Rebound Effect in Conservation
First described by the English economist William Stanley Jevons in his 1865 book The Coal Question, where he observed that the invention in Britain of a more efficient steam engine meant that the use of coal became economically viable for many new uses. This ultimately led to increased coal demand and much increased coal consumption, even as the amount of coal required for any particular use fell.
To generalizing, this phenomenon occurs when a new technology or invention is used to increase the efficiency of an existing process, leading to increased demand for the new technology, which in turn increases the demand for the original process, and so on.
Improvements in efficiency often lead to increased consumption rather than conservation, as users and developers find new ways to utilize the improved technology, which is more apparatent in technology evolution from last few decades.
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Internet Bandwidth: Faster internet speeds and better compression algorithms were meant to reduce bandwidth usage. Instead, they enabled 4K streaming, real-time video calls, and larger web applications, ultimately increasing overall bandwidth consumption.
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Electricity Consumption: Renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines were meant to reduce electricity consumption. Instead, they enabled more efficient lighting, more efficient heating and cooling, and more efficient energy storage, ultimately increasing overall electricity consumption.
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Mobile Processors: More energy-efficient mobile processors led to more powerful smartphones, which in turn led to more demanding applications and increased battery consumption.
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Fuel Consumption: With more fuel efficient cars, pleople tend to travel more, surging fuel price, and increased fuel consumption.
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Web Development: The rise of efficient “JavaScript frameworks” and better browsers paradoxically led to heavier websites, as developers added more features and interactive elements, often resulting in larger page sizes and increased server loads.
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Quick Commerce: The rise of efficient 10-minute delivery platforms aimed to reduce multiple shopping trips. However, this led to increased small-basket orders, more delivery vehicles, and higher packaging waste as consumers started ordering even single items due to the convenience.
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Low-Fat Foods: The introduction of low-fat food options often led to people consuming larger portions or eating more frequently, negating the caloric reduction benefits.
These examples show how the rebound effect isn’t limited to technology - it’s a fundamental human behavioral response to increased efficiency in any domain.
