MacLean Magazine cover story: "Frugality. It's the new frivolity."

[leno...@yahoo.com]

It's five pages long. For those who don't know, MacLean is a Canadian
weekly magazine.

http://www.macleans.ca/business/economy/article.jsp?content=20081022_87650_87650

Excerpt:

"It’s not just the planet; it turns out when times are tough and
unemployment is on the rise, people actually get healthier too. It
sounds counterintuitive, admits Christopher Ruhm, an economics
professor at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, a researcher
who has conducted several studies over the last decade into the
phenomenon. But his research has found people tend to dramatically
overhaul their lifestyles during economic downturns, for the better.
'This goes against what people might first think, but my work has
found that when an economy weakens people are less obese and exercise
more. They drink less, smoke less, and have healthier habits than when
times are good.' For instance, in a 2000 study Ruhm found that a one
per cent rise in unemployment reduces the mortality rate by 0.5 per
cent. There are a number of factors at play. For one thing, when an
economy booms, smog levels typically rise, leading to an increase in
coronary heart disease. Roads get clogged with transport trucks and
commuters, and traffic fatalities rise. A downturn slows the economy,
but also all of those side effects. It’s worth noting that California
has seen a significant drop in highway traffic around its major cities
as a result of soaring gas prices."

(end)

Here's a more cynical view of the simple life, which mentions the
above article:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081028.COWENT28/TPStory/National

Lenona.