Make The World Better

Years ago -- about when I was in high school, I think -- there was a book called 50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save The Earth. As the title suggests, the book described 50 simple things the reader could do that they could do for the environment.

Today is November 6, 2009 and the news this morning indicated that the US unemployment rate in October 2009  was 10.2% -- the first time it's topped 10% since 1983. There's the usual political bickering, of course, about what this figure means. Republicans say that it is evidence President Obama's economic stimulus has failed. Democrats and some labor unions say that we need more stimulus, never mind that budget deficits are the largest they've ever been in recent memory.

All of that, of course, is total bullshit. Even if we didn't have huge budget deficits, the majority of government stimulus has in the past gone towards ridiculous projects -- building parks and roads, buying motorcycles for police officers, etc. In other words, temporary one-time projects with low economic multiplicity. Compare this to what would happen if economic stimulus was spent on something with more widespread economic effect. For example:

• If you've ever flown on an airplane, you know that departure and arrival delays are all too common. How about we spend some stimulus to fix that?

• If you've ever watched any of the CSI shows (Vegas, NY, Miami), you know that they use a bunch of fancy-ass technology that most police departments can't afford. How about we spend some stimulus to get those departments some (or maybe all) of the technology shown on CSI? Maybe then fewer crimes would be committed as crooks began to realize they're more likely to get caught.

I will add more real-world examples as I think of them, but hopefully that illustrates the point. Until the day that common sense comes to government, however, here are some bottom-up solutions that individuals can do to make the world -- or specifically, the economy -- better. As always, I will add more examples as I think of them.

1. Do business with a person
If you go to the bank after hours, you obviously have to use the ATM. Most people use the ATM during business hours as well because (a) it's fast and convenient, and (b) the line inside is usually really long. Here's the thing, though: everyone likely thinks that way which means all of those people who you think are inside in line are actually outside in line with you for the ATM.

Here's the other part of it: if you go inside, you make the bank hire someone to be a teller. In other words, you create a job. Yes, it probably isn't a high-paying job, but it is one that requires face-to-face interaction, meaning that the teller lives in your neighborhood versus, say, in India or China. That teller, obviously, gets a paycheck and is then able to spend that paycheck in the local economy.

This same logic applies in other areas too:

• I don't use automatic checkout machines at supermarkets or home improvement stores. Yes, the machine does a fine job, but I would much rather have the economic benefit of creating a job for that cashier.

• If given the choice between doing something online or on the phone, I pick the phone (assuming it's a live person and not a machine). The one caveat is that the person on the phone is likely not in my neighborhood or community, but hopefully they are in the United States.

2. Go out to eat
Most people go out to eat because they can't cook, hate cooking, or just don't have the time to cook. Here's the thing about going out to eat, though: it creates jobs for, at least, cooks and servers. Food service jobs are not easy and generally do not pay a lot, but they don't require a lot of specialized training which means most people can do them.

You don't need to spend a great deal of money when you go out either. I, for one, get a $5 footlong sandwich at Subway 3 or 4 times a week and consider it just fine.

3. Get stuff in the mail versus online
Most of the companies I get bills from pester me to sign up to get my bills delivered online instead of via US Mail. There's usually a small incentive (e.g. a one-time $5 credit to your next bill, etc) to get you to go "paperless".

Here's the bigger picture, as I see it: that bill that comes in the mail means a job for postal workers. It also prevents (or possible delays) the introduction of the $50.00 first-class stamp.

4. Have a no-sweat money amount
It's the rare person who has the time to fight and pinch every penny. What I'd advocate instead is to have an amount of money that you don't think twice about spending -- a no-sweat amount, if you will. It, of course, depends on your financial situation, your age, your salary, etc.

For me, I personally don't think twice about having a monthly Tivo subscription. Yes, if I really wanted to, I could get some kind of free or included DVR, but I like the idea of hopefully keeping employees at Tivo employed.

  Last edited Sunday, May 15, 2011 01:00:48 PM

Originally authored: Saturday, November 07, 2009 12:09:17 AM