Social impacts of energy conservation

Energy conservation measures do not only lower the level of energy consumption, but they may produce a lot of side-effects as well. Potential social implications are discussed, especially with reference to equity and distributional impacts and to the voluntariness dimension. Conservation concerns need not conflict with interests of poor people. Rather, equity impacts are dependent on the specific characteristics and conditions of energy conservation measures. There are no typical voluntary and mandatory categories of energy saving measures, but all instruments could vary in the associated degree of voluntariness. Again, modelling and specification is important.To discuss not only implications of specific measures but also impacts of more comprehensive energy alternatives, two ideal types of instruments are considered which are the mainstreams underlying the present energy conservation debate. One line focuses on technological solutions, while the other one stresses life-style alterations.     

Behavioral science and energy conservation: Conceptualizations, strategies, outcomes, energy policy applications

While economic, physical design, and legal disciplines have been the dominant approaches in energy conservation policies, each perspective has limitations with regard to effectively being able to modify energy-related behaviors of consumers. A behavioral science approach which integrates knowledge bases from a number of disciplines and levels of analysis has had relatively little input into energy policy, even though conceptually and technically the approach is well developed, and has recently demonstrated its applicability to energy policy through many field experiments. These studies, which have used combinations of antecedent and consequence strategies, are critically reviewed with regard to energy savings attributable to these strategies and the potential for large-scale applicability. Based on this review, a sophisticated, media-based approach, developed from a detailed marketing plan, is described as the foundation of a basic program. However, such a program would be experimental in nature and contain subparts to carefully evaluate other strategies (e.g., diffusion, feedback). Thus, the behavioral sciences, while by no means offering a panacea, can make important contributions to energy policy when working in concert with other disciplines.     

Update on energy drinks and youth

Energy drinks are attractive and readily available in every grocery store and gas station. While most youth verbalize an understanding that too much caffeine is bad for one's health, at an age of multiple demands, an over-the-counter offer of increased energy and alertness is hard to ignore. What makes energy drinks different from regular coffee? Although the heavily caffeinated drinks promise increased energy and stamina and are loaded with healthy natural ingredients, excessive consumption is of concern on many levels. This article will discuss some of the effects of excessive caffeine, as well as risks associated with energy drinks mixed with alcohol.     

新能源契机与滨海新区新能源汽车战略选择

近年来,中国汽车工业有了新的发展路径,即随着国家对新能源汽车发展战略的制定、对新能源汽车的大力扶持以及央企电动汽车联盟的成立,汽车制造商纷纷发布了各自的新能源汽车研发与发展策略,2010年成为中国新能源汽车的发展元年。     

Environmental awareness and energy problems in Croatia

The article discusses the results of sociological research on environmental awareness in Croatia. A strong anti‐nuclear attitude is present, especially with respect to radioactive waste. Education is by far the strongest determining variable: those of high educational qualifications are critical in general as well as vis‐à‐vis specific issues, yet not necessarily critical in a negative sense.     

Sociology,energy and interdisciplinary environmental science

The movement toward interdisciplinary studies of human-environment interactions holds considerable appeal for environmental sociologists. But a survey of the paradigms and institutions that govern interdisciplinary research onenergy—a key variable in socioecological theory and an important cause of environmental decline—suggests that the prospects for a significant sociological role in these sorts of studies could turn out to be fairly limited. Over the past twenty years, a variety of devices have been successfully used in interdisciplinary energy analysis to diminish the importance of the social, and to marginalize the contributions of the social sciences. This is unfortunate because insights from sociological studies of the energy system are of considerable value in both disciplinary theory-building and interdisciplinary environmental policy-making. These external limits on sociological analysis are only part of the story. Sociology’s own theoretical unease with technology and the physical/natural world, and its insular tendencies in regard to other disciplines, have significantly contributed to a decline of sociological work on energy-environment topics over the past decade. Given growing interest by natural scientists in the human dimensions of global environmental change, the time now seems right for a renewal of energy research by sociologists—although the initiative must come from within the discipline. A number of suggestions are offered for anchoring the sociology of human-environment interactions more firmly in the discipline, as well as for expanding sociology’s role in interdisciplinary environment research. The comments and suggestions of Gene Rosa, Riley Dunlap, Tom Dietz, Bruce Hackett, Bill Freudenburg and anonymous reviewers have been helpful in revising earlier drafts of the paper. The research was supported in part by the Washington State University Agricultural Experiment Station.     

A behavioral model of residential energy use

The energy use in the residential sector is an important area for compaigns to conserve energy. In the first section of this article, a model is proposed that relates personal, environmental (e.g. home) and behavioral factors to energy use. This model is instrumental in relating variables that determine energy use in the home.In the following these determinants of household energy use: socio-demographic factors, family life-style, energy prices, energy-related behavior, cost-benefit trade offs, effectiveness and responsibility, feedback, information, home characteristics are discussed.In the third section several options for energy-saving campaigns and related research are discussed.     

Is there a generalized energy conservation ethic? A comparison of the determinants of gasoline and home heating energy conservation

The body of research that has attempted to identify and characterize the “ecologically concerned” or “socially responsible” consumer is challenged for its assumption that this is a single group sharing a general disposition to conserve. Based on a comparison of gasoline and home heating energy conservers from a single sample, evidence is provided that these are two unique groups and that those who are conservers in both areas form a third unique group that is closer to the original notion of a generalized conservation ethic. Implications are discussed for future research focusing on energy conservation and social responsibility.     

新型能源替代化石能源的有效途径——低碳燃料排放标准

一旦谈论起“能源安全”和“大气变化”,交通运输就是罪魁祸首,因为它消耗了世界上一半的石油,并造成将近1／4的温室气体排放。在美国情况则更为严重,交通运输消耗了2／3的石油,形成了1／3的温室气体排放。由于汽车、飞机、轮船几乎完全依赖石油,为了能源安全和防治空气污染,     

天津市能源开发利用分析

能源是现代城市赖以发展的基础．我们必须协调好经济快速发展和环境、资源、能源等约束条件间的矛盾。天津市是一座典型的能源输入型城市．坚持能源开发和节约并重．以提高能源利用效率为核心,以调整经济结构、转变增长方式、加快技术进步为根本,加快建设节能型社会．以能源的高效利用促进经济社会的可持续发展．构建低投入、高产出、低消耗、少排放、能循环、可持续的经济发展模式是天津市能源利用的根本出路。     

Analysing domestic activity to reduce household energy consumption

This paper presents our reflections on the issue of behavioral change according to energy conservation constraints and on the status of sustainability in the design of ambient interactive systems at home. We point out how ergonomics contributes to the study of human factors underlying energy consumption. Relating to situated cognition and human computer interaction, our approach relies both on the ergonomic evaluation of feedback consumption displays and on the modeling of domestic activities in order to identify household concerns in real settings. We present empirical results to illustrate this global approach. The results of those studies allow the design of interactive systems: informative and pedagogical systems as well as pervasive and adaptive ambient systems. In our approach, sustainability is taken into account as a design criterion, as security could be, whereas the main design purpose is to aid households in their daily life in order to build a "sustainable situation".