CENTRALIZED WASTE

Figure 2 is from The Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, Forrestal Building, EI-231, Washington, DC publication number DOE/EIA-0579. The comparison is between developing countries (DCs), developed countries (OCED), and centrally planned economies (CPEs). Notice that energy consumption per 1985 dollar of GNP is in a moderately uniform range for both developed, wealthy countries and for undeveloped, poor countries with the latter being slightly higher. (The low population, oil exporting countries are a special case.) Central planning, however, boosts energy consumption about 3-fold without concomitant benefit to citizen income. Perhaps we should export Amory Lovins to one of these people's republics, so that, through "demand side management,'' they can increase their advantage.