GSER – [Corporate] “Guidelines for Social & Ecological Responsibility”

Okay! Great New Idea here (maybe something Obama can get done?) …

Lately it seems that President Obama is having a really hard time getting Congress to pass reform bills which will benefit the American People… relating to Health Care, Lobbyists, Corporations, Government, etc. Obviously our form of Government seems to be a big failure for it’s citizens at this point, although Corporations and people in power would probably tend to argue with me : )

I want to propose a new idea that will accomplish what the government can’t seem to be getting done, but that over time will achieve the same goals. Create an independent division to establish and oversee guideline certification for Social & Ecological Responsibilities of corporations. Their seal will tell customers that they uphold these beliefs and responsibilities. There should be not more than 10 main guidelines that people can become familiar with so that they can make informed choices about who they bank with, which stores they buy products and services from, etc. With national and international recognition, even minor influences in consumer choices will bring such fear to the corporations that I believe you will see change happen quicker than you can imagine. But obviously the publicity and recognition is critical for this movement. In seeing the recent efforts to help the people of Haiti by so many influential people coming together, I’m sure it is possible …and only with a fraction of the support.

Corporate Guidelines for Social & Ecological Responsibility

This will basically be a certification and business seal that can be awarded to companies for doing the right thing socially and ecologically! Currently there are some of these companies out there, but they don’t often get recognition as compared to those who are not making the effort. We need to support the companies that support our country, the environment and our future and not their investors profits. This is especially true since exerting this extra effort does not always come free.

To give you an better idea of what I am talking about some suggestions for the Guidelines follow:

• Will the company take a pledge to make their stock shares and profits secondary to the prosperity of their employees, local communities and the environment.
• Do the company’s highest paid executives make less than 10 times (Exact factor TBD) the lowest paid employee and contracted workers in the company?
• Is the company providing a percentage (5% for example, TBD) of their profits to local communities and programs.
• Are the company’s executives covered under the same benefits as the lowest paid employees.
• Is the company’s carbon emission and energy consumption below a certain limit for their production (TBD).
• In addition, are they doing everything in their power to reduce Co2 emissions and energy consumption (regardless of costs or loss to profit).
• If the company imports goods and services from international countries, are those goods certified by organizations that oversee international environmental and humane standards.
• Does the company agree to not support lobbyist and to not make contributions to individual political parties not exceeding certain limits (TBD).
• Does the company provide incentives to employees who live within a limited distance from their offices to reduce commute times thus offering alternative commute options, such as bicycle, walking or alternative transportation like Personal Rapid Transit (PRTStrategies.com). This would get people out of their cars and reduce stress, traffic, pollution, fatalities & injuries and allow people to enjoy a more healthy lifestyle.

These are some initial ideas for the guidelines. Obviously things that individuals want to be enacted, but corporate interests are preventing from letting through.

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Does anyone else have any other ideas? Post them here and I can include them in the list.

Variable Traffic Signs

In Reference to this article The Science of Traffic Jams which I encountered through completerss.com > sustainabilityzone.com: The Science of Traffic and Congestion Mitigation Strategies

I previously sent a suggestion to Los Angeles’ city transportation department, but as most government employment systems go… there was not much response to the idea.

I think the suggestion that I have come up with over the years of driving in LA is a similar solution that is achievable in a more reasonable time frame. It produces the same effect as an “Adaptive Cruise Control” system but without the need for retrofitting all cars with the technology. In fact since I first envisioned the idea it has been implemented around Lancaster California (for weather safety reasons), around Washington DC and I’m sure in other areas. It essentially turns each individual into “adaptive cruise controllers”, but requires a strict enforcement system (photo enforced speed sensors for example) to become effective.

The idea is to add “Variable Speed Limit Signs” throughout the inner urban freeway systems. What it will do from a technical point of view, is monitor the average traffic speed on the freeway within a certain span of freeway before and after the “Variable Speed Limit Sign” (approximately 3-10 miles). After sensors in the road (or other methods of speed sensing such as video motion detection) determine the average traffic speed. An average speed will be displayed on the “Variable Speed Limit Sign” which becomes the new speed limit (legally enforced). This will prevent the stop and go redundancy in freeway traffic which waists gas and increases traffic and driver stress, among other things mentioned in the article.

In order to implement this system, a strict regulation on the variable speed limits would need to be enforced. If the variable speed limits cannot be enforced, obviously the system cannot be effective. One advantage to this system is that it does not require a great deal of engineering of new freeway systems, it just makes the current system more efficient.

This system will not solve the Freeway Traffic problems entirely (that’s what removing corrupt lobbied politicians and adding public transportation is for!), but it will definitely make the current and future systems run more smoothly.