Some Ways to Cut Oil Dependency and Help Reduce Gas Prices Now

During the heat of the political debate about what government should do to help reduce dependence on oil and help to lower the impact of swiftly rising gas and heating oil prices, many measures have been suggested,  These include opening up the strategic oil reserve, allowing increased exploration and drilling offshore and in ANWAR, setting new rules against oil futures speculation, and cutting taxes on gasoline.  Experts (and common sense) say that none of these will have much benefit longer term and can widen government deficits which, in turn, causes weakening of the dollar and thus higher cost of imported oil.  Many suggested measures just keep the US in the hamster cage spinning round and round as domestic and international consumption continues to increase. The truth is that demand from the rapidly rising middle class consumers in China, India and other emerging regions will continue to increase long term demand on all forms of energy.  This makes the limited or short term measures desperately being sought merely band-aides  for a systemic wound in the economic fabric.

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USPTO DEPUTY DIRECTOR PETERLIN TESTIFIES AT HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARING ON TELEWORK
Agency Continues Record of Success as Leader in Federal Government Telework Efforts

Washington, DC - Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Margaret J.A. Peterlin testified today before the House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in a hearing entitled "Telework: Breaking New Ground." The USPTO has long been recognized as a pioneer in the area of telework for its innovative and flexible programs.

"The USPTO has demonstrated that telework is a business strategy that benefits our employees, our agency and the American economy. Our experience shows telework programs result in greater employee productivity, higher levels of sustained performance, reduced traffic congestion and air pollution, and reduced real estate costs," Deputy Under Secretary Peterlin explained. "Our motivated, high-performing employees have shown they can perform their responsibilities regardless of physical location."

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How to optimize teleworkers  

Flexible work schedules can help companies reduce costs and retain in-demand talent, but managers need to do more than set up remote access to enable telework to thrive

By Denise Dubie, Network World, 06/18/07

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The gulf in teledensity between the rich and poor nations and population groups and between urban-suburban and rural areas has grown wider despite efforts to promote inclusion.  The story is perhaps not as bad as teledensity figures show: availability of basic phone and broadband service in rural areas and under-served populations fills a more dramatic gap than having multiple choices among suppliers in urban areas.  However, the vision of creating a more level playing field for the under served has fallen far short of early expectations.  This is particularly true for broadband services which can be prohibitively costly and for which coverage remains limited in many regions.

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Society depends on technology for high standards of living.  Some think that the changes that must be adopted to deal with the frightening prospects of global warming are also frightening... and perhaps we should do little or nothing.  Some of us see the challenge as a great opportunity for transforming to a more creative, satisfying, and productive personal broadband information based society that will be instrumental to stability and progress.  We ask you to think: Is this important?  Is it worthwhile getting involved? Where do we go from here and how can we contribute?  

The Communications Industry is a Major part of the Environmental Solution:

There are two main thrusts of Green 4G: 1) The design and deployment of communications networks and subscriber devices that have a low environmental impact, particularly lower carbon generated power consumption. 2) The greater harnessing of communicationsas a replacement, progession, and enhancement to less efficient means, including means of travel and physical conveyance.

Many contributions are already being pursued but the communications industry lacks a common focus and voice that encourages the understanding of the needs and possibilities as a Green industry.The fact is that communications is the 'highway' of the increasingly information based society that becomes more leveraged, personal, and enabling as the next generation technologies and applications spring forward.

4G Multi-Service Wireless Enables Telecommuting and 'Anywhere Personal Computing':

 Why organize information, work and play around the automobile?

4G brings people, places, and information together to effectively reduce or eliminate the need for telecommuting and much routine travel.  Use it.

4G is a new enabling platform to unleash putting information into the hands of people wherever they are.  This reduces the need to commute: why commute and pollute?  And 4G provides new ways for people to spend more time working productively and for their personal lives.

The average U.S. citizen spends  600 hours per year commuting to and from work.  Many more hours are spend doing repetitive errands.  25% or more of that travel can be replaced by telecommuting, easy ride share programs, location based shopping information, and ways yet to be considered.

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