Smith overlooks the simple answer - energy not used is effectively energy saved

Last night’s “Ten Bucks a Litre” was, some have argued, an attempt by Dick Smith to shock people out of their complacency.

Tristan Edis.

Tristan Edis, of the Climate Spectator, saw that as useful, but beyond that a series of omissions during the program made the challenges of understanding the challenges confronting us seemingly more daunting than the really are.

Edis argued that the most important of omissions was Smith’s failure to discuss and acknowledge the importance of energy savings.

Saving energy, the root of the climate change conversation, is, like saving money, arrives from not using it in the first place. And with money, if it is not spent in the first place, then it is effectively saved.

Edis ends his story: “Where Dick Smith went wrong”, with the thought: “Once we look at a combination of technologies, starting with energy efficiency, the challenge of decarbonizing energy becomes far more manageable.”

Dick Smith discussed Australia's energy dilemmas on an ABC program - “Ten Bucks a Litre” on Thursday, August 1.