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When it comes to efficiency there is a certain observed paradox to consider: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_
by digi_owl 8y ago
When it comes to efficiency there is a certain observed paradox to consider:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox
The original observation involved the increased efficiency of extracting coal, and the subsequent boom in its use thanks to the drop in price, but can be generalized.
Basic thing was that as the price of coal dropped, because more of it was extracted than before, uses that previous was considered unprofitable were put into practice.
- paganel 8y agoAdding to your coal example, let’s suppose that we somehow magically make all cars run on solar or renewable energy that has costs aproaching 0. What will most likely happen is that people will drive even more, we will have to build exponentially more roads (building a road is pretty polluting by itself, in terms of the materials being used) and the ecosystem will be even more threatened compared to now.
- perl4ever 8y agoFeedback effects are often important, but can be overstated - for instance with the concept of risk homeostasis, or the Laffer curve. While reality is often counterintuitive, that doesn't mean the pattern "X causes -X or more" is automatically true.