The Economy: Some Ways to Cut the Waste

By far the most profligate of energy users, Americans burn one-third of the world's oil—or more than 16 million bbl. a day. Much of that precious petroleum is wasted, guzzled up in two-ton cars that carry one person to the office, or burned up in poorly insulated houses that are overheated in winter, overcooled in summer and overlit year round. All the talk notwithstanding, Americans have not yet begun to conserve. As soon as last winter's oil embargo started leaking and the gasoline lines began shrinking, people quickly stepped on the gas and turned up the thermostat. Sooner rather than...

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