HOT DURABLES FUEL CHINESE WARMING TRENDS FEAR

HOT DURABLES FUEL CHINESE

WARMING TRENDS FEAR

EARLY DAYS

REFRIGERATORS AND WASHING MACHINES

ON DISPLAY AT THE #1 DEPARTMENT STORE

IN SHANGHAI, CHINA, IN 1981

Where once upon a time, the great Chinese public

aspired to Three Rounds and One Sound (a

bicycle, a sewing machine, a watch, and a radio),

with reforms three decades ago came the new four

desiderata: washing machine, refrigerator, TV, and

camera.

Now, in the interest of promoting "harmony," the

current regime in Beijing has been subsidizing rural

purchases of refrigerators, washing machines, and

other "modern amenities," and pumping construction

money into the economy generally. Critics have

urged China to focus more on domestic demand, and

less on imports.

But, shock! all of this means energy consumption goes up, and so does China's contribution to global warming.

HERE BE GIANTS