HOW NOT TO PARACHUTE MORE CATS

The report 'HOW NOT TO PARACHUTE MORE CATS' by Hunter and Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute argues that global resource crises—including energy, water, and climate change—can be solved by understanding interconnections and prioritizing resource efficiency over the expansion of supply. The authors advocate for a 'least-cost' approach, demonstrating that energy efficiency and renewable technologies are often cheaper and more effective than fossil fuels or nuclear power. They suggest that these technical solutions can simultaneously improve economic health, reduce nuclear proliferation, and enhance global security by reducing dependence on volatile resources like Mideast oil.

• The authors argue that humanity is in a state of 'overshoot,' where growth has exceeded natural and social limits, leading to the deterioration of infrastructure, increased resource conflict, and the loss of free natural services. To avoid collapse, they suggest four measures: getting below limits through efficiency and recycling, protecting and restoring the resource base, improving signals to detect overshoot, and stopping the exponential growth of population and physical capital.
• In the United States, energy savings have proven more effective than supply expansions. Between 1973 and 1986, the U.S. reduced the energy intensity of its economy by 25% and its oil and gas intensity by 33%. The authors state that the U.S. could cost-effectively save 50% of its electricity and at least 50% of its oil and gas use.
• The report claims that 'hypercars'—ultralight-hybrid vehicles—could eliminate the need for Persian Gulf oil imports. While the U.S. fleet averaged 19 mpg at the time of writing, prototypes ranging from 63 to 138 mpg have been demonstrated. The authors suggest that a 150-mpg family car is technically feasible using available technology.
• The authors assert that energy efficiency is a more viable and cheaper alternative to nuclear power. They note that devices currently on the market can save four times as much electricity as all U.S. nuclear plants produce at 5% of the cost. They cite the city of Sacramento, California, as an example of a community that closed the Rancho Seco Nuclear plant in favor of photovoltaics and efficiency.
• Utility companies can improve financial health by 'decoupling' profits from sales, allowing them to earn profit from the savings they create for customers. Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) is cited as a primary example; after regulatory reform, the company stopped planning new conventional power plants and dissolved its engineering and construction division in 1993.
• Resource efficiency can drive economic development and productivity. A 1994 Rocky Mountain Institute study found that companies seeking energy savings often improved worker productivity by 6% to 16%. Additionally, the authors highlight the Davis House in California's Central Valley, which uses 75% less energy than standard houses and cost $1,800 less to build.
• For developing countries, the authors argue against capital-intensive megaprojects (like large dams or nuclear plants) which often drain funds and benefit only the urban elite. Instead, they propose 'leapfrogging' to decentralized efficiency and renewables. They suggest that rural South Africa could be electrified in 5 years using solar cells and efficiency, compared to 50 years using conventional wiring.
• The report links energy efficiency to global security and the reduction of nuclear proliferation. The authors argue that because nuclear power provides 'civilian cover' for bomb programs in countries like Iraq, Pakistan, and North Korea, shifting to non-nuclear energy sources would 'unmask' military intentions and make the spread of nuclear weapons more difficult.
• The authors propose redefining security as 'freedom from fear of privation or attack.' They argue that U.S. security is threatened by oil dependence and that spending a fraction of the military budget on building weatherization would eliminate the need to protect Mideast oil fields.
• In agriculture and water management, the authors advocate for sustainable practices over agribusiness. They cite a study showing that simple water-saving fixtures in Denver households and lawns could save more water than the proposed $1 billion Two Forks dam, leading the EPA Administrator to veto the dam.

APA

LOVINS, L. H., & LOVINS, A. B. (n.d.). HOW NOT TO PARACHUTE MORE CATS. RMI. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_G96-01_ParaCats.pdf

Chicago

LOVINS, L. HUNTER, and AMORY B. LOVINS. HOW NOT TO PARACHUTE MORE CATS. RMI, n.d. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_G96-01_ParaCats.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=LOVINS |first1=L. HUNTER |last2=LOVINS |first2=AMORY B. |title=HOW NOT TO PARACHUTE MORE CATS |publisher=RMI |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_G96-01_ParaCats.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lovinsndhow, author = {LOVINS, L. HUNTER and LOVINS, AMORY B.}, title = {{HOW NOT TO PARACHUTE MORE CATS}}, institution = {RMI}, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_G96-01_ParaCats.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }