Ron Bailey on the Paradox of Energy Efficiency

Automobile manufacturers have been working for decades on improving fuel efficiency. So why aren't the cars we drive today getting dramatically better gas mileage? Underlying that question is a fascinating paradox about energy consumption writes Ronald Bailey.

The money saved from driving a fuel-efficient car, for example, may now be spent on flying to a Caribbean beach vacation. Compounding rebound effects throughout the economy can lead to so much additional energy use that the net result of improved efficiency is higher consumption.