Thanks to the University of Minnesota for sponsoring this video! http://twin-cities.umn.edu/

The way smartphones made many devices nonessential is a model for a new way to think about improving energy efficiency.

Thanks also to our Patreon patrons https://www.patreon.com/MinuteEarth and our YouTube members.

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To learn more, start your googling with these keywords: 

Dematerialization - using less (or no) material to deliver the same service
Energy conservation - using less energy by adjusting behavior (turning down your heat)
Energy efficiency - using less energy by using technology that requires less energy to perform the same function (insulating your house to keep warm while using less energy)
Energy intensity - energy consumption per unit of GDP (reduced by increasing energy efficiency)
Energy services - the useful functions you're able to perform by using energy (what we refer to as ‘function’)

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If you liked this week’s video, you might also like: 

Phones are great for the environment https://www.wired.com/story/iphone-environment-consumption/
Nope, phones are bad for the environment https://theconversation.com/how-smartphones-are-heating-up-the-planet-92793
Amory Lovins on ‘integrative design’ (watch the video abstract) - https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aad965/meta
The US would use 85% more energy if it weren’t for efficiency efforts since the 1970s https://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-environment/308170-cheap-clean-and-easily-accessible-an-energy-resource
US energy intensity has halved since 1970 https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=10191
This chart shows just how much energy the US is wasting https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/05/visualizing-u-s-energy-consumption-in-one-chart

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Subscribe to MinuteEarth on YouTube: http://goo.gl/EpIDGd

Support us on Patreon: https://goo.gl/ZVgLQZ

And visit our website: https://www.minuteearth.com/

Say hello on Facebook: http://goo.gl/FpAvo6

And Twitter: http://goo.gl/Y1aWVC

And download our videos on itunes:  https://goo.gl/sfwS6n

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Credits (and Twitter handles):

Script Writer, Editor and Video Narrator: Alex Reich (@alexhreich)

Video Illustrator: Sarah Berman (@sarahjberman)

Video Director: David Goldenberg (@dgoldenberg)

With Contributions From: Henry Reich, Kate Yoshida, Ever Salazar, Peter Reich, Julián Gómez, Arcadi Garcia

Music by: Nathaniel Schroeder: http://www.soundcloud.com/drschroeder

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References:

Belkhir, L., & Elmeligi, A. 2018. Assessing ICT global emissions footprint: Trends to 2040 & recommendations. Journal of Cleaner Production, 177, 448-463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.12.239 

Bento, N. 2016. Calling for change? Innovation, diffusion, and the energy impacts of global mobile telephony. Energy Research & Social Science, 21, 84-100. https://repositorio.iscte-iul.pt/bitstream/10071/12732/5/Accepted_manuscript_Jun16.pdf 

Cullen, J. M., Allwood, J. M., & Borgstein, E. H. 2011. Reducing energy demand: what are the practical limits?. Environmental science & technology, 45(4), 1711-1718. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/es102641n

Fell, M. J. 2017. Energy services: A conceptual review. Energy research & social science, 27, 129-140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2017.02.010  

Grubler, A., et al. 2018. A low energy demand scenario for meeting the 1.5 C target and sustainable development goals without negative emission technologies. Nature Energy, 3(6), 515. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-018-0172-6 

Lovins, A. B. 2018. How big is the energy efficiency resource?. Environmental Research Letters, 13(9), 090401. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aad965/meta 

Popovich, N. March 8, 2019. America’s Light Bulb Revolution. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/03/08/climate/light-bulb-efficiency.html 

Suckling, J., & Lee, J. 2015. Redefining scope: the true environmental impact of smartphones?. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 20(8), 1181-1196. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-015-0909-4 

Visitor’s Guide. August 2007. Rocky Mountain Institute. https://d231jw5ce53gcq.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Locations_LovinsHome_Visitors_Guide_2007.pdf 

We ranked dragons based on how biologically and evolutionarily plausible they are.

Thanks also to our Patreon patrons https://www.patreon.com/MinuteEarth and our YouTube members.

___________________________________________

To learn more, start your googling with these keywords: 

Tetrapods: four-limbed (with a few exceptions, such as snakes which have vestigial limbs) animals constituting the superclass Tetrapoda.

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If you liked this week’s video, you might also like: 

What Happened to Smaug's Other Legs? 'Hobbit' FX Expert Explains http://www.mtv.com/news/1719502/smaug-hobbit-fx-explained/
How to fly your dragon, Journal of Physics Special topics https://journals.le.ac.uk/ojs1/index.php/pst/article/view/870/802

_________________________________________

Subscribe to MinuteEarth on YouTube: http://goo.gl/EpIDGd

Support us on Patreon: https://goo.gl/ZVgLQZ

And visit our website: https://www.minuteearth.com/

Say hello on Facebook: http://goo.gl/FpAvo6

And Twitter: http://goo.gl/Y1aWVC

And download our videos on itunes:  https://goo.gl/sfwS6n

___________________________________________

Credits (and Twitter handles):

Script Writer, Editor and Video Narrator: Julián Gustavo Gómez (@ittakesii)

Video Illustrators: Ever Salazar (@eversalazar) and Arcadi Garcia (@garirius)

Video Director: Ever Salazar (@eversalazar)

With Contributions From: Henry Reich, Alex Reich, Kate Yoshida, Peter Reich, David Goldenberg, Julián Gómez, Sarah Berman, Arcadi Garcia Rius 

Music by: Nathaniel Schroeder: http://www.soundcloud.com/drschroeder
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References:

Tennekes, H. (2009). The simple science of flight: from insects to jumbo jets. MIT press.

Azuma, A., Azuma, S., Watanabe, I., & Furuta, T. (1985). Flight mechanics of a dragonfly. Journal of experimental biology, 116(1), 79-107.

Habib, M. (2013). Constraining the air giants: limits on size in flying animals as an example of constraint-based biomechanical theories of form. Biological Theory, 8(3), 245-252.