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| ensa:energy_saving [2025/12/05 19:07] – [Changing behaviour] asimong | ensa:energy_saving [2025/12/17 04:30] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1 |
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| Global fossil fuel consumption is rising relentlessly despite energy efficiency improvements. | _Global fossil fuel consumption is rising relentlessly despite energy efficiency improvements._ |
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| </figure> | </figure> |
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| Mr. Jevons. | _Mr. Jevons._ |
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| </figure> | </figure> |
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| Installing a reflective sheet behind a radiator means that more heat will be reflected back into the room. | _Installing a reflective sheet behind a radiator means that more heat will be reflected back into the room._ |
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| </figure> | </figure> |
| ## What are the benefits of energy saving? | ## What are the benefits of energy saving? |
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| So, (bearing in mind that these benefits are not happening, and can only happen in a stable economy), first and foremost, climate change: what this really means is anthropogenic (i.e. caused by humans) global warming. It’s mainly caused by burning fossil fuels that emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which traps heat like a greenhouse and raises global temperatures. Unless we stop doing this (and we’re not), then temperatures will keep increasing so that climatic zones keep moving towards the poles, with horrific consequences for [nature](/thna/the_nature_problem) and for people living in drought-susceptible countries. | So, (bearing in mind that these benefits are not happening, and can only happen in a stable economy), first and foremost, climate change: what this really means is anthropogenic (i.e. caused by humans) global warming. It’s mainly caused by burning fossil fuels that emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which traps heat like a greenhouse and raises global temperatures. Unless we stop doing this (and we’re not), then temperatures will keep increasing so that climatic zones keep moving towards the poles, with horrific consequences for [nature](/ntre/nature) and for people living in drought-susceptible countries. |
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| <WRAP center centeralign> | <WRAP center centeralign> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| People often negate the benefits of LED lights by installing too many of them. | _People often negate the benefits of LED lights by installing too many of them._ |
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| </figure> | </figure> |
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| Clothes lines in Iceland and Lebanon. Outside, air-drying of clothes has happened forever, [in all parts of the world](https://www.featureshoot.com/2016/06/seeing-the-world-through-clotheslines-from-italy-to-china-sponsored/). Images: [Drw25](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Drw25) and [Ankara](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Ankara), [CC BY-SA 3.0](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) | _Clothes lines in Iceland and Lebanon. Outside, air-drying of clothes has happened forever, [in all parts of the world](https://www.featureshoot.com/2016/06/seeing-the-world-through-clotheslines-from-italy-to-china-sponsored/). Images: [Drw25](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Drw25) and [Ankara](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Ankara), [CC BY-SA 3.0](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)_ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
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| In the real world, GDP and energy use are inseparable ([USDA Economic Research Institute and BP](https://ourfiniteworld.com/2011/11/15/is-it-really-possible-to-decouple-gdp-growth-from-energy-growth/)). | _In the real world, GDP and energy use are inseparable ([USDA Economic Research Institute and BP](https://ourfiniteworld.com/2011/11/15/is-it-really-possible-to-decouple-gdp-growth-from-energy-growth/))._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
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| <caption> | <caption> |
| A saucepan with a lid on will require a lot less energy for cooking. You can save more energy by using [retained heat techniques](/reth/retained-heat), [slow cookers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_cooker), or eating more [raw food](/rawl/raw_living_food). | _A saucepan with a lid on will require a lot less energy for cooking. You can save more energy by using [retained heat techniques](/reth/retained-heat), [slow cookers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_cooker), or eating more [raw food](/rawl/raw_living_food)._ |
| </caption> | </caption> |
| </figure> | </figure> |
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| [See here](/ensa/energy_saving) for many more energy-saving ideas. And finally, if this stuff fascinates you, maybe a career as a [domestic energy assessor](https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/domestic-energy-assessor) is for you. | [See here](https://www.lowimpact.org/categories/utilities/energy-saving/further-info/domestic-energy-saving-tips/) for many more energy-saving ideas. And finally, if this stuff fascinates you, maybe a career as a [domestic energy assessor](https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/domestic-energy-assessor) is for you. |
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| ## Further resources | ## Further resources |
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| ## Specialists | - [Energy Saving Trust](https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/) |
| | - [Centre for Sustainable Energy](https://www.cse.org.uk/) |
| | - [How to fit a thermostatic radiator valve](https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/thermostatic-radiator-valves.htm) |
| | - [Energy saving tips](https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/energy-saving-tips/) |
| | - [36 ways to save electricity](https://www.reuk.co.uk/wordpress/energy-efficiency/ways-to-save-electricity/) |
| | - [Efficiency, the Jevons Paradox, and the limits to economic growth](https://www.darrinqualman.com/efficiency-jevons-paradox/) |
| | - [Do energy-saving measures actually increase overall energy use?](https://www.lowimpact.org/posts/do-energy-saving-measures-actually-increase-overall-energy-use/) |
| | - [The Jevons Paradox and the Myth of Resource Efficiency Improvements](https://www.lowimpact.org/wp-content/uploads/jevons-paradox-resource-efficiency.pdf) |
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| | ## Specialist curators of this topic |
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