In today’s world, pursuing efficiency has become a primary goal in various fields, including energy consumption, technology, and resource management. We constantly strive to develop more efficient technologies, hoping to reduce our environmental impact and enhance overall sustainability. However, a fascinating phenomenon, the Jevons Paradox, suggests that efficiency improvements can sometimes lead to increased consumption rather than the intended conservation. Here, we will delve into the concept of the Jevons Paradox, explore its origins, and examine real-world examples that illustrate its effects.

Understanding the Jevons Paradox

The Jevons Paradox is named after the English economist William Stanley Jevons, who first observed this phenomenon in the mid-19th century. Jevons noticed that improved steam engine efficiency resulted in higher coal consumption rather than conservation. He argued that as the efficiency of steam engines increased, their usage expanded, offsetting any gains made in energy conservation.

The concept of rebound effects can explain the underlying mechanism of the Jevons Paradox. 

When the cost of using a resource decreases due to increased efficiency, it becomes more attractive for consumers and industries to utilise it. Consequently, this increased affordability leads to higher consumption and can potentially offset the initial gains in efficiency.

Real-World Examples

Fuel Efficiency and Vehicle Usage:

Like the energy sector, vehicle fuel efficiency improvements can also increase consumption. When cars become more fuel-efficient, the cost of driving per mile decreases, making it more affordable for individuals to use their vehicles — often increasing vehicle miles travelled, offsetting any energy conservation benefits from improved fuel efficiency. Research conducted by Nissan found Electric Vehicle (EV) drivers yearly travel over 370 miles further than petrol/diesel car users. 

Energy Efficiency and Consumption:

The most prominent example of the Jevons Paradox can be seen in the energy sector. As energy-efficient technologies emerge, individuals and businesses are motivated to increase their consumption due to reduced costs. For instance, the advent of energy-efficient lighting, such as LED bulbs, has led to widespread adoption. However, the overall energy consumption for lighting has not decreased significantly because the reduced cost per light unit has prompted people to install or use more lights for extended periods. Hence the proliferation of outdoor lighting products and the number of homes lit up at Christmas.   

Digital Technology and Energy Consumption:

The rise of digital technology and the internet has undoubtedly brought numerous benefits to society. Yet, the proliferation of intelligent devices and data centres has substantially increased energy consumption. Despite the improved efficiency of individual devices, the overall energy demand has surged due to the expanding usage of digital technologies.

Implications and Solutions

The Jevons Paradox has significant implications for policymakers, businesses, and individuals concerned about resource conservation and sustainability. It suggests that relying solely on improving efficiency may not be sufficient to achieve the desired environmental outcomes. While efficiency gains can undoubtedly contribute to reducing our impact, they must be complemented by measures that address the rebound effects.

Awareness and Education:

Raising awareness about the Jevons Paradox is crucial. By understanding the potential pitfalls of efficiency gains, individuals and organisations can make informed decisions and avoid falling into the consumption trap. Education can help promote more conscious consumption habits and encourage long-term thinking.

Policy Measures:

Governments can implement policies that incentivise sustainable behaviour beyond efficiency improvements alone. These policies may include measures like carbon pricing, stricter energy standards, and regulations that encourage the adoption of renewable energy sources. By considering both efficiency gains and consumption patterns, policymakers can create a more comprehensive approach to tackle resource depletion and environmental degradation.

Systemic Changes:

To address the Jevons Paradox effectively, we must examine the underlying systems that drive consumption. Transitioning towards circular economies, promoting sharing and collaborative consumption models, and encouraging the development of sustainable technologies can help break the cycle of increased consumption resulting from efficiency gains.

The Jevons Paradox serves as a reminder that the relationship between efficiency and consumption is complex. 

While efficiency improvements are crucial in reducing our ecological footprint, they may not achieve the desired conservation outcomes. The phenomenon highlights the need for a holistic approach considering both efficiency gains and the behavioural and systemic factors influencing consumption patterns.

By understanding the Jevons Paradox and its implications, we can strive for a more sustainable future. Through awareness, education, policy measures, and systemic changes, we can break the cycle of increased consumption and achieve genuine environmental sustainability. Only by addressing the complex dynamics between efficiency and consumption can we effectively navigate the challenges of resource depletion and climate change in the years to come.

