Save The Energy

The impact of the fuel price increase world wide is felt immensely in this city. In this country. Outside Java we hear stories of people queing to fill up their gas tank; fuel being rationed carefully and stuff like that. I remember one night last week when the weight of the problem was brought up to my attention, I freaked out and drove to the gas station to fill up my tank... Only to find that people in Jakarta does not have the slightest concern!! There was no queue in my regular gas station. It seemed that this problem exists everywhere else but Jakarta.

However, the Indonesian President is announcing a nation wide effort to conserve energy. Not all street lights in Jakarta's main roads are being turned on. The Hotel Indonesia fountain is being switched off at 6 pm instead of 10 pm. Jakarta is no longer bathed in light 24 hours. TV stations have to limit their air time (unless they're showing live football matches from Europe in which you can still go to air). Government offices increase their air con temperature to 25 degrees. All in the name of energy conservation.

Honestly, I don't believe this whole energy conservation thing is going very far.. I'm an apathyst when it comes to government and this country. However, I found myself turning off lights when I don't use them. I only turn on my air conditioning at home when I'm about to sleep. Whenever I leave my room in the office for more than an hour, I'd turn the air-con off. So maybe, there is still hope for this country. Hopefully, energy conservation becomes second nature to ordinary Indonesians. And we can hope for a better environment for years and years to come.