Energy - A Beginners Guide - Vaclav Smil
Summary
- All matter is energy, and everything we do is somehow connected to energy. A fascinating look into how energy moves our modern world.
How I discovered it
- Bill Gates blog recommended How the world works - Vacliv Smil, which I enjoyed and thus have been on the lookout for other books by Smil.
How the book changed me
- A much greater appreciation for energy and how everything: the houses in which we live, the clothes we wear, how late we stay up at night, how we travel and what we eat is based on energy. It is easy to forget how recently humans have had clean light at the flick of a switch and the ability to travel great distances in a short period of time.
Details
- The sun is ridiculously powerful
- Passive methods of heating and cooling reduce energy use
- The relation between energy costs and food production
- Disparity in energy consumption between countries