Given U.S. #consumption is so important globally (two-thirds bigger than #EU consumption!) the #world 's #governments have now few options to counter #Trump 's #trade #war : #state #subsidies to impacted sectors and #economic or #fiscal stimulus to avoid #recession (both triggering higher public #debt ), counter-tarrifs, and new free-trade agreements with other countries. In most cases it will be a mixture of all and reconfigure #global trade flows and #market mecanisms.

China's $41 billion plan to boost consumption is just the beginning as deflationary pressures mount. Economists are calling for a structural overhaul of the income distribution system, CNBC reported. In addition, it is noted that China's latest move to increase consumption is not aimed at increasing all types of spending.

https://globaltribune.net/chinas-41-billion-plan-to-boost-consumption-is-just-the-beginning

Modern economists are used to measuring the "standard of living" by the amount of annual consumption, assuming all the time that a man who consumes more is "better off" than a man who consumes less.... Since consumption is merely a means to human well-being, the aim should be to obtain the maximum of well-being with the minimum of consumption... The less toil there is, the more time and strength is left for artistic creativity. Modern economics, on the other hand, considers consumption to be the sole end and purpose of all economic activity.
-- E. F. Schumacher (Small Is Beautiful)

#Wisdom #Quotes #EFSchumacher #Consumption #Economics

#Photography #Panorama #Panopainting #Flowers #Junkyard #Minnesota

Dryers in the US consume ~3% of residential energy budget, 6x washing machines — https://news.umich.edu/clothes-dryers-and-the-bottom-line-switching-to-air-drying-can-save-hundreds/
#HackerNews #Dryers #Energy #Consumption #Air #Drying #Home #Efficiency #Sustainability

Quantitative #risk #assessment of #human #H5N1 #infection from #consumption of fluid #cow's #milk, https://etidiohnew.blogspot.com/2025/02/quantitative-risk-assessment-of-human.html

Since Apple products have become boring, I honestly don't see a reason to spend my disposable money on them every year like I used to. Remember when you were upgrading your iPhone every year? (still using a 2018 iPad)

Now, I spend my money on other things, like vinyl records, modding projects, or other less pricey tech gadgets. In hindsight, it's great that other interests now have the opportunity to shine, and everything seems so affordable in comparison.

How about you?
#apple #consumption

Gap Between Water Supply And Demand Will Increase As Climate Shifts, Analysis Finds
--
https://phys.org/news/2025-02-gap-demand-climate-shifts-analysis.html <-- shared technical article
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https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56517-2 <-- shared paper
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#GIS #spatial #mapping #spatialanalysis #spatialtemporal #watermanagement #waterresources #watersecurity #water #hydrology #watersupply #global #climatechange #warming #consumption #foodsecurity #agriculture #food #availability #economics #development #model #modeling #energy #scarcity #watergap #freshwater #groundwater #river #lake #aquifer #reserves #environment #stress #rainfall #precipitation #research #sustainable #planning #policy #gap #demand

Looks like a Tory, now goose stepping like a Tory - what next?

Judges at the supreme court rejected the chancellor’s application, lodged last month, in which she urged them to avoid handing “windfall” compensation to borrowers harmed by allegedly secret commission payouts to car dealers that arranged the loans.

A consumption encouraging rip off exposed!

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/feb/17/supreme-court-judges-reject-reeves-motor-finance-intervention

There have been changes over my professional life in the treatment of #militaryspending in the system of national accounts. Originally it was regarded as collective/government #consumption and thus current expenditure. At some stage - I think in the 1990s - much of it was reclassified as #investment . This attracted less attention than the inclusion of some illegal activity which occurred at the same time. Classifying some #militaryexpenditure as investment could justify borrowing to do so !

Habitat loss - we are ALL responsible

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/14/richest-nations-exporting-extinction-with-demand-for-beef-palm-oil-and-timber-aoe

Stop buying new things!

You can do it! It is possible!

Don't support the system destroying people to destroy the world. Just opt out. I have for ~15 years. You can too.

(when it's really, really necessary, you can buy new things, just think hard and find alternatives when possible)

Youth lifestyles and wellbeing in climate-resilient urban development: insights from our CYCLES #YoungLives7Cities study → https://cusp.ac.uk/themes/s1/cycles/paper-kp-cycles-climate-resilience/

This study explores the relational contexts shaping youth #wellbeing and #consumption in #UrbanSpaces, drawing on insights from 332 young people across seven cities. Findings highlight the role of family, #community, and public spaces in shaping #LowCarbon #lifestyles and propose ways for #LocalGovernments to foster sustainable #UrbanDevelopment.

Romania, a glimpse of dystopia? - tiotrom.com/2025/01/romania-a-…

Perhaps Romania is just a more exaggerated version of the global future we are heading towards, or perhaps already experiencing.

#China’s #retail #sales of #consumer #goods, a critical #barometer of the nation’s #consumption strength, achieved a robust 3.5% year-on-year #growth in 2024, reaching an impressive ¥48.79 trillion ($6.79 trillion USD), according to official data from the National Bureau of #Statistics (NBS). https://cnbusinessforum.com/chinas-retail-sales-hit-6-79-trillion-in-2024-up-3-5-yoy/

Big trouble for local retailer: “Boots and slippers were flying off the shelves a year ago, but now customers would rather cast off all their possessions and wander barefoot into the wilderness.”
https://theonion.com/target-losing-market-share-as-more-americans-opt-to-forgo-all-earthly-possessions/