John, It is great to hear about someone taking action. There are lots of good suggestions here.
Helen "John S. Ward" wrote: > On Thursday 30 October 2003 15:56, Mighty Chimp wrote: > > So, what are we doing to really push metric and to ensure it stays put, > > once it is in place? What are we doing to promote metric in areas not yet > > affected? If we let down our guard, the enemies of metric will recapture > > territory we feel belongs to us. > > Hi Euric the Chimp, > > One great way to promote the metric system is to USE it! > > In conversations, whenever practical I speak metric: "about 5 meters" "about > 10 cm" "a few kilograms" "100 square meters" etc. > > If a store doesn't have a metric product I'm looking for, I ask. I may point > out that lots of people are using the metric system these days! > > I've explained to friends, family, and coworkers why I use the metric system. > I think others "hear" a lot better if I'm respectful and keep it short. > > I measure my kids in metric. If asked my height or weight, I answer in > metric. > > The following works well if someone uses an ambiguous customary unit (ounces, > quarts, pints, miles, etc.): > Friend: ".... ounces...." > Me: "Which kind of ounce?" > Friend: "What? You mean there are more than one?" > Me: "Yes, there's the avoirdupois ounce, U.S. fluid ounce, Imperial fluid > ounce, troy ounce, and apothecary ounce.... That's why I tend to just use > grams or ml, then there's no chance that I'll be misunderstood." > Friend: "Wow, I never new that!" > > I put "Go metric" bumper stickers on my cars. I've given out bumper stickers > to friends and co-workers who also use the metric system. > > I'm now cooking almost exclusively metric. > > I'm gradually working toward the goal of having everything I write, design, or > draw be 100% metric. > > At work, I have outfitted my office and labs with: > Metric screws, nuts, & washers > Metric wrenches > Metric torque wrenches > Metric-only rulers & tape measures > > I've designed parts in metric, and given metric-only drawings to the machine > shop for fabrication. > > I communicate "metric" with vendors. They want my business, and so far I've > had no problems. > > I have asked people working for me using ISO date formats. > > In my office, I'm sometimes using metric A-series paper sizes, a 4-hole punch, > file folders, etc. I've set up my computer to measure everything in metric, > and to default to A-series paper sizes. > > John
