The UN has announced an "In-house Climate Change Initiative," which will begin by raising building temperatures by five degrees at the UN's headquarters in New York. The thermostat in the Secretariat building will be turned up to 77 degrees, and air conditioning turned off during the weekends.
During the month-long "Cool UN" experiment, engineers will test energy consumption and utility costs. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has a plan to beat the heat: he's suggesting UN workers ditch their sweaty suits, and wear their national dress to work, a dress code that used to be common practice at the UN.
Critics portray the effort as a token policy, but even if it doesn't stop global warming at least diplomats will relate to their constituents in dress and in body temperature.
Bloch
Puma
Lom Bok
I think it's good... and it'd make a difference if other buildings catches on and adopt the same policy.
1Now if EVERY office did this, maybe it would make a difference (can you hear me ridiculously cold [my place of employment]?!? TURN OFF THE AC. IT IS FREEZING & WASTEFUL!)
2I don't know about that. My roommate goes in to work on the weekends and the a/c is completely turned off in the summer and on the 16th floor of a building with the sun beating down in 80+ weather, it's not exactly comfortable working conditions.
Now if it was all controlled by sensors, that would be cool so that the empty rooms weren't cooled but the rooms that were being used were cooled.
3Our office is great, lights and AC are sensor controlled (sometimes it turns off when I don't move for a while, hehe) and all the rooms have their own thermostat. I like a warm office, so mine is always on 75 - 80, I'm not cold and I'm not wasting energy.
I don't know why all offices can't do this, I'm not in a new building and it's not some multi-million dollar industry, but the money saved outweighs the money spent of keeping the old systems.
4flexible work schedules, allowing people to telecommute, and 4 day work weeks (where a building is completely shut down for a 3 day weekend) would save a TON of energy.
5It's always either way too hot or too damn cold in here. I wish we could keep our building at 77, that sounds more than comfortable.
6by the way - that picture is grossing me out.
7Sure it's a "token" change but I think that token changes can still be meaningful.
8Yeah, is that upkilt really necessary?
I'm glad the U.N. is taking this step. It may not make much of a difference on its own, but it sets a good example.
9"Critics portray the effort as a token policy"
What critics fail to realize then is that every little bit counts. Of course by it self the act has no impact but everyone's little bit put together equals one big mother of a resolution and that is what people need to get through their heads on this issue.
10The picture doesn't gross me out, but it does feel politically incorrect to look at it too carefully.
11I think it is a great idea! Sure, one office building changing won't end global warming, but it is a start and change always starts somewhere. People often use the excuse of "well, I am just one person it won't matter", when it come to voting, global warming etc. but change always starts with one.
12It may be a token, but hey I will take it!
Is that a$$ i see?
13I just looking for the rocks...
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