Proposal: National STAY AT HOME day -- Sunday 6/24/07

[Pab Sungenis]

The main flaw with all the "don't buy gas on such and such a day" proposals is that any dip in sales on that day are offset by increased sales the day before and the day after simply because if people don't alter their driving habits, they're not going to conserve gas.

What would be better would be to promote a national "STAY AT HOME" day as a gas strike instead.

I propose Sunday, June 24th, because it will be the first Sunday before the two possible July 4th weekends this year, a time when the highways are always more crowded and "demand" drives up the price of gas. You won't get Americans to not drive on a "holiday weekend," but maybe we can get enough people to not drive right before one to get our point across.

I also proposed a Sunday because it's the day of the week when the most Americans actually have the day off, so it would have a lessened effect on small businesses for whom even a slight drop in revenues or employees not going in that day might be harmful. It's also the most common day of recreation.

People not driving on that specific day WOULD at least temporarily drive down demand, and drive down revenues to the oil companies an infinitessimal bit simply because there will be no need to replace the gas not consumed on that day.

If people REALLY need to drive that day (those who need to work that day, or going to churches and other religious services) would be encouraged to carpool.

Even if it DOESN'T have the desired impact on gas prices and demand, there would be other benefits to a National Stay At Home Day.

* It would conserve gasoline, even if it doesn't help drive down prices by doing so.
* People with families would be encouraged to spend more time with and interact with their families on that day.
* We could encourage people to organize events in their neighborhoods, like block parties, picnics, etc.
* People who can't stay at home but end up carpooling might enjoy the convenience of the carpool, and keep up the practice, once again saving gas and cutting back on emissions.
* Life is too damn fast today. Slowing down and staying home is good for you.

I suggest a website outlining the idea, touting the benefits, and offering suggestions for activities. Maybe some kind of blog or message board that people can use for organizing neighborhood events and offering other ideas for things to do without driving.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Is this a good idea?

Text ©2007 P. Sungenis, All Rights Reserved

[elocs]

1. A National Stay at Home Day any Sunday would be good in and of itself.

Protest or not. The trouble with lowering the price of gas is the same as after the oil crisis of the 1970s when the price went down and Americans went back to their gas guzzling ways. Even now we still search for an alternative fuel that will allow us to drive as often and as far as we wish.

[Pab Sungenis]

5. My thoughts exactly.

The other benefits make it a much better idea than a "don't buy gas" type promotion. It can not only be framed as a gas protest, but as an enjoyable event otherwise.

Done properly, people could see that the "sacrifice" of not driving on a particular day needn't really be a sacrifice at all, and we'd still feel the benefit.

[Missy Vixen]

2. I think it's a great idea

We love Stay At Home Day during baseball season -- grill up some hot dogs, listen to the game on the radio, have a great time together.

You're right. Life is too fast. Slowing down might be a great thing to do.

Julie

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. It would not go over in this neck of the woods.

There's a lot of people around here that drive ONLY on Sunday - to and from church. They sit at home all week long, then get out and drive, at 27mph, the six blocks to their church, then out to Golden Corral, then back home.

I HATE driving on Sunday.

[cherokeeprogressive]

4. Outstanding Idea. Stay home and recharge your spiritual batteries.

My fiance and I spend all of our Sundays at home, unless we've gone somewhere for the entire weekend.

We spend the day alone just enjoying each other's company. Then, to end the day right: Champagne bubble-bath by candlelight.

Well okay, maybe not EVERY Sunday, but 3/5 at the very least.

I'm down with everyone staying home on Sunday.

[Pab Sungenis]

6. Do you think we could get others to do it, too?

And is late June too soon to plan and promote something like this?

[cherokeeprogressive]

9. I'm sure most DUers are receptive of your idea out of hand. Promoting it to the GP is another thing.

A dot com isn't that expensive and creating the site wouldn't be too much effort either. I'd be willing to help.

I really like the idea.

I honestly think you have something here. I wouldn't put it in the context of a protest though (I'm not even sure if that was what you were thinking originally).

[Pab Sungenis]

14. I had thought of it as a protest originally

but the more I think about it, the more it seems a nice, generic idea.

For those who are complaining about these "single day" operations, we need to start somewhere. Get people to not drive for one day, and see how much can be done without an automobile. Then we can try to build on that; use it as a springboard to more frequent and effective conservation techniques.

Get people to do it once, then get them to do it again or do something similar, repeat as needed.

[cherokeeprogressive]

19. Wouldn't it be nice...

if it happened one Sunday every month? Pick your Sunday?

barbeques, picnics at the local park...

