Consumers could subvert energy conservation

Comment: Isn't this why the economy is being deliberately shut down? Who are they kidding? They are the ones destroying the consumer, and the purchasing power of the dollar. Why? Peak oil! Consumers from this point will be using less energy, much less energy, whether they like it or not.

As President Obama and Congress pump billions into energy conservation, experts warn that the promised energy savings could be undermined by consumer behavior.

There is even a name for it: the Snackwell Effect.

Just as dieters might binge on Snackwell's low-calorie cookies, people who buy energy-efficient items for their homes sabotage their efforts to save power — often by using the appliances more heavily, studies have shown.


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