I was at a talk on dematerialization a few weeks ago, and one of the speakers told "the parable of the Prius" to illustrate Jevon's paradox that efficiency gains do not necessarily reduce energy consumption (and from a climate perspective, greenhouse gas emissions). In the case of buying a fuel-efficient Prius, one saves a lot on gas bills but may be inclined to drive more since the cost per mile has dropped. Even if mileage is constant, the proceeds could be spent on a vacation to Mexico, offsetting and perhaps then some in GHG terms, the savings out of the tailpipe. It's also possible that savings could be poured into energy efficiency improvements, and seems to me that a rising energy/carbon price can conquer the paradox.

The Harper government will deliver their first majority government budget today and there is a lot of anxiety going into this budget with big cuts expected. While the government is denying it is an austerity budget, leaked documents have certainly set this tone with deep cuts to the public service, changes delaying eligibility for Old Age Security and more. For a broader look at what is being reported in the media about this budget, see Brent Patterson's blog.

More than anything else, coal fuelled the Industrial Revolution. It was, and still is, plentiful and cheap. It’s also always been relatively easy to get at, especially if you don’t mind sending kids into mines, endangering the lives of miners, or blasting the tops off mountains.

Coal is an 18th-century fuel source, but we’re still relying on it for much of our energy needs in the 21st century. Because it’s so abundant and inexpensive, there’s been little incentive to switch to cleaner but often more expensive sources.

Let's suppose the world's legitimate scientific institutions and academies, climate scientists, and most of the world's governments are wrong.

Maybe, as some people have argued, they're involved in a massive conspiracy to impose a socialist world order. Maybe the money's just too damn good. It doesn't matter. Let's just imagine they’re wrong, and that the polar ice caps aren't melting and the climate isn't changing. Or, if you prefer, that it’s happening, but that it’s a natural occurrence -- nothing to do with seven billion people spewing carbon dioxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere.

It was inevitable that climate change deniers and some oil industry promoters would misinterpret a study by scientist Andrew Weaver before reading beyond the headlines. A letter in the Calgary Herald actually claimed that "Weaver's revelation … raises even more skepticism about the entire science behind global warming."

The writer went on to argue that the report by University of Victoria climate scientist Weaver and PhD student Neil Swart is an "awakening for David Suzuki and his environmental followers."