In Utah, all state employees were shifted to a 4-day work week last August. They still put in 40 hours a week, but over 4 days instead of 5.
The benefits are pretty substantial -- through May, the state had saved $1.8 million, and that is before the (expensive to cool) summer months...
Additionally, the estimated CO2 reductions are estimated to be equivalent to pulling 2300 cars of the road for a year...
The details are covered in The New Republic, HERE...
Once upon a time, "summer hours" were common in the publishing industry. Now it looks like they may spread to other industries. The nature of international business won't make it possible for everyone to shift to a 4-day week, but it would be interesting to see other areas where it could work.
At the very least, it appears to offer some economic benefits, and possibly some significant environmental ones as well.
HT: Freakonomics
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