TY - BOOK AU - Hallett,Steve TI - The efficiency trap: finding a better way to achieve a sustainable energy future SN - 9781616147259 (paper : acidfree paper) AV - TJ 808 H186e 2013 U1 - 333.79/4 PY - 2013/// CY - Amherst, New York PB - Prometheus Books KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Fuentes de energĂ­a renovable KW - Rendimiento industrial KW - Forecasting KW - Industrial efficiency KW - Social aspects KW - United States N1 - Includes bibliographical references and index; Prologue. The eighth deadly sin pt. 1. The efficiency paradox. The petroleum interval ; The conventional wisdom ; The unconventional wisdom pt. 2. Efficiency traps. Energy efficiency traps ; The energy substition trap ; The efficient food trap pt. 3. Thinking in systems. Learning from nature ; All the oil in the world; Efficient business and economy traps ; The ecology of collapse pt. 4. Beyond efficiency. Resilience : beyond sustainability ; Strengthening vital systems ; Building resilient communities Epilogue. The key that unlocks the efficiency trap N2 - One of the key tenets of the environmental movement is the need for greater efficiency in the use of our dwindling natural resources, especially coal, oil, and natural gas. If our products are designed to be more energy efficient, our environmental impacts will be reduced and fossil fuels will last longer. In this surprising new look at sustainability and conservation, environmentalist Steve Hallett argues this thinking is fatally flawed. In fact, based on the example of coal use throughout the Industrial Revolution, more efficiency leads to greater consumption and faster depletion of resources. This realistic appraisal of current environmental thinking will challenge environmentalists and industrialists alike. Yet recognising the inevitable limits of our growth and the shortcoming of current approaches is a necessary first step toward the establishment of a sound environmental policy. ER -