THE ENERGY CONSERVING SOCIETY

INCREASES IN ENERGY CONSUMPTION MUST BE ATTRIBUTED NOT ONLY TO TECHNOLOGY, BUT TO THE BEHAVIOR OF THOSE USING THIS TECHNOLOGY. IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT AS AVAILABLE ENERGY DECREASES, DEVELOPED NATIONS SUCH AS THE US WILL NOT EASILY RETURN TO AN EARLIER EVOLUTIONARY LEVEL. TO APPEASE THE CONFLICT WHICH WILL OCCUR WHEN ENERGY DECREASES IN THE US & OTHER HIGH ENERGY CONSUMPTION NATIONS, THERE SHOULD BEGIN IMMEDIATELY A PLANNED REORGANIZATION OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES. A DISCUSSION ON THIS SUBJECT WAS HELD AT A CONFERENCE ON "ENERGY CONSERVATION THROUGH EFFECTIVE ENERGY UTILIZATION" AT NEW ENGLAND COLL IN NH, IN 1973. MOST OF THE DISCUSSION & PAPERS FOCUSED ON TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF EFFECTIVE USE OF ENERGY, CONSIDERING THE MANAGEMENT OF THE DEMAND FOR ENERGY. AT THE CONFERENCE, ECONOMISTS, POLITICIANS, & INDUSTRIALISTS OFFERED THEIR IDEAS. AN OFFICER IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY FOCUSED THE SOURCE OF THE ENERGY PROBLEM ON HUMAN MISBEHAVIOR. A POLITICIAN RELIED ON LEGISLATIVE MANDATES FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION. THE ROLE OF THE SOCIOLOGIST & HIS RESPONSES TO THESE POSITIONS IS DISCUSSED. THE PRIMARY UNITS FOR COMPUTING ENERGY CONSUMPTION ARE THE GROUP & THE SOCIAL ROLE. AMERICA'S SHIFT TO A 'POSTINDUSTRIAL' SOCIETY HAS NOT RELIEVED HIGH ENERGY CONSUMPTION. A SOCIETAL APPROACH TO ENERGY CONSERVATION MAY BE SUGGESTED, DUE TO ENERGY USAGE PATTERNS ROOTED IN SOCIAL ORGANIZATION. THE BEST CONSERVATION PROGRAM IS A SET OF REGULATIONS WHICH CHANGE THE SOCIAL SITUATION. FOR THE BEST REGULATIONS, A BETTER KNOWLEDGE BASE SHOULD BE DEVELOPED. MODIFIED AA.