The connection between energy use and emissions of air
pollutants, including GHGs, is uncontroversial. It is also
widely, if not universally, accepted that there is a lot of
low-hanging fruit in energy efficiency. I agree completely
with both propositions.
Nonetheless, a recent article in Energy Research & Social Science (fee
required for full article), reported in Tuesday's Washington Post, provides a
useful — and somewhat humorous — note of caution.
The article concerns how people use thermostats.
We're not even talking smart grid stuff here; just
programmable thermostats.
According to the article, 40% of programmable thermostat owners
don't actually program them, and 33% have overridden the
programming features. And here's my favorite, from the
Post story: approximately one-third of those studied
