Sunday 1 April 2012

Saving power - this is NOT a solution

I received the annual calendar for one of the universities that I will be teaching at this year.
In order reduce electricity they are cutting the first semester by 2 weeks.
Teachers are asked to make up the classes, or make it up with extra course work.

CUTTING CLASSES IS NOT A SOLUTION to SAVING POWER.

A good topic for a lesson might  writing a letter to the university outlining alternative power saving strategies that could be implemented instead of cutting classes (which the students are paying for...).

4 comments:

Rurousha said...

No, this is not a good idea AT ALL! I like that blithe assumption that you can simply compensate with more course work! (@_@)

My university is back to its normal schedule. Last summer they cancelled evening classes to save energy, but this summer I'm doing several evening classes again. I like that: it gives me more time to go walkabout with my camera early in the morning! ^^

machiruda said...

huh? that is bizarre, who came up with that idea? There are SO many other ways to do this... #onlyinjapan?

Cecilia said...

Last year they did it at the uni where I was studying, it was frustrating then (because I was missing classes that I hoped to learn something in), but everyone was caught on the hop having to make 10% power cuts or face massive government fines.
I am not sure how the system works exactly but it sounds like a yokonarabi everyone being treated the same regardless of situation. It seems like it would be more difficult for institutions and businesses that had already been active in taking power saving measures to comply.

Cutting evening classes? that's when there'd be less need for air con deshou?

It's at the extreme end of taking measures to solve a problem without actually addressing the problem itself. Rather like the onus for reducing suicide rates being assumed by the train companies who are erecting barrier gates, and the baby hatch in Kumamoto.

Time to go out and appreciate the blossoms I think.. :)

Bridget said...

That is ridiculous!