Our oil reserves are limited. Renewable energy sources haven’t been mastered yet. Their efficiency is still too low to provide for our energy needs. Our energy need will continue to increase in the future as everything is being mechanized. Mechanized things require lots of energy to work. It is therefore necessary to conserve energy i.e. we must use energy appropriately and not waste it.

ln a democracy, one thing is for sure: the people cannot be forced to conserve energy. They cannot be sued in justice if they over-consume energy for which they pay. Everyone has the right to do anything he wants in a democracy unless his actions interfere with the rights of others. Therefore, if one is wasting energy and and he is paying his bills regularly, he is allowed to. This issue cannot be solved by force.

As people can’t be forced to save energy, they can however be persuaded to consume less. One way is by making energy saving campaigns. People should be aware that by consuming energy, more Carbon Dioxide is released in the environment. Carbon Dioxide is one of the major greenhouse gases. This will cause the planet to be warmer. We are already witnessing the effects of global warming. These effects would increase. Any sensible person will try to save energy after having known all these.

Children in their early ages should be made aware that wasting energy is bad. The habit of switching off lights, television and other electrical appliances when not in use should be inculcated in them. Adults take lots of time to change their habits. That’s why those habits should be inculcated at a young age. It is very unlikely for them to drop these good habits later on.

Scientists and engineers should work more an creating higher efficient devices. Efficient devices are the ones which output the majority of the input energy as useful energy. The traditional electrical bulb converts only 40% of its input energy into light. The rest of the energy gets wasted as heat energy. Modern bulbs output more light energy than heat energy. LCD televisions consume much less than traditional CRT televisions. Therefore research must be done to maximise the efficiency of all electrical appliances.

The government can try to force the population to consume less energy by increasing the latter’s price. People will take into account their money and will consume less by diminishing waste energies. This techinique has shown to be very effective. This methid does not violate democratic rules. The people are free to use as much as they want if they can pay for it. Most people will try to avoid paying more.

Under some extreme situations like wasr and energy crisis, the government may put a quota for everybody to use energy. The government cannot allow peopel to waste energy when the latter is scarce. Everybody needs energy and everybody has thee right to get it. Having more money in this case will not avail one more energy. If he is given more energy, then other’s rights are interfered with. That is not tolerated in a democracy.