Final answer:
The statement that being more energy-efficient will limit radiation of heat back into space as infrared waves is false. Energy efficiency refers to reducing energy use, and while it may indirectly affect Earth's temperature by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it does not directly control the infrared radiation emitted by Earth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of whether being more energy-efficient will help to limit the radiation of heat back into space as infrared waves is actually false. When we discuss energy efficiency, we're typically referring to the reduction of energy use through more efficient technologies or practices. However, the infrared radiation that Earth emits back to space is a consequence of the planet's temperature and energy balance, not directly related to human energy efficiency efforts.
Most of the heat generated on Earth, especially from burning fossil fuels, is eventually emitted as infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb and re-emit some of this infrared radiation, trapping heat and contributing to the greenhouse effect, which warms the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere.
Infrared radiation plays an important role in Earth's energy balance, and while energy efficiency can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and thus indirectly affect global temperatures, it does not have a direct link to the amount of heat the Earth radiates back into space.