The current national energy shortage calls for the active participation of the public in saving energy, according to an article in the Yanzhao Metropolis Daily. An excerpt follows:

Energy Conservation Week, usually held in November since it was first launched in 1990, has been moved ahead to June this year.

The National Development and Reform Commission also issued an energy-saving guidance book to the public. It requires that temperatures in government offices and State-owned enterprises' offices be controlled at 27-28 C to save electricity. As well, changes in the everyday habits of citizens are expected to save energy.

But it is questionable that, besides those individuals who are really financially weak, how many people will take the guidebook and energy-saving measures seriously.

People get worried about power shortages when there are blackouts, but normally they consume power willfully, feeling at ease and justified.

Together with insufficient conservation of energy resources, a lack of a civic duty for energy-saving by the general public is contributing to the energy crisis we are facing today.

It is sad that apart from calling for administrative forces to intervene in energy conservation activities, we are not confident in conscious energy-saving on the part of the public.

The government has put great efforts into easing the power shortfall. However, without voluntary participation from the general public, the ultimate task can hardly be fulfilled.

The worrying fact is that a good operational system based on public interests has not been built up yet, while a civil society with a public sense of responsibility has not matured either.

It is said that in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, when the temperature is 36 C or above, if the public set their air conditioners one degree higher than they usually do, 100,000 kilowatt/hours of electricity can be saved. And that can fill half of the gap for local power supply shortfalls.

There is probably nothing else than a crisis that can best test the importance of public participation.

We are not only facing a power shortage. Reflection on the social management system is needed so that citizens can better shoulder their civic obligations.