Whilst coronavirus has cut many lives short and robbed families of precious time to be together, the lockdowns have given many of us, something we were short of, TIME. Okay, not if you’re juggling home-schooling with working from home, but if you’re on furlough, chances are you’ve had the opportunity to have a good declutter! 

Declutter like Marie Kondo? or crush it like Michael Landy?

Perhaps you’ve adopted the Marie Kondo approach — looked for the joy in every item, or it’s given the heave-ho! It’s surprising how much stuff we accumulate. Twenty years ago, artist Michael Landy, famously set about destroying all his 7,227 possessions in public view. Project “Break Down” sent six tonnes of rubbish to landfill having catalogued everything and then systematically deconstructed it all. It also highlighted the extraordinary number of materials used in products, challenged our thoughts on consumption and consumerism, and sparked debate on what items we value. What would you save from a burning building? I am what I own? You can only wear one pair of shoes at a time! A strange problem — to have too much ‘stuff’ to cause us stress, whilst others struggle for warmth, shelter and food.  

Make Do and Mend

We’ve come along way from making things last, mending, reusing or repurposing items in the way the war generation did. My Gran would save every scrap of paper, foil, every elastic band, jam jar, paper bag, piece of string, wrapping paper, all neatly filed ready for reuse. Socks would be darned, and knickers restrung with elastic — who buys knicker elastic now? We are better at recycling, and upcycling and buying vintage are fashionable. Living in lockdown has made us more resourceful — using up those packets and tins hanging about at the back of the cupboard; skilfully rustling up meals from half-opened packs of buckwheat; wearing the same clothes for days on end to save on the washing! We’ve even resorted to cutting our own hair!

What will we have to hand onto future generations?

As our memories become digital, we still need some connection to items from the past. The popularity of TV shows such as The Repair Shop illustrates the powerful emotions evoked by treasured possessions. Could be a Chopper bike or a wind-up toy; a cocktail cabinet or a pocket watch. What will we have to hand onto future generations? Old mobile phones? Clearing of clutter may inearth some hidden gems. How quickly we’ve moved from VHS to DVD to streaming. From vinyl to cassette tapes (making a collectable comeback?) to CDs to Spotify! Yes, your memories are safe as long as you keep paying the subscription.  

What opportunities for change will Covid bring?

Covid and Climate Change are our big emergencies, and they are linked. Can we seize the opportunities the pandemic has created? Become citizens, not just consumers? or will those that govern want to return to ‘business as usual’ to get re-elected? Or will a new measure of GDP take hold — as The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review advocates and value our ‘natural capital’ as a resource too precious to lose. Our natural environment has been essential during the pandemic to provide fresh air — a place to exercise and connect us to nature.

Investors seeing the greenlight too.

While we know our small green efforts can together make a difference, what needs to make the shift in addressing the impacts of Climate Change and subsequent loss in biodiversity are for the financial institutions to get ‘onboard’. When Larry Fink, co-founder of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset management group, saw first hand the impact climate change was having in Alaska — and spoiling his fishing trip he was enlightened! “Climate transition presents a historic investment opportunity.” In 2015, Mark Carney, the then governor of the Bank of England, gave a speech to financiers claiming that ‘Climate change is the investment opportunity of our generation’.

Watch this space as brown becomes the new green!

There’s no question that Brits love a holiday, with data from the international trade body for aviation reporting that British passengers made up 1 in 12 of all international travellers in 2018. While many of us are seeking the warmer climates of Caribbean shores or the bustle and buzz of a European city break, staycations are proving to be just as popular. As awareness grows over the impact of air travel on the environment, the choice to holiday at home seems set to increase.

Hazardous holidays – the rise of Flugscham & Flygskam (flight shame) 

 As one of the fastest-growing causes of pollution, aviation is responsible for up to 75% of the tourism industry’s greenhouse gas emissions. Making up 2% of all emissions globally; however, in the UK this figure rises to 7% of the country’s emissions – indicating a need for change in our holiday habits. A roundtrip flight from London to Berlin generates around 290kg of CO₂ per passenger – more than the average person in Somalia emits in an entire year. It’s no wonder frequent flyers are starting to feel Flugscham (what the Germans call “fly shame”) or Flygskam if you’re Swedish. 

