How can I convince my parents how important it is to conserve energy?

Question

They just don't seem to get it...or care.

Answer 1

if they are like my parents they grew up in an era that people thought was milk and honey,well the milk is going sour and the bees want there honey back.MONEY so and tell them that they can save there precious dollars up conserving power,insulate there home better to conserve heating and cooling costs,don't tell them they are conserving energy but they are saving MONEY it worked for me my parents have cut there energy consummation by 25% -40% and it shows buy the money they are saving.

Answer 2

If it's hard to convince them, just do *your* part to conserve energy. Eventually they may take notice, especially when their electricity/heating bill is less. Once they realize that they're benefiting from it, they might start caring and find out that it not only benefits them but others as well.

Answer 3

Conserve energy,is an oxymoron.

Energy can not be destroyed.

Use less or use more

It will always be there.

The sun will burn for another 5 billion years.

That should last don't you think?

But then the ice age only finished 10,000 years ago

And the worlds natural state is with no ice on its surface.

and was like that for most of the few odd billion years its been around.

So when  politicians say we are destroying the planet.

Believe them, would they lie?

Answer 4

easy. you some how prove to them that the conservation of energy is important to them and the world

Answer 5

Then you have to do like I did and make up for them, they will get the point soon enough or come to you for help paying the bills.

We have the technology to move past the carbon debate. We do not have time to go through the government red tape. With oil on the decline, we have to make massive changes, swiftly. But we have to take the time to get it right. We can not do this twice, or three times - like in the past; we have to put our money in the best return on investments and where we get multiple benefits. We have had most of this technology for 20 years but have not implemented it. We know what is cost effective; we know where we need better technology. Without governments mandating renewable resources that do not harm the environment, we are doomed. The fossil fuel depression with global warming will be the worst economic downturn in world history. But this is not doom and gloom; we have the ability to fix our mess and enough time. Solar Concentrating Electric Power Plants, wind, wave, small hydro-electric, geothermal, and nuclear energy are what we need. We must have a pollution surcharge where we pay the real price (health effects, global warming and cleanup) for oil, natural gas, coal, cigarettes, cooling towers, cars, trains and airplanes. Raising the price of fossil fuel today gives us more time to solve these problems and helps pay for the 20 Trillion Dollars worth of renewable energy over the next 10 years. Remember knowledge is power and this information is very powerful. Humans have 50 trillion dollars worth of stuff that runs on cheep oil, natural gas, or coal.

I attended the Focus the Nation at Sierra College on 1-31-08. The event was the 2% Solution, a 2% reduction over 40 years to solve global warming. Oil is a nonrenewable resource and we are running out-but not soon – anyone now want to pay $30 per gallon for gas. The problem is the oil will be gone in less than 30 years at present rates of consumption without projected increases and shortages (gone at least to run cars, heat homes, power electric plants or air travel). The 2% Solution is ok for the USA for a 10 year plan to cut 20%, but I would prefer a 5% Solution over the next 10 years for a 50% reduction. At the same time, we have to be building renewable energy so at the end of 10 years we can cut an additional 20%. With the peak of oil in the 1970’s, peak NG in the 1990’s, having mined cheep coal, the peak of ocean fishing in the 1980’s, and the peak of uranium in the 1990’s, humans must stop procrastinating and make real changes to keep earth sustainable including in the energy debate, finance and regulation. Over the next 90 years carbon dioxide is projected to skyrocket as human’s burn more fossil fuels, but we have to come up with what will take its place and cleanup our mess. One of the big problems we have is at some time Yellowstone will blow its top again, as the magma move closer to the surface, creating a nuk winter. After that we will not have to worry about the destruction of the ozone layer, global warming or pollution.

