Saturday, December 10, 2005

The Mazda Kevorkian?

This one caught my eye:


 

In a nutshell, Mazda is recommending its employees walk to the office, rather than commute by car, as part of an effort to improve their health and protect the environment.

I have to say I admire the intention and courage of conviction being shown here.

Now, all we need to do is get everyone driver who was thinking of buying a Mazda to follow the same practice and we're tickedy-boo.

But as I doubt that was the reason for a consumer PR I'm flummoxed. But in a nice way. Hey, what ever floats their boat.



Self-inflicted damage?

As you know, I sometimes stray from the more obvious env-path here, but in most cases issues can in some way be linked if you try hard enough.

I was reading an interesting article prompted by the proposal that health treatment be predicated on lifestyle:


It was a thoughtful discussion about the thinking behind this, and likelihood of its fair application, and if it is fair at all. Like so many things, for instance so many debates about issues on the environment (see, I knew I could get it in!), I couldn't argue with much of it, if at all, but really didn't see where to go from questioning such practices, which is easy and populist, but ultimately a route that avoids responsibility for dealing with some cold, hard facts.

I also thought of a small new wrinkle that could be fun (in a spanner to the works kind of way) to throw in the mix: what about workaholics?

If the smoker and the drinker are to be spleens-tested, with stress such an avowed killer then surely such souls who push themselves for family and country in pursuit of productivity (whether in terms of hours spent, of effectiveness per hour I would not care to debate here) should equally be penalised?

Yet another way to favour those who are able to work 9-5, take paid time off when they feel 'stressed' and retire at 60?

And another way of easing the pensions problem.