Has anyone come up with a way to convince people to conserve?

Question

I keep searching for effective ways to affect people's attitudes. Setting an example is important, of course. I think scare tactics often backfire. What has worked for you?

Answer 1

Yes, it's called being poor.

Answer 2

This is the most difficult question anyone has asked since this discussion began. It would seem that the obvious answer would be "education", but as we've seen, some people revel in their ignorance and refuse to learn.

Allowing supply and demand to take care of things is not an answer. Even if gas were $20 a gallon, some filthy rich conservatives would still drive Hummers and Suburbans. Consumption would more than likely remain the same overall, because the rich and greedy would probably step up their consumption enough to compensate for the poor who would no longer be able to drive.

Some of these extremists are well aware they're harming the environment, and they simply don't care because they don't expect to live long enough to be victims of the cataclysm. I've met some who don't even seem to care about their own survival, and proudly "stick it to the man" by refusing to wear seatbelts. In ancient times, these morons would have died out due to their inability to adapt, but in today's world they thrive and control the government.

So what can we do? Those of us who care must do everything we can to improve the situation and set a good example for the next generation. There may still be hope that the children will learn from the mistakes of their parents and choose not to repeat them. We must also make our voices heard in this year's election and make it clear that we don't approve of this administration's wasteful and destructive ways.

Answer 3

There is really no way to convince everyone to conserve. Some people just don't care or think "I'm just one person, what difference can I really make?" Conservation has been a major environmental topic for years, but look around and you'll see many examples of people not listening. One example is people's egos. They would rather buy a Hummer (sometimes as a status symbol) than buy a car that is economical on gas. You may be able to convince a lot of people to conserve, but never the whole population.

Answer 4

Raising the price of a thing always encourages conservation. Of course this has a greater effect on the poor so if it is a thing needed to survive the poor are the first to die. It is not really needful to artificially raise the price of a thing that needs conserving, as the amount available vanishes the price will go up all by itself. The Government might want to divert money from a tax on a scarce resource to the finding of alternatives and better ways to manage or new sources of the resource, that is just good planning.

Answer 5

Allow the free market to prevail, which is what is going on now. Supply and demand curves are a fundamental cause-effect in economics. The demand has exceeded supply so the price goes up and people automatically conserve. Now alternate sources of energy, and previously 'uneconomical' sources of oil, are becoming financialy feasible and the market will shift and conservation of oil will occur. Do not let anyone tell you we are about to run out of oil, the oil in the Middle East just happens to be the easiest to pump and refine, at $70/barrel dep water drilling and other sources are feasible.

We do not want the government 'taxing' or 'regulating' our use of anything, they call that communism and it has proven to be an unsustainable political machine.

But, the government should pass regulation and tax credits to further reduce the R&D and 'first movers' cost of entering the market with new alternaive energy sources - this is their role.

Answer 6

Make it easier to recycle with curb-side pick-up, provide incentives for conservation such as price breaks for water catchment systems & solar/wind power and the list goes on.

Too many cannot afford the things and services that are critical to daily conservation (without major loss of convenience). Government subsidy of development and distribution of efficient power systems, transportation and environmentally friendly housing would go a long, long way... But that would take a full revision of the current budgetary priorities.

Increasing the costs of essential supplies like gasoline without providing any alternatives that are environmentally sound creates further hardship on those simply struggling to survive already. Make it, not only possible, but advantageous for them to live conservatively and you will see more folks doing so!

Answer 7

Tax them for not conserving. Or wait until the resource is nearly used up and it will get very expensive ... kind of like what is happening with oil.

If the resource is finite sooner or later people will conserve. The tax route is much less painful and it keeps more of our wealth in the public domain but unfortunately big corporations have been very successful in brainwashing people that taxes are evil.

Patriots pay their taxes gladly.

Answer 8

The real answer to the problem is to not tell people to conserve when i am told to do something i do the opposite as with most people if some left wing nut job is telling me to conserve stuff i am like screw you i will do what i want to and you cant make me do anything else. So in summary quit telling us to conserve and you will get a better result

Answer 9

That argument would were made contained in the 18th century besides the undeniable fact that the folk who did that are lengthy lengthy gone and we are right here now and their are to many persons to in person-friendly words kick out. Israel became greater contained in the 1940's to guard the Jews after the Holocaust. The close by individuals live to inform the tale Reservations that's considered their own us of a.

Answer 10

Education at a young is the best way to teach conservation. Hit everyone in the wallet if they don't conserve.

Answer 11

Give tax rebates if your household reduces the number of bags of garbage they put out, or increases the number of blue boxes for recycling.