HOW NOT TO PARACHUTE MORE CATS

The report advocates for a 'solve for pattern' approach to global crises, using energy efficiency and renewable technologies as a model for broader resource management. It argues that the U.S. and other nations can achieve significant reductions in oil and electricity use through technical innovations like 'hypercars' and efficient lighting, which are often cheaper than expanding supply. The authors contend that these efficiencies can simultaneously improve economic health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, slow nuclear proliferation by removing the need for civilian nuclear power, and enhance global security by reducing dependence on foreign oil.

• The U.S. can cost-effectively save at least 50% of its electricity and a similar amount of oil and gas, with already implemented energy savings saving $160 billion annually compared to 1973 levels.
• The development of 'hypercars'—ultralight-hybrid vehicles that are 5-20 times as efficient as current U.S. models—could eliminate the need for Persian Gulf oil imports and potentially restore U.S. automobile leadership.
• Commercial electricity-saving innovations currently available could displace over half of all U.S. electricity use, with some estimates suggesting a potential for 75% savings.
• Increasing R&D budgets by $160 million per year for 20 years could enable renewable energy to provide approximately half of total U.S. energy and all its electricity by 2030 (relative to 1989 levels).
• Energy efficiency can slow nuclear proliferation by removing the economic and technical justification for civilian nuclear power programs, which often serve as cover for weapons development.
• The U.S. is responsible for 25% of global greenhouse gas releases despite having only 5% of the world's population, largely because the average North American uses 40 times more energy than a person in a developing country.
• Water-saving fixtures in Denver households and lawns could save more water than the proposed $1 billion Two Forks dam would provide, at a fraction of the cost.
• The authors argue that the 'free market' is flawed by subsidies and an inability to signal sustainability or basic needs, suggesting that community-level decision-making is more effective for sustainable resource policy.

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} }