Energy Guzzling

Tim Habb:

I read things like this one out of England:

THE Conservatives will propose banning plasma screens and other energy-guzzling electrical goods in a report to be unveiled next week.

...and I slam my head against the wall screaming "Why, Why...WHHHHHYYYYY!?"

Bans on non-deadly goods are bad economic policy. Period.

Consumers choose their energy usage based on what it costs them--not others. If energy use imposes costs on others and that cost is not captured in the price of energy, then fix the price. Banning products does nothing to fix the real problem--screwed up incentives to consume energy.

Well said.