Many of mankind’s advancements cause earth surface to warm, destroy the ozone layer, kill off endanger species, heat cities, and in some way cause more dramatic destruction.  Blacktop and buildings (roads, roofs and parking lots-heat cities), deforestation (air pollution, soil erosion), duststorms (increase hurricanes and cyclones, cause lung diseases), fires (cause pollution, mud slides, and deforestation), refrigerants (like CFC's) and solvents (including benzene destroy the ozone layer raising skin cancer rates) and plastics; cars, airplanes, ships and most electricity production (causes pollution including raised CO2 levels and increased lung and other diseases); these human problems we must fix to keep life on earth sustainable! Humans have destroyed half of the wetlands, cut down nearly half of the rain forest, and advance on the earths grasslands while advancing desertification which increases duststorms.

The result is:  change is on the way, we just do not know what changes (where and when). Look beyond the hype, beyond the weather, beyond a quarterly report and beyond today. President Bush has made a choice of energy (ethanol) over food and feeding the starving people around the world; this is a choice China has rejected. The fact is Bush wants to buy food from out side the USA to send to starving people since our grain is not available. Now what USA Presidential candidate is giving you the facts so you can make an educated decision of which one to vote for?

But with that we must understand we have never seen what is now happening before. CO2 has never lead to temperature change, but temperature change has led to increases in CO2. The models have to be made as we go along with current evidence! But again adding a small amount of CO2 to the atmosphere enlarges the earths sun collection causing warming; increase water in the atmosphere and it forms clouds cooling earth but sometimes causing flooding. Even natural events are warming earth and causing destruction. The sun has an increased magnetic field causing increases in earthquakes (more destruction), volcanoes (wow, great destruction), and sun spots. Lighting produces ozone near the surface (raising air pollution levels). The USA Mayor's have taken a stand and I believe are on the right track, we can have control and can have economic growth. The sun is available to produce energy, bring light to buildings and makes most of human’s fresh water. Composting is the answer to desertification. New dams are the answer to fresh water storage, energy and cooling earth by evaporation, we need many small ones all over (California needs 100 by 2012 and we are far behind).

That is why I founded CoolingEarth.org, a geoengineering web sight where you can learn more about earth, the atmosphere, and how to sustain life on earth’s surface. Watch for changes in the sight coming soon.

Answer 6

I did this with my parents not long ago, in trying to convince them to conserve as much as possible and also recycle household items. I asked a simple pointed question, given all parents always want what's best for their kids. (in the best case scenario I should say).

"If there's nothing you wouldn't do for your children, why wouldn't you do all that you can now to save the planet they'll inherit when you're gone?"

After that little question, they actually paged through my "Seventh Generation" catalog and made a huge order which included full spectrum lights for the house. (NOT the fluorescents that are actually said to cause cancers and migraines because fluorescent bulbs flicker at such a high rate of speed they can cause problems through the optical nerve & create headaches. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/ar...

And they're also switching to geothermal energy for the house, since learning our local utility (as is the case in most cities Utility providers) pays half the cost of a home conversion.

They drive less, bicycle and walk more and are slowly assuming a Vegan lifestyle.

Hooray for daring to ask simple questions. ;)

Answer 7

You need to start simple, come up with a few energy saving changes that you know they won't have a problem with.  While they are doing these things, offer encouragement and remind them how much money they're saving.  (Money is always the strongest motivator).

  

I think when most people start making a few easy changes, before they know it they will be looking for other opportunities to reduce energy.  It's the way our brains work- when we take certain measures to but not others, it creates an inbalance in our minds that we need to rectify.  Like when people start exercizing, they'll usually start eating better as well because it doesn't make any sense to spend an hour at the gym and then eat a bag of potato chips for dinner.

Start small, encourage them, and they'll come around; we all will. If you need inspiration, check out these sites:

http://www.cwac.net/energy/energy_saving...  

http://www.savewithces.com/365in2008.htm...

Answer 8

just tell them how easy they can save a lot of money while conserving energy.. that might get them interested...

Answer 9

U should try to tell them all the bad things that can happen if they don't converse energy. like their bill will be so much higher and maybe they will realize that it is because they aren't conversing energy :)

i hope my answer helped!!