Conserving is Platinum

This is a pretty interesting article on how constraints actually force us to do a better job. Wired always has pretty interesting stuff, but I found this pretty cool to read. Be sure to check out the articles on water bottles and blast-proof towers. Key quote:

Think of a young tree, a sapling. With water and sunshine, it can grow tall and strong. But include some careful pruning early in its development—removing low-hanging branches—and the tree will grow taller, stronger, faster. It won't waste precious resources on growth that doesn't serve its ultimate purpose. The same principle applies to design. Given fewer resources, you have to make better decisions.