William Stanley Jevons was an English economist who addressed an important concern about the use of coal in 19th century industrial England. Just the way peak oil concerns people today, the English were worried about depleting the coal reserves needed to fuel their factories. Increases in mechanical efficiency would have seemed to result in less coal use, but industry responded by increasing the number off factories that depended on coal. The consumption of coal continued to rise, and the government felt profound concern about depleting England’s coal resources.
Jevons Paradox, which he published in 1865, postulates that the greater the efficiency, the greater the consumption. In other words, trying to solve the supply problem by designing better engines only increases the supply problem because of higher demand. At the time that Dr. Jevons postulated his paradox, the evidence supported his thinking. His idea is related to the tragedy of the commons and consumption rebound effects. The less expensive the resource, the faster people will deplete it, whether it is public grazing land or oil wells.
People who seek ethical fashion choices pay attention to how their clothing is produced. This explains why knowledge of Jevons paradox is important. Cotton cloth created on looms that run on power from coal generated power plants is not environmentally friendly. On the surface, wearing cotton is a sustainable fashion choice. Go deeper, and Jevons Paradox kicks in. Suddenly, cotton is a less responsible fashion choice than a different material, like wool. Any article of clothing that does not require coal generated power to run the looms is more environmentally friendly. Clearly, for consumers interested in sustainable fashion, the issue is complex.
Governments that wish to promote industrial growth sometimes use Jevons paradox to justify anticonservation policies. After all, if increased efficiency only causes more rapid depletion of resources, then why bother with alternative fuels and increased mpg standards in automobiles? Jevons paradox seems to be convenient to right wing energy policy.
The paradox makes it seem that ethical fashion choices are irrelevant in a world where greater efficiency only produces faster depletion. But the paradox does not always happen. When Jevons postulated that greater efficiency depletes the coal mines faster, coal was king of the mountain. Now there are many ways of generating energy, and efficient machinery often does lead to the conservation of natural resources.
There is a great deal of data to be processed in order to understand the best path to sustainable fashion. To rely on a single theory to make a decision is clearly inadequate. Therefore, individuals who wish to make responsible fashion choices need not concern themselves that greater efficiency always results in greater consumption. Jevons paradox has much in common with Xeno’s paradox; while entertaining on paper, common sense dictates that both paradoxes are silly. The hare beats the tortoise every time, and efficiency triumphs over laziness and greed.