I'm not so sure the cows and hogs would enjoy it though... FIRE UP THE BARBY! (I use newspaper to light my briquettes)

[uppityperson]

7. Decreasing consumption is a good idea. Doing it together is good too.

[BurtWorm]

8. Can't. Daughter's leaving for camp that day.

By mass transit, anyway.

These one-day fits all plans are rather difficult to coordinate. It seems to me a more constant attack is needed, something that would keep participants on a course to reducing overall usage. Something like Reduce 5 campaign (off the top of my head)--take five miles a day (week?) off your total mileage. This would encourage people to pay more attention to their habits. Just a thought.

[cherokeeprogressive]

10. Very Valid Point. What would be your thoughts on a "MONTHLY Stay at Home Day"?

Propose to everyone that they pick ONE Sunday a month to stay home.

My job allows me ten "personal business" days per year. Most of my co-workers hoard them for years for a few dollars more a month in retirement benefits. Me? I have one "Mental Health Day" every month, usually a Tues, Wed, or Thu. Stay home, recharge my mental batteries, and generally do nothing. Or go to the beach and walk on the sand, or ride my bike or whatever. When I come back the next day, they all seem jealous that I'm "getting away with something". I love it.

[BurtWorm]

11. I'd do that.

Anything out of getting out of going to the office. ;)

[KharmaTrain]

12. And This Punishes The Oil Companies How???

I know several businesses that rely on Sunday for a lion's share of their revenues...thus under this proposal, they'd suffer from people staying home and, they, like us, are stuck in having to pay the higher fuel prices with less money.

This is a wonderful concept if you live in a city or small town where all you need is a bus ride or short walk away, but here in suburbia, there is zero mass transit and distances are marked in miles, not blocks. Carpooling is great if you have people in the neighborhood going the same place or area you do, but many here work various hours in different directions. Even on a Sunday, people still want to visit family or go to church and this requires a car as well

With control of Congress comes the ability to both investigate the oil companies and call them into account for either their "supply" problem or to tax their windfall profits and strictly earmark that money for alternative fuel development.

[cherokeeprogressive]

15. Someone is going to suffer no matter how we go about weaning ourselves from oil.

I don't think we right this ship without causing someone more than a little grief.

I understand your point. Would it be possible to pick up necessities on Saturday? As far as church goes, my family used to walk to church. We lived off a main boulevard and you could see the church from our front yard.

On your last point, I don't think big oil will ever be held accountable. Call me pessimistic on that one. I would propose legislation subsidizing the auto industry's transition to higher mpg cars, and give tax breaks to citizens who buy them.

[KharmaTrain]

21. I'd Rather The Grief Go Where It Belongs

I fully understand the abuse of gasoline...I fume when I see the dozens of SUVs with just one driver clogging up the roads, but for the most part, I think the price of gas is so high that few are out there joy riding these days. If anything the high prices are keeping people home and off the roads and that's hurting the economy already...not to mention the increased costs that many businesses face in anything and everything that requires shipping or oil for manufacture. Unfortunately, for all the best intents, boycotts or economic actions always seem to hurt the people you don't want rather than the ones you're aiming at.

I'm totally with you on using oil company profits in subsudizing development of new generation alternative fuel cars...or for the development of it. If anything, I'd propose taking ALL federal taxes generated by oil right now and dedicating it for a Manhattan Project type program to get alternative fuels onto the market sooner, rather than later. If Brazil can do it, so can we. And yes, the oil company can afford to pay for it.

Cheers...

[cherokeeprogressive]

22. Cheers Yourself (raising an ice cold barley pop in your direction) n/t

[Connie_Corleone]

13. I'm picking up my aunt from the airport that day.

[cherokeeprogressive]

16. Wish her a Safe Flight for me. n/t

[knitter4democracy]

17. My daughter's birthday.

We'll be home. :)

[Clark2008]

18. I have a suggestion: check a calendar.

There is no Sunday, May 24 this year.

There's a Sunday, May 20 and a Sunday, May 27, but not the 24th.

I have a baby due soon and my son's birthday is May 14. Mother's Day is May 13. I'm pretty intimately aware of what days are Sunday this month. :)

[cherokeeprogressive]

20. There is however, a Sunday, June 24th. See the OP. n/t

[TahitiNut]

23. Nope. Not gonna do it. That's when I'll be taken to dinner for my birthday (6/22).

Three of us (in my extended family) have birthdays that week and get feted. But ... if y'all stay off the roads that day, I'd appreciate it. :evilgrin:

:party: :party:

[Pab Sungenis]

24. Have everyone carpool to the event.

You'll still be saving gas.

[TahitiNut]

26. We've been doing that for years. I buy gas about once a month.

:shrug:

[lonestarnot]

25. Fine by me.