energy crisis? I can't find them anywhere in my everyday life

No word has been haunting the media for weeks like “energy crisis”. But where is it actually in everyday life, in public life? It all seems so normal, but municipalities and companies in particular should take the lead in saving energy. But I hardly see that.

While walking to work one morning, a man in overalls with a red Tyczka gas bottle in front of the office is calmly flaming away the tiniest bit of weed between the sidewalk stones. A gas lantern flickers on my street in broad daylight, and I hardly see any cars as well. I ask myself: is Putin supplying oil and gas again?

The office building where I work and many others light up as soon as it gets dark. Traffic lights flash amber at deserted roundabouts at night. At many bus stops, white displays show the number of minutes the bus will arrive. Landmarks such as the Philharmonie or the Brandenburg Gate shine all night long.

Not a neon sign is switched off, many shop windows are almost glistening. I wonder: wouldn't half or a third of the lighting do the trick? Do I have to advertise in an energy crisis? Isn't electricity ten times as expensive as it was recently?

Of the three to four swimming pools that I visit every week, at least two are noticeably unheated lately. It almost gives me a good feeling, as if I'm allowed to make a small contribution - after all, it's a crisis. In a swimming pool in Charlottenburg I get really warm after a few lengths in the water, although I'm more of the frozen type. But some showers are so hot I almost scald myself until I turn them down. Why is this still possible?

In the supermarket I often want to put on a sweater, it cools me down so much. Does everything else go bad here? Is there a lack of will, is it lack of guile or is it the German who is afraid of saving?

questions upon questions. The question of questions: Is this how you prepare for an energy crisis?

No, we should have acted more long ago. A few percent could have been saved everywhere since the beginning of the war. And yes: it is already too late, spring and summer are largely wasted. What would have spoken against turning down the air conditioning in May or switching on the approximately ten million public street lights a little later and a little earlier in March?

This should now be made up for consistently and other dispensable items should be eliminated. Ice rinks at Christmas markets, a large part of the already too colorful and kitschy holiday lights, patio heaters at mulled wine stands and Festival of Lights - everything can go. Who does this really hurt?

Incidentally, saving energy is a clever thing, even without an energy crisis. Economics Minister Habeck rightly pointed out that we can also emerge stronger from this energy crisis: without Russian gas, with better building insulation, with more renewables and better energy management.

The eternal "It's not enough anyway" and the seemingly rational "That only brings a few tenths of a percent" are not arguments. Every community has to save, every company should set a good example. You should be a role model for the citizen and exemplify the urgency. This also makes sense from an economic point of view.

And of course every citizen can also save without becoming an ascetic and without returning to the time of the flint. Rather, he becomes political, empowers and participates, makes a difference by using a little less energy. Everyone according to their possibilities.

When even a well-known FDP politician calls for sacrifice, it smells like socializing. And there is enough savings potential that doesn't even really hurt. Everyone should consider which ones they can use – now. Because as a society we are too far away from saving.

"Everything on shares" is the daily stock exchange shot from the WELT business editorial team. Every morning from 7 a.m. with the financial journalists from WELT. For stock market experts and beginners. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Amazon Music and Deezer. Or directly via RSS feed.