Electricity was eventually taken away from the hands of a monopoly
Despite the uproar it caused, the oil embargo did increase awareness about energy conservation. This was a great upside as the electric companies had always promoted greater consumption so as to enhance increased production as well as lower prices and bigger plants. People were becoming aware of how much energy household appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners consumed. And this led them to make efforts to conserve power. Customers were being trained in energy conservation. The children were not left out either; they were taught basic energy conservation habits like wearing thicker sweaters in cold weather, only using heat when necessary, and turning off the lights when leaving rooms.
⚡️Energy conservation became an awareness that was so viral, it was used in political campaigns.
Energy reform was a major part of Jimmy Carter’s presidential campaign and he was later elected president in 1976. It was during his tenure that legislative action ruled out a monopoly in the electricity sector. This legislative rule gave chance to utility companies who were made to encourage consumers to use les energy. And, since the laws inventions were not very convenient for most, people opted for alternative energy sources like wind, solar and hydro.
“The utilities are masters of ignoring what people want.”
Gretchen Bakke