To save, or not to save, that is the question

by frog

To save, or not to save, that is the question;
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Dampness
And to take arms against the low lake levels,
And by going without, end them.

A war of words has erupted between the Major Energy Users Group, or MEUG, and the Federation of Family Budgeting Services. MEUG’s press release Friday called on the government to lead the way in electricity conservation in order to stabilise spot prices and keep the lakes from running dry. However, the opening comment in the release:

While it’s not time to panic, everybody needs to start making simple low cost electricity conservation savings to help the worsening South Island lake storage situation and to take pressure off spot prices

has been taken by the Federation to mean that even the poor need to start conserving in order to make sure that big companies can get cheap power. I assume MEUG has made other comments in the press too. In her statements to Radio New Zealand,

Federation of Family Budgeting Services head Raewyn Fox says it is insulting to tell families who are already keeping power use to an absolute minimum to cut back. - and - calls for householders to save power will just add more stress to families already struggling with higher food and fuel prices.

It is indeed getting late in the month with the significant watching brief – April, and the South Island lakes at least are still very low. Having bashed Gerry Brownlee for scaremongering all summer, it is indeed now time to look hard at these things. But is it time to panic? I still don’t think so. The Winter Task Force still doesn’t think so.

Is it time to call for conservation? It would be un-Green of me to say that any time is not a time for conservation. But should we be asking those who have the least, to sacrifice the most, as winter sets in? I don’t think so. Those who will hear MEUG’s call are those who should keep the lights and the heaters burning. They would be the poor, those with children and those seniors and others whose health would be put at risk. Should we fill our emergency rooms with more asthma attacks, pneumonia and flu in order to keep big industry flush with cheap energy? That’s robbing Peter to pay Paul. A false economy.

By all means, everyone should look at where they can save and conserve energy, but not at the expense of their health and well being. We can do with a few less ingots of aluminium this winter, so we can spend another Christmas with Nana next summer.

In summary, I think both sides of this story are possibly guilty of hyperbole. However, given a choice of people or a few units of production, there is no question where my loyalty lies. If the MEUG folks think some conservation now will pay big dividends later, they should commence some load shedding forthwith. They have the means to make the biggest impact in the shortest time and they should act on their concerns. Just don’t ask Nana!

frog says