Over at the Library of Economics and Liberty I recently enjoyed an EconTalk podcast on the environment and some of the unintended consequences of the green movement. While I am anything but a scientist and cannot give a scientific opinion as to the validity of the claim that climate change brought on by human action will negatively impact the human race I did find the podcast to be quite interesting irrespective of which side one might take in the debate.
Host Russ Roberts interviews David Owens author of The Conundrum. Among other things Mr. Owens describes how our push for increased energy efficiency and other energy innovation can actually increase the demand for energy consumption and further argues that living in a city like New York may actually be a greener alternative to rural living. On the increased energy demand front David Owens reminds us that effectively making something more energy efficient lowers the price of that something and economics teaches us that at a lower price point a greater quantity will be demanded. Also news to me is the fact that New York city has the lowest per capita energy use of any American city.
Check it out for yourself over at EconTalk
A great reminder that simplistic thinking can at times lead to results outside of our expectations, something we have to watch for in all facets of our life.
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