Individual conservation is indeed only a tiny fraction of consumption, but it is the only tiny fraction that you have full control over. Yet I think there are benefits to individual conservation besides the feel-good and that microscopic fraction.
There is a social aspect. Humans are social creatures. An outlier -- which I am pretty sure I qualify as -- can make it easier for others to nudge their own thermostat a degree or two. It can also show some amount of general societal willingness to accept business regulations that would affect end consumers[1]. Individual conservation can also help keep the idea of conservation in mind, as that chosen inconvenience affects daily life.
That said, if the individual conservation is preventing those critically important business regulations from being talked about, proposed, or enacted, then I'd definitely prefer the conservation effort be put toward establishing those regulations.
[1] While I don't know the precise form those regulations might take, I can guess that building construction and maintenance, HVAC systems, and vehicles will be significant targets.
no subject
There is a social aspect. Humans are social creatures. An outlier -- which I am pretty sure I qualify as -- can make it easier for others to nudge their own thermostat a degree or two. It can also show some amount of general societal willingness to accept business regulations that would affect end consumers[1]. Individual conservation can also help keep the idea of conservation in mind, as that chosen inconvenience affects daily life.
That said, if the individual conservation is preventing those critically important business regulations from being talked about, proposed, or enacted, then I'd definitely prefer the conservation effort be put toward establishing those regulations.
[1] While I don't know the precise form those regulations might take, I can guess that building construction and maintenance, HVAC systems, and vehicles will be significant targets.