Jevons' paradox

Proper noun

the Jevons paradox

1. The proposition that technological progress that increases the efficiency with which a resource is used tends to increase (rather than decrease) the rate of consumption of that resource.
   • One well-known example is electricity usage, where the Jevons paradox explains how making appliances more energy efficient can backfire by stimulating demand.2019 November 1, Oliver Burkeman, “Not enough hours in the day? Well, finding more may not help”, in The Guardian