Kaine calls for further reductions in state energy use

12step… as usual, you don’t get it. Do you honestly think they wouldn’t move existing agencies into new buildings or newly-leased buildings? Or is it that any new building or new lease means even more government?

Government is supposed to make things EASIER for the people, not HARDER. The city of Richmond already makes things harder for construction entities by making them park blocks away from City Hall just to file a plan, then go to two more buildings to go through the development process. Will the city now be required by General Uberlib to make the first priority looking for a bus stop if it’s going to consolidate its operations? How typical of a flaming liberal freak to make working for the benefit of the people a low priority.

Ok, where do I begin? I can think of a number of reasonable cuts based on experiences working for the VA government.

1. How about people not have personal refrigerators under their desks or in their offices at work?

2. How about people not having personal microwaves at work?

3. How about not hiring managers who might work from 10am-3pm on a good day and at times don’t show up for days at a time and fail to report in, so nobody knows where they are or how to get in touch with them? These people don’t need offices.

4. If there is a concern about water quality, why not have that other agency do regular checks on water quality and maintenance necessary to keep healthy water flowing instead of providing bottled water which is like 800-1000% more costly than tap, which our government tells us is safe.

5. How about requiring at least one person in my neighborhood to leave the government van at work and not commute home in it each night?

6. How about not heating government buildings to 75 degrees in the winter. 70 should be plenty. Cold natured people can bring a sweater or dress appropriately for the weather in the first place. Hot natured people suffer and so does the power bill.

7. As a result of 6, many people bring personal fans to work and keep them on their desks.

I could go on. But as with any government agency, there are plenty of abuses within and unnecessary spending taking place that could easily be cut while they tell the taxpayers ‘we’ve done all we can”. you’ll have to pay more taxes for less services and less quality for the taxpaying citizens when all the while expenditures for WIC, career welfare recipients who don’t even bother to try to work and illegals goes up, up, up each year.

So August 3 is an official state holiday thanks to General Uberlib. Thank God he’s gone in a few months.

And this is a good one… “ Requiring all leased or new state buildings built in a metropolitan area served by mass transit to be located within a quarter-mile of public transportation.“ No need to keep government in the same place to make it more convenient for the people; let’s figure out how to best work with the people by where buses go. Brilliant.

I’m glad this is an executive order so McDonnell can reverse it in January.

You are right that teleworkers are still using energy when teleworking at home, however it is probably less then what is being used in the office. 

As a teleworking state employee, I save gas for a 24 mile round trip each day that I telework, depending on driving conditions that’s a little over a gallon a day. Then there is the one less oil change per year, meaning 5 less quarts of oil being used and thrown out to muck up and contaminate the land. Could even reduce the number of tire replacements I might need over the lifetime of my car.

I’m one less car sitting at a toll booth idling and waiting for my turn to go through so that is some savings in energy as my not being there decreases the idle time for the folks who would normally be lined up behind me. 

My ceiling lights (3 of them) are turned off in my office when I am teleworking and at home I only use one small lamp that contains an energy saving bulb.  So there is some savings there.

My computer is hooked up and running at home, same as it would in the office so there isn’t any increase or decrease in savings there except to the State’s electric bill.

My home air conditioning or heating would be on whether or not I am teleworking so there isn’t any energy savings or increased usage there.  I still use the bathroom the same number of times and wash my hands the same number of times so I am using the same amount of water, that too while not an energy savings is a cost savings to the state. 

I do have to admit I’m guilty I drink the states water out of the water spigot at work.  I mean I thought that there were laws that public places had to provide non contaminated running water and bathroom facilities.  I’ll be sure from now on to bring my own water in and ask for the state to build an outhouse out back so that we won’t cost the taxpayers anymore money then absolutely necessary.  Guess only those employed with private employers are allowed those niceties and necessities.

I totally disagree qhgirl, I think it is the responsibility of employers to at least supply water! You can argue with the food and other amenities – but to me water should be included – whether it is from the tap or out of a bottle.

On a lighter note: I think it is great that the state is taking an energy cost savings!