WSJ: In Texas Suburbs, Conserving Energy Doesn't Come Easy [View All]

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In Texas Suburbs, Conserving Energy Doesn't Come Easy

High Fuel Prices Hit the U.S. But Custom, Convenience Make It Hard to Use Less
Living Green in 'Plasticville'
By JEFFREY BALL
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
October 20, 2005; Page A1

HOUSTON -- As director of an environmental organization here, David Gresham urges others to cut their use of fossil fuels. It's a tough sell. At home, in a subdivision on Houston's suburban edge, Mr. Gresham tries to practice what he preaches. That's even harder. His front lawn is yellower than its bright-green neighbors, because he and his wife don't water it often and don't use chemical fertilizers. His roof's underside is covered with a shiny sheet of metal foil that reflects the sun's heat, reducing his need for air conditioning. All told, his house uses about 40% less electricity than a typical home of its size in the Houston area, his electric utility estimates.

Yet when he requested a metal roof, which would have reflected even more sunlight, his builder said the subdivision allowed only shingles made of asphalt -- a petroleum product. When Mr. Gresham proposed covering his front yard with rocks and native plants that don't need watering, his subdivision's homeowners association told him he had to stick with grass. "It protects their property values," explains Diana Barak, director of operations for PCMI, a Houston firm that helps administer the homeowners association.

There's a paradox at work in the way the U.S. consumes energy. The American economy is getting more energy-efficient. Partly because of a shift toward lighter industry and service work, and partly because machinery is getting more efficient, the U.S. today uses only about half as much energy as it did in the early 1970s to produce every dollar of gross domestic product. Yet the average American's personal energy consumption isn't going down. The reason is that Americans are living larger. Home appliances, from washing machines to computers, are getting more efficient, but the average American is using more of them and living in a bigger house. Cars and trucks are more technologically adept than ever, but Americans aren't using less gasoline. Instead, they're buying vehicles that are heavier and faster, and they're driving them farther. That's a major reason that the U.S., with 4% of the world's population, burns 25% of the world's oil.

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In 2001, Vice President Dick Cheney stated that conservation "may be a sign of personal virtue" but shouldn't be the basis for U.S. energy policy. Yet last month, after two hurricanes pounded the Gulf Coast and sent fuel prices soaring, President Bush called on Americans to be "better conservers of energy," suggesting they cut down on nonessential car trips. The reality is that public policy, the private market and the lure of personal comfort all work against Americans trying to live on less energy. The hurdles are particularly evident in Houston, the self-described oil capital of the world. Transportation accounts for a bigger chunk of the average household's total spending in Houston than in any other major U.S. metropolitan area, a result of Houston's sprawl. A local saying goes that summer is the coldest time in this hot, humid city, because that's when the air conditioners are running hard.

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Write to Jeffrey Ball at [e-mail]

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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB112977198048673983.html (subscription)