Regenerative Consumption

One thing why electric cars (and hybrids too) are more energy efficient is the regenerative braking function. To slow a vehicle down you need to convert its kinetic energy into something. In internal combustion engine (ICE) cars it is converted into heat which then is dissipated into the environment. In electric and hybrid cars (a portion of) the kinetic energy recharges batteries. This process is not fully efficient (e.g., in my electric scooter it is a very small percentage which goes back to the battery), but it is more than zero, so there is gain, especially when driving in a city or in a jam when frequent acceleration and braking takes place.

Regeneration itself has a very broad meaning, but in the context of consumption  typically means re-consuming, or consuming the same thing again. It can be either through repairs or by refurbishing / reintroducing the same thing into the sales channel. The good thing is people are slowly becoming aware of how bad consumption is and there are initiatives (albeit with limited reach so far) to help solve this problem. Some interesting developments worth mentioning:

1. Regeneration VC - funding retail-focused climate innovation.
2. Arrive Outdoors (a Regenerative.VC company) - why buy outdoors gear if you could rent?
3. Apple Self Service Repair - buy spare parts for Apple products and learn how to repair them, including renting tool kits.

Of course one could add here companies / services like eBay, OLX (pl), Vinted and others which help re-sharing and re-using rather than throwing away or buying brand new. They have been around quite long. But it seems 2nd hand items and repairing things is increasingly becoming popular. In the end it is all about what kind of lifestyle is in vogue. So good the environmental - savvy is gaining.

It is especially important in the well developed countries, as the richest 1 percent of the world produced 50 percent more emissions than those in the poorest 50 percent. The average European produces around six tons of carbon per year, while most people living in poverty emit less than one ton.