Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Conservation is Cool!

One of the biggest misconceptions about conserving energy is that we would all end up sitting in the dark and cold. Not true. In the European Union per capita energy consumption is far less than North America, but the standard of living is about the same. While the excellent public transportation in Europe would account for some of this difference in energy use, it is not the whole story.
Conservation is a concrete action we can all take to shape our shared energy future in a positive way. Conservation means one less power plant to build and pay for, and fewer transmission lines through someone’s back yard who does not want them there. Conservation buys time to figure out energy alternatives, saves money, and partially insulates us from the vagaries of national and international energy markets.
So far from being a dirty word, conservation is our friend. In a time of energy uncertainty and financial crisis, here is something we can do, even as we embark another busy academic year here at SUNY Canton.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"European Union per capita energy consumption is far less than North America, but the standard of living is about the same."

I would like to know how you came to the conclusion that the standard of living in Europe is "about the same".