The Atlantic has an article about how Americans developed a preference for large refrigerators. Refrigerators tend to be much bigger in the U.S. than in most countries of the world. On the surface, that may seem to be just one more indication that Americans are rich overconsumers, but the trend has more logic to it than that. Oh sure, we like to have a supply of perishable food that is safe to eat, but consider these differences between the U.S. and other countries.
* In small, denser countries, people shop for food every day. Most of the U.S. is dominated by larger supermarkets and fewer neighborhood grocers. Therefore, shopping more often means more driving. Americans also work longer hours, making daily food shopping difficult.
* The U.S. developed a huge ice industry in the 19th century. Ice vendors convinced us that ice was wonderful, and drinks should be served cold. The soft drink industry benefitted enormously from this belief.
* Americans refrigerate things that other countries do not. In Australia, eggs are not refrigerated. But the USDA requires all eggs to be washed before sale, which removes a protective layer. People in other countries do not refrigerate ketchup, jam, fruit, or fresh vegetables.
Read more about how refrigerators evolved to be so much bigger in America at the Atlantic. -via Metafilter
(Image credit: Flickr user U.S. Department of Agriculture)