The New York Times published an interesting article about climate change this weekend which emphasizes the importance of energy efficiency and conservation as a major factor in the fight against global warming. What really caught my eye were their impressive charts on energy waste in the United States. About 56% of all the energy produced in the United States is WASTED, due to a combination of waste that occurs during energy production, but also inefficient technology and design.
The statistics are stunning:
- 66% of the energy produced for electricity is lost, 10% of that in transmission.
- 71% of the energy produced for transportation is wasted.
- 20% of the energy produced to run American industry is lost, and
- 20% of the energy that we use in our commercial and residential buildings is wasted.
The good news?
“You can do a tremendous lot with available technology,” said Professor Najam, one of the authors of the intergovernmental panel’s report on policy options. “It is true that this will not be enough to lick the problem, but it will be a very significant and probably necessary difference.”
We’re wasting a lot of energy, but when individuals take action – by making our homes more energy efficient, by investing in technology that doesn’t waste as much energy (like hybrid vehicles or compact fluorescent light bulbs) and making simple, effective changes in our lives, we can make a real difference. Start today with the Minnesota Energy Challenge and see what an impact you can have.
[...] Wasted, Wasted Energy (April 7, 2008) [...]