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Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

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Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#891

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of many, though; I'm really getting my hackles up with corporations making end users responsible for things like plastic, industrial farming and co2 emissions. Yes they're a part of the equation, but there's much bigger impact to be made if they work from the top down. Mind you, there are things like that going on (at least in my neck of the woods), with things like subsidies to consumers for going to battery pow…

> there's much bigger impact to be made if they work from the top down Exactly. Germany banning plastic straws while simultaneously funding a new natural gas pipeline feels very much like they just want it to seem like things are improving.

I'm confused by the second part >. I assume you are talking about Nord Stream 2.

Switching from brown coal to natural gas can reduce carbon footprint by about 50%. This is a good stepping stone to reduce the huge amount of brown coal that Germany uses for power. Also, the reduction in NOx and SOx is huge by switching from brown coal to natural gas. Another big win for public health.

Do I misunderstand your point?

Germany has limited places to harvest wind (North Sea) and limited solar resources. How else can they reduce their carbon footprint? I guess they can build massive solar arrays in Libya and then build the world's largest long-range DC power line to Munich? (No joke: Singapore might do this with Australia.)

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#892

Curious to see how many quit over this. A lot in the tech industry (myself included) seem completely done with not working from home, especially when there is no excuse for working in-person. Tech offices for pure-software projects have also become morally indefensible from the perspective of resource consumption and climate change. That said it's true that Apple does do some R&D that requires an in-person presence,…

That’s a very cynical take. Morally indefensible? That’s an incredible hyperbole. People may quit sure but CEOs are responsible for getting value to share holders and many honestly do believe that in office or hybrid model works toward that goal. If it was only about office space they could write that off and be done with it.

How can you justify a ton of pollution, a ton of emotional and actual energy lost to commuting, millions (or billions) of dollars in real estate fees, only to reduce productivity because most studies are showing a productivity increase when working from home? There is a point where it becomes morally indefensible, and we're well past it.

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#893
post #884

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bingo. People who lead companies are not wired like the rest of us. It's not some bullshit about mission or impact. Executives are there for power. Power is the sweat under a subordinate's arms when you address them. Power is having control over the bodies of others when you tell them where to be, how long to be there, where to sit and how to dress. Power is having roomfuls of people in rapt attention to you. Power i…

I have worked in tech a while, including knowing a number of executives (prior and post them being executives), and I don't know a single one who is 'in it for the power' and feeling good because they can tell employees where to sit and how to dress (or getting sex from subordinates!). They're in it because they love making big impacts, having authority to make _big_ decisions, not watching people sit down in chairs.…

You are lucky! I was lucky for awhile, until I wasn't.

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#895

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least in Florida, my kids were never required to wear a mask to school.

Gross. What a fucking horrible place to live.

The proof is in the pudding. Covid death rates were identical to California. I don't care about signaling, I care about results. Scientific research has consistently confirmed that school age children are responsible for a de minims fraction of Covid transmission.[1]

[1]https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2006100

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#896

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> there's much bigger impact to be made if they work from the top down Exactly. Germany banning plastic straws while simultaneously funding a new natural gas pipeline feels very much like they just want it to seem like things are improving.

Public consciousness seems to lack the ability to prioritize issues. Disposable plastics are a problem first and foremost because they cause proliferation of microplastics in the biosphere. This is an issue, but it's not an important issue right now. It's likely harmful to biosphere and to us in the long run - but as of today, there's no noticeable harm being done that can be tied to microplastics, which suggests any…

Crowded, rich countries that responsibly burn garbage & waste still have a serious issue with dioxins generated by burning plastics. You can filter some of it, but usually areas around these plants have much higher than normal dioxin levels.

That said, I like the balance in your comment about the known effects of microplastics. At the moment, it is just a hype story. Honestly: No one really knows, but we should continue to seriously monitor and research the issue. I have heard that stretchy clothing (aka "ath-leisure") causes a lot of micro-fibres to be shed during laundry. This is simiar to microplastics, as most ath-leisure is made with synthetic materials that are essentially refined oil (as plastics).

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#897
post #261
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There’s plenty of pointless and counterproductive things we insist our children do that we do not mandate for adults.

Wearing a mask when around others during a pandemic is neither pointless nor counterproductive.

Fun fact: a few minutes after posting this, I received the following via email from an anonymous protonmail account named "groyptech":

Subject: You're a subhuman, worthless, imbecile maskie

> Wear it forever, you worthless, subhuman animal who doesn't deserve to live.

This culture war is getting out of hand. Imagine sending something like this to a stranger because of their clothing choices.

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#898
post #51

I work for another company that is going to do a partial return to office. I will be looking at options for companies that offer full in person office (or 90% in person office) after things settle down. I have worked full remote for a total of 5 years of my career, and I believe working in the office is a competitive advantage. * Overhearing hallway conversations (and joining them) helps spawn invocation. * I often d…

I'm glad you found what works for you. I think it's interesting how much preferences can differ from person to person.

For me, working from home for the past 3 years has been completely life altering.

Work is nothing more than a distraction away from what I really want to be doing with my life. Working from home lets me optimize for all the right things like being here with my kids all the time, going to the playground at lunches, making them breakfasts and lunches, and seeing them at 5:01pm. I love that I can take breaks with them rather than talk about nonsense at the water cooler.

I'd much rather not focus on optimizing for work...

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#899

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'm really getting my hackles up with corporations making end users responsible for things like plastic, industrial farming and co2 emissions. Me too, but GP has an argument along these lines here. Commute is a big, and often deciding factor, in private car ownership. Get rid of it, and most drivers will lose the major reason for owning a car. Expand the delivery systems for day-to-day stuff like groceries, and ano…

> Get rid of it, and most drivers will lose the major reason for owning a car. I think this is backwards. We saw during the pandemic a mass exodus from cities. Once people could work from home, they decided they didn't want to live in a city anymore. Once you remove the burden of commuting, suburban / rural life becomes _even more_ attractive, increasing the need for cars.

Second had car prices have soared and people might not be keep to go back to jammed public transport due to covid.

My last two bus trips had betwen1 and 5 people blatantly ignoring the mask requirements and this is in on of the UK covid hot spots.

Re: Apple asks staff to return to office 3 days a week starting in early September

#900
post #51

I work for another company that is going to do a partial return to office. I will be looking at options for companies that offer full in person office (or 90% in person office) after things settle down. I have worked full remote for a total of 5 years of my career, and I believe working in the office is a competitive advantage. * Overhearing hallway conversations (and joining them) helps spawn invocation. * I often d…

> Overhearing hallway conversations (and joining them)

This really happens? I am too shy to join a random conversation in the hallway.

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