago
Also: * Less time wasted in commute/traffic, which adds up to a significant portion of your lifetime * Lower vehicle expenses (car-centric people often forget just how much the total cost of ownership for vehicles really is)
pllbnk 7mo ago
In Europe post-pandemic rush back to the offices revealed more than anything that the Green Deal has actually been just the greenwashing. Bureaucrats just sat there not even once mentioning that WFH was actually a great opportunity to fight climate change, clean the air and revive small towns.

ryandrake 7mo ago

> Take it one step further and give tax breaks to businesses that let employees work from home and close physical offices. At this point I'd rather use the stick than the carrot. Make employers 100% shoulder their employees' commute costs. Don't like it? Allow WFH or pay them enough to afford to live close to the office.

doom2 7mo ago
In some recent recruiter calls for hybrid positions in New York, I asked if the employer would pay for roundtrip Amtrak tickets 3x/week from where I live (a ~1.5 hour train ride). Of course the answer was no and I knew that already, but if the company policy is that all employees must live within 50 miles of the office, surely they know that a 50 mile commute by car could be as long or longer than an 85 mile train ride.
- SenHeng 7mo ago
  That's so weird. Employers have always paid for employees' commuting expenses here in Japan [0]. It's not even mandated by law and there's a legal limit of 150k yen / month, roughly $1000 though most companies limit it to 25k (~$200). Still it's enough that commuting by bullet train is a thing [1]. Even part timers get reimbursed. [0]: https://japan-dev.com/blog/employee-benefits-in-japan https://japan-dev.com/blog/employee-benefits-in-japan [1]: https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/y1nurn/places_outside_of_tokyo_where_i_can_commute_to/ https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/comments/y1nurn/places_outsid...

swed420 7mo ago

Also: * Less time wasted in commute/traffic, which adds up to a significant portion of your lifetime * Lower vehicle expenses (car-centric people often forget just how much the total cost of ownership for vehicles really is)

pllbnk 7mo ago

In Europe post-pandemic rush back to the offices revealed more than anything that the Green Deal has actually been just the greenwashing. Bureaucrats just sat there not even once mentioning that WFH was actually a great opportunity to fight climate change, clean the air and revive small towns.