Behavior trumps technology
Today I saw a fascinating talk by a fellow at IDEO, a design firm focused on human-centered and sustainable design. He related a very interesting tale.
In connection with a project, he had the opportunity to interview a man who drives a 1987 Toyota Corolla, while his wife drives a 2005 Prius. Know who gets better mileage? He does! He gets about 48 miles to the gallon, while she gets closer to 34.
Now, first of all, 34 mpg for a Prius is truly awful. Another person I know regularly gets more than 50 mpg on hers. An explanation is offered below.
The key fact to focus on is how the HECK he can get 48 mpg on a 1987 car! It turns out he is a keen student of driving technique. He explained to the IDEO guy that he has a set of very stict guidelines that he has honed over the years to completely optimize the efficiency of his car's engine. The list includes things like braking very slowly, accelerating very gently, and never driving above 55 mph. Impractical or not, it's hard to scoff at 48 mpg from a regular old car.
So my guess is that his wife has lousy driving technique. She does jackrabbit starts, slams on the brakes, weaves around on the freeway so she's never going a consistent speed (although it's always over 70), etc. Given that most people with Prius's get way more mileage, that's a big indicator that....
It's our behavior, not our technology, that is inefficient. The technology is already here, folks! We jsut aren't using it very well.
Have you noticed how many articles lately have been pointing to conservation as the #1 effective measure in reducing energy usage? We'd rather invest in flashy new technologies, though. Turning down the heat, buying compact fluorescent lightbulbs, and insulating the hot water heater aren't very sexy. That's not to say we should stop investing in solar, wind, and wave energy. But we might look a little closer to home for a first line of defense.
Altering behavior is actually harder than deploying new technology in some cases. But I would suggest that getting 48 mpg from a 1987 Corolla should be enough inspiration to convince a few people to turn their gaze inward and consider their own contributions to the problem. I know I can think of some areas in my own life that would benefit from altered behavior. After all, I only get 35 mpg on my 1999 car!
In connection with a project, he had the opportunity to interview a man who drives a 1987 Toyota Corolla, while his wife drives a 2005 Prius. Know who gets better mileage? He does! He gets about 48 miles to the gallon, while she gets closer to 34.
Now, first of all, 34 mpg for a Prius is truly awful. Another person I know regularly gets more than 50 mpg on hers. An explanation is offered below.
The key fact to focus on is how the HECK he can get 48 mpg on a 1987 car! It turns out he is a keen student of driving technique. He explained to the IDEO guy that he has a set of very stict guidelines that he has honed over the years to completely optimize the efficiency of his car's engine. The list includes things like braking very slowly, accelerating very gently, and never driving above 55 mph. Impractical or not, it's hard to scoff at 48 mpg from a regular old car.
So my guess is that his wife has lousy driving technique. She does jackrabbit starts, slams on the brakes, weaves around on the freeway so she's never going a consistent speed (although it's always over 70), etc. Given that most people with Prius's get way more mileage, that's a big indicator that....
It's our behavior, not our technology, that is inefficient. The technology is already here, folks! We jsut aren't using it very well.
Have you noticed how many articles lately have been pointing to conservation as the #1 effective measure in reducing energy usage? We'd rather invest in flashy new technologies, though. Turning down the heat, buying compact fluorescent lightbulbs, and insulating the hot water heater aren't very sexy. That's not to say we should stop investing in solar, wind, and wave energy. But we might look a little closer to home for a first line of defense.
Altering behavior is actually harder than deploying new technology in some cases. But I would suggest that getting 48 mpg from a 1987 Corolla should be enough inspiration to convince a few people to turn their gaze inward and consider their own contributions to the problem. I know I can think of some areas in my own life that would benefit from altered behavior. After all, I only get 35 mpg on my 1999 car!
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