Planet Is Feeling Effect of Smaller Households
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
The number of people in the average household is shrinking, driving a global housing boom that puts more strain on biodiversity and the environment than does the overall rise in population, according to a study published Monday on the journal Nature’s Web site.
Rising affluence and longevity, lower birthrates, a trend away from sharing homes with parents and grandparents, and even divorce contribute to the trend, Michigan State University researchers said. That means more refrigerators and greater land use to accommodate a stable population, they said.