The staycation nation – no-fly holidays the greener choice 

While more people are vowing to give up flying altogether, even taking just one flightless each year could significantly reduce your carbon footprint. That said, limiting your Airmiles doesn’t have to stop you from getting some much-needed R&R. More Britons are favouring breaks at home as an impressive 3 in 5 of us opt for summer breaks on our doorstep over trips abroad.

The ease of hopping from city to sea to countryside escape all within a short drive offers a variety that’s hard to find elsewhere. With 31 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, over 7,000km of walking trails and some of the best beaches in the world, it’s no surprise our passports are gathering dust.

We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to fantastic destinations within a stone’s throw of our front door. So we’ve run through some of our favourite staycation spots in the UK to help you make the most of your no-fly holiday.

There is an abundance of accommodation, beaches and scenery in the West Country 

You don’t need to travel across the globe in search of relaxing beach getaways. Visit Dorset’s Durdle Door for an escape to one of Europe’s best beaches, tucked under the impressive cliffs of the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Seaside charm meets golden sands and turquoise waters in Cornwall where the cheerily coloured buildings light up the seafront in Kingsand. Or, head further along the coast to Kynance Cove whose white sands and lush rocky landscape give Greece’s coastlines a run for their money. For year-round water sports and the UK’s best surfing, head to Devon. Woolacombe and Croyde see some of the biggest waves, though there are beaches to suit all levels of expertise – why not try something new?

Family-friendly holidays in the North of England

Britain is known for its lush green countryside – and there’s no better place to explore the beauty and variety of England’s rural landscape than Cumbria. Home to the Lake District National Park where sparkling lakes and rolling hillsides have inspired literary greats since the 19th century. Here you can experience some of the best scenic walking trails in the UK. Stay near North Yorkshire’s Yorkshire Dales to enjoy picturesque vistas and engaging experiences, such as family-friendly Forbidden Corner or the dramatic formations of Brimham Rocks. In South Yorkshire, a cottage stay around any of the chocolate-box villages puts you in the proximity of the historic industrial city of Sheffield as well as the beautiful moors and dales of the Peak District – all within an hour’s reach.

Holiday in Scotland – breath-taking natural beauty

From Dumfries to Dundee and Aberdeen to John o’ Groats, Scotland is bursting with breath-taking natural beauty and plenty of lively burghs. Home to Britain’s oldest ski centre. Glencoe has a variety of runs to suit all abilities, though more seasoned pros will be eager to tackle Fly Paper – the steepest black run in Britain. Stay in nearby Argyll, only an hour’s drive to the resort, and warm up in a cosy log cabin set within the tranquil highlands of Loch Lomond. Venture north to the archipelago of Orkney and unravel the mysteries of its great historical sites, such as the towering prehistoric stones of the Ring of Brodgar and the Stone Age ruins of Skara Brae whose history dates back even further than the Pyramids.

Wonderful Wales

What could be better than a cosy staycation in Wales? With three National Parks – the Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire and Snowdonia, to choose from and miles of genuinely stunning Heritage Coast a weekend Wales won’t be long enough. It has so much to offer. For the thrill-seekers, there are some fantastic zip-wire experiences – such as in Penrhyn Quarry, North Wales. And who doesn’t want to say they’ve climbed Snowdon? There are opportunities for coasteering, canoeing and horse-riding. Or for something more sedate plenty of castles to visit and fabulous walks to take.  

Explore more of what Britain has to offer with a staycation at one of over 54,600-holiday cottages, log cabins and apartments across the country. Find the stay that works for you.

Since my student days of ‘skip raiding’ I have always favoured second-hand, pre-loved furniture over new stuff. Apart from a few beds and a sofa 30 years ago, most of our furniture, and some of our curtains, have been acquired gradually from charity or second-hand shops, given by family, or bought at local auctions. We’ve got an old school art cupboard still smelling of pencils and a dressing table with drawers lined with 1950’s wallpaper. I like that these pieces have ‘lived’ in other places.

