Avaaz, Voice

Avaaz.org is another website serving as a clearinghouse for social action awareness and action.

Is There Something I Can Do?

While this is on the "social action" not "work" side of this blog, I thought a new website worth mentioning. Singers Peter Buffet and Akon have created a website called Is There Something I Can Do? to encourage folks to get involved in positive change. They encourage visitors to blog about the activities they've pursued as well as link to sites that help people get involved in volunteering.

FAA Whistleblowers

Surely, protecting public safety is a form of social action. For FAA whistle-blowers, information they provide to outside agencies or the media can reduce accidents and save lives. Whistle-blowing, however, is not for the faint of heart. Most whistle-blowers, despite laws to the contrary, suffer at least some form of retaliation. Many lose their jobs, their careers, even their families. Whistle-blowers face health issues related to stress and anxiety. Their reputations often suffer. Fundamentally, the only payoff is knowing they've done the right thing.

Today, NPR broadcast a story on whistle-blowers at the FAA. A number of employees--32--have come forward with information this year, already twice the number as in 2007. They featured two FAA whistle-blowers, Peter Nesbitt and Anne Whiteman. Nesbitt blew the whistle on unsafe runway construction at the Memphis airport, while Whitman, ten years ago, revealed to the public problems with the air traffic control system at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. One of the issues she revealed was controllers allowing planes to fly too close together. Sadly, she said that knowing what she knows now, she may not have blown the whistle ten years ago.

The negative consequences endured by whistle-blowers are sobering and should concern us all. Serious and important reform often comes only when insiders reveal problems within organizations.

NPR.org Story

Performance Bicycle and the Environment

In Performance Bicycle's latest consumer catalog, the firm highlights their activities to help preserve the environment. They purchase renewable energy credits that 100% offset the electricity they use in the corporate office, distribution centers, and all stores (and they are the first national retailer to do so). They also use recycled paper for their catalogs and flyers, which they claim saves 4,600 tress, 1,610,000 gallons of water, and 7,725 gallons of oil each year. Finally, the provide a commuter incentive program. This program recognizes and rewards employees who take alternative transportation to work, including bicycling, walking/running, public transportation, or car pooling. In the last 12 months, employees reported using alternative transportation methods over 13,700 times.

Bike to Work Week

Last week, May 12-16, was National Bike to Work Week. As reported by blogger Fenris-Lorsrai, a number of companies offer incentives for employees to bike to work. Fenris-Lorsrai outlines the following programs:

• Google- Will donate $100 to the employees charity of choice for every 20 days they bike to work. Plus offers monthly bike repair classes and all their shuttles come with bike racks
• Vulcan Capital pays workers who commute by bike an extra $100 per month! They also pony up taxi fare for biking employees that were asked to stay after dark or in inclement weather.
• The Calvert Group offers employees $350 to buy themselves a bicycle. They also have a shower and changing facilities available.
• Discovery Communications gives employees $350 to buy a bike AND cover maintenance. They also pay for a car sharing service for days when employees need to travel farther than they can bike.
• New Belgium Brewing Company gives every employee a bike after a year of employment. They also have Prius loaner car for shared use at work.

The League of American Bicyclists offers a list of tips to encourage employers to incentivize bike riding.

Why does this count as social action? Admittedly, some bike for fun or exercise, but many bicyclists also note the benefits to the environment from replacing a car with a bicycle. See story here.