Further to the Fukushima catastrophe in March, Japan has been decreasing in a massive way its electricity consumption. Indeed, only 17 nuclear reactors are bringing power to the grids out of the 54 existing ones. As the New York Times notes :
” Preliminary figures indicate that regions under conservation mandates have been able to meet reduction targets and even exceed them, providing a possible model of conservation’s potential when concerns about global warming are mounting. “
” In the Tokyo area, the government is pushing to cut electricity use by 15 percent between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. on weekdays to prevent blackouts – and on Thursday, that target was met compared with last year.”
Further to the reading of the full article, I think there is something we can learn and should implement in all developed countries.
We can cut our electricity consumption by 15 to 20 percent without much efforts.
If the Japanese can do it, why couldn’t the Europeans, or the Americans ? (the latter might go much further as they consume twice as much per capita than Japaneses and Europeans…)
Switching off unnecessary lights, appliances and gizmos isn’t such a big deal. Likewise, putting the A/C at the right temperature isn’t. Especially if it can allow us to slow down climate change and decrease our energy bills.
20 percent doesn’t seem much, but if this enabled us to close or use less coal-fired plants around the world we could achieve large massive greenhouses gases emissions reductions…
I often stated that energy efficiency is the panacea to all our energy and environmental problems, but we shouldn’t forget about energy sobriety…
Living with less is soon to become a necessity with peak oil, peak coal and so on. Luckily for us all, the Japaneses are showing us it is not only possible but easy.
Thanks to the New York Times for the story and ” Domo arigato ” to Japan for showing us the example !
according to personal observation, i can attest to the casual use of electricity in the US. it would take very high prices to dissuade energy consumers to turn down or turn off their myriad gadgetery…adults as well as children leave multiple TVs and gaming consoles on while leaving the rooms or going to work or school…mindfulness is a rare art of living…but i do see some improvement as the food budgets squeeze income to an uncomfortable degree–by winter, a whole segment of society should have learned to pay attention to lights and energy hogs…schools are beginning to insert energy conservation in the early curriculum..
Thanks again Nadine for your comment.
Your comment remind me we should pay the externalities of our electricity : greenhouse gases emissions for coal and natural gas, decommissioning the plants for nuclear, etc.
Only by paying the true price of things will we become able to decrease our use. We already have the needed technologies 🙂