"Our greatest responsibility is to be good ancestors."

-Jonas Salk

Sunday, April 24, 2011

The Magic Washing Machine

7 comments:

EliRabett said...

When Eli was a boy his family did not have a washing machine, but we did have a commercial laundry down the block that did the washing for a reasonable fee, and when he was a student he used the commercial laundry even on a student stipend or the laundromat, so yes, there are other ways

Anna Haynes said...

If someone with more time than me who watches this would care to provide a 1-sentence synopsis, it would be gratefully received...

EliRabett said...

Washing machines freed womankind

Paul Baer said...

Hans Rosling deserves to be better known.

In addition to Eli's point (which is not wrong), Rosling describes two global class thresholds: the "wash line", below which people wash their laundry by hand, and the "air line", above which, people fly. The point being that folks above the air line should not be surprised that everyone wants to AT LEAST be above the wash line, and this has implications for global energy demand.

willard said...

Most of TED presentations have interactive transcripts.

My favorite quote:

> Even the hardcore in the green movement use washing machines.

More Rosling:

http://www.ted.com/search?q=rosling

skanky said...

GM made a similar point to the energy graph that Rosling displayed there:

http://www.monbiot.com/2009/09/29/the-population-myth/

Though there are some differences in message, approach, etc., the two are very compatible lines.

Simplistically, what happens below the airline is less of an issue if we address what happens above it.

Anna Haynes said...

Much gratitude to the Baer and the Rabett (and to Rosling, and to the O/P)