In April 2009 I published a cartoon about energy efficiency. Due to points raised by viewers of the site (see below), I have decided to remove it from the web. I am, however, happy to email a copy to anyone that would like to see it.
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Comments (29)
What this ignores is that even as energy efficiency goes up, so does energy consumption– as both population and quality-of-life indexes rise. Yes, refrigerators were less efficient, but there were less OF them…. Energy needs are STILL going to go up, even if everything we use only consumes a tenth what it did.
Second, you ignore the law of diminishing returns…. at some point it wastes more energy and resources to make a refrigerator 1% more efficient than you gain back by that efficiency. What good to anyone is a fridge that is, say 5% more efficient yet costs $10,000?
Third, you never construct based on a best-case scenario. Building the energy infrastructure on the HOPE that energy needs will magically go DOWN is merely begging Murphy to kick your butt.
Agree with rhjunior. You make a great point (especially with the ‘Amusing our…’ article. Love the book and great work!) Nothing we will ever do, EVER, will make our energy consumption go down. I am speaking in total here. That’s clear even if all you look at is population increase and ignore the fact the more and more and more of our lives are always becoming more and more dependent on some type of energy-consuming device.
Very true points you make! My only problem with this is that only the most Western of cultures value efficiency right now. China and India for example don’t hold these values and are growing by leaps and bounds. I do hope that eventually, only LED lighting sources will be available -no matter where you buy them but that’s still a long way off… Still, one cannot discount your points!!
Not all technology can be made so dramatically more efficient, as we are close to the thermodynamic limits. Whilst we will make large improvements in efficiency it is disingenous to suggest we will not need massive amounts of energy, and that energy costs won’t rise.
Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it though.
Hey Johnny, I was just reading “Mid-Course Correction” by Ray Anderson who quotes a study by the USA’s National Academy of Engineers which claims that the American economy has a thermodynamic efficiency of just 2.5%. Europe and Asia are only slightly less wasteful.
I think there is a long way we can go to cutting this waste and reducing our ecological footprint.
I love your toons but wanted to point out a small technical flaw in this one.
“A modern fridge is 98-99% more efficient tan one sold in 1972″
What this sentence actually equates to is a fridge it that is twice as efficient as one sold in 1972.
100% + 98% = 198%
With an additional 40% increase in efficiency you would only be, at best, nearly three times as efficient.
198% * 1.4 = ~277%
To achieve a fridge which used only 0.4-0.8% of the energy would take a much greater reduction.
100% / 0.5% = 200
This means a fridge would have to be 200 times (or %20000) more efficient than a 1972 fridge to achieve a 0.5% comparative level of energy usage.
Cheers,
-Rick
I think the cartoon should be opened to all to view, right or wrong. It gives me a chance to see the all sides to the story and compare it to the comments.
Its a good thing the comments are from people with good knowledge of energy efficiency. The comments could be used to make a new cartoon instead of being used to “censor”.
BTW, I love your illustrations!
can i has a copy!?
please send me your cartoon. thanks
Hi…I love your way of expressing the thoughts! Can you pl. mail me this one?
I’d like to recieve a copy of this aswell
I agree with Pepper Lim, I think its important to view both sides of the story. I would love to see a new cartoon with the updated info!
Hi,
I just found your site through because of your latest cartoon. Now I wanted to take a look at the rest, so could you please send me a copy of this one?
I really like your ideas and how you visualize them in your cartoons!
I love nature and I enjoyed your cartoons. Can I have a copy of Energy Efficiency?
I would like a copy if you’re still sending them. Even after all that the comments pinpoint, I still like the way you say things in other cartoons and would love to see this one. You have my e-mail from the comment, i guess. Could you send it to me? Thanks in advance
I’m a big fan of your toons and the way you express ideas.
Please send me a copy of this cartoon so that I can also see the truth.
thanks in advance.
Hello Stuart,
I am preparing a lesson plan on energy efficiency and been searching some cartoons related ot the topic. Can I ask for the copy of the cartoon you make and I am requesting as well for your permission to use the said cartoon in class. Many Thanks.
stumbled across your blog and immediately became a subscriber! i am student of this subject and your cartoons are very relevant..could i request you to mail me a copy of this cartoon please?
Love your stuff. Think you could e-mail me a copy of this?
plz send me a copy of it:)
I’m an environmental science teacher! Can you send me the Energy Efficiency Cartoon?
Would you kindly send me a copy too?
Your cartoons inspire me. Could you please send me this one?
Can you send me the Energy Efficiency Cartoon? Great work !
Preez send me a copy of this cartoon. I clicked on the picture about 5 times before I realized it wasn’t there.
Please send me the cartoon. I am becoming a big fan of your work and would really like to see it.
Please send me a copy of the cartoon.
Loving your site… are you able to send me a copy of this cartoon? thanks
Can you send me a copy of this cartoon? thanks!