May be we should learn from  western countries, even though they have abundant amount of water yet they conserve water. Also, there is a hadeeth about  Rasool Allahi  PBUH talking about conservation of water even when you have a river passing by you!!!. Therefore, I suggest we need to appreciate the bounties given to us by Allah SWT and educate ourselves.

May be we should learn from  western countries, even though they have abundant amount of water yet they conserve water. Also, there is a hadeeth about  Rasool Allahi  PBUH talking about conservation of water even when you have a river passing by you!!!. Therefore, I suggest we need to appreciate the bounties given to us by Allah SWT and educate ourselves.

Dear @Ahmad, You have raised a good question! Yes, when you do have too much energy resources like oil, nobody thinks about energy conservation. You have stated well that it is matter of energy conservation culture! "...Culture determines how people think and behave in any workplace, therefore establishing an energy saving culture is a necessary accompaniment to other waste saving initiatives such as an energy saving plan or behaviour change campaign. By establishing an energy saving culture, you are creating an environment for bright ideas, increased efficiency and reduced operating costs. An open and inclusive culture will also contribute to staff morale as well as reduce your environmental impact..."

http://pdf.aigroup.asn.au/environment/01_Energy_Savings_Culture_Factsheet.pdf

I agree with Dear Ljubomir Jacić.

In addition to Ljubomir Jacić's opinion, I add another opinion:

Iran also is one of the energy (oil, gas...) rich countries so the people does not exactly know the importance of energy. But in recent years, the government starts increasing the cost of electricity, water, gas and so on and it is very good and efficient method to create an energy conservation culture. Now, the energy conservation culture is getting better and better day by day in my country.

I think Iran's government method is good method for starting to energy conservation culture and the next step is related to us (all iranian) to learn from developed countries how to use our energy,

Why Bill Gates’ Claims About the Cost of Renewable Energy Are So Important to Address

Growing customer interest in owning the assets needed to generate electricity has fostered the evolution of the grid-edge ecosystem in a number of markets. These markets typically have characteristics including high residential electricity rates, substantial demand charges for commercial and industrial customers, an abundance of renewable resources, and a more progressive, tech-savvy customer base. the rise of the energy storage market in other states, expect this adoption cycle to play out elsewhere and even potentially repeat itself in a second-generation grid edge maturity process within renewable-saturated markets

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/why-bill-gates-false-claims-about-clean-energy-costs-are-so-important

I am working in Qatar on renewable energy. In my experience, the best way is to address the goverment. Since the government subsidies the energy, by utilizing renewable energy the government can save money by sealing the oil at international price.

As you mention the energy price is very low in these countries, so it is not attractive to anyone to think about reducing fossil energy consumption.  While the local government pays to subsidy the energy. By utilizing available renewable energy for electricity generation, as an example, the government can save the oil and sell i at international price

Dear Ahmad,

I would suggest that these countries start having brown outs during the peak energy use. These rolling brown outs can be used as a single to the population that just because we have these resources we must squander them fruitlessly. 

Second, I would begin to develop curriculum that is eco friendly and also demonstrate the effects of polluted water, air, and how the use of modern comforts increases the use of said resources.

Third, demonstrate how far current energy supplies would last if the population could become more eco friendly.  Included in this curriculum would be how life would be without the power necessary to fuel these modern conveniences. 

The education of the youth must be the prime focus of such an attempt. Older people are to set in their ways for much to change, therefore the focus must be on then youth through education.

Douglas

I agree with the last part of dear Douglas`s opinion that`s about the education of youth ...

First Ahmad thank you for the question, then thank every one who has met has been very helpful for the debate that has been created. I think the desarrllo subsidies encourage renewable energy not only at the level of SMEs citizen but is most critical to have all possibilities to take advantage and profit.

Good question Ahmad, as you can see you promote a good debate.

I do agree with colleagues that recognize that foster energy rationality, either by introducing better equipment and appliances, or diffusing correct use and habits of energy use, depends very much of context. Energy efficiency is not an objective in itself, but an essential tool for improving life conditions and environment, unfortunately sometimes blocked by disinformation, wrong subsidies, price distortions. Implement energy efficiency programs in energy rich countries can more difficult but still valid and necessary.

I feel that it is important to develop a culture of conservation of energy in the first place. The first step would be to see that how much of energy we can conserve by taking a few simple steps which do not 'bite' a lot. For example, switching off the lights hen not in use, not leaving the air conditioner or heater on while going out (expecting to find a pleasant home when you return, avoiding use of warm water for bath in the summers or on warm days. There may be many such things that waste energy which we might be doing in daily life. A lot of energy can be conserved.

I feel, we are confusing climate change with energy conservation. Something that we shouldn't do. Each individual around the world has a duty to judiciously use what god has blessed us with and promote the culture of conservation in that spirit - we can't misuse what is common to all only because someone else does that.

