Conscious Consumption

In developed countries there is a notion of conscious consumption: for a variety of reasons, people choose to consume rationally. The highest form of rational consumption is personal awareness of what one consumes, regardless of status, rank or wealth. In a restaurant, for example, it means ordering exactly as much food as you will eat, without overeating. It means driving a fuel-efficient car, buying clothes for their quality rather than their brand, and not wearing furs, jewellery and the like. The point is that when we consume limited resources rationally, we use less of them; as demand falls, their price falls, and the resources become more affordable. It also helps protect the environment. Unfortunately, such behaviour is more typical of developed countries, and we are not yet among them. Still, the rational use of resources starts with the state and business. At the macro level the results are far more visible than at the level of a single individual. Regrettably, in our country the attitude toward resources is highly consumerist at every level: the state, business and the population.

For example, indoor temperature in our homes is not regulated at all, especially in Astana: in winter people open their windows because the heat indoors is unbearable. Our water is not divided into technical and drinking water; formally, all of it is potable, whether it is used for irrigation, for washing or for drinking. Not long ago I drove through Zerenda at night, and the road lighting was like that of an operating theatre. Why save on light, when we have so much cheap electricity?

Few of us are likely to turn off the tap while brushing our teeth, or to take a reusable shopping bag to the grocery store to avoid plastic bags.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of such inefficiencies, and not only in government, but in business and in everyday life.

In my view, the state should adopt a programme on energy efficiency and the rational use of resources. I believe it could save the budget billions of tenge through proper regulation and modest investment alone. For example, in many European countries apartments have low ceilings, because what is heated is not the floor area but the volume of the apartment. In many European hotels you will not find strong water pressure either; it, too, is calibrated for optimal consumption.