Re: [Phys-l] Energy use (was CFLs)

["Rick Tarara" <rtarara@saintmarys.edu>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Shapiro, Mark" <mshapiro@Exchange.FULLERTON.EDU>


> I disagree with your analysis.  By not charging the ratepayers for the 
> external costs, you reduce the incentive to conserve.  Thereby driving the 
> cost up for everyone.  Here in southern California we have tiered rates for 
> residential electric consumption to encourage conservation.
>
> US energy policies have led to profligate consumption of energy.  We have 
> about 5% of the world's population, yet we consume 25% of the world's 
> energy resources.
I get really tired of this one as well--(and the percentage is falling 
quickly as China rapidly moving to become king of the energy use hill).  Our 
energy use per person is about the same as Canada and Australia.  Not too 
far above Germany.  Big, developed nations, use energy.  Its why they are 
developed.  The larger the physical size of the country, the more energy 
necessary to move people and goods.  The more industry that resides within 
the country, and the more that raw materials are mined, processed, and used 
within a country, the higher the energy use.  Switzerland seems to use no 
energy--but it lives off the energy burned in France, Germany and Italy. 
You also have population density and (more to your point) life-style 
differences.  If all Americans would put their family of four into a 1000 
square foot apartment, with that apartment stacked on top of and surrounded 
on all sides by other such apartments--sure the energy usage would drop.
Yes, we can use less energy--but I repeat that reducing by more than 25% is 
tough.  As a country of 300+ million people, stretching 3000 miles coast to 
coast and 1000 miles border to border, with (still) the biggest economy in 
the world and a 21st century technology, the U.S. does not do all that bad. 
The problem is really not that the U.S. uses too much energy (OK, a little 
too much), it is that the rest of the world uses too little to provide a 
21st century living standard to their people.  The comparison to be made is 
between the developed world and the 'third world'--average out the 
variations for population, area, population density, percentage of 'home 
grown' economy versus imported resources and then do your comparisons. 
Spare us, please, from the 5%--25% mantra.  It really is not useful.

Rick