We're using as much electricity per household as we did in 1978, despite energy efficiency gains. The culprit? Cellphones, iPads, and the like.
Why do American homes consume as much electricity now as they did three decades ago, despite the massive gains made in energy efficiency over that time?
Over at Fast Company, our old friend Morgan Clendaniel dug up these Energy Information Administration graphics that perfectly illustrate Jevon's paradox, the tendency for all efficiency gains to be offset by higher energy use. Basically, the energy required to keep our appliances, gadgets, and entertainment systems powered has almost perfectly offset efficiency gains in heating. Has anyone out there found a really good solar cellphone charger?
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