Californians wonder how to do more to cut energy use

Protesters in San Francisco say the electricity crisis is not a real shortage, but a manipulated one

In this story: Shortage feared manufactured Dousing the holiday spirit 'I can't conserve any more' RELATED STORIES, SITES

By Greg Lefevre
CNN San Francisco Bureau Chief

SAN FRANCISCO, California -- At the Curtis household in Mill Valley, California, energy conservation is a part of life. But Carol Curtis says the huge jump in the state's energy prices has taken what used to be a voluntary practice and made it necessary.

"We've been conserving all along so it's not like we're doing anything terribly different at the moment," Curtis said. So she works harder on the small things, such as running the washing machine only when she has full loads.

The Curtis home is already insulated, has a new, efficient furnace, and low wattage appliances.

Many Californians believe that the electricity crisis is not a real shortage, but a manipulated one.

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Harry Snyder of Consumers Union says homeowners have a right to feel skeptical.

"It doesn't feel like a crisis. You still have gas in your cars and you go home and the lights are turned on and you can turn on your electric tea kettle," Snyder said. "I believe that the power's always going to stay on."

For a fee. Robert Glynn, chairman of Pacific Gas and Electric, said the higher prices reinforce the lessons of conservation.

"Frankly one of the advantages -- if you can believe there are advantages to higher prices -- is it will make clearer to customers what the costs really are," Glynn said. "When many customers see what the cost of energy really is, they simply won't buy as much, as that is a very good solution."

The threat of monster electric bills caused Renato Perez to restrict Christmas lights. They don't come on until 8 p.m., three hours after sundown.

"I tell my wife and my kids that now that we have these power outages and everything, we have to save energy," Perez said. "If we don't contribute, there will actually be more increases in the future."

It was tough decision to keep the family Christmas tree lighted until the Epiphany, January 6th, an important observance in his household.

The Curtis family doused Christmas lights altogether.

"We decided not to put lights on the house partly due to the fact that with the energy crisis going on," Curtis said. "I think it was ... a way to conserve energy. Even though it's been a part of our tradition, we decided we would forfeit it this year because of the energy crisis."

Kim Crawford was instructed not to waste from early childhood. "My mama taught me. Always turn things off when you're not using them," she said.

But she said she's about to draw the line at living in the dark. "I can't conserve any more. Maybe I'll try to use less electricity. I'm not going to be burning any candles to read by or anything. I've got to live."

Curtis agrees. "I don't know how much more we can do at the moment."

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Federal commission could act today on Western power crunch
December 15, 2000

Consumers Union -- San Francisco, CA
Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

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