From Bright to Dim, Ideas on Energy Pour In

Attention Gov. Gray Davis:

Want to rescue the Golden State from the energy crisis? Nix the decorative lights on the Golden Gate Bridge, end all television shows at midnight and put the kibosh on any new theme parks.

Oh yeah, and while you’re at it, ban electric golf carts. Make those duffers haul their clubs.

These are just a few of the hundreds of energy-saving ideas submitted to the state government in the last few weeks by folks who believe they can help guide California through the crisis.

OK, so some of the ideas are a bit off the wall, like the woman who offered to cut back on her estrogen pills so she can have more hot flashes and reduce her heating bill. Then there is the proposal to sacrifice our late-night junk food binges by closing all 24-hour convenience stores after dark.

Since Davis urged consumers last month to cut consumption by 7%, conservation-minded residents have swamped state officials with ideas--so many that the state created an ideas a hotline and a Web site this week.

The ideas range from the practical (provide incentives for residents who use solar or wind power) to the angry (force environmentalists to ride rubber rafts to work) to the unusual (use cow and chicken manure to fuel methane-powered generators).

So far, the hotline, (800) 232-4685, has received 225 voicemail messages, while the Web site, https://www.energy.ca.gov/ideas, has taken in about 200 e-mail suggestions, state officials said.

“The majority are genuine, sincere folks who have good ideas,” said Claudia Chandler, a spokeswoman for the California Energy Commission, who has read many of the submissions. “We wanted to capture these ideas.”

She said some of the brightest ideas have been pulled from the pile and sent to state agencies for possible implementation.

For example, state officials are considering an idea sent by e-mail to distribute placards that businesses can display on their windows, indicating that their shops are open even though the lights are low. It’s an idea that was used during the Great Depression era.

Chandler declined to identify the people who submitted the ideas because they did not give permission to be embarrassed or praised (depending on the merits of the idea).

Many stressed the increased use of renewable energy, such as solar and wind power.

But some ideas were a bit more unconventional.

One resident of Fresno suggested the state ban all electric golf carts except those used by disabled players, and end all television broadcasts at midnight.

A spokesman for Jay Leno, host of the late-night “Tonight Show,” laughed at the suggestion.

“The energy crisis is serious, but I don’t think that is a serious consideration,” said the spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The folks over at 7-Eleven Inc., owners of the ubiquitous and brightly lit convenience stores, also didn’t think much of a suggestion by someone in Sacramento County who believes all businesses should close at 9 p.m.

“We have people that rely on us who work second shifts or third shifts,” said 7-Eleven spokeswoman Margaret Chabris. “Our customers value and rely on us being open 24 hours.”

Besides, she said, 7-Eleven is working to replace old energy-guzzling equipment, such as the Slurpy and Big Gulp machines, with more efficient models.

From Bridge Lights to Theme Parks

Someone in the Bay Area suggested sacrificing the decorative lights on the Golden Gate Bridge to save some juice.

The idea bombed with San Francisco Mayor Willie L. Brown Jr.

“Impacting safety on the bridges and other major transit corridors while saving only a minimal amount of energy is not an idea the mayor supports,” said aide P.J. Johnston.

Still, officials at the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District say the lighting hours have been reduced. The lights now go on at 8 every night instead of at 5, and stay on until 7 a.m.

An energy conservationist from Kern County called for a ban on new theme parks--an obvious attack on Walt Disney Co.’s new California Adventure theme park in Anaheim, which opened Thursday.

A spokeswoman for the Disneyland resorts dismissed the idea, saying the happiest place on earth is already one of the most energy-efficient places on earth. Disney spokeswoman Chela Castano-Lenahan declined to say how much electricity the new park uses.

Other ideas targeted energy-guzzling at home.

A Monterey County resident wrote: “I live in Carmel and can you tell them that Christmas is over? I still see hundreds of lights outside of Carmel homes. At least limit it to the weekends.”

A fan of Japanese food from Sacramento suggested we all eat at restaurants that serve “inexpensive, nutritious teriyaki bowls.”

“I’m sure it costs less in natural gas and electricity than if we made an average meal at home,” explained the woman--the one who also offered to cut back on her estrogen.

Another Sacramento resident noted that rolled-up newspapers can seal gaps around windows.

“Newspapers are a good energy-saving product to keep the cold out,” the person said.

(Editors note: Newspapers are good for reading, too.)

A resident of a Placer County subdivision asked the governor to suspend restrictive covenants, conditions and restrictions (known as CC&Rs;) that make it difficult to conserve.

“We would like to use a clothes line to dry clothes, sheets, etc., outside, but the CC&Rs; in our subdivision prohibit hanging clothes outside,” the resident wrote.

A long list of energy-saving ideas, such as having the state sell solar panels for residential use, was submitted by another Placer County resident. That ended with a swipe at newly elected President Bush, who has been accused by some Californians of putting little energy into solving the crisis.

“My last suggestion,” that citizen wrote, “is to elect a president who cares as much about California as Texas.”

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Power Points

Background

The state Legislature approved electricity deregulation with a unanimous vote in 1996. The move was expected to lower power bills in California by opening up the energy market to competition. Relatively few companies, however, entered that market to sell electricity, giving each that did considerable influence over the price. Meanwhile, demand has increased in recent years while no major power plants have been built. These factors combined last year to push up the wholesale cost of electricity. But the state’s biggest utilities--Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison--are barred from increasing consumer rates. So the utilities have accumulated billions of dollars in debt and, despite help from the state, have struggled to buy enough electricity.

Daily Developments

Edison’s parent acknowledged that it collected $1.4 billion more in tax payments from its utility subsidiary than it needed to pay taxes.

The White House said it is reviewing California’s request to ease federal environmental rules to speed power plant construction.

n The governor moved back his deadline to finish outlining a plan that would allow the two largest private utilities to avoid bankruptcy.

Verbatim

*Asking us to give up transmission lines would be like asking Safeway to stop selling bread and milk and butter.”

--Robert Glynn Jr., chief executive officer of PG&E; Corp.

*

Complete package and updates at www.latimes.com/power