Why buy second-hand furniture?

Buying second-hand also avoids the ‘off-gassing’ (VOCs) of new furniture. Utilising natural materials rather than the flat-packed chipboard option. The furniture is better made: more joints and fewer screws! There is pride in the work and craftsmanship. That well-worn phrase of William Morris “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” is part of the appeal. You have theability to create different looks; bespoke looks without bespoke prices! Okay it takes more time, but that becomes part of the fun.

Buying at auction is a lot easier now that you can bid on-line and e-bay has helped revolutionise the second-hand market – whether it’s cars, clothes or cupboards! Sites such as Freecycle link those wanting ‘stuff’ with those looking for it! Auction sites such as Easyliveauction and saleroom websites make finding second-hand gems at local auctions a breeze. All helping re-use items, which in-turn reduces the demand on resources and lessens the amount ending up in landfill or worse still ‘fly-tipped’.

Help charities raise money and help the enviroment

Local furniture recycling projects are great for feeding into the circular economy – often offering training and employment opportunities. Upcycling is fun. Charities such as the British Heart Foundation, the YMCA, and Oxfam have separate shops to sell furniture and electricals. Although a word of caution here – second-hand appliances may not always be as efficient as they could be, so could end up costing more in running costs. Old fridges and freezers, because they are on all the time, can be problematic.

Slow food, Slow fashion… perhaps we need a new movement supporting Slow furniture!

Interior design obviously goes in trends and glossy magazines and social media sites such as pinterest seek to persuade us to get the current look; Stripped pine, minimalist, post war utility, scandi, urban chic, ‘shabby chic’, Bo-Ho, opulent, funky, 50’s, 70’s … we are sold an image – and it’s obviously a growth area as fashion retailers such as H&M and Zara have moved into the homeware market. So just like ‘slow food’ and ‘slow fashion’ perhaps we need a new movement supporting ‘slow furniture’! Who knows what the next trend will be – maybe dark brown antique furniture will come back, or it will be painted white as they did in the seventies, as they say “What goes around comes around”!

“What’s in the package?” my teenage daughter shouted excitedly as I opened the envelope containing a copy of Tony Juniper’s ‘What’s Really Happening to our Planet?’ book. And as she feigned interest before returning to the computer to play Sims with her friends I was struck by the irony that Dorling & Kindersley had published this book. Back in the 90’s DK’s educational CD-Roms – known as DK Multimedia, had fascinated and excited my older children. They could get information, on such topics as the human body, without needing to read too much and what’s more they could interact with it! So nearly 20 years on a book, even one with lots of interesting infographics, has to work hard to capture a young audience.

That said, pulling together the complexities of the issues that affect our planet is no mean feat. There are some alarming facts in the book, such as ‘Energy use up five-fold since the 1950’s’; not surprising given our growing population. And in DK style the information is presented crisp and clearly, with bright charts and colourful graphics to communicate the woeful state of our planet.

As well as the changing climate, the rising sea levels and resource depletion, the author covers the problems of world debt and wide spread corruption as well as the rise of consumerism and challenges of the waste we produce.

It’s a great resource to dip and out of for snapshots of the threats posed to our planet. I can see it being useful in schools and colleges.  What’s good about having a good old fashioned book  is that you can flick through and find things without being led by specific Internet searches. Perhaps that’s why sales of books are on the rise.  However, I hope that it will be available in app format too.

It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by all the fact and figures and to feel powerless to change anything. Some sections of the book do include what individuals and society can do, but I had to look hard to find them. There are simple things such as eating less meat, using energy efficiently; recycling and using greener forms of transport that could help reduce the impact on our planet. But the really big dilemmas such as population expansion, the impact and needs of the developing world and squaring economic growth whilst sustaining a healthy planet, require more than us making green choices.

Perhaps persuading the games developers Maxis that Sims 5 should be ‘Sims Save the Planet’ could help influence the decision makers of the future. If we don’t look after it, mankind and the planet will die.