difficult choices

According to the experts, asking people to do something hard repeatedly is much less likely to yield good results than asking them to make a more difficult decision once. You would think these experts were talking about life-or-death decisions. However, the quote was part of a story on energy conservation published in the Washington Post. In it various experts gave their opinions as to the effectiveness of measures and incentives for energy conservation. And what a stellar panel of experts it was. All the big ivy league names were there to put in their 2c's worth.

The hard choice it turns out was to turn off the lights every time you stop using them. That was considered difficult enough so as to have a very low likelihood of success. The "more difficult" one-time decision was to buy energy efficient light bulbs or CFL's. So, the experts concluded it is better to have people change their bulbs than ask them to turn off the lights. The story then went on to take us through various calculations showing how CFL's would save the planet. Those calculations included assumptions as to the life-time of CFL's versus regular bulbs. They also ignored the environmental cost of producing CFL's and the waste generated by throwing out perfectly good incandescent bulbs only to replace them with the latest gadgets.

It is the type of "green thinking" that companies like as it forces the public to buy more goodies. Just imagine the economic bounty generated by changing out all existing bulbs with more energy efficient CFL's. And it won't stop there of course. Long before these CFL's reach their estimated seven year life-span, we will see more ads to replace them with even more efficient bulbs, or bulbs that provide "more natural" light, or whatever other trick the industry will come up with to keep the dollars flowing. A seven year life-span is a great selling point, except that we really do not want people to buy bulbs on such an infrequent basis. We all realize that this is not good for the economy. But let's get back to the difficult decisions you need to make on a daily basis.

I agree that turning off lights may present a challenge to people. It is something you have to think about each and every time you use a light. Much like closing the door of your car each and every time you enter or exit the vehicle. I am surprised not more people drive around with their car doors left open. Or not more cars are parked with the doors wide open. Surely that is what the "experts" would predict. These experts by the way were at MIT, not some second-rate school in nowhere land, or some political think-thank where "experts" are paid to say things that make no sense whatsoever but do advance an agenda. No these were bona-fide academic experts. People in the know.

Surely turning off your lights is a habit you have to learn. At first, it may be necessary to pay extra attention to what you are doing. It does require some effort. But after a very short time period it should be largely automatic, much like closing your car door. I use the car door example, because my children, much like other children had the unfortunate habit of stepping out of the car and leaving the doors wide open. They too had to learn. But like most people, they succeeded in this difficult challenge. These days, they rarely step out of the car leaving the doors open. And I am proud to say, they rarely leave their room without turning off the appliances and the lights.

I also want to offer you real life evidence that these difficult actions do generate some payoff. Some data to counter expert opinion. Despite living in an above average sized house, with all the accoutrements of modern life -a house where most of the bulbs are good old-fashioned incandescent ones- our monthly electric bill rarely goes over $30 a month. I also need to tell you that we live in California, where energy prices are among the highest in the country. In reality $30 is a rarity and we usually stay well below $25.

No ostentatious solar panels, windmills, or other exotic alternative energy sources here. Just plain old PG&E power and 21st century living that includes big screen TV's, DVR's, computers, and the like. All are used extensively, but all are turned off as soon as we stop using them. Even if we are just taking a 5 minute break. I know it is hard, and I commiserate with all of you each and every time I close my car doors. Wouldn't it be easier to buy a car with doors that close automatically?

Now, there is a green thought for you entrepreneurs!