Further, I disagree that energy cost should be increased as it will promote inequality in the society. Further, we cannot do that unless we have substantial evidence that those who have lesser money actually use more power, or that the rich do not waste energy. If it is the other way round, you actually end up discriminating against a group of individuals without any actual difference in power used. What may be more practical is a surcharge after a fixed number of units of energy consumed by a household. Further, if a particular percentage of industrial power and commercial power from renewable sources like solar power is made mandatory, it would be good. 

We need also to concentrate on human factor. Namely,  educatpeople about the saving environment importance and saving the available oil for generations to come.

That's a very interesting question, and I don't think there is a simple answer. Ultimately people only change their behaviour when there is sufficient incentive for them to do so, that it overcomes the inertia of sticking to existing habits.

Your question implies that energy conservation methods are inherently a good thing, so that we should be doing more of them (which I agree with). Depending on your reasons for thinking this could suggest a number of approaches.

You might like energy conservation because you are concerned about the impacts which CO2 and other emissions might have on the environment. In this case the best approach may be to evaluate the cost of these emissions (which is difficult) and put a price on emitting behaviour to internalise the externalities.

Similarly you might like energy conservation because you are concerned about the depletion of a national resource which will not be available for future generations, again you could attempt to quantify and internalise this cost. This is particularly difficult because you need to estimate the cost of resources not being available in the future, without knowing what new technologies will have matured. For example in one scenario practical fusion energy might be developed making energy almost free; in which case the direct cost to future generations of not having oil reserves will be close to zero. However, there may be a significant cost associated with any climate impacts arising from present-day use of those resources.

I think perhaps the strongest incentive there is for oil-rich nations to improve energy efficiencies in the short-term, in spite of low local prices, is that every unit of oil which is not consumed domestically can be sold at international prices generating national wealth. However, if local supply is sufficiently high that exporting needs to be limited in order to maintain favourable prices this incentive is much less strong.

Hi My dear Ahmad Hussain; I do agree with @Mohamed El Naschie. They are consuming these fossil oils with lot of subsidy. They definitely required to be educated in energy saving methods. Thanks

by making them fashionable

You can trying pushing international community like the UNFCCC to charge heavy carbon tax on companies which explore/mine oil/natural gas -- this may force them to rethink how much they want to dig out, sell & use .. I mean the tax must be based on based on how much they use and sell  

Dear all,

I still would be a proponent of a rolling "black out" during peek consumption. This will send a very powerful message and shake the population out of there slumber when it comes to matters of conservation and energy use. 

Second a door to door campaign (as was done in the U.S.) an "energy audit" pointing out there carbon footprint and the damage to the environment this footprint actually does.

Guilt works wonders if used properly!!! 

Douglas

Dear Researchers

I am really grateful for your contributions. However, we still need to put more efforts in solving this issue. More suggestions are welcomed. Thanks 

Dear Krainer

Well people in Saudia are fashionable and like to be at par with west ! 

Dear sir,

Although I am not enough qualified to answer this question, I would like to put my experience during acquired over a period of time while working with several NGO and professional work. 

This issue is related with behavioral pattern of mankind which will take a long time to change specifically in resource rich countries like middle east.  However; there is another route to tackle this issue up to some extent which can be done by the will of government without changing peoples habit. Government should take initiative to promote use of highly automated technologies such as few air conditioners available in market which maintains the temperature by sensing human presence. 

Similar motion sensor based technologies can be applied to switch of lights, fans etc by putting a motion sensor with switch board of every room that can switch off the electricity if no motion is detected for a particular interval of time and should start electricity connection immediately if any motion is detected. It should be on automatic operation mode util unless manual change is not required. 

There are several possible ways which are difficult to discuss here and time consuming. However, if this idea seems feasible to you, i would love to send you a detailed control philosophy for automatic operation of household electricity consumption in order to minimize wastage.

Thanks & Regards

Ejaz

The energy conservation culture is the MUST, as it may be improved well by proper educational approach. Oil and Gas resources are not inexhaustible!

I suggest you use the method of the role model in order to make a change in the culture. If you can agree that one specific person is a loved or powerful person in the society then the actions of this person will spread to many other persons over time. For example, this person will appear on TV and show how he (she) always remembers to shut down the air conditioner, shut off the shower while he is busy applying the soap and shampoo, turn off the cooler for the swimming pool when he is leaving the house for several days. And similar things which will over time save many percent off the electricity and fresh water consumption in that area.

Governments play a key role in how the economy functions.  Subsidies for energy and water reward waste and undermine rational allocation of national resources (including capital)..The value of oil is not what it takes to get it out of the ground, but the export revenues it could generate for improving the lives of its population.  Until governments come to recognize this and act responsibly, mankind is doomed to destruction.  Until then the only way energy conservation will take hold is when the availability becomes so limited that there will be no other option. The economy will grind to a halt, standard of living will plummet dramatically (within months) and society will descend into chaos.  That's when conservation will start. This is what is happening in Venezuela right now.  Not a very optimistic forecast.

About 40% of the world’s population depends on firewood and charcoal as their primary energy source.

http://people.du.ac.in/~mrana/conference/EESC/EESC-presentation/Energy%20Security%20and%20Conservation.ppt

http://www.fao.org/docrep/T0269E/t0269e05.htm