PEOPLE are hooked on energy consumption in the same way that alcoholicsare hooked on drink. This explains why we seem so intent on destroying ourenvironment and risk destroying ourselves, claimed John Spencer, a psychiatristfrom the University of Western Australia. Self-destructive behaviour is a classic sign of drug dependence. Accordingto Spencer, energy addiction and drug addiction have other common symptoms. Drug addicts grow tolerant to their drug and crave more and more. As energyaddicts, we use increasing numbers of energy-consuming devices and covetever bigger, faster, more fuel-guzzling cars. Such craving leads to a lossof control over our energy consumption – just as gamblers, drinkers andexercise addicts lose control over their actions. Like other addicts, our behavioural repertoire has grown narrower aswe become increasingly dependent on electrical power points and internalcombustion engines. There is also evidence that the urge to consume energyremains with us even after a period of abstinence. Most people were forcedinto moderation during the energy crises of the 1970s, but quickly resumedold habits when the crisis was over.