For all the talk about new-era technological solutions to our energy needs, the best and most immediate solution is already at hand: Our own consumption patterns.

Science Writer Jan TenBruggencate reports that there has been a relatively modest, but real, decline in the use of electricity this year, the first such decline in per-household power consumption since 1997.

Scientists and energy company officials have a variety of ideas about the decline, ranging from greater use of solar water heaters and more energy-efficient appliances through climate shifts that have affected the use of air conditioning.

The one thing that is obvious, they say, is that less electricity is being consumed.

This offers an important lesson: We can hold down our use of imported oil and expensive electricity by making modest adjustments to our use patterns. Shut off air conditioning during the day, use solar heating if it makes sense where you live, do laundry and other chores during nonpeak times. In short, use power intelligently.

Long term, Hawai'i has to move more aggressively into alternative forms of power, whether wind, solar, wave, geothermal or even high-tech ideas such as ocean thermal conversion.

In the meantime, the best answer lies in the wise use of power by every consumer. As these new figures suggest, this is entirely possible.