Americans Need to Learn to Live More Like Europeans

And these numbers replicate huge adjustments in People’ life-style. The common U.S. residence was 1,700 sq. toes in 1980, by 2015 it was 2,000 sq. toes, although the variety of individuals within the common family shrank. In 1980, 15% of households didn’t have a TV, now solely about 3% don’t. In 2015, 40% of American households had three or extra TVs, together with 30% of households incomes lower than $40,000 a yr! In 1980, solely 13% of households had 2 or extra fridges, in 2015 30% did — together with many low-earning households. Clothes purchases have elevated five-fold since 1980 and the common garment will solely be worn seven occasions earlier than it’s disposed of.