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Chapter 9EFFICIENCYNot needing something can be the most efficient form of conservation. Higherlevels of insulation, better windows, sealed cracks, and redu ced levels of demand forenergy are where renewable energy starts. This is also the cost effective way to besustainable. It also may be one of the harder areas as the concept of less, invisiblesavings are hard for some people to grasp. In my own case the exciting concepts ofsolar panels and wind turbines actively producing renewable energy intrigues me. Inreality, the power of efficiency is the key to holding the holistic concepts ofsustainable living together. Without thinking efficiently as nature does we aredoomed to fail.It starts with the amount of space you need. Keep it as small as possible. Rethinkevery element and wherever possible try to work towards as small of a space forwhat you really need. The benefits of this type of thinking result in cost saving inevery other aspect of your life. The flexibility and opportunities provided byminimizing your footprint at this basic level when applied over the long term are themost powerful. Like investing, the sooner you start, the more you put in at thebeginning, the better the long term returns. With efficiency this is the formula.However, the difficulty is in that the investment is in reducing, o ptimizing andeliminating. This kind of thinking is something we find difficult in our culture ofconsumption and wanting forever more.Something we will find very hard is to change our ways of thinking. Efficiency is anatural way built into the universe. It is something that we are only starting to graspbut that has long been a part of spiritual traditions and ancient cultures. It has beenthe recent revolutions in energy usage patterns, innovations in mechanics, andchemical innovation that has allowed us to go well beyond natural limits. This cantbe sustained. The key is conserving wherever possible, insulating, reducing materials,using renewable materials, and organic products.129