The group argues that a shorter workweek based on the European model could help slow global warming. On the other hand, if the world’s workers were to adopt the longer American workweek instead of the shorter European one, energy usage would jump 15 to 30 percent. This would cause enough additional carbon emissions to warm the planet another 1 to 2 degrees Celsius by the year 2050.
The full report is worth a look. The number crunching isn’t that hard to follow. In Europe, where the average person consumes about half as much energy as his or her American counterpart, the average worker puts in 1,562 hours a year. In The United States, that jumps to 1,817. The rest of the world is roughly in between, at 1,650 hours.
The difference between Europe and the United State is about 255 hours a year. This works out to replacing a 40-hour workweek with a 35-hour one, or keeping the 40-hour workweek and taking an extra six weeks off.
So here’s the deal, go and convince your boss to give you another six weeks paid vacation as a way to save the planet. If you figure out a way to sell this, let me know.