Can Computers Replace Commuters?
Computers have already taken over many aspects of our work.
They have replaced snail mail and taken over mundane tasks like writing letters, preparing reports, making presentations and conducting meetings.
Computers are getting smaller, faster, cheaper and more user-friendly every day.
The big question now is whether we need to go to work at all? Can we not just sit at home and do all the work that we do in offices hunched over our workstations? Do we really need to commute every day on those busy roads, fighting traffic or struggling with the overloaded transit systems? Do we really need to add our carbon footprint to a world facing all kinds of environmental problems? The answer, to my mind, is both yes and no.
Yes, we can do more office work without leaving the home.
We have the telephone, we have the computer and we have the internet.
Much productive work can be done at home.
We had a transit strike in our city recently, and I spent a couple of days teleworking.
It was fun and I got lots of work done; there was no need to dress up and I saved up to three hours commuting time in just two days.
However, on the third day, I got cabin fever and I simply had to get out of the house.
Also, I ran out of things to do, so I drove to the office to pick up more work and to spend quality time with my colleagues and supervisors.
Without this personal interaction, it is hard to survive in the office.
Plus we need the excitement of going to work and socializing with our co-workers.
So, the answer is no, computers cannot totally replace commuters.
That said, there is no reason why many of us cannot telework one or two days a week.
This, alone, could save 20-40% of our commuting costs.
It doesn't make much sense to telework more than this and in any case, many organizations do not actively encourage it.
There are also other options like compressed work weeks and using telework centres near our homes.
As environmental pressures mount and gas prices start rising again, this , no doubt, is what most of us will end up doing in the not too distant future.
They have replaced snail mail and taken over mundane tasks like writing letters, preparing reports, making presentations and conducting meetings.
Computers are getting smaller, faster, cheaper and more user-friendly every day.
The big question now is whether we need to go to work at all? Can we not just sit at home and do all the work that we do in offices hunched over our workstations? Do we really need to commute every day on those busy roads, fighting traffic or struggling with the overloaded transit systems? Do we really need to add our carbon footprint to a world facing all kinds of environmental problems? The answer, to my mind, is both yes and no.
Yes, we can do more office work without leaving the home.
We have the telephone, we have the computer and we have the internet.
Much productive work can be done at home.
We had a transit strike in our city recently, and I spent a couple of days teleworking.
It was fun and I got lots of work done; there was no need to dress up and I saved up to three hours commuting time in just two days.
However, on the third day, I got cabin fever and I simply had to get out of the house.
Also, I ran out of things to do, so I drove to the office to pick up more work and to spend quality time with my colleagues and supervisors.
Without this personal interaction, it is hard to survive in the office.
Plus we need the excitement of going to work and socializing with our co-workers.
So, the answer is no, computers cannot totally replace commuters.
That said, there is no reason why many of us cannot telework one or two days a week.
This, alone, could save 20-40% of our commuting costs.
It doesn't make much sense to telework more than this and in any case, many organizations do not actively encourage it.
There are also other options like compressed work weeks and using telework centres near our homes.
As environmental pressures mount and gas prices start rising again, this , no doubt, is what most of us will end up doing in the not too distant future.
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