Obligation to Reduce Consumption - Assignment Example

Obligation to Reduce Consumption Consumption or usage of resources has increased in the contemporary world for a variety of reasons that may include increase in global population. While some sources may indicate that people should reduce their consumption, this would not solve the modern high consumption problem. This is because the high consumption is not attributed to usage of resources but misuse of resources. Misuse of resources leads to increased wastage, which can be mistaken for increased consumption; however, this is far from truth. This is because the world has adequate resources for everyone if the resources could be utilized without wastage. This implies that the world should not be concerned with reducing consumption but reducing wastage since there are adequate resources for all people. Reduction of wastage can be accomplished through saving and recycling. While wastage can be found in almost all societal aspects, the most common forms include energy wastage and water wastage. Energy wastage can be attributed to lack of efficiency, using gas-guzzlers, and other practices that people may consider irrelevant such as leaving the water running while brushing the teeth. Although people may think that they are using the resources as they should, they may be wasting and still not realize it. According to statistical data, more than half of the energy produced is wasted through inefficiency and the fuel guzzling (Natural Resources Defense Council). The power plants also lead to high levels of power wastage. According to statistical data, power plants convert a mere 30% of the overall energy input into operational electricity. This implies that almost 70% of the fuel energy is wasted during the beginning of the power production process (WWF). These companies can improve their efficiency if they were willing to commit more financial resources into the power production process. This process can be improved if these companies could combine both power and heat production. These companies insist on using high heat production methods and situating these plants away from where people live. If this could be improved, there could be more than enough energy for usage in industries and homes and the call for reduction of consumption would not be relevant. The automobile industry is the other high-energy wastage sector in the society. An average automobile emits an approximated three times its weight in carbon dioxide annually. A vehicle with a consumption rate of approximately 7.8 liters in every 100 km travelling 10,000 miles annually would emit an estimated three tons of carbon dioxide in a year. This is the car that is used to take a single individual to work and back home and its emission exceeds the weight of an 80 kg individual by close to 40 times (WWF). This shows how much the vehicle industry leads to wastage. There are several proposals that can be implemented to eliminate this form of wastage and disregard the idea that consumption should be reduced. These proposals range from vehicle design and vehicle usage. This can be accomplished by changing the design of the vehicles to the electrical ones. Having improved the power production plants to improve efficiency, the amount of electric power available would be enough to power vehicles. Since a very small amount of fuel, approximately 5% - 6%, is used in powering the automobile, designing of the power vehicles would make sure that the vehicles produced are more efficient since very little conversion is done to power the electric vehicle as compared to the fuel vehicles. Although these vehicles have not been largely accepted in the society, they can result in the reduction of fuel consumption in U.S by approximately 95% within the next two to three decades (Rocky Mountain Institute). This is because electric vehicles are lightweight requiring less power to move. If this were accomplished, there would be no appeal to reduce consumption because efficiency would be high enough. Usage of the vehicle can also be effective in reducing wastage. Statistical data indicates that most of the fuel wastage happens when the vehicles are in traffic jams. This implies that there is an opportunity of reducing the number of personal vehicles on the road by restricting the areas with high jam possibility to public vehicles, which are usually large to accommodate approximately 60 people. Such a vehicle would provide the services that would have been provided by 60 personal cars. While this would reduce fuel wastage, it would also eliminate traffic jams just by sacrificing the comfort offered by the personal vehicles. This would also lead to the usage of vehicles in productive ways. This is because most individuals drive a highly consuming vehicle alone to work while a public vehicle ferries many people at once. On this regard, it would be appropriate to argue that whether the public vehicle is efficient or not, it would obviously lead to enormous savings not to mention the possibility of being additionally environmental friendly. This is because it would emit fewer greenhouse gases than everyone driving in their own cars would. Homes are other places that wastage of power and other resources is immense. One of the most common ways is failure to take advantage of natural light. Most people leave their lamps turned on although there is enough natural light in the room. Sunlight is very efficient when used in drying clothes mostly because it is recyclable. However, most people in the developed countries do not use this opportunity but instead prefer the easiest way out which is using the dryers. As a recommendation, these electric applications should be used during winters. Bathing using hot water is also a way of wasting electric energy. While the water heaters use vast amounts of power to heat the water, bathing with hot water is scientifically not fit for human health. Additionally, when the water is being heated, much is wasted before the process is complete. On the other hand, most people tend to use different types of climate controllers in their homes, most of which use much power. While most use heaters in the morning, others use the a/c in the afternoons. While this could be appropriate during winters, it does not make sense to heat up the room to the point that one can wear a t-shirt during winter. While people in the American states might heat their houses up, towards the tropics some cool their houses to as low as 20oC and then open windows to raise the temperatures (WWF). It takes a significant amount of time before the cooler lowers the temperatures by a mere 5oC. Instead of turning the heater on, it would be easier and more efficient if individuals would adapt to energy saving methods such as wearing a sweater. Such measures would help in eliminating the call for reduction in consumption because available resources would have been used efficiently and therefore would be available in abundance. Additionally, turning the fans on longer than necessary could also increase electric power usage significantly. While a counter argument may claim that a reduction in consumption is required because it would necessitate huge investment to have the electric vehicles in the market, this is highly debatable. This is because although an initial investment is required, it would be worth the sacrifice for the sake of a better society with a better future. Additionally, the initial investment could be easily manageable especially for the development countries due to the idea that implementation of this measure would take place gradually to ensure that people change their mindset and view these vehicles as a better future. Additionally, before the vehicles are accepted, a measure that would require people to drive on buses when going to work would ensure a short-term reduction in fuel wastage. In conclusion, the claim that people have the obligation to reduce their consumption is not viable. This is because the planet has adequate resources for all people if the resources could be used efficiently. The call for consumption reduction could be eliminated if people would embrace ideas that would ensure that wastage of resources is reduced. Development of efficient lightweight vehicles would ensure a reduction in fuel wastage. Additionally, people should travel in public vehicles when going to work for improved effectiveness in reducing wastage because it would eliminate excessive driving. Improving efficiency in the power production plants could also go a long way in this quest. Such ideas indicate that reduction in consumption is not required and people should live comfortably because the planet can support that. Works Cited Natural Resources Defense Council. Wasteland: How America Can Save Money and Stop Wasting Food, Energy and Water. 15 Aug 2012. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/plehner/wasteland_how_america_can_save.html Rocky Mountain Institute. Reinventing Fire: Transportation. 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. http://www.rmi.org/Transportation WWF. Wasting Energy. n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014. http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/aboutcc/cause/wasting_energy_eff/ Read More